Depends what you are looking for. I hadn't worked on bikes at all until I got my Savage, and I've really enjoyed getting my hands dirty and have done all the work, including stripping/cleaning the carb, changing the belt, brakes, general servicing. I've saved well over $1000 with $50 worth of tools. All the knowledge I have now has been gained from this site  

I like the feeling of understanding how my bike works (mostly!) and there is something about riding a bike that you have maintained that makes it an even better experience.

Whether you buy new or get a secondhand bike you still have to decide whether you are going to work on it or not. Personally I'd always go for a well maintained used bike.

I went with a new one, cuz I didnt know hoot about a bike. Once I ( found this place &learned how to mess with it , I wished I had bought used. Id say, get one thats not old enough for a cam chain & ride it.

I'd buy used...if you can keep from jumping at the first thing that comes along you can save a lot of money by waiting for a gently used one...

I was ready to buy new based on the old theory that you know what you're going to get. Then I started thinking about dropping it. Like my truck, the first two years were all about being anal over every knick, scratch and parking lot a-hole inflicted dent. I immeidately turned from new to used and set a fairly low budget (the money I would have put down on a financed bike).  I had a list of bikes with low seat heights based on my own personal comfort, knowledge that I should learn on something that I could straddle and reach the ground on, and of course something that looked cool.  

It came to me in fairly great condition. It was supposedly dropped once when the lady got off of it and forgot to put her kick down. It rode well, it needed an oil change but then I found out the hard way that it also needed a battery.

Although I had someone handle the first oil change and by default the battery replacement, I intend to be pretty hands on with the bike. I'm learning, I've only changed oil, brakes, and tires on my own cars in my lifetime but I am confident that I'll be able to manage some basic things.

My vote is used. Save your money if you were paying cash and buy some gear and set the rest aside for other goodies or whatever. Also, back to dropping it ... you may have felt super great during your MSF course but wait until you're on the open road with traffic and idiots who seem to think they're on the road alone.

you should try www.statewidelist.com to do a statewide craigslist search. Also lists ebay ads for the same search. Pretty nice.

Thanks for all the replies!

I jus got my buddies xs650 on the dallas tollway...that thing THUMPS at 70 haha

I know im gonna drop my bike once twice maybe ten times...its not gonna bother me.

As for hurting my pride if i buy new and scratch it well I guess im weird but ill be putting stickers and making it look prolly ugly anyways...when i was 16 my mom got me a pretty nice silver used car and the next day she found out i took a bunch of flat black spray paint cans to it which ill prolly do the same to a new or used bike i get.

I've been saving up alot so i have the money to buy new. I think it would be a comfort thing to know oh hey its new there should'nt be anything to worry about.

BUT there are a couple used ones with under 5xxx miles in the area. I should probably look around this site to see what i should look for buying used.

Thanks again!!

Been to the ocean view restaurant lately?