Seeking advice on buying my first motorcycle

[noiretextatique]

I have a couple of possibilities in the $1650-2100.00 range.

1) 1987 Honda Rebel 450 $2,000.00
27k miles with custom candy apple red paint and new carb boots. Battery is a year old as are the tires.
This bike is owned by a woman who was on the board of "Dykes on Bikes" here in SF, so it was meticulously maintained. It has a sissy bar and a windshield.

2)1997 Shadow VLX Deluxe $2,100.00
40k miles, nice silver paint, no leaks. It has newer a new battery, brakes and tires, and all service records.

3) 1996 Suzuki Savage LS650 $1,650.00
15k miles, with great yellow paint (the color I wanted). It has a new battery, new brakes and newer tires. this one I'm a bit suspicious about for some reason.

I have have two friends who are motorcycle mechanics, so I can get repairs done resonably.

I am leaning heavily towards the Rebel because I will mainly used the bike for commuting and getting around town. Also, I am only 5'4.5", so I want something I can handle comfortably.

I am not interested in riding on the freeways yet, nor am I particularly interested in group riding. I want to develop my skills on a small bike, then move up to a larger one. I am note sure about the Savage or the Shadow, but I know I can sell the Rebel for what I pay for it.

Any suggestions or comments?

Thanks!

[Haole Girl]

1. Just curious...

Could you test ride them? And, if you live in the San Francisco area, will they be powerful enough for everything you need (speaking of the steep hills)?

As far as height, I'm only 5' 1" and can ride a Sportster, so don't feel like you have to limit yourself to smaller Japanese bikes only. I'll have to admit, though, it's been a slow go at feeling really confident on my Harley. :blush:

Good luck & have fun!! :hi:

p.s., Be sure to post a pic, maybe here http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=393&topic_id=3&mesg_id=3, , after you buy it, ok?

[noiretextatique]

2. i can't test ride...my friend will do it

i don't have a license or permit yet. my friend has a sportster 1200, but no way am i ready for that. i have ridden a rebel 250 and a small kawasaki, and i was able to handle both of those. i just want something small until i get more confidence.
i actually live in oakland.
thanks for the response...and i will post when i get it.

[Haole Girl]

3. You're welcome

Eager to see which one you decide to get & how you like it! :hi:

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. If you can get a Honda Rebel 450 for $2000

that seems like a good deal. Especially if it's well-maintained, as you say.

If you decide you need something bigger (probably unnecessary) you can sell it and probably come out ahead. But, a 450 should be able to handle freeway speeds and hills without any problem.

If you want yellow, I'd follow ThomWV's example and buy used paintable parts from ebay - don't just paint over a custom candy finish. Maybe that red will grow on you.

:thumbsup:

[noiretextatique]

8. the red has grown on me

thanks :thumbsup:

[SeattleVet]

5. That's not a bad price for the Savage.

Nice riding bike, especially for a smaller rider. How big are you? It's got a low center of gravity, very stable, and seems to ride very smoothly for a single cylinder 'thumper'.

My wife has a Savage; she got it to replace the GZ-250 she learned to ride on. The belt drive is easy to work with, and the rest of the bike is pretty simple. We rode from Seattle to Malibu this past June (3000 miles round trip) without her having any problems at all on her bike.

There's a decent support community for the Savage, too - susukisavage.com has a good online forum with a lot of helpful people.

[noiretextatique]

10. thanks, SeattleVet

someone snatched up the savage before i could get it, so i'm going with the rebel.

[Robb]

6. I like your thinking on the Rebel

...I've never bought a bike yet I didn't sell for at least what I paid. A year on the battery or tires is absolutely nothing for a 450 ridden on the street, plus it's tough to beat a good previous owner like that.

Go with your gut when you're suspicious about a bike. You're never wrong. The Honda's a great bike, you'll be quite satisfied with the power output for a good while. Remember, any idiot with a right arm can go fast in a straight line. ;)

[noiretextatique]

9. thanks, robb

decided to go with the rebel...now i just need to get a permit so i can ride it.

[noiretextatique]

7. i pick up the Rebel 450 tonight

:woohoo: i don't know how to post pictures, but here is a link to the bike i'm buying. i'm buying the bike from the woman on it.
http://www.pbase.com/dykesonbikes/image/80649670

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. Great looking bike!

It looks new.

I like everything about it, except I'd have to lose the sissy-bar back-rest thing. I'm too clumsy, and my foot would get tangled up with it every time I get off the bike. There's probably a secret to that, but I don't know it.

You said you need a permit? Have you taken the basic MSF course? http://ca-msp.org/RiderCourse_Locations/ridercourses_locations.htm

:hi:

[noiretextatique]

12. i started the course...but

i didn't finish it. they had me on a 125cc kawasaki eliminator the first day and the shift lever didn't work properly. so the second day i tried to ride a Rebel 250, and i didn't feel comfortable on it, and i did not feel comfortable with my shifting skills. and of course, the second day is the more advanced training.
i will get the permit this week, and i will take the course again next weekend. i like the sissy bar, and i will add a windshield and some saddle bags.
:woohoo: i'm (almost) ready to ride :hi:

[Haole Girl]

13. Cool!

I love the red! :hi:

[noiretextatique]

16. i wanted yellow, but i like the red

it's very cool :hi:

[ThomWV]

14. Your picture:

Here you go:



That is a very nice looking bike. What to do next? If you didn't get an Owner's Manual or Service Manual with it you might want to look around for them - they can be very handy to have. Given time everything shows up on E-Bay and given more time at a reasonable price. This may sound a little assholish but if you haven't taken the Rider's Safety Course yet and you are short you might want to consider removing the sissy bar for at least the next couple of months and while you're at it try to pick up an engine guard for it pretty quick. I'd probably take the passenger footpegs off if it for now too. The reason to take the sissy bar off will sound silly but you watch and see: Before you grow your ironbutt - which will come soon enough - you'll find that even relatively short trips, say 50 miles or so, will actually be tiring. For at least the first little while what you will find yourself doing is kicking that dam sissy bar with your foot every time you get off the bike. It will drive you nuts. So do away with it for now, besides, getting it and the foot pegs off of there removes the temptation to offer to take anyone for a ride. You can put them back on next spring when you will have a lot more experience. Then there is the matter of an engine guard. The reason to have one is pretty straight forward. Sometime pretty soon you are going to fall off of the bike. Chances are it will happen at a stop sign or in front of your house. It might happen the first time you put your foot down in gravel or maybe with one of your early U-turns, but one way or another its going to happen. You'll come to a stop and something will happen and over it will go. You'll jump clear and maybe something will hit your calf and give you a little bruise but you'll be OK. One mirror will be knocked out of shape and you will probably put a scratch or two on the rear turn signal but that's about all. You will not believe how much easier it will be to pick the bike back up if it has an engine guard and of course it will prevent substantial damage to the bike.

[noiretextatique]

15. not assholish in the least

i appreciate the advice. i will take the MSF riding course in the next few weeks. i already did the classroom portion and one day of riding, but i had to switch to a bigger bike that i was unfamiliar with on the second day of riding, so i opted to take the entire riding course over.
i do plan to get a crash bar and i will consider removing the sissy bar. you make a lot of sense, and as i mentioned, not at all in an assholish way :hi: i get my permit today, hopefully. i took a written test friday, but i missed one question too many. i read the booklet again, so i think i will nail it this time.
thanks, thom.