Newbie needs get with opinion on bike deal...

Crom

Crom

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Newbie needs opinion on bike deal...

I was wondering if I could get some opinions on this bike I am looking at right now. It would be my first bike.

Its a 2005 Ninja 500R, black, with under 5,000km on it, NOT certified, new tires last year, in superb condition, never dropped. The owner is asking $3700 for it.

I really like the bike, but it seems a bit much for a 7 year old 500R doesn't it? I mean last season I was looking at a few really nice 650R's and SV650N's with less than 15,000km on them for $4000. And they are more modern tech, with EFI, etc. My other concern being that it is a 7 year old bike with less than 5,000kms on it. That sounds like it has sat around a lot, which I have read is not real good for the engine. Does that sound right?

What do you all think of this price? In your opinions, what would be a fair price for this bike?

My other option is buying a 1977 KZ650 off a family member. The bike has 26,500km on it, brand new tires, brand new cables, electronic ignition, with just a few tiny spots of very light surface rust on the tank, but no big deal, otherwise in very nice shape. Hasn't been rode much in the past several years, but starts up nice and carbs are clean. Chrome is in nice shape. He wants $1500, I'm sure I could get it for $1250.


For a first bike, which sounds like the better idea? Of course the KZ is much older, but cheaper and not as big a deal if it were dropped. Or would you all just wait for a better deal on a 650R or something similar? :(:confused:

Thanks!
 
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Id buy the KZ. It will get you riding for very little money. The 500 definitely seems on the high side. They used to sell really well but a number of learner-friendly bikes have since come on the market and a Ninja 500 just isnt desirable any more. Doesnt help that the styling is from the stone age. At least the KZ has some character!
 
Try to get it down closer to $3000, ride it for a few years and flip it for the same. Yeah it's a 2005 but that bike was bullet proof and that was probably the reason Kawi didn't change it much until the stoped making it. I love mine. I think unlike the current 250 out there you might get more years out of it before you get bored or want something bigger. Yeah the looks are a bit dated but it is a very capable bike.
 
You will typically see high prices at the beginning of the riding season, so unfortunately that bike might even sell over 3 grand, which IMHO is way overpriced. I bought my 6-yr-old GS500F with 18K on it a couple of years ago for 2200 (needed tires and oil change LOL).
 
The 77 KZ is overpriced ESPECIALLY if it's a family member. You should pick that up for 5 to 8 hundred, MAX. Get the Ninja.
 
The Ninja would be more reliable than the bike from the 70's. The 500's price is on the high side. If your serious bring $3000 cash in hand, and a use the "take it or leave it" method.
 
Thanks very much for all the great advice guys. I do agree with the consensus that BOTH bikes are actually overpriced. Especially since the kz wouldn't even be running (owner couldn't figure out what was wrong, and it sat for years... an oversized paperweight) if it wasn't for me researching it, tracking down the parts for it, and getting on their case to put aside a day for us to get it fixed up and running.

I mean, like I said, for a comparison, end of last season I saw 650s and SV's in perfect condition and low kms for $3850-$4000. I don't think the seller of the Ninja is willing to go lower than $3500 though. Hard to justify not spending the extra $500 for a bike with a modern 650 engine, EFI, etc etc...

But I will be damned if I am going to sit and watch another riding season go by without a bike! :lmao:
 
We test drove a naked SV last summer, I LOVED the bike spec wise, visually, and comfort wise, but man was the throttle jerky, and the engine braking was pretty intense! That lurch forward every time you rolled off the throttle really got irritating.

I was absolutely dead set on buying it, until then. In 1st and 2nd it was like the throttle was binary. Either a 1 or a 0. On or off. I am a complete newbie, and I could be completely wrong, but it just didn't seem like a bike that would be relaxing to ride through town, and I got the impression that in heavy traffic it would be irritating, like riding a bronco.

Anyone else find this? I googled it and saw a million threads on different forums complaining about the same thing. And from what I have read, the 650R has a smoother roll-on/off.
 
if the KZ was reliable, I'd say get it for under 1K if you can. Realistically a running bike should be worth 1k...or that used to be the benchmark. And since it cheaper and already "damaged", you won't feel bad or get hit in the wallet when you drop it, etc. For a first bike I say get used, cheap + reliable.
 
Riceburner... I wish I could but they are pretty firm on the price of the KZ after just recently putting a good chunk of money down for the electronic ignition :P

So what would you guys call a 'good deal' on this Ninja 500? Taking into consideration that it really is ABSOLUTELY immaculate, only 4k on it, and it got 2 new tires just one year ago? I know that there are 500s that sell for 2500ish, but they almost always have cracked fairing or scarped exhausts, old tires that need replacing, high mileage or some sort of issue from what I have seen.
 
