Just starting out again...Hi (Blossom)

[Blossom]

Hi all,
I am just about to get my learners and am shopping for a bike. I have had a couple of bikes in my youth but have been without a bike for 5yrs or so. Thought it was about time to start afresh and get my licence and a shiny bike to go with it.
The husband is also bike hunting and boy has the market changed. So I got online and found this place and am looking forward to making some new friends and getting some advice.
I am looking for a 250 of course, Tried out a Suzuki marauder today and it struggled to get to 100kmph especially up hill so now looking at a Yamaha virago or a Honda magna. Thinking a twin valve bike would have a bit more boogie. I am on the short side so need a low bike and top heavy so need a well balanced bike. I also have been looking at a Kawasaki zzr250 but not sure about the sporty look for me. Sooooo... Ladies and gentlemen, Opinions please. Oh and no I dont want a gn250 been there before thanks. This mother of 4 needs a bike that can clear the mommy cobwebs clear away without killing myself:baby:. lol

[Bren]

heya and welcome to the nut house. I cant give you too much advice on what to go for as the 250s I have owned have been Ginnys and my current GPX...Ya are limited by suffering ducks disease but plenty have overcome that with modifying their bikes. So it just goes to the style you want...
Anyway welcome aboard and good luck in your hunt...

[Blossom]

ducks disease? do you mean the knees up problem? not an issue if thats what your talking about. I have short legs.

[Bren]

ducks disease? do you mean the knees up problem? not an issue if thats what your talking about. I have short legs.

ducks disease...ass too close to the ground....my wife suffers from it..she's only 5ft

[Blossom]

ducks disease...ass too close to the ground....my wife suffers from it..she's only 5ft

ahhh look at that not even here for an hour and I learnt something. lol I am not that short (no offence South3rn Rid3r's wife) am 5ft 4in so the marauder was a good height. Does anyone know if the virago or the magna is around the same height at the marauder?

[Daffyd]

Definitey a Virago; mind you, I might be a little biased. :yes:

[Jiminy]

I tried a Virago 250 when I started biking, found it a bit gutless. I then tried a Kawa Eliminator, perfect bike for me, stil running easy at 100kph, low and stable.

I'd think that the Magna would be a good choice, too. Or the Hyosung GV250 in the cruiser style.

What about a naked bike?

[Blossom]

Not sure what you mean by naked bike, as for the Kawa Eliminator, nice idea but very pricey from what I have seen so far. The man is bike hunting too so I am on a budget.
Surely the Virago cant be as bad as the marauder for power (or lack thereof) ??

[Trudes]

Welcome to KB Blossom, have fun finding a bike to suit you, know the short arse problem too, but we learn to adapt don't we!!! Ride safe!

[kiwifruit]

welcome to the site :)

[SDU]

Welcome to the nuthouse!
Being a hobbit is a pain in the butt when it comes to bikes but nothing you can't work around. Just keep sitting on every bike you can til you find a comfy fit & style you like. If it's a little tall take something out of the seat & or look around at other ways to lower.
I have always found that I can't get both feet on the ground but as long as I'm comfy & can get more than one toe down -bliss!
check out the VTR250's (lower the seat) or the yamaha SRV /reanaince or the bandits.
Happy hunting.

[crashe]

ahhh look at that not even here for an hour and I learnt something. lol I am not that short (no offence South3rn Rid3r's wife) am 5ft 4in so the marauder was a good height. Does anyone know if the virago or the magna is around the same height at the marauder?

Gidday and welcome to KB.

I think that they are all around the same sort of seat height..... but the Magna has a much wider seat than the virago.

Im 4foot 12inches tall and ride a Virago.... ridden it for 8 years now.


To check out the Virago....... pop all the way over to Henderson Motorcycles out on View Rd, Henderson (West Auckland) as they have a new one there to try out. Chat to Mike (speedpro) about the new model.

Another bike shop, Red Baron, sometimes has a second-hand virago in there for sale.

I'm not sure who has Magna's up for sale thou. Maybe over the North Shore.

