- This topic has 12 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 10 months ago by Jeff in Kentucky.
New (Used) bike help
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June 22, 2010 at 12:47 pm #4056nktilvaParticipant
Hey everyone,
I just got myself my first bike! I bought a 2004 SV650 with only 3,400 miles. I paid $2,900.00 for it. I bought it from an older guy (in his 60s) who said he only used it on back country roads, and never pushed it above 60mph. He seemed pretty OCD and showed me a list of his regular maintanence. He also threw in a 6 year old ARAI helmet in the price!I had wanted to wait until after taking my BRC in three weeks to buy a bike, but this seemed to be a great deal. It seemed $600-900 under average craigslist pricing in my area, and $300+ under KBB. That doesn’t even include the helmet and the bikecover he threw in. I had a few questions i am hoping you can answer for me.
1) Did i actually get a good deal, or am i kidding myself.
2) The helmet is 5-6 yrs old, but it is my size, and fits me quite snug, nearly as snug as the new helmets i was looking at. Is it too old for me to use or is it ok.
3) I was plannin on tightening the chain and chainging the oil and filter. Any other maintanence items you guys would suggest before taking it on the road. (well actually, i drove it around my neighorhood and a back road or two for about 1/2 hour sofar)
Thanks in advance for your help.
June 22, 2010 at 12:52 pm #27127WeaponZeroParticipant1. You got a great deal.
2. Technically helmets are supposed to be replaced once they become 5 years old because the EPS (the impact absorbing material that is in between the shell and the liner) breaks down over time. Most people I know pretty much ignore that rule, however…
3. Aside from that just give it the old TCLOCS check and you should be good to go.
June 22, 2010 at 2:09 pm #27128JackTradeParticipantIs it used, or an old helmet that was never worn? If it’s used, I’d say don’t use it.
Helmets mold to the wearer’s head in time…so a used helmet fits the previous wearer’s head, not (necessarily) yours. While it probably doesn’t make a huge difference, it might, and helmets aren’t a place to take chances.
June 22, 2010 at 2:43 pm #27129eonParticipantWell, he says it fits better than new ones he has tried on. Still, don’t know how many that has been and if they were different shapes to begin with.
Nktilva, in case you don’t know yet there many different head shapes ranging from long to oval and different helmet manufacturers make the helmet shells in different basic shapes. That’s why it’s important to try on different brands to see which one really fits you. There was a definite ahah moment when I tried on my Arai Profile (note that Arai make helmets in different shell shapes).I think I saw somewhere that it is the sweat from our heads that eventually breaks down the EPS layer. If the helmet has been sitting on a shelf for 6 years then it might be as good as brand new. Not an expert on these things to this advice is worth what you paid for it.
June 22, 2010 at 7:04 pm #27099TrialsRiderParticipantadd: Inspect, clean or replace the air filter element and replace the front fork oil, because I bet it has never been done.
Good Deal.June 22, 2010 at 7:35 pm #27100nktilvaParticipantThanks for your input guys. The helmet fits quite snug. IT isn’t new, used by the seller for 6 yrs 3000miles. But it does feel snug and fit, with no scratches or other visible issues. I have tried multiple helmets, and have found that most fit well, and that while medium feels like it is squeezin my head almost to a point of migrane, large is usually snug, but in some companies, a bit loose.
I was also wondering what kind of oil to use, and best place to buy filters for the bike. Also, pardon my newbieness, but wat is TCLOCS.
Thanks again
June 22, 2010 at 9:02 pm #27101Jeff in KentuckyParticipantThere is no one answer for oil- personally, I use mostly 5w-40 Rotella Synthetic, mixed with a quart of Amsoil 10w-40 synthetic. I also think the Maxima brand motorcycle oils are very good. For a very old motorcycle, the 15w-40 Rotella diesel oil may cause fewer wet clutch problems, and is a high quality regular (cheap) oil.
I use a Walmart Supertech oil filter made for a car, and it fits perfectly. Some say only use the motorcycle brand of oil filter, others say the Hiflofiltro brand is the same as the dealer oil filter for a lot less cash. Generally, most hate Fram oil filters- the quality company that used to make them was bought out by a low quality company, cashing in on the previously good name.
