Bike Budget?

[liquid1010]

Ok... I'm trying to save up enough money during the winter to get a decent bike in the spring. I'm totally new to street bikes, although I have had experience with my dirtbike (250). How much will I be looking at for a good bike come spring. Somthing like a couple year old CBR600? any other good choices?

Thanks guys.

[Dave P]

5 and up. But dont waste your time with a used bike.

Go finance one. Sure it might cost more in the end, but most places you can put gear and helmets etc on it to, which makes it a great deal imo

[RiCE-DaDDy]

dont pay attention to dave p, i have no idea why he said that.

Nothing is wrong with buying used bikes...unless u have to appeal to your vanity and have the latest and greatest:rolleyes:

IMO financing a bike is pretty stupid. To me a bike is a toy and a hobby and if i have to finance to afford one, then maybe my priorities are messed. Its not like its a house or some kind of investment...

theres some old threads bout first bikes to get.

i have a 91 FZR600 that still a looker imo and i got it less that $3000

general advice would be to start on a used, small bike. something less that 600cc's. But not everyone follows that cause they want to get a nicer bike. something tells me dave didnt follow this advice. :D in the end its up to u

http://www.beginnerbikes.com/

[kevie88]

Originally posted by Dave P
5 and up. But dont waste your time with a used bike.

Go finance one. Sure it might cost more in the end, but most places you can put gear and helmets etc on it to, which makes it a great deal imo

I've only bought 1 new bike in my life and I regretted it huge. Since then I've only bought wrecks, I haven't spent more than $5000 on a bike since 1995.

[bol]

Yeah, buying new is a complete waste, bikes depreciate a lot initially and then the depreciation slows down.

It's not uncommon to buy a one year old bike in the spring for $8k and sell it for the same the next year.

There are amazing deals between 5 and 6 thousand. A lot of people get into the sport and want out.

[Dave P]

Im just saying finance because a lot of new riders underestate the importance of having proper gear. Proper gear is gonna cost you around 2000 and thats on the low side.

A new rider will spend all his cash on a bike and have nothing for gear. If they finance they could put the 5g they might of had down, and basically finance the gear.

That is only my opinion so take it for what its worth

[bol]

If you can't afford the gear you shouldn't be motorcycling - period.

[RiCE-DaDDy]

$2000??

for top of the line stuff yes.

but not everyone is a road racer...

dave, what your saying implies that ppl are not responsible, some arent, but id like to think that most ppl have some common sense. The former shouldnt be riding at all..

k but $2000 gets you more than enough imo.

[bol]

$2000 doesn't get you top of the line stuff, top of the line suits are $2000 alone :P

[Dave P]

Guys im just trying to say gear saves lives, and financing is an easy way to buy full gear.

You both say its common sense to wear the gear.
I say if thats the case, why are there hundereds of squids on the road.

And for gear. 2000 isnt much. 1000-3000 for leathers, 300-2000 for a helmet, 100-500 for gloves, 300-900 for boots, then 100-200 for a spine protector.

And you dont need to be a road racer to wear proper gear.

[RiCE-DaDDy]

u can get some slick deals on gear, so u can spend < 2000

[liquid1010]

All I think I would get for gear is a helmet, jacket, and gloves for now.....

Whats a spine protector?

[mo_virgin]

Dude.... $2000 on gear? what are you on man? i could buy a colombian slave for that man...
Out of control

[bol]

Retail price on the gear I wore this year cost over $2600(granted I didn't pay that) - and it saved my life. Money well spent.

[method]

dont need 2 grand for gear if you have a scooter!

250 on jacket, 200 helmet, 70 on gloves babies!

woo

[benyl]

people underestimate the importance of pants. Jean burn away so fast on the road. After the first 20 ft, it is skin on road until you stop.

Get the gear first.

Get the best helmet you can afford, your head is priceless.

Everything else, get good quality. I am sure that bike shops around here have everything on sale as next years stuff is going to come out soon. Plus with the snow, the riding season is over.

Once you have the gear, then buy the best bike you can with the money you have left.

Buy USED.

I got my first bike in September of 1999. The guy I bought it from bought it in May. He paid over $12,000 with tax and stuff. I got it from him for $8300.

Do you want to take a hit like that with a new bike paying 8% interest?

[Dave P]

Originally posted by benyl
people underestimate the importance of pants. Jean burn away so fast on the road. After the first 20 ft, it is skin on road until you stop.




I think 20 feet is pushing it. Its more like 5 feet. If your lucky

[bol]

Originally posted by Dave P




I think 20 feet is pushing it. Its more like 5 feet. If your lucky


Yeah, they don't last long. I slid in jeans once for about 5 feet and they held up suprisingly well, no rips, just a couple of holes. Even where the jeans didn't rip or get holes though - I got road rash in those areas. Leather won't do that.

I've slid a few times at higher speeds (120ish) and didn't even get a scratch! horay!

[Dave P]

Bol, are you on a gixxer, or r6 now?
I cant remeber which one you had now?

[bol]

I had both, but the gixxer trade for my truck didn't work out(I had the bike for a month but we ended up trading back) so now I've just got the R6, which is going to become a track bike for next season.

[AzN_SoL]

i say get gear... my suit retails 1900.. helmet...uhmm.. prolly in the 1000 (i'm on my second one)...and gloves 300ish..boots... 4-500ish..

jacket saved my shoulder once..and my arms twice...pants saved me twice now..first helmet once.. and fuck..couldnt amagine if i was wearing sneekers..

[Dave P]

Originally posted by bol
I had both, but the gixxer trade for my truck didn't work out(I had the bike for a month but we ended up trading back) so now I've just got the R6, which is going to become a track bike for next season.

Wooo go being a track whore. I got a 03 636 coming in spring, gonna be joining you on the track whoring

[bol]

Originally posted by Dave P


Wooo go being a track whore. I got a 03 636 coming in spring, gonna be joining you on the track whoring


Being on the track was the most fun I'd ever had on a bike - and I crashed too! Dragging knee is awesome


used photoshop to merge this series of pics together

[method]

as far as just riding on the street (not track), how many times have you guys wiped out in the time you've been riding?

[liquid1010]

Man... with all these wipe-out stories you guys are getting me a little nervous ;)

[RiCE-DaDDy]

dont fool yourself, bikes are dangerous. and i think u are 8 times as likely to get into an accident compared to cars

[kevie88]

Originally posted by method
as far as just riding on the street (not track), how many times have you guys wiped out in the time you've been riding?

hmm.. I can't really remember. I think 3 times on the street. Only one was a near death experience tho. Luckily I haven't crashed on the street since 96!

If you count the race track too, I'm probably 20+ crashes.

[method]

Originally posted by RiCE-DaDDy
dont fool yourself, bikes are dangerous. and i think u are 8 times as likely to get into an accident compared to cars

you're more likely to die or be seriously injured in an accident, not more likely to get in one.

[RiCE-DaDDy]

oh sorry, heres another stat i heard, out of all bike accidents, 50% of them are FATAL! goes along the same lines as what method said

[kevie88]

Originally posted by RiCE-DaDDy
oh sorry, heres another stat i heard, out of all bike accidents, 50% of them are FATAL! goes along the same lines as what method said

hmm, I've seen a LOT of bike accidents in the last 15 years, I'd probably put it closer to 10% of all bike accidents end up in serious to fatal.
You'd be amazed how many bike accidents never get reported to cops, it's probably about 90% of them. I've never reported any of my street crashes to the police... Just pick the bike up, dust off the pride a little and go home to fix it.

[RiCE-DaDDy]

so i guess a good number of bike crashes are single vehicle, meaning rider error. i guess that makes sense

[bol]

Originally posted by RiCE-DaDDy
so i guess a good number of bike crashes are single vehicle, meaning rider error. i guess that makes sense

Almost ALL bike crashes are rider error, don't kid yourself. You only hear about the bad accidents and not the small lowsides that happen daily. Being hit by another vehicle is pretty rare.

[matt_2000_bmw]

if your looking for a good starter bike then i have a Katana for sale it is a 2002 suz 600 GSX-F, it is a little heave but great to learn on i bought it for 8k i will let it go for 75 OBO, it is fun and runs very perfect, has a full hindle exause with Kand N Air on it, let me know with a deposit I will hold it untill the spring for you or you can do paymnets

Matt
403-669-7750
[email protected]

[ckruzel]

Originally posted by method
dont need 2 grand for gear if you have a scooter!

250 on jacket, 200 helmet, 70 on gloves babies!

woo

i'm debating on a new 05 Aprilia Rsv Mille R Factory or the ducati 999s, as far as gear, you get what you pay for

i have alpinstars smx plus boots
alpinestars gp plus carbon/leather/kangaroo skin gloves
and a arai rx7rr corsair helmet
probaby going to get a set of full leathers in the spring, not sure if i'm going to get alpinestars, or rs taichi, or spyke

[ckruzel]

Originally posted by bol
If you can't afford the gear you shouldn't be motorcycling - period.


:werd:

[Khyron]

Originally posted by kevie88


hmm.. I can't really remember. I think 3 times on the street. Only one was a near death experience tho. Luckily I haven't crashed on the street since 96!

If you count the race track too, I'm probably 20+ crashes.

:eek: :eek: And you look pretty normal too!

I must confess, I bought my 600 used for 7G, and bought a nice helmet and one of those sorta-kevlar jackets. I keep meaning to get the pants and the boots but just haven't done it. I wore sneakers a few times when going a short distance, but I usually wear higher lace-up shit kickers.

And even though I took the 2 day cycle class, and I don't drive like a total tard, I've still dropped the bike twice (slow speeds). Definately glad I heeded the "don't buy first bike new" advice.

Khyron

[Pete92SL]

I am buying a 2001 EX500. it's my first bike. It's used, lady driven and it is an awesome buy. I'm excited and yet scared about buying a bike, but it should be ok.

Pete

[cbr_ryder]

Originally posted by method
as far as just riding on the street (not track), how many times have you guys wiped out in the time you've been riding?

I had two close calls in my first month of owning my bike, once on old banff coach, and once on barlow, no crashes yet...

Also, is kevlar gonna save my skin when I crash or what, everyone says to buy leather and I have all kevlar w/ leather gloves...should I invest in leather?

Oh, and for the original post, a couple year old cbr 600 will be anywhere from $5000-$8000 or so, depending on condition and millage.

[5t3v3]

Originally posted by kevie88
I've never reported any of my street crashes to the police... Just pick the bike up, dust off the pride a little and go home to fix it.

Hhehehehhe, that brought me back some memories. I crashed last summer on a road trip to Radium. :banghead: Luckily the bike was still ridable so I was able to ride it back home.

[5t3v3]

Oh pictures... everyone likes pictures... first up is my jeans. They ripped apart like nothing and gave me some nice road rashes.

[5t3v3]

and the FUBAR

[Ducati]

Here are some prices for good gear cheap:

Helmet by HJC - their upper level models are under $300. Sure, they aren't Shoei RF's but so what?

Joe Rocket Ballistic jacket - $300 average, maybe a little more, or a little less if you find a sale. Great value; waterproof, excellent crash protection, and looks quite okay.
Joe Rocket Ballistic kevlar/nylon pants - $200. As above!

Boots - many models are under $120.00 Go to the bike show as there are lots of sales.

Gloves - $40.00 will buy you a reasonable pair.

Watch for used one peice leathers. I scored a set for $200 US$ in Texas. I have seen simmilar deals several times since.

You can get a back protector for about $60.00. It's a nice thing to have.

Sure, nice gear is pricey. Don't worry - if you discover that you really like bikes, you will eventually accumulate all sorts of gear.It becomes an obsession.
____________________________________________________

Furthermore, it is not a matter of IF you will crash. It is a matter of WHEN you will crash.
Everybody crashes sooner or later.
Show me someone who hasn't crashed at least once, and I will show you a very cautious person who only rides a scooter on weekends around the neighborhood.

Not all crashes are gruesome. Your typical "low-side" is usually more embarrasing than painful.
A "high-side" or a "Left Hander" can be ugly, though.
Learn to ride defensively.