thinking again on get a bike

[Nacho-RT74]

a friend of a friend is offering me a 2003 Honda Shadow American Classic 400cc. I haven't seen yet to check the conditions. The price is.... let's say affordable.

what do you think of this bike.

I NEVER HAVE DRIVEN A BIKE IN MY LIFE, but allways have dreamed having and driving a Cruiser bike.


with the heavy transit around, hard to find parking places, and wanting to use the Charger less, where mostly of the time driving it alone, is a good option to have a bike

[404NOTFOUND]

Oh, don't do that!!!  Look at that pic of my car to your left. Now put yourself in the picture with your bike!

[nvrbdn]

just got me a suzuki intruder velusia 2003. man i love it. 

[mpdlawdog]

I am assuming it is a really a 800 cc....didnt know they made a 400....400 would be way to small imo....

well, I had never ridden a bike either...I took a three day class that teaches you everything about the bike....they put you through a lot of different situations....I felt confident on a bike at the end of the class....I got my endorcement and started looking for a bike.....about a week later at work I had to scrape a 18 year old out from under a CRV....he had a cbr at least thats what it looked like when they put it on the wrecker...I changed my mind on a bike....I dont worry about me....its all the other idiots that are texting among other things and not paying attention that worry me!    

plus with having kids Im worth more alive than dead.........I know when its your time....its your time but if you have luck like mine you dont want to add an additional factors

[Indygenerallee]

If I were single and did not have dependants I would have a bike but my family sold Honda motorcycles from 77-91 and from hearing about the amount of people that were known that were killed, maimed or injured on a bike I would not have one now in my position in life, I do however ride 4 wheelers OFF road away from dumbass drivers.

[cdr]

no,not only no,but no,i had been riding 45 years & it is bad out there on a bike,you have to look at it like everyone is trying,get that,TRYING TO KILL YOU,i had to sell my harley last year because of health reasons,i dont miss almost getting killed every day,my wife still rides & it makes me very nerves knowing all the texting & drive these moorons do,also since you are an older gentleman & have no experience,I DO NOT RECOMMEND SIX CENTS   at least the harley paid for a PROJECT CHARGER   

[royt440]

If you have thought about it a long time, I say go for it.  I waited till my kids were grown and gone.
Definitely take a motorcycle safety course.
Some of the "cages" will not see you.  You do have to look at every driver as a potential threat.
People do get killed/maimed on bikes but they get the same in cars. 
Older drivers do have accidents but you will see that young guys on crotch rockets doing stupid things are kinda asking for problems. I think they are the ones that skew the data on motorcycle danger.

[Dino]

I always used a bike as my daily driver until I had to get a car.  Had a bike until '05 and rode everything from crotch rockets to scooters.  After a year or so I decided to buy a bike again until I heard my neighbor hit a dear at 55 mph and didn't survive.  No matter what you do, you can be wiped out in a split second. 

You still in Caracas Nacho?  What would your driving habits be?  Town, highway, back roads, all of the above?

[Ponch ®]

I'm this close to pulling the trigger on one. I'm gonna be commuting 45 miles round trip each day, 4-5 days a week starting in August. This may not seem like a lot to some of you mid-america country folk, but this is L.A., and in order to get to where I need to go, my two options are two of the most congested corridors in the world during rush hour (the 101 freeway into L.A. or the 405/10 freeways).  

Ive done a few test runs on the 08 Charger, and it will cost me about $15 to drive there and back every day, not to mention the amount of time I'll be in traffic.

I've heard all the horror stories and I've been lectured by just about any "grown up" (mom, boss, etc). While I by no means think I'm invincible and can't happen to me, I'm thinking for all I know I could just as well eat it in the car or maybe get stabbed if I take public transportation. Plus, it makes sense money wise (the wife is, for that reason, at least somewhat supportive).

I've never ridden before either, but I WILL take the riding course before I buy the bike, and prolly won't take the bike most of the time until I feel comfortable enough to do it.

Anyway, looking at a Dark Custom Iron 883 (hey...might as well do it in style  )

[Dino]

I'm this close to pulling the trigger on one. I'm gonna be commuting 45 miles round trip each day, 4-5 days a week starting in August. This may not seem like a lot to some of you mid-america country folk, but this is L.A., and in order to get to where I need to go, my two options are two of the most congested corridors in the world during rush hour (the 101 freeway into L.A. or the 405/10 freeways).   

Ive done a few test runs on the 08 Charger, and it will cost me about $15 to drive there and back every day, not to mention the amount of time I'll be in traffic.

I've heard all the horror stories and I've been lectured by just about any "grown up" (mom, boss, etc). While I by no means think I'm invincible and can't happen to me, I'm thinking for all I know I could just as well eat it in the car or maybe get stabbed if I take public transportation. Plus, it makes sense money wise. I've never ridden before, but I WILL take the riding course before I buy the bike, and prolly won't take the bike most of the time until I feel comfortable enough to do it.

