Fun on a 250?

[cooky1975]

Good morning everyone

I ride a 250cc crusiser. Its pretty gutless to be fair but she does. My missus has been on the back and suprisingly held up well. At her suggestion we are taking it awy - well going to warkworth. I just curious to know has any one else done this , i mean use what they had instead of just waiting for the preverbial bigger bike ?

id love to hear some classic war storries so to speak, in fact how far have you been on it. BTW i have my restricted due to get my full in december. I think she will buy into having a bigger bike after this little trip. Shes keen alright though buying herself a jacket and helmet

[Tigadee]

There have been people who went from AKL to Welly, people who have toured all over NZ on a 250. As long as it's reliable and well-maintained - and you're not pushing it - there's no reason why you can't.

A bigger bike will be more comfortable and handle wind and loads/2-up much better though, plus be able to get up hills or overtake a lot easier.

[cooky1975]

yes in time just nicew to get oput there though the bigger bike will crusie well when i got no debts so the 250 will suffice, thanks for the advice though

[Paul in NZ]

Vicki and I scooted down to the beach on the mighty AC50 the other day - epic cool fun as the chassis designed for a 14 year old twisted into knots coping with 2 adults... It does your ego a world of good to proudly ride a humble bike - enjoy your self.....

[Phantom Limb]

Back in my 250 days, I put the missus on the back and scooted up north reletively often, ended up in sandspit at the cafe most times.

I found it doable. My VTR250 was actually able to pass a great deal of traffic up hill on the Waiwera passing lanes, it was just a case of getting the revs up past 7000RPM to hold her at the speed limit! :eek5:

If you just want to cruise and will not be attempting any up hill passing then go for it, it will be fun.

[Rosie]

250's are thoroughly underrated :yes:

I got my full in 2007, and kept riding my 250 until mid-2010, when I upgraded to... a different 250, which I still have.

I had the super sherpa from new, and did almost 50,000k's on it, including three South Island trips, 4 weeks touring around Australia, and a few weekend trips from Rotorua to Wellington for adventure rides there.

I wore the poor sherp out, so it was time to upgrade to a more highly specced bike, so I got the WR. I've only done 30,000km on it so far, including a trip to the Burt Munro, and numerous weekends away in different parts of the North Island.

Overtaking on the highway is a bit of a limitation, but riding on major highways is a fairly minor part of my riding, so it doesn't concern me too much.

[cooky1975]

hey guys thanks,

yeah to be honest the guys in the bike shop try to tell me it aint big enough i found it held up well. i happy to crusie around 90 - 100km hour so is she so should be a sweet ride, long as the weather is nice, ie sunny dry and not to windy

[cooky1975]

oh exciting news she got her helmet i going to pick it up today give her a ride home :-)

[Akzle]

drop a couple of tabs of acid before you head off.

you could even be on a honda and it'd be fun.


buuutttttt. TS185 from coro-whangarei in a day. two stroke awesome.

[SMOKEU]

hey guys thanks,

yeah to be honest the guys in the bike shop try to tell me it aint big enough i found it held up well. i happy to crusie around 90 - 100km hour so is she so should be a sweet ride, long as the weather is nice, ie sunny dry and not to windy

Just wait till you get something fast, then you can cruise at double that speed with ease.


drop a couple of tabs of acid before you head off.

you could even be on a honda and it'd be fun.


buuutttttt. TS185 from coro-whangarei in a day. two stroke awesome.

+1 to the acid. I've got a TS185 and they're great fun!

[CookMySock]

I've done a few trips on the Comet 250 with my daughter on the back. She's kinda little though, but the 250 was more than happy at the speed limit all day. We have to ring its neck a bit on the big hills, but that's ok!

250's just seem to have more magic on road trips. Don't know why - perhaps it adds an "intrepid" aspect. Fun! Do it!

[caspernz]

Well, I done the whole North Island on my GN250 back in the day when I had the training wheels on. Not a quick trip, but hey it's lots of fun staying out of the way of faster traffic :facepalm:

Two-up on a 250? Oh well, your choice of course, the rear view mirrors will be your best friend :shifty:

[ducatilover]

It does your ego a world of good to proudly ride a humble bike - enjoy your self.....