Crom said:
Riceburner... I wish I could but they are pretty firm on the price of the KZ after just recently putting a good chunk of money down for the electronic ignition :P

So what would you guys call a 'good deal' on this Ninja 500? Taking into consideration that it really is ABSOLUTELY immaculate, only 4k on it, and it got 2 new tires just one year ago? I know that there are 500s that sell for 2500ish, but they almost always have cracked fairing or scarped exhausts, old tires that need replacing, high mileage or some sort of issue from what I have seen.
Click to expand...

Think about how long you're going to spend on the beginner bike. Are you going to upgrade within 1-2 years or are you going to keep it for 10 years? Are you going to drop it? You/we hope not, but big chance that you will. So getting something with scratched fairings for lower price may be a big deal than trying to find a mint/new beginner bike. Like I said before, I wouldn't pay a dime over 3K for that bike and would still consider it overpriced, but right now the seller market for the bikes is hot, so expect to pay premium.
 
Hey Crom, every time someone asks about the price of a bike on this forum, the general response is "That price is way too high". My advice is, ignore other people's opinions of what a reasonable price is. Do your research and spend what you're comfortable spending. Look at other similar bikes on the market and make up your own mind if $xxxx is a fair price or not.

Will the owners of the Ninja get it certified? If not, there may be something wrong with it that they don't want you to know about.
 
Stay away from an old bike that isn't running as your first one. More of a hobby than anything. I agree though that the Ninja seems high. If you were a little more flexible on your price ...

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...rt-touring-2006-Yamaha-FZ6-W0QQAdIdZ363976581

Amazingly the 50cc less saves money on insurance. Speaking of which, have you inquired. A Ninja 250 may not be what you want, but your pocketbook might. We have a ZZR250 in the fleet and it's a blast!
 
Crom said:
Riceburner... I wish I could but they are pretty firm on the price of the KZ after just recently putting a good chunk of money down for the electronic ignition :P

So what would you guys call a 'good deal' on this Ninja 500? Taking into consideration that it really is ABSOLUTELY immaculate, only 4k on it, and it got 2 new tires just one year ago? I know that there are 500s that sell for 2500ish, but they almost always have cracked fairing or scarped exhausts, old tires that need replacing, high mileage or some sort of issue from what I have seen.
Click to expand...

You could pray to the Four Winds for advice. You may be strong in your mountain, but you do live underneath them.
 
RedDogDarren said:
You could pray to the Four Winds for advice. You may be strong in your mountain, but you do live underneath them.
Click to expand...

Hah. I laugh at your four winds. :D



Viper... I agree with you. It will be my first bike, and I may drop it. I usually like to keep things inexpensive, reliable and fun (like Riceburner is saying), which is what the KZ, or some other cheaper bike would be. I will admit though, every time I go to check out a minty bike, I become hypnotized by the shine :rolleyes:.

Dmartins... the owner won't certify it. Presumably because there is only 4K on it, but that is part of the reason I was hesitant. I hate the idea of buying an uncertified bike.

YamaMana... the KZ does run, very nicely in fact. It wasn't previously but we just had to replace the fuse block. It had the original glass fuse style fuse block, which tend to oxidize on these bikes after a while, and would cause it to cut out. A common problem, which has been rectified. Bike has new carbs that were just setup a couple years ago, brand new tires, and electronic ignition. The KZ has never had any problems at all, and only has 26k on it.

I had considered a Ninja 250 in the past, but I will be riding this bike on the highway a lot, to work and back. Not a long distance ride by any means, but I want passing power on the highway. After going from a Buick Roadmaster with a 8cyl 5.7L 270hp LT1 in it, to a 4cyl 1.8L Corolla... I REALLY miss having that oomph to get out of crappy situations, or pass trucks.



I mean I could have bought the KZ for cheap, before the new tires and all that were put on it. But then I would have had to pay to replace them anyway. Tires are a huge expenditure, and can make or break a deal for me, since they are so expensive and vital for safe riding. Buying the tires for the KZ, having them balanced and installed costs about $480 or so, which was just done a few weeks ago. Plus about $100 in other parts (new throttle cables, etc...) just went into the bike at the same time. So it's to be expected that I will be paying more than the average KZ with old tires is going for on kijiji right?
 
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My $0.02 on the matter:

First and foremost, check what your rates on insurance would be - you never know, what you get quoted *may* in fact help you decide which of those two bikes you choose to pursue.
 
Sorry, I forgot to include that info in my original post. I am with State Farm, and they only go by cc's my agent said.

For a 650cc i'm looking at $82/month, and for a 500cc it would be $65/month. Only a $17 difference, which isn't bad at all.
 
my 2 cents, I bought my first bike last season so it hasn't been that long when I was in your shoes.

I was upset over a Nickel size dent in my new $7000 first bike and then I dropped it, the nickel size dent is still there along with 2 one foot long deep dents on the gas tank that will cost close to $500-1000 to fix. 11000 KMs later and it still bugs the living crap out of me.

My advise is not to invest too much in the first bike as long as it is reliable. I was told the same before I bought it by (riceburner) but I still didn't listen. So I wish you the best in your choice and hope you are not as dumb as I once was.

I could have replaced my first bike twice with that much money.
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