Thinking about getting a bike

[ChainReaction]

Hey. I'm seriously considering getting a 250cc motorbike. My dad used to have a 150cc honda GL which was fairly fun.... just a bit more sluggish than i would like.

I want a bike that goes hard with a sporty look. Also some thing that doesn't break down to often would be nice :). My bike budget is about $5000 all up.... i'm guessing riding gear will set me back about $1000. So that leaves about $4000 to find a bike.... Sound like enough prehaps i should save a bit more first.

I've spoken to some people and they were telling me that late 80s to mid 1990s CBR250s are probably the way to go to get the power i'm looking for. What other bikes should I consider?

What budget do you recommend I should set aside to get a good reliable high preforming 250cc bike?

[FJRider]

Don't forget to leave money in the budget for gas. No point in having a bike and no money to go anywhere. Shop about for bikes you like that are available first, do the sums ... then make the decision. I would look more closely at bikes with low km's, than age of them. Usually cheaper too.

[jono035]

Hey. I'm seriously considering getting a 250cc motorbike. My dad used to have a 150cc honda GL which was fairly fun.... just a bit more sluggish than i would like.

I want a bike that goes hard with a sporty look. Also some thing that doesn't break down to often would be nice :). My bike budget is about $5000 all up.... i'm guessing riding gear will set me back about $1000. So that leaves about $4000 to find a bike.... Sound like enough prehaps i should save a bit more first.

I've spoken to some people and they were telling me that late 80s to mid 1990s CBR250s are probably the way to go to get the power i'm looking for. What other bikes should I consider?

What budget do you recommend I should set aside to get a good reliable high preforming 250cc bike?

Hi and welcome to the forums! I've just been through this process myself. I was trying to do this on a similar budget and your numbers seem about right. I spent around $1500 on gear (boots, pants, jacket with extra back protector, gloves, helmet) and another few hundred on extras (disc lock, a few new tools, some chain lube, visor defogger thing).

Most of the bikes I was looking at were around $3k-5k but if you're mechanically minded you can find one that is a bit cheaper and in a bit worse condition. Don't worry too much about what your first bike is or looks like because ultimately it's only a temporary thing until you get your full anyway (and you'll probably drop it at some point too!).

Mine cost $2100 but I've already spent a couple of hundred dollars on replacement parts, pulled the carburettors to pieces and will be pulling the engine completely to bits.

Also don't test-ride anything you can't afford to buy (in case you drop it) and don't buy anything without test-riding it... You have to get a bike that is right for your proportions and comfortable to ride before you think about performance and looks.

[joshy28]

aprilla RS (3rd hand should go for about 4)

[entro]

aprilla RS (3rd hand should go for about 4)

rs 250 for 4grand...unless its done like 40,000 kms i highly doubt that...

[NDORFN]

4 G is HEAPS for a first bike. ZXR250 or CBR250 should do the trick. DON'T bother with a dealer, you'll get ripped. Ride before you buy.

[Breed777]

Hey. I'm seriously considering getting a 250cc motorbike. My dad used to have a 150cc honda GL which was fairly fun.... just a bit more sluggish than i would like.

I want a bike that goes hard with a sporty look. Also some thing that doesn't break down to often would be nice :). My bike budget is about $5000 all up.... i'm guessing riding gear will set me back about $1000. So that leaves about $4000 to find a bike.... Sound like enough prehaps i should save a bit more first.

I've spoken to some people and they were telling me that late 80s to mid 1990s CBR250s are probably the way to go to get the power i'm looking for. What other bikes should I consider?

What budget do you recommend I should set aside to get a good reliable high preforming 250cc bike?

ot mine from Adrenalyn Motorcycles in Mt Maunganui.... $4000. and my flatmate just got a GSXR for $4000 also. heaps of bikes round your price range direct imported from Japan. CBR, GSXR, FZR etc...
worth a try
check em out on the web....

[CookMySock]

You don't need to spend up huge on gear. Mohsin jacket and pants $200, cnell boots $150, gloves $60, black LS2 helmet $130. 600bux ish - all brand new.

Watch out for the inline fours - they use a lot of fuel and if it stops they are NOT cheap to fix. Theres quite a few on trademe that the owners have just parked up because they can't ride them and they can't afford to sell them as they can't get their money out of them. Either way, you won't have a bike to ride.

