Picking up a new Sprockets project

So I finally got my motorcycle temps and started riding my CL350 a while back. It's a lot of fun, and with the VW tentatively sold, I'm thinking I'd like to try a bike project.

Now, there are two pretty sweet deals on some bikes locally:

http://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/762570199.html Katana 600 http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/mcy/761569305.html Ninja 600

I've got the cash, the boredom, and the space so I think I might pick one of 'em up. My current rider is a tough-as-nails '73 Honda twin, so I'm not really sure what I should be looking at on these newer bikes. Which is a better deal? Anything I should be weary of? I really wanna get something with disc brakes and a sensible electrical system.

Get the best-maintained one you can find for cheap. Mileage barely matters with these bikes, as long as they've been treated sensibly. Count on replacing most if not all consumable parts on a bike this age, including tires, chain and sprockets, driveline fluids and filters, all of it. Expect basic maintenance to be non-existent and budget accordingly. Remember that just because the buy-in is cheap, that doesn't mean the upkeep will be, too. That said, these are both good choice for low maintenance and reliability.

From my perspective as a parts guy, stay away from old Yamahas. For some reason, their OEM parts carry at least a 40% tax compared to the rest of the Big Four. Can't explain it, but that's my experience.

As gas prices go up and stay up, used motorcycle prices will, too. There's a dearth of sub-$1000 bikes in St. Louis now. Keep that in mind as you're shopping, but don't let that fact talk you into a bad deal. I imagine Wisconsin's motorcycle prices fluctuate rather wildly with the seasons, so you may want to hold off buying until everyone's putting theirs away.

I think the ninja would have a bit more performance potential, but the katana looks like it would take less work to get running. But both look like good deals with pleanty of potential.

I'm just hoping to be able to start restoring my GS650G soon.

They are called "Can-o-Tuna" for a reason.

Save your pennies for a real 600. Neither one of those bikes is a spectacular deal but the Katana is slightly nicer.

Ninja 750: http://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/754773931.html

Honda CR250..motard potential..:
http://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/754518976.html

Suzuki GS650G?:
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/mcy/762709406.html

91 KLR 250..:
http://greenbay.craigslist.org/mcy/741522598.html

FWIW, I have a friend looking to sell his 600 Ninja. He's done the bobber/mad-max look to it, but it's having some carb problems & just taking up space in his garage. If you're interested I can get a price.

http://charleston.craigslist.org/mcy/763061051.html

pimp pimp pimp

ignorant, that wee-Yammie bobber is kewl.

Used Reliable BikesA little research here might be helpful.

berkeleying slick Yamaha

93gsxturbo wrote: They are called "Can-o-Tuna" for a reason. Save your pennies for a real 600. Neither one of those bikes is a spectacular deal but the Katana is slightly nicer.

I concur with this sentiment. Look hard enough - or again, wait until the season is waning - and find a later model water-cooled 600 for lots more performance out of the box for a little more coin, and a good chance at a better-maintained cycle to boot.

This is also about the time in the season when you'll start finding newbie wrecks for sale. By this time, guys have been riding long enough to build up a healthy sense of overconfidence and they're binning the bikes left and right, on the track and the street, and they've scared themselves or their significant others enough to convince them to sell it off before they do something ~really~ dumb. (I've got three crash estimates waiting for me when I get back into the shop this week.) Look for something newer that's a cosmetic wreck and you may have a bargain on your hands, especially if you don't care about a salvage title.

could I possibly say that the bobber is.. murdered out.

Totally, bro.

it is murdered out

with alacrity

Buy the VF750 advertised on here. A great bike to learn and grow into.

If he'll take $1000 I will gladly buy it. :)

Meh, I wouldn't bother fixing up a used crotch rocket, unless it's either going to be a track toy, or flipped for profit. For the effort, I'd rather do something vintage.

That bobbed yammie is sweet.

http://wausau.craigslist.org/mcy/760962588.html

Hmmm....

SlickDizzy wrote: If he'll take $1000 I will gladly buy it. :)

I had some interest in it but nobody is calling so it is yours for $1000 if you want it. Sent you a pm.