Which bike for beginner?

[BlackMDK]

I'm looking for beginner’s bike for myself just to learn at easy pace. I don’t want to spend lots of money for it. One question I have is for what type of bike I should go Sports or Cruiser. I see most of the bikes here mentioned in beginners section are cruiser but they are usually more expensive than their sports counterparts. What are pros and cons of each of them and what you think about this thing:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=92967897

Thanks

[T-Thunder13]

doesnt matter what you get cruisers are safer generally, not as much pick up.
but dont touch that lifan. peice of shit id say

[onearmedbandit]

Go for a Suzuki GN250. Cheap, reliable, easy to learn on, great resale, cheap to fix if you drop it.

[McJim]

To decide whether it's cruiser or sportsbike for you you need to actually sit on them.

I was hell bent on a cruiser for the image and stuff.....then I sat on one and though "How the fark am I going to see over the top of cars in this....death trap, I won't sit on one of these again...what are the pegs doing way out there in front?" And so on and so forth.

Sat on a VTR250 and that was it. If you've got a small budget don't think about a VTR - they're $5,000 for the oldest, wrecked one you can find.

See if you can get a road legal dual purpose bike - that'll be fun.

But basically sit on bikes until you find one that has the saddle, pegs and handlebars in the right place for you.

[Daffyd]

I'll probably get rubbished for this...
Check out the new Keeway at the Triumph people.
Chinese, but worth a look. Roadtested in the April Autocar.

[slob]

He he.. the Lifan looks like a knock-off of the Honda CBR125, albeit with an air-cooled engine instead of a liquid-cooled one..

Anyway, I'd say the Suzuki GN125 or the FXR150 are the ideal learners bikes, with the FXR150 being the pick as it has better brakes, power, handling and a useful fairing.

[speeding_ant]

Yeah I'd recommend an FXR, especially if you havnt ridden before. The FXR has a rock solid engine and goes nicely. Looks better than most sub 250 bikes out there (or even some 250s for that matter). Cheap to run, insure and maintain. Oh and cheap to buy. What more do you want? Its a bike that teaches you the fundamentals of riding on a budget.

And no I dont work for suzuki.. :)

[McJim]

If you are going to get a FXR150 it is vitally important that you don't ride another bike first. Best 150s are 2 stroke. RG150, KR150.

If you test ride another bike before you get an FXR you'll be disappointed with the power from the FXR.

If it's the only bike you know then that's fine - you won't know any better and will have fun.

[Mr. Peanut]

Don't bother with 250's. Pain in the arse and the rule should be sacked completely. Get a sensible bike 500cc or under.

[crashe]

To decide whether it's cruiser or sportsbike for you you need to actually sit on them.

I was hell bent on a cruiser for the image and stuff.....then I sat on one and though "How the fark am I going to see over the top of cars in this....death trap, I won't sit on one of these again...what are the pegs doing way out there in front?" And so on and so forth.

Sat on a VTR250 and that was it. If you've got a small budget don't think about a VTR - they're $5,000 for the oldest, wrecked one you can find.

See if you can get a road legal dual purpose bike - that'll be fun.

But basically sit on bikes until you find one that has the saddle, pegs and handlebars in the right place for you.

Oi you young man...... the cruiser is not a death trap..... and I can see way ahead of me in traffic when I'm riding my VIRAGO :love: and they are really comfy sitting on them with your feet forward. Just like sitting on a comfy chair.

So you wont get to sit on my bike again..... :yes:



BlackMDK - Yep the VIRAGO :love: are approx $4grand second hand to buy but in saying that, they do hold their value and price.


But since you dont have much money, buy a GN250 or the FXR150 as both are also ideal to learn to ride on.

But do also go into the bike shops and sit on all the 250's there to check out which bike is the one for you. Size and comfort wise.

[McJim]

Oi you young man...... the cruiser is not a death trap..... .

Hahahaha - I like my vantage point for lane splitting on the Southern Motorway.

Different folks different strokes.

I faithfully reported my thought process at the time of first bike selection - if you choose to believe that is my current opinion then who am I to deny you?. :rofl:

[crashe]

Hahahaha - I like my vantage point for lane splitting on the Southern Motorway.

Different folks different strokes.

I faithfully reported my thought process at the time of first bike selection - if you choose to believe that is my current opinion then who am I to deny you?. :rofl:

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[limbimtimwim]

Honda VT250 Spada is another one to consider.

Things like the VT(n)250s, the Kawasaki ZZR250, Kawasaki GPX250, Suzuki GSX250, Yamaha Scorpio etc are not quite sports and not quite cruisers.

