that's my point, though! i will EVENTUALLY spend money on a bike that doesn't suck, but i don't really see a reason to do it YET...it's coming on winter, and while i plan on riding any day it's above 40°F (i have before), i don't want to spend more money than necessary until i decide that it's something i seriously want to do...i got rid of my last bike (which, granted, i rarely rode) because i simply didn't have the time or inclination...i think that may have changed, but why drop $2-2.5k on a bike until i know for sure?

at the least, i think i can probably sell this bike (picking up tomorrow or wednesday ) a year down the road for the same i'm paying for it now and then be no worse off for money and have a better understanding of what i'm looking for

don't worry, i don't expect y'all to wave as i putt down the road on my 250

seriously, though, i appreciate the advice...i suspect you are all right in that i'll probably get bored shortly

also, part of this is that i'd really like to learn to take care of my own stuff...the scooter was part of that plan, but the damn thing is MORE complex than a bike engine, it seems, and it's a pain to work on because of how compact and restricted it is...can't get much simpler than an air-cooled 250, i don't think

another really stupid question - how does one go about tightening a chain (the guys said it would need to be tightened in the next couple of hundred miles)? in fact, any of you gurus willing to take a look at it for me, do a basic analysis, make sure there's nothing in particular that's going give out in the middle of riding and get me killed or paralyzed? i would be willing, of course, to pay for such a check-up, whether in cash or beer or both

10/6/2008 3:30:07 PM

there is a scooter club in chit chat... you can join them

j/k

10/6/2008 3:56:27 PM

i've already joined them

i'm keeping the scoot, too...i need to fix this pesky oil leak, though

10/6/2008 3:58:35 PM

I have a nighthawk 250. The bike is incredibly similar to a rebel 250, as I'm sure you know. It may be small and underpowered for freeway riding, but there is nothing wrong with a small displacement bike. They are still quicker than 90% of cars on the road and a blast to ride. I would love to have a bike a little larger, but for the money, you can't beat the dependability, mpg (I have never gotten less than 70), grin factor, and practicality of a 250.

Bigger isn't always better, have fun and ride safely.

10/6/2008 5:26:42 PM

Quote :

"i'm 6'0""

and you're buying the Rebel?

I'm telling you, it's way, way, way too small. Get a Ninja or a Nighthawk or something; you're gonna outgrow the Rebel after about ten minutes of riding.

Quote :

"how does one go about tightening a chain"

It's a two-wrench, 10 minute job (I don't know if Rebels have center stands, that helps a lot). Loosen the nut on the rear axle and tighten the adjusters on either side of the wheel so that they're even. I'm sure Google can provide pictures and a better explanation.

I have to tighten mine pretty often; it's probably a sign that the sprocket and chain need replacing.

[Edited on October 6, 2008 at 9:10 PM. Reason : ]

10/6/2008 9:06:51 PM

i want a supermotard

10/6/2008 9:09:41 PM

Quote :

"and you're buying the Rebel? I'm telling you, it's way, way, way too small. Get a Ninja or a Nighthawk or something; you're gonna outgrow the Rebel after about ten minutes of riding."

in what way is it small? it fit okay and felt comfortable enough...i really did only ride for about 10 minutes, but it didn't FEEL uncomfortable

realize that i'm not getting this as a cruiser...i'm getting this for driving around town, for no more than 20-30 minutes per ride MAX (the average will probably be 15 minutes or so)...for that purpose, i think it's perfect (realize i'm riding a scooter right now )

again, though, i'm not planning on keeping it forever (though if i end up loving it, i will)...i'm prepared to replace it in a year or two if i want something bigger

i appreciate the tips about tightening the chain...i'm sure it's not difficult, but since i've never done it before...*shrug*

again, anyone who's willing to check out this bike for me and give it a once-over, there's a bit of cash and beer in it for you

[Edited on October 6, 2008 at 9:18 PM. Reason : .]

