[ascentofstan2]

I am looking for a good first bike. I like the honda 350s and whatnot, but am looking for anything like that. If anyone has any suggestions on what to look for or what not get i would appreciate the advice. In addition if you have any info on where i should look for a bike i would appreciate that as well. Im not looking for anything fancy. something under 1500.00 so i can start building it up to what i want. thank you for reading and thanks in advance for any help.
david

 

[LiLBull]

Just do a little reading in the last two pages of posts,try under Stattz questions and answers.Your questions have all been cover just last week .So do a little back reading .Your in Texas so you should be able to find one from ebay or craigs list locally also leaning against a house or in a barn are bikes that have been forgotten because the sum of adding up the small things just keeped the bike of the road,finacially or mecahnically.

In the North East we have low mileadge bikes sitting around, because inclimate weather and a short riding season and the little things added up to, to much bother, to fix so they let it sit and gave up riding or just got a new bike.Due to rust they look hopeless unless your mecahnically adept and they are prime bikes for "cafeinating"(thank Stattz for that word)

Im sure in texas the heat alone would put a lot of engines into high stress mode.But they look great due to no rust.But because you have a much longer season they maybe mechanically used up.

So your on your way you found the best site for this activity even though its a vintage race site there are alot of "streeters" here.Good luck





Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 11 2005 05:41:13 AM

 

[Geeto67]

I always say a person's first vintage motorcycle should be japanese. Why? They are as reliable as a brick and not as distractign to ride.

Foolishly my first street motorcycle was a norton commando. It broke down so much that I got frustrated with it and swore off bikes for a couple of years. At the time I bought it, it wasn't a classic but just an old junky used bike (1972 bike in the late 1980s-early 1990s) whioch means there wasn't the parts support there is for it now.

My next bike was a cb750, runs like a sewing machine and I have no complants. I have never had to to more then routine maintenance to it and I have owned it for 6 years now. My first motorcycle, a cr125 dirt bike, was equally as good but not a street bike.

Some of the canidates in the list I posted in stattz's previos thread

http://www.caferacer.net/forum/topic.asp?whichpage=1&ARCHIVEVIEW=&TOPIC_ID=1390

are not beginner bikes. A 750 kawasaki h2 will likely make sure you won't see your next birthday if you are a novice. It's the nature of a two stroke, what with going from no hp and torque to all of it in less than 500rpms, it was the busa of it's day. On the other side of the spectrum you can't go wrong with a honda cb, even the 750s make good beginner bikes.

In order to recomend a beginner bike, we need to know a little about you:

1) Size (height, weight, etc)
2) What traffic is like where you live (urban or suburban)
3) riding expirence
4) what you are looking for in a bike
5) what you want the bike to do


this is important, because not ever bike is well suited to every rider and enviornment. If you want to ride the interstate with big trucks, a cb350 will make you feel like a fly among the elephants, and you'l probably get treated that way too. As the same time an early gl1000 doesn't lane split easily and looks stupid parked on the sidewalk. With the exception of t500 and gt550 suzuki, I would stay away from two strokes above 350ccs. Although easier to work on, the powerband of an rd350 or 400 will make a newbie shit himself, same for a kawasaki h1 or h2 - when you come on the pipe it is like getting kicked in the arse with a 50hp boot.



Edited by - geeto67 on Nov 11 2005 3:25:35 PM

 

[ascentofstan2]

I will be riding in austin texas, minimal use of freeways. I ride my bike everywhere, so i would only need the motorcycle for long distances (anything over 30). So I would say I will be riding it about 2 times a week. I would like to be able to cruise on some trips, but im not planning on touring. I have never even ridden a motorcycle, but I am planning on learning (obviously, ha). My father has been trying to get me into motorcycles forever now, But i just cant apprectiate the looks of the harley davidson cruisers he loves. They dont make sense to me. I want something I can understand mechanically, work on myself and customize over time. Hondas are what im shoping for now. cb350f's and whatnot, based on their reliability. I also found a bsa that needs some help, but that seems like it might take its toll on me over time, but they look so damn good... anyways. As far as body type im 6'0" 170.

 

[FR]

Considering your size, and what you want to do, I'd say you want something 500cc or bigger.

Check this on craigs list [email protected]

Great 1st bike.

FR

 

[Geeto67]

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

 

[ascentofstan2]

Yeah im going to look at the cb450 tomorrow. if it runs good and i like it that will prob. be the one. i have no way of getting to dallas or else that kz looked good. Why does no one wrap thier pipes anymore? people dont like how that looks or? I just want to do what ever i can to get performance out of my old bike... wrapping is that outdated? Thanks for all the help, all of you. Im sure i will be asking millions of more retarded questions. so thanks in advance for putting up with me.
david

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
Yeah im going to look at the cb450 tomorrow. if it runs good and i like it that will prob. be the one. i have no way of getting to dallas or else that kz looked good. Why does no one wrap thier pipes anymore? people dont like how that looks or? I just want to do what ever i can to get performance out of my old bike... wrapping is that outdated? Thanks for all the help, all of you. Im sure i will be asking millions of more retarded questions. so thanks in advance for putting up with me.
david

I assume you are talking heat wrap, right? Actually heat wrap has come back into vogue after being consider ugly and outdated through out the 1990s. I actually wrapped a pipe last week and am planning on wraping another tomorrow. On hondas, the only effect heat wrap has is to keep the oil from overheating since the pipes pass real close to the oil filter. It doesn't give you performance but it helps the longevity of the motor.

cb450s are a really neat bike. Parallel twin and can crack the ton. Easy to ride and have a brit bike sound and feel, but reliable. Since most of the cb450 stuff is interchangable I would suggest looking for a 1969 body set like this:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dean_morarity/detail?.dir=mail&.dnm=7677.jpg&.src=ph