First Bike? Suggestions? [Archive]

tuscan

22nd May 2004, 13:39

Two Smoker

22nd May 2004, 13:45

A CB250RS would be awesome, because you will must likely bin it and fairings cost a shit load, an FXR 150 would be perfect, a guy on this site ( XJXJXJ ) is selling one at the mo...... RGV150/ RG150 isnt exactly ideal due to them needing constant maintainance and it cost big $$$ to fix them (as i know allll too well lol)

As for gear, get the best you can buy...... A absolute must is gloves($40-$300 and boots(Just some work boots with a steel tow cap should do), as well as an armoured Cordura jacket ($300-$500) (due to it being water proof) then something like Draggin Jeans ($240) or Cordura Pants($300)....

But yeah i would highly recommend a FXR150 especially for around town riding :niceone:

Hope that helps :niceone:

tuscan

22nd May 2004, 14:26

Thanks for the advice. I thought a fxr would be pretty suitable...

Ms Piggy

22nd May 2004, 14:32

Hey Tuscan,
I am a new rider (5months & counting!) and I have a CB250RS, it is really good for round town and I've been on a road trip with it too.

Definitely safety gear is the MOST important thing. As Two Smoker has already said, gloves, jacket, pants & helmet - it's a bit of an outlay but definitely worth it.

A lot of the guys & gals on this site are very knowledgeable about bikes, so you've come to the right place. :2thumbsup

Marknz

22nd May 2004, 15:17

Tuscan,

You need to get out and test ride as many legal bikes as you can and see which one suits you. From experience I would recommend a Honda VTR250. Easy and comfortable to ride, no fairing to damage in case of the usual minor drop, easy to maintain, has the look of a certain modern European manufacturers naked bike. I reckon you'l love it.

Safety Gear? The best helmet you can afford... don't scrimp on that one. If money is no object, a really good pair of gloves, a proper pair of motorcycle boots, and a two peice leather suit. If you're on a budget, a really good pair of gloves, a pair of boots that go at least above your ankle, a synthetic jacket with armour inserts, and a pair of Draggin Jeans.

Warren

22nd May 2004, 15:22

If you are looking at a fxr150 check out my FXR150 site http://www.fxr150.ws.net.nz.

For around town a fxr150 will be perfect. But if you are planning on doing road trips or going 2-up alot then it is probably better to get a 250.

Indiana_Jones

22nd May 2004, 15:33

Yeah, FXR150 is pretty good for a 1st bike :first:

-Indy

FROSTY

22nd May 2004, 15:36

ok now keeping In mind Im selling an fxr150 --I would still recomend a gn250 any day as a commuter. The fxr is a heap of fun-nimble great brakes
and not bad power delivery But I think the gn is better.--My opinion only.
On the gear front. --I'd give motomail or colemans suzuki a ring. -they both have helmets for sale -YOU MUST buy a NEW helmet and it really needs to be a full face--they have some good lids for only $150
For the rest of your gear second hand will be fine. Funnily enough leather jackets are pretty cheap at the likes of cash converters or through trade and exchange.
same with gloves and boots if you have size 8 feet Ive got an old race pair to get ya going.
Wet gear I actually found for commuting that the cheap warehouse stuff did the job as good as anything.

Aleph

22nd May 2004, 15:40

Hi,
Good to hear you are getting into biking. I am not up to date on the smaller bikes but my observation is that the 250's are overly expensive as everyone tries to get the maximum size allowed.
What next then? What are your plans? If you have the money are you going to upsize as soon as your cc limits are raised? If yes then don't spend too much now as you will only lose it on the sell later. If you are going to stick with the bike a while then go as high a cc as you can afford so you can extend the bike's use as you get confident. Don't overlook the older bikes, there are some good ones there - particularly if you are going to sell later.
Gear: Helmet and Gloves are obvious. Money is the limiting factor. Always wear some gear that covers all of your skin - it scratches off real easy like.
Others will disagree but if gearing up is too impractical you will skip it one day for that "short ride". Often more money will make it easier.
For feet, boots preferably but always something that wont flick off easily.
The more waterproof the gear the more you will use the bike and generally if waterproof you will get some protection.
Some of the guys on this site know their stuff and prices. Give them an idea on how much you have to spend then you will not get generalisations like my ramble.

