Reasonably priced 250cc learner?

[itchi]

Hey everyone

just got my learners license and have started researching whats what in the used 250cc market.

It seems that even rusted old pieces of shite from when grandad used to suck his mumas titty are worth more than your average house. and apparently anything that will be fun for the 2 years your stuck to the 250cc range is from the late 80s.

so here is a break down of the laws of 250 cc biikes from what i have learnt from reading through the the various threads on KB. searching trademe and visiting dealers.

1. hyosungs look like big bikes are reasonable for the money but, you will be laughed at.
2. GN,s and anything that looks like a GN is laughed at.
3. the truly fun 250s are from the late 80's early 90's. seem to cost the same as a new bike even tho its been round the clock and lying in bits in a pool of urine in some jokers garage and getting parts for them now is expensive and difficult. you will be laughed at.
4. FZR's are exempt from law 3 as they are cheaper, however even if it s mint you will be forced to prostitute dear old gran to keep it on the road. because of this you will be laughed at.
5. Dealers dont want your buisness and you if do buy from a dealer at their comedy prices you will be laughed at.
6.if what you have is differnt to the next guy. you will be laughed at.
7.honda CBR's are considered reilable. but you will neeed to prostitute your gran before anything goes wrong to buy it and for this you will be laughed at.
8. you will be laughed at .

so with this in mind i have armed myself with $2500 and the knowlegde that i will be laughed at. I am looking to get a cbr, a spada or something similar in good condition. with a decent amount of rego, new warrant. good tyres ,regularly serviced. chain, sprockets, suspension all good .straight body and anything else that will prevent me embracing the road at high speeds.

opinions and guidance welcome

CHEERS

[SMOKEU]

There is no such thing as a cheap 250cc road bike in this country, if it's in a good condition. Have a look at an RG150, they go almost as good as most of the 250cc straight 4s for half the price.

[Blinkwing]

There is no such thing as a cheap 250cc road bike in this country, if it's in a good condition. Have a look at an RG150, they go almost as good as most of the 250cc straight 4s for half the price.

Maintenance for these is a bit pricey though.

[Old Steve]

Don't forget good gear. Buy the best you can afford. Get a great helment, you only get one head and how much is it worth to you.

I spent $3400 on my bike, but it cost over $5000 in total to get me on my bike on the road, with gear and my 6L license.

A cheap bike will have higher ongoing maintenance costs. Get the bike checked before you buy it, by an independant professional.

And there will be someone who isn't laughing - your bank mamager will be weeping.

[AllanB]

Are the trail bikes (road legal ones) any cheaper/better condition/value? You could throw on some more street oriented trail tyres and still have fun on dirt roads.

Plus despite not doing it myself when I was young, I believe you'll learn more skills getting it a bit off road occasionally than sticking to the tarmac.

Just an idea.


Or buy a Harley - I keep meeting guys on these who are on learners!!!!!!!

[vindy500]

Ive never had anyone laugh at me....

[SMOKEU]

Maintenance for these is a bit pricey though.

If you get a good one they're not too bad in terms of maintenance. Try replacing the plugs or air filter on a CBR250 and you'll know what I mean.

[AllanB]

Ive never had anyone laugh at me....

That's because you are so far behind them on your Ho-Bag that you cannot hear them.

Bawahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[dynamite9585]

my g/f and i have just been thru all this too, with it's own share of drama.

she got a 1987 CBR for $1500 ($2000 by the time it was on the road with wof and reg).
my GSXR came with wof and reg for $2000 but my tinkering has lead me to spend a little more on it ($200) just coz i like things to be right.

the research we did found that as a rule: $1500 gets you a bike. $2000 gets you a tidy bike.
i suggest holding on to your extra 500 for gear and post purchase servicing.

all the cbr needed was an oil change and a new set of plugs and it was good to go (and a re-cert since the rego had lapsed)

the GSXR needed an oil change, and a new tank of gas. i have since had the carbs cleaned and it tuned at a shop.

[Sable]

You could always look at 400s. You don't get fined that much if you get pulled over, and in the last 2 years I've only been pulled over once. 4 cylinder ones make about as much hp as an RGV and a GB makes about as much power as a Hyoshit. Only far far cheaper. You can also apply for a license exemption so you can ride one legally.

[hayd3n]

honda honda honda honda

[MaxCannon]

I don't know what experience you have riding but don't discount a GN250
As a bike for someone starting out it's a pretty good option.

