Thinking of getting a cheap bike, any info on old kawasaki ninjas? (600)

[Tenchuu]

So i am thinking of getting this as a second car:
http://bend.craigslist.org/mcy/653418012.html

mainly cause it costs less than cars i was looking at, costs less to insure, and costs less to drive. for fun i still have a RB25S14 that i can take on trips and drive when it is raining too hard, but what do any of you know about these? anything i should be looking for? the price seems steep for what i have seen these going for so i will talk to 1000-1300 ish from what i read sounds good, plus it has seen better days (missing a cap, seat cracking, etc...)

looking for opinions, and there are VEARY few old 600s around here for sub $2000.

[Jung918]

I wouldn't get it. Looks like it has been dropped.

You may think that getting a bike is cheaper, but have you added in gear, maintenance, etc? Not always cheaper.

[!Zar!]

Is this your first bike?

I wouldn't worry too much about it being dropped. Because most will be and you are most likely going to drop it.

Resale for ninja's are pretty good. As long as you maintain the bike, once you sell it you should get most if not all or more of your money back.

[Tenchuu]

yeah that is what i have heard that your first bike that it is not if you are doing to drop it, it is when. I'm going to figure with gear and maintenance it will be up near $2000 so that is still around what i was looking to pay for a car.

anything in particular that i should be looking out for? i am trying to get ahold of a buddy that has an old ninja like this, but he is not good at returning calls and i figured some of you guys know a bit about bikes.

other than this i was thinking an F4i, but those start at 4500 and go up.

[Thaiair]

From what i've heard they are very reliable and the 600cc ninjas are safer on the freeway and won't blow around the freeway as much as some lighter bikes.

...Although if you are looking for a CHEAP bike you could always go for those $300 pocket bikes lol.

[Ineedparts]

I have a zx7r 750 ninja and i LOVE IT I recomend kawi 100%. I am glad to see you are going at least 600 and not wasting time with the 250 or 500's.

[irax]

YZF 600

Hurricane
F2 and F3

just suggestions, great bikes. don't waste your time with anything less than a 500cc

[84GTSR5]

I think that for a first Bike is perfect, since you won't have to worry about dropping it. Get It, learn how to ride it and once you get used to it sell it for what you got it for and buy a newer one. Oh and they are really economical on gas like 40-60 MPG.

I myself bought a 1988 Ninja zx600 as my first bike a couple months ago. Been daily driving it and its really fun. But I'm ready to move up to a bigger better bike like a Yamaha R1.

Here is a pic of mine
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a272/hachirokutruenoae86/SSPX0648.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a272/hachirokutruenoae86/SSPX0649.jpg

[!Zar!]

I'd suggest getting something a little more modern like a 600, before jumping right to a liter bike.

[irax]

I'd suggest getting something a little more modern like a 600, before jumping right to a liter bike.

please rephrase that into a sentence some one who doesn't know much about bikes could understand.

I would think it would be best for him to start off with a 500 - 750 before he jumps onto a LEADER bike. IE something thats old enough to smoke but not old enough to rent their own car or in other words something between 24 - 16 years old because its cheap and everything that could be done to it can.

[Johnson_ZXTT]

Litre bike = 1000 (1000cc = 1000ml = 1L)

My first bike was a 2000 ZX6R and I loved that bike... I sold it to buy a newer one ('04 R6) but I never had any problems with it at all. That bike looks good for a starter, but it won't take you long before you want some thing newer and faster, so keep looking around and see if you can find a newer bike for a decent price. Something that will keep you interested for more than a couple months. Most bikes that are going for a really cheap price are either pretty old, or have been dropped so make sure you take a look at the bike first, have an experienced rider friend test ride it for you, and if need be, take it to a shop to make sure that nothing is bent or out of alignment before you buy it, or how much it would take to get it fixed.

[Tenchuu]

Thanks for the advice guys. i'm kind of town myself on getting this old bike, of getting a newer one. but i think that i may satrt out here because there is a good chance that i might not like riding a bike around here at all, and if i go cheap to start out, i am not out somewhere around $4000 right off the bat.

[eastcoastS14]

one of my friends has an older zx9r that is pretty nice I think he got it for like $1700 and his insurance was like $300 for the whole year, its def a quick bike and pretty heavy compared to new bikes but its really nice

[exitspeed]

I've been thinking the same thing. But going the route of a Shadow or something. They seem to last forever. I don't need anything sporty at all, because, well, I will die.

[Tenchuu]

found another one. it has been layed down a couple of times and the fairings are scratched, but just back from a shop to get the fuel system cleaned and a tune up as it has been in storage for a while.

ninja 600R

http://bend.craigslist.org/mcy/641411272.html


EDIT email i got back about this bike

We do still have it but we decided to take it to a shop and have the carbs cleaned out. We flushed the fuel out and got it running but it did not want to idle. So to make it so people could take it for a ride we decided to send it to a friends shop to have it fixed and ready to ride. If you would like we can notify you as soon as we get it back. yes it has been laid down a time or two and the fairings have been put through the ringer. Thus it makes a good starter. Ride it for a while and get used to it then fix the fairings. That way you wouldn't feel so bad when you loose your balance and lay it down just moving it around. We were going to fix all the fairings before my son stepped up and bought a later bike with more cc's

[Aeroscraper326]

Get a Cafe racer!!

[Tenchuu]

I would rather keep my testicles and avoid a moped at all costs. i will ride a moped as soon as i buy a prius. which is to say never.

[Ineedparts]

The second one looks good as long as it only needs the tank and such cleaned, might need the carbs synced* also

[downshift_sideways]

Try looking at some Kawasaki Ninja EX500 bikes.

I've owned a few of them, and never had any problem. They are a great learning bike, and go for a bit cheaper than the 600 your looking at.

Everyone drops their bikes. It's either you've fallen already...or going to fall soon.

Try looking from 1990-1995 bikes, and like Mel said. Re-selling the bikes are easy. I've always made all my money back.

Ninja's are great learner bikes for that reason. Just take care of it. Be sure to change your tires, and valve stems, oil, plugs..etc.

I'd assume your getting a carb bike. So be sure to buy a can of starter fluid ;) trust me.

Let us know what you decide!

Also..Don't get an R1 After learning how to ride. Its suicidal..at least get a fuel injected bike 600+.

You want to get an R1 After you learn how to manuever the bike, and break properly. Or else you'd just kill youself. REALLY.

Carb and fuel injected is a day and night difference.
.

[HyperTek]

hmm cool thread! i been wanting to get into bikes... Ive had friends who said they started off with newer bikes 02 600s etc.. Just a few hours spent on friends bikes then they got theirs and just took their time learning em.

[downshift_sideways]

I've dirtbiked before. So my first time riding a motorcycle was a little bit easy.

I went balls out and started stunting right away lol.

(don't do that)

[Phil703]

I'd find the cheapest one you can find, Do a little maintenance on it one weekend, Get it running etc and Just practice. You've ridden a bike before right? If so, Then just ride around for a year or two, Slowly building that bike up and then upgrade later on. That's just my 2 cents..

[airsoft]

Honda Nighthawk
F4i

[Agamemnon]

http://members.home.nl/leandyvon32/fotohonda/85NH650-Gary.jpg
This is going to be my first bike. It's a 1985 CB650 Nighthawk. Should be picking it up at the tail end of May. Just in time for summer. I just gotta ditch the square headlight and gauges and put some clubman bars on it to give it the cafe racer look.