Posh Tourer :P

22nd May 2004, 16:45

I'd agree... spend a good amount of money on gear, its worth getting waterproof jacket and pants. draggin jeans are fairly practical and you dont need to get undressed too much at the other end, but they arent waterproof. The more convenient your gear the better, but make sure it is good stuff. ie dont go buying a one piece suit if you are commuting, it'll just be annoying. Good for racing/long rides tho as you dont get the top and bottom pulling apart and giving you a bad chipseal rash on your back :S

tuscan

22nd May 2004, 17:10

Thanks for the advice everyone...

By the way, have any of you been to America at all? I was there last year and I couldn't believe what they wear out riding over there. I know LA summer is hot but hurtling down a freeway on a big Harley with no helmet and a T-shirt has got to be a bad idea!

I have a helmet at the moment that I got when I bought my scooter :scooter: The lady I bought it off had only had it about 6 months - same with the scooter. She swears she never dropped it and it didn't have any nicks or anything. I've been using it for over a year now. Would you still reccommend a new one?

As far as boots and that goes, do you guys wear them every time you go out? I'm at uni and I would say 95% of the people I see hopping off their bikes are wearing jeans and sneakers.

As to the comment regarding the gn250, why do you think it is a better choice?

Anyway, again, cheers for the tips guys. I'll let you know when I've got something. Gotta get the license first :)

Badcat

22nd May 2004, 17:35

I am about to get my learners :banana: and i want to buy my first bike. I don't really know much about them but i know my present sj50 sucks :disapint:

Anyway if anyone reads this, what would they suggest I get. I ride about 20 km a day, to and from uni and i want something safe and reliable to learn on, and hopefully not TOO slow. i was considering maybe a fxr150 or a rgv150. What would your comments be on these two, and any other similar bikes? Any advice/suggestions would really be appreciated.

Also, what safety gear MUST I get, considering for quite a while at least i will just be doing city riding?

It would be cool if people could let me know what they think. I want to get riding! :2thumbsup

Cheers people

dude - take a look at a suzuki vanvan.
you can pick them up new at $3500 at some dealers - i did.
i've been riding motorbikes for 21 years - and the vanvan is a ball to ride.
i use it to commute - i feel safer in the city (i'm in auckland) on something light and easy to flick around
200 cc four stroke (from the dr200)
disc front brake
excellent headlight (pissed all over my $16,000 KTM)
amazing grip
lightweight
excellent seating position and visability
can easily take a pillion
really good on gas (suzuki quote 49 kms/litre)
http://www.suzukicycles.org/RV-series/index.html?RV200.shtml~isoraami
easy to laugh at - but a brilliant little bike.
Ken (who's still suprised he's been riding for 21 years - whoah)

Two Smoker

22nd May 2004, 17:41

I wear my boots all the time.... i even wear them for driving now LOL (makes toe heeling a little more difficult though.......)

There is no problem wearing boots all day long, i do it nearly everyday...... You can get some nice boots for about $250-$300 (waterproof too) I think Motomail is a bit expensive, ive found Haldanes and Colemans to have good deals on gear :niceone:

FROSTY

22nd May 2004, 18:01

Ok re GN250 -cheap as chips to buy> Brakes on the disk brake model are very good without being throw ya over the bars material. Very neutral riding position (with flat bars fitted).-If you drop it ya aint gonna do much damage--maybee clutch/brake lever and an indicator or two.
Single cylinder so servicing is cheap.Easy to sell . Basicly bulletproof motor
-provided you change the oil often.
If you chernoble the motor it shares most parts witht he 250 suzi quads so piston-rockers,valves are easy to get.
best of all It is very easy to ride with low seat height and very good C of G
GN250 isnt my only suggestion--the volty or the Yam sr250 or the CB250rs
the pick of the bunch to ride is the CB but having a kick start can be a pain in the butt. Maybee even the CBX250 --the common denominator is no fairings single cylinder with a low seat height
As for The motomail thing--In this case alone I suggest them -specificly because at the mo they have the THH lids on special

