hey everyone I'm new to the site, i have been looking to buy a used motorcycle on craigslist, i have seen a few and i wanted to see if anyone can give me some pointers on what to look for, e.g i have seen a few bikes good condition low miles but doesnt start, the owner would state it needs a carb cleaned. buying it without testing it or hearing it run would be a risk.. wouldnt it?

If you don't have the mechanical skills to evaluate the bike yourself, do not buy it. Your instincts are 100% dead-on when it comes to not purchasing a bike that doesn't start. Since others have done a better job in compiling the "do's and dont's" of buying a bike, I'll post a link instead of listing my criteria...

Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide

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2005 Suzuki Hayabusa Limited Edition - lots of mods
2007 Suzuki GSXR600 - wifebeater and flip-flops optional
2000 Honda CBR600F4 - outfitted with the NRC case cover of invincibility
http://www.gleno.net

Oh yea... and welcome to the site Chris!

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2005 Suzuki Hayabusa Limited Edition - lots of mods
2007 Suzuki GSXR600 - wifebeater and flip-flops optional
2000 Honda CBR600F4 - outfitted with the NRC case cover of invincibility
http://www.gleno.net

Yes, that would be a risky proposition at best.
I did a little searching and found a pretty exhaustive checklist with some relevant info.

Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide




EDIT: Same link.. hehe and ya beat me to it while I was looking.

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"If you ever wanted to see what the law of unintended consequences looked like, you're about to find out."

thanks guys!!!! great info... oh and I'm not sure if this was in another post,but what would be the cheapest/best insurance for a motorcycles?

insurance rates are drastically varying. The best bet is to find a bike that you might be interested in and call at least 5 companies an see what the best is. i personally used progressive.

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Nick - One of the old timers...

If this is your first street bike, I would stick to a 500cc to 650cc twin or an older 600 cc 4 cylinder. It will make the learning process much easier and the insurance waaaaaay lower! You want a bike that is reliable but not so pretty that you are paranoid of scratching it. Most parking lot tip overs and slow speed crashed are caused by exactly that.

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http://www.cycleawareness.org

Also factor in the initial fixed costs of gear:

-helmet
-motorcycle gloves
-motorcycle boots
-motorcycle jacket
-motorcycle pants

(note the repeated modifier, "motorcycle"... regular old stuff that isn't designed for motorcycle usage is an unwise choice in gear).

Be sure to keep in mind the cost for adequate insurance. Cutting corners here is a BAD idea. In addition to liability coverage, UM/UIM and Med Pay are must haves for motorcycle riders; and with bike theft also rampant in Vegas comprehensive coverage is also smart to maintain.

Finally, invest in a good riding library: check this thread out, some links there.

Good luck!

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Neeman & Mills, Attorneys-at-law: Auto, Motorcycle & Work Accidents

Neeman & Mills fix your tickets. Free of charge.

Useful Motorcycle Books and Links

Motorcycle Insurance, and you!

thanks for the pointer motovegas, good point better to safe than sorry, i looked at the differences by adding more coverage vs basic liability, not big of a diff like 20-30 more a month

Great post! This is what most new riders forget about. They think that a helmet is enough. You have two things that help you stay alive and enjoy the riding experience. The first is your brain...educating your self at being a better more aware rider. The second is your gear. Without gear, even a slow speed get off can be very very painful.

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http://www.cycleawareness.org

buy a honda!