??Gn250??

[azaa]

Hey all
Im looking at buying a Gn250 as a first bike to learn on?
So whats peoples advice and coments on these bikes.
Speed, proformance, economy, long distance riding?
And any one know where i could buy 1 cheap cheap cheap in the southisland?
Cheers
:2thumbsup

[thehollowmen]

speed... you'll do 100, but not much more without really pushing it... to pass I need to get into a racers crouch, put it in 4th and redline it and it can still take me an entire passing lane to get by a truck...Could do with a bit more on the top end.. (anybody know how well boring the exhast does?)

I do 100 on the trip to chch and back, takes me about 5-6 hours with petrol stops and the windey bits at the end.

Economy, 160-180 km to 8 litres ($10) around town, $12 will get me to chch on highway speeds, needs topping up every 230 km or so.

Long distance riding is pretty comfortable, maintinance isn't too bad.

The gear box does require playing with the clutch to get it into neutral or first when you do an emergancy stop... oh and frount end is VERY soft, braking you dip like crazy and feel like going over the handlebars...

[Jeremy]

Can't go wrong with a GN250. I get about 160km for $8 worth of petrol. For a bike it's pretty slow, however compared to 99% of the cars on the roads it's got far faster acceleration. Since you'll be stuck at 70km/h max for a while it's more than adequate for most uses. Don't pay more than $3000 for one as that's how much they cost brand new. Also remember that your going to have to pay for gear.

[jrandom]

Plenty of commentary on the GN250 around here if you do a forum search.

The main mechanical issue (as poor old Jaz just found out) is that they have a thumble-sized sump.

One of my workmates had a GN250 fully replaced by Holeshot under warranty because it used all its oil within a week and then seized, only a couple of months after he got it brand new.

You really have to check the oil level daily in those things.

[zeRax]

havent got mine past 115, gets to 105 no probs good accel, after 105 its the dogs bollocks to get it to 115 and a fairly sizable run, but accel is fine and it sits very happily on 105 no probs

i dont weigh much thou, the front end is very soft but i like it, its soft but its oh so smooth imo, nice, cheap, nought tew shabbay

[zeRax]

plus its light and short wheel base, very nice to commute on imo :P

[chris]

Go with the GN. It will do everything you want it to do perfectly well. It is ideal for learning on and doing any tests. I recently spent a day on one riding north of Auckland, 500km in a day and no problems. We have had it on long term for about 6 months or so now and it still gets used most days. Oh, and it ain't so bad on gravel either!

[Lias]

Great bike to learn on.

I started learning on a GN125, and then brought myself a GN250 to sit my learners on and found the 250 was easier for me to handle (your mileage may vary)

Cheap as crap to run, fastest i had mine up to was about 120, and that required a pretty decent runup.

[ManDownUnder]

not a bad wee thing - reasonably forgiving and easy to point and go.

They've been aroudn a while too so any problems are known.

Not a bad choice first time up. Get 2nd hand one (after getting it checked of course), then flick it on if/when you want to upgrade... don;t lose too much money in the process... or if you do it any damage yourself.

Enjoy!
MDU

[azaa]

thanx for all the feed back on the GN i will definatly get 1 now i just gota find one cheap or ship one from where ever i can buy one cheap? how much would shiping be at most??? from top of north to Invers?

thanx

[chris]

thanx for all the feed back on the GN i will definatly get 1 now i just gota find one cheap or ship one from where ever i can buy one cheap? how much would shiping be at most??? from top of north to Invers?

thanx

Depends how you define cheap. They are $2995 on the road, brand new, as it is!!

[bkr]

Bought a GN250 about 2yrs ago for $1500 (well and truly 2nd hand but in good nic). Learnt on it for about 6 months then upgraded to the GSX250. Sold the GN again for $1500 and I hear the girl I sold it to has also onsold it again for $1500...
so you should be able to get one for that I would think - just get someone who knows bikes mechanically to look it over for you, or get Mike at Mt Eden Motorcycles to look out for one for you.

[Coyote]

Economy, 160-180 km to 8 litres ($10) around town, $12 will get me to chch on highway speeds, needs topping up every 230 km or so.

That's pretty good, I get about 150 for 8L on the CBR, and I rarely step over 70kph :shifty:

I say go for the GN, the black ones look very cool, all black and chrome and all :yeah:

[Storm]

Just got back from a ride where I got 120km/h on mine!! :banana:
And its only 580km old. Re the higher top end, wouldnt changing the front sprocket affect it?

[Bonez]

Go for it. Can't go too far wrong at all. As mentioned they hold value. Bro had one in the '80s. The back wheel is reasonably wide for the things from what I've seen. I'd go down a size if I had one. Plenty of satified owners down our way. Good luck.

[FlyingDutchMan]

Dunno if this is relevant, but I had a GN125. Went from chch to taupo and back on it. Avg speed on desert road was 120km/h (good tail wind... both ways) and I managed to get it up to 130ish (tail wind+and long down hill straight = needle off the speedo). It used about a litre of oil and did 30km/l.

[thehollowmen]

has anybody bored the exhast of a GN so it gets more top end? Is it worth it?

[GN1NiteStnd]

Yeah i agree you should go for the GN. :ride: They are the perfect learner bike due to the fact that they are to cheap to repair. the indicators and the mirrors are as cheap as chips, which are usually the first to go. Unlike my friends bike. it is this flash brand new racy 150 thing with a full ferring -which is not good for learners. She dropped her bike which broke the mirror. It cost her about $250 to get it replaced.

[MSTRS]

Just got back from a ride where I got 120km/h on mine!! :banana:
And its only 580km old. Re the higher top end, wouldnt changing the front sprocket affect it?
Might. Low Hp/wind resistance may mean higher speed is not achieveable by upping the gearing. So all you would achieve is to lower the engine revs for the same top speed

[adamww]

That's pretty good, I get about 150 for 8L on the CBR, and I rarely step over 70kph :shifty:


I fill mine up every 250 Km for about $9.50. Which is nice and easy to remember, that with city traffic and on the motorway.

[gamgee]

has anybody bored the exhast of a GN so it gets more top end? Is it worth it?
hahah that the stupidist thing i've ever heard :killingme you'd be better off spending the money on getting a faster bike, unless you have the skills to do it yourself, in which case you probably wouldn't have a gn250

[zeRax]

just to update ive managed to get my gn250 up to 130, but had to slow down after that, that and i realised i was wearing a tshirt and it was getting pretty freaky :R

had basic handling test finally this morning too and there were 3 gn250's there out of 7 bikes

[ShadeeLady]

Hi ..i bought a brand new 2004 GN250..I have just been from Auckland to Bluff on it and it never missed a beat.The weather was really shitty and windy..I've had mine up to 120 going up the Bombay Hill...really is economical,and handles brilliantly..just be careful if you buy a new one..$3000.00..mine has rusted & corroded to hell..started within 1 1/2 months & Holeshot won't do anything..Don't get me wrong, I love the bike,it's just it's lokks I hate..ShadeeLady.