One of the MSF instructors I had has a fleet of motorcycles and she told me, quote: "I've never spent more than $1,800 on a motorcycle."
Her go to bikes are classic BMWs and newer BMW cruisers. No idea how she scores those deals, but I've attempted to follow her lead. My first bike was a $1,000 Buell Blast (17,000 miles) with some tasteful modifications and improvements to the admittedly poor quality build. My second bike is a $600 Honda Rebel 250 (12,000 miles). It needs some cosmetic work (tank replaced) and tyres are at the end of their lives, but so far it's been a rock solid bike. If you know what to look for, you can get an awesome starter bike with the budget you have.
Her go to bikes are classic BMWs and newer BMW cruisers. No idea how she scores those deals, but I've attempted to follow her lead. My first bike was a $1,000 Buell Blast (17,000 miles) with some tasteful modifications and improvements to the admittedly poor quality build. My second bike is a $600 Honda Rebel 250 (12,000 miles). It needs some cosmetic work (tank replaced) and tyres are at the end of their lives, but so far it's been a rock solid bike. If you know what to look for, you can get an awesome starter bike with the budget you have.