Anyway, looking at a Dark Custom 882 Iron (hey...might as well do it in style  )

You've got the right mind set.  I never had a bad crash in my 15+ years of riding bikes.  Constantly being aware of your surroundings is key, same as with a car.

[Budnicks]

There are "old riders" & "bold riders", but there are NO "old bold riders", there are those "that have gone down" & there are "those that will be going down"... I can speak from experiance on both issues, it's almost always the guy/gal in a car or truck, that doesn't see or hear you & will take you out every time... Good luck, be safe have fun, remember "load pipes save lives"...

[Ponch ®]

I'm this close to pulling the trigger on one. I'm gonna be commuting 45 miles round trip each day, 4-5 days a week starting in August. This may not seem like a lot to some of you mid-america country folk, but this is L.A., and in order to get to where I need to go, my two options are two of the most congested corridors in the world during rush hour (the 101 freeway into L.A. or the 405/10 freeways).  

Ive done a few test runs on the 08 Charger, and it will cost me about $15 to drive there and back every day, not to mention the amount of time I'll be in traffic.

I've heard all the horror stories and I've been lectured by just about any "grown up" (mom, boss, etc). While I by no means think I'm invincible and can't happen to me, I'm thinking for all I know I could just as well eat it in the car or maybe get stabbed if I take public transportation. Plus, it makes sense money wise. I've never ridden before, but I WILL take the riding course before I buy the bike, and prolly won't take the bike most of the time until I feel comfortable enough to do it.

Anyway, looking at a Dark Custom 882 Iron (hey...might as well do it in style  )

You've got the right mind set.  I never had a bad crash in my 15+ years of riding bikes.  Constantly being aware of your surroundings is key, same as with a car.

yeah. I also know that there's only so much I can control. That being said, I don't plan on being one of those douchebags that try to hot dog it just about any time they stop at a red light (really? a front wheelie stop?) or that split lanes within an inch of cars (it's legal here in CA, but ive seen some guys tempt fate with that too many times). I always wanted a bike, but now I actually have a valid and practical reason for getting one. I have a couple of months to figure it out...

[FLG]

Bikes are nice for open highways that are (mostly) free from idiots.

Nacho, is it a very condensed area you live in? If the commute is mainly streets, get a moped. I had one and it was great for driving around locally, and very easy when it came to parking or storing it. Also its much more maneuverable than a bike and your less likely to kill yourself due to your own stupidity (not saying YOU, but just in general) since you cant go very fast on em.

[Dino]

I'm this close to pulling the trigger on one. I'm gonna be commuting 45 miles round trip each day, 4-5 days a week starting in August. This may not seem like a lot to some of you mid-america country folk, but this is L.A., and in order to get to where I need to go, my two options are two of the most congested corridors in the world during rush hour (the 101 freeway into L.A. or the 405/10 freeways).  

Ive done a few test runs on the 08 Charger, and it will cost me about $15 to drive there and back every day, not to mention the amount of time I'll be in traffic.

I've heard all the horror stories and I've been lectured by just about any "grown up" (mom, boss, etc). While I by no means think I'm invincible and can't happen to me, I'm thinking for all I know I could just as well eat it in the car or maybe get stabbed if I take public transportation. Plus, it makes sense money wise. I've never ridden before, but I WILL take the riding course before I buy the bike, and prolly won't take the bike most of the time until I feel comfortable enough to do it.

Anyway, looking at a Dark Custom 882 Iron (hey...might as well do it in style  )

You've got the right mind set.  I never had a bad crash in my 15+ years of riding bikes.  Constantly being aware of your surroundings is key, same as with a car.

yeah. I also know that there's only so much I can control. That being said, I don't plan on being one of those douchebags that try to hot dog it just about any time they stop at a red light (really? a front wheelie stop?) or that split lanes within an inch of cars (it's legal here in CA, but ive seen some guys tempt fate with that too many times). I always wanted a bike, but now I actually have a valid and practical reason for getting one. I have a couple of months to figure it out...

I grew up in Antwerp, busiest intersection in Europe.  A bike was the only logical way to travel.  Yes I had many close calls but 99% of them would have been no more than fender benders.  

It's important to 'let go' from time to time but the commute to work is not it.  Remember that the biggest chance for an accident is close to your destination be it work or home.  My wife knew a guy that was waiting to turn into his driveway when a car hit him from behind while his family and friends watched on.  It was his birthday and he hopped on his bike to get more chips.  He didn't make it.  Be careful out there dude.  All of you.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I'm this close to pulling the trigger on one. I'm gonna be commuting 45 miles round trip each day, 4-5 days a week starting in August. This may not seem like a lot to some of you mid-america country folk, but this is L.A., and in order to get to where I need to go, my two options are two of the most congested corridors in the world during rush hour (the 101 freeway into L.A. or the 405/10 freeways).  

Ive done a few test runs on the 08 Charger, and it will cost me about $15 to drive there and back every day, not to mention the amount of time I'll be in traffic.

