A newb looking for a bike

[Laxxin93]

Ive ridden a dirtbike for about four years and I'm eighteen looking for a bike. I'm not uncomfortable on my buddies gixxer 750 so size isn't that big a deal. And no I'm not going to go look for a hayabusa, however I either want an enduro, or a sportbike, please give me a hand because I have no clue what to look for, I work and have 2k for the bike and 800 for gear. Any and all tips would be greatly appreciated, thanks for your time!(Hyde park N.Y. Not new England)

[SRTie4k]

You can probably find an SV650 for that price. Great all-around bike.

[9secondsflat]

save your money as you will need a few dollars more to get a low mile newer bike 3-4 years old...

[G21forme]

Yup, wait until you have 3k try to find something with good tires, chain, and service records if possible.

[scubasteveRR]

i think you should buy this.. put the 2k towards it and finance the rest. end of story = shit eating grin

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...y-8-000-a.html

[G21forme]

Bad idea, very bad idea

[jbmass]

First bike, my 2 cents:
Find a bike you won't mind training on that's inexpensive and will be easy to resell if and when you outgrow it Not that you will, but don't go nuts on your first bike. Something light, easy to work on and service, and comfortable for your riding ability and style of riding.

[golden chicken]

I'll vote for the SV650, though I may be biased.

My friend rides a CBR1000RR and he took my SV for a spin. He came back saying, "it sounds like a dirtbike and it feels like a dirtbike."

[Laxxin93]

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/mcy/2791942065.html I figure it'd be easy to work on, and it should be pretty light so maybe I should save up?

[01xj]

Looks like a scam or its stolen. Stay away from sellers with "title issues" when your looking for a bike. Ideally you want a seller with title in hand who knows the history of the bike.

[Laxxin93]

Thanks man my dads a hardcore Harley guy and he wants me to learn on a chopper but I feel like if I learn on a sportbike I'd be better off my dad says I should get a Buell, thanks for the advice and the closest sv650 is about a two hour drive.....

[csmutty]

Buells aren't bad bikes if you can get one for a good price. They are good beginner bikes. Tame power and decent handling.

[butcher bergs]

...I feel like if I learn on a sportbike I'd be better off...

You will.

Have you considered the EX500?

[Laxxin93]

Just for reference what are high miles for a bike? I mean I can imagine some dumbass kid could probably screw a bike up over 2000 miles and a responsible daily driver could baby a bike but I have no clue. And any good programs for learning to ride on a track? I really want to learn how my bike will respond under more extreme conditions, and my dad races with the scca and he says it makes you a better driver.

[csmutty]

Just for reference what are high miles for a bike? I mean I can imagine some dumbass kid could probably screw a bike up over 2000 miles and a responsible daily driver could baby a bike but I have no clue. And any good programs for learning to ride on a track? I really want to learn how my bike will respond under more extreme conditions, and my dad races with the scca and he says it makes you a better driver.

There are track days to ride on the track. Before you try a track day I would recommend that you spend a year or so on the street at least. I also came from dirt to street when I was 17 and started on the track when I was 19. It is a big adjustment and really takes some getting used to. The track is a great learning environment but you need to establish a solid knowledge and skill base before building on that and learning more advanced techniques that the track has to offer. Otherwise you are just wasting your money and time.

[Rossco]

Bandits can be had for less coin then SV's. However they're not as sophisticated. I would only get the 600 though, and stray away from the 1200s.

I picked this up for 2 grand last spring.

[Father Ribs]

Not clear if you were saying you plan to move to choppers once your comfortable to please your dad, or if you are more interested in sports bikes.

One thing to keep in mind is how tall you are and how much you weight; if you are outside "normal" dimensions will affect what you can ride comfortably. http://cycle-ergo.com/ is a neat site that can show you what posture you may have when sitting on various bikes.

Are you looking for something now because it's cheap, but will store it a while (good idea...winter not the time to learn riding?)? Take the MSF course. If you never sat on a bike before they will do a good job of getting you started, and in an environment where you don't have to prove anything to anyone (like long-riding relatives/friends).