Quoted because it's so true

I absolutely love my 300, it's unreliable, hilarious to ride, slow and handles like a placenta on ice.
I have more fun than I do on the 600, which is far too fast for me, horribly uncomfortable and handles beautifully. And the brakes work well.

It's all up to the individual, but some of us don't need big power to have a giggle, if my 300 wouldn't blow up I'd ride it all day happily.

[perfectly.frank]

I would love to own a big bike ... and especially a Ducati ...

Many thanks for accepting my application to join your forum ...

This is only the third chat room type of place I have ever been in ...

I have been banned permanently for life ... from the Trade Me Website ...

If you want to know anything about me ... please feel free to ask me a question ...

[Brayden]

I would love to own a big bike ... and especially a Ducati ...

Many thanks for accepting my application to join your forum ...

This is only the third chat room type of place I have ever been in ...

I have been banned permanently for life ... from the Trade Me Website ...

If you want to know anything about me ... please feel free to ask me a question ...

Lols

Enjoy your stay on kiwibiker

[reggie1198]

I would love to own a big bike ... and especially a Ducati ...

Many thanks for accepting my application to join your forum ...

This is only the third chat room type of place I have ever been in ...

I have been banned permanently for life ... from the Trade Me Website ...

If you want to know anything about me ... please feel free to ask me a question ...

Yeah, another member with some taste, Ducati's are great bikes, reliable, cheap to run and maintain.....assuming there are petrol stations every 150km's or so, and you have an excess of left nuts to pay for the services.
That said I've never had a problem with any of mine, and the service costs are the price I pay to play.
Welcome to KB, no further questions at this time your honour.

Reggie

[Kickaha]

....assuming there are petrol stations every 150km's or so
Mine does double that + when it's actually going

[The Lone Rider]

I've done a round trip in a day from Christchurch to Greymouth and back on a 250, wearing a skull cap, tshirt, & jeans. And it rained the entire trip time.

+1 hour extra when one of the guys engines popped, and we had to sort out recovery. Luckily a fellow coming back from the street races picked him up and loaded the bike onto his trailer.

Don't believe me? Ask Jerms if it's true!

[Madness]

I would love to own a big bike ... and especially a Ducati ...

Many thanks for accepting my application to join your forum ...

This is only the third chat room type of place I have ever been in ...

I have been banned permanently for life ... from the Trade Me Website ...

If you want to know anything about me ... please feel free to ask me a question ...

What did you do to get banned from TardMe?

[Bonez]

I use the ride to Havelock North from Hobsoville on a CJ250 for every other weekend for 12 months. Of course you can have fun on one.

[Akzle]

I would love to own a big bike ... and especially a Ducati ...

Many thanks for accepting my application to join your forum ...

This is only the third chat room type of place I have ever been in ...

I have been banned permanently for life ... from the Trade Me Website ...

If you want to know anything about me ... please feel free to ask me a question ...

trollmuch?

[Bonez]

Mine does double that + when it's actually going
My mates is pretty reliable with a 300km range too. They've obvoiusly gone down hill in recent years it that regard. Of course they all look kewl though on the side of the road out of gas. :facepalm: Always wondered what the beer crate was for bungied to Spiders one. Now it's obvious.

[Kickaha]

They've obvoiusly gone down hill in recent years it that regard.

Since 1985 when they built the last Bevel drives

[perfectly.frank]

What did you do to get banned from TardMe?

I wrote a message to Joybells63 on Fake Book ... after I found out that she had done something really bad towards me ...

Joybells63 then somehow managed to manipulate the TardMe Speciall Needs Sports Team Staff Members ... namely ... ABE ... to ban me for life ...

[BigAl]

I have been banned permanently for life ... from the Trade Me Website ...

If you want to know anything about me ... please feel free to ask me a question ...

Off topic I know, but what did you do to get banned from TM? and couldn't you start up with another username and hotmail address?

Whoops already answered, as you were........

[GrayWolf]

OK, its been many years since I was a 2fiddy 'owner' the GN in the shed is Vicky's. My highest milage on a 250 in a year was 20,000 miles, yes on an RD250E-DX. I took it into Europe a few times during this period. An RD may be faster by a little than your cruiser, but if you accept her limitations, it'll do you fine. 90-100kph is a good/reasonable cruising speed solo. I would suggest that you allow for a little lower cruising speed 2 up. Listen to what the bikes engine is 'telling' you.. V's GN will 'happily'?? do 100-110 and hold it, but listening to the rev's etc, I can tell the real 'sweet spot' solo is 90kph. Allow for regular leg stretch breaks with coffee stops. I believe the Capital 1000 was completed by a 50cc a few yrs ago. So there is nothoing against high k trips on small cc bikes.... google the old Zundap's etc 50cc water cooled, and the insane rides some of the krauts did on them.

[ducatilover]

OK, its been many years since I was a 2fiddy 'owner' the GN in the shed is Vicky's. My highest milage on a 250 in a year was 20,000 miles, yes on an RD250E-DX. I took it into Europe a few times during this period. An RD may be faster by a little than your cruiser, but if you accept her limitations, it'll do you fine. 90-100kph is a good/reasonable cruising speed solo. I would suggest that you allow for a little lower cruising speed 2 up. Listen to what the bikes engine is 'telling' you.. V's GN will 'happily'?? do 100-110 and hold it, but listening to the rev's etc, I can tell the real 'sweet spot' solo is 90kph. Allow for regular leg stretch breaks with coffee stops. I believe the Capital 1000 was completed by a 50cc a few yrs ago. So there is nothoing against high k trips on small cc bikes.... google the old Zundap's etc 50cc water cooled, and the insane rides some of the krauts did on them.

I managed to load 130,000km on to my VT250. Was a great wee bike that

[Old Steve]

I think a 250 cruiser will be slower than a 250 sportsbike, but probably more comfortable for the missus. The Marauder is a single banger so torque shouldn't be a problem. Having done 24,000 km in 20 months on a 250 cruiser and having ridden up to 400 + km in a day, albeit solo, I'm sure you'll be able to do it.

Two worries. How much experience your missus has had on the pillion, as you've just got her a helmet I'm guessing she hasn't done much. Maybe you should do more around the block riding before you head out onto the highway. And hills will make your speed drop, you may have to drop a gear or two on hills. Just go with the traffic flow, you won't be able to pass anything much though (just push bikes and Ladas).

Edit, 30/8/2012:


BTW i have my restricted due to get my full in december.

Are you allowed to take a pillion on your restricted license?

[reggie1198]

My mates is pretty reliable with a 300km range too. They've obvoiusly gone down hill in recent years it that regard. Of course they all look kewl though on the side of the road out of gas. :facepalm: Always wondered what the beer crate was for bungied to Spiders one. Now it's obvious.

Only ever ran out of gas once, had the misses following me with a 5L Jerry can in her car, I had to know how far it would go. Got 216kms out of 15.5l, and had three cars stop to offer help in 15 mins. The 1198s looks so good people want to stop and help just to be near it, can't blame them really.

This bike is as reliable as anything from Japan IMO.

[varminter]

Had the wife on the back of the 250 Katana, was a bugger to steer, I swear the front wheel was hardly on the ground. Only ever did it once.

[RDjase]

Good morning everyone

I ride a 250cc crusiser. Its pretty gutless to be fair but she does. My missus has been on the back and suprisingly held up well. At her suggestion we are taking it awy - well going to warkworth. I just curious to know has any one else done this , i mean use what they had instead of just waiting for the preverbial bigger bike ?

id love to hear some classic war storries so to speak, in fact how far have you been on it. BTW i have my restricted due to get my full in december. I think she will buy into having a bigger bike after this little trip. Shes keen alright though buying herself a jacket and helmet

This is a good story!

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/109267-Kaiapoi-to-Auckland-on-a-bucket!