toads

22nd May 2004, 18:23

Hi, Just my 2 cents worth, don't rush in, and try out a few bikes before settling on one particular type, the gn is a very economical bike to ride, the honda cbr 250 rr uses petrol fast!, it also moves fast, the gn doesn't and it's brakes really suck if you don't have discs on the front, mine had drum brakes front and rear and was horrible to ride in my opinion, I am very short and find a lot of bikes feel too big for me however, good for you with checking out the riding gear, too many people don't

22nd May 2004, 19:21

Always good to hear someone giving motorbikes a go. Personally If its for commuting I'd stay away from the race replica riding style, go naked [the bike- not you] or atleast an upright style. You get better visibility, quick to turn and cars see you better which hopefully means they wont hit you.
Years ago I believed the myth that the more a helmet cost the better it must be in a crash. These days I doubt you need to pay top dollar but always wear gloves and its handy to have a few pairs for when they get wet. Its great putting on the spare gloves from the hot water closet! I don't think you need leathers and full on bike boots for cross city commutes. The riding gear becomes a pain when you arrive.
Buy on impulse from the heart and forget all the logic, its more fun.

What?

22nd May 2004, 19:31

For my threepence, steel-capped work boots are clumsy things on a bike, and are not built to protect you when sliding down the road. They also offer NO ankle protection. Buy proper bike boots - second hand if loot is an issue.

Posh Tourer :P

22nd May 2004, 21:03

As far as boots and that goes, do you guys wear them every time you go out? I'm at uni and I would say 95% of the people I see hopping off their bikes are wearing jeans and sneakers.

I wear something over jeans, cos jeans rip *very* easily when you hit the road, unless you have draggin jeans... even these might rip on chipseal - the promos are all on hotmix....

I wear shoes not boots most of the time, but if I had the cash, or I was just starting out and not inheriting gear, I would get myself some decent boots. You can always wear your jeans over the boots, and the rationale is that the boots give you ankle support to stop you breaking it by ripping it around on unnatural angles when you hit a car.... Feet and ankles, with all those bones, dont heal well....
The problem is, they still have to be comfy enough to walk around uni a bit in, so you may have to compromise a little....

Magua

22nd May 2004, 22:01

First bike eh? Well there is a GN125 for sale over in the trading forum.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=49283#post49283

Shameless :D

tuscan

29th May 2004, 14:57

Thanks for all the advice everyone :2thumbsup

I just went and had a look at gear at a few places round central Auckland. I saw this deal at Motomail and I thought it looked pretty good:

-Rjays Voyager jacket: waterproof with soft armour in the shoulder, elbow, back and removable warm liner.
-Rjays Voyager pants: waterproof with armour in the hips and knees.
-Rjays all season gloves
-HJC cs-10 helmet
-Forma street boots

All up it cost $649. I didn't think that sounded too bad. What do people reckon? Second hand I don't know how much cheaper it would be, but it seems like a big mission trying to hunt out each bit of gear separately second-hand in the right size, condition, price etc. etc.

Anyway I thought if I got this gear package + maybe a half-decent gn250 or something I could be on the road for about $2500 all up. :ride: :niceone:

Any comments on my plan would be great. You guys have already provided lots of helpful advice. :spudbooge

Cheers! :rockon:

tuscan

29th May 2004, 14:58

And hey! What's a student loan for if it's not for buying motorbikes!?!? :yeah:

Posh Tourer :P

29th May 2004, 15:22

Are those jacket and pants waterproof or water resistant? Doesnt matter much anyway, you dont get that wet going 10kms a day, I know I have been riding 20km with a not very waterproof jacket in all but the hardest rain, and I get a little wet, but hey who cares. Having wet pants is very uncomfortable though. Make sure these are waterproof, or just get some warehouse plastic overpants for $20. Sounds like a very good deal though overall. Get a CB250RS. Easy to work on, lotsa parts available, good riding position (I'm biased towards upright position, not chopper style or leant over forwards, but well) and wont hurt if you bin it. Heaps of grip, enough power to learn on, good fun bike (just ask Kwaka Kid). You can get one for $1200-$1800.

