What is the best way to find the bike you're looking for?

[Juicebox]

Hello everyone.  I am new to the forum, but I have been reading alot of the threads over the past few days because, after looking at alot of motorcycles, I have decided I want a RWB 86 Nighthawk S real bad.  My question is: Does anyone have any advice about buying a bike on the internet?  How do you know what kind of bike it is without seeing it in person?  I can't travel around the country looking at bikes, I'm a student and dont have the money for that.  How do you register the bike to get it home?  What are the best sites to look at?  What is the typical price for this bike?  Is it stupid to become fixated on certain color scheme or even a particular bike?  Im starting to ramble , but you guys get the idea.  Thanks, you all seem very friendly on this forum and any advice would be greatly appreciated. BTW I can see why you guys love these bikes so much.....they are the coolest looking bikes around.

[Lurfadur]

Will this be your first bike?  Unless you can find one in your area for a good price, I would think more about what type of bike (standard/cruiser/sport) first, rather than one specific bike.  Find a bike that fits your basic criteria and feels safe and comfortable to ride.  After you get some experience, start looking for that one specific bike.  And who knows, maybe after riding on a similar style bike you might learn that you don't like it after all. 

I thought I would love the "standard" type bike, but after riding a bit on mine, I know now that I want a higher seat height and maybe something with a bit sportier riding position.   

[Juicebox]

I had a ninja 600 along time ago and for a short period of time so I would consider myself to be a new rider.  Even when looking locally, what sources do you use to get the best selection of bikes to choose from?  Also, is it true that bikes are cheaper and more plentiful as winter approaches?

[RIDERED]

of course bikes get cheaper as winter approaches, some peolpe buy bikes only because they can, they get sick of them or no one will ride with them and then one day the guy says time to go,

well your the guy that wants to be the first one in line to get it, so keep cash on hand and be ready to go, and you will get what ya want, make sure it has honda on it though

[ariwhiteboy]

+1 on what red said about bikes being cheaper in the winter and cash in hand giving you the netogiation power.  I like to use the website http://www.searchtempest.com/ since it searches multiple craigslists by distance.  If this is your first bike I would suggest avoiding your dream bike for a while though and getting something a little more forgiving.  Even though it's an old bike, anyone who has one can tell you, a 700s takes off once you wind up the revs and can be really dangerous in the hands of a newer rider.  Whatever you do keep us posted and stay active on the forum, there is alot of knowledge on here that can help you through every step of the process. Oh I almost forgot  ..... to the best forum on the web!

P.S. Where are you located?

[Old_Rider_54]

How do you register the bike to get it home?

Finding the bike you want (and can afford) is the hard part, getting it home is probably easier - three choices:  1) use a trailer   2) get a ride to the seller's location and ride the bike home   3) have someone else ride the bike home for you.

To ride the bike home, you don't need to register it.   Most states allow 2 to 3 days between the time you take possession and the time you must register to get plates.  You must have a legal "bill of sale" from the owner, along with the signed-off title and proof of insurance.   You'll also need a "cycle endorsement" (or whatever your state calls it) that allows you to legally ride a bike.   If, on the way home, you get stopped by an officer of the law, this paperwork is your passport to keep going. 

Proof of insurance is easy, just get the serial number and see the insurance agent with some cash, again assuming that you have the cycle endorsement on your driver's license.

Take your time and find the right bike! 

[Laminar]

I use the free version of CraigsPal to search Craigslist and jump on deals when I find them.

[gammer]

I haven't been in the market for a new bike in a couple of years, but I know when I saw good deals, they were gone fast.
Like others here have said, you have to have the cash in your hand and be ready to 'pounce on it' in a moments notice. I know it isn't comfortable sometimes to buy a large purchase so impulsively, but this is the way the market is for these types of bikes.

Just as an example: when I sold my pristine condition 83 Suzuki GS650g, the guy who bought it had been in the market for a while for a bike like this. But he would go and look at other bikes and then think on it for a night. By the time he thought about it, the bike was sold to someone else. So when he came to see mine he had learned his lesson and he pretty much handed me the cash (full price) after only looking at it for a few mins and taking it around the block once.

[LOKi]

Remember ATM's only let you take out so much at a time. Usually <=$400. Not enough to buy a bike....usually. Almost certainly not enough for  RWB 700S. BTW those are rare and much sot after bikes. Hondo (the owner of this form) has been looking for one for quite some time.

[Juicebox]

Thanks everyone for the insight. While I was trying to decide which bike to get I also considered the 2008-10 ninja 250. My next question is: Will a bike like this help me move up to the nighthawk or are they too dissimilar. In other words should the bike I get to learn on be similar to what I want to move up to, or is a smaller first bike just to give you general motorcycle experience? I have read alot about the ninjas and they are considered good first bikes. Other than the fact that it is not a Honda, would this be a good bike to learn on and then move to nighthawk? Thanks in advance for the help everyone.

