First bike? 1996, 90k miles, $1200 with gas

[E-Rock]

Hi folks! I’m new here, looking to buy my first motorcycle. I checked out the new owner posts and saw some great info on what to check on a used bike.
I’m going to a shop tomorrow that has a very well used (90k miles) voyager 12 for $1200.
Is this as much of a no brainer great deal as i’m thinking? The bike runs and everything that i was able to check (lights, stereo) works. Even if it takes something like a full rebuild, that would only set me back another few K and still cheaper than most other used bikes.

My dad’s a more seasoned motorcyclist and he says 30 years and 90k miles is too old, dry rot will have taken all the gaskets and seals hidden around this bike and i’ll be taking it to the shop every week to fix something.

Thoughts? This bike looks incredible. I only need it to take me to the beach and back (20 minutes, 35mph) and maybe pick up girls.

[Nails]

A 750lb bike is not your best first bike.

No, it isn't a super great deal, just typical for these bikes. $1200 is basically in the disposable bike range. The best thing about these bikes is that they offer a lot of value for not much coin. Lots of these bikes go well longer than 90K.

My first question would be "what's wrong with it?" If anything serious pops up right away, you have some grounds to make a fuss with the dealer. Otherwise, if it starts and goes, then ride it home. Maybe you'll end up beating it with big sticks and rocks and pushing it into the ocean. Or maybe it'll run fine until you kill yourself on it. No way to know.

Cull silly thoughts about full rebuilds -- not worth it. Save that few K and buy another bike. Maybe another one of these. Or maybe a more appropriate bike, even right now, like pretty-much any mid-size street bike.

I have a friend in the northeast, and I occasionally check prices. You live in a target-rich buyer's market. No need to rush.

[cushman eagle]

I would not be afraid of it.
My 99 has 118000 on it and still runs like new.
I have owned it since 2009,and 96000 miles.I do service it regularly.
I did have ignition harness failure shortly after I bought it.
Since I bought it I replaced the fuel pump,water pump,and alternator as preventive srvice.

[GrandpaDenny]

A Voyager XII is definitely too big for a first bike. I'm a big strong dude and my Gertrude was too much for me at first, to be honest, and she was not my first bike. Something in the 500-800cc range is better for a first bike. Smaller, if you're a smaller person. The idea is to be able to enjoy the ride, not be cussin' and fussin' 'cause you keep dropping it, or you can't pick it up, etc. Get something smaller, and after a year or so, if you don't like it anymore, get something bigger and nicer.

[scottolds]

For a 1996 with 90K, that is about 4700 miles per year average. One thing with Voyagers, but pretty much applies to any motorcycle is as long as you are doing the regular maintenance, it is better to be ridden than sitting. My first Voyager was a very high mileage 1994 which had rolled the odometer over at least once and with the problem that eventually had me putting in a replacement engine, it could have been rolled over twice.

Even with all those miles, it was showing a few minor leaks, but nothing a few coolant o-rings didn't fix.

These Voyagers are quite reliable overall and easy to maintain being liquid cooled and hydraulic lifters so you don't need to keep up with valve adjustments.

My Voyager was my 3rd motorcycle. Started with a 1987 VF700C Super Magna which was on the edge of too much motorcycle for a beginner, but I rode it cautiously while I gained experience. I then picked up a 2009 KLR650 which was and is still a great motorcycle to get around on. Cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, and cheap to operate. Put 72,000 miles on it in the first 7 years of having it and ended up replacing the bottom end of the engine after a balancer chain bearing failed. Got the Voyager as my 3rd motorcycle because the KLR had recently broken and I wanted to ride from FL to Las Vegas for a work convention and then take some vacation days to explore out west.

The Voyager took a little getting used to over the KLR from its size and all. But the first time engaging the cruise control on the highway I was hooked and wouldn't take any motorcycle on a long trip without cruise control. Given your trips are shorter, a smaller starter bike is not bad advice. However, as cheap as this one is if it runs as good as it looks, just get two motorcycles. I don't think there is a limit to how many motorcycles is too many.

If you feel like reading about my experience picking up my Voyager and taking it to Las Vegas, here is a link to that topic: https://www.amervoyassoc.org/forum/view ... hp?t=10051

Another short write up on another trip: https://www.amervoyassoc.org/forum/view ... hp?t=11229

And a short post about getting the seat modified and the Voyager finally dying on a road trip. https://www.amervoyassoc.org/forum/view ... hp?t=11382

Anyway, whatever you end up getting as a first motorcycle good luck and be safe. For me the enjoyment of taking the motorcycle on a trip vs flying or the car is the added dynamic of the vulernability mixed with the enjoyment of the open air. If you look through those reports and pretty much any ride report, even if there are issues encountered the trips are always memorable.

[E-Rock]

Thanks for the info and reality check, folks. I decided against the bike for now in favor of a suzuki intruder.i apppreciate all your responses.

[Nails]

Okay, this is a total hijack.

If you feel like reading about my experience picking up my Voyager and taking it to Las Vegas, here is a link to that topic: https://www.amervoyassoc.org/forum/view ... hp?t=10051

I just looked at this ride report (will look at the other two later). Your trip was just before I joined AVA, and I hadn't seen it before. I'm surprised by all your commenters who I don't recognize. Several were last active in 2018 -- seems like AVA lost a lot of folks about then. Can't blame it on Denny -- he joined in 2019. I wonder what was the problem.