Looking to get a bike and I am beginer :)

[fattofame]

Hey Guys,

I thought this website was dead based on me browsing it over the last couple of days on another sections of the forums but to my surprise some sections are still active like this one :) My question is if anyone can assist I am looking to buy a bike to learn on and want recommendations. I have done my own research but would like the advice of the more experienced. Ideally want a bike that when I get the bike I want I don't take that much of a hit in resell. I like Honda Shadow bobbers from 1990-1999 but I don't think I can use one to learn on as they prob not LAMS approved but the below bikes are what I am looking at. I really like the HZ250 looks but again want your guys advice :) Thanks.

Max I can spend on a bike is around 3k just on the bike I know gears going to cost around $1,000 so will end up spending 4k.
P.S anyone selling a Honda Shadow VLX or VT 600 1990-1999?

Bikes:
VL250
XCS250
GZ250
V Star 250

[layton]

Hey Guys,

I thought this website was dead based on me browsing it over the last couple of days on another sections of the forums but to my surprise some sections are still active like this one :) My question is if anyone can assist I am looking to buy a bike to learn on and want recommendations. I have done my own research but would like the advice of the more experienced. Ideally want a bike that when I get the bike I want I don't take that much of a hit in resell. I like Honda Shadow bobbers from 1990-1999 but I don't think I can use one to learn on as they prob not LAMS approved but the below bikes are what I am looking at. I really like the HZ250 looks but again want your guys advice :) Thanks.

Max I can spend on a bike is around 3k just on the bike I know gears going to cost around $1,000 so will end up spending 4k.
P.S anyone selling a Honda Shadow VLX or VT 600 1990-1999?

Bikes:
VL250
XCS250
GZ250
V Star 250

I dont know those bike models and cant be arsed googling them but i can say for sure that a gn125 - 250 is one of the best bike to learn on.

[FJRider]

Don't spend all your $$$ on your first bike. Find a cheap LEGAL bike under 250cc (they're lighter and easier to pick up, if you fall over "practicing" your roadcraft skills) to get a bit of experience on the road. Trust me ... you wont want/need it for long. You'll feel happier damaging the cheap one rather than the "Pride and Joy you'll get later.

[Bonez]

How tall are you? A TU250 wouild be fine for learning the bacis. Use a "standard" style bike at first. One without high rise bars or racing position and without a lot of plastic on it. One with a nutrual riding positio. Also easy to do your own maintenance if you are that way inclined.

[Bonez]

Here's awell used GB400 that would be suitable. You'll need some one experianced to check it out though. I'm 6foot and had no problem punty one around the North Island loaded to the hilt https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/tourers/auction-2451498117.htm?rsqid=4c78970988f44df889f7690317ee0 952-001

[fattofame]

I dont know those bike models and cant be arsed googling them but i can say for sure that a gn125 - 250 is one of the best bike to learn on.

These are all 250cc's :)

[fattofame]

Don't spend all your $$$ on your first bike. Find a cheap LEGAL bike under 250cc (they're lighter and easier to pick up, if you fall over "practicing" your roadcraft skills) to get a bit of experience on the road. Trust me ... you wont want/need it for long. You'll feel happier damaging the cheap one rather than the "Pride and Joy you'll get later.

Not really spending all my $$$ on my first bike but it will cost around 2-3k might aswell get something that will last me a year and I wont get rid of sooner e.g 1-3 months.

[fattofame]

How tall are you? A TU250 wouild be fine for learning the bacis. Use a "standard" style bike at first. One without high rise bars or racing position and without a lot of plastic on it. One with a nutrual riding positio. Also easy to do your own maintenance if you are that way inclined.

I Am 5'8" would not like a Honda bike unless its a 1990-1999 Honda Shadow.

[tigertim20]

I dont know those bike models and cant be arsed googling them but i can say for sure that a gn125 - 250 is one of the best bike to learn on.


I will never understand why so many people recommend those bikes so frequently.

Just because a lot of people learned on them doesnt mean they're good - it just means they were cheap / affordable.

They are utter piles of shit, they dont stop well, they dont turn well, the bars feel like they are connected to the front wheel via a rubber block, under powered... the only good things I could say of them is they are cheap and fairly fuel efficient

[layton]

I will never understand why so many people recommend those bikes so frequently.

Just because a lot of people learned on them doesnt mean they're good - it just means they were cheap / affordable.

They are utter piles of shit, they dont stop well, they dont turn well, the bars feel like they are connected to the front wheel via a rubber block, under powered... the only good things I could say of them is they are cheap and fairly fuel efficient

Those are the reasons to own a GN you know what a POS motorcycle is, they are cheap and reliable with many spares for next to nothing, once you master the GN and jump on anything decent you should be a half decent rider.

Not to mention most people can go flat foot with both feet the seating position works for newbies, there is a reason that they have had the same style for so many years, it's because it works.

[Bonez]

Yamaha Scorpio would be good to learn on as well.