Sit on them first, some bikes will just repulse you the moment you get on. Then take it for a ride.

But yeah; ++ On a 1998 onwards Honda VTR250.

[peasea]

I'm looking for beginner’s bike for myself just to learn at easy pace. I don’t want to spend lots of money for it. One question I have is for what type of bike I should go Sports or Cruiser. I see most of the bikes here mentioned in beginners section are cruiser but they are usually more expensive than their sports counterparts. What are pros and cons of each of them and what you think about this thing:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=92967897

Thanks

As most have said; try before you buy. My other half started on a 750 Virago (Oz rules are different) and I started on a 650 Triumph long before the current rules were in place BUT! It's all about your comfort. You can't concentrate if you're not comfortable. Then there's personal taste and no amount of blabbing on forums will change that. Do you like cruisers or sports bikes? Both have their place on the road, it just depends which you prefer. Why not buy a cheapie of the style you think you'll like, run it for a while and switch to another? You'll soon see the difference in riding styles.

[Boob Johnson]

As most have said; try before you buy. My other half started on a 750 Virago (Oz rules are different) and I started on a 650 Triumph long before the current rules were in place BUT! It's all about your comfort. You can't concentrate if you're not comfortable. Then there's personal taste and no amount of blabbing on forums will change that. Do you like cruisers or sports bikes? Both have their place on the road, it just depends which you prefer. Why not buy a cheapie of the style you think you'll like, run it for a while and switch to another? You'll soon see the difference in riding styles.Sound advice right there :yes:


A cruiser bike can be cheaper than a sports bike in the 250 range. Point in case are the two best options...


Yamaha SR250 & the Suzuki GN250.


Both can be picked up for anywhere from $1000 (for rough one) to $3300 brand new. A good 2nd hand one will set up back around $1500 to $2500 (anything more and your probably better going brand new IMHO). The beauty of these bikes is they are very reliable & hold there value very well & will be on sold for very similar money in a year if you want to upgrade.


The better of the two is the SR250 (hence why I got one). Its mechanically a better bike than the GN but either bike will do the job nicely. Just avoid any GN built after 1991 as they are from China & are not as well made.


If your wanting a sports bike in the 250cc range, your realistically looking around the $3500 mark (for a good one). You can however pick up a 150cc for roughly half that (RGV150) or a GN125.


In my humble opinion if your after a cruiser style bike don't go less than a 250cc, after a week of riding you'll be wanting more power.


All the best with it

[BlackMDK]

Thanks very much for replays. To be honest I would buy that Lifan if it would be $1000 but on the end it was sold for over a $2000 and for that money I can get much better bike. I noticed there are some presumptions about my budget; I did not set the budge at this point. I was thinking to buy some cheap bike so I would not be sorry if I damage it and also if I don’t like it would not me much of a loss. All I need is something to learn on and then move on to something that I like (hopefully by that time I will know what I want) after all is only for about 9 months until I get my full license.

[Insanity_rules]

Ride as many as you can get a leg over, that'll help you decide. Oh ever heard the expression "goes like a chinese motorcycle" before?

[breakaway]

Personally I don't like the look of crusiers, so I bought an RG150 to learn on, best decision I ever made. Has a good amount of power (for a beginner), and best of all it was quite cheap.

[Smorg]

Im gonna say CBR400 I would have loved to learn on one of these, enough power to keep you interested but not enough to get you into the poo (unless your a retard) may not be legal but not much is these days.

[Boob Johnson]

Thanks very much for replays. To be honest I would buy that Lifan if it would be $1000 but on the end it was sold for over a $2000 and for that money I can get much better bike. I noticed there are some presumptions about my budget; I did not set the budge at this point. I was thinking to buy some cheap bike so I would not be sorry if I damage it and also if I don’t like it would not me much of a loss. All I need is something to learn on and then move on to something that I like (hopefully by that time I will know what I want) after all is only for about 9 months until I get my full license.If you are thinking around the $1000 mark then expect to spend money on it in the near future, expect maintenance costs, maybe enough to cost the same as a good one in the first place :gob:


Thats the conclusion I came to after looking around at what $1000 would buy.

Half the challenge with the 250 market is that its artificially inflated due to our licensing restrictions. This as you may or may not have noticed has 250cc bikes at a premium on the 2nd hand market compared to bigger cc bikes.


$1000 = a pretty rough 250cc (cruiser) bike that will HIGHLY likely need more $$$ spent on it while you own it.


$1500 will get you a reasonable bike


And $2000 will get you a very well looked after model with low mileage.


Aint no such thing as a free lunch :yes:

[Steam]

Aint no such thing as a free lunch...

If you are thinking around the $1000 mark then expect to spend money on it in the near future, expect maintenance costs, maybe enough to cost the same as a good one in the first place

I disagree, you can get free lunch bikes, you just have to wait wait wait, go look at a lot, and keep your eyes open. I got my first two bikes for great prices, a steal really, about half of what they should have gone for. They were both in excellent condition and less than $1000.
Bargain-hunting is all about waiting and not getting attached or excited.

[Boob Johnson]

For sure, there is always the exception to the rule. Im a real bargin hunter myself but finding these deals IS the exception. You have to know what your on about or you can get caught out......big time.


As the saying goes...........with knowledge comes power........with a small amount comes danger <_<


No offence to MDK but he/she doesn't strike me as the type of person who should be capable of sniffing out a bargin bike unless they had the appropriate help. I could be wrong of course but thats the impression ive got from this thread.

[BlackMDK]

No offence taken, but don’t discard me that fast I have fair mechanical knowledge and I worked in body shop for a while so I'm on a lookout for bargain. The whole lifan saga was only while it looked it will go for a $1000 no matter what all you say a new bike for that money will do the job it only needs to last couple of months, anyway it is gone now . I don’t know much about what a good secondhand bike is or where to look for one but I will get there. Reading threads and gathering information and ideas is first step.

[McJim]

Personally I don't like the look of crusiers, so I bought an RG150 to learn on, best decision I ever made. Has a good amount of power (for a beginner), and best of all it was quite cheap.

Good amount of power for a beginner? I've heard of people fiddling with them and putting them on a dyno and showing 37hp AT THE BACK WHEEL. for a bike weighing about 140kg (128kg Dry weight Blah blah) that is a shitload for a little bike.

Oh - and as well as my VTR being for sale I know of a bloke seling a cosmetically beat up (mechanically still good) FXR150 and another bloke selling a RG150 (with recent top end rebuild) so if you're interested send me a PM and I'll let you know their contact details.

[skidMark]

Oi you young man...... the cruiser is not a death trap..... and I can see way ahead of me in traffic when I'm riding my VIRAGO :love: and they are really comfy sitting on them with your feet forward. Just like sitting on a comfy chair.

So you wont get to sit on my bike again..... :yes:



BlackMDK - Yep the VIRAGO :love: are approx $4grand second hand to buy but in saying that, they do hold their value and price.


But since you dont have much money, buy a GN250 or the FXR150 as both are also ideal to learn to ride on.

But do also go into the bike shops and sit on all the 250's there to check out which bike is the one for you. Size and comfort wise.

viragos are pieces of crap, too easy to lock the front wheel which isn't good when you want to stop in a hurry,

go for a sportsbike, because if you learn on a cruiser it's hard to learn countersteering etc, and then you hop on a sportsbike as i discovered and go oh crap throw everything i know about cornering a bike out the window,

get either an fxr150 or a zxr250,

fxr is more in the pricerange of the lifans , but a much better bike , they will do 140 kph are cheap on gas have very good brakes, and are smooth through the power no sudden powerbands to worry about which you can get with some 4 strokes. they are not strong but when you are new can be a little off putting.

i used to work for lifan NZ for 2 years, assembling them and fixing them , and selling also.

they are rubbish, the exhausts break, frames snap , they vibrate like crazy , they are extremely slow, and the weld quality is extremely poor.

do not touch them.

take it from somebody who knows.

get an fxr150 i say , cheap on gas cheap for parts if you do lay it down and they handle like a proper sports bike ( i used to race one)

hope that helps.

oh and also don't go near gn250's they are underpowered and suzuki nz is going to stop bringing them in, as they goto america first and sit on the shelf so long the chrome is rusty by the time they get here because it's cheap chrome.

cheers : SM

[crashe]

viragos are pieces of crap, too easy to lock the front wheel which isn't good when you want to stop in a hurry,

go for a sportsbike, because if you learn on a cruiser it's hard to learn countersteering etc, and then you hop on a sportsbike as i discovered and go oh crap throw everything i know about cornering a bike out the window,

get either an fxr150 or a zxr250,

fxr is more in the pricerange of the lifans , but a much better bike , they will do 140 kph are cheap on gas have very good brakes, and are smooth through the power no sudden powerbands to worry about which you can get with some 4 strokes. they are not strong but when you are new can be a little off putting.

i used to work for lifan NZ for 2 years, assembling them and fixing them , and selling also.

they are rubbish, the exhausts break, frames snap , they vibrate like crazy , they are extremely slow, and the weld quality is extremely poor.

do not touch them.

take it from somebody who knows.

get an fxr150 i say , cheap on gas cheap for parts if you do lay it down and they handle like a proper sports bike ( i used to race one)

hope that helps.

oh and also don't go near gn250's they are underpowered and suzuki nz is going to stop bringing them in, as they goto america first and sit on the shelf so long the chrome is rusty by the time they get here because it's cheap chrome.

cheers : SM

Mark - very serious question for you here.

When did or have you ever ridden a Yamaha VIRAGO 250cc bike?

Yep you have ridden a Lifan..... but that is not a VIRAGO.
They are two very different types of bikes.
The Lifan you owned was/is like a pitbike.


Oh as to your comment re the front wheel locking up.......Bollocks.
As you know Mark I have ridden and owned my VIRAGO for 7 years.
On many occassions I have had to pull on the brakes hard and fast due to some idiot in a vehicle...... and NOT once has my front wheel ever locked up in the way you describe.

Your comment re the GN250 - This is very interesting comment.
When you once owned one and always went on about how great it was and what you could do with your one.... and how you went to all that trouble to give it that red paint job. Now you are rubbishing them.

They are also a great learner bike for someone to learn on.... sure the new ones rust fairly quick and the older ones seem to be more reliable....BUT they are a great bike to learn to ride on.

But you know it all comes down to what a rider likes to ride.....
A sportsbike, a cruiser, a adventure duel bike or a tourer bike.
There are many great learner bikes in each bike catagory.

Do NOT rubbish a Yamaha VIRAGO unless you have ever ridden one and owned one.

[skidMark]

Mark - very serious question for you here.

When did or have you ever ridden a Yamaha VIRAGO 250cc bike?

Yep you have ridden a Lifan..... but that is not a VIRAGO.
They are two very different types of bikes.
The Lifan you owned was/is like a pitbike.


Oh as to your comment re the front wheel locking up.......Bollocks.
As you know Mark I have ridden and owned my VIRAGO for 7 years.
On many occassions I have had to pull on the brakes hard and fast due to some idiot in a vehicle...... and NOT once has my front wheel ever locked up in the way you describe.

Your comment re the GN250 - This is very interesting comment.
When you once owned one and always went on about how great it was and what you could do with your one.... and how you went to all that trouble to give it that red paint job. Now you are rubbishing them.

They are also a great learner bike for someone to learn on.... sure the new ones rust fairly quick and the older ones seem to be more reliable....BUT they are a great bike to learn to ride on.

But you know it all comes down to what a rider likes to ride.....
A sportsbike, a cruiser, a adventure duel bike or a tourer bike.
There are many great learner bikes in each bike catagory.

Do NOT rubbish a Yamaha VIRAGO unless you have ever ridden one and owned one.

yes when i owned a gn i thought it was great because i didn't know any better, ride a fucking sports bike and get back to me

and yes i have ridden an actual yamaha virago on an extensive ride ( had it on loan for 2 weeks), and it was rubbish and the front wheel will lock up much easier than a sports bike because all your weight is alot further back

and re the lifans , i worked for them for two years can't you read, ive taken every lifan on a test ride straight out of the box, and yes i owned a pitbike, and it was a pile of crap too.

don't piss me off i'm really starting to get sick of you crashe.

don't stick youre nose in when you don't know shit,

have you ever ridden a gn 250?

have you ever ridden a zxr250 an fxr150? a cbr? anything other than your bike for any length of time?

i used to race an fxr and ive done over 40,000 km's on zxr250's alone,

don't make comments when you know as well as i do i know a hell of alot more than you do.

in a way you are right about a gn250 they are a great learner bike,

but for somebody who wants to improve thier riding beyond your skill level , they need something faster with something you can put proper tyres on rather than absolute rubbish. i would not approve of anybody i know buying a gn250 as i consider them extremely dangerous unless you are puttering round 50 kph zones, the same for a virago

there is not enough power to get you out of trouble.

