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jaymzw
19th November 2007, 20:08
Hey im new to KB and have just passed my learners. I am currently in the proccess of aquiring decent riding gear, however i am unsure as to what bike to start out on. I only have 2k to play with and have been looking at GSX or GPX 250's. What does every1 think???

Thanks
James
Gman71
20th November 2007, 09:31
Hi

I have just been through the same process, and ended up with GSX250, but it cost me more like $4k, and dealers have them at $5-$6k. the other one I was condidering and they are a bit cheaper is a Kawasaki ZZR, but I'm too new to be able to offer any opinion on them as a bike....

get good gear!
jaymzw
20th November 2007, 19:38
sounds like you got the 2003! unforntunatly for me im looking at more 1990 lol. Anyway how do you find your bike to ride??? Is it easy to learn on???
Trudes
20th November 2007, 19:40
Welcome to KB and the world of riding, yep, good gear is a must, good luck with the bike hunt. Enjoy and ride safe!!
Gman71
20th November 2007, 19:55
sounds like you got the 2003! unforntunatly for me im looking at more 1990 lol. Anyway how do you find your bike to ride??? Is it easy to learn on???

seems to be- i have nothing to compare! I'm getting the hang of it pretty quick and now I need to focus on the finer skills and doing it all safely.
JATZ
20th November 2007, 20:07
Great choice for a first bike the gpx. Had one myself for a while to do the learner thing on. I could ride it all day and not get tired and it would leave the beemer behind on the twisty bits, still fast enough to get a good speeding ticket on, paid just over 2g for mine which was an 88, good luck with the hunt for one.
PirateJafa
20th November 2007, 20:33
Another option would be the GSF250 - pretty much the same as the GSX, but naked. :)
discotex
20th November 2007, 21:10
Another option would be the GSF250 - pretty much the same as the GSX, but naked. :)

And naked bikes certainly crash better. If you're on a budget the last thing you want to worry about is cracked fairings and all that shit.
McDuck
21st November 2007, 16:42
Get a suzuki katana 250.IN your price range and big enough (frame wise) that cars do not mess with you (as much)
PirateJafa
22nd November 2007, 12:22
Get a suzuki katana 250.IN your price range and big enough (frame wise) that cars do not mess with you (as much)
But that big frame makes it so much harder to lane-split at 130+ with your Lplate!
McDuck
22nd November 2007, 13:53
Not realy, get some skill.
PirateJafa
22nd November 2007, 15:01
But I can't buy that. :(
McDuck
22nd November 2007, 15:43
But I can't buy that. :(

No but you can buy fule and the two somtimes come hand in hand :)

Infact about the only bad thing about the kat is if you have a slighty smaller sprocket on the back it is a bit guttless aorund 120ish so a car pulls over a bit and waves you on you cant :crybaby: because he thinks it is an 1100 and it is only a 250.
FilthyLuka
22nd November 2007, 18:56
And naked bikes certainly crash better. If you're on a budget the last thing you want to worry about is cracked fairings and all that shit.

Or grinded crank cases for that matter :(

Isnt the GSF an inline 4? and the GSX a parallel twin?
FilthyLuka
22nd November 2007, 18:57
No but you can buy fule and the two somtimes come hand in hand :)

Infact about the only bad thing about the kat is if you have a slighty smaller sprocket on the back it is a bit guttless aorund 120ish so a car pulls over a bit and waves you on you cant :crybaby: because he thinks it is an 1100 and it is only a 250.

You seen the 1100 katana's? them fools be big...
McDuck
22nd November 2007, 19:47
You seen the 1100 katana's? them fools be big...

Yes i have. The 250 is only a few cm in ither direction smaller.
discotex
23rd November 2007, 08:11
Or grinded crank cases for that matter :(

Yeah and add bent swingarms to that as well... Those were the three things that guaranteed my bike would be written off. Glad it wasn't my fault!


Isnt the GSF an inline 4? and the GSX a parallel twin?

Not sure about the GSF but I believe the standard GSX is a twin. I think they do an R model with an IL4 but if you wanted an IL4 250 I'd be getting a CBR or ZXR if you want fairings or a Hornet/Bandit if you go naked.
McDuck
23rd November 2007, 09:11
Yeah and add bent swingarms to that as well... Those were the three things that guaranteed my bike would be written off. Glad it wasn't my fault!



Not sure about the GSF but I believe the standard GSX is a twin. I think they do an R model with an IL4 but if you wanted an IL4 250 I'd be getting a CBR or ZXR if you want fairings or a Hornet/Bandit if you go naked.

Well my gsx is a 4....
PirateJafa
23rd November 2007, 11:22
GSF is a IL4.
McDuck
23rd November 2007, 11:29
GSF is a IL4.

Same as the GSX
discotex
23rd November 2007, 13:20
Same as the GSX

Really? I thought it was a parallel twin in the GSX250 and an IL4 in the GSX-R250.

EDIT: was a while ago that I was looking at them so not 100% sure on that..
McDuck
23rd November 2007, 14:41
I just checked and i can garentey it is an inline 4. If you like i could take a pic? (will be a bad one tho)
betti
23rd November 2007, 14:53
the original gsx250 was an air cooled parallel twin (1980), the katana or gsx250s is a water -cooled in line four, and so is the gsxr250.
So your all right.
Good eh!.


but I'm currently doing a 250 kat up.. might part with it for the right money...

mine's an oil-cooled 1100.. see below
discotex
23rd November 2007, 15:07
the original gsx250 was an air cooled parallel twin (1980), the katana or gsx250s is a water -cooled in line four, and so is the gsxr250.
So your all right.
Good eh!.


but I'm currently doing a 250 kat up.. might part with it for the right money...

mine's an oil-cooled 1100.. see below

Nice bike! Thanks for the clear up.

Was starting to think I was going insane as I was sure I remembered reading about a parallel twin GSX when I was researching my first bike purchase.
McDuck
23rd November 2007, 15:45
So one think which way dose the katana lean? GSX or GSX-R?
betti
23rd November 2007, 15:50
the kat has a steel frame, as did the gsx, but the suspension and brakes are light years ahead. I reckon the kat was the gsx-r's direct descendant, as the kat was a full on sports bike, at the time it was new, and the gsx was a commuter really.
So look down the line, without the gsx no kat, and without the kat no gsx-r!!
rwh
23rd November 2007, 16:19
Well my gsx is a 4....

I think you might find your katana is a GSX250S, rather than a GSX250.

The GSX250s (aargh. plural GSX250, I mean) I've seen are parallel twins.

AFAIK the GSF is the bandit.

To add to the confusion, my GSX750F was badged as a katana in some markets; I guess the fact that it isn't a GSX750S indicates that it's not a real one, but a teapot instead.

[edit: actually of course mine has another letter to indicate how old it is: it's a GSX750FP. But I think it's safe to leave the P off, and still be clear what I'm talking about]

Maybe Jim2 can step in ...

I wish they'd keep all the letters before the capacity, it'd make life much simpler.

Richard
NOMIS
30th November 2007, 09:24
get good gear mate first thing that should be on you list,
I just got a new Hornet 2001 my first bike and love it, also try make friends with people with a bit more experiance and go for rides with them as they will push the limits for you and you will learn quicker.
good luck finding a bike mate