Advice on a good bike for Learner license?

[AlexW]

Hey,

I have yet to go sit my test for learners, Knowledge of what a good bike is, is very limited. So any advice on what bike i can ride on learners would be helpful. Was thinking of a Suzuki GSX250 around the 2004 year, as ive been told its a fun bike to ride. How reliable is it. When i was young i did ride a bike in South Africa when i use to live on a farm. What type of bike it was i have no clue. So i do have some experience in riding a bike. but that was many years ago.

Anyone selling a bike for around $2,500 - $3,000 in Auckland?

Thanks in advance,

Alex

[mossy1200]

Hi Alex

Your should change your thread so that its not another which new bike thread.
You can spend time reading all the previous new bike threads(there is a fair few).

Then you could tell a funny true life story or even a made up slightly based on fact that's going to make you stand out as a cool guy or a crazy guy or whatever. Do this quick before you get abused.

At the end ask whose got a good lams bike for sale for under 3k while you modify a Busa into a Booster turbo charged 350hp animal for when you get your full licence.

Edit it quick

Hey, Thanks in advance, Alex

YOUR WELCOME

[Tazz]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...post1130737988

Can get it to Hamiltron for free, Auckland central for a bus ticket back to Hamilton XD

But yeah, have a search man! Heapppps of options. Looking and deciding is half the fun I reckon.

[GrayWolf]

Hi Alex, and welcome to the amazing world of Kiwibiker......

Firstly, do NOT rush into the first bike that 'takes your fancy'... often the emotional choice is the wrong one......
There are still those out here who will tell you to buy a 'sports 250' as the are the (shizz) (insert whatever is the latest word for being the 'dog's bollox').

99% of household 250's have been thrashed (raped), dropped, repaired, frequently not properly maintained, which with a 'high performance' high revving bike, is ESSENTIAL!!!! They have passed through XXX amount of hands, have dubious histories, never dropped by the current owner, etc, etc. Yes some have lasted 10+ yrs, even close to 20... So by that fact are proven reliable and unbreakable. They ARE coming to the end of serviceable life. Often these bikes have changed hands for 'big sums' considering the CC rating, just because they were all learners could ride. So they are still attempting to keep the 'high prices' going, when now you can legally ride up to a 650cc (LAM's approved models) so why on this green earth would you go and but a 'twofucked'dy', when you can but a 500cc twin, 650 single and ride a PROPER bike?

FJ Rider was right, prepare for abuse etc, and you will soon see those who are twats, and those who will genuinely help you. The mate, of the guy who is selling a bike, is not YOUR mate. He's doing his mate a favour, not you.... so approach with caution.

You do need to decide most of all what YOU want....
Can you afford higher maintenance costs? Ask at your local dealer for service prices, generally it is done by cylinder numbers, not by cubic capacity... so a 250cc 4cyl, will cost the same to service as a 1000cc 4cyl bike.
What type of riding do you really want/require? Mostly a commuter with maybe weekend 'faster rides'? Longer distances (300km's plus)?
How physically big for height, weight are you, does the bike feel cramped? Too big? All these factors need weighing up before you go looking...
Yes a CBR250 honda CAN do a longer distance, and is faster than say a ZZR 250 kawasaki.... One is a sports machine, one is more a sport tourer for ergonomics. Over a distance? the ZZR will likely be more comfortable... and by being slower the ZZR is only giving away 10-15kph.
Acceleration? Yeh ok again down the standing quarter or traffic light burn ups, the CBR is going to beat the ZZR, in real life, does this matter one jot?? Hardly.
I own 2 bikes that are worlds apart, both are larger capacity (1000cc+) and for top speed there is around a 75-80ph difference, down the 1/4 they are about 2 seconds different. I can overtake ANYTIME I want on either machine, so the performance difference riding on the road is negligible.
You now have as options many good bikes that are ridden by long term riders and capable of big distances
DR650 suzuki, BMW F650, to name two..... Google is your friend for finding road tests, owner groups, reliability of the model for any bike you like the look of.
Take a TRUSTED friend, family member who DOES know what they are doing when it comes to bikes, when you select a candidate...Not your mate who has been riding 6 months and is the best knee scraper, fastest rider, probably ='s 'biggest dumbarse'.

Enjoy all the 'excitement' of selecting, sitting on, etc and buying your first bike!!!

[Tazz]

I did the opposite of above and have no regrets

Buy what will bring you the most enjoyment/suits you the best. That might be a GN250 or a KTM 525EXC, only you'll know.

[Akzle]

a gsx250 is enough fun if you're starting out.

but you're a dick, because taking 30 seconds out of your life to type "which bike" in the box marked SEARCH would have saved the internets just that much more bandwidth, which i could use for porn.
considering this, i hope you get crabs.

