i just got my motorcycle endorsement and am interested in purchasing a cruiser bike. i probably won't ride it more than a few times per month so i don't want to dump much money into it. criteria:

- cheap ($2000 to 3000, lower is better)
- clean, overall good running condition
- cruiser style, black/chrome
- easy to work on / maintain

i'm pretty new to motorcycles so hit me up with your opinions / recommendations. right now i'm considering a suzuki intruder or honda shadow

10/29/2009 10:58:48 AM

HAYA

BUSA

10/29/2009 11:08:22 AM

HAYYAAAA

10/29/2009 11:12:33 AM

If you just want a standard cruiser to ride around on once and again, a 90s jap cruiser will do the job just fine. Since the eighties, most of them are anemic(for their displacement), heavy, and aesthetically similar. A 750 of some sort should do the job well enough.

That being said, for 2-3k, you can find a nice, running 88-92 TARBO BUSA!

10/29/2009 11:18:26 AM

busa

10/30/2009 1:01:47 PM

is that all you got, wolfweb?

11/1/2009 7:38:55 PM

gs 500 ninja 500 sv650s

11/1/2009 7:47:57 PM

ninja 250

11/1/2009 7:49:19 PM

seriously, a 90's 750 vulcan, or magna (my favorite) are good cruisers at a decent price, or a 750 virago



magnas have a damn near cult following, and part/upgrades/accesories are cheap, and the bikes are plentiful

11/2/2009 11:31:20 AM

Magna is a great bike, and so are any of the Honda Shadows...I've ridden old school '80s Shadow 500 and Shadow 1100...and one 700.

11/2/2009 1:33:55 PM

it definately has enough power

11/3/2009 4:39:30 PM

Picked up an '85 Magna V45 700cc today.





need to get that seat replaced first.

[Edited on November 8, 2009 at 5:54 PM. Reason : asdf]

11/8/2009 5:54:07 PM

sweet! i drive an '85 virago 700


we should trade for a day or something

11/8/2009 6:08:40 PM

^ word lets do it

11/8/2009 9:21:04 PM

Dude, the V45 is a GREAT bike. I really dig the older V4 Hondas.

11/8/2009 9:53:22 PM

How much did you pay? Those are pretty damn strong bikes too, should pull a whole hell of a lot better than most cruisers anywhere near that size.

11/8/2009 11:30:08 PM

$1200.. it was on craigslist for about a week. ~8600 miles, mechanically seems to be in good shape. for now i'm just planning to get the tires and seat replaced. its my first bike, so i've got some learning to do.

do you guys have any recommendations for a bike shop to get tires and stuff? someone mentioned a place called cycle world(?) off tryon

11/9/2009 9:48:53 AM

Yeah Cycle World charges $20/tire to mount and balance, $30 if you don't buy the tires from them. Cheapest I know of(around here), but I usually just do my own.

Changing the seat cover is a piece of cake. An electric staple gun makes things go a little easier.

11/9/2009 10:47:44 AM

great choice, you should be able to find a shitload of parts on ebay for it, a lot of parts are interchangable for decades


http://motors.shop.ebay.com/__?_from=R40&_trksid=p3841.m39.l1313&_nkw=magna+seat&_sacat=

[Edited on November 10, 2009 at 9:26 AM. Reason : the sissybar pad should be easy to bolt up a unversal one on, and a lot of places sell seat covers]

[Edited on November 10, 2009 at 9:27 AM. Reason : whatever you do, leave the stock exhuast, open mufflers sound like a sick goose on those]

11/10/2009 9:24:52 AM

is there any place near campus that does motorcycle inspections??

11/10/2009 3:15:39 PM

^ nevermind, i made it over to ray price (first trip on the public roads for me). inspection/plate/registration now done!

11/10/2009 5:04:16 PM

now you just need to spraypaint it all flat black

11/11/2009 11:28:35 AM