If it doesn't have to be a flashy sport bike, a lot of standard and light cruisers are excellent starting bikes. I know a lot of folks who started with Yamaha Vstar650s, and my first bike is a Suzuki vs800. My bike has a very comfortable riding position, handles great and even though you won't be racing any time soon on it, is very affordable and forgiving.

[maxim_X]

I like your plan of 2000 on a bike and 800 on gear. Don't cheap out on boots, gloves or a helmet. For a beginner sportbike for 2k the previously mentioned sv and ex are great choices. But don't be afraid of 80's japanese standards, they are cheap and easy to work on but a little heavier. Also you could get an enduro/ dual-sport of some type and get a sumo wheel/ tire setup for that price.

[Doc]

Thanks man my dads a hardcore Harley guy and he wants me to learn on a chopper but I feel like if I learn on a sportbike I'd be better off my dad says I should get a Buell, thanks for the advice and the closest sv650 is about a two hour drive.....

You sound just like me at your age.

Around your dad, don't call it a sportbike, call it a "naked" or a "standard", all sportbike but no plastics to fix WHEN you crash. "Sportbike" just means "Jap Crap" too your Dad.

At least an SV is a Twin and you could get away with it a little more with your dad

My suggestion. Look for something from the 1990's, hell even 1980's. Find someone that knows something about bikes to look it over for you (and I mean a mechanic type not someone who only reads the magazines for HP specs and the pretty pictures).

You will have a fine bike to learn on (no it won't get the really hot chicks but it will still get some girls ) might learn to wrench a little and you will still have money for Tax, title, Reg, Insurance, gas, oil, etc.

Great idea budgeting for the gear btw. Try not to just go all black.

Good Luck, welcome to the forum and the world of motorcycling!

[Doc]

Buells aren't bad bikes if you can get one for a good price. They are good beginner bikes. Tame power and decent handling.

Ya. Maybe a Buell Blast... other Buells, not so much.

[JohnnyV]

Ive ridden a dirtbike for about four years and I'm eighteen looking for a bike. I'm not uncomfortable on my buddies gixxer 750 so size isn't that big a deal. And no I'm not going to go look for a hayabusa, however I either want an enduro, or a sportbike, please give me a hand because I have no clue what to look for, I work and have 2k for the bike and 800 for gear. Any and all tips would be greatly appreciated, thanks for your time!(Hyde park N.Y. Not new England)

This time of year you should be able to find a reasonable bike for that, or maybe a little more.

But let me just say, seeing as how you are 18 years old, GOOD ON YOU for saying you have $2k for the bike and $800 for gear. There are so many people out there, especially younger riders that would say "I have $2800, therefore I can spend $2800 on a bike."

You coming out of the gate putting aside a good amount of money for quality gear, even though it is cutting into your bike budget, shows a great deal of responsibility and awareness that is not often shown by riders your age. You're already off to a great start and you haven't even made the purchase yet. Quality riding gear is so important to having years of great riding experiences, and its nice to see that you are already aware of that.

Good luck on the bike search and ride safe.

[nhbubba]

At least an SV is a Twin and you could get away with it a little more with your dad

If his dad is anything like mine, it won't matter unless it goes 'potato-potato'.

[PhilB]

Kawasaki Ninja 250. Great little bike, and can be found in good condition for your budget. Take the MSF, even though you have dirtbike experience and a lot of it will be repeat for you. Look and see what other options for street training are available in your area. In many places the MSF has an advanced course, which you would soon be ready for. Lee Parks' Total Control is another good choice.

PhilB

[nhbubba]

You seem like the type that already knows this, but what the heck:
Remember when you talk with those of the cruiser way of thinking that displacement is an entirely different game when talking sport or even 'sporty' bikes vs cruisers. Most of those I talk to on a regular basis-including my father-are cruiser riders. They'll tell you that anything less than ~900cc is a waste of time, especially if you ever want to go near a highway.

It ain't so. My 650cc 'wee' strom does just fine on the slab clear through 100MPH. Hell, on paper a DL650 puts down ~20% more HP than a 900cc Kawi Vulcan while weighing ~30% less.

This makes the 650cc twins like the SVs, Kawi Ninja, and ER-6n, and so appealing. V-Stroms and Versi too. Street triple and Monster 696 too too.

[Sheppo]

Here SV650 2K
http://nh.craigslist.org/mcy/2809441801.html