can I get a bike for $1000??

[demonspeed]

I was thinking about bikes the other day and I thought it would be cool if I could pick up a cheap-ass bike for around $1000 and just use it to learn on at first and then use it at track days and stuff like that. Ive never had a bike before and I'm pretty broke but I definitely want to own a sportbike at some point in my life, im just not sure if I'd want to ride it on the street (there's lots of bad drivers in SUV's around here) so Id rather have something i could use as a track bike, then it wouldnt have to look pretty either. Im an auto mechanic so I could maybe even get one that needed a bit of work. What do you guys think? Is this possible or even worth it? My dream bike is a gixxer1000 but I wont be able to afford one for a while and I wouldnt want my first bike to be a 1000. Any help would be appreciated but please dont bother telling me I should buy like a honda goldwing or some other cheesy bike like that first Im only interested in sportbikes even if its not all that fast. So am I crazy or is this plan possible? What can I expect to find for $1000?

[ZxHunteR]

Sure


Il give you a 92 katana 750 for $1000

[jeepcoma]

I got my XJ550 for $750, great first bike, I still own it. Check out the older Yamaha XJ line, they come in naked (Maxim) and semi-faired (Seca) in varying displacements, as well as more exotic Turbo and fuel injection models. Easy to work on, cheap, reliable, good to learn on, and fun as hell, plus a great help network at micapeakhere

[demonspeed]

alrite thanks for the help guys. Some good ideas already, and that katana 750 is really tempting. Im not really sure if im looking for something right now though. Im kind of just seeing if this is a good idea "in theory" and trying to get tips on how to go about it. thanks for the offers though I'll definitely keep them in mind. anyone else have some advice? Would a $1k bike be fast enough to be fun on a track?

[jeepcoma]

Yes, it's a great idea. It's an even better idea if you have 3k budgeted for buying a bike, and you spend $1000 on the bike and another $1000-1500 on gear. I'd say riding a 20 year old $1k bike on a track and passing new $10k bikes is pretty entertaining. You just have to learn how to ride. As far as these things being fast, $1000 will buy you a motorcycle that's faster than all but the latest generation Corvette (okay probably not top speed, but 0-60 and 1/4 mile).

[cruiser]

Originally Posted by ZxHunteR

Sure


Il give you a 92 katana 750 for $1000

that would be a quick $200

[ajohn505]

You can definately find a semi-project bike for $1k. In that price range, you can expect to find something with a good engine, but perhaps some minor mechanical issues (brakes, lights, fork seals, whatever) and probably fair cosmetic condition. I say go for it!

[Sibling]

I got my bike for a 1,000 and it runs like... well it runs. Also remember too save some money for gear

[freeky929]

With a $1000 bike, you really need to make sure somebody knowledgeable takes a look at it to make sure it's safe.

[kevinwilly]

I just bought a Daytona 955i for 1100. Needs a little bit to get it track-worthy... maybe 300-400 bucks. But it would make a perfect track bike for that little money. I'm not PLANNING on using it at the track, so i'm gonna spend much more to make it look at least semi-pretty again. But it's possible to get one for 1k. Don't even THINK about skimping on gear, though. Especially if you want it at the track.

[enos]

I think you should drop the track idea and get a street bike. Unless you find a really good deal, you'll get something from the 80s that is in good shape, or a project bike from the 90s. The 90s bike would make a good track bike, but you'll have to work on it. The 80s bike will be very outdated, and it will show in the suspension and tire choices. I say get a street bike, learn to ride it, and sell it. You really won't loose any money unless you wreck it or break it, and if you put some TLC into it you can make a profit.

Then you'll know enough about bikes to know what to look for in your track bike/street bike.

And for goodness sakes budget at least $500 for gear. I say that becase you can get everything for that at newenough.com. Not track worthy, but street worthy.

[02turboGixxer]

Here is alittle something I found with a quick search. I am sure there are more deals out there but here ya go.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/mcy/137044014.html

[demonspeed]

thanks guys im learning a lot here!

[bsmith00]

I am not pro, but I am new to riding and was told to look at Honda because i wanted a cheap first bike and hear they last a long time and dont take a beating as hard as others.. if its true i dont know, but their cars last longer than any other, so..
I got my 89 CBR600 for $1500 and the only thing thats wrong was the stator that i just got fixed !
Check other boards out and look in the papers, youll find soomething good

[GreenZED]

Old bikes (like 1970's japanese standards like KZ-1000) are cheap and very cool, but I wouldnt touch them as a beginner unless you want to immerse yourself in fixing your bike non-stop and hunting for scarce parts. These bikes are best enjoyed by guys who are true gear heads or grew up with them when they were young. 80's bikes, a little better but parts are still an issue. Mid 90's sport bikes still sell in the 2000-3000 dollar range.

For 1000 bucks for a learner bike, I would get an old Yamaha TW200. It's a single cylinder, no carb synching necessary. The design is unchanged since the late 1980's, just some minor updates on brakes and suspension. Since it's still produced the parts can be bought OEM. The tires are so ridiculously huge that it gives you incredible confidence learning (I learned on one). It's streetable; I've seen people in houston commuting on them. And you can ride it in the dirt or offroad, just dont expect to do any serious jumps because the suspension is not designed to take it. For trail riding it's adequate. It will wheelie on power but wont get you into trouble.

There are so many bikes out there, so this is just one of many possibilities.