Looking for used VN750 or 800, may concider others. Wanting a bike with seating and positioning like my 750. wife likes how it sits. Her legs are a bit short though thats why I threw out the 800 as I hear it is shorter. Cant travel a lot to look though due to work. Hopefully will find something near to TN. price range is up to 3K, so new bikes need not apply LOL.

anybody familliar with the en500? does it have good power. may also concider honda shaddow 750 or bigger or similar.
Beavis

Yamaha has a nice 650 that has a shaft drive (v star custom and v star classic). It's seat height is quite a bit lower than the vn750's and a little cramped (leg wise) for me. Nice looking bike, but air cooled and has spoked wheels.
I rode with one this weekend and it had no problem keeping up with the Harley roadsters or me at 75 on the highway. He did say it had quite a buzz at that speed though. Price range is ~same as vn750. The guy I was riding with had a 2000 model, so you should be able to find a used one to look at.
It was #2 on my list tied with the Honda Shadow which is also a nice bike but chain drive if I recall. However I think scootworks sells a belt conversion kit for it.

Good luck
RB



Looking for used VN750 or 800, may concider others. Wanting a bike with seating and positioning like my 750. wife likes how it sits. Her legs are a bit short though thats why I threw out the 800 as I hear it is shorter. Cant travel a lot to look though due to work. Hopefully will find something near to TN. price range is up to 3K, so new bikes need not apply LOL.

Beavis

yes, I think i seen one of those 650 for sale in the paper, maybe should look at it. Thanks for the info.
Beavis

If you are looking for decent price ,light weight, low seat, easy maintenance and fun to ride, check out the Suzuki Savage. Single cylinder, air cooled belt drive.
It tops out at about 85, is comfortable up to about 70. Does have a bit more vibration than a twin, but not bad for a single.

Say...dennis. You wouldn't happen to know anyone who would be selling their savage about now? <G>

A savage does look like a candidate. Does somebody on here have one for sale? the 650 right?
beavis

Go with the Yamaha 650...My wife has an 04 and you won't find a better 650 (imo). Yamaha has been making great 650s for a long time....First one I ever rode was a midnight special back in the early 80s.
I use to own a Savage; and here is my opinion on them..
pretty good little bike and Can be durable but; any work such as valve adjustment requires taking the seat and tank off.
The bike for a few reasons can and will at some time just shut off while your going down the road!
It is NOT a comfortable bike to ride for much longer than an hour and the passenger seat is only good for about 5 minutes!
There are very, very few if any aftermarket accessories.
Speedometer will buzz, especially in the colder weather.
Front brakes will squeel from the time you take it off the showroom floor.
some have caught on fire and is believed to be caused by fuel line faults. (I'm not so sure about this claim though).
The Savage is a good bike and those who own one are pretty much a cult. Thumpers are kinda neat (thumper is a one cylinder bike).
I've heard some claim that the Savage will outrun anything in the 500 to 800 and sometimes larger cc bikes,,,but......ain't no way this is true!!!
Lot's of guys chop em and just about all want new pipes from the first day....I think some folks who own them are quiet honestly Harley wannabes.. NO offense, but just my opinion.
Go with the 650 Yamaha V-Star...I'ts the best 650 out there for the price you'll have to pay.
Al

Oh yea, forgot to mention this; If you buy a used Savage make sure it's at least an 03 model.. All years before are known to have the infamous oil leak on the upper part of the head. It's caused by a rubber type plug that you will have to replace before to long. Trust me on this one. the plug was not upgraded until 03. I had the 03 and had no problems but on Suzuki forums all I ever heard about was the "infamous oil leak".

Sold mine Sunday. 97 15000 miles, didn't leak a drop.

Ok have widened the search to anything 500cc and up, in the '90s and up, in the 3000 dollar area. so long as it runs good, looks fair, but most importantly, you ride upright and has a good comfortable seat my wife will enjoy riding but need be within 500 miles of west TN preferred.

You shoudl not eliminate the Rebel 250 (Honda). Sit's low and extremely well balanced. Plenty of acceleration and will cruise at 75 though you will be winding it out (kept looking for a 6th gear). Yeah, she might be looking to move to a bigger bike after a while (like my wife sorta is) but there are guys in the rebel-riders group on Yahoo that do cross-country touring on theirs.

