Just starting out down south [Archive]

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Jez

1st June 2008, 19:11

NighthawkNZ

1st June 2008, 19:24

Hey all

Im just getting into riding ... sick of pedalling everywhere, time for the bikes to take me ;)

anyways wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction in Invercargill, for the basic skills test ... grew up on a farm and rode bikes all the time then, but havent ridden a motor bike for 15 years or so.

probably looking at getting a FZR250R or a ZXR250 (wife rode one back in japan) wondering if they are good bikes to learn to ride on the road on, and even take for long rides to chch, i heard the sport position is nasty, but trust me i dont think anything can be worse than a road cycle.

thanks for any help or knowledge

Normal story... you need to know what you are wanting the bike for, and then go test a couple of bikes, to see if you find them comfortable, whether it suits your riding style, suites your needs, your budget... what I find comfortable you may find totally un-comfortable, what I like you may hate... :cool:

Every bike is different, and every person is different. As for whether the bikes will get you to ChCh ... answer is simply yes they will with no problem... my other half is happy travel anywhere now on her vtr250... but will you be still comfortable on it is different story.

I find on the vtr1000 which a semi sports position very comfortable, but it is a larger bike... on a smaller one I wouldn't be so sure...

so you need to go test as many as you can check the pros and cons of all them... then decide

fridayflash

1st June 2008, 19:41

welcome!! id go for a single or twin cylinder bike personaly
less work to keep them on the boil,and more torque where you need it most.
examples would be..vtr250,zzr250,hyosung gt250 twins
and gn250,cb250f etc etc in the singles department.
being a spacious sports tourer,the zzr250 should be comfy 2up
just my opinions;) good luck matey!

Jez

1st June 2008, 19:46

thanks man

im budgeting about $5k all up for my first bike, this includes gear which im guessing will be ~$700 ... my wife seems dead keen on a kawasaki as thats what she had back in Japan and when she took me for a ride over there it was pretty nice on the back (maybe for other reasons though...) so we were thinking that style.

But yeah ill be testing out as many bikes as i can when my bank puts the 5K thru ... so if theres anyone in or around invercargill selling a ZXR or FZR 250 or similar for around the $4k mark gives us a holler ;)

McJim

1st June 2008, 20:08

Whereabouts in Invers are you?

Gimme a shout if you need a hand with anything. Depending what size you are I have some spare kit kicking around too so let me know.

You're the only person that knows what bike to get. 4 cylinder Jap 250s are al very well in terms of power, handling and bling but you'll have to factor in some shipping to get it here. You're also guaranteed that it will probably be 15-20 years old and therefore will need some work in the not too distant furture. My advice is to get a starter bike that will do (rather than getting the fastest 250 you can) keep the bike until you have your full licence and part exchange it on something sexy.

McJim

1st June 2008, 20:11

Mind you I just found these

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-157945323.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-156933446.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-157667673.htm

I can come help you kick tyres if you like.

Jez

1st June 2008, 20:29

haha awesome work Mcjim ... i have been using those bikes to sell my wife on the idea :)

got a comment in on the 93 ninja ... theres also a FZR thats stored in Invers which i sent a txt to the owner about

not gonna start tyre kicking til i got the cash in the bank which should be friday at the latest (fingers crossed)

Jez

4th June 2008, 14:49

wooot bank came to the party time to go shopping and find something nice:apint:

McJim

4th June 2008, 19:11

wooot bank came to the party time to go shopping and find something nice:apint:

Tyre kicking offer still stands. Remember, if you see something out of the area on retardme some of the reliable bastards here on KB can go kick tyres on your behalf.

skidMark

4th June 2008, 19:25

Wouldnt go for either of those zxr's, they need cam chains and tensioners every 40,000 k's. black one has 41,000 ...doubt its been done.

Other has 35,000 so thats 400-600 down drain pretty soon.

Oakie

4th June 2008, 19:37

No disrespect to those who have them but I wouldn't recommend a ZXR250 to someone learning about road riding. I've ridden three and found them to be too peaky in power delivery for someone who is still feeling their way around. Absolutely sporty little beasts and a fair bit of fun for even a semi-experienced rider (I had fun) but not the ideal learner. I'd go for a twin cylinder with an upright riding position. Not as sexy as the other but you're more likely to survive long enough to get a bigger/faster bike later.

Nade

4th June 2008, 19:45

Wouldnt go for either of those zxr's, they need cam chains and tensioners every 40,000 k's. black one has 41,000 ...doubt its been done.

Other has 35,000 so thats 400-600 down drain pretty soon.

I dunno who your mechanic is....but if your being charged that amount to do a cam chain in a ZXR your being robbed. Mines just been done...$87 for the chain and $200 labour and sundries. Guides were fine....hardly any wear at all after 43'000km's. IN fact....he can do a clutch swap less than 2 hours and $140 for new clutch and ALL the parts he uses for my ZXR come from a Kawasaki dealer in Oamaru so i know they are OEM parts. He also supplies you with the old parts so you know he's done the work and what condition they were in....top bloke and knows his shit. Races Ducati's and is well knowen through out Marborough as an all round top bloke.

Jez

4th June 2008, 20:25

seen my uncle this arvo ... he took me round to his friends shop ... he just got in a ZZR250 still needs compliance certs, uncle took it for a ride and told me i should grab it for $3500 ... so i am now the proud owner of a ZZR250 (2 cylinder which i think is a good thing starting out from what i have read and been told)

skidMark

4th June 2008, 20:36

I dunno who your mechanic is....but if your being charged that amount to do a cam chain in a ZXR your being robbed. Mines just been done...$87 for the chain and $200 labour and sundries. Guides were fine....hardly any wear at all after 43'000km's. IN fact....he can do a clutch swap less than 2 hours and $140 for new clutch and ALL the parts he uses for my ZXR come from a Kawasaki dealer in Oamaru so i know they are OEM parts. He also supplies you with the old parts so you know he's done the work and what condition they were in....top bloke and knows his shit. Races Ducati's and is well knowen through out Marborough as an all round top bloke.