10/6/2008 9:18:04 PM

if i was in the raleigh area i'd be all over this.
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/869077984.html



how hard is it to convert a sv650s to the naked version? and by how hard i mean how expensive? i really like the seating position much more on the naked, but they are hard to find and the few i've run across are overpriced, at least as compared to other locales. for comparison, here's a 2000 for $1000 more: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/mcy/870478977.html i'm new to the bike scene, but in my mind, bolting on a bunch of stuff and repainting should not inherently increase the value of a used bike. maybe i'm wrong in this approach.

I'm considering buying a new one just because i'm getting tired of looking.

10/7/2008 7:48:03 PM

are saddlebags pretty universal? i need something to carry my crap in since this will be a something of a daily commuter

10/7/2008 8:53:42 PM

all right! i'm the happy new owner of an '86 rebel 250...after about 30 miles of driving, i see why you all were talking about me getting bored...for my size, i couldn't top more than about 55mph up a STEEP hill, though the acceleration and handling were better than i expected

now for the bad stuff...it's got 7100 miles and i paid $950 for it...after about 30 miles, and JUST before i was parking it for the night, I noticed my gear shift lever disappeared...as in, i couldn't see it anymore to downshift

after cutting it off, i looked down and it appears that the bolt that held the shift pedal extension sheared where it bolted into the foot peg...so now i can't actually shift

i called the guy and he apologized profusely and refunded me $200 via paypal (i already got it), which, given the problem, is a pretty good refund (though had that happened while on a busy road or in traffic, that would have been bad, especially for a beginner like me)

anywho, how big of a deal is this? i ASSUME i could just get another bolt and mount it again (it seems the tip came out of the bolt hole, so it doesn't need to be drilled out or anything)...i'll take pictures tomorrow if this wasn't clear

aside from that, the only thing i'm concerned about is the fact that it takes nearly 10 minutes of on time from cold start to drive...otherwise, it'll cut out...i assume this is characteristic of a 22-year-old cold-blooded bike?

10/8/2008 8:32:45 PM

You shouldn't be topping out at 55, more like 70.

10/8/2008 9:23:54 PM

^ You don't know how much he weighs dude. If he weighed 400lbs it wouldn't surprise me if the bike couldn't hit 40mph on a steep hill.

^^ As long as you still have the peg it should be fine. Oh and I'm no expert, but isn't the 10 minute (Or at least excessive time for) warmup characteristic of older Hondas? Maybe the carbs could use some adjusting?

[Edited on October 8, 2008 at 9:28 PM. Reason : ]

10/8/2008 9:25:33 PM

^^ i'm 6'0" and 230lbs

i was doing 45mph at the bottom of the hill (not speeding up, just doing the speed limit) and then in the middle of the steep hill (steeper than avent ferry as it approaches western), it changed to 55mph...i couldn't get much faster than that when i tried...i was probably doing just shy of 60mph by the time i got to the top...that doesn't seem fairly normal for a 234cc bike?

10/8/2008 10:03:10 PM

My CB250, same engine, is quite snappy up to 60 or so. It should have no trouble going at least 60 or 65 up the steepest of hills.

10/9/2008 1:01:18 AM

How much do you weigh? You keep leaving that part out of it for some reason. With so little hp, weight is going to have an effect.

I guarantee it would pull better with me on it, I only weigh about 155lbs.

[Edited on October 9, 2008 at 1:44 AM. Reason : ]

10/9/2008 1:42:51 AM

did you miss the "230" in the post above yours?

10/9/2008 7:12:08 AM

I weigh 200.

10/9/2008 12:18:56 PM

AND IN RETROSPECT,


CUE THE SV650

10/9/2008 12:22:41 PM

quagmire02, sounds like you have carburateon issues all around

10/9/2008 12:29:55 PM

he said "dey's sumtin wrong wif da cobb-er-a-shun"

10/9/2008 12:45:05 PM

So I've been looking at bikes a lot. I want to sell the aforementioned nighthawk next spring/summer and upgrade to a larger, yet still small displacement twin. I think a 2001+ gs500e or 2004+ gs500f will fill my needs well. Anyone had any experience with these bikes? I know they are notorious for being one of the most cold blooded bikes out there, but I think they changed to FI at some point, though I'm not sure when. Any thoughts?

