Buying a Crotch Rocket need help!?

Question

Ok I have been looking for about three years now, Yea i know wtf!, But i bought a 01' Firebird instead so i saved up and started over.. but the S****y Firebird had TWO YES TWO window motors go out so that was 700 dollars than my gps was stolen so 1,000 dollars.. S****y summer.. Anyways i now have about 3,000 Saved up after college classes and expenses so i was wondering what is the

1) How much mantanence is involved with sport bikes?

2) what kind would you guys suggest.. I'm very inexperienced, Rather strong kind of guy about 200 Lbs, Don't mind spending time working on it, Just don't wanna spend an arm and a leg on it.

3) I'll get a 1,000 dollars for graduation and my birthday from various friends and family so your looking at around 4,000 dollars. So Help?

Answer 1

you can get an older ninja for 1500-3000 dollars (depending if you want a 250 or 500, and just how 'old', either would propell you just fine) and there's not a whole lot... about the same involved with a car.... maybe a little bit sooner then in a car... but still, change the fluids (hydraulic brakes, coolant, oil) regularly... keep it clean, keep good tires and proper inflation, keep the air cleaner system, clean.... etc.

Answer 2

2nd everything Shawn said.  Start small.  Ninja 250 is a great bike.

If you're new, take the MSF course or find a similar course in the area.  Don't buy a 600cc+ bike because they're not forgiving of new rider mistakes.  Just because somebody managed to start with a big bike and hasn't died doesn't mean squat.  There are plenty of people who've gotten hurt because they were inexperienced riders on powerful bikes that bit them for making beginner mistakes.

Answer 3

You won't get much for 4 large, but you better budget at LEAST $500 of that on GEAR.  Helmet, jacket & gloves, at the very least.

Maintenance isn't too bad, but tires will set you back about $400 every year or two.  You have to change the oil every 3000 miles or so, bleed the brakes, change brake pads and coolant when needed just like a car, but the parts are cheaper.

Where the expensive stuff comes in is when you crash it and need to replace things like turn signals, mirrors and levers.

Just so you know, 200lbs is pretty big for a sportbike, but even a 600cc will rocket you to speeds your Firebird has NEVER seen before you can blink.  How strong you are doesn't matter at all, neither is how sporty or coordinated you claim to be.  Riding a motorcycle is like learning a new language, and until you are fluent you are dangerous.

Answer 4

At 200lbs you don't want a ninja 250 so ignore anybody recommending it.

Spend $300 on an MSF course at a local community college. Spend another $200 on a good jacket and helmet. Then another $50 or so on some riding boots.

Now you're down to $3450. You can find a 1998 to 2004 600cc sportbike in good shape. The 600 is the true starter sportbike and doesn't have too much power. You will not kill yourself. I will only go if you twist the throttle and make it go so if you take it easy and don't be a show off, you'll be fine.

any 600 from the big 4 would suit you fine.

Answer 5

Don't buy a Ducati, and don't buy a Ninja 250....

First fo all, the Ducati guy wasn't listening to you...you stated you didn't want to spend an arm and a leg on it, I take that as meaning not just what you pay for the bike, but also what you may spend fixing it...and Parts for that Ducati are NOT cheap, and they are NOT easy to find used.

A Ninja 250 is too small for a 200 lb rider, and they depreciate in value too fast...and bottom value is too d**n low.

Go find yourself a nice mid 90's FZR600, parts are pretty easy to come buy, its a nice looking bike, has as much power as you want it to have, and a whole heck of a lot of room to grow power wise if thats what you want to do later.

You can pick them up all day long for 3 grand, and that is about the rock bottom price for them....they just kind of sit between 2 and 3 grand. You find one in decent shape today, pay 3 grand for it..ride it for a year or so, if you decide you want to step up to a Liter bike, then you sell it for 3 grand.... and it wont be in the paper long before someone snatches it up.... you just rode an FZR600 for free for a year.

Guess what, a lot of first time riders get injured, or killed on a lot of bikes. FACT is, a sport bike handles better,  is better on a curve, stops better, is balanced better...than any cruiser you are going to hop on to. Go get you a 600... respect it, putt putt around town and learn the bike...I promise you that you wont twist the throttle a 1/4 inch and go flying off the back of the bike.

People who say 600 sport bikes aren't for beginners don't know a whole lot about sport bikes, and have probably never even been on one...they act like you are going to hop on it, put it in gear and its going to take off without you.

Well guess what, 600's aren't over powered with low end torque, they are HIGH RPM BIKES...their power range starts at around 6 grand and runs through their redline of 13-16 grand.

I am sure you are VERY capable of getting on an FZR 600, and not banging on the throttle gritting your teeth all the way to 13,000 rpms. I am SURE you are capable of taking off, slowly accelerating to 6 grand and shifting into 2nd...slowly accelerating to 6 grand and shifting into 3rd.

Sport bikes are only as dangerous as the person on them is stupid...and guess what, if he is stupid, it is not going to matter what bike he hops onto...he is still going to eat pavement.

Go get you an FZR, used... you will sell it a year from now for the same price you paid for it, parts are plentiful, they are pretty easy to work on.... after markets are still real easy to find, and its a VERY nice looking bike. Place called Airtech makes an R-1 conversion body for it, doesn't make it look just like an R-1, but its SHARP!!!!!

The other plus is...you wont see 15 bikes a day that look just like yours, your bike will be YOUR BIKE...

Good luck, happy shopping...and remember, the bike is as safe as you are smart. Don't thrash on it...keep it under 6000rpms and learn the bike.

Answer 6

Do what I did, go with a Ducati!

I have a 1992 900ss/cr/sp, got it for under 4 grand, and she is AMAZING!

Bear in mind I got a 904cc bike with NO riding experience. jumped right on after watching a few how to vids on Youtube, and rode like a champ!

The maintenance of a bike depends on how well you maintain it right off the bat... I.E. oil, spark plugs, chain lube, etc.

200lbs is no problem for a bike, so don't worry about that, I am 6' 210lbs. and I get along QUICK on my Duck.

A v-twin sport bike is going to be an easier power delivery system to manage for a begginer... trust me...

Best advice is jump on craigslist.com and start looking, find the type of bike you absolutely want, and do your research.

Take into account factors such as your ideal seat height ( both feet should touch flat on the ground while sitting), reason you are using a motorcycle such as where you will be driving the most.

Also, that "cool stuff" you see riders doing, like stoppies and wheelies, yeah... that will drive those maintenance costs WAY up, because you WILL break parts.

Good luck!