BTW I am from the Fox River Valley (between Green Bay and Milwaukee) in Wisconsin.

[gammer]

I think you are doing the right thing by going to a 250 as your first bike. As much as folks like the Nighthawk, it is an intermediate bike.

The type of bike you get isn't as important as gaining experience from just getting out and riding.

The Ninja 250 or a Ninja EX500 would be an excellent bike to learn on and make it easy for you to transition to a Nighthawk.

[green427]

I suggest you go to your local motorcycle dealer and sit on a bunch of them to get a 'feel' for what you like.

I thought cruisers were cool and wanted one, until I sat on a bunch of bikes and found the 'standard' riding position was most comfortable.

When shopping for a specific bike, plan on making a list of bikes to check out. 75% of the time someone says "Excellent Condition" it turns out to be false. Everyone's opinion of "excellent" differs.

I checked out about 12 Nighthawks before getting mine. Took me several months. If you can wait, shop around in the fall after people decide that motorcycling is not for them, and prices go down.

As for eBay purchasing...it is a crapshoot. Some folks got what they expected, others were disappointed. My brother won a bid on a 2006 VTX, paid $500 to have it shipped across the country, and was pleased. It is a risk that only you can decide to take.

[LOKi]

The type of bike you get isn't as important as gaining experience from just getting out and riding.

+1 

Saddle time is saddle time. The more you ride the more it comes natural. Bikes handling and seat positions change but the input is the same. Turn the bars left and the bike goes right (at speed). Doesn't matter if its a cruiser or a sport bike. If a bike is described as a good learners bike then it will work to learn on. Don't start off with your dream bike. You will be so concerned with dropping it that it could inhibit the learning process. If you have a small 250 that you don't intend on keeping after learning how to ride then your not going to care so much. Dropping it in a parking lot practicing slow speed turns will be no big deal. While learning you should drop it. Push that lock to lock figure 8 without fear of dropping your dream bike. When your done with the beater 250 sell it to the next person learning to ride.

[Juicebox]

I'm beginning to think the advice to wait for the dream bike is good advice.  Any other suggestions for a cheap first bike besides the ninja 250?  If I need to be unworried about dropping it, a $3000 plastic bike may not be a good idea.  Also, what is a typical price for the nighthawk (any color)?  I've also seen mention of courses that people can take.  What are these about, how long do they last and how much do they cost.  All I am doing is asking alot of questions but I hope to someday contribute to the forum.

[JB1290]

Why not look for an older NH650? You can find them all over the place pretty cheap. They are not only a great starter bike but are a great long term bike. Its a jack of all trades.

[Laminar]

The Rebel 250 and Nighthawk 250 are also common first bikes, and are widely available since people buy them, learn, then pass them on. Also, because of this, they retain value VERY well, so don't feel bad about paying $2000 for one of them, as you'll most likely sell it for the same.

Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) courses are popular, and are held by riders' groups or community colleges. In my area, the class constitutes of something like 5 hours of classroom training and 10 hours of on-bike training over the course of a Friday-Saturday-Sunday.

[muttstang]

I'd get a bike with good brakes, the rebel and nighthawk 250 don't really fall into that category.  I wouldn't say that the 700 is too big of a bike to learn on by any means, but if you have to go smaller to learn on then I'd get the ninja or maybe a smaller displacement nighthawk.

I learned on an 85 shadow VT500 and it was a fine bike for that.

[Laminar]

The Rebel has a twin-piston disc brake on the front - coupled with its light weight I'd say that's more than adequate. It could probably out-brake my 550.

[tcoop]

The nighthawk 450 or a Yamaha XS400 are great starter bikes that will take longer to "out grow" they have plenty of power that can be handled.

[geemann]

As far as NH prices go, check out http://www.nada.com/ to give you a better idea of how much to shell out for the bike you are looking for.  I got really lucky with craigslist to find the NH I have now.  I scoured CL daily for almost a month just looking for a bike under $3k with decent insurance rates for me (You can use geico and progressive online to get an idea of what you will be paying.) before I finally stumbled upon a NH one random day.  After researching it, I realized that this low maintenance, low cost to maintain, reliable beauty was my ticket to enjoying riding!  So maybe this first time you just look for a bike that fits your budget and then keep a look out for that dreamer.

Long diatribe short,  to the forum and patience is your golden ticket to good riding!

[Juicebox]

Hey everyone thanks for the advice. I like looking up all the bikes that y'all are recommending. I knew everyone would be helpful. This is a nice forum.