Yet another new bike input thread... [Archive]

Beren

15th March 2011, 15:59

Hi,

Have finally decided to definitely can the car and get a bike for commute... if I have to do 500km's a week I want to be able to enjoy some of it! As I also come accross the bridge everyday from the north shore it will save me a LOT of time.

Anyways - after reading all the dropped bike stories and having looked around a bit I am reasonably settled on a 'naked' bike. I have around $4k to spend, I think I have narrowed it down to either a Hornet 250, VTR 250 but possibly a Bandit or Balius.

I am pretty set on not getting a single pot, but not entirely set on a twin or inline 4 - though I like the sound of the extra oompf I haven't been on a bike since dirt bike years urmmm 15 years ago or so.

I am just a tiny bit shy of 6' and since I am wandering down to silverdale from KKK every day want something with enough grunt to get past those lovely people who think 80k's is fast enough...

Are obvious issues to check on one of the inline 4's or any other bikes I should be looking at would be gratefully listened to.

Oblivion

15th March 2011, 17:43

Great thing to do is to see what bike 'fits" your image. Go to one of your local dealers and just sit on them to see how they feel. ( If you haven't done so already )

Also, the decision for Inline or twin really lies in whether you would want more torque, or just the little bit more oomph at the end of the rev range.

Personally I think that the little bit of oomph sounds way better :rolleyes:

Also, Don't just think that you just want a naked bike. Sometimes you can get a Sports bike, strip the fairings of as a "precaution" against crashing and just put them back on again after your skills improve. Hell, you might even prefer the look of the bike with them off :bleh:

The best bike for you may be the one you least expect.

Autech

16th March 2011, 19:48

Take a look at the Naked Hyo too, better for bigger chaps and looks the best (I may be a bit biased...). Great fuel economy on them too for the commute.

Have you test ridden any of these bikes? That is the key, take em out, see which one suits how you like to ride best and then go from there

mikemike104

16th March 2011, 19:56

Ride lots of bikes before any purchase, as many as possible ! Had I done that I wouldn't now have a 89 GPX250 that owes me seven and a half thousand dollars :sick:

Beren

17th March 2011, 08:50

Spending saturday morning down at holespot? Takapuna to see if they will let me take a few out for a spin - actually a bit nervous about it though as I am still a complete noob and have visions of stalling bikes pulling away etc and generally behaving badly enough that they refuse to let me drive more than one!

Unfortunately money issues have delayed the actual buying of the bike for 6-8 weeks... so there is now LOTS of opportunity to test drive a heap of bikes.

DrunkenMistake

17th March 2011, 09:28

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=360574794
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-361697666.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-361697666.htm

Just a few, the first one is mine, and would happily arrange some deal in the way of transport,
The cool thing with Hornets is, you can go from the 250 to the 600 without having to worry about a higher bike etc due to the 600 being in a 250 frame.

nodrog

17th March 2011, 10:06

Also, Don't just think that you just want a naked bike. Sometimes you can get a Sports bike, strip the fairings of as a "precaution" against crashing and just put them back on again after your skills improve. Hell, you might even prefer the look of the bike with them off :bleh:

I hope all you learners are wearing your seatbelts in your cars? Wouldnt want you falling out because you have taken all the doors and panels off.

Fanny.

gijoe1313

17th March 2011, 13:09

Of course, I would say opt for a lil'ol'hornet! :msn-wink: But the best thing is to go out and sit on each of them to see which one you "take" to. PM sent!

Beren

17th March 2011, 16:10

Thanks for the mail GiJoe - Awesome insight, you aren't the first to recommend a Hornet by a long shot either... Only wish was that there was a way for me to get one on finance :( but being a Pom I don't qualify which means back to the long way round. Got to get the grrr Toyota Estima Wof'ed and sold to get the cash - and that is probably going to be a grand's worth of work.

Oops Rambling, thanks for the advice guys. Much appreciated!

Unless of course anyone on here has a dirty old 250 lying about that they would part with for a few hundred notes that I can get WOF'ed and pootle around on till I get the cash for the right bike sorted...

AllanB

17th March 2011, 16:19

Bit more $ I'd recommend
http://www.motorcycletrader.co.nz/View/Used/SUZUKI-DR-Z400SM-supermotard-2008/42616.aspx

But for $7 you can get a earlier Hornet 900 off trademe ......

Beren

17th March 2011, 16:36

Hey Allan

<-- Learner limited to 250cc :(

So those options are out for me unfortunately

sinned

17th March 2011, 16:43

When do the new regulations on engine power for learners come into play? If you can wait you may get something better suited to you.

matdaymon

17th March 2011, 17:24

When do the new regulations on engine power for learners come into play? If you can wait you may get something better suited to you.

