QuestionHi, I currently trying to buy a motorcycle, and not quite sure what to expect, and would like whatever advice you can give. I have never rode a motorcycle in my life, but i am enrolled in MSF class which starts 2 days from today. I've been researching and looking into it for sometime, however i still don't know enough to be confident. I want to get a sport bike but I heard it is not a good idea to get a powerfull for a first, but i'm not quite sure how many cc or what type bike that would be. I found one that i thought might be a good one on recycler.com. It is a 2000 Kawasaki Ninja 500R(JKAEXVD1) w/1,600 miles for $3,099 OBO.The owner says that it has only been dropped once at low speeds,and there is just some scratches on the exhaust pipes.
My first qustion is whether or not this is a good bike for a first(not too powerfull/not too weak)? My second question is whether or not this is a good price? I looked it up in blue book and for trade in they had it for 2,145(Good Condition) and for retail they had it for 3,155, again in good condition. The owner lives about an hour drive from me and agreed to let me test drive it, however she says it is regestered with the DMV as "not in use" and i can only drive up and down their street. This leads me to my third question. When i go to look at the bike, is there anything i should make should to look out for. I heard some bikes make a humming noise at highway speed, and if i can only go up and down their street, is there any other way for find this out?
Thank you for taking the time to read my qustions, and any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you again,
Arman
AnswerArman,
Thanks for the question. I received your question today, Sunday, so I am going to assume you have now taken the class. I hope you enjoyed it and learned a lot. It is the smartest first step you can take in the world of motorcycling.
As for your choice of the Ninja 500R (also known as an EX500), it's a good starter bike. Sporty, but easy to ride and comfortable. However, I will encourage you to pass on this particular one since it has been crashed, and the price is too high. It has low miles to be sure, but since you really have no assurances of how hard the bike was crashed, it could have unseen or unknown problems. You need to find another bike that has not been crashed. Kawasaki started making the Ninja 500 in the mid-1980's, and it has not changed much in that time, so you can find a 10-year old model (again, called EX500) with 10,000 miles, probably for less than $2000. Another thing about this bike is that there are TONS of used ones out there because it has been made for so long. Just keep looking until you find a good clean one with no damage whatsoever. Be patient, you'll find one. If you get an older model, you can use the “extra” money to get a good helmet, jacket, boots and gloves.
When you go to look at a bike, check for obvious damage like broken plastic, scratched mufflers, bent levers and so forth. Since you are a novice, it might be a good idea to take along an experienced rider (one of the class instructors?) to look it over. And don't be afraid to have a dealer mechanic take a look and listen BEFORE you give the seller ANY money. If the seller will not allow you to have the bike inspected, DON'T BUY IT. Just politely decline to buy it and move to the next bike. The seller may be hiding a serious problem.
As for a “humming noise on the highway”, I'm not sure where you heard of this problem, so all I can say is this: unless you plan on getting a full-on tour bike like a Goldwing, ALL motorcycles are loud (or make humming noises) when out on the highway. Since most motorcycle engines are small (compared to cars) and right below you, they make a bit of noise as they go down the road. That's normal. Again, this is where an experienced ear comes into play. Have someone who knows bikes pretty well test ride a bike you are thinking of buying, or, again, have a mechanic check it out on a short test ride. During your test ride, if you can hear obvious bad clunking noises or the bike does not seem right, pass on it and move on. If you find another Kawasaki 500R, it should start, run, ride and work with a good deal of smoothness and ease, and run pretty quiet. And out on the highway, you'll notice that a lot of riders wear earplugs. I do!
Overall, take your time looking for a bike, look at a lot of them, and ask a lot of questions. Get help from other riders when you can. Don't expect sellers to always be totally honest with you. And once you get your first bike, learn how to take care of it and keep it in the best shape possible. It will make learning to ride more fun.
Best of luck, ride safe,
Bill Roberson
