From: cdw2t@dayhoff.med.Virginia.EDU (Clifford David Weston)
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Subject: Re: REQUEST: short fella has a question or two...
Date: 12 Nov 92 10:57:23 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Virginia

Let me swell the ranks of the 'Bring Back the Old DoD' faction with:

In article <1992Nov11.064952.19751@wam.umd.edu> andyboyl@wam.umd.edu (Andrew 'OPIE' Boyle) writes:

>I have heard rumors about $2000+/yr insurance payments, and for that much
>I might as well keep my car.

For a sportbike owned by an inexperienced rider in MD or NJ, it probably is
more than a rumor.

>1- I am pretty short, 5'4", with a 29" inseam (which I guess is important
>  if I want to keep my you-know-whats). I weigh about 135. This may 
>   sound like a stupid question, but am I to short to handle a bike
>   safely?  What brand bikes, less than 600cc and without crazy insurance
>   costs, would fit best?

Your height shouldn't be a problem.  If I knew the address of the Keeper
of the Short bike List, I'd ask her to mail it to you.

>3- I go to school in Maryland, but am a resident of New Jersey.  If I take
>   an MSF course, does it transfer from one state to another?  Where is 
>   insurance cheapest?  How much does the MSF course cost?

In my experience, no (with Penn. and Virginia).  You need to call the fine
licensing folks in New Jersey and ask them.  Insurance is a shop-around
proposition.  The MSF course fee varies from state to state, and I'm pissed
that I've just forgotten their toll-free number.

>4- How far does the average, well cared for bike, go before it dies? It sounds
>   stupid, but all of the bikes I have seen in the paper for sale all have
>   5,000 or less miles on them.

That's because they're all being sold by poseurs and guys getting married (and
too P-whipped to keep the bike).

>5- Is there a blacklist that is available to the public, that lists all
>   of the motorcycles that are high-risk, and therefore have high insurance
>   costs?

Generally, if it's a sportbike, it's surcharged.  Different companies see
different bikes as high-risk; you'd have to call around for quotes on specific
models and years.  When I did this, the offices didn't seem to put out by it,
and I found some places that surcharged a bike that a second place didn't.
For some reason, the company I'm with sees the ysr50 and the EX500 as sport-
bikes (the ysr, I can see, but the EX?).

>6- What is the difference between a 250cc and a 500cc bike? Does the 500cc
>   have twice as much power?

No, it's an exponential relationship: the 500 has the square of the horsepower
of the 250.  (Sorry, Ed)

>7- I would like the bike to have the space and power for a passenger.  What
>    special features should I look for?

Assuming the passenger possesses the petite proportions of mine, this shouldn't
be a problem, either.  Realize the bike will be harder to balance and handle at
low speeds with the extra weight and rise in center of gravity.

>8- Where can one obtain a reference book for used bike prices?  

The NADA book is usually at the library; buying one is prohibitively expensive.
Tip: ask for the book with RV and boat prices in it when they tell you they
don't have a moto-blue book.

>9- Would it be wise to join a motorcycle club in the mean time, to learn
>    what I want and to understand the lingo?  What are some good ones
>    around DC?

You're already reading the best one.  :-)

>10- Should I buy the bike in New Jersey, or in Maryland?

I looked into this one, since the sales tax is 6% in PA and only 3% in VA.
Some states have closed the loophole, though (PA was one of them :-( ).
Factor in which state has the better a) sales tax, b) licensing/titling fees,
c) insurance rates.  Having a vehicle titled in Maryland may also jeopardize
your Jersey residency (could be a blessing ...).  For me, everything was higher
in PA than VA, so I went with PA -- because losing my PA status would cost me
$470 more in state income taxes.

>11- Can you get a good bike for less than $2000 to $2500?

Sure.  Check out the dealers, watch the ads.  I'd recommend having a bike
mechanic look at the intended vehicle; he'll spot things you'd miss (I'm
assuming you're not moto-technically inclined) and it keeps the seller honest.
Some guy telling you he has another buyer coming *that day*, applying some
pressure to buy it, could well be concealing some problem with the bike.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|        Cliff Weston           DoD# 0598          '92 Seca II (Tem)       |
|                                                                          |
|  you act like a dick.  jokes are fine, but you have to make some sort    |
|    of motorcycle-related contribution in order to get away with it.      |
|                       -- bob pasker, referring to me                     |
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