LewieBike
Well-Known Member
A Chinese bike, dont remember brand but it was purchased at a motorcycle dealership and looked a more like an Enduro than that picture. It was fully street legal with lights/mirrors/etc and was 125cc if I remember correctly. I rode it home for him from ~20 minutes away when he was stopped without a license and they wouldn't let him bring it home so I got to experience it first hand. The motor was actually not that bad - just a bit low on power - but everything else was terrible. The brakes sucked, the suspension sucked, shifter was notchy, etc.
The bike had around 500 miles on it at the time and had just got its first service so it wasn't beat to hell. I would happily spend an extra $500-$1000 on a used name brand bike and get something that can last for many years with better parts availability. Even a very basic entry level one like an early 2000s Ninja 250 is superior in every way and since they make the much better looking 300s and 400s now the older 250s have gotten dirt cheap...you can get one in good shape for under $2k now which is a killer deal for a super reliable and fun starter bike with a MASSIVE aftermarket and dirt cheap parts.
Honestly you're not going to find a 'decent used' $500 to $1000 brand name bike. You'll most likely find bikes that have been 'customized' or similarly abused by hipsters or tweakers. Half decent are starting in the 2000 and up range and you're not going to find any BMW, Husky or other high end European, modern DS, not unless there's a s**t ton of repair needed or it's a basketcase. Cheap Suzuki DR250's were going for more than $1700 back in 2006.