it would have to be a very cheap bike for it to be a money saver in the end. do all the math.

if saving money is your goal then instead of spending $4000 on a honda rebel you should look for an older japanese bike. you could find a clean honda bike from the late 80s/early 90s that runs fine (those motors will outlive you) for 2 grand or so. pay cash, liability insurance only, etc. if you're gonna save money, save money.

Very low price... how "used" is that?

lol.... sorry. working and typed it quickly and failed to proof read. :D

ah... 25 years old. :)

in this area m/c do not drop much below $2,000 unless they are quite old or have some issues. that seems to be the basement price for basic transportation.

i was thinking a 250cc 5 or 10 years old which would command about 3 grand here. it will have had more riders than space mountain but will hold value through them unless it gets wrecked.

that a CB500?

very nice

I love the classic vintage bikes. Japanese bikes = blah.

http://www.roncobb.com/Graphics/BSA-30-4-5-LOGO.JPG

not really relevant to that situation, though... the other car isn't braking. and it's not as if you'd drop anchor and completely stop, you just drop behind their rear bumper. that was what i was saying.

If the car sees you all of a sudden and is pulling into that lane they might hit the brakes. Why wouldn't they just get back in their lane? There are a lot of female drivers out there.

never seen that reaction. it seems the 99.999 reaction is to jerk the wheel away, back into the lane theycame from.

OK. But what about the extra force created by the larger mass? Not questioning your knowledge. Just clarifying. I know the driver manual says that a bike takes the same time to stop. Not more. Not less.

Its not a matter of more or less mass nor is it an issue of how fast either can stop... it's a matter of panicking and hitting the brakes too hard which will cause the rider to more than likely eat some gravel.

In a car you can stomp on the brakes and you don't have to worry about the car tipping over, high centering, or even having the back end come around on you (for the most part). On a motorcycle its extremely easy to do any of those things which is why it is important for the rider to be able to accelerate past an obstacle as opposed to braking.

they are all different. some bikes still have drum brakes in the rear. some only have single discs in the front. there are even a few people riding choppers with no front brake because it obscures the aesthetics by hiding the rim. my daily on the other hand will stop faster than you ever want to stop.

but the argument that you might skid or you might endover, IMO, is spurious. you shouldn't avoid braking because you might brake improperly, you should learn to brake properly.

I never said that you should avoid breaking. If I had not learned the value of proper breaking I would probably have not have managed to live through the first 2 years of riding.

I am saying that having enough power to accelerate out of a bad position is extremely valuable and is not something I would ever again do without.

So you sold the Harley? :Poke:

Bastard. :clap: lol

My Sporty will out run 90% of all stock cruisers (light to light). I've yet to take it out on a track though it is something I might be doing in the next few months.

I've been watching Rebels on eBay for a couple of weeks now. Saw a 2004 with over 40K go for $900, saw a 2008 with less than 1K go for just over $2,000 (probably should have jumped on that one, but I'm not quite ready to buy yet). Yesterday I came across these two for sale at a nearby gas station. a 1987 and 2004, both with under 20K miles, $1,500/each.

Twenty minutes left on this auction (Reserve not met)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...NA%3AUS%3A1123

What the hell are you on about?

A. I'm not selling my sporty
B. Can you get a 1957 Sporty for $3500? How about a 2004? If so, let me know where so I can stock up.

What the **** are you talking about?

What pissing match?

Have I insulted you because I said that my bike is faster light to light than most cruisers?

When did I call you out? I didn't call you out. LOL

Why are you pissed?

LMFAO

I don't understand "you can get a sportster for 3500" is like saying "you can get a ford pickup for 3500". well what year? what condition?

Nevermind. You guys are drunk.

I'm not drunk... just confused.

Shit.. if he has a line on a 57 for 3500 I'm all about it!

Budget just got tighter... found out the wife isn't likely headed to basic until February.

Found a 2002 Honda Rebel, 1488 miles (woman rider), selling for $1600 on CL. Should be able to get less than that.

A sportster for 3500 is probably going to need some wrenching.

IIRC, that's a 250 cc street bike. You'll just have to ride it and see if it has enough pickup for you.

Thanks, that's helpful! Figured she was overpriced, and now I can go to her and give number to bring the price down. Trying to test it this afternoon and run it by a mechanic.

I rode a Honda Nighthawk (250cc) at the safety course this weekend. I know if I buy this that I'll upgrade in a year or so, but right now I need something to get me around town. Light highway riding (7-10 miles) with a top speed limit of 55 mph. If I ride home by the ocean, speed limit never gets over 45.

Nighthawk and the Rebel have the same engine, so you pretty well know what you are getting.

They are all listening to their cranked radio, talking on the phone, smoking, eating, slapping their kids, texting and watching a DVD at the same time. Plus anymore there are so many short women driving these big SUVs that they can barely see out of. You can never think that any car sees you... just give yourself a wide berth whenever you can (not that you could have here)

Going to look at a Vulcan 900 Classic this afternoon. The Kawasaki dealer has some great financing options right now.

would be a good choice. like the vulcans.

Absolutely LOVE the way they look. More than I wanted to spend, but could afford the payments until the wife goes to basic and we start getting the housing allowance to pay for the bike outright.

I know. I'm all over the place with wants right now. Thinking inexpensive, so smaller. Thinking bigger and better with financing until we can pay it off (early next 2010).

The Vulcan isn't a lot different from the Shadow Spirit I was originally looking at. A little bigger, and a rumbling cruiser, which I really like. Spending a lot of time looking at available stuff on CL that I can afford to pay off now, and looking at options on the showroom that aren't TOO expensive that I could make payments on until I could pay off in a few months.

The 900 is a bit more motor than I really wanted, but I like the Vulcan 900 Classic better than the Vulcan 500... not sure. Decisions, decisions. Hell, I may sit on one and not like it at all.

knew a friend who had a Vulcan and loved the hell out of it.

Cool name. Vulcan was the Hellenic god of fire and metallurgy

I bought an '81 CB900 Custom last year. Great bike to get me to and from work since it came with all the luggage (two side bags and a trunk). Most of my drive is highway - 65-75 mph. Mileage isn't quite what I would like since it is only a 5 speed (actuall 10 - with the high/low gear it also has) but now 6th gear for highway cruising.

It is because I said so Mother****er!
No, sorry, just kidding. And channeling Sam. ;)
Not that long ago the same thing couldn’t be said and the average bike would out brake the average car. But since the ‘80’s cars have become smaller, lighter and predominantly equipped with power assisted four wheel disk brakes with ABS control. Particularly on loose road surfaces the control of ABS makes a big difference.
You also have to consider ability and it takes someone with a lot of experience that has learned to “feel” the brakes to get the best braking performance out of a motorcycle while even a novice driver can slam on their cars brakes and achieve consistently short braking distances because of ABS.

Just consider the weight of that bike. Big cruisers get heavy fast, hence the term “lead sled”.

I know. The Vulcan 900 is a "middlewieght cruiser" I think... with all fluids it ought to be around 600 pounds. Definitely will need to sit on one, lean it a little and get some feel for it. Might try to find one on CL to take out for a ride to get a feel.

You can change your gearing by shuffling sprockets around.
Try getting a front sprocket with 1 more tooth on it, yours probably has a 13 or 14 tooth sprocket. To compensate you would have to get a slightly longer chain or you could also get a rear sprocket with 1 or 2 fewer teeth than your rear one currently has.
You will loose acceleration but swapping gears around can get your engine speed, RPM’s, where you want it at a given vehicle speed, MPH.

FMB, if you take a road test on a Rebel let me know how it goes?

Should be riding one tomorrow or Thursday.

I took my test on my Honda Shadow. Trying to navigate that thing through staggered cones spaced 10 feet apart was a bitch. Took me 2 times to pass the test.

I saw a 100 lbs. woman do that on a raked out Harley when I took my test. There was no way I could do it on that bike at that time. I wanted to go tell her I was impressed, but her 6'6" 300 lbs husband looked kinda pissed to be up so early in the morning.

That actually is a bit of my concern, getting a bigger bike. I know I'll get used to it, but all I've ridden is the 250cc Nighthawk. Little bit of nerves until I at least ride something bigger, you know?

Have you looked at the motorcycle safety classes, in a lot of states if you pass the class they give you a certificate which you can take in and get your license without having to take the test. Plus, its just a damn good idea to take the class anyway.

Took one last weekend. rules changed and they didn't bother to tell anyone that if we had our permits we could get a license test waiver.
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a dual purpose bike is perfect for the test if you can find one to borrow.

