Looking for recommendations for a bike for a short lass

[arcane12]

+1 On the roadsafe course. Here is a link to it: http://www.roadsafe.co.nz/subsidised...kills-training
It's heavily subsidised so it only cost 50 bucks for the entire day.

I also did the one last year. Great training course!

That is an unfortunate shortening of the url...

[Grashopper]

i thought the kawasaki ninja bikes were on ban list for learner bikes ?

Where did you read that?

Here is the current list of approved and prohibited bikes. http://www.nzta.govt.nz/licence/gett...cles/lams.html
Additionally to all bikes on the approved list, bikes 250cc or under are automatically approved as long as they are not on the prohibited list.

[splatcat]

Where did you read that?

Here is the current list of approved and prohibited bikes. http://www.nzta.govt.nz/licence/gett...cles/lams.html
Additionally to all bikes on the approved list, bikes 250cc or under are automatically approved as long as they are not on the prohibited list.

read ban list .pretty sure says all varibles of kawasaki 250.plus cant see it on approved list on liam site.

[Grashopper]

That is an unfortunate shortening of the url...

Ok, will see what I can do.

[mossy1200]

Ok, will see what I can do.

All 250s and under other than a selected group of 2smoke racers are included as lams legal.

RG250 ,apriliaRS250 and so forth etc. Basically gp250 race rep bikes are no good

[mossy1200]

Nice choice. Ninjas rock. Even green ones. White ninjas are good, black are evil and green are turtles. Ninja turtles.

[Grashopper]

read ban list .pretty sure says all varibles of kawasaki 250.plus cant see it on approved list on liam site.

All 250s and under other than a selected group of 2smoke racers are included as lams legal.

RG250 ,apriliaRS250 and so forth etc. Basically gp250 race rep bikes are no good

Wot he said....And I said

Just because the Kawasaki KRs 250cc are on the prohibited list doesn't mean that all Kawasaki 250s are automatically banned. Just those KR models.

[Maha]

So... got my bike today. A green Kawasaki Ninja 250. Ended up buying it new because I like nice things. The shop lowered it a little bit for me and now I can put both feet flat on the ground. I have added one single kilometre to the speedo, riding around in my little cul-de-sac. Loving every minute of it.

Hopefully the weather is fine for the next few days so I can spend some more time on it

Yip me too, my last three bikes over five years have been brand new, doubt I will ever buy second/third/fourth hand again.

[sonicnz]

Ninjas rock. Even green ones. White ninjas are good, black are evil and green are turtles. Ninja turtles.

I'm totally going to borrow that line sometime.


Also thanks guys for the roadsafe link, I'm definitely keen to sign up to that.

I'm having great fun on the bike, got myself up to 80 on a quiet highway by my house, and managed to get down Te Rapa Straight and back and felt comfortable doing so.

One thing I have found with the bike is that a couple of times when I've come to a stop the bike seems to catch between first and neutral (even though the neutral light isn't on I can let the clutch out and it's not going anywhere). I have been coming to a stop in second and then putting the bike into first. I'm guessing I'm being too gentle on the lever going down into first? It has happened twice now, and then I resolved to push the lever down harder and it was fine for the rest of the journey. Went through a fun sequence when I managed to stall the bike as I tried to rock it back and forth to see which gear it was in. Probably amused a few motorists with my stalling too. No panicking on my part, but certainly said some things that I can't repeat in polite company!

[mossy1200]

One thing I have found with the bike is that a couple of times when I've come to a stop the bike seems to catch between first and neutral

It might be that you need the lever adjusted. It could be its sitting a little to low to change down easily.

[Drew]

One thing I have found with the bike is that a couple of times when I've come to a stop the bike seems to catch between first and neutral (even though the neutral light isn't on I can let the clutch out and it's not going anywhere). I have been coming to a stop in second and then putting the bike into first. I'm guessing I'm being too gentle on the lever going down into first? It has happened twice now, and then I resolved to push the lever down harder and it was fine for the rest of the journey. Went through a fun sequence when I managed to stall the bike as I tried to rock it back and forth to see which gear it was in. Probably amused a few motorists with my stalling too. No panicking on my part, but certainly said some things that I can't repeat in polite company!

It might be that you need the lever adjusted. It could be its sitting a little to low to change down easily.

It's a Kawasaki. Get used to it, the gearboxes are shit!

[arcane12]

I'm totally going to borrow that line sometime.


Also thanks guys for the roadsafe link, I'm definitely keen to sign up to that.

I'm having great fun on the bike, got myself up to 80 on a quiet highway by my house, and managed to get down Te Rapa Straight and back and felt comfortable doing so.

One thing I have found with the bike is that a couple of times when I've come to a stop the bike seems to catch between first and neutral (even though the neutral light isn't on I can let the clutch out and it's not going anywhere). I have been coming to a stop in second and then putting the bike into first. I'm guessing I'm being too gentle on the lever going down into first? It has happened twice now, and then I resolved to push the lever down harder and it was fine for the rest of the journey. Went through a fun sequence when I managed to stall the bike as I tried to rock it back and forth to see which gear it was in. Probably amused a few motorists with my stalling too. No panicking on my part, but certainly said some things that I can't repeat in polite company!

I guess that implies you keep polite company?

Since you bought new, the first thing I would do would be to go back to the shop and ask. I am sure they would be happy to talk about it, or look at it.

If I am unsure of if I remember to change down to first (happing less and less often, promise!) I just try to kick it down, and pop it to neutral. Then I know for sure down is 1st! I also sometime find when I am at a stop it changes to 1st easier if I release and grab the clutch again (when I am in neutral with the light on), once or twice even rolling the bike slightly foward to let the gears line up just so. But 95% of the time it's no worries. Firs time it happened I got rather worried the light was going to go green and I'd be sitting there trying to find 1st! Of course if I am in 2nd the 650 single just shrugs and gets on with it.