Alright peoples, I've decided that I want to trade in my current bike and try something else. I currently have a 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 500R (a.k.a. EX500) with about 12k miles. I bought it as a starter bike last may, and have put all but the first 2500 miles on it. Regular oil changes, chain lubes, cleanings, and all that good stuff. New tires, but it'll need new pads up front and in the back in a few hundred miles or so (probably about $100-150 total, including labor) just to be safe. I want to trade it out before then.
I have no particular brand loyalties, though here are the specifics that I'm looking for: something in the 1996+ range, $4500 tops, never put down, and has had regular maintenance. Beyond that, I'm fairly flexible. I do want a sport bike though, so no cruiser recommendations for the time being. I also don't want anything larger than a 600 or 750, as I'll be using it mostly for inner-city commuting (read: college campus), and 900's and litre bikes are, for the most part, just too heavy when there are that many pedestrians/slow moving vehicles around. Also, 600/750 is plenty fast for me at the moment; I have a Duc available to borrow from my step father if I feel like killing myself.
So, what all do you recommend? I'm not TOTALLY stringent on the year requirements, but wouldn't want anything much past 94, as I frankly don't much like the styling beyond that point. I was thinking Honda based on reliability, as I honestly don't know much about how well the mid/late 90's bikes of the other big manufacturers hold up. I'd hopefully like something from either honda, yamaha, suzuki, or another kawa.
Also, any random thoughts on how much I could expect in return for my current bike? It's in great condition, as I've never dropped it , and was told by the dealer that the same had been true of the previous owner. The only "problems" are a few scuff marks on the exhaust that were caused by the previous owner's passenger burning their shoe soles off on the pipes. Also a few minor scrapes on the tank (read: previous owner probably wore heavy neck jewelry while riding).
I have no particular brand loyalties, though here are the specifics that I'm looking for: something in the 1996+ range, $4500 tops, never put down, and has had regular maintenance. Beyond that, I'm fairly flexible. I do want a sport bike though, so no cruiser recommendations for the time being. I also don't want anything larger than a 600 or 750, as I'll be using it mostly for inner-city commuting (read: college campus), and 900's and litre bikes are, for the most part, just too heavy when there are that many pedestrians/slow moving vehicles around. Also, 600/750 is plenty fast for me at the moment; I have a Duc available to borrow from my step father if I feel like killing myself.
So, what all do you recommend? I'm not TOTALLY stringent on the year requirements, but wouldn't want anything much past 94, as I frankly don't much like the styling beyond that point. I was thinking Honda based on reliability, as I honestly don't know much about how well the mid/late 90's bikes of the other big manufacturers hold up. I'd hopefully like something from either honda, yamaha, suzuki, or another kawa.
Also, any random thoughts on how much I could expect in return for my current bike? It's in great condition, as I've never dropped it , and was told by the dealer that the same had been true of the previous owner. The only "problems" are a few scuff marks on the exhaust that were caused by the previous owner's passenger burning their shoe soles off on the pipes. Also a few minor scrapes on the tank (read: previous owner probably wore heavy neck jewelry while riding).
Facebook
Twitter