Assuming I can find a teaching job soon, I just might be in the market for a used, pretty inexpensive motorcycle.
Knowing almost nothing about them, really, despite the 10 months a Honda CBX 500 was my only vehicle, I wonder if I could get some recommendations on how to evaluate the Buell Blast. I have nothing in its favor but its American manufacture, looks, and cost.
If you have a site or an opinion to offer that might help me, feel free to fling it here.
The Buell Blast is a single cylinder “thumper.” Kind of fun to ride, but lots of vibration and not much torque, from my experience. If you’re a fairly new rider, I’d recommend a Ninja 250, unless you’re a big person. Otherwise, the Suzuki GS500, if you can get a used one.
Define inexpensive. Also, how many months of the year you would be riding, the distances involved, and under what circumstances of use.
I wouldn’t recommend the Buell Blast for anything other than occasional short distance sport use, although I salute your ‘buy American’ sentiment.
Can you afford a (used) Sportster? That would be my first choice for anything but touring; unless you’re huge, like me.
I’ve ridden them and they’re sort of fun, but definitely not very comfortable, they do vibrate like hell, and I don’t really like how they look either. I don’t really like the way any Buells look, actually. Why does the one American sportbike manufacturer have to make bikes that look all weird and stubby?
The Blast! is not a great bike. It vibrates as much as any other Harley vehicle, which is pretty damn ludicrous for something that looks as sporty as it does. Honestly, you’ll pull up to a stoplight, and the bike bounces under you like a jackhammer. Not very comfortable.
Get yourself to http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/forum/ (I post there under the same name) and hunt around for the sticky thread about good beginner bikes.
Girl’s bike? 
The Blast! is a thumper: single cylinder. I actually think it’s kind of fun to ride, but wouldn’t want to spend much time on one. I’d recommend a twin or in-line four for a smoother, more powerful ride.
Some Harley-Davidson devotees like the big V-twin for its “machineness.” That is, it doesn’t whir along quietly, making you wonder if it’s electric. It shakes, it thumps, and leaves no doubt there’s an engine there.
I’ve never owned a one-lunger, but it seems to me you don’t any more “machiney” than a big banger. One carb, one cylinder, one pipe; that’s purity of purpose. Don’t mind me, I haven’t owned a motorcycle in twenty years.
You probably know that Harley Davidson tried to trademark the unique “potato potato potato” sound of their bikes?
Won’t make it sound like a Harley necessarily, but you can put after-market pipes on any bike to make it sound like it has bigger genitalia.