[crashe]

yes when i owned a gn i thought it was great because i didn't know any better, ride a fucking sports bike and get back to me

and yes i have ridden an actual yamaha virago on an extensive ride ( had it on loan for 2 weeks), and it was rubbish and the front wheel will lock up much easier than a sports bike because all your weight is alot further back

and re the lifans , i worked for them for two years can't you read, ive taken every lifan on a test ride straight out of the box, and yes i owned a pitbike, and it was a pile of crap too.

don't piss me off i'm really starting to get sick of you crashe.

don't stick youre nose in when you don't know shit,

have you ever ridden a gn 250?

have you ever ridden a zxr250 an fxr150? a cbr? anything other than your bike for any length of time?

i used to race an fxr and ive done over 40,000 km's on zxr250's alone,

don't make comments when you know as well as i do i know a hell of alot more than you do.

Gee Mark all I did was ask you a question re the VIRAGO.....
all you had to say was "Yes I have ridden one"

I do NOT put other bikes down Mark because I can not ride them due to their height.

But I am also aware that many bikes are awesome for people learning to ride bikes.

In fact I always encourage people to go and sit on different 250 or less bikes in the shops to try them out for size.


As to you thinking I am having a go at you...... I have purposely stayed away for any of your posts in a very long time since your last snarky remark to me.

I asked you a honest question and you have attacked me.
That is your choice to say what you wish to say......

But perhaps you maybe having a bad day.

Hell Mark I didnt even speak to you on Thursday night in case you jump down my throat.

I am not one that is/has been having a go at your riding.

When I had a prob I would speak to you in person re the prob.

So time for you to back off...... and think about it.

You are a nice young guy.... yep young but with time you grow... and you have done that recently in your postings of late.... I have read your posts and thought that.... sorry I didnt tell you that..... You were one who popped around to help after my accident... I thanked you for that.....

Yet all I am getting from you in the threads is you saying that I am pissing you off......
Cant see how, when I havent posted back to you in a long time nor spoken to you in person for ages. If by chance you are listening to what others are saying..... come up to me in person and ask me to my face.

Come and sort it out in person Mark and not on the forums.


in a way you are right about a gn250 they are a great learner bike,

but for somebody who wants to improve thier riding beyond your skill level , they need something faster with something you can put proper tyres on rather than absolute rubbish. i would not approve of anybody i know buying a gn250 as i consider them extremely dangerous unless you are puttering round 50 kph zones, the same for a virago

there is not enough power to get you out of trouble.

[Rhino]

and yes i have ridden an actual yamaha virago on an extensive ride ( had it on loan for 2 weeks), and it was rubbish and the front wheel will lock up much easier than a sports bike because all your weight is alot further back

in a way you are right about a gn250 they are a great learner bike,

but for somebody who wants to improve thier riding beyond your skill level , they need something faster with something you can put proper tyres on rather than absolute rubbish. i would not approve of anybody i know buying a gn250 as i consider them extremely dangerous unless you are puttering round 50 kph zones, the same for a virago

there is not enough power to get you out of trouble.
If you rode a particular bike for two weeks and still couldn't balance your braking, maybe you need to go back to a pushie. All cruisers have a greater percentage of the braking effort from the rear wheel. A sensible rider would adjust to that.

You say that the Virago is only good for 50kph areas.:shit: When I ran ScorpyGirls bike in, I took it down the Southern Motorway to work every day. Once it had loosened up a little, I was able to hold 120-130 kph no problems (I weigh 98 kgs.)

Your 40,000kms is nothing. When you have done 40 years and over 1,000,000 kms it will be interesting to see if your attitude changes.:yes:

[skidMark]

If you rode a particular bike for two weeks and still couldn't balance your braking, maybe you need to go back to a pushie. All cruisers have a greater percentage of the braking effort from the rear wheel. A sensible rider would adjust to that.

You say that the Virago is only good for 50kph areas.:shit: When I ran ScorpyGirls bike in, I took it down the Southern Motorway to work every day. Once it had loosened up a little, I was able to hold 120-130 kph no problems (I weigh 98 kgs.)

Your 40,000kms is nothing. When you have done 40 years and over 1,000,000 kms it will be interesting to see if your attitude changes.:yes:


edit: fuckit it's not worth the bullshit

[McJim]

1/ don't piss me off i'm really starting to get sick of you crashe.

2/ don't stick youre nose in when you don't know shit,

3/ there is not enough power to get you out of trouble.

1/ Pot calling a kettle black?

2/ Again we are talking carbonised cooking implements.

3/ What about the other 99.9% of riders that are sensible enough not to get into your kind of trouble in the first place (yep - I've seen you ride and it ain't pretty)?

Sometimes you make sensible comments, perhaps an effort to redeem yourself from your reputation which has put you, in your own words, in a place that is not so nice.