Oh and student loan? why not? a friend of mine got a skateboard as course related transport costs.....

RiderInBlack

29th May 2004, 15:26

I use Spiders (their full length boots). It's my third pair now in 8years of constant use (last pair cost me $235). Wear them as dress "shoes" by putting me jean legs over top of them, even if I haven't taken the bike (alright for clubing as well). Because of this I have never needed to carry a change if foot wear if I go anywhere on the bike. When I was working as a nurse, I wore them all day at work and nobody was the wiser. Comfortable to wear on the bike as well. Fairly water resistant. Would only consider a more expencive boot if I was racing.

tuscan

29th May 2004, 16:51

Cb250rs ay? Haven't seen (m)any of them but heaps of guys on here reckon they're pretty alright to get started on.

If I was spending maybe 1800 what sort of year model do you think I could expect to get?

I don't really want something that is too old y'know.

I was hoping to pick something up that was maybe 10 years old...

:doctor: (irrelevant smily I know but couldn't think of a chance when I would be able to use it and it would be relevant. :laugh: )

FROSTY

29th May 2004, 17:46

Yep Id say the 250 rs would be my favorite single.
The cb250rs delux I think is the latest model -came out in the late 80s
After bitter experience with one I personally wouldn't reccoment one.
Im being very specific again -the delux had electric start and for some reason gave heaps of trouble with the lekkie start.
One bike often overlooked is the cb250 from the early to mid 1990s
semi retro styling but with all the modern equipment. ya might pick one of those up for about that kinda money.
Suzuki and Kawasaki did a nice little water cooled 250 single in the early 90's -I think the suzi was a GF250 but Ill stand corrected.
Whatever you buy I can't reccomend enough getting it thouroughly checked out first. Even get a competent mate to look it over then a mechanic. 1800+ is a decent chunk of change to spend

scroter

29th May 2004, 18:22

if you cant persuade the bank to get you a new
R1 then just dont worry about the leathers or anything itl be sweet. otherwise stick with the sj50. if it bores you try riding everywhere on the back wheel even if you need to carry a passenger to hoist the front :scooter: :scooter: :scooter: :scooter: :scooter:

Ghost Lemur

29th May 2004, 18:23

Well I haven't got my cb250rs. But decided on it on the advice of everyone here. Pick up the rodent on Friday hopefully. It's an '81, but seems to be build like a brick and should give me little to no trouble. Ugly (the ductape doesn't help :killingme) but ideal for a first bike.

marty

29th May 2004, 18:43

can't beat trademe for a deal:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Road-bikes/Japanese/auction-11774436.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Road-bikes/Japanese/auction-11900727.htm

magnum

29th May 2004, 18:50

a new zx12 with full racing jandals,stubbiezzz,and waikatoo singleet. :killingme :killingme

Posh Tourer :P

29th May 2004, 19:31

Both those bikes look pretty good (VTZ and SRX). CB250RS finished in 1984, but the CB250 range is pretty good, goes up until very recently.

Jackrat

29th May 2004, 19:31

Not much point me talking about the best bike for ya' but I did notice you made the statment" keep in mind I will be riding around town mostly".
Don't get me wrong here, I'm not having a go at you but I do think you would find running into the side of a bus not much diffirent to running into the side of a milk tanker,they are both going to mess you up bad,not to mention the fool in the car that runs you over once your on the ground.
Buy the best gear you can afford,You'll never regret it.
Keep an eye on Trade me on the net and vist your local cash converters an such,you can get some good deals on gear.
Oh stuff it,Buy a single cylinder four stroke.Nobody makes a bad one.
Welcome aboard.