[DaWood]

I'm planning on getting my first bike soon. I am looking to keep it affordable and I do not want to jump into something that is too large. I was looking at the following bikes and was hoping you guys could give me some helfup info and opinions:

Suzuki S40 - Have heard comlaints about backfiring due to lean factory settings on the carb. Nice price though.
Yamaha Vstar 650 - Great looking bike, feels big but has the big price to go along with that.
Honda Shadow VLX 600 - Heard lots of complaints about the 4 speed tranny.
Kawasaki Vulcan 500 - Nice looking, with nice price, but have heard lots of bad things about Kawasaki as far as reliability.

I am about 5'10", 215 pounds and will be using the bike for trips to and from work that involve city driving and shorts hops on the freeway. Obviously based on the selection I'm looking at, you can tell I'm more of a crusier guy. Any info you guys can give me would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[Trapper]

S40 is a sweet single. I would get it. Have you sat on any? You might want to to check out the riding position. I think any would be a good choice. Welcome.

 

[oldgeezer]

The Savage is a great bike and will cruise all day long. It is an excellent bike to learn on but will also provide satisfaction for a long time. Don't know if it means anything, but I see a lot of used Shadows for sale.

 

[viper94bite]

I'm planning on getting my first bike soon. I am looking to keep it affordable and I do not want to jump into something that is too large. I was looking at the following bikes and was hoping you guys could give me some helfup info and opinions:

Suzuki S40 - Have heard comlaints about backfiring due to lean factory settings on the carb. Nice price though.
Yamaha Vstar 650 - Great looking bike, feels big but has the big price to go along with that.
Honda Shadow VLX 600 - Heard lots of complaints about the 4 speed tranny.
Kawasaki Vulcan 500 - Nice looking, with nice price, but have heard lots of bad things about Kawasaki as far as reliability.

I am about 5'10", 215 pounds and will be using the bike for trips to and from work that involve city driving and shorts hops on the freeway. Obviously based on the selection I'm looking at, you can tell I'm more of a crusier guy. Any info you guys can give me would be appreciated, thanks.

The s40 is a nice bike. I have not ridden one but I personally will never get another single cylinder. The yamaha is a good sized bike, sounds good and doesn't ride to bad. The vlx 600 in my opinion is seriously lacking in the comfort area. Could not see my self riding one for very long. As for the saki I have always thought kawasaki's were very reliable and considered one myself but liked the suzuki better. All comes down to you in the end. Make a list of pro's and con's for each bike that may help you decide. And make sure you go sit on them.

 

[DaWood]

Yeah, I've sat on all but the S40. I'm planning to go to a Suzki dealership this weekend to try it on. So far, all were good, but the Honda is definitely on the bottom of my list.

 

[Scourge]

Just plopped my behind down on the S40 today, and for what it's worth it felt very tiny. I too am 5'10'', and 200+, and it felt like I was sitting on a 250. Having never ridden the bike I have no idea of the ride, but many folks around here who have them sing it's praises. I would imagine it would be perfect for urban warfare, light, and probably pretty responsive in the stop and go.

 

[mrgr8ness]

I too was looking at the S40, after I already bought my GZ250. The Suzuki shop has the S40 and GZ side by side, so I was able to jump back and forth. They do feel very similar, bout the same seat height, frame is very close, weight is very close. Never rode the S40 though.

 

[mr_resistible]

My brother is interrested in getting a bike and he came across a 2000 V-star 650 for like $3000 I'm 5'9" 160 and I ride a C50. But I really like the Yamaha. They look good and they sound good. I sat on the Yamaha and it felt really light in comparason. It might have a lower center of gravity. And the seat was very comphy. Plus it had floor boards and a windshield.

And if you havent signed up for the MSF course yet. Be sure and do that. When I told the instructors I was interested in a cruiser they put me on the biggest bike they had. Probably to get me ready for the transition for somthing bigger. It was a 1982 Honda Night Hawk 450. I thought that thing was a beast. And its about half the size of my C50.

The Yamaha might be on the big side as far as beginner bikes. But if you get the proper training and take your time, it wont take long to get the hang of it.

This is the only bike of the ones listed that I had an opinion on. And I almost bought a Kawi also, they seem to be very reliable.

 

[DaWood]

Yeah, I completed the MSF class a couple of weekends ago. In the class I used a GZ250, which was OK. I didn't have any issues with it other than the throttle being a little sticky at times. It is definetly better for some one of my size than a Honda Rebel would have been. I sat on one at a dealership and the handlebars hit my legs when turning tight. I sat on an Intruder, which I was told was an 800 (and is now the S50?). It felt worlds smaller than the Yamaha and the Honda, but the price was a higher than I want to go.

 

[s40aggie]

I recomend the s40 just based on my experience. I'm new to riding and not an expert but I've reved it up pretty good and have had no serious backfire, a little thumper fart every now and then but those give it a little charm, IMO.
I looked at the, vulcan and v-star 650 custom as well as the gz250 and honda rebel. I'm 5'8" and 150 lbs and the yami when I picked it up and sat on it seemed too big. Having not had the msf course I thought I would be overpowered by the wieght. the reb and gz250 were easily too small( though honestly with no experience I should have picked one of them to learn on). the s40 was perfect in hieght and wieght and aside from the initial thrust the first time i rode( in which I nearly killed myself) I have had no problems on way or the other.

 

[mr_resistible]

That thrust will get ya. The first time I test drove mine, I was in 2nd gear in a parking lot and decided to give it a little twist. Well that threw me back in my seat and made me give it a bigger twist. :shock: