afici0nad0

sweet thread.

i too have been considering a used 250cc.

last week, i wrote and passed my written M1 test (graduated licensing here in toronto - M1, M2, M).

i've registered and paid, in full, for the MSC (motorcycle safety course), which begins next month. this course will include the in-class and on-road basics, plus the test to graduate to M2 (all within one weekend).

very excited, as i've been putting this off for close to 10 years now...

zeroday

^^ dual spots are a lot of fun. I used to have a Honda xr250L which was a slow but fun bike. I bought miniature blinkers for it, swapped the stock(legal) metal tank for a plastic baja tank, brush busters etc etc...I miss that bike.

zeroday

dual sports are a lot of fun. I used to have a Honda xr250L which was a slow but fun bike. I bought miniature blinkers for it, swapped the stock(legal) metal tank for a plastic baja tank, brush busters etc etc...I miss that bike. My buddy's DR350S was faster but not as well balanced.

zeroday

One thing about dual sports though; high speeds are scary. 85+ MPH on a highway gets pretty unstable. These just aren't aerodynamic bikes.

drdamian

oh. did you keep the stock knobby tires on.. my friend put the street tires on it.. i didn't get to take it on the highway. i wonder if that might make it a little better. my buddy just hit me up and told me that he bought a rebel 250cc last night around 2100$. i havnt seen it yet but he said its like a smaller harley.

spdy0001

"little" harley is right. Those bikes are super tiny, but are good for a starter. Im only 5'7 and it felt like my knees hit my elbows when sitting on one

zeroday

but the issue seemed more with steering column being very light and undampered. the front fender would catch the wind and flop back and forth shaking the whole steering column. scary, but not to the point of tank slapping or anything.

Danil ACE

I know this one person who recently bought a 2004 Honda CBR1000RR with like 1500 miles on it as his first bike. He's like 6' 8" so he needs a bigger bike.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

^ So basically he's a tall retard....

Danil ACE

Well I think he got it for financial reasons because near where he is, 600s are selling for ~$6500 and his 1000 was just $500 more.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

^ He's still a tard for getting a CBR1000 as his first bike... whatever the excuse.

zeroday

the reality is, safety on these things with regard to power boils down to self control. if you can resist twisting back the throttle too far on a 1000cc bike when you start riding, the bike will be just as safe as a slower bike. The problem is it's way too easy to go too fast and most people wont take it easy on these bikes. All it takes is one overzealous flick of the wrist and the tail comes out.

Costco

Moog-Type-S

Classic

spdy0001

Read This
http://www.sportbikes.com/articles.aspx?id=426

Ask any rider with some major experience and they will tell you its not about "self control" its about "experience"

I love this part of the article

"Shit happens, and more shit happens when you're learning, and shit happens a lot faster on a high performance bike." So true, so true. A smaller bike is just more forgiving. A more powerful bike will put you in places you don't want to be faster than you can blink an eye.

Sarlacc

From what I've gathered...that is a part of it...but bikes like the 1000cc motors also have way more torque, which makes smooth starts more challenging to newbies, specially when try and gas it and suddenly wonder why they are popping a wheelie.

zeroday

I don't have to ask anyone. FYI, I've been riding motorcycles since I was 6 yrs old. I only stopped riding about 6 yrs ago. Experience teaches you self control and how to react to emergency situations. It is most definitely possible to learn on a high powered bike. I know several people that have done so successfully. They key for them was self control. I never said this was the ideal way to do it, obviously a lower powered bike will be easier to control since throttle inputs aren't as sensitive. Also most people don't have the self control to never wind out the bike to 'see what it can do'. I was simply pointing out that once you get past the smooth starts etc if you're careful with the throttle a high powered bike can be just as tame a s a lower powered bike. Dont get your panties in a bunch.

zeroday

Agreed. I had a buddy loop out on my xr80r though because he gunned it and popped the clutch so it doesn't always have to be a 600cc+ motor to f yourself up. Self control is a big factor in motorcycle riding. Anyone who doesn't think so hasn't been riding long enough.

wackjum

There are a lot of "oh shit" moments on a motorcycle. Situations when I do drive myself in a car (sleepy, puking sick, etc) I would never even dream of getting on a bike because it is a mental and physical workout.

I think very few new riders intend to get themselves in trouble. A small percentage do underestimate the motorcycle or overestimate their skills, but those people are just plain stupid.

Instead, I think the majority get into trouble when they get into situations and lack the experience to get out of it.

Case in point, I almost dumped my bike today. Firstly, I entered into a turn (going left under a freeway) a little fast. Turns out, a load of spilled gravel was under that freeway that I couldn't see because of the darkness.

A motorcycle leans when it turns, and sharper or faster turns require more lean. I hit that gravel bit when I was pretty far over and I could feel my rear tire squirm as it was losing a little traction. I decided I would power through because if I braked, I probably would have low-sided. Even on my 600, power delivery is strong and there's no way I could modulate the throttle carefully enough (especially not in a lean) so I used mostly clutch.

