new rider/ figuring out bikes

B

bianchini

New Member
hello hello. first of all, i love cafe bikes i think they are some of the coolest bikes ever. i love all the different styles and customizations. but i come with questions.

1. what type of bike should i be looking for?

Its mostly to get from home to school. i go to ucsc so its up and down hill. not that much flat riding.
It doesnt need to be the fastest bike in the world, but quick acceleration i wouldnt mind.
It needs to be reliable (id be riding it everyday)
I can work on it on the weekends. (not major fixes, but tinkering/ small projects)
probably wont freeway it
im 6'0" 170 lbs (i dont know if that changes anything)

2. money?

what kind of costs am i looking for - lets say bike and then bars, lights, seat, tires... (ill be looking for the best deals/ used stuff, but i know some things can be pricey)

3. fun factor?

how much fun are these bikes? i look at them and they seem like there a lot of fun. i own an old bmw 2002 so i know its not gonna have fancy do-dads on it...

lastly, sorry if this is in the wrong section or if i have not given enough info. thanks everyone.
 
I'd say try to find a cb550, cb360 or 350k, kz400, xs400, they're good around town bikes, with a good supply of used parts available and they're mostly fast enough to get you around and have some fun

you can get any of these bikes in decent shape for $5-700, some people might ask more, but chances are they are either asking too much or are selling a well restored bike that you probably don't want since you're going to ride it, not keep it in your living room to show your golf buddies

these bikes are quite a bit of fun, as long as you know how to keep them running well, part of the fun is always having one more thing to tidy up

as far as costs, your order could use some improvement, think: bike, brakes, suspension, tires, engine, bars-seat-pegs (they're all one system, unless you like riding with your knees in your gut and half your weight on your hands), depending on condition, front brake rebuild kits are never a bad idea, think $50-$100 depending on what you need, decent rear shocks $120-$250, front springs if needed, $50-$100, neck bearings ($50), maybe need swingarm bushings ($50), tires $200-$300, engine is anyone's guess, my suggestion is don't take it apart unless you know what you're doing, bars seat and pegs might run anywhere from $300-$1000 depending on quality and type
 
+1 to RocCitycafe.

But i would say look for a twin, not an inline 4. Twins are easier to work on and if something breaks, it can cost half as much to fix. There's a lot of smaller stuff that gets thrown away / or gets sold for cheap around here too.
 
Don't know about out there, but in Ohio CB350's are everywhere and are a good platform to build from and learn on. I also see a lot of XS's and lately CX500's have been coming out of the wood work. Be careful what people are asking for these because it's usually too much. Educate yourself on perspective purchases so you can walk in with a good base knowledge to bargain with.
 
All of them will do the speed limit.....unless you go on the Autobahn.

Are you planning on doing a lot of highway speeds? The bigger the bike, the more comfortable it will be on the highway.

On my 175, it has a rated top speed of 85mph or something. I think they had 6 year old girls tailgating semi trucks for that test though..... So a 360 and the like should be higher for sure. Try searching for a thread called "can your bike do the ton".
 
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