wtb starter bike for 18 y.o. guy

[bumpinranger]

i have about a 1500 dollar budget as of the first of march, i will be earning more money soon b/c i just started a new job.
i would prefer a crochrocket or "sportbike" i dont care if its been laid down, cuz i can swallow my pride and say "yes ive ridden dirt bikes before but i am probably going to lay it down" so i am mainly looking for reliability, good resale value and something thats gonna be good on insurance, again im 18 years old and i am pretty smart for my age and i KNOW i dont need a 2010 600cc DEATH TRAP.
so maybe a new"er" 250 cc? or an older 500 or maybe 600? i need something to practice on and not break the bank.
thanks alot
david.
you can call or text me at 404 538 8953 im located north of atlanta off of i 75

[Seca]

Find a used kawasaki ninja 250 or 500. great bikes and can be found in excellent shape for cheap. Welcome to GSB.

[bumpinranger]

thanks for the welcome.
theres a guy in my neighborhood that has a 1993 yamma fzr 600rr the thing has 7k miles on it and he hasnt ridden it in 4 years.
i did a kbb value for it and it said a 1100 trade in or a 1600 dealer retail. but the problem is he wants a min of 1800 for it.
i think thats a little overpriced for a 1993.....??

[Woodk61000]

Look on craigslist and do your research. A ninja 250 can take you as fast as you need to go starting off and one can be had for around the money that you have.

[Todd]

and old FZR 600 would be a great bike (along with a 250 or 500). The old FZR is a very reliable bike, a bit heavy, but still very stable. Pretty damn quick, but not the type of quick that will get you into trouble that a modern 130hp 600 will.

[bumpinranger]

what would be a reasonable price for a fzr?

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

My personal suggestion is a gs500. For reasons I enumerate here (http://www.georgiasportbike.com/showthread.php?192-Looking-at-different-street-bikes.&p=2272#post2272)

[bumpinranger]

do you know any one selling one? i checked craigslist but couldnt find anything "good"

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

check the forum at gstwins.com/gsboard

[petrel800]

Something tells me you guys should get in touch.

http://www.georgiasportbike.com/showthread.php?241-FS-2003-Ninja-250-(Very-clean-and-low-mileage)

[wallypiper]

he wants a min of 1800 for it.
i think thats a little overpriced for a 1993.....

Would be a good starter but I think that price is high for a bike that's been sitting for that long. There could be a variety of issues that have to be handled to make it reliable again. Maybe not, if he did the right things to "decommission" it, but not many people do. Does it run?

[bumpinranger]

i just pm'd him.
do yal know of anyone else selling an older or small"er" bike?

[bumpinranger]

it needs a new battery and probably a good tune of to be reliable. but he said it should start right up.

[steve c]

I concur with the 250 or 500 advice. I would add that any bike that has been sitting for a while may require some to maintenance to get into reliable running condition. So budget for that. Also, set some $ aside for a helmet, jacket, gloves and boots. If you're smart you'll find something to protect your backside too (draggin jeans, or something like that.) The lower the cc, the lower the insurance, generally speaking.

- Steve

[LadyJaye]

I'll sell you my Ninja 250, it's a couple of years older than Dan's (2001), but essentially, it's exactly the same bike, same color even. I'm asking roughly the same price as he is though $1800.

[SlowMotion]

+1 for a Ninja 250 or 500. I started on a Ninja 500 after taking the MSF course (which I highly recommend as well).

[bumpinranger]

thanks, and i do plan on taking the MSF course at north metro technical college

[bumpinranger]

what do yal think about this http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/mcy/1606805764.html
he live like 5 min away from my house and im going to check it out now. he said it needs a speedo cable and fork seals? any thoughts?
how hard are they to replace and how time consuming?
it sounds good for 1k

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

Fork seals: Not so bad, $30-$50 in parts.. I'd recommend picking up a set of new straight rate springs from racetech or sonic and replacing the stockers while you've got the forks off and apart.

Speedo cable: $10 and 5 minutes.

I can't tell much from those pictures... looks like maybe an aftermarket exhaust, see if he's got the appropriate jetting in place. Also looks like he's got some aftermarket bars on there.

headers look rusty, but that's normal for these bikes, and you can pick up a used set for little more than the cost of shipping.

What year? My first thought was '02 cuz of the color, but it looks to be solid black, not black/silver like mine. I can't even see enough of the bodywork to tell if it's an '89-'01 or an '02+.

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

Forgot to add: I did my own fork seals with no specialized tools in about 2 hours, it was the first time I'd ever had the front end off the bike.

[bumpinranger]

thanks alot, going to meet the guy right now!!

[redciv1]

So how did it go?

[Djoneseyjones]

I agree with the masses, 250s and 500s are the way to go when starting out. I think i was kind of in your boat yesterday. I began on a 250 ninja when i was 16 and only working a minimum wage job. If you find the right plan, you can get insurance for dirt cheap and as far as gas mileage, you will forget what the gas station looks like. Good luck on your search.

[TDean]

If you are still looking I have a 2004 Ninja 250 for sale. Excellent shape and needs nothing that I know of.

Here is my Craigslist ad http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/mcy/1646443428.html