Looking to buy an older beginner bike for the wife!

[silascopathic_imp]

Hey friends!

I have signed my wife up for the motorcycle training class (she wants her own woohoo!!)

I want to get her a beginner bike that she won't outgrow instantly. I'm thinking like a 500 or a 750. I would love to find a nice CB or CX for her. I want to keep it retro style. No crotch rockets or cruisers. craigslist is a bust and dealerships wont sell bikes that old.

I am thinking a bike from the 80's in good shape.

Do anyone you know a resource that either has what I am looking for or can help me locate what I am looking for?


Thanks!

 

[CIP57_imp]

Try cycletrader.com it gives you the option to look for a certain model and years of bikes. Its a good starting point.

 

[HikerToo_imp]

Before I was married , I had a girl friend who went from riding as a passenger, to getting her own, I missed her on the back

 

[rboe]

Any of the 250's (Suzuki TU-250, CBR-250 etc.) are excellent beginner bikes.

 

[Jim21680_imp]

If you must have a bike from the 80s, I would think any of the old UJM's would be good...but is going that far back really necessary? Finding the right bike from that age might be tricky (most are probably barely road-worthy beaters, or something much nicer that's had some level of restoration done to it, which could make it just too darn nice or expensive to use as a first bike).

I bet you can find an early naked SV-650 around somewhere...perhaps a 2003-up fuel-injected version. They're really great bikes, easy to manage, but nothing she'll ever get bored with. If that's not your thing, maybe a Honda Nighthawk, etc.

 

[Buffalohead_imp]

Any of the 250's (Suzuki TU-250, CBR-250 etc.) are excellent beginner bikes.

I have a Suzuki TU250X. It's a great bike. It would be perfect for a beginner.

 

[silascopathic_imp]

great thoughts thus far everyone! thanks so far I am thinking

883 sporty
SV650
Suzuki TU250X ( but I'm afraid she will out grow it quickly )

 

[Jim21680_imp]

Good stuff, but sorry to misread your original question....you're looking for ideas on where to buy a bike, not choosing the right bike.

Well, you already know about the main resources; ebay, craigslist, and cycletrader. The only other things I could suggest is to ask the motorcycle school she'll be attending. If she likes what she rode there, they often sell the trainer bikes every few years (usually for dirt cheap). Contrary to what you might think, most of these bikes have led pretty easy lives - they'll have spent most of it in a parking lot.

Also, if you can decide on the specific kind of bike you want, find the forum that those folks use, and post an inquiry about any bikes for sale (and search for a "for sale" thread while you're at it). You're almost guaranteed to find something, eventually.

Anyway, good luck with it. I've always thought that shopping for a motorcycle is almost as much fun as riding one. There's just sooooo many choices out there!

 

[silascopathic_imp]

good thoughts about the forum idea! i think i will try that too

 

[rboe]

With luck she will out grow the bike, but I think that is the idea. You start out small so you are not intimidated by the bike. There is so much else going on, trying to handle a bike that is too big for the early stages of learning may just turn the learner off the the whole thing.

We used to start out with 125's then move up through 360's, 450's etc. Usually peaked out at 750's. Seems counter productive to start out with 750's or bigger. Some folks CAN start out with a big bike but I think they are the exception.

 

[silascopathic_imp]

yea, that is a good point. I am going to see what her thoughts are on Saturday night when she comes home from the class.

 

[HondaJon_imp]

Seems like everyone outgrows the 250's pretty fast, here are a few suggestions that should prevent a "250 trade in" ;

Suzuki SV 650 - This bike is just fun to ride, great balance and low $$
get a 2003 or newer (Fuel Injection).

Nighthawk 750 - lots around, easy to ride, low maint.

New Honda CB 500F -ABS is available - great option to have, especially for a brand new rider.

 

[silascopathic_imp]

good suggestions HondaJon. She is definitely itching to get one soon! ahhaha

 

[oldgoat01_imp]

Smaller bikes are much easier to handle, easier to recover from mistakes (the toe dab maneuver) and tend to cost less to repair if dropped. (there is a reason why they use the bikes they do for the safety courses). Get a bike that is too heavy or cumbersome and she won't like riding. Get a bike that is easy to ride and she may like it and want to move up. If she does, you can flip a used 250cc bike for what you paid for it. Shop around and you can probably even make some $ since a used 250cc with 34000 miles is worth the same as one with 39000 miles and it won't take anywhere near 5000 miles before she will know if she likes it. Plus she is more likely to know what she wants in a bike after having ridden one awhile. So I vote used 250 knowing if she likes it, you may be out a couple of hundred, if not, you may be out a couple of hundred. But what the heck do I know, my wife won't get near my bike.

 

[silascopathic_imp]

old goat, those are some choice words.. you make a good point. Thank you

 

[frankflynn_imp]

my wife has become interested in riding so i got her a used honda hawk as a starter bike. it is a 400 cc 2 cylinder parallel that is even available with an automatic. i got a 78 hawk 2, which even had front disc brake. it has enough power to pull us both along with no problems, and me (at 185#) at 90+ mph. mileage is also 40+ mpg, and seat height is just over 30". it weighs in at only 326 pounds--roughly 200 pounds less than a cb750 or cb1100.

unfortunately after hearing about the automatic hawk she wants one of them instead--and for some reason they sell for considerably more than the 5 speed versions, opposite of the cb750 automatic which sells for much less than the 5 speed version.

jt

p.s. at around $1k for a nice used/running bike i figure she can ride it a while and if she gets tired of it i could give it away and be ahead of buying a newer model.

 

[Deanohh_imp]

Didn't see anything yet on what bike SHE wants. Let her pick it.... Reason for choice doesn't matter... Take my word for it.

 

[meowguy_imp]

I used a very nice Honda 250 Nighthawk at the MSF course. It was a sweet little bike that felt much bigger than it's size. And, it's a Honda of course.

 

[fishmitch_imp]

check out my 1975 cb400f in the classified forum.very nice beginner bike. she will look like she's riding a mini 1100.thanx,mitch

 

[bubblerboy64_imp]

Personally I think it wise to start small and work up even if it does cost a little money. The thought of needing to trade up shortly after buying a first bike is a positive not a negative. Let her be the judge but there is no reason NOT to buy a 250 and then move up a size or two in six months or so. Money for this is cheap. Getting in over her head could be a very serious mistake. We tend to forget but it can be challenging enough for a new rider why add to it. Spend the couple bucks to do it safely. Buy her a nice used 250 for $2500 and if you loose $500 on it be happy for it. If you get her a larger bike and it goes down for her you at the very least will spend three or four time that money if no injuries.