Cheap motorcycle to get around?
Sunday, January 17th, 2010 at
7:15 am
Hello, in L.A is impossible to live with out a vehicle so I was thinking of buying a cheap bike so I could get around without much problems.
1) Any cheap motorcycle you guys can recommand?
2) How much I expect to pay on gas & insurance @ per month?
even a motorbike that is 20-25 years old is good if it does the job.
How much I should except to pay for 250cc (something cheap) ? what is the average price range for old 250cc hondas/suzuki
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Because you’ll need to ride on the freeway (LA has many) you’ll want at least a 250cc and perhaps bigger. There are lots of options; I ride a 650cc dual sport where I live in SD. I’d start with something like a Honda VT 600 Shadow. Low seat cruiser style (20+ years old) and after that there are hundreds, literally, of choices. 250 twins like Honda Rebel, Yamaha Virago/V-Star, and Suzuki GS250. You can morph over to the semi-dirt bikes, Suzuki DR400, DR650 and the redoubtable Kawasaki KLR 650. On the sport bike side the very popular Kawasaki Ninja EX250R and the Ninja EX500 which have been around since the late 80’s.
There are soooo many choices. It would a good idea for you to go shopping and decide what kind and size would fit your needs. I’ve been riding 40+ years and realistically no one can tell what you need unless you know it yourself.
A 250 can get as much as 80 mpg. As an experienced rider I pay less than $100/year for insurance. The rule of thumb is the smaller the engine the less you pay.
depending on the size you want and how fast you need to move I would recomend any old honda cb series bike they are plentiful relatively cheap to buy and parts are still easy to get for example my friend just got a cb650 for free for a coworker that wouldnt charge the batery to replace the stator cost 150$ now he has a great running bike look around they are out there
"you get what you pay for"
try not to buy anything older than 2000 yr model
A kawasaki 250 Ninja is cheap to buy and cheap to operate. I bought a 2002 for $1000 in like new condition. I get 55+ mpg, an oil change is $10. My insurance in Texas is $65 a year. $10 of gas goes almost 2 weeks and I ride to work, the gym, girlfriends house etc
Check Cycletrader and craigslist.
Here’s one that just came up on craigslist that might fit the bill:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/mcy/799098699.html
The best thing about this bike it it is currently a daily rider.
I’ve also found good deals on bikes bikes on e-bay.
caveat emptor!
Don’ buy a bike sight unseen, based only on photos. Many of the bikes on line are POS.
You should be able to get a Honda Rebel (250cc) between $2,000 - $2,500 used or $3,200 brand new. They are comfortable, reliable, easy to ride, and simple. You can count on 65 mph highway speeds. 75 mph on flat ground when its not windy. You will get 57 - 90 mpg with an average of over 70 mpg. accessories such as windshields and saddlebags are easy to find and install. Insurance will cost $190 a year for full coverage in my area (Central Minnesota). LA prices for car insurance are almost double that of MN, so I would say insurance in LA will cost you $325 - $400 a year
Schucks Auto Parts Stores ( Also known as Pep Boys and Checkers Auto Parts ) are advertising 250 Honda Clones brand new for $1200. Advertised at 80 mpg.
Just be aware you need a Chinese Motor Cycle Shop in your area to perform maintenance or you will have to do it yourself. Chinese bikes don’t have any warranty. Thats the trade off for buying cheap.
Honda parts won’t fit despite being copied from Honda, because the scale is different. The parts are slightly larger or smaller than Honda.