The air-cooled twins are dead simple to work on, cheap to crash and repair, and cheap to feed. Yeah they are a little slower, but you are better served learning to corner and brake than you are to go fast in a straight line.


Steve

[joshy28]

rs 250 for 4grand...unless its done like 40,000 kms i highly doubt that...

I was being sarcastic ie "3rd hand" meaning hellishly used

[High_Voltage]

The cbr 250 and zxr 250 are about the fastest youll get for a 4 stroke 250. theres also the fzr 250 but havnt heard much about them but its still a 4 cylinder 250. steer clear of suzukis though because there a bit slow and not as nice 2 ride. I had one and actually was happy that i wrote it off and got the kawasaki

[ChainReaction]

You don't need to spend up huge on gear. Mohsin jacket and pants $200, cnell boots $150, gloves $60, black LS2 helmet $130. 600bux ish - all brand new.

Watch out for the inline fours - they use a lot of fuel and if it stops they are NOT cheap to fix. Theres quite a few on trademe that the owners have just parked up because they can't ride them and they can't afford to sell them as they can't get their money out of them. Either way, you won't have a bike to ride.

The air-cooled twins are dead simple to work on, cheap to crash and repair, and cheap to feed. Yeah they are a little slower, but you are better served learning to corner and brake than you are to go fast in a straight line.


Steve


How much slower? And can you give some examples of models you are meaning?

Inline four still wouldn't use anywhere near as much gas as say... my 2litre primera would it?

I want to find the right balance between speed looks and reliablity (hence why I think i may need to save more). I definately want a sporty looking bike.

[IdunBrokdItAgin]

How much slower? And can you give some examples of models you are meaning?

Inline four still wouldn't use anywhere near as much gas as say... my 2litre primera would it?

I want to find the right balance between speed looks and reliablity (hence why I think i may need to save more). I definately want a sporty looking bike.

Might help with your choice:

Kawasaki Ninja 30bhp (I think), vtwin, newer models go for a bit above your price range though. Sporty & Faired.
Honda VTR around 33bhp, vtwin, as well. Can pick these up in your price range upto early 2000s. Mid-range & Naked.
Honda CBR 45bhp, inline 4, only seem to be avilable upto late 90s. Sporty & faired (Later models were restricted to 40bhp).
Honda Hornet 40bhp , inline 4, best IMHO. Not cheap but definately worth it. Mid range and naked.

There are quite a few others but I think these are the most popular choices, for good reason - all are good in their own right.

vtwins vs inline 4s. Vtiwns seem to have more torque but less top range. Simply this means that they are more forgiving if you try and accelerate at the lower revs (being in the wrong gear, let's say) but don't have the power peak of the fours. I've riden both and all I can say is it depends on what suits you personally - neither is better than the other.

Naked vs faired. Nakeds do have a lot of wind buffeting at higher speeds. But nakeds are for the coolness factor (cafe racers). Fairings are expensive to repair (I've heard). I personally like the half naked look - a naked with a bit of wind protection (Fly screen etc).

As everyone else will tell you though. facts and figures mean diddly, it's how the bike feels when you ride it that counts. Go for lots of test rides and make up your mind from there.

Also, I'm a relative newbie as well I think I've got the above right but who knows?

Good luck with your search.

[KelvinAng]

How much slower? And can you give some examples of models you are meaning?

Inline four still wouldn't use anywhere near as much gas as say... my 2litre primera would it?

I want to find the right balance between speed looks and reliablity (hence why I think i may need to save more). I definately want a sporty looking bike.

Inline-4s are thirsty. Got a little Hornet for sale, does 13-16km/L. It's not good fuel economy (I get a chuckle when I see listings for little Hornets as being "economical to run") considering many big bikes does better mileage. My MR2 cage (9x the weight, 8x the engine displacement) does 8-10km/L...

The little Hornets are very distinctive little beasts both visually and aurally. I was walking along Manchester St in ChCh the other day where off the corner of my eye I saw two bikers riding down the road. Bikers are common along Manchester St and I didn't take notice of them further until they zoom past.... and the familiar buzzing tune registered in my head. It's a little Hornet! A quick turn of the head confirmed it - a single, right-side high exhaust pipe alongside the "L" plate. Made me smile...

The other biker was riding a VTR, I believe. Quite a good-looking two-cylinder bike as well that would probably be easier on the gas.

[vindy500]

get a gpx bro

[YellowDog]

Hey. I'm seriously considering getting a 250cc motorbike. My dad used to have a 150cc honda GL which was fairly fun.... just a bit more sluggish than i would like.

I want a bike that goes hard with a sporty look. Also some thing that doesn't break down to often would be nice :). My bike budget is about $5000 all up.... i'm guessing riding gear will set me back about $1000. So that leaves about $4000 to find a bike.... Sound like enough prehaps i should save a bit more first.

I've spoken to some people and they were telling me that late 80s to mid 1990s CBR250s are probably the way to go to get the power i'm looking for. What other bikes should I consider?

What budget do you recommend I should set aside to get a good reliable high preforming 250cc bike?
Take a bit off the budget for lessons on how to tame and handle a potential suicide machine.

[CookMySock]

How much slower?What I mean here is, your thinking here is incorrect. 250's aren't fast. You are a learner. Relax a little rather than trying to turbo it. The 250 is never going to be fast, so forget it.


And can you give some examples of models you are meaning?vtwins? Spada, GPX, Ninja, GT250R.. dig through trademe and you will see them, or ask around at bike shops.


Inline four still wouldn't use anywhere near as much gas as say... my 2litre primera would it?Not that much.


I want to find the right balance between speed looks and reliablity (hence why I think i may need to save more). I definately want a sporty looking bike.If it's about styling, then that's a hugely personal thing. Some folks like the GT250R where others like the baby Ninja, whereas you might prefer a cafe racer, so whatever spanks your monkey.

If you can reconcile the poor fuel economy of an inline four against its' beeyoooootiful wail at 15,000rpm then theres your answer... until you eff it by redlining it everywhere. :pinch:


Steve

[jono035]

its' beeyoooootiful wail at 15,000rpm

Like the voice of an Angel... In a mincer...

[SMOKEU]

WTF is up with people saying that straight 4s are thirsty? My CBR250R uses under 5/100km around town and I give it a fair bit of shit as well, it's not much thirstier than my old CG125. And when I went to Ruapuna I thrashed the fuck out of it for the whole day on the track redlining it at every shift and managed about 7L/100km.

[ChainReaction]

WTF is up with people saying that straight 4s are thirsty? My CBR250R uses under 5/100km around town and I give it a fair bit of shit as well, it's not much thirstier than my old CG125. And when I went to Ruapuna I thrashed the fuck out of it for the whole day on the track redlining it at every shift and managed about 7L/100km.

And how do you find that CBR to drive? Decent ammount of get up and go? Does it sit on 100km quite well? Any other comments

[SMOKEU]

My CBR is a nice bike to ride, even though it's a relatively small size for a 250 I find it quite comfortable to ride for up to an hour at a time and I'm over 6 foot tall. The power band kicks in at around 15,000RPM and it has good top end power, but it doesn't have a lot of torque, especially at lower revs. It's a very rev happy engine which redlines at 18,000RPM. Sits at 100kmh at 9,000RPM in 6th gear. So far I've had mine up to 170kmh before I ran out of road...

[1tonne]

WTF is up with people saying that straight 4s are thirsty? My CBR250R uses under 5/100km around town and I give it a fair bit of shit as well, it's not much thirstier than my old CG125. And when I went to Ruapuna I thrashed the fuck out of it for the whole day on the track redlining it at every shift and managed about 7L/100km.

I get 19.5km's a litre traveling at 110km. When I travel at about 150km's an hour I get about 16km's a litre. These measurements have been done on long rides. Cheers.

[geestring]

4 G is HEAPS for a first bike. ZXR250 or CBR250 should do the trick. DON'T bother with a dealer, you'll get ripped. Ride before you buy.

i second that, got my ZXR 250 for 2300.00 5 yrs ago. was in the T&E the same bike at the shop was 4500.00, mine had lower ks. when you get use to it you can change sprockets to give you more top speed, just done this to mine. actualy makes heaps of diff. keep looking you will find one. good luck.

[Dirty_Harri]

And how do you find that CBR to drive? Decent ammount of get up and go? Does it sit on 100km quite well? Any other comments

Hey! I think you'll find the mc22 has more than enough go, if this is to be your first bike. I'm used to driving fast cars (track racing) and the cbr250rr has more than enough power for me..for now :).

From what I've read, I think it's important not to walk before you crawl (fall) when it comes to bikes. I don't know much about riding 250s, but I plan on riding mine until I know all there is to know about them.

[Buckets4Me]

CBR250's and most inline 4's like that ARE FAST!!!!!!

Just ask the 600 rider that punted one over a fence at the back of my place

He was use to racing a much bigger faster bike and still found the 250
to fast and couldn't stop it in time for the corner. Dont be fooled into thinking a 250 isn't fast tehy would beet most cars out there (and kids still die in hondas)
r1 and r6 or gsxr10k are just supper fast that is all

[McWild]

Get a RG150.

Can consistently pick them up for less than $2500, parts around for days, cheap as chips and simple to repair. Repairs can be frequent, but as I said simple as.
They put out around 35-36bhp, have no worries in twisty roads. You can thrash them and thrash them and they don't mind. I can personally verify that they will hit 140kph with two 75kg guys on it, and will tap out more with just one rider.
You can race it in streetstock if you ever feel the need to do so.
They are 2 strokes, so you can be guaranteed respect by everybody in the world. You are also guaranteed a place in heaven. God likes 2 strokes.

They are just really really fun. I'm not even close to bored of mine, I doubt I ever will be. I would be amazed if I was ever able to ride it to its limits: they are far beyond me and most people.

[Ooky]

yeah get a 2stroke best bikes ever! 9-10L/100k economical as! :woohoo::sweatdrop

[Howsie]

By now you have read a lot about many peoples perspective on a whole range of bikes. I am sure it has provided some insight as to what kind of bike you might like.

Some advice on things that I have come across on buying a bike:

-Go to many bike shops and at least sit on every 250 you can, big, small whatever. Find a size that fits you.

-Seeing as its your first bike, any 250 will be fast enough for you. Just remember, everyone can go fast in a straight line, but thats boring. (Within reason ;) )

-Dont get too caught up on fuel consumption, though a twin is not as thirsty as a 4 or a 2stroke. But there is not great diff between them all other than how heavy your wrist is.

-About $1K would be right for gear, some shops have starter packages that give you reasonable gear for a good price. How much is your skin worth?

The "fast, sporty" bikes that you are after are (to the best of my knowledge):

Honda CBRR - 4
Yamaha FZR -4
Kawasaki Ninja -twin
Kawasaki ZXR -4
Hyosung GT250R - twin

Honda NSR - 2stroke
Aprilla RGV - 2stroke

On a more personal note, I decided to buy new as the price difference between a 2nd hand ZXR and the Ninja was worth it for me to go new. Yea sure it cost a few bob more but I have a warranty and all that jazz. Otherwise I would have bought an older ZXR or CBRR for that "speed" factor. Looking back now I can say that it will take some time for me to outride my "slow" 250. Some new tyres would help hehe

Anyway, good luck with whatever bike you choose and may it bring you many happy kms of safe riding. :scooter:

[Garvani]

I had a 1990 GSXR250RR as my first bike (at 17), i was petrified the day i went to pick it up, dont think i left third gear all the way home lmao.. That was a great bike and i recommend it thoroughly, if you can find one that is, they seem to be pretty rare.. Reliable bike that started almost everytime, didnt cost a fortune to get serviced, was fairly good on petrol (dont have figures) but at the same time it hauled ass when you wanted it too :D.. had it at off the clock and sittin at about 205km on the canterbury plains.. I still regret to this day selling it (especially for the price i did!!), 6 years later im looking at getting another bike, quite keen on the new ninja 250rs, waiting out on specs for the 2010's before i jump though

[cheesemethod]

Get a GN250 - they are the fastest 250s on the market, everybody else is lying to you

[1tonne]

Get a GN250 - they are the fastest 250s on the market, everybody else is lying to you
Good on ya mate.

[gatch]

I'll open the next one mate..

[ready4whatever]

a yamaha scorpio. and honda cbr250. or 2 gn250's :-)

[cheesemethod]

Has anybody had any experience with the scorpio?

[vindy500]

Has anybody had any experience with the scorpio?

girlfriends got one, pulls alright on the motorway, real light

[ducatilover]

I still have a good bike, with some gear to go with it. Better than a scorpio too. :yawn:

[ready4whatever]

a good v twin is the xv250. although its a cruiser not a sports