Hello.

 

 

 

My uncle asked me to try and find out about motorbikes. He wanted to know what kind would generally be reliable used. He wants to get the kind he does not need a license for, and that would be cheap used (around $500). If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.

 

 

 

Also since this is the only topic with the title Motor Bikes, I suppose you can discuss them in general.

You wouldn't get much for 500 dollars, and I'm pretty sure you need a motorcycle license no matter what. For 500 bucks, maybe he could get a scooter. Maybe.

 

 

 

He could look around in newspapers and Craigslist, but if he finds anything for 500, it'll be a fixer-upper.

In the US, I believe you can drive a 150cc or less scooter without a license. For $500 you're looking at a scooter in the range of 50cc.

My friend got a bike for quiting smoking for a week, but he got it impounded for riding it with a passenger before he got his licence and while he was stoned and drunk. He's clever like that. :P

My friend got a bike for quiting smoking for a week

 

 

 

Wtf? I haven't smoked a cigarette in a week by my own personal choice and I haven't touched marijuana in nearly a month (trying to get a job). I haven't gotten [cabbage] out of quitting -.-

My friend got a bike for quiting smoking for a week

 

 

 

Wtf? I haven't smoked a cigarette in a week by my own personal choice and I haven't touched marijuana in nearly a month (trying to get a job). I haven't gotten [cabbage] out of quitting -.-

 

His parents are pretty cool... But he's been kicked out of his house, so meh. Kinda justifies it. :lol:

You'll get much better info by sending him to a motorbike shop than an online forum. He wont get much for 500 dollars and I'm quite sure to ride it on the road he must have a license no matter what, not sure if he needs license under American law :|

 

 

 

You'll get much better answer by going to an actual motorbike based forum and asking there.

I suppose I would. Does any one know some good one's I could try?

Usually just googling it will have the most viewed Motorbike based forum at or near the top. Check for the amount of members it has, if it has 20,000+ it's quite obviously a good forum.

Does your uncle want a scooter(moped) or motorcycle? Depending on which, just search those words using google. To see some examples of good 50cc scooters go here:

 

http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/

 

 

 

Obviously, these are new and relatively expensive, but examples nonetheless. Feel free to ask any specific questions that cross your mind.

I think he just wants something that's cheap, reliable, and will get him around the city. He doesnt want to use it off-road or anything like that, he just wants an affordable way to get around.

If you live in the US, which your location says, then there are lots of scooter dealerships everywhere these days. They're popping up everywhere and are the place to go for detailed information on scooters of price ranges $600-3000. New scooters you won't find for under $600. Be careful buying used ones. Buying used scooters/motorcycles is different than buying a used car. You don't want mileage higher than 20,000, unless you know for sure that it has been well-maintained. Scooters are better bought new, but motorcycles can be reliably bought used under 10,000 miles (which a lot of them are especially since people don't ride them that much).

 

 

 

Hope that helps a little. And remember safety gear is well worth the money!

http://www.125ccsportsbikes.com/forums

 

 

 

i read this forum simply to get a feel for 125cc bikes.

 

i myself am looking for a 2nd hand bike after a nice tipper truck rear ended mine in july and wrote my scooter off.

 

if nothing elde you can get a feel for bikes even if they do prefer honda's and kawasaki's

Thanks guys. Any brand suggestions?

Thanks guys. Any brand suggestions?

 

 

 

any real brand. honda, yamaha, kawasaki, suzuki etc.

 

DO NOT, i repeate DO NOT buy them cheap Chinese copy's of real brand that are all over ebay for prices way below real brands. they are cheap and work but they are of low quality and you will end up spending more than the price of a real bike by the time you pay for parts, thats if you can even get parts for some of them chinese copys.

 

Real brands on the other hand have genuine and quality aftermarket parts for almost every replaceable component (ie everything except the frame, cylinder block and head, and crankcase, as well as some other ones) which are usually of decent prices (i said usually, depends where you get them and what it is). You will barely never need to replace anything on it anyway with a real brand except for the chain and sprockets (the chain will last for almost ever if you get an o-ring one aswell), cleaning (or replacing if you want to waste your money) the air filter and changing the oil.

 

 

 

Also if you or your uncle or anyone has any knowledge of how to turn a spanner, i recommend you do all the servicing yourself. It is all very easy for simple things like changing oil or replacing the chain. If you don't have any idea what your doing though, either get someone who does to help you (preferably, you learn that way) or get someone else to do it.

 

Keep the bike well maintained and it will last for years!

 

like my little 1999 honda xr70 which i have way outgrown for about 5 years, and still runs like a dream despite me thrashing it around to this day. it has only required:

 

-regular oil changes

 

-regular air filter cleans

 

-2 new chains and sprocket sets

 

-my dad had to reweld the swing arm joint a few times due to it not being a real joint (just a bolt) because its such a small bike, me being probably twice the weight limit it says you have to be under, and the way i treat it (i don't cruise around looking at the scenery, thats boring)

 

-a rebuilt front suspension strut (again related to my treatment of it and me being way to big for the bike) because it got an oil leak

 

 

 

Basicly a good brand bike (like mine) will last forever if treated decently (i could have treated it better, but i didn't treat it that bad) and serviced regularly.

 

I had a friend who bought a 125 chinese copy bike and its broken/worn out beyond repair. He bought it in about 2004 (brand new from factory) and it was had it by about 2005/2006. My bike has had the same treatment (if not worse, seeing as I'm so much to big for it) as his did and has been going solid (and still is) for 9 (almost 10) years.

 

 

 

Sorry for the long post. i probably went over the same thing several times, but i really wanted to stress the point.

Thanks for the advice, it's much aprecieated.