[sugilite]

Absolutely concur with Bonez, my son had a scorpio, great little bike :yes:

[FJRider]

They are utter piles of shit, they dont stop well, they dont turn well, the bars feel like they are connected to the front wheel via a rubber block, under powered... the only good things I could say of them is they are cheap and fairly fuel efficient

The one's with a disc up front stopped ok (sort of). Just the fact that few spent time or money replacing glazed pads and cleaning the drums on the older ones ... and end result was they didn't stop well. If the engine ran they rode it (usually faster than they should with shitty brakes)

Put a set of flat bars on them and they turned fine. Decent rubber helped. Most of the older one's had about 3 million miles on them (with as many owners) and nothing was ever done to repair suspension (or other) issues. Usually ... because they weren't going to have it long and were saving for a new bike.

Learner riders often don't know what it should be like ... so they don't do anything to it ... and/or know how to change it.

Most of the "Improvements" you can make to the older "Learner" models from all the manufacturers are safety ones. Seldom is advice given on how to improve a shitter into a half decent learner.

[OddDuck]

Understood that the OP has particular preferences but you might seriously want to think about drawing a hard line as to how old the bike is.

Old bikes are cheap for a pretty good set of reasons... basically lots of little things start failing due to wear, corrosion, and fatigue. Electricals in particular start getting glitchy.

You've said that you don't want to take too much of a hit on resale, which is fair enough, but it might make sense to trade that off against visits to a mechanic and spare parts. That's if you can get spare parts at all. Past a number of years most manufacturers stop supporting bikes, and the bits you need the most start becoming the hardest to source... anyway the inevitable frequent breakdowns can become quite frustrating unless you are running more than one bike.

I'd add to the voices against the GN250. I've certainly seen a few people start biking on these, promptly go "this is shit" and quit because it's a very limited bike... I've also heard too many stories over the years of people getting injured on them. They handle badly and aren't forgiving when things get tight.

As to choices to learn on - since the LAMs scheme, there has been an incredible range of choices for good learner machines. Most of them make pretty good commuters too. It's actually hard to buy a bad learner bike these days. It looks like you're into cruisers, have you had a look at the Suzuki Boulevard S40?

[HenryDorsetCase]

These are all 250cc's :)

You realise you aren't limited to that capacity though, right? Honda VT250 Spada used to be my go-to recommendation. As others have said, you want something you can comfortably sit on, not something with a full fairing (expensive if you drop it, and you are very likely to drop it.)

[Bonez]

.

As to choices to learn on - since the LAMs scheme, there has been an incredible range of choices for good learner machines. Most of them make pretty good commuters too. It's actually hard to buy a bad learner bike these days. It looks like you're into cruisers, have you had a look at the Suzuki Boulevard S40?Defenately one of the crappiest bikes to leard how to handle on.

[OddDuck]

Defenately one of the crappiest bikes to leard how to handle on.

OK perhaps not the best choice for an absolute beginner. Maybe better as a next step if cruisers are the go.

[fattofame]

Understood that the OP has particular preferences but you might seriously want to think about drawing a hard line as to how old the bike is.

Old bikes are cheap for a pretty good set of reasons... basically lots of little things start failing due to wear, corrosion, and fatigue. Electricals in particular start getting glitchy.

You've said that you don't want to take too much of a hit on resale, which is fair enough, but it might make sense to trade that off against visits to a mechanic and spare parts. That's if you can get spare parts at all. Past a number of years most manufacturers stop supporting bikes, and the bits you need the most start becoming the hardest to source... anyway the inevitable frequent breakdowns can become quite frustrating unless you are running more than one bike.

I'd add to the voices against the GN250. I've certainly seen a few people start biking on these, promptly go "this is shit" and quit because it's a very limited bike... I've also heard too many stories over the years of people getting injured on them. They handle badly and aren't forgiving when things get tight.

As to choices to learn on - since the LAMs scheme, there has been an incredible range of choices for good learner machines. Most of them make pretty good commuters too. It's actually hard to buy a bad learner bike these days. It looks like you're into cruisers, have you had a look at the Suzuki Boulevard S40?

Thanks for your advice its is very sound and no, I have not looked at that bike but will do. I am looking to buy Honda Shadow VT or VLX 600 but can't find one in NZ and it will cost me around the same as what I would spend on my first bike roughly. I looked on Trade Me and suzuki 250 inturers and yamamah vitraio 250s are going for 2-3.5k which is roughly what a 1998 honda shadow is going for atm but not sure if I can turn that into a bobber like I want.

[fattofame]

You realise you aren't limited to that capacity though, right? Honda VT250 Spada used to be my go-to recommendation. As others have said, you want something you can comfortably sit on, not something with a full fairing (expensive if you drop it, and you are very likely to drop it.)

Hahaha true true, Yeah I know I am not limited to those bikes but my personal tase in bikes is more like Harley old school type. I am young but like old school bikes and cars don't get me wrong new ones are good but idk just something about them :0 Hence I am looking for a 199x's Honda Shadow VLX or VT 600. :)