Advice for a newb

**Garfield** · 5th April 2011, 12:36

Hi everyone,

Could I please ask some advice? I am going to view and test ride a Suzuki GSF250....as I have previously indicated in my newb posts I am 6'4 tall and before testing said bike....would the Bandit be suitable for someone my height or should I stick to my original plan and take to te cruiser style bikes.
In regards the Bandit, my friend who is a qualified bike mechanic is willing to give the bike the once over for me so the mechanical side should be covered off pretty well. It's just the height issue and would is the bike suitable as a learner for someone who is akin to John Cleese???

Thanks in advance guys.

**cbfb** · 5th April 2011, 14:06

I would steer clear mate, I'm 6'1" and find it cramped in the leg department, get sore hips after a half hour. I do have long legs for my height but at 6'4" you're probably not going to find it that comfortable either.

**Hiflyer** · 5th April 2011, 14:11

take it for a spin. I'm 6 1 and find my mates bandit really comfy...

**DMNTD:Me** · 5th April 2011, 14:11

Hyosung GT250 Comet would suit your height the best or maybe even a GSX250

**Garfield** · 5th April 2011, 14:26

For the advice guys..... very much appreciated..... I am still looking at the Hyosung Comet, then the cruiser style bikes but thought I would ask about the Bandit....I shall take it for a test ride as it would be rude not to, if you get my drift.

**Hiflyer** · 7th April 2011, 17:26

Originally Posted by Garfield

For the advice guys..... very much appreciated..... I am still looking at the Hyosung Comet, then the cruiser style bikes but thought I would ask about the Bandit....I shall take it for a test ride as it would be rude not to, if you get my drift.

The comet is a nice bike! Don't worry about the bullshit they get here, anything 08 onwards is sweet. bandits will feel quite a bit smaller due to their physical size and weight but the distance between the sean and the pegs is fine and the handlebars are a good distance too, not too bent over and not too upright.

Great bikes both of them

**Garfield** · 8th April 2011, 09:40

Hi,

Well I took the Bandit for a test ride, nice looking bike for its age (1990) and I went armed with some tips taken from the forum about buying/looking at used bikes....so to Sarge and others a big thank you for the tips.
Back to the test ride.... I took the bike out and found it to be quite cramped for my John Cleese esquie physique.....it took some time to get used to where the fioot pegs were and I spent the first five minutes or so continually looking down for the pegs.
That aside, I actually found the bike uncomfortable and did not feel 100% safe on the bike (which I think was down to the fact that I felt I could not find my balance). But it has been a useful exercise, in so much as it has probably decided for me that the cruiser style is more suited to me at this stage in my motorcycling journey.
So now I am lppking into the Honda Magna, the Hyosung GV250 and the Intruder..

**cbfb** · 8th April 2011, 11:48

Originally Posted by Hiflyer

The comet is a nice bike! Don't worry about the bullshit they get here, anything 08 onwards is sweet. bandits will feel quite a bit smaller due to their physical size and weight but the distance between the sean and the pegs is fine and the handlebars are a good distance too, not too bent over and not too upright.

Great bikes both of them

Out of interest Hiflyer, how tall are you? I disagree about the seat/peg distance. I find it too short at 6'1" and Garfield said the same. I don't think it's a great choice for the loftier riders out there.

That said I do love my bike to bits and put up with a bit of cramp for it.

Originally Posted by Garfield

Hi,

Well I took the Bandit for a test ride, nice looking bike for its age (1990) and I went armed with some tips taken from the forum about buying/looking at used bikes....so to Sarge and others a big thank you for the tips.
Back to the test ride.... I took the bike out and found it to be quite cramped for my John Cleese esquie physique.....it took some time to get used to where the fioot pegs were and I spent the first five minutes or so continually looking down for the pegs.
That aside, I actually found the bike uncomfortable and did not feel 100% safe on the bike (which I think was down to the fact that I felt I could not find my balance). But it has been a useful exercise, in so much as it has probably decided for me that the cruiser style is more suited to me at this stage in my motorcycling journey.
So now I am lppking into the Honda Magna, the Hyosung GV250 and the Intruder..

I know what you mean. I find the position of the right foot most uncomfortable, find keeping off the rear brake means cramping my foot up. Alternative is tucking it out to the side which is a bad idea for various reasons.

Good luck with your hunting.

**Hiflyer** · 8th April 2011, 12:15

Originally Posted by cbfb

Out of interest Hiflyer, how tall are you? I disagree about the seat/peg distance. I find it too short at 6'1" and Garfield said the same. I don't think it's a great choice for the loftier riders out there.

That said I do love my bike to bits and put up with a bit of cramp for it.

I know what you mean. I find the position of the right foot most uncomfortable, find keeping off the rear brake means cramping my foot up. Alternative is tucking it out to the side which is a bad idea for various reasons.

Good luck with your hunting.

I'm 6'1 / 6'2 and about the pos of the right foot, I'm sure it'd be adjustable in some way so that it's not as level with the peg itself. Just angle it down a bit. that's what I've done on my two bikes

But yea horses for courses I guess, I really don't mind a bit of cramp, after riding the odd cruiser or two i can't stand that laid back crap haha

**cbfb** · 8th April 2011, 16:14

Originally Posted by Hiflyer

I'm 6'1 / 6'2 and about the pos of the right foot, I'm sure it'd be adjustable in some way so that it's not as level with the peg itself. Just angle it down a bit. that's what I've done on my two bikes

But yea horses for courses I guess, I really don't mind a bit of cramp, after riding the odd cruiser or two i can't stand that laid back crap haha

Interesting... maybe my geometry is out! I'll have a look at the brake been meaning to do something about it before I go on a long trip, only doing half hour commutes atm.

Anyway the searing pain in my throttle hand numbs the pain from my ankle

**Grasshopperus** · 8th April 2011, 22:43

I'm only 6"1 and when I was looking for a su-weet 250 I found that the cbr250 and gsf250 were too small. The vtr250, zxr250 and hyosung250 comet were far more comfortable. The zxr was far leeter too. DMNTD will tell you how awesome it was

**Garfield** · 20th April 2011, 15:55

Hi everyone,

Well after much consideration and testing of numerous bikes, I had settled on either the Honda Magna or the Hyosung GV250......... much soul searching....scrolling through the well known auction site and a visit to my local Honda dealer who had a Magna on the forecourt which I had previously test rode....and who were selling on behalf of (in the end I turned down the magna as the 'third party' was only prepared to drop the price by $250 from the original $5000; which unfortunately is out of my price range).
I am about to become the proud owner of a Hyosung GV250 subject to my test ride etc although I have ridden one of the newer models in my local dealership but the proof will be in the pudding as they say.........all for the handsome price of $3000 and to top it all the nice person selling the said bike happens to be a member of the constabulary.....'any problems muchacho I now where you work' LOL

And so my journey starts, hopefully.

**MSTRS:Me** · 20th April 2011, 16:03

Considered a road legal trailie?

**Garfield** · 20th April 2011, 16:24

To be honest, had a ride on a DRZ250 and a KLX 250 but felt uncomfortable for some reason....in the end settled for the cruiser style as they felt natural for me to ride given my John Cleese esq physique etc.