Know Thyself
Jun 12 '00
The epinions in this category are very good. I just have to throw in my 2 cents worth though -- I've owned bikes about 20 years. But I've only bought 3 bikes: a Honda CX500, a Suzuki Katana 600 & a Harley 883 Sportster. Buying a bike forces you to stop & think: what type of riding are you going to do? Touring, sport touring, stop-light to stop-light, cruising? There are many genre, or different types of bikes for us to consider. I've known riders who buy a motorcycle, & after 1 or 2 seasons give it up. I call them "usda" riders -- they "used to ride". Many of these men & women buy a bike, ride it and complain "it's too rough", or, "it's too loud", etc. They did NOT do there homework before buying & riding. Whether you buy new or used is not as critical a decision as the genre of bike. Used can be just fine. I agree that unless you are a solid motorcycle mechanic, it is a good idea to take a prospective used bike to a dealer, pay the $40 - $50 for a complete diagnostic evaluation. That way an independent dealer can tell you with a written form what to watch out for with your new, used bike. If the seller will not allow that to take place, find a different bike.Your budget may force you into certain choices. For me it has usually been something like this: I can afford a 600cc sportbike -- period. Or, I can afford a "small" Harley -- period. Shop Around. Shop Around. Shop Around. I found a HD dealer 360 east of my hometown that did NOT add a ton of "added dealer markup", who sold me the bike for actual MSRP. Shopping for the sportbikes was fun and brought me to: the next CRITICAL phase of buying comes into play. Sitting on the bike. Riding the bike. Take time with a potential motorcycle, to see how your body "fits". How much force / effort does it take to pull the clutch? How do my feet feel on the ground, while holding the bike upright. Once you have "felt" the machine, then you are ready to make that buy / not buy decision.Some obvious sources of in
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Epinions.com ID:
livetoride
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Location: Pacific NW, USA
Reviews written: 69
Trusted by: 33 members
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