I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before, but the idea of good gas mileage, less pollution, and being able to ride places I don’t want to drive because I don’t want to pay for the gas is really appealing. As a result, I’ve signed up for motorcycle classes offered by my local authority. (At the end of it, they bring out a certified tester and I can get my license the same day. Not bad.)
I also want to buy a motorcycle. I’ve done some reading recently and understand the idea of wanting a cheap one with not too much power that I don’t mind dropping. This is something which fits in quite well with my desire for good gas mileage, which doesn’t entirely stem from my altruism towards the environment but instead from the sorry state of my wallet.
In short, I’m (mostly) broke.
Taking into account the cost of the lessons, the licensing, the insurance and the gear, I can afford a bike costing about $800-1000 CDN. Unfortunately, I simply cannot find a single motorcycle for sale in this price range that isn’t listed as requiring “major repairs/rebuilds” or is in otherwise non-working order. I have had moderate success repairing smaller things, but have never worked on engines before, and quite frankly the idea of buying something that doesn’t work for a relatively large amount of money, then hoping for the best, makes me very nervous.
I’ve been searching through Craigslist, Trader.ca, newspapers and various random internet links, without success. Is it even possible to find a roadworthy motorcycle in this price range in Southern Alberta? Feel free to call me asinine if this question really is. I’m very much a clueless newbie.
Have you thought ABout just getting a motor scooter, I always worry about people getting motorcycles. It is very easy to hurt somebody or yourself on one. I mean it is completely your decision I just worry about people who ride one. A friend of mine killed himself on one just a couple weeks ago.
I have thought about it, but part of the appeal to me is being able to take it on longer trips. For example, I would eventually like to ride the circle route around the North American continent (there appear to be a mostly-connected series of roads named Highway 1 down the west coast, up the east coast, and across Canada, which I’ve heard is a beautiful route). I’ll probably never do that particular ride, but drives of ~50 kilometers on open highways are fairly common for me, and I’d like to ride them.
How is a scooter any different then a motorcycle? The average motorcycle accident happens around 30mph, easy enough for a scooter to do. Plus a lot of the scooter riders seem to wear little to no protective gear.
As for the OP, you should be able to find something that’s less then 1000cdn. You might end up finding something that’s from the 80s, but that doesn’t mean it will not work well. An older Honda would be a good start. I’ve had friends here who’ve bought bikes for $500 that have run good, and were perfect for a beginer rider.
There’s also something called cycletrader.com, you might be able to find something there. It might be hard to find something right about now though since people tend to sell bikes before the season starts or when it ends. I’m sure you can find something though.
As someone who rides a “motor scooter” on a nearly daily basis, this is a dangerous attitude. Scooters ARE motorcycles. While typically smaller wheeled and powered, you are still riding in moving traffic with cars, and getting hit or taking a fall at 30mph involves the same physics on your body whether you’re on a 1200cc Harley or a 50cc Suzuki.
That said, I think the OP might look into a scooter as a first motorcycle anyway. While I learned to ride on a “standard” motorcycle, a scooter fits in with my use pattern better: mostly in dense stop-and-go traffic where the automatic CVT transmission removes the fear of stalling out from the experience, which for a new rider can be a big fear.
In either case make sure you wear a full face helmet and gloves. If you fall you will likely hit the pavement face down, unless you’ve been T-boned, and instinctively stretch out your hands in front of you as well. Even a low speed fall (like from hitting a pothole you didn’t see because it was in a shadow or filled with water) will scrape the skin off of you if it’s not covered by something protective.
Baffle, I agree with Edward the Head and robardin. A motor scooter involves the same risk you run with a motorcycle. I have a friend that got a larger one the he needs a motorcycle license for but it seems to fit her needs quite nicely. I bought my motorcycle off ebay. Here is a quick search I found on ebay.ca
Be aware that some bikes are good for long trips and others are not. I had a Honda CX500 that was a mini-tourer. (Hey, shut up. I got it for a dollar.) Even though it was only 500cc, it was comfortable on long-ish trips and could cruise all day at 70 mph. My Seca II has taken me from L.A. to Las Vegas, San Diego, Lake Havasu, and north of Sa Francisco. It’s 600cc. Fairly comfortable, but not as comfortable as the Honda was. Handled better though. The R1 is a litre-bike. Lots of power, and fast. Excellent handling. Long trips…? Not so good. The seat becomes a torture device after about 80 miles, and my damaged knees are cramped after a while. Excellent for ‘keeping up with traffic’, but I wouldn’t want to tour the country on it.
My roommate mentioned that used motorcycles are overpriced here in Washington. I brought my bikes with me, so I don’t know. But it would be interesting to see what kind of ride one can get here for half a kilobuck.
I think my buddy got it at a garage sale. I’ve seen a few on craigslist that were under $1000, some of which are pretty nice. It does seem though that the prices have gone up a bit, I’m guessing because gas prices have gone up. I’ve seen some that say need brake work, that’s not too hard really, especially if it’s just replacing pads.
My wife and I bought an '83 Honda Nighthawk 450cc for $750 shortly after completing our Motorcycle Safety Course and getting our licenses. It needed a new battery and tires, but other than that, it has treated us very well these last…almost eight months now. It has been a great starter bike for us. And very easy to work on.
Baffle, I think Edward The Head’s advice is spot on.
There is something to be said for what used to be called “Enduro” bikes - street legal, but suitable for off-road use, perfect for zipping around town. In a pinch, you can drive through yards (don’t ask me how I know this).
They aren’t necessarily designed to be dumped, but they handle it with much more grace. My Yamaha DT-100 had rubberized turn signal indicators, which I managed to break anyway. Still, I learned early how the bike handled and more complex maneuvers like “power sliding” which really helps riding skills.
