Wanted: 250cc bike for for learner!! anything considered

[Colapop]

I'm sure most here will forgive you. Incidentally, you'll find Mstrs to be a top notch bloke (although he does tell funnt stories about Wellingtonians...)

What inda bike are you after? Seems to me you're looking for soething like a CBR250RR? Or similar. For the 3g price range you'll be looking at something like a GPZ, GPX or older GSX - if you're lucky a CBR will come along. Be aware that most bikes in that price range have been fairly well used (No Gamee that doesn't mean I'm saying they're shit)

[Delirium]

gamgee... i found a pic of a gpx on the net. looks like its a late 80's model or something is that right? im looking for something a bit newer or low km's. also id prefer a 4cylinder. im interested in a couple of cbr's in the motorcycle trader. so il most likely get something from a dealer so i can sort out some finance and get a decent bike, instead of a private sale where i have to come up with the cash all at once.
so anyone that works at a dealer, im on the lookout in the 5g ish price range now.
also anyone that sees anything popping up,it would be mint if you could let me know!
cheers

[gamgee]

gamgee... i found a pic of a gpx on the net. looks like its a late 80's model or something is that right? im looking for something a bit newer or low km's. also id prefer a 4cylinder. im interested in a couple of cbr's in the motorcycle trader. so il most likely get something from a dealer so i can sort out some finance and get a decent bike, instead of a private sale where i have to come up with the cash all at once.
so anyone that works at a dealer, im on the lookout in the 5g ish price range now.
also anyone that sees anything popping up,it would be mint if you could let me know!
cheers

sweet, but it's such a good bike, kawasaki have just started making it again same as the 89 model i've got, you'll struggle to get a decent 4 cyl from a dealer for 5 grand, you'll get a good 4 cyl in a private sale for about that price, dealers ask about 5.5-7k for them, which is insane, but people still buy them...

[Delirium]

yea theres a couple of zxr's for bang on 5g. one zxr i saw was 6g and that was a 89 model, and iv seen it on trade me, that mint as black and red one, you might have seen it. that would be awesome. theres also a 97 cbr250rr for $5,750 but it doesnt say how many km's that is. still, thats a pretty darn new bike comparatively. theres also a 90 model cbr250rr for 7g and thats got 9400kms which would kick arse. so thats prett much what im looking at. iv got plenty enough money for a deposit and parents are helping there, but i havent talked to anyone about what the finance is like. so il be getting on the phone first thing on monday and enquire about that.

[Colapop]

... you'll struggle to get a decent 4 cyl from a dealer for 5 grand...

Hey shaddup - I got mine from a dealer for $5 grand! And a $700 helmet for $400... of the course the guy I was dealing with had been made redundant and only had 2 weeks to go... (shit they musta lost some money...)

[gamgee]

i'd be a bit suspicious of a 16 year old bike with only 9500km! have you ridden that sort of bike before? very forward leaning race oriented riding position, take one for a test ride first, they aren't very forgiving of newb mistakes, but if you can handle it, and can afford it, then go for it, get a zxr tho

[Delirium]

yea there are those sort of people that purely use them in the weekend etc and dont rack up many km's aswell. im sure it being at a reputable dealer also, that they would have done a backround check on it or whatever.

yep iv riden a guy at my works' cbr250r and walked back to the car with the biggest grin on my face iv ever had haha. i definitely think i could live with one. im not one to opt for mediocrity either. iv owned a couple of cars, had my fair share of dings etc, and my last car ('80 mk2 escort) got stolen. so im giving cars a rest for now and doing what iv always dreamed of doing and wanted to do since i was a kid, and get my own road bike!

[gamgee]

yea there are those sort of people that purely use them in the weekend etc and dont rack up many km's aswell. im sure it being at a reputable dealer also, that they would have done a backround check on it or whatever.

depends how reputable the dealer is some of them, especially honda dealers... just be careful was probably wound back before it left japan

[Delirium]

why do you say honda dealers? have you riden a zxr before by the way?

[MSTRS:Me]

.... you'll find Mstrs to be a top notch bloke (although he does tell funnt stories about Wellingtonians...)

There are some that would agree with you...anyway, where's me hush money???

yea sorry i apologise for that. i was talking to dad and he agrees with you and i see where you are coming from. i actually think you are right now iv had the time to think about it. where i was coming from is... the first time i rode a road bike (fxr150) i took to it like a natural and couldnt get off. so i thought that my experience in trails must have accounted to that somewhat. my apologies once again. i havent come here to make any enemies! lol thanks guys

Fair enough. Tis easy to get the wrong end of the stick with what people say here. Trials skills are valuable, don't get me wrong, but you can't take them on the road. Sounds to me like you should be looking at a zxr, except do you realise how hard it is to stay within your licence conditions with any high powered 250? You may be better off with a twin for a while, such as a zzr/gpx or possibly a v-twin like a vtr (very under-rated).

[gamgee]

why do you say honda dealers? have you riden a zxr before by the way?

I haven't ridden the 250 version of the zxr, have the 400 tho, nice bikes, I nearly bought one, got a vfr400 instead, but that was more because the sound of a vfr400 starting up gave me a semi

[Delirium]

Fair enough. Tis easy to get the wrong end of the stick with what people say here. Trials skills are valuable, don't get me wrong, but you can't take them on the road. Sounds to me like you should be looking at a zxr, except do you realise how hard it is to stay within your licence conditions with any high powered 250? You may be better off with a twin for a while, such as a zzr/gpx or possibly a v-twin like a vtr (very under-rated).

yea actually i was going to look at a '91 bandit here in the bay but that got sold. ideally i want a zxr or a cbr, but i dont want one just so it can go 180kmph or what ever, but for the pure build quality, handling, sound, aesthetics etc. the other thing is i dont consider myself as a complete beginner, allthough that may sound a bit 'up myself', i honestly feel confident on a road bike, compared to guys that havent had much experience at all (i used to thrash my mates fxr150 everywhere, and racked up a few hundred km's, even though i didnt have my licence ) i know a few of those people and they have gn250's and fxr150's, and i say good on them.

[JimO]

gamgee my man seein as the young gentleman doesnt want your magnificant machine i will take it off your hands for 1500 cold hard cash things... gotta be a deal

[Delirium]

I haven't ridden the 250 version of the zxr, have the 400 tho, nice bikes, I nearly bought one, got a vfr400 instead, but that was more because the sound of a vfr400 starting up gave me a semi

hah, is that a v twin? i have to say the cbr250r i rode sounded fucken incredible. have you heard a zxr before?

[SwanTiger]

why do you say honda dealers? have you riden a zxr before by the way?

I've ridden a CBR and a ZXR, the ZXR is definitely the better choice of the two however you should take 'the big picture' into consideration.

I have a few friends on CBR's and ZXR's who are slower than me on my GTR with 27 HP (while the CBR and ZXR's have between 40 and 45 HP). Ultimately learning to judge corners and resolve potentially bad situations quickly is what will make you a competent rider. This is something you can do on any kind of learner 250cc (or less) motorcycle.

Would you prefer to ride a less powerful motorcycle for 6 months and develop your skills and then progress to a ZXR or CBR and use the full potential of the bike; Or would you prefer to squid it up and only access the bikes potential in a straight line?

I'm not saying that you won't be competent, as you may well be, I think it's worth commenting despite the possibility of me looking like a dick.

I've seen a few mates buy nice learner bikes and then trade them in for a CBR, ZXR, FZR or two stroke to "keep up" and a few months later wonder why their riding skills haven't improved - especially after crashing a few times. I was going to do the same with my GTR because I couldn't "keep up" however some wise words from old riders put me in the right direction (but really, they're advice turned me into a careless speeding suspended license rider... ).

Not trying to be a wise arse - just don't enjoy seeing people not getting any satisfaction from their bike and the road because of inappropriate decisions.

I suggest this all based on the following points:

• You're skills will develop dramatically
• You're less likely to crash because of speed
• For the first 6 months you're stuck to 70 kmp/h (supposedly), why risk it if you're young and don't have much coin in the first place

All good having trail experience too, I did a lot of trail riding before I got a road bike. Regardless of that, like me, I suspect it will take you at least 3 months to really get a grip of road riding. If you go for a blast with some people who've been riding for a few years you'll notice the difference.

MSTRS sounds like a grumpy old fart but he speaketh wisdom!