Greetings all -- To preface, I have never owned, or even rode, a motorcycle. I've wanted one for a while to commute, but just haven't pulled the trigger. Well, I finally have some money together and I'm ready to take the plunge. I have settled on the TW200 for several reasons, but mostly because it looks cool, gets 70 mpg, and will cater to me fiddling around on dirt roads. My commute is an easy one; 12 miles through a small town and around some winding hills. The speed limit doesn't get over 45 the whole way.
Now for the purpose of my post. I don't know what to get!
Option one is simply to get a new one. Cost at the local dealership for a 2013 is $3,999. I like the idea of new for obvious reasons, but I hate the idea because I hate to buy a new motorcycle without ever having rode one. Also, I'm not crazy about footing the upfront cost.
Option two is to move on a used one that I have a bead on. It's a 2001 (I think I read that this is the first year with the current front brake and carburetor?) that has 900 or so miles. I like the low mileage of this one but am skeptical for a couple reasons. First, is it possible to mess with the odometer so it undersells the miles? Second, if the mileage is true, this bike hasn't been rode much at all lately. Will components on this bike deteriorate much without use?
Option three is to hold out and see what comes along. I'm not crazy about this option because I want one NOW!
I apologize for the silly questions, but I really don't have a clue what I'm looking for. In a perfect world, I'd find a TW200 from 2005 or so with 1,000-2,000 miles for $2,500. Is this a pipe dream? Asking prices seem to be all over the board.
Any help, insight, or advice would be appreciated. Thanks a ton! Looks like a great forum.