First bike? (sam.la)

[sam.la]

Hi guys,

I have finally decided to start riding a motorbike. I am going to do my basic skills and handling this weekend and get my learners next.

So now the question is, what should I bet looking for in my first bike? My budget is 3k and round 800ish for safety gear, so around 3.8k all up.

I have been browsing around and all the bikes I like are very high in mileage like 60k+. When is it too high to stop me from buying it?

I want to buy my bike first then safety gear after that. So once I get my bike I will be asking advice on safety gear. Ofcourse I will wait for the safety gear to arrive before riding .

I am wanting to buy a 1993 ninja but am hesitant because there is no service history? should I steer away from all bikes without a service history?

Also what does it mean when a rego is out by 10months or a certain period. Does that mean I have to buy a 12month rego and 10months of that pays for the 10months it didn't have one, while I only get 2months use of it?

Sorry some of this may sound very amateur but I gotta start somewhere .

Look forward to the replies and I can assure you I will be asking more questions in this space

[steve_t]

Welcome to the mad house.

There is a search function that'll lead you to the answers you're looking for. Give that a go first

[DrunkenMistake]

Hi guys,

I have finally decided to start riding a motorbike. I am going to do my basic skills and handling this weekend and get my learners next.

So now the question is, what should I bet looking for in my first bike? My budget is 3k and round 800ish for safety gear, so around 3.8k all up.

I have been browsing around and all the bikes I like are very high in mileage like 60k+. When is it too high to stop me from buying it?

I want to buy my bike first then safety gear after that. So once I get my bike I will be asking advice on safety gear. Ofcourse I will wait for the safety gear to arrive before riding .

I am wanting to buy a 1993 ninja but am hesitant because there is no service history? should I steer away from all bikes without a service history?

Also what does it mean when a rego is out by 10months or a certain period. Does that mean I have to buy a 12month rego and 10months of that pays for the 10months it didn't have one, while I only get 2months use of it?

Sorry some of this may sound very amateur but I gotta start somewhere .

Look forward to the replies and I can assure you I will be asking more questions in this space

Hey!
Welcome to the site,
Basically, a bike with 60+ ,000km will be fine, but will most likely have sketchy service history as alot of it was probably home done, not to worry though!, try find yourself a nice low milage 250 if possible, will help for resale,

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-401728381.htm this might be something of interest, great wee bike,
This is one of the slightly older ZXR's http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-403855224.htm
and http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-404003975.htm
Try go to your bike local bike shops and ask if you can sit on some of the bikes, to get a feel for what you might like, gives you an idea at least. alot of those early 90's late 80's bikes are all the same, same specs, slighty different looks, and different factory's.
Hope you find this helpful :]

[ducatilover]

Try on as many bikes as you can before you buy.
Seriously, if you're allowed to sit on it, do it. Lots.

Once you've found the kind of position you want, work from there.

There's a large selection of bikes to choose from and plenty of knowledge on the general majority.

The Km's depend on the bike and how it has been treated, serviced and where it is ridden. I had a 250 that ended up with 150+ thousand on the clock, 130 done by myself and mainly open road/warm engine riding.
I have seen bikes with less than 20,000km that are rubbish also.

Find what kind of bike you want, then post a link/description and I'm certain you'll find some great advice. Also use the search function.

With descriptions be more specific than '93 Ninja, because, that could be a ZZR250, ZXR250, GPX250 or EX250F.

Good luck

[blackdog]

Hey!
Welcome to the site,
Basically, a bike with 60+ ,000km will be fine, but will most likely have sketchy service history as alot of it was probably home done, not to worry though!, try find yourself a nice low milage 250 if possible, will help for resale,

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-401728381.htm this might be something of interest, great wee bike,
This is one of the slightly older ZXR's http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-403855224.htm
and http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-404003975.htm
Try go to your bike local bike shops and ask if you can sit on some of the bikes, to get a feel for what you might like, gives you an idea at least. alot of those early 90's late 80's bikes are all the same, same specs, slighty different looks, and different factory's.
Hope you find this helpful :]

That GSX would definitely be worth further investigation. IMO the ZXR is not.

In fact since it's in Lower Hutt and so am I, if you are interested enough to want to proceed to the next stage let me know and we'll get it looked over for you.

[sam.la]

wow thanks for all the input so far. I will be using search to get more of the answers I seek from now on, my apologies (you probably get these questions all the time). I'm just going to post some bikes I have bookmarked and would you guys be able to give me your opinion of them?

Also I'm based in Auckland so I would like to buy within the Auckland area.

Ninja ZXR 1993
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=404277062
I really like the look of ninja's and this was the one I referred to in my original post. Also I have been told by many people they are a good learners bike.
mentioned in the previous post: the 89 ZXR http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-403855224.htm

Suzuki GSX-R250 1990
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=404779303
Looks like it has been taken care of well. Not sure how accurate that estimate for a new mirror is though.

Hyosung GT 250R 2007
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=404624309
and http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=403369433
I also like the look of the Hyosung but I hear they are a step down from the big four? or have they caught up in the game? is this worth looking into more?

Honda VT250 1988
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-402066045.htm
Bike seems quite cheap and would do the job? especially after a full service?

ZZR 250 1990
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-405117272.htm
This bike looks good after the service but his descriptions says low K's? but it says 162000km? surely that's high or would that be a mistake?

so currently I am looking at these bikes but am open to other suggestions by you guys. They are kind of in my order of preference. If you could kindly let me know your opinions and which bikes are worth looking into or buying please let me know

[tnarg]

With that first zxr don't worry about the rego, you only pay from when you swap ownership. He will get bill for last 10 months.

[DrunkenMistake]

That 2007 Hyo would be my pick, a little more coin, but its a late model, low km's,
has some scraps which is going to be normal with a 250.

Next to that the Vt would be my next pick,
great wee bike and they will probably keep going long after 100,000km.

[ducatilover]

wow thanks for all the input so far. I will be using search to get more of the answers I seek from now on, my apologies (you probably get these questions all the time). I'm just going to post some bikes I have bookmarked and would you guys be able to give me your opinion of them?

Also I'm based in Auckland so I would like to buy within the Auckland area.

Ninja ZXR 1993
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=404277062
I really like the look of ninja's and this was the one I referred to in my original post. Also I have been told by many people they are a good learners bike.
mentioned in the previous post: the 89 ZXR http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-403855224.htm

Suzuki GSX-R250 1990
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=404779303
Looks like it has been taken care of well. Not sure how accurate that estimate for a new mirror is though.

Hyosung GT 250R 2007
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=404624309
and http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=403369433
I also like the look of the Hyosung but I hear they are a step down from the big four? or have they caught up in the game? is this worth looking into more?

Honda VT250 1988
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-402066045.htm
Bike seems quite cheap and would do the job? especially after a full service?

ZZR 250 1990
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-405117272.htm
This bike looks good after the service but his descriptions says low K's? but it says 162000km? surely that's high or would that be a mistake?

so currently I am looking at these bikes but am open to other suggestions by you guys. They are kind of in my order of preference. If you could kindly let me know your opinions and which bikes are worth looking into or buying please let me know

"93 ZXR, Higher km's for one of them, make sure the camchain/tenssioner have been done and valve clearances are safe.

'89 ZXR, needs TLC but, could be a solid bike, I'd go look it over.

'90 GSXR250, has been dropped and has fairing repairs. Don't let that put you off. I'd also look over it.

Black '07 Hyosung, probably my sensible pick of the lot. Try bargain the price down on it, it's taken a few hits and will cost you a wee bit to make it pretty (It'd cost me less than $200 doing the work myself...not the point though). They're a capable and reliable bike, roomy, comfy and some people think they look nice too

'88 VT250, avoid this model. The VT250 Spada is well worth getting, but every now and then tat model you are looking at will shit the cam chain tensioner (lack of proper maintenance is what does it, oil feed to the tensioner gets gummed up)

ZZR250, In my opinion the best buy of the lot, proven reliability and good looks, comfortable, go well enough and very cheap to maintain I take back the Hyo being my pick, this is what I'd buy.
Note the odometer? They've entered the Km's wrong on the auction, it's 16,160km on the odometer.
It looks like an honest little bike and well worth trying out for size.

Hopefully I have helped.

[blackdog]

The Hyosung without a doubt. Any of the others (except maybe the ZZR, but thats 17 years older!) you are asking for trouble/heartache/very large maintenance bills.

You aren't going to have it forever, but for trouble free low running cost biking you really want something as late model low mileage as possible.

It is very rare to find one of the old IL4's that hasn't been thrashed within an inch of it's life. Even one that has been well maintained is going to cost substantially more to keep on the road than the Hyo or the GSX I discussed in my previous post (which even though is in Wellington I think you could still consider).

[sam.la]

thanks for all the help so far. I will be looking into the Hyosung and ZZR. Is there anyone in the Auckland region that would kindly come look at the bike with me, as I have no idea how to check the condition... I shall pay you a small fee is need be

Both bikes are in Auckland.

[oracle]

Is there anyone in the Auckland region that would kindly come look at the bike with me, as I have no idea how to check the condition

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showgroups.php check out the mentors at the bottom of this page (green ME: next to their name). Full of knowledge, have volunteered to help out the newbies and I', sure will be willing to help you look along with any other questions you may have

[blackdog]

Is there anyone in the Auckland region that would kindly come look at the bike with me.

Good move grasshopper.

[GrayWolf]

thanks for all the help so far. I will be looking into the Hyosung and ZZR. Is there anyone in the Auckland region that would kindly come look at the bike with me, as I have no idea how to check the condition... I shall pay you a small fee is need be Both bikes are in Auckland.

Good choice would be the ZZR if its low K's and good condition... apart from injection and a power tweak, its the same moter as the current Ninja....and the GPX.. so ZZR/GPX would be my pick, as suggested by others. Real life ownership? ZXR etc may be faster, but if you wanted to say travel 250km plus in a ride? The ZZR is a far better proposition.... It's not a bad riding position, the bike is quite cumfy.... and it looks quite nice too. But then as a ZZR owner I would say that

[nzspokes]

Good choice would be the ZZR if its low K's and good condition... apart from injection and a power tweak, its the same moter as the current Ninja....and the GPX.. so ZZR/GPX would be my pick, as suggested by others. Real life ownership? ZXR etc may be faster, but if you wanted to say travel 250km plus in a ride? The ZZR is a far better proposition.... It's not a bad riding position, the bike is quite cumfy.... and it looks quite nice too. But then as a ZZR owner I would say that

Must say I like the look of the ZZR myself. Were they one of the 40hp bikes?