10/9/2008 1:21:01 PM

Quote :

"did you miss the "230" in the post above yours?"

Did you miss the part where I was asking catzor? God you're a stupid motherfucker.

10/9/2008 1:29:42 PM

Maybe you should specify you open ended sentence writing son of a b!tch.

10/9/2008 1:31:04 PM

Obviously you were the only person that didn't get it, he answered the question.

10/9/2008 1:53:42 PM

i know

10/9/2008 2:03:26 PM

You women need to quit arguing and do my research for me.

10/9/2008 2:17:38 PM

yeah...i'm starting to wonder if perhaps this bike has 17,000 or 27,000 miles instead of 7,000, simply because a sheared bolt and lackluster uphill performance shouldn't really happen in a properly maintained bike, albeit one that's 22 years old, at only 7k, should they?

i understand carb cleaning is very easy to do...but since i've neither done it nor seen it done before, it might as well be rocket surgery

any of you have a link to a good visual guide? i've found several text descriptions, but that doesn't quite help

also, how might i find out the exact part number of the bolt i need to replace to get the shifter working again?

[Edited on October 9, 2008 at 4:18 PM. Reason : part]

10/9/2008 4:00:25 PM

Carb cleaning can be easy, but it depends. You should be able to go to the Honda dealership for that bolt, or the schematics on Bike Bandit might have the part number. If you haven't ridden it a lot, the carb issue may work itself out. My '91 NH had 2250mi on it when I got it, meaning it had done its fair share of sitting around. After I put 500 miles or so it, it ran much smoother. You should be able to get that lever back on there, take it out and run it for an hour or so at 45+ and it may run better. It isn't clear as to whether the guy you bought it from was riding it or if he just reconditioned the tank and sold it.

[Edited on October 9, 2008 at 4:23 PM. Reason : .]

10/9/2008 4:22:43 PM

Quag,

go to bikebandit.com and look the part up. They basically have schematics for the majority of bikes out there. You can even order the bolt directly from them.

10/9/2008 4:30:16 PM

^^ well, i couldn't find the part on the site (though i'm sure it's there, i just didn't find the part number)...really doesn't matter, though, since team powersports in garner has it in stock for $2, and i'd rather pay the premium (though with s/h, it might be more expensive online) to be able to pick it up tomorrow night after work

as for the carb, once i fix the bolt, i'll take it out and ride for a while (which i was planning on doing saturday, before it broke)...from what he said, i gathered that he had purchased the bike a year ago from the dealership (they had gotten it as a trade-in) and when he got it home, found out the tank needed to be stripped, which he did early this year...early this summer, he replaced the petcock...he said he only put about 400 miles on it before he had a friend sell him a dirt bike for next to nothing (which he uses for off- and on-road riding), and so he didn't need/want the rebel anymore...he supposedly cleaned the carb and installed a fuel (filter? it's like a clear, small octagonal piece that allows you to see the fuel)

apparently, it sat in his storage unit for 3 months before he sold it to me...i guess these minor things might be reasonable issues for a bike of this age and mileage, and i consider myself a good judge of character (though who doesn't?)...he seemed genuine and honest, anyway

^ that's an awesome site...i suppose if i ever need anything (heaven forbid), that'll be the place to get it

10/9/2008 6:25:14 PM

yeah, if its been sitting for three months, I would imagine a good run or two and your bike will run wayyyyyyyyyyyyy better.

10/9/2008 7:12:54 PM

Quote :

"if i ever need anything (heaven forbid)"

lol

You changed the oil first thing, right?

10/9/2008 10:27:21 PM

ummm...yes? he changed it last week

10/9/2008 10:33:29 PM

don't forget 751 motorsports for cheap used parts also if you need stuff. i got lots of parts dirt cheap there for the two older hondas i've had (78 cx500/83 nighthawk 750). also, if you need any specific dealer only or hard to find parts try the honda place on old wake forest rd. i can't recall the name of the place off hand, but they used to have access to a whole warehouse full of discontinued/n.o.s. parts.