Try to be constructive - or at least humerous - abuse is the resort of people with no wit...y'know, brain donors.

Don't become one of them.

[skidMark]

1/ Pot calling a kettle black?

2/ Again we are talking carbonised cooking implements.

3/ What about the other 99.9% of riders that are sensible enough not to get into your kind of trouble in the first place (yep - I've seen you ride and it ain't pretty)?

Sometimes you make sensible comments, perhaps an effort to redeem yourself from your reputation which has put you, in your own words, in a place that is not so nice.

Try to be constructive - or at least humerous - abuse is the resort of people with no wit...y'know, brain donors.

Don't become one of them.

so you diss my riding?

ive seen you ride to,

funnily enough, pot calling the kettle black

[McJim]

so you diss my riding?

ive seen you ride to,

funnily enough, pot calling the kettle black

Subtle difference though - I don't claim to be any good :rofl:

[skidMark]

Subtle difference though - I don't claim to be any good :rofl:

i am , u ever seen me ride a thou?

come round coroloop with me, i will have an fxr150 , you can have any modern 600 you desire,

i will be waiting at the end for ya

(pisstake) (cockyness is all part of the fun, i did at one point think i was hot shit , but ya know 19 and bulletproof..)

[Scorpygirl]

I have read this thread with every increasing interest. Yes, I ride a Virago SkidMark!!!!!! When you are 4 ft 11 in or 150 cm tall you have very little option. I have sat on a few bikes but I can't reach the ground. Shit, I would love to ride a sport bikes but I have now learnt that my back is fucked after my accident. C1 - C4 is not good. I have no desire to go warp speed, over that, big time!!!!!!!

Some of us have no desire for a suicide mission. I gave up that when I was in my 20s. Actually I know better ways to it now. You are going to be in pine box before I am!!!! Stop being a hero for Bruce and calm down!!!

[skidMark]

I have read this thread with every increasing interest. Yes, I ride a Virago SkidMark!!!!!! When you are 4 ft 11 in or 150 cm tall you have very little option. I have sat on a few bikes but I can't reach the ground. Shit, I would love to ride a sport bikes but I have now learnt that my back is fucked after my accident. C1 - C4 is not good. I have no desire to go warp speed, over that, big time!!!!!!!

Some of us have no desire for a suicide mission. I gave up that when I was in my 20s. Actually I know better ways to it now. You are going to be in pine box before I am!!!! Stop being a hero for Bruce and calm down!!!

i can understand that , but obviously this guy is of a reasonable height or he wouldn't consider a sportsbike.

and if i die so be it, it's a pretty easy thing to happen on a bike when ur giving it some shit mid corner hit a bit of gravel , it's all over . and thats a risk i take to do something i love

at least if i die in a bike crash i will be glad i died on a bike not old with a body in perfect nick in some resthome

[Rhino]

and if i die so be it, it's a pretty easy thing to happen on a bike when ur giving it some shit mid corner hit a bit of gravel , it's all over . and thats a risk i take to do something i love
If you are reading the road ahead of you, you should not be hitting gravel (or anything else hopefuly) mid-corner.:shit:


at least if i die in a bike crash i will be glad i died on a bike not old with a body in perfect nick in some resthome
As a 50+ year old, I can assure you that you will not die with a perfect body (not judging by the aches in my one currently:)

[skidMark]

If you are reading the road ahead of you, you should not be hitting gravel (or anything else hopefuly) mid-corner.:shit:


As a 50+ year old, I can assure you that you will not die with a perfect body (not judging by the aches in my one currently:)

when you come into a 65 at 140 then discover gravel on the exit (say a blind left hander) ...ive had some lucky escapes ...once the bike had both wheels slightly out tried to lowside, sumhow got it back , did a very small flick trying to highside me , but i wrestled it don't ask me how the heck i did it ....considering i'm a scrawny 62kg white boy

[Ixion]

Anyone who says he comes into a blind 65kph corner at 140 is either a braggart or a bloody fool.

If you carry on as you are lately I don't think you'll need be concerned about what a 50 year old body feels like.

[skidMark]

Anyone who says he comes into a blind 65kph corner at 140 is either a braggart or a bloody fool.

If you carry on as you are lately I don't think you'll need be concerned about what a 50 year old body feels like.

you say this like you can't take a 65 at 140?

[Scorpygirl]

Anyone who says he comes into a blind 65kph corner at 140 is either a braggart or a bloody fool.

If you carry on as you are lately I don't think you'll need be concerned about what a 50 year old body feels like.

