it means the cables are probably corroded and you might kill yourself.
why do you say “my first motorcycle”? how many do you plan to buy? :-\
i would just buy one, the one i wanted. you should put your 1200 as a down payment on a bike that fits you, and is in excellent shape.
you dont want a fixer-upper unless your a mechanic or an experienced rider. . .
for example, lets say your riding along and CLACK a wheel falls off, catapulting you towards the pavement. . . an experienced rider is going to know what side of his skull hurts the least when it slams into the asphalt so he could probably get away with buying a motorcycle with corroded brake cables.
just something to think about.
OH! and bikers dont wear leather jackets just to be cool. . . . leather is much tougher than you are. wear a helmet too.
Thank you for the reply…sorry it to song long. I appreciate your advice…I had now idea the choke cable had to do with the brakes. I say first motorcycle…because I’ve never had one before. I don’t want payments on a bike…plus I heard if you do payments, insurance is higer. I’m still not sure about the 82′ Honda….the guy seems to be honest…and is fixing the minor things on it before he sells.
A female Police officer responded to my ad on craigslist. She has a GN 125cc suzuki and she said it’s good for a female beginner. She wants $600 and it sounds like she has took care of it and it only has 2100 miles WOW! It sounds like she has taken care of it. Not very big or fast though. I may be a woman but I don’t want a wimpy bike.
I plan on wearing leather and a helmet….I might not wear a helmet once I get used to riding. I also plan on packing a rainsuit for the times I get caught in bad weather. Which to be honest, kind of scares me. Thanks for your input fatsone.
your welcome :-D
and i, for some reason, didnt read the “choke” part of the replacing cable thing.
yeah if he is saying that needs to be replaced there is something wrong with it, it is idling funny. probably not the cable though - it either works or it does not.
i hope you find the right bike for you :)
I agree with fatstone. also…
honda…
If he is replacing things like that, it means the bike is worn, but he only mentions external not internal things, and he’s only replacing it now - all indicating you don’t want to buy from him. Unless you love fixing things that you rely on for everyday transport and your safety, don’t buy a turd. Of course I could be totally wrong, but unless you have a friend to take ( guy or girl ) that knows bikes, I wouldn’t risk it.
My third bike was one and I loved it, but they are a bit heavy too. How tall are you?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia…
But they are ok on dirt, very solid bikes with comfortable seating position.
GN 125cc
Gutless, but fine unless your weigh a fair bit. They are a dream to ride, handle nicely, and it sounds like its had good care. But again, ride it first and see what an expert mate thinks. They might be a bit flimsy offroad.
Gear - ALLWAYS wear a brain bucket! You have so little secondary protection, as as a learner, it is highly likly to have a low speed crash in the first few months, and you want to be wearing protection. By then, it will be comfortable and normal, so might as well keep wearing it.
In the long run, it will be cheaper to invest in a slightly higher priced bike I think
fatstone wrote:
your welcome :-D
and i, for some reason, didnt read the “choke” part of the replacing cable thing.
yeah if he is saying that needs to be replaced there is something wrong with it, it is idling funny. probably not the cable though - it either works or it does not.
i hope you find the right bike for you :)
Thank you for sharing that info.(with the idling) that’s not a good sign. Well, here it is Monday, and he never sent the pics, that he was supposed to send on Sat. But after yours, and Chunkymove’s advice I think it sounds like nothing but trouble. I just need to forget about that one. There has to be a better suited bike for me out there somewhere! Thanks, I hope I find the right one too! Although, it is harder now that Spring is here, it was 70 degrees yesterday, and everyone’s getting the itch to ride…. but I’m constantly searching;)
chunkymove wrote:
I agree with fatstone. also…
honda…
If he is replacing things like that, it means the bike is worn, but he only mentions external not internal things, and he’s only replacing it now - all indicating you don’t want to buy from him. Unless you love fixing things that you rely on for everyday transport and your safety, don’t buy a turd. Of course I could be totally wrong, but unless you have a friend to take ( guy or girl ) that knows bikes, I wouldn’t risk it.
My third bike was one and I loved it, but they are a bit heavy too. How tall are you?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia…
But they are ok on dirt, very solid bikes with comfortable seating position.
GN 125cc
Gutless, but fine unless your weigh a fair bit. They are a dream to ride, handle nicely, and it sounds like its had good care. But again, ride it first and see what an expert mate thinks. They might be a bit flimsy offroad.