You mentioned the EN500. Nice scoot also. My wife is also vertically challenged and when she sat on one she felt comfortable. Buddy of ours rides with the NC VRA and he has had no problems runnign with the big Nomads and Drifters

thanks for the info, may go look at some rebels and let er try em out.

wish I could talk my wife into riding her Rebel to Kentucky Lake for you to test ride!

Beavis,
check out WOW....World of Wheels. Located in Marietta Georgia. They usually have from 3 to 400 bikes. Biggest used bike facility I've ever known of.
They almost always have a large selection of 500-650 cc bikes.
everything from Kawasaki EN 500s, Yamaha V-Stars, and always have 3 or 4 Savages around.
I almost bought an 03 used 800 Suzuki Marauder down there but opted for my new Vulcan.
Marietta is well within your 500 mile range. It's about 25 miles north of Atlanta.
look them up on the web search.
They were featured on Two Wheel Tuesday a while back.
And if you are still interested in a Savage; mine is still on the showroom floor at Bartow Powersports in Cartersville Ga. about another 20 miles further north of Atlanta. 03 with a little over 2200. I think they want around 3 + a few

cool, will look them up. also going saturday if it dont sell to look at a vstar 650 i seen in the paper. 00 model with 4k miles. 3500 is what he said hed take. sounds fair right, if in exelent condition?
beavis

My wife has an 04 V-Star and she is really happy with it. She has been riding since she was a teenager and she knows her bikes pretty well.
She is 5'2'' tall and can handle the star pretty well.
Just the other week she rode to the CMA (christian motorcyclist Association) local chapter meeting and when the meeting was over; thunderstorms were on the way. I was following in the truck with my daughter and all we could see was distant tail lights. The 650 star scoots along pretty good.
There are 4 or 5 650 stars in our chapter and none of them have any problems keeping up with any of the other bikes. kawa 800s, 1500s, 750s, Harley dressers, sportsters, yamahas 1100s, Honda 750s.. course thats just cruising along about 60 to 70 mph.
Pretty cool bikes they are and they DO get alot of attention! Hers is the Custom model. Black n chrome with red pinstripe on the gas tank.

Wife decided we didnt want to spend a lot right now, and so I did find her a VN700 that shouldnt interfear with the budget. you can read about it in the heading vn750 value post.
I do hope I get it ready in time for KY lake, maybe we will not have to trailer up, and can ride em up.
Thanks for all the suggestions and comments
beavis

From Yahoo Group



Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 16:53:40 -0500
From: "Donald M. Ricks" <donrix@charter.net (donrix@charter.net)>
Subject: 1997 VN750 For Sale (Like New)

1997 VN750, Black/Silver, with leather saddlebags, Slipstream windshield, SS brake lines, new speedo (lost the little washer in the original), new sealed battery, new tool case (a little scratch on the original), new Metzeler ME880s, ALL fluids changed, splines greased, a good going-over the entire bike. Top shape and only 5K original miles. Shop manual included.

I'm waiting on a new FJR1300A delivery and am in no hurry to sell the VN750. The bike gets 52 mpg on 87 octane and
would make anyone smile riding down the road. I'll let this like-new, clean, perfect-running bike go for only $3,500.

Donald M. Ricks
Spring Hill, TN
donrix@charter.net (donrix@charter.net)

Donald M. Ricks
Spring Hill, TN


(I know, broke my own rule about reposting)

Well, I have seen the power of information at work. thanks for all the help, also that 97 for sale seems like a good bike too) Now I have made my decision and my wife is smileing riding her new (used) VN700. She really likes it and yall wish me luck and lend your prayers that the bike holds up and she keeps it up.....-right. and that goes for me too.
Thanks, now we have a new member to the VN family as a fellow rider- my wife. dont know if she will directly participate in the forum, but she will meet the lot of you at KY lake ralley, and now can ride in style. she looks at home on the bike. doing fairly well getting adjusted to the larger bike.

Thanks,
Beavis