Mine was $2200 with only about 3000km on the clock. 2005 model.
I kept it just over 12 months and 10,000km.
Sold it for $2200
In that time it cost me next to nothing to run and insure. From memory (because I can't be arsed going to the other room to find the receipts) the only parts I had to replace were tyres (the stock ones are shit) and a clutch lever (I dropped it when I forgot to put the stand down).
I had it serviced a couple of times and when I sold it the chain was right at the end of it's life.

The pros
- Cheap
- Easy to ride
- Reliable
- Easy to work on
- Good resale

The cons
- Poor build quality on newer ones. (Mine was solid, electrics were fine, chrome finish was good but some are obviously built on Friday afternoons).
- There isn't much power. Depending on how big you are 100kph shouldn't be a struggle. I'm 5"10 and 82kg. Uphill into a headwind would require a downshift and wringing it's neck but I never got run over.
- No street cred. (If you care about that sort of thing)

[SMOKEU]

You could always look at 400s. You don't get fined that much if you get pulled over, and in the last 2 years I've only been pulled over once. 4 cylinder ones make about as much hp as an RGV and a GB makes about as much power as a Hyoshit. Only far far cheaper. You can also apply for a license exemption so you can ride one legally.

If you're going to breach your licence conditions you might as well go the whole hog and buy a 1000cc bike.

[riversouth]

i started with a GN 250 then another suzuki, mauder now i have the choise of a honda magna or a suzuki intruder all have been great bikes
the honda has fatter wheels that grip the road better
all bike preformed well on the open road and all crusie at the same pace
If it has two wheels and goes well who cares what we ride lol :Punk:

[Mrs Shrek]

Hey everyone


1. hyosungs look like big bikes are reasonable for the money but, you will be laughed at.
2. GN,s and anything that looks like a GN is laughed at.
3. the truly fun 250s are from the late 80's early 90's. seem to cost the same as a new bike even tho its been round the clock and lying in bits in a pool of urine in some jokers garage and getting parts for them now is expensive and difficult. you will be laughed at.
4. FZR's are exempt from law 3 as they are cheaper, however even if it s mint you will be forced to prostitute dear old gran to keep it on the road. because of this you will be laughed at.
5. Dealers dont want your buisness and you if do buy from a dealer at their comedy prices you will be laughed at.
6.if what you have is differnt to the next guy. you will be laughed at.
7.honda CBR's are considered reilable. but you will neeed to prostitute your gran before anything goes wrong to buy it and for this you will be laughed at.
8. you will be laughed at .

so with this in mind i have armed myself with $2500 and the knowlegde that i will be laughed at.
opinions and guidance welcome

CHEERS

So you get laughed at :whocares: Its character building :blip:
My bike looks like a hobbit bike especially next to the 1150 but it doesn't stop me enjoying the :scooter:, L plate included.


217556

[neels]

You're right, 250's are expensive. It's a bit crazy when a 20 year old CBR250 sells for about the same money as a 10 year old ducati. And the 250 is pretty much guaranteed to have been dropped at some point in it's life.

The upside is that you'll usually sell it for what you paid for it, for as long as the law stays as it is.

[Taz]

I'm laughing at ya :rofl:

[Sable]

If you're going to breach your licence conditions you might as well go the whole hog and buy a 1000cc bike.
You completely missed the point. Power outputs similar to certain 250s but cheaper. A GB will be about 1800, a 4 will be about 2500. And the licensing comittee is NOT going to grant you an exception for an R1.

[ukusa]

go a dirt bike, you're unlikely to get laughed at (unless you try to go touring).
XR250R probably the most reliable & plenty of them around.

[Gibbo89]

there are a couple of bandits and zeals in your area to look at, could be a good deal if you negotiate the price too. but i have heard that bandits pre 1995 are not as good? maybe someone can clear that up for you... and me! spada is a v twin and cbr in an inline four. different rides but have heard spadas are pretty sweet.

[staind]

Never ridden a bike before but did my first timer training and basic skills test on a GN250 and found it pretty comfortable... just grabbed a 06 GN250 off trade me for $1600 with WoF and 3 month Rego - looking to start biking soon irrespective of how many "laughs" I get! :Punk:

[Neon]

Despite the fact that I had a 250 Hornet as a learner bike, I'm going to chime in and +1 the GN. Seriously, it may not be the coolest or fastest 250, but dammit they are inexpensive, reliable as hell, cheap to run and repair, and will keep you out of mischief fairly effectively until you're ready for a bigger bike.

I know loads of people who had GNs and were very happy with them. Hell if I was doing it all again I'd probably have spent less on the bike and more on gear. Might have even got one myself... :innocent:

[McWild]

It's been said before...

- Cheap
- Fast
- Reliable

Pick two.

In my opinion the best compromise is a CBR250R (MC19).

