what should I look for when buying a used bike?

My price limit is only $3000. I see a lot of older bikes for sale, likeYamaha and Honda from the 1980s. The bikes say they have lowmiles and run perfect, but not being familiar with bike maintenancenor having a garage to work in, I shy away from the older bikes.For example, there is a 1983 Yamaha Venture Royale 1200cc with new carbs that says it runs great and only has 17K on it. He wants $2800 for it. What do you think of that? There is also a 2003 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600cc for $3200. It has 37K on it. Is 37K a lot for a motorcycle? I am good at buying used cars, but clueless about buying a bike. I am looking for a bike to commute to work, and explore the city streets. I always choose Best Answer. Thanks for your time.