Buying a motorcycle is maddening...

[Idaho45guy]

I've been wanting a motorcycle ever since I sold my last one in 2014. It was a 1996 Suzuki DR650 that I bought in 2007. Loved riding around the mountains, but it hurt to ride it more than 10 miles due to the awful seat. And, my commute to work is 15 miles and it was just too buzzy and uncomfortable.

I also had a 1997 Harley Davidson Road King that was highly customized that I sold back in 2009. Loved riding that thing! But, I needed a down payment for a house and sold it.

I've been thinking about buying another bike and in January found an incredible deal on a brand new Suzuki V-Strom 650 for $6k. I got approved through the dealer, then went to my credit union and got a better rate. Was all set to buy it but got cold feet once I started adding up insurance costs, new riding gear, and that I wouldn't be able to ride it for four months. I backed out.

Now, my buddies have bought bikes and the weather is perfect, and I am going nuts not being able to ride.

I looked at a 2017 KLR650 and just couldn't spend $7k on a toy.

So I started looking at used bikes. Around here, used adventure-style bikes are high-priced and worn out. I'm not paying $4k for a 10yr old KLR with 40k miles...

I looked at used cruisers and they are also a bit higher priced than what I was used to in AZ where I bought my Harley and DR650. But I found a very clean 2001 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad 1500 with all the goodies for $2900.

I figure I can't lose too bad if I spend under $3k for a clean bike. Sent the credit union my loan application and will hopefully pick up the bike this weekend. I have a 2002 Polaris Sportsman 500HO ATV that I might just sell for $2900 since I rarely ride it and pay off the loan next month...

I can't wait to take a ride on this thing...

Attachment 196598

[Gewehr-Guy]

I had one of those Suzuki 650's, wildest thing i've had between my legs in years. Too much bike for a short-legged ,middle aged old man. It was kick start only and I screwed up the bottom of my instep, hurt like heck for a year.Maybe I need to find one of those fat-tired Yamaha 225's to put around the pastures,or a Honda SL-70 and relive my misspent youth.

[Tom W.]

I've had a few, and Honda gets my vote for comfort. I'm not going to get another, if I win the lottery I'll get a pickup and another boat.

[mold maker]

My last was a "76 Suzuki 380. Good grief I miss the wind in my hair. Come to think of it, I miss my hair too.

[RogerDat]

Still have my 66 Triumph 650 Road bike. Has needed tires for a few years and every time I start mentioning it or firing it up just to keep things lubricated wife makes noises about me being "too old" to ride, why don't I sell it and make more room in the garage. It is all I can do to keep from saying something stupid to a woman that knows how to shoot about getting rid of other things I'm too old to ride that would free up garage space.

Of course it is possibly the only bike that beat your kidneys worse than an old Harley but man that thing flies and handles sweet. Of course I know I would die on a jap bike now. Shifter and brake are on "wrong" side for someone used to British bike. Sold a shaft drive Honda after about the 4th time I downshifted rather than braked coming to an intersection.

[NavyVet1959]

I have three bikes and I hardly have time to ride even one of them.

Always ride the Harley because it's the closest one to the garage door, but that means that whenever I want to ride one of the others, the carb is gunked up thanks to the damn ethanol they put in gasoline these days. The Harley is fuel injected, so it doesn't have a problem if it's been sitting for a few months.

[ikarus1]

I guess I'm blessed to live on the East Coast where you can't throw a rock without hitting a nice bike for sale. My dad has owned several Honda cruisers including a Valkyrie and various 'Oldwings. I am in the camp that believes a bike should do everything you want, and nothing you don't. They are comfortable, however I prefer Kawi's for a do-everything bike, and currently on the search for a nice Concours 14 aka poor man's BMW.

That being said I am a firm believer in Corbin buttcushioning seats for almost every streetbike I own. I've even been to the Florida showroom and had them design seats for bikes. My 84 Nighthawk 700S is a much better ride with that custom seat and my lady likes it much better as well.

I guess I should've put my vote down for best decent cruiser / streetbike under $3K - late 90s production Honda ACE, hand's down. Easy to ride, great power from a twin, comfortable, and reliable. Everything a Harley isn't IMO

[NavyVet1959]

Sold a shaft drive Honda after about the 4th time I downshifted rather than braked coming to an intersection.

I had a couple of Yamahas back in the late 1970s, early 1980s that had shaft drives. They definitely had a different feel to them when you let off on the throttle.