This is everyday riding. All sorts of BS happens, like making a right turn in a neighborhood and coming head on into a car that was way over trying to avoid a parked car.

Nobody means to twist the throttle like an idiot, but its that time you get into trouble when the extra power of a 1,000 would kill a newbie.

zeroday

well in the case you mentioned, riding in a higher gear would eliminate the throttle twitchiness. but this involves...wait for it...self control.

zeroday

obviously a lower powered bike is easier to start out on cold. you guys missed my point entirely.

wackjum

Well now you've gone about and implied that I have no self-control.

I don't ride around in 6th gear at 30 mph. One of the only survival traits a motorcycle has on the streets is maneuverability and that includes riding in a gear where I can quickly drop into the powerband.

I also didn't know I was supposed to upshift when I went into turns.


My counterpoint to your point is it is not just about self-control. There are unexpected occurrences that have nothing to do with self control and everything to do with experience.

zeroday

Agreed. And how would a new rider have experience? Self control is the means, experience is the end result.

holeshot_04

they are super slow. don't ride with anyone with a 600 or 1000 unless they don't mind waiting for you. they are good to learn on and are very light.

zeroday

So in a low powered motorcycle, where is this power that is so necessary for survival? And lugging the engine at 30mph in 6th gear is just stupid and obviously not what I meant.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Bottom line is that even the smallest mistake is going to be magnified 4-fold on a 1000cc bike over a 250cc bike. Smaller bikes like a 250cc give you a margin of error you just don't have on a bigger bike.

Yes, it does come down to self control, but I know that while learning, i've made mistakes that were no big deal on a 250cc, but would have seriously hurt me on a larger bike. Case in point... one of my first times out I had to swerve to avoid someone on the side of the road whom I could not see right away b/c of a hill. They startled me and when I swerved, I accidentially twisted the throttle a decent amount. On my bike, no big deal and I learned from that. On a 1000cc that would have been some serious trouble...

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

My best friend has a 1000cc and that is the only person I've ridden with so far and we've never had a problem. I mean sure, if you're with someone doing 120mph on the interstate they'll have to wait since the Ninja 250 maxes out at lik 80mph... but on back roads where you're staying between 50 and 70 or so...there's no waiting. 55mph on a 250cc is the same speed as 55mph on a 1000cc...

yunginTL

fuckin excited!!!
after looking for about 3 weeks and debating between a used 600cc and a new 250r
i'm gonna be finally pickin up an 08 blue ninja 250r tommorrow. cant even sleep hahahaha

Stapler

Does anybody have a opinion about an old 600 - 700 cc bike for a starter bike? Like a triumph bonnaville or a bmw r60 from the 60's or 70's.

Soccer_playa1579

i will be picking up my ninja 250 here in the next couple of months for around 3 grand or less =). cant wait!!! i myself drive alot with my tl and just can't seem to justify paying the high gas prices.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Nice! Be sure to take the MSF course before you hit the roads



If you're gonna get a bike, get it for fun, not b/c of gas. How long would you have to keep your bike and ride it regularly in order to break even after spending $3k on a bike? I'm not in the mood to figure it out... but I'm sure it's quite a while and not worth it.

Now, if you're just getting it to have an extra mode of transportation and something to enjoy... then it's different.

yunginTL

nnot the best reason to buy it will take a long time to make up the savings from gas on a bike, plus u gotta worry about buying gear and insurance as well as watching out for your bike, especially in cities like houston where bikes are getting jacked left and right

Moog-Type-S

T120 Bonneville

Note that any model prior to 1975 has the gearchange on the right side and not the left side of the bike..IIRC.

Triumphs are cool bikes...classics. As a starter bike, I dunno if you want to start here....unless you have one that someone is gonna give you.

I'd start with someting "newer" and then if you like Triumphs, find one and restore it as a 2nd bike

94LegendMilano

I've been on a waiting list to buy a 250 all summer.

I really like the new styling, it really is a whole different animal than the 2007 250.

Everyone I've talked to loves them except for thier performance at speeds above 80 mph...

CLpower

ordered all my gear

AS3.0CL

i know someone who has had a deposit on a New ninja 250 for say 3 months....lets just say it's not coming in and she is pissed.....there is no 250 ninjas around period.

but i had y first class today, on the bikes next week, and just went to go look at bike....may pick it up need to order gear on monday.

Clpower, whats did you pick up?

yunginTL

finally picked one up with 370 miles on it, fuckin lovin itt!!!

TS_eXpeed

Beautiful bike but wouldn't ever ride a motorcycle on public streets. I have to high of ambitions and goals to risk it.

CLpower

I have very high ambitions and goals............and having a f'ing blast while completing them is one.....

TS_eXpeed

Lol...I'm not saying someone with high goals can't ride a motorcycle...I'm just saying that there are far greater chances that if someone rides a motorcylce...their goals could abruptly end in a flash.

Not saying it can't happen in a car either....but a motorcycle???