[*Boot's*]

Buy something cheap, steer away from new and hyusung, just a warranted tidy cheap learners bike, they are all the same. you have to learn how to control them regardless and they all have differences only you will learn about once on the thing. Like a woman. They provide pleasure when ya legs are in the right place and your talking nicely through the throttle and gear changes…. do the wrong thing and they will ruin your life.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/im...milies/eek.gif

Its like a pair of shoes or a jacket. Find a size that suits you the rest is learning. once you have your L plates finished with buy something you have taken for a test run on and KNOW is a lot better than your learners bike. In saying that, you might end up too comfortable to move on into a bigger or different model.

Anything that allows headphones and your favorite music to drown out the memories of ya Ms or ya mum and her nagging, usually does the trick for me. My fault if I end up in a paddock then, not their fault :P

I avoid Hysung like the plague…. its like those great wall trucks, why would you support an empire that wants to ruin your nation.

[*Boot's*]

Hi Alex, and welcome to the amazing world of Kiwibiker......

Firstly, do NOT rush into the first bike that 'takes your fancy'... often the emotional choice is the wrong one......
There are still those out here who will tell you to buy a 'sports 250' as the are the (shizz) (insert whatever is the latest word for being the 'dog's bollox').

99% of household 250's have been thrashed (raped), dropped, repaired, frequently not properly maintained, which with a 'high performance' high revving bike, is ESSENTIAL!!!! They have passed through XXX amount of hands, have dubious histories, never dropped by the current owner, etc, etc. Yes some have lasted 10+ yrs, even close to 20... So by that fact are proven reliable and unbreakable. They ARE coming to the end of serviceable life. Often these bikes have changed hands for 'big sums' considering the CC rating, just because they were all learners could ride. So they are still attempting to keep the 'high prices' going, when now you can legally ride up to a 650cc (LAM's approved models) so why on this green earth would you go and but a 'twofucked'dy', when you can but a 500cc twin, 650 single and ride a PROPER bike?

FJ Rider was right, prepare for abuse etc, and you will soon see those who are twats, and those who will genuinely help you. The mate, of the guy who is selling a bike, is not YOUR mate. He's doing his mate a favour, not you.... so approach with caution.

You do need to decide most of all what YOU want....
Can you afford higher maintenance costs? Ask at your local dealer for service prices, generally it is done by cylinder numbers, not by cubic capacity... so a 250cc 4cyl, will cost the same to service as a 1000cc 4cyl bike.
What type of riding do you really want/require? Mostly a commuter with maybe weekend 'faster rides'? Longer distances (300km's plus)?
How physically big for height, weight are you, does the bike feel cramped? Too big? All these factors need weighing up before you go looking...
Yes a CBR250 honda CAN do a longer distance, and is faster than say a ZZR 250 kawasaki.... One is a sports machine, one is more a sport tourer for ergonomics. Over a distance? the ZZR will likely be more comfortable... and by being slower the ZZR is only giving away 10-15kph.
Acceleration? Yeh ok again down the standing quarter or traffic light burn ups, the CBR is going to beat the ZZR, in real life, does this matter one jot?? Hardly.
I own 2 bikes that are worlds apart, both are larger capacity (1000cc+) and for top speed there is around a 75-80ph difference, down the 1/4 they are about 2 seconds different. I can overtake ANYTIME I want on either machine, so the performance difference riding on the road is negligible.
You now have as options many good bikes that are ridden by long term riders and capable of big distances
DR650 suzuki, BMW F650, to name two..... Google is your friend for finding road tests, owner groups, reliability of the model for any bike you like the look of.
Take a TRUSTED friend, family member who DOES know what they are doing when it comes to bikes, when you select a candidate...Not your mate who has been riding 6 months and is the best knee scraper, fastest rider, probably ='s 'biggest dumbarse'.

Enjoy all the 'excitement' of selecting, sitting on, etc and buying your first bike!!!

I like my post better

[FJRider]

My fault if I end up in a paddock then, not their fault :P

And when you DO ... "End up in a paddock" ... I bet the first thing you'll say is .. it wasn't your fault ...

I avoid Hysung like the plague…. its like those great wall trucks, why would you support an empire that wants to ruin your nation.

The sales figures of Hyosung's are increasing ... many for sale have many/any of their "Issues" already sorted by previous owners. Bikes ridden and liked by their owners. How much experience have you had owning and/or riding these bikes .. ??

Many also had the same attitude to Japanese products (in my living memory) ...

[GrayWolf]

And when you DO ... "End up in a paddock" ... I bet the first thing you'll say is .. it wasn't your fault ...



The sales figures of Hyosung's are increasing ... many for sale have many/any of their "Issues" already sorted by previous owners.
Many also had the same attitude to Japanese products (in my living memory) ...

Yup and me, can remember quite well the "Jap crap, made of 'cheese', wont lat 5 minutes,,,, yada, yada. Funny thing is? There are more late 60's early 70's Jap bikes around still original, most Bastard Stops Anywhere's, Triumph's, etc have been rebuilt at least once... but of course they'll outlast that Jap shyte!