heres a tip...

[Fare]

Never, as your first bike and only bike, get a bike that's not road-ready (even though i was under the impression that mine was road-ready). People look at you weird when you begin assaulting the asphault with a screwdriver...

just a tip I wanted to pass along...

[tconroy]

Never, as your first bike and only bike, get a bike that's not road-ready (even though i was under the impression that mine was road-ready). People look at you weird when you begin assaulting the asphault with a screwdriver...

just a tip I wanted to pass along...

Never get a bike without getting a clymers manual to go along with it.The best thing for me is getting the bike road ready once you buy it.You will get to know your bike, and your knowledge and understanding of how it works mechanically will grow,and you can thank yourself that you were the one to get it on the road again.others will not see these bikes the way that we do,a vintage classic back on the road!

[txironhead]

That's exactly what I did with my first bike, an '85 Honda Shadow VT700C that had sat under a mesquite tree for five years. A friend gave me a Clymer manual for it and it took me three months to get it inspectable, another two to get it looking good and that was while riding it. I do not begrudge the experience at all, because I learned everything about that bike and bike mechanics in general and now I have no fear about tackling almost any motorcycle repair.

Also, when you're as financially humiliated as I was at the time (and am again) you take what you can get. I paid $200 for that Shadow and when I sold it many miles later (and still regretting it) I got $1,500 for it. Even with all the parts, paint and supplies that went into it I more than doubled my investment.

Now, I will agree to the statement of "never buy a basket case Harley Ironhead Sportster, beginner, only or ANY bike", having lived that nightmare personally. Still, I made a profit off of that one, too......