Gear - ALLWAYS wear a brain bucket! You have so little secondary protection, as as a learner, it is highly likly to have a low speed crash in the first few months, and you want to be wearing protection. By then, it will be comfortable and normal, so might as well keep wearing it.
In the long run, it will be cheaper to invest in a slightly higher priced bike I think
Hey Mr. Poet…Chunkymove;) That was an awesome pic of your bike! Was it a 450cc? What year was it? That looks like the kind off bike I’m looking for….had a real clean,smooth look. I want something that would be okay for off road too. I bet you had fun riding that one! Do you have a bike now?
I am around 5′5 120pounds. I’m trying to soak up as much as I can about motorcyles…so I won’t be clueless. But your right, it’s almost garunteed that I will take a dive…hopefully it’s at a low speed. I just plan on taking it around the neighborhood first, to get aquainted with it before I take it on the busy streets. I would be scared to DEATH to take it on a freeway though….I don’t think I’ll be using the free way for awhile:)
Helmets are kind of expensive…I hope I can find a used one…it should have a shield, right? Thanks for all the advice… it’s a very important decision for me… just wish I could find a nice bike, like that beautiful Honda;) I tend to like the Honda Rebels…I like the color red or black too. (not that the color matters THAT much) I saw one for around $1300 on craigslist… your right, I might just have to dish out a little more cash, if I want something reliable.
If there is any other tips you’ve learned along the years, I would greatly appreciate any advice. Esp. when it comes to braking…and shifting…I’m afraid I’m going to pop a wheely and flip off the bike, or something…OUCH! I’ll make sure to post a pic. when I find something…and see what you guys think! I just want to get out there and ride…I’m soooo eager. What about night driving and having a passenger on the back…yes or no, for beginners? (probably not right off the bat, huh?)
What do you think of this one? I talked to the guys wife and they came down to $1300. I guess you can’t really tell till you see it person…but I don’t really know what questions to ask about the bike? Should I ask if the carbs need cleaned? lol I don’t know… It’s almost 2 hrs away from where I am…so I don’t know how I would get it home. But it looks nice. I like the saddle bags too!
http://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/10…
he says it comes with a box of parts though….haha What’s that supposed to mean? Oh my..:[
Okay guys…here is what the girl wrote me this morning about her bike. And I’ll include a link to what it looks like. Please tell me what you think?
I have a ‘94 GN125 Suzuki (red) in mint condition with 2100 miles. I too ride it to work, it’s great on gas. New battery purchased last year. This would be a nice starter bike for you. I can take pictures if interested. Check out this bike on the web. Asking $650. I’m a caregiver for my mother and really don’t have the time now.
Call or write if interested: Martha xxx-xxxx after 2:00 PM
She went up from $600 to $650….I better decide fast before she keeps raising it. But it seems like the best deal I’ve seen so far.
http://www.bikepics.com/suzuki/gn125/…
Hey Queen of Hearts… I’m a poet? Cool
its not a pic of mine, but it looks the same. Its an “82′ Honda 450 model” just like you mentioned in your post. They are reliable and long lasting and tough, but braking and handling not so much. It was fun, lots of touring. The bike before was a racing dirt bike, so this let me hit the open road a lot more comfortably. I have a bike now http://s405.photobucket.com/albums/pp…
ok, enough about me…
Do ride it for as long as you want around the local streets, and find the local riders group - not a biker gang, but a group that like riding bike - they’ll look after you and tell you good places for insurance etc.
Helmets have to be new to be much use for a few reasons. You buy them tight and then they mould to you head, and if you crash, you can’t tell but the foam is crushed and not able to take a second impact as well. Don’t crash is the plan though. If you can’t afford gear, you can’t afford to ride. that said, I had a 20 year old open face helmet and a ski jacket when I started, I was too keen :-)
When it comes to riding, its hard to say via text - find a place to practice and get to know yourself and the bike. How much did they teach at the course? Practice braking witha a setup-squeeze-ease? Ride so you can stop in the distance you can see? Aim to end corners on the inside -not as fast but it makes in fun and safer? Give yourself SPACE!!!!
