Originally Posted by
Syscrush
or an old motorcycle.

Bicycles are far simpler machines to wrench on and maintain. However, you may need to make a small investment in the necessary tools (but these pay for themselves if you use them in the future to maintain the bikes, rather than pay an LBS). Also, if you do search for mid- to late 80's bikes, you'll be more likely to find greater standardization in sizing and threading.