TCLOCS stands for Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, Chassis and Side stand, what to check before you take off.
June 22, 2010 at 10:30 pm #27097TrialsRiderParticipantShell’s best and military spec, suitable for mixed Diesel and Gas fleets. T stands for Tungsten additive and results in improved heat dissipation. Never hurt anything I’ve owned, although I have no experience blending it with other oils, that sounds too much like a chemistry experiment for my liking.
June 22, 2010 at 10:38 pm #27098nktilvaParticipantThanks for the help Jeff. I will have to look into the supertech oil filters. TCLOCS is a good acronym to remember everytime you get on the bike.
I am taking the MSF course here in MD in two weeks, but couldn’t wait until then to get on the bike. I took it oround my neighborhood a few times over the last few days and seemed to be ok. I did have one issue. Whenever i shift into one of the middle gears, ie 3rd or so, the bike starts to sputter if i drop speed, or if i’m not going fast enough. Is this because i am trying to upshift at too low a speed/rpm? What is the optimum rpm to keep a bike at for daily/commuter/relaxed riding, not track riding.
Also, as for gear, i was thinking of getting the Joe Rocket Airborne textile jacket and cortech by tourmaster gloves. Any suggestions? I live in maryland where is gets quite hot and humid in the summer, and i do tend to sweat. I was thinking about complete mesh jackets, but read they don’t give great protection, and the airborne jacket is supposed to have good ventilation.
Thanks again for answering so many noob questions. this site/forum has really helped me with my bike purchasing decisicions.
June 22, 2010 at 10:57 pm #27095ShamRock229ParticipantSounds to me like your bike is on the verge of stalling because youre not matching your engine speed with your road speed. If you’re in a higher gear and slow down or drop in rpms, you need to downshift to keep your engine from stalling out. I usually shift at around 6k and will keep anywhere from 4-6k when commuting. It also kind of depends on what bike you have because sometimes 4k is too buzzy for me. At any rate, you dont want your rpms to be too low or too high. Make sure that you also engage the clutch when coming to a stop or doing any significant braking, otherwise the bike will stall, which will lead to a dropped bike if you arent careful. You will get a good grasp of all this when you take your class. Personally, I wouldnt do too much riding until you actually take the class. You dont want to learn any bad riding habits or mess up your new baby by commiting a simple error. I would use the 2 weeks to complete all of the maintainence that was discussed above, that way as soon as you get done with the class, the bike will be ready to go.
And as for the gear, I have a JR mesh jacket that works well for me. Of course JR is a rather cheap brand, but I’m only using it for the summer months down here in GA because it is also hot and humid. You can find a partial mesh jacket that has reenforced material in the shoulders, elbows etc. Although a well ventilated textile is also a good option, especially for a beginner. As for gloves, make sure you try them on before you buy them. Theyre almost the trickiest things to find a proper fit for, next to a helmet. You dont want them too tight, but you dont want them too loose either.
Anyways, good luck with your class, and dont forget to have fun!
June 22, 2010 at 11:01 pm #27131ShamRock229ParticipantThese are good mesh jackets. Just to give you some options/what to look for.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/39/10937/CITEM/Scorpion-Cool-Rod-Mesh-Jacket-Closeouts.aspx
June 23, 2010 at 1:12 am #27136gitchy42ParticipantThe bike is likely sputtering because of how the throttle position sensor is set. If you go below 3000-3500 in any gear the bike will feel jerky. In lower gears it is more abrupt, in higher gears it sounds/feels like the bike sputters. Unless you are going over about 60mph you should stay out of 6th gear. Also, it has pretty strong engine breaking.
Ideally, on an SV try to keep the RPM when cruising at or above 4k. I usually shift between 6-7k when taking it easy, usually closer to 6k.
Glad to have another SV rider in the group If you are interested in more SV specific information, check out: http://forum.svrider.com/
June 23, 2010 at 2:23 am #27139Jeff in KentuckyParticipantThis guy likes Shell Rotella T 5w-40 Synthetic oil the best for the price, and a mechanic I know likes Amsoil the best:
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