From: declrckd@rtsg.mot.com (Dan J. Declerck)
Subject: Re: Need Advice:  First Bike
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 20:07:13 GMT

In article <BvDD6q.5q2@world.std.com> CGKarras@world.std.com (Christopher G Karras) writes:
>	Although I have had a license for about 13 years, I have never
>owned a bike.  I would appreciate your thoughts on where to start
>shopping, and for what sort of bike.
>
>	What size?  I would like a bike that could carry me (5' 9" and
>about 150 lbs.) and my wife (5' 4" and about 120 lbs.) at highway speeds
>on occaision, but the principal use would be as weekend country road
>entertainment (after getting to the country) for a single rider.  I would
>guess that something in a 500 or 600 would be about right, but as I am
>pretty much of a novice perhaps a 250 makes sense?  I read nice things
>about the Honda CBR600F2 and the Kawasaki Ninja 250.  The last time I was
>on a bike for any serious amount of time, though, it was a 2 cycle and I
>expect the power/weight ratios of a 4 cycle are worse (but maybe better
>with the advances in suspension over the last ten years?). 

In my opinion, pay about $4-500 bucks for your first bike. Something old,
but pretty popular so that used parts can be obtained by UPS.
I hate to say this, but odds are you are going down within the first year.
It'll probably happen when you feel confident you know what you are doing
(It happened to me this way). When people say, "Take the MSF class" they aren't
being demeaning, it's a good course. I bought an old Honda CB750 with lots
of miles and some very worn out valves/seats. I learned on this machine, and 
crashed on this machine (I only paid $250 for it, and sold it for the same).
The nice thing about the 750 was that it was HEAVY, and it could carry a passenger
easily (It's a standard style bike). I bought a used Kawasaki EX500
(1500 miles) for about $2500 (lists for about $3500) While the EX500 is more
nimble (lighter, better handling), it has a very hard time carrying a passenger.
This doesn't bother me since I rarely ever have a passenger.  The performance 
characteristics are similar for both bikes (horsepower anyway).

Another aspect I'd really like to stress is safety equipment.
Don't scrimp on this stuff, as it will literally save your skin.
A good helmet can be had for about $100, and a good leather jacket
for about $200-250. Don't buy fashion-leather, as it will not save you.
I bought a Hein Gericke "First Gear", but I think I paid a little too much
for it (about $500).
Don't forget gloves, and boots. I'm toying with the idea of buying English
riding boots (for horses) at a lower price at a saddle shop. These are 
roughly the same ones you see in the Harley Davidson Catalog, at 1/5th the price
(they don't have the H-D logo, but I don't care). Both boots have steel reinforcements.

>
>	What style?  The standard style seems to me to be more
>comfortable, but I have not spent that much time on a sport.  Does all
>that plastic make a difference in performance?  Is it much harder to
>service a water-cooled faired bike?

When I migrated from a standard to a sport bike, I did notice that my arms
got tired initially. This sensation goes away after a week or so. 
 Most plastic is just an appearance thing, kinda like chrome is to a Harley.
One nice thing about some bikes' frontal panels is the diversion of wind up to
or over the shoulders. This may actually allow you to ride longer, but it depends
on the bike. (I can ride my EX longer than my old Honda due to this).
One bad aspect of plastic is the cost to repair, but there are plenty of
mail-order shops that will sell you stuff over the phone. 

With respect to maintenance: Yes, you generally have to remove the body panels/etc.
when doing major maintenance. Oil changes can usually be accomplished without
removing body panels. However, Spark plugs, coolant, valve adjustment, fork removel,
steering head bearings and headlight changes would probably require some body panel
removal. Maybe I'm lucky, but I can remove the front fairing on my bike with a 
phillips screwdriver. 

Water cooling has it's advantages. The engine seems smaller since it doesn't require
all those fins on all the cast parts. The engine temperature is more uniform over
external temps, i.e. the bike will perform more consistently over conditions.
The only disadvantage I know is that it is another part of the bike to maintain.

>
>	How much?  How do selling prices tend to compare with list prices
>for new bikes (that is, what kind of discount might be expected)?

I tend to think that if it's more than 2 years old, drop the price to half it's
list and start there. 

>
>	Buy new?  I have followed the threads on getting a used bike for
>the first bike here, but I fear that I will not be able to evaluate
>effectively a used bike on my own.  As all the dealers seem to be about an
>hour form Center City where I live, buying a used bike from a dealer is
>not much more attractive.  Did you buy a new bike and find that you
>outgrew it too quickly?  What sort of decrease in value would one expect
>in a one or two year old bike that was properly maintained and garage
>kept?  (Is it inevitable that I will drop the bike one day?)

I suggest having a garage available for winter as a pre-requisite to 
buying a bike. 

>
>	Any help you can provide would be appreciated.  Try to remember
>writing our the check for your first bike and let me know what you wish
>you knew then.
>
I think you're doing the right thing, asking info from a source of experienced
people. It always helps.

-Dan


-- 
=> Dan DeClerck                      |  EMAIL: dand%isdgsm@rtsg.mot.com   <=
=> Motorola Intl Subscriber Group    |                                    <=
=>                                   |  Phone: (708) 632-4486             <=
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles