Question on First Bike?

[Femadrenaline]

Hi, this is my first time posting. My boyfriend and i have recently got our licenses. I told him i wanted to get an old/used bike first instead of a new one. I found someone that is selling a 1992 seca for $800. Does this mean that it is a bad bike if he is selling it for so cheap? Or, just because it is so old? Or is it smarter to get a new bike as a first one. I was always fond of the Katana 600. Or is that just a mistake?

[MC_jr]

go with the used. if you drop it for $800 you won't want to kick our own ass. There can be many reasons its that cheap: they have no need for it and just want quick cash, it's been down, it's stolen, ect. The list goes on. As long as your careful and smart when you go to pick it up you should be alright. There is a guide on here on what to look for on bikes to find out if they've been down, raced, ect.

[RayOSV]

Buying used and old isn't a bad idea, but one reason that Seca is so cheap may be that it doesn't run. If you two don't know what to look for in used bikes, find someone who does to help you. One advantage, obviously, to buying new is that you get a warranty to take care of issues beyond maintenance. You need to decide how much risk you can assume and how much $$ you're willing to pay.

[Oni]

Definitely have a friend look over any used bikes with you. Take a look at the Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide (Click Me. Ton of good info in it. The Seca II was known to be a pretty good, very tame 600cc bike. Fine for most beginning riders. Worth taking a look at. I paid 1k for a '91 EX500 that after a little tuning & maint. (carbs, chain, etc.), runs like a champ. My SO rides a '98 GS500E that she paid $1,500 for. Same story as the EX. Both bikes run great. If you buy used grab a manual and expect to wrench a little. You can definitely find it very worthwhile if done properly. Spend the rest of your cash on good gear and ride safe.

[HighsideSV]

Beat up old bikes are the perfect learners machine. They dont usually make the kind of power that modern sportbikes do, and you wont feel too bad when you drop it. Plus you can learn how to do a lot of maintinence chores that you might be afraid to try with a new bike.

Definatly have someone who knows bikes give it a once-over before you ride it just to make sure its safe, but an $800 bike is a fine choice for what your trying to do.

[mssdrider]

don't go with a new bike for your first bike. When you drop it, and trust me, you will, not because you're a bad rider, just that you're a new rider, it's much easier to handle when the scratches are on a used bike than on brand new paint. I would also suggest not to get something TOO old because of the price. Look around a little bit more, you might be able to find something that cost a little more but will require less work. If you're like me who knows nothing about fixing bikes, old ones that break down are a hassle and costly. good luck and congrats on getting your license!

[21 natas]

First off, hello and welcome. I'm with the others on getting a used bike to start out on.

[Femadrenaline]

Thanks for all the advice. I will probably get one of my neighbors to come look at the bike with me. He has been riding for many years. I'll let ya know how it goes. I've been looking for a bike for 3 months already, i am getting anxious.

[Dominion]

Welcome aboard and good bike hunting!!

[Hagios]

Welcome!

The seca is a helluvabike. Bulletproof in many ways. VERY easy to wrench on. Sounds like a great deal--get a friend to go with you and look the bike over (preferably a very large, imposing friend who knows lots about bikes). Sounds like a great start.

Ride safe, ride often!