Chill
16th January 2007, 09:55
Hello all,
I'm a uni student who came home from uni last summer with a new GN250, which did not impress the parents at all. Got my restricted licence this morning, after having a learners for 14 months.. never got around to having a test earlier. I'm one of the people who never put the L plate on the back. First time was this morning for half an hour for the licence test. Have done 9,000km on the GN and taken it the length of the North Island. Thankfully never been pulled over.
Changes made to the GN: Put a top box on the back, replaced the mirrors with wider, move-able ones, ripped off back of muffler (see below).
Despite many people with bigger bikes being unimpressed with the GN250 in general, I find it a good first bike. It's easy to ride, economical, and has enough power to sit on 100-110kph most of the time. Also, being a student, I'm poor and it's very cheap. I also like the classic styling. I don't like what I consider over-the-top styling like huge cruisers or sports bikes (that Triumph Daytona 675 sure is good looking though). Not even a naked bike fan.
One interesting anecdote: When I was riding through the King Country to Auckland one day I had gone 5km down the road after a meal stop before I heard a metallic tinkle on the road behind me. Immediately pulled over and found that I had forgot to reattach one end of a bunjy cord that was holding a bag on the back seat. As far as I can tell, the other end got caught on the back of the exhaust and pulled off the back cover. Now the GN has a much louder and throatier thumping sound. Much more like one of those Suzuki S40's than a GN250.
Favourite bikes: Triumph Bonnevilles and Thruxtons, Harley Sportsters.
I'm a uni student who came home from uni last summer with a new GN250, which did not impress the parents at all. Got my restricted licence this morning, after having a learners for 14 months.. never got around to having a test earlier. I'm one of the people who never put the L plate on the back. First time was this morning for half an hour for the licence test. Have done 9,000km on the GN and taken it the length of the North Island. Thankfully never been pulled over.
Changes made to the GN: Put a top box on the back, replaced the mirrors with wider, move-able ones, ripped off back of muffler (see below).
Despite many people with bigger bikes being unimpressed with the GN250 in general, I find it a good first bike. It's easy to ride, economical, and has enough power to sit on 100-110kph most of the time. Also, being a student, I'm poor and it's very cheap. I also like the classic styling. I don't like what I consider over-the-top styling like huge cruisers or sports bikes (that Triumph Daytona 675 sure is good looking though). Not even a naked bike fan.
One interesting anecdote: When I was riding through the King Country to Auckland one day I had gone 5km down the road after a meal stop before I heard a metallic tinkle on the road behind me. Immediately pulled over and found that I had forgot to reattach one end of a bunjy cord that was holding a bag on the back seat. As far as I can tell, the other end got caught on the back of the exhaust and pulled off the back cover. Now the GN has a much louder and throatier thumping sound. Much more like one of those Suzuki S40's than a GN250.
Favourite bikes: Triumph Bonnevilles and Thruxtons, Harley Sportsters.