Looking for a good sports bike on a budget.

I plan on getting a motorcycle soon because I'm getting tired of my electric moped. I want a sports bike (preferably European made) for a price of $1,500. That's my limit. So what should I look for when spending $1,500 on a sport bike? I was looking at a late model Honda VFR for around $1,500 the other day. I expect quality issues on something that looks as good as the VFR but the only complaints I have heard from the VFR is the seat comfort and the saddle bag quality and cargo space limitations. I know Honda is from japan but they have been known to make some good sports bikes but for $10,000 or more. What I really would like to find is a Ducati or a BMW for my asking price. I don't have the money yet because it will take me time to save up on my budget plan. In fact my budget plan is the whole reason I'm starting off with a motorcycle instead of a car. Insurance is way cheaper, repairs are cheaper, and you can get a motorcycle that looks way better than most common cars for way less. not to mention the gas mileage is better on a motorcycle than most cars. The only thing I worry about is the risk factor which is why I armor up every time before a ride. Even with full armor there is still a risk of death but that's why I'm a good couscous rider.

whatever you get ride it for atleast 10 miles or more if they will let you before you buy it.. I bought a ninja 250 a few years ago as a first bike and I sold it a week later, I hated it it hurt my neck to ride it and the riding position felt very uncomfortable... I now ride a honda rebel I bought it used with 600 miles for $2600 which that would be hard to find in general but a cruiser bike is very comfortable to ride and the rebel gets great gas mileage, as well as they run forever if you take care of them.

I have 06 rebel, gets about 60mpg if not more, top speed is like 75mph or so is what I have got it to so its not the greatest for hwy here but I have no issues on the hwy just cant do like 90mph but no one here drives that fast anyways so it keeps me from getting tickets since the top speeds here are 70mph so I do 5-10 over. I love being able to pass around people though on the bike and move around traffic I get places much faster then with my car.

For the price range your in you should look into the Kawasaki Concours. They've been making them for 20ish years and they're known to be bullet proof. You can get one from the 90's in your price range. They have 1,000 cc engines and are comfortable as hell. It's described as a sport tourer. I have an 08 with the 1,400 cc engine and it is GREAT. I really don't know that you'll find a European one in your range and if you do it'll need work. You might get lucky and find a Triumph.
Now, you'll want to look under the rear fender for burnt rubber. I would recommend something on stock form. Engine mods are nice but if not done right can create more troubles than they're worth. You'll want to test ride it. You need to red line it through the gears. Doing this will help you to see if there is a bent shift fork hiding in your transmission. They are expensive to fix and a real pain. If you are revving it high and it pops out of gear that's your shift fork. Walk away from that bike.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Good luck.

Highly suggest anything Japanese. The price, availability, and maintenance costs are all much better than european model.

reply to post by paranormal78
Good European bike for 1500? Your dreaming.

Honda CBR ^.^ Suzuki GSXR, Yamaha R6. Those are great choices


If you go European ONLY go Aprilia. They are epic but $$$$$$$

Edit: Your thinking Ducati or BMW?? Sorry I though you were thinking High Performance examples of human engineering and greatness. Not just a bike hehe....

Haven't seen BMW win the Isle of man much... Ducati is ok but I have a grudge

GSXR 750cc all the way

Well looks like I'm going Japanese for my next bike. I am definitely considering a Kawasaki or a Honda. I do want a nice light comfortable and reliable or at least easy to maintain bike for commuting in a small town. So far i am hearing good things about Kawasaki so I might check out crags list for a used one. I don't want anything to heavy ether so that is why I'm also considering a Kawasaki. Based on what I have just learned many people describe Kawasaki as being reasonably light so that its more comfortable to wait at a red light. That's one reason I'm using a small electric scooter now. It's only like 500 Lbs and my feet can reach the ground. That's another thing I should ask, what size bike should I get if I'm 5 feet 7 inches?

I'm 5,7 and I'll ride ANY size bike. I cannot flat foot my Concours. The C14 is a tall bike. Any sport bike by Kawi should be manageable. They're quick and light. Take your time getting to know the bike. Spend some time practicing in a parking lot before you get on the road. I had a friend almost kill himself on a Yamaha R- just because he was trying to keep up with an experienced rider.

Here's one in North Carolina.
www.zggtr.org...
Chicago, I wouldn't go more than $1,00 on this one.
www.zggtr.org...
Here is a great place to look for a bike.
www.govdeals.com... ry=94F

Here's one in North Carolina. www.zggtr.org... Chicago, I wouldn't go more than $1,00 on this one. www.zggtr.org... Here is a great place to look for a bike. www.govdeals.com... ry=94F

Nice bikes, kinda what I'm looking for but more in a dark blue or a diamond black paint job. But for safety reasons I guess I should think about a brighter color so that others can see me better on the road. Thanks you've helped me out a great deal on my quest for a new motorcycle. I'm going with a Kawasaki but I'm still deciding on a class and model. I'll try to post picks of the bike when I get it in about a year or so.