Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests thinking about getting a motorcycle

i am debating between an 83,84, or 85 nighthawk cb650 - 6 speed, 650ccs, dohc 4cyl, shaft drive

and a nighthawk S from those same years (i think)
more displacement (750 cc) and more aggressive styling..

i was also considering an older (mid 70s i think?) cb550 four.

i'm looking to spend about a grand. i'd appreciate any advice anyone can give me, if there is one that stands out on that list as being really good or bad, or if there is one that is not on the list that you think should be? I'm looking for something 500 cc to 750 cc (honestly i think the 750 would be too much for me)

it would be a first bike for me, but i am getting the basics down on a smaller bike of my friend's.

I don't like the sport styling of those new bikes, its too much - the nighthawk s is about my limit.

I really like the Yamha Seca II's for a starter bike. Can be found for $1200. Sport bike look but not a sport bike. Upright, comfortable, takes the twisties, not underpowered nor scary fast.

I like this CB900 shaft drive Honda:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6708&item=2435453773

I dunno much about the 650 engine.


But the 750 is a very popular engine with minimum maintanance and it is supposed to last FOREVER.


I actually have only 3,000 miles on mine.... but I am a member on 2 CB-750 forums (actually, yahoo groups) and there are people with more mileage on their original 750 than I have on my contour !!!




by the way, join the group and post your question !! I am sure people would answer you with details on these bikes...



Regarding the size, 750cc is not that big. I actually came from a 535cc to a 750cc and I am just starting to think the bike is too small (which it is not, the CB750 is a VERY NICE size bike, but once you get used to it that is it...)




ooops... that would be ur first bike correct ???


Get something smaller.... I would even recommend you to get a Vtwin cruiser....less dangerous... those CB750 turn around 9,000RPM and that is the DEVIL CALLING YOU....you better get a smaller v-twin cruiser... much less RPM and you wouldnt be tempted to accelerate the bike.

If you're not stuck on a Honda, a Yamaha 535 Virago is a nice starter, shaft drive...It was one of my 1st bikes, got my license on it, real easy to ride & fairly quick too. I sold it to my cousin when I got my Harley 883. W/ me & a friend on the Harley, it spanked me off the line pretty good(stock exhaust on the Harley, cobra boulevard pipes on the Yamaha). I also put drag bars on it, it was a pretty sweet lookin bike & sounded good too.

Just what I've been looking for! A cheap (~1200), good first bike. Anybody else have some more feedback on this thread?

I had a CB 650 custom of about that era (81 or 82 ?). Same 4 cyl air cooled engine as the 650 nighthawk. In general it was a great starter bike. It had a low seat height and center of gravity, had enought grunt not to be a dog, and was a comfortable riding position for around town. If you were gonna do much highway riding, you'd want either a small windshield or a bike with a bit more forward leaning riding position to be more comfortable.

I didn't have any problem with the engine... they were prone to have some small oil leaks at the top of the valve covers, but all the advice I got at the time was to just live with it. That's how they all would end up in short order if you re-sealed them anyway (so I was told).

If you do look at one, the typical problems were the 4 into 4 exhausts rusting/burning out right about the level of the pegs. (they had a low spot there and condensation tended to sit there) I put a 4 into 1 header/pipe on mine, not for the performance increase, just because I got a great deal on it, and mine stock pipes were leaky. The real benefit was the about 40 lbs of weight the bike lost! (heavy exhaust and center stand had to come off)

Mine really ran exceptionally smooth after a tune up (which I had done too infrequently). With 4 carbs to be synch'd etc, it's likely anything you'd buy would benefit from a tune.

If you're taller than 5'10" you might find the cb650 or 650 nighthawk to feel a bit small for you. For longer trips it was sometimes nice to put my feet back on the rear pegs.

Oh, last thing, my advice would be that whatever bike you buy, it would be a good idea to buy one that has "crash bars". They're the bars that bolt on the frame and are just a little wider than the engine. They're not meant to do you any good in a real crash, but they protect the engine cases, shifter and brake pedal in event you drop the bike (or some dork knocks it over when it's parked).

Even if you're careful and a good driver there is a high probability that your bike will lie down at some point or other. (mine was knocked off it's stand a couple times, and had the blacktop give way under the stand on hot days a time or two). I saw a guy drop a Seca (I think??) once, it broke the left side gearcase in 2.. he stood scratchin' his head while it leaked all the oil out. Oh, and some Seca's (or all?) were turbocharged... I'd steer clear clear of those for your first bike. A friend had one (a good rider) and he said the turbo lag combined with driveshaft lift on the rear could make some interesting things happen in corners, when driven hard.

Anyway, there's some more feedback for ya anyway!!

Brent

Just what I was looking for! Thanks for your write up, it was helpful.
2.3 Turboford or a cycle... Argh, decisions!!