Just ask yourself which two factors you care about most, which for most people will be the amount of money they have to spend on fixing shit, or on overhead.
And remember there are bikes out there that fulfil one factor, and bikes that don't fulfil any. Aim for one that meets two. Hope for one that meets 3.

And don't give a shit about what other people think of your ride.

[Gibbo89]

good option with the GN. you will learn to drive a 'slow' bike fast, and will have a bit of fun doing it. instead of riding a fast bike slow and possibly incorrectly.

[ellipsis]

good option with the GN. you will learn to drive a 'slow' bike fast, and will have a bit of fun doing it. instead of riding a fast bike slow and possibly incorrectly.

...cool advice...and I have seen a whole heap of 'bobbed GN's on a Thai or Indonesian motorcycle forum once, if you were the handy type or new someone who was...they were spectacularly cool looking bikes....or grab an older Suzuki t250 or similar, two stroke, that is past the age of being anything other than fairly cool....

[Yow Ling]

Get an FXR150, you can bucket race it , and use it for other stuff too !

[Old Steve]

I bought a 2006 Hyosung GV250, have had incredible fun, done 7000 km in 6 months on my 6L. I'd do it again. She's a cruiser, but I've just put new tires on her and the wear pattern goes out to within 10mm of the tread edge, so you can lean it over a little and enjoy your riding.

Buy the bike which suits you. No use buying a cruiser if you're younger and want a sports bike. But on a 250 learner you'll be able to cruise at 100 to 110, screw it to 120, but need to drop a gear and slow down when you encounter hills.

Now, my GV250 performs much better now I have my 6R. She leans over more, and cruises faster, than when I did when I had my 6L. I love roundabouts, you get to go left, right, then left again to straighten up.

[Suntoucher]

Have a look at the 88 VTZ250s, sold mine not long ago for $2k but if you want a sports bike it's the way to go. The VTZ is the Spada engine dropped into a VTR body, never had a single problem with it and did 12,000km when I owned it between December and last July. Was hugely reliable and never once had to replace anything but the standard fare(oil filters, oil, tyres etc) and not costing an arm and a leg. Bonus: 27km/L with me racing off the line and a top speed of 175.

Have now bought a 2007 GV250 since July which had 6,000km on the clock for $3.7k, but is now up to 8.5 without any flaws. Rejetted it, pulled the silencers and put a chain oiler on and it gets me up to 160 which isn't bad at all for a 250 cruiser, it's certainly not as fast as the VTZ but it's certainly more comfortable for the amount of k's I was doing.

I recommend both highly, I've heard lots of things about Hyosungs but I still have yet to experience any of them myself and it's definitely a lot nicer than the other 250 cruisers available(looks and with fork mounted speedo, tacho AND fuel gauge, although the latter isn't hugely accurate, rather than just a tank speedo, ugh I hate them so much.)

[Tryhard]

dont buy something you dont want.
If u rush into it you will end up with a piece of shite you wont enjoy.

Dont get into the mindset that its a just a learner bike ra ra 6 to 9mths

There are a lot of good bikes out there but unfortunatly not cheap.

Gear is another major cost. Buy well it will last for ages.

[simpy1]

I bought a really well-looked-after Yamaha SRV250 with new WOF and rego for $2200. It has a twin carb engine (I think same as the Virago Cruiser) on a light and fun bike. Plenty fast enough for me to learn on, plus it looks like a classic cafe racer!

You should be able to find cheap-ish ones on TradeMe. Like this:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Cruiser/auction-316307085.htm

That particular one is in the wrong area and needs a little work but you get the idea!

[baptist]

I bought a Yamaha Scorpio, reliable and forgiving (which is important if you have the ability of a nanna like me!) ..... don't give a rat's if I get laughed at! I guess you look for what suits you :yes:

[Gibbo89]

I bought a Yamaha Scorpio, reliable and forgiving (which is important if you have the ability of a nanna like me!) ..... don't give a rat's if I get laughed at! I guess you look for what suits you :yes:

good call champ. nice looking wee bikes :scooter:

[awayatc]

bikes and Reasonable....

In same sentence...?

Get real............:scooter:

[supremacy]

Hey guys, I just bought a '05 gsx250f for a first bike. It's been pretty nice to learn on. It's only about 140kg so not too bad to push around etc. Im quite short but can still touch the ground (tippie toes), even though it has the same chassis as the 500cc (gs500). The clip on bars are fine too.

Only thing I have to say bad about it is the noise. I would love it to make MORE!

Anyone else have one of these?

[SMOKEU]

Only thing I have to say bad about it is the noise. I would love it to make MORE!



You could always rape the muffler with a drill or unbolt it if it's not welded on.