Not going to pop a wheely, too heavy and not nearly enough power. Even if you drop the clutch and lean back, its hard to get the front of the ground. You want to be focusing on a few seconds in front of you and making sure you have space, but not about doing tricks :-)
what country you in? Most places have laws about pillions ( people on the back ) for beginners. I’d say not for a few months, as it can seem all good, but then they might one day jump about or shift their weight when your cornering, and you have to have the instinct built up to counter it. I was in a country recently with no laws about licences and helmets and pillions - everyone was having fun - but 40 deaths a month in city of 200,000? Play it safe and enjoy the beauty of riding for many many years to come.
QueenofHearts wrote:
What do you think of this one?
looks fine, and only 6,000miles??? that is almost brand new. I’d want to know if that is since an engine rebuild or he is saying that its done less than 300km a year.
Don’t need to ask about the carbs, but really, do ride it yourself to see if you like the handling and seating, and do get someone else to ride it that you trust. Things to look at are the tyre wear, the oil colour, any oil leaks around the engine after the ride - it’s ok if they aren’t perfect, just factor them into how much its worth to you. but at 6000, it should be in perfect condition and for that price, I want to buy it.
ask them about the parts, they should just be the original parts that they took off to fit the aftermarket stuff you can see.
QueenofHearts wrote:
Okay guys…here is what the girl wrote me this morning about her bike.
wo, youi have some bargins around your place. Ignore my advice on price, and I realsied that with exchange rates - I don’t really have a clue what that means.
But it would be a good buy for you - you don’t weight anything, and not giant, so it would get you about fine, and if it meant you could affort decent helmet and GLOVES ( hand are useful and delicate ) then its the better buy.
if its really only has 2100 miles, then it has about another 50,000km to go
I’ve had a GN125 for many years, along with bigger bikes. I think the GN125 is a great bike, especially for a beginner. It’s smooth, stable, reliable and really fun to ride. The small size, to me, just makes it fun. The only thing that can be a pain is that it’s a basic no-frills bike that doesn’t have a huge following. Therefore, the only place you’re going to get parts for it is at the Suzuki dealer. I’m not even sure if Suzuki imports these bikes to the US anymore. In other countries, you will find many loyal owners, and many GN125 bikes, parts and accessories.
That said, there are plenty of bikes in the US that are tough to get the right accessories for. Owners of other bikes can find all kinds of things from after-market merchandisers like Dennis Kirk, JC Whitney, etc.
I now have a Hyosung GV250 that I will have to take care of on my own because there’s no dealer around. But most bikes require you to go to the dealer for parts. At least Suzuki dealers will still be happy to take care of your bike for you with tune-ups and tire changes, so long as you have one nearby.
The good thing is that the GN125 is designed to be pretty much maintenance free (as far as bikes go). Further, routine maintenance jobs are simplified: for example, to check the valve clearance, there’s a cap on the cylinder head that you unscrew and you have total access. On other bikes, you have to remove the gas tank and then the cylinder head. What a pain!!!! I think the GN125 was designed to be sold in areas where, perhaps, there wouldn’t always be a dealer around. That’s a HUGE plus for the beginner, because as a beginning motorcycle rider, you’re also a beginning motorcycle mechanic.
One thing it is not is gutless. It’s plenty fast enough. You won’t be screaming along the highways anyway. For city riding, it’s got plenty of juice to keep up with cars. It’s light, nimble and responsive and well-balanced. It’s not too loud and, perhaps most important, it looks great. It’s got a real retro flair with all the chrome. It’s also easy to maintain because of its simple design, sturdy, reliable and rugged. If I lived near that lady, I’d buy the bike out from under you.
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It also comes with some options as standard that you’d have to buy separately on other bikes. For example, it’s got full instrumentation, meaning a tachometer, a speedometer, and an odometer. Controls are standardly placed, just like on any bike. It’s also got a cool readout that tells you what gear you’re in. Most bikes don’t have this and I find it helpful, even as a seasoned rider. It comes standard with a center stand. I had to buy one separately for my Hyosung, which cost $100. It’s got a helmet lock that a lot bikes don’t have. Also, in case you’re wondering, it’s got plenty of power to take a passenger on the back, which you shouldn’t do until you’ve been riding for at least a year anyway.
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I’d recommend a GN125 to you as the ideal bike for a beginner.
Please, do yourself a favor - always ride with gear and a new fitting helmet!
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Fatso
chunkymove
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