I want to buy a bike. Have $2500 or so. Dont want to get ripped!

[rancid240]

Any tips on what to look for and how to shop? I dont want to get ripped and dont want to get stuck with something I cant sell if I change my mind. I want to get a cruiser bike, if its oldschool I dont mind. Mostly because most sportbikes in that price range are from early 90s aka funky paint jobs and fairings.

[Thrill Capsule]

I bought my 95 zx6r for $2400, in need of the usual tires and fork oil seals.

Pretty much just look around until something comes up in your price range that you like. Make sure it has a clean title, never salvaged or anything. Try not to buy a bike thats been down at any major speeds. Problems will start poping up left and right with a crashed bike. The previous owner told me mine was tipped over in a parking lot, and it is obvious because of the very light scratches, no giant gashes and cracks.

If buying a old bike check for leaks everywhere. To check if the forks are leaking run your finger under the front fork tube where the wheel axle is, if leaking there will be a residue and the area around the seal will be shiney. Maintence should also have been kept up on by the previous owner, oil changes, brake fluid, and coolant. Make sure its all clean and correct color. Look to make sure the chain and sprocket arent rusted nor show excessive wear. If any of this hasnt been done by the owner, use it to talk him down in price.

Also be wary with old bikes because of carburators, in older bikes they are usually gunked up pretty good and will require dissmantling and cleaning.

Is this your first bike? If so, dont go very high in the cc's. I learned on a 250cc and its very forgiving and still a great bike, still remains in my family :)

Any other questions or need help just ask.

[Var]

for 2500 dollars price range, i think the best bike for you would be a Honda F3. Find one with no more than 20K miles on it. Make sure the shocks arent blown cause they are expensive compared to the cost of the bike. Make sure the tires and rotors are still good. Make sure it starts up right away WHEN COLD. When you go to look at the bike tell the owner not to start it until you get there so you can see how it cold starts. Make sure it revs strong all the way to redline, no bogging is acceptable although some motorcycle owners will tell you so. Make sure that the previous owner has dont the valve adjustment on it. On 600cc bikes the mark is usually around 16K miles for a valve adjustment but those fuckin honda motor will go 30K without one. Make sure the fork tubes arent bent or leaking, make sure there are no bends or extra welds in the frame, and make sure there are no bends or welds in the subframe.

When you finally find one you like, i would definitely take it to a local bike shop and pay them 50 bucks to look it over for you, and most imortantly a compression test.

common tune ups that would be needed would be chain, sprockets, brakes, tires, fork seals, hopefully not shocks, spark plugs, clutch. Clutches on bike usually dont last past 20K but they only cost like 100 bucks and are easy to replace.

[s14xman]

Take off the fairings and check for damage to the fram(sp) sometimes shady sellers will drop that shiet like its hot and replace all the fairings with the same paint scheme and not tell you it went down. And watch out for the guys that say "oh yea i just LAID it down" no one just "lays it down" especially on a sport bike unless it got tiped over.