I'm here for you buddy. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

I know. This place rocks. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

That's a beautiful bike. There aren't too many unmolested TL's around anymore. If you are uncomfortable with the unknown, I'd skip going to a dealer and take it to an independent shop instead. Someone in the know can find obvious signs of crash damage or abuse. Considering it's all stock, I'd guess it's had a decent life.

The ones that scare me have weird and/or cheap mods done. IE going 5 up on the rear sprocket and then having the guy tell you "I never wheelied it, it's been babied" and the oil looks like tar. Right.

If you set your emotions aside and check the bike over yourself, I think you will do fine.

The VStrom is NOTHING compared to your new ride.

Good luck getting to class. The mighty Suzuki will try to talk you out of school and guide you towards a twisty road every time.

Real easy in Monterey, Head North on PCH to Big Sur, 137 miles of white knuckle hairpins and 600ft cliffs into the Pacific. No guard rail either <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Chain, sprockets and rear tire. I proabbly wouldn't ride on that chain very long at all. Breaking a chain on the road seriously sucks. Ask me how I know.

As long as the clutch feels good, you're probably all right there.

Change the oil and filter and cut the filter open.

Jason: great call on the emotional side of the whole thing. The price is right, even if I do have to take care of a couple of things. From the looks of the bike, I don't think too much could be wrong unless the PO just dogged the hell out of it. After talking to the guy, I don't believe that to be the case. He rode back and forth between NV and CA on it a few times in the couple of years he's owned it. He said the original owner babied th hell out of it. Unfortunately, I'm 10,000 miles away and can't get there to look at the bike. I may have to take a chance on this one. Thanks for the reply.

Clay: great call on your part as well. I will definitely change out the sprockets and chain. I did some reading on a TL board I found after your reply and learned what a broken chain can do the bike when the R's are up. WRT the clutch, it's only got 3k miles on it. Of course, the first thing I do when I get home is change all the fluids out. Thanks for the reply.

So far, I'm looking to refresh brakes, change fluids and change sprockets/chain. Emotions are not helping me be rational, so I'll try to be a little more level headed, but DAYUM I love this bike. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

If anyone has anything else, please keep it coming!<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Everything those guys said goes... The big thing is before you buy is make sure the bike rides and shifts good. if people are hard on the clutch sometimes the gears can get hurt. I don't know of any hx of this with this specific bike. Just make sure the gears shift easy and don't jump out under hard exceleration.. Looks sweet!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I've broken 2, both on the same bike. Make sure you get a quality chain. Don't go cheap. Cheap chains are anything but.

I won't buy anything but high quality x-ring chains now. And steel sprockets. Don't be tempted by aluminum sprockets because they're "race" quality. They don't last well at all.

Brakes: buy only the best quality pads. Not the time to go cheap. Remember, there is no power brakes on (nearly all) bikes. I strongly recommend sintered pads. The price of the pads is generally higher, and it wears out your rotors much faster than organic pads. In exchange you get superior stopping power. Less grip and pedal effort is a really good thing when things get ugly.

Don't buy the cheap Fram motorcycle filters. I'm sure you already know this. Compare the quality of the Fram filter to a K&N (oil filter) and you'll know immediately what I'm talking about. Steer clear of automobile engine oil. There's stuff in moto oil that helps the clutches operate more smoothly. I've tested this theory extensively, but seem to forget every now and then. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Change your fork oil every 3 years at least. Fork seals are $15 and well worth it if they start leaking (they will if they don't already).

Be careful with LED indicator and stop lamps. Most are not very bright.

Buy a headlight modulator. They have brake light flashers too. Anything to draw more attention to yourself.

Loud pipes do not save lives. They piss people off and make it hard on other bikers. Plus they ruin your hearing.

Take a safety course. Lane Community College in Eugene had a really good one when I lived there. If you've taken the basic course already, take the advanced course. It's a great refresher and you get to use your own bike.

Try on helmets until you find one that fits you right. I tried several brands before I found an XL that I could actually put on. Make sure of the fit for the brand and the model. I tried one model that fit great, but the next model hurt my (huge) forehead. If you think the helmet that fits best is too expensive where you tried it on, buy it on Ebay. That's what I did, and I got a better selection of paint jobs than at the local motorcycle retail chain. Make sure your helmet is DOT as well as Snell approved. Make sure you get a full face helmet. 43% of first hits happen in the chin guard area of the helmet. If your helmet doesn't have a chin guard, guess what takes it's place.

ATGATT. Because having a nurse scrub the gravel out of your skin with a stiff bristled nylon brush really sucks. Don't ask how I know.

Don't buy cheap gloves. Every biker I've seen down with cheap or no gloves won't be blogging anytime in the near future.

Graphic/sobering web site.

Roadrash defense

I'll have more later. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks to all for the input. In 2001 when I bouht my first bike, money was very tight and I had to do a lot on the cheap. Now, times are a little different and I don't spare expense when it comes to safety. This is A LOT more bike than that Honda Magna V30 I started out on and I appreciate the safety tips.

WRT the safety course, I was offered an instructor job at LBCC in Albany, OR following my attendance there. They liked what I could do with their bikes and my attention to detail. I WILL take an intermediate and advanced course on this bike when I get back to the states.

Thanks again, and keep it coming. Maybe this will serve as a good point of reference for others who decide to take the plunge and get out on two wheels!