What is a good motorcycle to learn how to restore a bike as a project?

FIREMAN: What is a good motorcycle to learn how to restore a bike as a project?
I want to restore an older motorcycle as a project. What is a good first bike to do so on? I know basic mechanics to work on a bike and clean it up and fix/replace parts. I currently ride a Harley so a cruiser is a must but any size bike or model is ok. This is the first time I am doing this so nothing expensive or super complex. I want to learn so I can continue this as a hobby. Thanks.

Answers and Views:

Answer by don r
Old Honda CB’s are easy to work on. You might find a few in the salvage- the 200- 350 engines aren’t too big a challenge for a novice mechanic. The 450’s are kind of heavy. I’m talking about the twins, not the four cylinder engines.

Answer by Brian M
The best bike will be one that has a very large following online so you have access to input from others, parts and possibly a local hand on occasion. As mentioned the Honda CB line fits that, as does the Suzuki GS, Kawasaki KZ and all HD’s. The HD’s are going to be vastly more expensive to buy into (2~3x times more), and most (in my professional experience) are going to be worked on by ham-fisted apes so you’re going to be left fixing a LOT more things.

The most simple will be a single cylinder, 2-stroke. No head/valve train to fret about, just learning about honing/resleaving a cylinder and matching the piston. Next is a toss-up between a multi-cylinder 2-stroke and a single cylinder 4-stroke. They get more complicated from there (as well as more expensive)

I wouldn’t worry too much about trying to buy what you ride/like for the First project. You’re going to be learning on it, and much like your first motorcycle you rode, you’re going to make mistakes that cause damage. Just find something cheap, that has a good following (for tracking down parts) and a service manual available. Once you go through the process on one, then you can think more about buying something that’s more your “style”. I started with a Yamaha XT250 (early 80’s vintage dirt bike) when I was all about riding sportbikes and going to the race track. Funny that it taught me more about riding fast and smooth than any sportbike ever did once I got it up and running. 🙂 Now (14 years later) I prefer anything with 2 wheels and uncommon.