2013 I believe

DrunkenMistake

17th March 2011, 20:51

Actually, I dont know how you feel about the Idea but my boss has a .. Suzuki TF125 that is road ready all it needs is the paper work done at VTNZ which is.. $400 he has the breaks certificate, and off the top of my head he wants $600 for the bike, its in primo condition, he has done about a grands work to it and it looks good

Beren

18th March 2011, 07:58

Mikemike: Thanks for the mail and the offer, but actually the option is dead - I might be wingeing about it but I need to save/get the cash to buy my first bike. Even if I could get a loan now think I wouldn't as there would be a heck of a risk of ending up with a loan and no bike!

@DrunkenMistake - Mmmm that sounds highly tempting, I wanted an off road bike at some point anyway... Where abouts is the bike - Your location says Dunedin and I'm up in Auckland which could be quite some road trip on a 125!! And any idea what year it is? They have been making those for umm a while! A 2 stroke 125 might well be strong enough to do the road work - and would definitely be awesome when I can get a bigger road bike and take that back to the dirt.

Smifffy

18th March 2011, 08:05

Check stiffmysister's thread, there have been quite a few good suggestions made there for low cost bikes (avoid the one he suggested himself).

Unfortunately he's worried about them having minor cosmetic damage, or the cost of minor routine maintenance.

stifmyster1

18th March 2011, 09:35

Im not worried about minor cosmetic damge or routine maintenace. im worried about getting a bike that is unrideable for several weeks while i get the money to pay for things.

Beren

18th March 2011, 11:07

Thanks Smifffy, I had just found it and had a read through - has got me looking at my bank balance already. That said I will be buying some gear tomorrow and then probably just bothering dealers for test rides for about 6 weeks till I can get the spare old toyota sold - I rekon it is still worth about $3500-$4000... I just want a bike NOW dammit!

@Stifmyster - :) Don't worry I get it, I will be selling my car very shortly after getting a bike and therefore a little easier on the pennies but if you havn't had time to build up any spare cash to pay for upkeep you don't want to buy something that's about to need a big bill...

And since I will be doing over 500km's a week through rough and smooth a bike will end up being very significantly cheaper than a car for me!

stifmyster1

18th March 2011, 16:43

Yea. Your spot on. And im trying to get it quick cause at the end of the month my travel costs double.

Beren

29th April 2011, 13:12

Should be finally entering the Bike market tomorrow. Unfortunately thanks to a minor prang my first Kiwi car is dead... long live the Bike!

Pick cash up from the bank in the morning and then off to look at 4 bikes with money burning a hole in my pocket. Going shopping with someone I trust to know his stuff - looks likely I will be a hornet owner by close of play tomorrow :)

avgas

29th April 2011, 14:49

DrunkenMistake

29th April 2011, 18:11

Uh sorry I never got back to you man, I would say around the $300 ish to have it sent

fatboy323

29th April 2011, 18:50

blackdog

29th April 2011, 18:59

go for it. hornet every time for a 250!

Chancebmx25

29th April 2011, 22:41

depends what ur after, if u like sporty look then go for like a cbr or gt250 or a ninja even... anything u fancy, or if u prefer other cruiser typers or wateva... if ur that type of rider that just wants to chill but still look great at the same time id say the bandit will be ur best go. but dont be too cocky about how much u gonna fork out because you will drop your bike either way. all 250's get dropped. so dont worry you will drop it. only way to learn is to drop it. itll happen one day/

Smifffy

30th April 2011, 15:04

4AGE

30th April 2011, 17:33

I hope to never drop mine.
I'm sure its avoidable if you take care with taking it off the stand and parking it up etc

DrunkenMistake

30th April 2011, 21:27

I hope to never drop mine.
I'm sure its avoidable if you take care with taking it off the stand and parking it up etc

If your over careful, you will ALWAYS damage it, So I found anyways.
Just watch some of those 80's - 90's Honda's, they have a rubber foot on the kick stand, so if you move the bike back and inch with it down, it catches the ground and if your not ready it tries to top the bike over, and it also can catch when you put it down so it feels the stand is down but its not all the way down, the other thing is make sure your bike is leaning away from 90degrees towards the stand, or your gonna be picking it up.

The last thing I always watch is white paint at intersections and white cats eyes on the road, they can be slick as shit and the cats eyes along with man hole covers will cause some traction loss.

Those are the main things I have learnt to be sure of.

Beren

30th April 2011, 21:38

Well I rekon I might be writing my first blog entry after todays outing... But end of the story after 6 bikes and many hours driving I am now the proud owner of a 1998 Bandit with 18,000Km on the clock :) :)

Now I get to learn to ride!