I've heard all the horror stories and I've been lectured by just about any "grown up" (mom, boss, etc). While I by no means think I'm invincible and can't happen to me, I'm thinking for all I know I could just as well eat it in the car or maybe get stabbed if I take public transportation. Plus, it makes sense money wise (the wife is, for that reason, at least somewhat supportive).

I've never ridden before either, but I WILL take the riding course before I buy the bike, and prolly won't take the bike most of the time until I feel comfortable enough to do it.

Anyway, looking at a Dark Custom Iron 883 (hey...might as well do it in style  )

Paunch,

The 883 is a great bike...

IF... you're 5 foot 3 and weigh a buck twenty soaking wet...

If I remember correctly...

You ain't that petite...

You're going to look, and feel like an old, fat shriner on a mini bike...

Take a rider's course, and then go try out a few bikes before you buy.

[69rtse4spd]

NO,NO,NO, got hit on my brothers KZ900 two weeks out of high school in 78. Broken leg & other  complications, now have a blind spot in the right eye. Just read in the paper where a lady could not avoid a raccoon going across the road, put her & her bike down. Luckily she was wearing a helmet & not seriously hurt. Had a few other close calls before the wreck, the idiots always say they never see you, to the cops. My buddy was going around a corner, not fast or anything stupid, hit lose gravel, hit the guard rail, & luckily he went over the rail or he could have lost his leg. He got meshed up pretty go but is still with us & has all his digits. As stated before, DOES NOT MATER HOW CAREFULL YOU ARE, YOU WILL COME OUT ON THE WOREST END OF IT. .  

[Nacho-RT74]

ok, first of all, I was asking for opinions about the bike itself against similar models and brands LOL. Long time ago I made the same asking for an Intruder 800 what it was cheap, althought I didn't have the money on that moment.

Lot of ppl adviced me getting a Vulcan 750... hard to find locally, not cheap and when someone around, not really in perfect conditions

I'm aware about all the risk, and I know what you mean really. But at this moment is becoming a need in some circunstances.

I'm still not convinced, because I'M AFFRAID OF BIKES, but maybe because I never have driven one. However I have been around lot of "friends" with bikes and is not really common to get an incident if you have your head in its place

Yes Dino, I'm still in Caracas and is a 5 millions ppl city ( that we know ) maybe closer to 6.5-7  if we are realistic, on a relativelly small valley

I dream sometime with a H-D bike, but definitelly not affordable

mpdlawdog, these bikes as far I know and have seen are 400cc and 750cc available, at least locally.

[Nacho-RT74]

got 7 pics, here two of them

( matches my Charger color scheme LOL )


My friend told me that it has small mechanical details to fix but nothing to worry

[Nacho-RT74]

I've never ridden before either, but I WILL take the riding course before I buy the bike, and prolly won't take the bike most of the time until I feel comfortable enough to do it.

PROBABLY I would buy first, but definitelly won't be on streets untill feel comfortable

[mpdlawdog]

nice looking bike!  did not know they made a 400 .......I really enjoyed taking the class...if they have one I would also recommend it...I was in your same shoes (never ridden a bike)....it taught me a lot!  good luck with you decision

[Troy]

I think that 400 must be for non-US markets. People here are too macho to ride anything with that small of an engine. That's not necessarily good though. I know that most of Europe excludes new riders from anything larger than a 250(?) for the first year or two. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses here in the US use 250s for their training and tests. Too many inexperienced riders here walk into the store and buy a 1000 crotch rocket and kill/maim themselves within a week (or even the same day). My first street bike was a Honda Shadow 750. It's a cruiser style with a low seat, smooth clutch, great balance, and very good mileage. Probably very similar to that bike but with a few more CCs. I spent the first summer riding on back country roads and two lane highways. I eventually sold the bike when I got a few cars roadworthy - I found that there's only a limited number of nice days around here and I preferred the muscle car experience. I'm considering getting another bike for commuting but haven't officially decided yet. The biggest concern I have are idiots in cars (with less training and shorter attention spans than the inexperienced riders I mentioned earlier).

Troy

[Chryco Psycho]

there are a lot of far smaller cc bikes in central America so I woul dagree it is made for this market .
I thought you were going to get out of there & move to Spain or Panama ? Makes no sense to buy something & move !

[Indygenerallee]

There was a Boss Hoss 383 Chevy stroker powered bike over at the auction a few weeks back, The auctioneer looked at it and said here it is "Deathwish 5"  Sounded badass but geeze O' pete you would have to have some cajones to ride it!!!

[gtx6970]

just my 

and I mean no dis-respect - but if your afraid of bikes stay the hell off of them.
it WILL get you killed.


If you procede,,, take a riding course if there in your area. If not rent one and take it ,and someone  who rides regularly to a remote area to get comfortable with them as a whole.

You have to respect motor cycles with your life,, the minute you get sloppy on it, it's gonna hurt .

Around here it's the texting idiots I fear  will get most motor cycle riders

[Cooter]

Oh, don't do that!!!  Look at that pic of my car to your left. Now put yourself in the picture with your bike!

EXACTLY...