Depends where ya go, i used to do mine myself, ive owned 3 zxr's.

Your new cam chain will last about 10,000 k's.

You have to do the tensioner blade as well, its actually the blade that you replace, but it is ideal to do the chain also, if they havnt done the tensioner blade youhave wasted your time.

Clutch swap in less than 2 hours? it's a 15-20 minute job mate. :gob:

Nade

4th June 2008, 21:40

and yet again skiddy you have proved yourself to be a tard. While comparing the blades there was no wear(or to quote myself..very little)....and 10000km's out of a kawasaki cam chain????? your a tool! pull ya head in before you make a complete arse out of yourself again. I'd like to see you ride your ZXR into a shop and 20 minutes later ride it out again witha new clutch installed and set up....oh but wait...ITS FUCKED.

Oakie

5th June 2008, 20:24

Oakie

6th June 2008, 06:58

and yet again skiddy you have proved yourself to be a tard. ... your a tool! pull ya head in before you make a complete arse out of yourself again.

A simple 'you're wrong because..." would have been enough

CookMySock

6th June 2008, 07:53

I'd go for a twin cylinder with an upright riding position. Theres nothing wrong with the sportbike riding postion, or the performance learner bikes. Its about where he wants to go in the future. If a solid grounding on a learner sportbike is what he wants, then he should do it,

Sore wrists come right in a few months.

DB

Jez

6th June 2008, 15:29

well here is my bike ... got a photo of it today at the shop before it got sent off for compliance certs

Jantar

6th June 2008, 15:49

well here is my bike ... got a photo of it today at the shop before it got sent off for compliance certs
A nice looking bike, and ideal for your purpose. Now to see it close at the KB rally would be good. :2thumbsup

CookMySock

6th June 2008, 17:42

cool bike. Nice colour.

DB

Oakie

8th June 2008, 10:26

Theres nothing wrong with the sportbike riding postion, or the performance learner bikes. Its about where he wants to go in the future. If a solid grounding on a learner sportbike is what he wants, then he should do it,

Depends on the maturity of the person I guess but I've always thought that the first bike should be a forgiving and easy to ride bike.

Jez

8th June 2008, 16:35

Depends on the maturity of the person I guess but I've always thought that the first bike should be a forgiving and easy to ride bike.

there were a few factors surrounding the sport bike style my wife and i have chosen.

the biggest is probably the fact that she will be keeping the 250 after we have both got our full's, she rode a katana back in japan for a few years and that is what she is used to. anything over a 250 she finds a bit heavy for her.

for me i just love sports bikes, always have, always will. i grew up on a farm and played moto-x down the back of the farm alot ... kinda got that indestructible youth thing bashed out of me before i had even left high school

we arent exactly brand new to motorcycling, just new to licensed in NZ motorcycling ;)

yes there are probably better bikes to learn the roads here on ... but those bikes would get sold and upgraded in 6 months anyway ... kinda wanted to cut out that learner bike thing and get something we can keep for my wife a bit past the learners stage and when i get a bigger bike (or a second 250) for myself.

McJim

29th June 2008, 21:44

yes there are probably better bikes to learn the roads here on ... but those bikes would get sold and upgraded in 6 months anyway ... kinda wanted to cut out that learner bike thing and get something we can keep for my wife a bit past the learners stage and when i get a bigger bike (or a second 250) for myself.

A real shame your kawaka ain't ready yet Jez. I hope today's wee blat in the countryside (downpour and all!) went someway towards giving you an idea of how enjoyable a motorcycle rie on the road can be.

Gimme a shout if your bike still isn't ready and you need another fix of motorcycle madness :devil2:

Thanks for the coffee and muffins. :2thumbsup:

Grub

29th June 2008, 22:02

... some of the reliable bastards here on KB ...

Where did you find some of those on here? You going to keep them all to yourself or play nice and share?

Oh and btw Jez, nice bike ... I like your analytical decision making approach. You sound sensible and mature ... you sure you're in the right place?

McJim

29th June 2008, 22:09

Where did you find some of those on here? You going to keep them all to yourself or play nice and share?

See my friends list. I trust them bastards.:yes:

Jez

7th July 2008, 13:33

Where did you find some of those on here? You going to keep them all to yourself or play nice and share?

Oh and btw Jez, nice bike ... I like your analytical decision making approach. You sound sensible and mature ... you sure you're in the right place?

sensible and mature??? ... the bike is for my wife to keep after the l-plates wear off ... im getting me an R6 asap (when i can afford it that is :buggerd:)

Jez

12th July 2008, 17:49

well i finally got the phone call to pick up my bike on friday ... picked it up at 1:30pm and got off it about 10:30pm last night. Was backwards and fowards to my aunties house showing it off whenever someone finished work, then to Mcjim's place to show off again ... was put in my place when he fired up his Ducati 600 though, damn that sounds sweet ... then we went for a ride round invercargill in the wind and rain and got back to my place about 10:30 for a coffee and a wind down :)

today went for a blatt out to my uncles place at the end of Tiwai rd. (about 15km's with 1 slight bend) again in the rain, wind wasnt as strong today ...

now im sitting at work thinking this is just cutting into time where i could be on my bike ... i havent been this happy since my 4-year old daughter came home from kindergarten telling me she didnt like boys :niceone: (if only that could hold true as long as i am riding bikes)