My Girlfriend is from Austin so I am somewhat familar with the city. It's nice down there, if I ever get the inkling to move out of new york, I think Austin is the next place.
I have had cb350F and yes the bike is reliable. It is also a complete dog (it is really really slow). I would recommend at the very minumum a cb400F, pocket hot rod, but that bike might feel a little small to you. I have always had good expirences with cb500s (1970-1973) and cb550s (1974-1978) and they are small enough to be a beginner bike to somone who may not be able to muscle a cb750 around yet. They are big enough that you may not feel like you are going to get squashed by the SUV's but trucks may give you a scare. They are also highway safe, unlike the cb350f which takes so damn long to get to 60 you might as well be a fly on the windshield of billy bob's pickup. Try and get the ones with the cb500 style two tone paint job, they just look too killer.
Other bikes I recommend (all are reliable but do more research):
- Suzuki t500 and GT500 (1970-1976). British like styling and size, feels very much like a norton. Although a two stroke it doesn't have the harshness of other two strokes, its powerband kicks in early making it feel like a 4 stroke. Very light nimble bike but not tiny like a cb350 twin. don't expect the bunny huggers to like you very much, two strokes burn a little oil. the GT500's primary difference is that it has a disc brake.
- cb750 (1969-1978). A little heavy to walk around, but once you are riding, stable, neutral, manuervable, smooth, and enough power to keep up with the kid in the camaro looking to cut you off at the light.
- cb500/cb550 see above
- kawasaki kz four cylinders (1972-1983). The kz550 is a nice bike, a little bulky in the looks but it has the power to do what you want. The kz750 can be a little heavy to tippy toe around but a nice solid stable bike. The kz900 is heavy, but it is very much like a cb750 in it's ride quality, although less manuervable (not a true beginners bike but you can get used to it fast).
- yamaha xs650 (1969-1978): brit bike looks (espically the early ones) but a little heavier than the triumph bonneville it was competing against. very upright bike and a little tall but a nice ride.
- The Ninja 250. Although only a 250 it is a modern engine that puts out the hp levels of most of the larger 70's bikes. Will run 80 mph all day long and is a blast to ride. Yes it is a modern bike but used examples can be had all day long for $2K and they are really a blast to ride. Plus you can make a mini streetfighter. Lots of people ride these bikes as their first mount.
- Suzuki gs series. The 1100 is too much bike, but the 750 and smaller are nice rides. the gs450 might be a little small but there is a suzukimatic 450 (like the honda matic) that might be good if you suck at shifting (but seriously you will have to learn sometime).
I'm sure other's will chime in with the bikes they like but these are my pics given what you want to do with the bike.
here are some local ads for you, some are project bikes others not so much. Austin was kinda slim so I included a few dallas listings:
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/110416895.html
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/110392242.html
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/109203071.html
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/109235321.html
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/108178178.html
http://dallas.craigslist.org/mcy/109308313.html
http://dallas.craigslist.org/mcy/103985269.html
Edited by - geeto67 on Nov 11 2005 1:04:42 PM