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| *Vultures Knob>>>Bike Repair |
Roll on to adventure with a motorcycle, where to look for resonably priced? |
It's a "dad" thing. My son and I successfully completed the Team Oregon Program for motorcycle endorsements. We are currently searching for used motorcycles, two please. I find that the world of cycling has drastically changed. I used to ride a 650 BSA and 650 Triumph, when the clutches were dry plates. Yeah, yeah ..... but my son is only 17. Now, I find we have labels for us. I am a "duo-sport" type. I just ride, and when I see something, I turn off road and go investigate. My son, is a "street bike" kind of guy. We think bikes of 650 cc plus are what we want. I have been looking at the single cylinder KLM 650. I don't know if the "one lunger" is good for all day riding. My son has looked at some 500's that need repairs. We are "strapped for cash" the ex-wife has all of it. Hence, we need help in locating some motorcycles that are in good shape, and very reasonably priced. I've looked from time to time on Craig's list, and othersl; looked in local papers and shopping guides Have you considered buying from a car dealership that also sells motorcycles, they mainly sell cars so they are more flexible in dealing with their prices. Beside this, they want to break into the bike sales business and want your referral. They also have their bikes on consignment so it costs them more to keep them on their floor. They also have more financing options to deal with, so the easier chance of getting approved. I would also keep an eye on your local Auto Trader even a deal that doesn't look like a good price can be negotiated if the buyer is strapped for cash and looking for a fast sell. You can also check with your local motorcycle dealers, they have people who want to trade in bikes but the dealer won't accept them because the resale is not there. Often times if you speak to the sales person, you can give your name and phone # and what type bike you are looking for, they can give you referrals. You can also put your information up on the bulletin boards at your local grocery store, you may find somebody that has a bike just sitting in the garage waiting for an offer. Good luck in your search, perseverance will pay off in the end. Just go to "lets.ride.com" and look in their classified section. They have bikes classifieds for all makes and models of bikes, in all price ranges, and, they have a break down by state of all the upcoming rides in your area. Keep looking on Craigslist, maybe expanding your search a tad. Depending on where you live; there may be other free/cheap advertising options other than CL mentioned above. I know there are for here in Raleigh, NC. Two other places I'd try are eBay, www.CycleTrader.com, and the local and/or Sunday newspapers. If you don't live in a large city, look towards the nearest one for a large selection. For duo-sport I think you'd do alright with the smaller cc's, but one thing to pass on to your son is that a 600cc street bike, while there are some decently priced ones out there, usually come with the price of having to run at higher rpm's to maintain highway speeds....6,000+. That could result in uncomfortable vibration that he needs to be aware of when actually testing a bike. A 750 sportbike brings a bit more torque for smoother highway rpm with it and can still be had somewhat on the cheap. I too am a street bike kinda guy, but tight on cash and still wanting to ride, I settled on a 600 sportbike off CraigsList for about $2,300 for the time being. The last bike I owned was a Yamaha 1100cc, and it had highway vibration I didn't like. Each bike is different. Put your heads together and come up with a list of questions to ask, and things to physically look for once actually looking at a bike to possibly buy. Bring a bright flashlight to peer into the tank looking for rust and silt, look at the brake rotors, for tires dry cracking, vibrations at various speeds, and make sure that all fairings and things line up like they're supposed to; giving indication to the bike being dropped if not. Good luck. There are lots of decent used bikes on eBay, too. I've bought four that way. Consider looking for a while (a couple weeks), before you buy. Visit dealers, go to bike hangouts, read the papers and eBay (and keep with Craigslist, too). My riding started 40 years ago this month (current scoot is 96 Suz RF900). I know what you're going through. Biggest difference I've noticed now/then is that my vision is severely blocked as it never was before -- so many SUVs, minivans, and trucks -- and dark tinted windows! |
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