noob Q. cost of maintanice

[riffer]

The days of a motorcycle being a cheap form of transport are gone.

However, there are things you can do to help yourself.

Don't buy a highly strung bike like an NSR250 - maintenance will be horrendous.

If you are concerned about maintenance, and don't have to go as fast as possible, do yourself a favour and buy a reasonably modern single or twin.

Learn how to adjust your chain yourself. Oil it regularly. Learn how to change your oil, and again, do it regularly. Likewise plugs, air and oil filters. These are the main things you will get serviced anyway when you put it in to the shop, and learning how to do these things can save you hundreds.

If you are mechanically inclined, buy a Haynes manual, or better yet, download a pdf off one of the myriad websites that have them. There is a thread somewhere on kiwibiker about it - search for it.

You have an internet connection obviously - do your research - look for what bikes are easy to maintain and are reliable. Find out what the weaknesses are in the bikes your are looking at (they ALL have weaknesses) and decide whether you feel confident in remedying these weaknesses.

As for tyres - yes, tyres may last 5,000 kms. But if you really don't need race tyre grip go the sport/touring option - you can get nearly 15,000 kms on some tyres - a D205 Sportmax which many people rubbish lasted me 15,000 on my last bike - a 110 HP 750cc sport bike - and it hardly ever gave me grief - so really research what you need and buy accordingly.

Basically the faster and sportier the bike the more you have to be prepared to pay in consumables.

But you don't have to win the stop light race to enjoy motorcycling. As you are still looking for a bike I would steer you away from a CBR or NSR - the fairings alone on these can be a nightmare if you drop the bike (which you will - especially if you are looking at learning to ride over winter).

Start with a naked - as I recommended on another thread the VTR250 Spada is an excellent choice - learn to ride, get really good at it and then look at something fancy.

You don't have to have a really fast bike to make people on big bikes look daft. Ask Velox - she gave me a real lesson on Rimutaka hill a couple of months back on her 250 Jade...

[GNR]

thanks celticon6,

i know what u are sayin about don't get a cbr/nsr, for learning reasons, but i still want one, lol,

ignorent noob i am, I have had lots of motobike experince just not on road, and im outa practice, but i'll keep the cage for winter, then sell it come spring, or when i feel confident enough to sell it on, im not lookin at being first out at lights, bike may be, but not me, until i know im ready, haha

also, for te person who posted up fibra glass flairing, i gave the wrong impressoin sorry, i mean can u fibre glass them, to fix them, if they are cracked,

thanks for the heap guys/gals !

[James Deuce]

also, for te person who posted up fibra glass flairing, i gave the wrong impressoin sorry, i mean can u fibre glass them, ....!

You can, but it doesn't work very well. You need to get the cracks plastic welded.

Good Sport-Touring Tyres are in the same price bracket as good sports tyres.

I would take celticno6's advice to heart. CBR's are more expensive to keep on the road than VTR's, and less expensive to fix when you crash. Get a VTR Spada and get crash bungs for the frame, front axle, and rear axle. Then low speed crashes won't mark parts of the bike where people look for crash damage, and they can mean the difference between a write off and a ride home.

[zooter]

Replace fork seals, new brake lever, brake mounting clamp, bar weights, front tyre, fix minor exhaust leak, change oil, new shaft drive oil, over $800
priceless