I've got my permit already. Have been debating about getting a bike and riding it for a while, then taking the intermediate safety course, which also has a waiver. Would give me some of that skills experience on my actual bike, rather than the 250cc bikes they make you ride in the basic class.

They make those tests ridiculously hard. It's why half the people you see riding motorcycles don't actually have a license.

The MSF test I took this weekend is harder than the DMV test for SC, and I was "excellent" in all categories. I didn't find it very hard at all.

You would if you took it on a Road King.

That's probably very true.

I say take the test on what you ride.

Within reason, of course.

Well, that's just it. The test should be passable on a touring bike and for 90 percent of the people, it isn't. So they don't bother getting a license.

The smaller the bike, the easier the road test. My advice: borrow a small bike, take the test, then ride your bike in mostly 'comfortable' situations (daytime only, light traffic, dry roads...etc.) for a few months before thinking you are some kind of pro. My friend is an X-ray tech and he told me that most of the cycle rider he works are a car's fault with an inexperienced rider on the bike. I believe it.

I'd planned to keep my permit for a while, which means I can't legally ride at night or with a passenger. That's something I'll follow, for sure.

I don't understand why the license test should be this low speed maneuvering stuff. Licensing riders is supposed to be to ensure competence on the roadways and safety to others who are out there, not some kind of test of whether you will drop your bike in a parking lot.

if you took out all the unlicensed/untrained riders, and all those riders who had more than 0 drinks before they headed out, and all those with no helmet i bet you'd have half the number of injuries that you do

How many times have you seen a guy at a stop light take off and leave his feet on the ground for a half block? It bugs the hell out of me. A test like that should cure them. Of course, if someone is on a Road King or Gold Wing I don't complain.

But you also make a valid point. The test should have a COUNTER-steering test instead of a putt-putt steering test.

My course this weekend actually had quite a bit on counter-steering. Nothing terribly fast (third gear), but it was there.

Usually, the license test doesn't include it. That's why so many on here suggest taking an advanced course. You'll be twice the rider.

i know those guys are always leaving their legs dangling, cornering at 15mph, riding in groups a foot apart at 55mph on the freeway, putting their feet down in parking lots. so what, i could care less as long as they are not crashing into me.

I agree, I just don’t think the test should be dumbed down for the guys that have to take it on a bigger bike either.
I also agree that many guys don’t bother getting a license but I think that’s as much because of enforcement as the difficulty of the test. Most cops don’t even know to look for the motorcycle license when they pull a motorcycle over.

That’s good.
Knowing exactly how to handle your sled will improve your enjoyment of it.
You’d be surprised how many guys have ridden bikes for years and don’t know what counter steer is or how to manipulate it.

FMB, You are better off as a rider, especially a first time rider, by taking the advanced course rather than the DMV test. If it is readily available where you are located, that is the way to go.

Yeah, I know. The intermediate course is the same as the basic course except you use your own bike.

On another (bragging) note, the course instructors made a point in class to say that I was the best in the class. :D One of the instructors pulled me aside after class was over and said I should get a few years experience, take the upper classes, and come back and help teach. That was nice to hear.

i remember when i took the class there was this kid(18-19) in there that wouldn't shut his yap...always trying to be funny, or show how much he knew about bikes/riding.
the 2nd day we were all out on the course doing figure 8s, and he laid the 250 over on it's side and shit his pants. he duck-walked around all afternoon w/a big old wet splotch on the back of his pants.
sec

I am used to hearing "shit his pants" as a saying... He actually shit himself???

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

It's a shaft drive. On one of the Honda forums they said one of the Mid 80's transmisisons went to 6 speed and fits - I am just not much of a mechanic.

he actually did. there were two women taking the class that bagged on him so much i almost felt sorry for him. the instuctors got kind of pissed and called for a 10 minute smoke break to give him time to go wipe, i guess.
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I think I would've just gone home for the day.ROFL

I took a class with a friend year before last. I did it years ago for myself but it's cheap here so, why not. There was a guy there who said he had bought some super ultra HD a month or two ago, and he thought he would get his license. He was all over the course, couldn't turn, couldn't go straight, braking was crazy... He must have had the bike down 3 times the first day. He dropped doing the figure 8 on the test day too. I felt sorry for that expensive bike he allegedly had in his garage, the way he was dribbling this virago

me too...at the end of the 3rd day everyone was calling him "easy rider poopypants".
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Nasty!

Ah, sorry. With a two speed transaxle I should’ve guessed it was shaft drive.