Thank you, Ixion!!!!!!!!!! Words of wisdom for a someone that will not make 30!!!

[skidMark]

Thank you, Ixion!!!!!!!!!! Words of wisdom for a someone that will not make 30!!!

we must forgive ixion, he is too old to know what he speaks :done:

[Ixion]

A blind 65.

The speed through a blind corner is dictated not by what your tyres can cope with, but by visibility through the corner. As Mr Rhino said. If you outride your vision you may (as you discovered) encounter something nasty. Do that too many times and the time comes when you don't get away with it.

I hope you are a braggart. If not, well, carry on, it's your funeral. Literally. BTW how are you stocked for Geno-O-Kleen. Evolution you can see. You haven't bred yet have you, so Darwin is still in with a chance.

[skidMark]

A blind 65.

The speed through a blind corner is dictated not by what your tyres can cope with, but by visibility through the corner. As Mr Rhino said. If you outride your vision you may (as you discovered) encounter something nasty. Do that too many times and the time comes when you don't get away with it.

I hope you are a braggart. If not, well, carry on, it's your funeral. Literally. BTW how are you stocked for Geno-O-Kleen. Evolution you can see. You haven't bred yet have you, so Darwin is still in with a chance.

this was bk in the old days

when i get my license bk it's mr law obiding citizen, trackdays here i come :love:

[alexthekidd]

how about stop being idiots, listen when someone who knows what they're talking about speaks, and stay on topic, help the new rider find a friggin bike, jeeeez

[YellowDog]

Mate, get yourself a Suzuki Freewind. A very easy bike to ride with high riding position and excellent manouverability.

[Dave-]

found the suzuki fxr150 to be nice to learn on.

[Templar]

Don't want to read every page to see if this has been said or you've bought a bike, but my 2c is that I borrowed a VTR250 over the weekend and I think it would make the absolute perfect learner bike.

I would, without any hesitation, buy one for my girlfriend if she ever decided she wanted to learn to ride, that's how learner friendly I think it is.

[Monolith NZ]

Go with a GN250. Awesome learners bike!

[BlackMDK]

Yes GN250 looks like safest choice but a lots of people here don’t recommended it. I decided to take it easy and not rush the purchase there is always another day.

[KoroJ]

Just to be different....have you thought about a Trail Bike?

Ideal for learning because you can thrash about off road and get yourself into all sorts of situations without coming to grief. You'll soon find yourself reacting instinctively on & off road and that might save your bacon one day.

A 250cc trail bike will have all the grunt you need for hiway riding or ripping up the countryside.....Oh yes....and it's an easy transition from that to a lovely big cruiser.....except for the ground clearance.

[vamr]

A 250cc trail bike will have all the grunt you need for hiway riding or ripping up the countryside

I was under the impression that majority tend to run out of breath at 100?

[speeding_ant]

how about stop being idiots, listen when someone who knows what they're talking about speaks, and stay on topic, help the new rider find a friggin bike, jeeeez

Agreed! :whocares:

[KoroJ]

I was under the impression that majority tend to run out of breath at 100?

I haven't ridden a 250 for a very long time, but my old Honda XL would do 135kph standard and that went up to 140+ with a CV carb and porting. Did Chch - Auck return on a couple of occasions.

The TS185 I had would go over 100kph also and I felt OK to take that on main roads....never rode it far though.

[tommorth]

thinking of road legal dirt bikes what about the yam tdm?250 the one with a tzr250 motor in it should have plenty of boogie

[alexthekidd]

Agreed! :whocares:

Glad someone does lol

VTR's are loveley bikes for what its worth,

Hyosungs seemed very nice when i test rode one, especially if your a bigger person,

Bandits, absolutely brilliant bikes, run rings around most 250's and not many bits to break if it falls over, loved mine, miss it dearly

GN's are great if you've never got on a bike before, but very cramped and get boring quite quickly

Other bikes you might want to consider:

RG150, FXR150, Yamaha Zeal,

Also the ZXR, FZR and CBR if you're game for a sportier ride.

[vamr]

I haven't ridden a 250 for a very long time, but my old Honda XL would do 135kph standard and that went up to 140+ with a CV carb and porting. Did Chch - Auck return on a couple of occasions.

The TS185 I had would go over 100kph also and I felt OK to take that on main roads....never rode it far though.

Ah, I stand corrected, chur for that.

[xknuts]

i'm checking out 250"s for a female friend at present. She's a newbie who would want to ride to rally's, feel comfortable on the open road, and still cruise in the 100-120 range when required.
I flagged the Honda Rebel as soon as I rode it, but I'm impressed with the Honda Magna 250. Any thoughts on this bike?

[botb]

i'm checking out 250"s for a female friend at present. She's a newbie who would want to ride to rally's, feel comfortable on the open road, and still cruise in the 100-120 range when required.
I flagged the Honda Rebel as soon as I rode it, but I'm impressed with the Honda Magna 250. Any thoughts on this bike?

Ok here goes pro's and con's

PRO's
1. Great pick up and go
2. Heavy sturdy bike
3. Handles being dropped quite well lol
4. Nice comfy stock handlebars
5. Nice and low

CON's
1. Solid rear wheel dreadful in the wind
2. Long rake making cornering and tight turning difficult for a newbee
3. Hard to get parts for until more are wrecked here
4. Drum brake i don't like it behaves different to rear disc brake
5. Lots of shiny bling to polish and alas most of it is chromed plastic so if it's pitted and scratched it's a repaint not a polish job
6. No fuel guage i am constantly forgetting to remember k's and have fliked to reserve too late twice this week and had to push it in traffic to side of road to restart lol ( my own stupidity )

Personally if she wants to start out i would suggest a GN 250 easy riding position relatively light in comparison...Magna=171kg/GN=129kg.... dunno if she has ridden before? i had ridden trail bikes and am finding the road-bike scenario totally different!!

My reasoning for buying my Magna is i am trading up to a HD so didn't want it to be a huge change in weight and rake etc so thought well start out as close as your going to be eventually... and a few boys twisting my arm but they didn't have to really lol....:Punk: O and don't go for black coz apparantly thats Slutty :innocent: Check out the maggie at Beaumont Chris see what ya think ... or more importantly she thinks but she'll only find out by test-riding as many bikes as she can i guess.....

[speeding_ant]

Glad someone does lol

VTR's are loveley bikes for what its worth,

Hyosungs seemed very nice when i test rode one, especially if your a bigger person,

Bandits, absolutely brilliant bikes, run rings around most 250's and not many bits to break if it falls over, loved mine, miss it dearly

GN's are great if you've never got on a bike before, but very cramped and get boring quite quickly

Other bikes you might want to consider:

RG150, FXR150, Yamaha Zeal,

Also the ZXR, FZR and CBR if you're game for a sportier ride.

:D I'd definitely reccomend an RG150. Superb bikes, very quick, reasonably low maintainance if you use decent 2stroke oil. :love: Handles like a 40yr old mum with 3 kids.

Have bandit at the moment, it really depends on what your skill level is. If you know nothing about bikes then I wouldnt reccomend one, they are actually quite quick for a 250. But then again, if you aren't a cocky speed nut then its a great smooth bike. And if you get crash bungs for it, they look cool, and nearly nothing gets damaged in a crash. Unless you get hit by a 4x4 ... :innocent:

[alexthekidd]

:D I'd definitely reccomend an RG150. Superb bikes, very quick, reasonably low maintainance if you use decent 2stroke oil. :love: Handles like a 40yr old mum with 3 kids.

Have bandit at the moment, it really depends on what your skill level is. If you know nothing about bikes then I wouldnt reccomend one, they are actually quite quick for a 250. But then again, if you aren't a cocky speed nut then its a great smooth bike. And if you get crash bungs for it, they look cool, and nearly nothing gets damaged in a crash. Unless you get hit by a 4x4 ... :innocent:

There is a couple of things to remember with the bandits though:

1. People who are used to other bikes tend to find them quite heavy for some reason
2. They can be an absolute pain in the arse when their is a carb problem
3. They can be quite petrol hungry

Other than that, Bandits Rule :love:

[speeding_ant]

There is a couple of things to remember with the bandits though:

1. People who are used to other bikes tend to find them quite heavy for some reason
2. They can be an absolute pain in the arse when their is a carb problem
3. They can be quite petrol hungry

Other than that, Bandits Rule :love:

I find it quite light, compared to the ol' gsx250 i had.
In respects to the carbs, yes. They can be a real bitch. I just recently had mine rebuilt, runs like a charm now.
Petrol hungry.. yeah i agree. My bike goes through more petrol than my mates civic vtec, and he honks it. I think on average it does around 10L per 100-150kms, depending on how I ride it. And its been fully balanced/jetted etc. Not running rich. Not good!

I love my bandit.. especially its little howl at 10000rpm. Ahhh the adjustable cams.. Such a nifty lil engine :)

[YellowDog]

Read this excellent writeup:
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcsuz/freewind.html