10/9/2008 11:18:34 PM

i'm seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on this bike. the guy is asking $4k for it. my only concern is the radiator is damaged, but he claims that it doesn't leak and still works fine. what do you guys think? would offering $3500 in lieu of replacing the radiator be an insult?



more pics here.
http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj146/pizzajon/SV650/

10/15/2008 8:15:20 PM

painted bikes could have been wrecked

10/15/2008 8:38:42 PM

^ Especially with the damaged radiator and the different mirrors, etc.

The radiator on my SV-650S was damaged in that head on collision with a truck. It could have been fixed by "converting it" to a naked bike and replacing the front suspension, radiator, mirrors and turn signals. It may be that something else damaged it, but I'd be wary of a randomly messed up radiator when nothing else is supposedly wrong.

10/15/2008 11:38:10 PM

my katana had carb problems, i ran some seafoam in the gas for a while, and also sprayed out the carbs with some spray carb cleaner (while the bike is running you spray it in the intake.

Seemed to improve things a bit, still was a pain in the ass to warm up, only ran on 3 cylinders for about 5-10 minutes....And it got alot worse during the winter.

10/16/2008 2:54:29 PM

^ did you ever get your fairings?

10/16/2008 5:41:42 PM

he claims the previous owner dropped it at low speed, sounds shady to me. i decided to pass on this one. but damn these things are hard to find.

[Edited on October 16, 2008 at 5:48 PM. Reason : .]

10/16/2008 5:47:47 PM

should be here from china next week, very excited.

2008-10-16 22:19:00 GUANGZHOU Arrival at Sorting Center
2008-10-16 23:29:00 GUANGZHOU Despatch from Sorting Center

10/17/2008 7:37:59 AM

how much does it cost to ship a motorcycle?

and how hard is it to title a foreign one when it gets here?

10/17/2008 7:51:48 AM

incredibly n00bish question - if i still ride the bike once a week or so, do i need to put stabil in the tank or is that just for when you store it for the winter?

realize that i've never really had anything but a car, so anything that's different for a motorcycle is new to me

/n00b

10/20/2008 11:34:59 AM

if you think you will burn through gas at a decent rate there is no need of it... if you think you will be on the same tank of gas in march that you are now... i would do it.

10/20/2008 11:44:26 AM

What's the best way to keep a bike from getting stolen around Raleigh. I'm thinking about gettin' a Ninja two-fiddy. I live near a sketchy part of Western Blvd. and I know that people on here have had bikes stolen.
Expensive alarm system?
Having it constantly chained to another vehicle or pole?

10/20/2008 1:37:29 PM

A disc lock might not be a bad idea. Xena supposedly makes good stuff: http://www.xenasecurity.com/home/current/lock/

I don't think a Ninja 250 would be a hot target for thieves, though.

10/20/2008 7:08:13 PM

a disc lock isnt gonna really do jack for keeping someone from stealing your bike.

Most bike thieves dont try to hotwire/roll your bike away, they just pick it up and throw it into a truck/van...

I saw a video of two guys throw a motorcycle in a van in less than 10 seconds.

10/20/2008 9:03:42 PM

Keep your money.

If motivated people want your bike, they will have it without much skill, planning or effort.

Make sure it's insured well.

You only need to (attempt to) add security for it if the bike is unusual/irreplaceable to you, or maybe if it is the only means of transportation you have to work/school, and you'd be screwed without it. Otherwise, don't bother.

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 9:20 PM. Reason : a]

10/20/2008 9:18:24 PM

Thanks for the input.

Ernie, I realize that 250's aren't in real high demand, but I think if some douche sees a reasonably easy target, then he's gonna take what he can get. I've never had a sportbike before and I feel that a 250 would be a good starter.

^So, if I get good comprehensive coverage, can I expect easy replacement or reimbursement without a huge deductible? I hate to give companies a bunch of info. for just one quote.

10/20/2008 10:47:39 PM

Quote :

"Ernie, I realize that 250's aren't in real high demand"

Well, they are, but not so much amongst the felonious types.

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 11:20 PM. Reason : ]

10/20/2008 11:17:45 PM