[NavyVet1959]

That being said I am a firm believer in Corbin buttcushioning seats for almost every streetbike I own. I've even been to the Florida showroom and had them design seats for bikes. My 84 Nighthawk 700S is a much better ride with that custom seat and my lady likes it much better as well.

The most comfortable seat that I've encountered is the "cop seat" on my Harley FLHPI. It's wide and the air tank and suspension system makes for probably the most comfortable ride I've ever had on a bike. I guess that since its designed for someone who is going to be sitting in it probably 8 hours per day, it *should* be comfortable.

[Artful]

Well, I feel your empty spot - been a few years without my KLR 650 - All motorbikes are toys - DR650 did ride better than the KLR - you can get aftermarket seats and of course tune the suspension on any of them.
Ride safe if you get the 2001 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad 1500.

[dragon813gt]

Living where I do is more maddening then buying a motorcycle. It's really congested and I have little desire to ride mine anymore. Doesn't help that I was almost hit twice w/in one hundred yards of my house and that I have a three year old and two month old sons. Would be nice to live in an area where there was little traffic. I know plenty of people ride around here but I'm not putting my life on the line anymore. It's really that bad and smart phones sure haven't helped.

[Daveco]

My son had a DR-650 back about 6 or 7 years ago. That was before I became a permanent porch dog and I got to take it for a ride or two. That was a torque making machine! Just idling along in 2nd or 3rd gear and give the throttle a twist, and it would just go, no bogging down or hesitation, just go. It was too heavy and chunky for trail riding though, and a lot more bike than he needed. I was glad that he sold it. But I could have fallen in love with adventure riding though if I had been introduced to it earlier in life!

[adcoch1]

I've got a vstrom 1000 with 20mm ammo cans for luggage that is the best mix of sportbike and dirtbike there is! Lots of power, great on the street, awesome on gravel roads, etc. But my wife keeps mentioning that i should sell it, since I don't get much time to ride..

[richhodg66]

I have a 2003 DL 1000 V Strom. It has been a rock solid dependable machine, I commuted on it 75 miles each way for quite a while. It has factory hard luggage, side bags and top boxes. For what I needed it for, I can't imagine a better machine, it'll pound out miles on slab comfortably no problem, and 100 miles an hour doesn't even make it breathe hard. No longer need it and haven't ridden it much in a year or so, so looking to sell it. Truthfully, it isn't much fun to ride around town at low speeds with stop and go and is heavy and tall, so kind of a bear to get around in tight spots.

I absolutely love my KLR 650. I'll have it til I die, that one is not going anywhere and for me, there is no better machine for the money. The only thing it doesn't do well is long pulls on slab, but for an hour or two, it'll do that Ok for me.

I also have a Triumph Bonneville and like it a lot too. For a get around bike it's pretty darn good. I've ridden it to Topeka (75 miles) a few times and drove it home from where I bought it in Omaha which is probably 2 1/2 hours, but much farther and it probably wouldn't be good. Still, it's easy to ride and nimble and quick. For the distances you're talking, I think it would be a good match.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

While I would think Idaho would be a great place to buy a used street bike...much like Minnesota, they only get driven abotu 4 months of the year. In my area, I see lots of 20 year old to 30 year old Honda's with less than 20K mi.
Yep, I like Honda's, I don't even look at other brands...especially those oil leakin' Harley's.
I like a mid sized bike, 650cc up to 900cc. They are easy to handle. I had a Goldwing and that thing was such a pig.
I like the Magna, I had a '87 700 that drove smooth as glass, that v4 race bike engine does fine in the Magna (cruiser).
I see newer Magnas with low miles all the time. It's best to buy in the fall, prices are low...But I did see a 2003 Magna with 8K mi priced less than $3000. That engine should go 100K easy...it was like a new bike.
Good Luck.

[jcwit]

Buy a bike?

Not me, I like the comfort of air cond. and a heater when needed.

Life is good.

[jonp]

Friend of mine bought one of the Vulcans last year and loves it. That's a nice bike

[xs11jack]

Of all the bikes I have had, I liked the 1978 thru 82 Yamaha XS1100s. I have had three of them. As I got older the seat just didn't do the job so I the advise a fellow XS11 rider told me. I went to WallyWorld and bought a strap on pad that is made for a ATV. It really did the job on that flat factory seat.
Ole Jack

[xs11jack]

Duplicate

[Went2kck]

ben wanting to get my R1200 cl BMW out but just haven't done it yet. Had to much to do in my side business mostly. If I don't ride it any more that the 1000 or so miles I rode last year i'm going to sell it. Maybe get a new rifle and pay off some bills.