[Blossom]

Gidday and welcome to KB.

I think that they are all around the same sort of seat height..... but the Magna has a much wider seat than the virago.

Im 4foot 12inches tall and ride a Virago.... ridden it for 8 years now.


To check out the Virago....... pop all the way over to Henderson Motorcycles out on View Rd, Henderson (West Auckland) as they have a new one there to try out. Chat to Mike (speedpro) about the new model.

Another bike shop, Red Baron, sometimes has a second-hand virago in there for sale.

I'm not sure who has Magna's up for sale thou. Maybe over the North Shore.

Thanks for the info I just might have to do that.
I just tried on my old leather jacket and looks like along with a bike and helmet will be gloves and a new leather jacket. Sigh. Oh well at least I like shopping. :msn-wink:

[crashe]

Thanks for the info I just might have to do that.
I just tried on my old leather jacket and looks like along with a bike and helmet will be gloves and a new leather jacket. Sigh. Oh well at least I like shopping. :msn-wink:

How small or big is the jacket on you.... because you can get it altered to refit you.
Go and see Kerrie on K' Rd as she can alter any gear to fit and at a good price too. She has a big Kiwibiker sticker on her door.

Phone her first to arrange a time, as she has to drop her son off to school and then pick him up....

Kerrie
Motorcycle Safety Wear
31 Saint Kevins Arcade
K' Rd
Ph: (09) 309 9522
Go down the first flight of stairs and on the right is a big vault door.. that is where she does the work from.

[Sharry]

Welcom Blossom, we girls need all the gender support we can muster.

As well as popping into bike shops to try for size you can google each make and have look at the individuals specifications and write ups of performance.

Good luck with the search while we all wait in anticipation of the photo.

[Jiminy]

Not sure what you mean by naked bike, as for the Kawa Eliminator, nice idea but very pricey from what I have seen so far. The man is bike hunting too so I am on a budget.
Surely the Virago cant be as bad as the marauder for power (or lack thereof) ??

A naked bike, as I understand it, is a fairly straight sitting bike with no fairing. They might be a bit higher sitted than a cruiser, but often less wide and a bit more powerful. The Bandit or the Hornet come to my mind. Any naked bike rider around with better info?

The Eliminator shouldn't be too expensive if you find a fair dealer, however they are usually quite old. I'm talking about the one with the inline 2 engine, I haven't tried the new v-twin version. Have a look on http://www.motorcycletrader.co.nz and select the Kawa EL250.

I have never owned a Virago, but I've just seen from the specs that it has a very small tank, which can be rather annoying if you take the bike out of town. The Eliminator is also a bit on the small side.

The best is to try the bikes you like. Maybe there are a few KBers around your area who own one of those bikes and would let you try them?

Good luck :)

[Oakie]

I am on the short side so need a low bike and top heavy so need a well balanced bike.

Well you sound just like Mrs Oakie and she found happiness firstly on a Kawasaki EL250 Eliminator (the parellel twin one, not the V twin which is fat, ugly and expensive) and subsequently even more happiness on a Honda CB250 Jade (fore-runner to the Hornet). She did try the Magna and Virago but found the seats to wide for her (not wide) arse, also the position of the air filtery thing was a pain knee-wise and she did not like the forward controls either.

Good luck in the search.

[Colapop]

ahhh look at that not even here for an hour and I learnt something. lol I am not that short (no offence South3rn Rid3r's wife) am 5ft 4in so the marauder was a good height. Does anyone know if the virago or the magna is around the same height at the marauder?
5'4" and you don't think you're short??? Hahahaha! You are short and quite delusional it seems - you'll fit in just fine round here! Now don't you get all angsty, just a bit of gentle ribbing... til I hug you that is... :hug:

Welcome enjoy the rolls... I mean trolls... just don't feed them after dark

[crashe]

Well you sound just like Mrs Oakie and she found happiness firstly on a Kawasaki EL250 Eliminator (the parellel twin one, not the V twin which is fat, ugly and expensive) and subsequently even more happiness on a Honda CB250 Jade (fore-runner to the Hornet). She did try the Magna and Virago but found the seats to wide for her (not wide) arse, also the position of the air filtery thing was a pain knee-wise and she did not like the forward controls either.

