Motorcycle Oppo's: Is This A Bad Idea?

"Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner" (gavinharter30)
09/26/2018 at 08:36 • Filed to: None

Would a Cafe Racer type bike be sui ted for a beginner rider? I’ve been looking for a first bike for after I get my license and I’ve noticed that the cafe racer style is well in my price range. Is this a bad idea? Here is the one I have my eye on

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DISCUSSION (25)

bhtooefr > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 08:49

Kinja'd!!!

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 08:50

kinja ate link https://macon.craigslist.org/mcy/d/1998-honda-cafe-racer-bobber/6687100262.html

TheRealBicycleBuck > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 08:55

It isn’t clear what bike this is based on, but it looks like a Honda Shadow. It’s probably a 750 which is big for a beginner. Big as in too much horsepower and too much weight. The stock shadow weighs 560 lbs.

Also, don’t forget, One of a Kind = expensive to repair.

E90M3 > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 08:57

Are your parents on board for you getting a motorcycle ?

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > E90M3
09/26/2018 at 08:59

Half of them are: Dad “hell yes”

Mom: “OMG MINI GUY YOU WILL DIE”

E90M3 > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 09:01

So sounds like it’s a no go then.

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > TheRealBicycleBuck
09/26/2018 at 09:02

I could also get this https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/mcy/d/1970-honda-cb175-cafe-racer/6695634905.html

The Ghost of Oppo > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 09:07

We’ re about to get Peter Black’s Cafe Racer post in the sidebar again, aren’t we?

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > The Ghost of Oppo
09/26/2018 at 09:09

Obviously

Zaxbys > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 09:17

Kinja'd!!!

This is what a comfy bike looks like. See that big squishy seat? See how the han dle bars are well above the tank? The two you linked are fun to look at, but not actually ride.

I kinda disagree with the poster that says the 750 is a bad beginner bike. My 650 has 70ish hp, and weighs 550-600 lbs. The weight isn’t that big of an issue with the low seat, and the weight slows down that hp. Also, I was 25, and tens of thousands of miles on four wheels under my belt and no accidents, so ymmv.

fintail > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 09:20

Turbo Busa is always the answer.

The problem with these cafe racer/bobber things is that you have to wear disturbingly tight jeans and have goofy facial hair.

Pickup_man > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 09:21

The riding position of a cafe bike may or may not be ideal for learning bike control, it really depends on how it’s set up and how the bike fits you. Beyond that this looks like it’s built on a Shadow 750, which IMO is an ok beginner bike. It might be a little on the heavy side, but the 750 is not an overly powerful bike and you won’t outgrow it very fast. Get some good practice in riding in a parking lot or a big open yard before you spend a ton of time on the street and you should be fine. Being a first bike I would wouldn’t be surprised if it gets dropp ed at least once, especially with that riding position, so keep that in mind if you don’t want to chance having to repair it.

Beyond that it’s a cool looking bike, for the price there’s a ton of other options out there, but it seems like a reasonable pricing seeing what’s gone into it.

facw > The Ghost of Oppo
09/26/2018 at 09:21

Here’s a link to speed it along:

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Also: I’m not a fan of the Oppo theme days (you can discuss in the comments people! ), I do think the theme day response to that was probably the best one.

nermal > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 09:23

The smart thing to do is to get your pick of a slightly used 300 or 650 class sport bike, then ride for a year or two. I f you feel the need to upgrade to a bigger bike , you can get most of your $$$ back when you sell .

The awesome thing to do is get a mid-2000s leader bike. They have most of the power of newer ones, but none of the electronic safety features. Sweet!

TheRealBicycleBuck > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 09:36

That’s a lot more reasonable in terms of power, but I’d put a beginner on something like this:

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/mcy/d/kawasaki-motorcycle-for-sale/6691936750.html

It has a more upright seating position, it’s practically bulletproof, parts are readily available and cheap, it provides decent wind protection, and it won’t kill you with horsepower or speed.

A cafe racer will have a compromised seating position (think uncomfortable after half an hour) and won’t provide any wind protection (more important for a beginner on the street than most people realize). The last one you picked is vintage, so parts may be hard to find and expensive. It’s also a thumper (single cylinder), so it will be prone to annoying vibration, and it has drum brakes on both ends which isn’t ideal.

Start with a more modern bike and add a set of crash bars or sliders. Even seasoned riders drop their bikes. New riders are almost guaranteed to drop their bike (not necessarily crash it) at least once. The bars will help protect the bike and those parts that do get messed up will be available and cheap.

Go for the cafe racer once you have some experience on a more forgiving bike.

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > fintail
09/26/2018 at 09:53

Well i have both of those soooo

TheRealBicycleBuck > Zaxbys
09/26/2018 at 10:06

Let’s not forget that Mini is still in high school and doesn’t have tens of thousands of miles under his belt.

Zaxbys > TheRealBicycleBuck
09/26/2018 at 10:23

I didn’t know this, hence why I threw out that disclaimer. I still don’t think an old 750 would be that bad of a first bike (if willing to wrench), but your Ninja 250 option would be the most logical. But since when were Oppos concerned with logic? :D

fintail > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 10:27

Then you should dooooo it, yolo

TheRealBicycleBuck > Zaxbys
09/26/2018 at 10:32

The old codgers still hanging around provide some sensibility to Oppo, much to the chagrin of the young pups. We have more data points to reference, more ideas to look back on and recognize were bad. (S ome were our own, some we witnessed). A big bore bike does not a good first bike make. Bigger bikes usually have a lot more torque and that’s what gets you into trouble when you’re learning. Most beginners aren’t going into the higher revs where the small bikes make their power.

Censored > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 10:44

Thats a lot of money for a shadow 750 (a stocker should be around $2k.) that has been heavily customized and who knows what the wiring looks like. A stock shadow 750 would be a great beginner bike, but the modified riding position and lowered suspension on this one is going to change that. It makes about 45hp and 45ftlbs, so that is about perfect for a starter bike. If you get something smaller than that, highway driving becomes a challenge.

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > TheRealBicycleBuck
09/26/2018 at 11:18

this is more reasonable https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/mcy/d/1970-honda-cb175-cafe-racer/6695634905.html

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > TheRealBicycleBuck
09/26/2018 at 11:19

i have at least 2,000 miles (competitively raced dirtbikes from 6-13) so i do have experience

TheRealBicycleBuck > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 11:34

Well then, you aren’t as much of a beginner as you appeared to be! Dirt skills do translate , but there are some differences when riding on pavement and in traffic. The biggest reason for recommending a smaller bike is that many new riders are learning how to handle a bike for the first time and they’re doing it in traffic, a place where things can go wrong in a hurry. Learning in the dirt gives you a significant head start over rank beginners.

With that in mind, I wouldn’t be as hesitant to recommend a bigger bike. Just keep in mind how you’re going to use it. A cafe racer isn’t much fun on a longer ride. There’s a reason adventure bikes look like big dirt bikes and the go-to bike for long-distance riders is a cruiser or a touring bike. A cafe racer is fine for zipping around town, but my back aches at the thought of riding one for more than half an hour.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner
09/26/2018 at 11:47

This is Oppo. If you ask “is this a bad idea?”, someone will say "no, that's a great idea, do it". This is actually a terrible idea, though. Just get a little 250cc cruiser.