Good luck in the search.

Interesting comment re the airbox on a virago....

They are right up near the front of the bike (no where near where anyones knees would be). Oh and the virago seat isn't that wide at all..... in fact it is very narrow at the front of the actual seat.
(check out my profile pic to see where the airboxs are situated)

I know on the Honda REBEL that they are on the side of the engine and get in the way of your thighs.

[Blossom]

How small or big is the jacket on you.... because you can get it altered to refit you.
Go and see Kerrie on K' Rd as she can alter any gear to fit and at a good price too. She has a big Kiwibiker sticker on her door.

Phone her first to arrange a time, as she has to drop her son off to school and then pick him up....

Kerrie
Motorcycle Safety Wear
31 Saint Kevins Arcade
K' Rd
Ph: (09) 309 9522
Go down the first flight of stairs and on the right is a big vault door.. that is where she does the work from.

Thank you so much for the info. My jacket is too small in the er... chest area...lol I will definately give her a call. The thought of trying to find a jacket to fit my top heavy self is very daunting.:rockon:

[Blossom]

5'4" and you don't think you're short??? Hahahaha! You are short and quite delusional it seems - you'll fit in just fine round here! Now don't you get all angsty, just a bit of gentle ribbing... til I hug you that is... :hug:

Welcome enjoy the rolls... I mean trolls... just don't feed them after dark

I am NOT short. I just have a lot of friends/family who are under 5ft, which makes me feel normal, which is good. Cause I dont often feel all that normal. :woohoo:

Also thanks for the info about the eliminators, I didnt realise there was a parallel. So off to search online yet again for some specs and reviews..
Watch this space.
Oh...and thanks for the welcome

[Blue Velvet]

Hi Blossom. Welcome to KB, happy bike hunting and safe motorcycling :sunny:

[Oakie]

Interesting comment re the airbox on a virago....
.

I thought it was the airbox but I may be wrong. Certainly on the Magna and I was sure it was on the Virago too. Something bulbous out the side just at the front of the seat and below the tank but then again I wasn't sitting on it so I didn't really take much notice.

[Blossom]

ok so got it down to the virago (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=141454004) a zzr (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=140105705) or an KAWASAKI EL250 ELIMINATOR 1987 (http://www.mastertonmotorcycles.co.nz/bikesstock.htm) (its the parallel twin one)
then i see this (http://www.lifanmc.co.nz/pagesfolder/delta.html) while I am lurking about... sheesh and I just got the go ahead from the bank manager... HELLO needing some help here?! Ladies esp please what do you think?:blink:

[fireliv]

HI blossom welcome aboard!!!

Well I'm a Suzuki bandit fan myself. Naked bike (no fairings to break) enough guts that 100km is no probs, and flickable enough to corner well. Not tall bike either so good for vertically challanged riders.

All the best in whatever you end up with!:2thumbsup

[FROSTY]

Bike wise Jorja has just been through all thaqt drama. She's 5.0
She's on a yamaha scorpio now and loving it. balls of both feet on the ground Something I noticed was that the seat is very heavilly padded so if its still too tall you could get some padding removed from the seat.
The Honda Cbf 250 seems to be a nice bike too
Jacket wise Give Quasimodo (on this site) a yell
Again Jorja has a er um large chest area and quasi had a really nice jacket for her
Ohh and look in the KB trading section--theres a VERY low km Scorpio for sale pretty cheap

[Blossom]

HI blossom welcome aboard!!!

Well I'm a Suzuki bandit fan myself. Naked bike (no fairings to break) enough guts that 100km is no probs, and flickable enough to corner well. Not tall bike either so good for vertically challanged riders.

All the best in whatever you end up with!:2thumbsup

I had a look at the bandits and they are nice bikes also, but not quite what I am looking for. Thanks though.:Punk: