What bike?

[Maverick]

the 'sit up and beg' handlebar position hurts my lower back!)

I thought you would be used to it, been married for a while now haven't you?

[zander]

Thanks McJim i looked at the Honda VTR 250`s and like the look of the bikes and again it`s a make that everyone know around the world. So I will look around for a 2nd Honda VTR 250. Or I will wait a year and buy a new one. Dont know what will happen in a couple of monts but. Will see moving down to Wel`s and maby there I will buy a Bike.

Do you know what the top speed of the Honda VTR 250 is just out of curiosity.

[silverado]

Thanks McJim i looked at the Honda VTR 250`s and like the look of the bikes and again it`s a make that everyone know around the world. So I will look around for a 2nd Honda VTR 250. Or I will wait a year and buy a new one. Dont know what will happen in a couple of monts but. Will see moving down to Wel`s and maby there I will buy a Bike.

Do you know what the top speed of the Honda VTR 250 is just out of curiosity.

Dude it'll be fast enough for a 15 year old.

[zander]

I dont worry about speed but it will be nice to have something fast. I never ridden a road bike before hope the seating postion will be fine.

[McJim]

It has 5 gears and will do 140kph in 4th - I'm off to Taupo this weekend and will get back to you with the top speed in 5th.

If it's pure speed you're after you'll have to pay for it in terms of age and reliability. Faster bikes tend to be 2 stroke or old. I like the VTR coz you change the oil in it every 6,000 kms, replace brake pads, tyres, chain and sprockets when required and that's about it - the engine is solid and the bike is well made.

I just could not bear the thought of parting with $5,000 for a 250cc that was 15 years old with tens of thousands of kms on the clock. Having said that the Honda Spada is a top class beginners bike and they stopped making them in '89. A bulletproof V-twin sits at the heart of that bike too.

[crashe]

As you are just starting out.... why not go around a few bikes shops and sit on a few different types of 250's........ and see if your feet can even reach the ground while sitting on the machines... that way you can see which bikes you feel compfy sitting on as well...

Do we also take it that you also have all the gear to be riding on the road as well... a good helmet, boots and gloves etc etc.

As you are now 15, have you also sat your NZ Learners license yet?
Also set aside a bit of money for the running upkeep on the bike...
fuel, chain lube, spark plugs, service, tyres etc etc .

If you are keen to want to go fast.... check out doing a few track days as that is the best place to go fast as they are set up for safety etc.

Oh and welcome to KB.

[zander]

Thanks McJim and crashe I will go and look around bike shops and yea it does not help when I want a bike and I dont fit on me I am about 1.6 meter dont know inces because I am a South African.

McJim I hope you enjoy your ride and Ride Safe. Please dont go to your top speed just for me I think 140kph in 4th gear IT ROCKING!!!!!!

The cost of fuel, chain lube, spark plugs, service, tyres, fuses, accident damage if you had any. etc etc and any other cost`s I need to know.

crashe: Yes also I didn`t think about the gear. Question do you need to wear boots when riding? And a Jaket? and Gloves. It is all compulsory?

AGAIN sorry for all the questions but I am new for biking in NZ. New Law`s and costs and and and.

[McJim]

Thanks but I didn't mean I'd hoon on the way to Taupo! I'm doing the Track Day there - 160kph in a safe environment.

Only the Helmet is compulsory by law but my advice is get a good jacket, good trousers, armoured gloves and sturdy boots - motorbike specific if possible.

Aim to spend as much as you can on kit and compromise on the bike if need be - a lot of people spend all the money on the bike and compromise on the kit - then they come off the bike and wish they'd invested in quality protective gear for all the time they spend in hospital growing their skin back.

Road rash sucks big time.

for kit - speak to Quasimoto on this site or visit Motomail Kingsland if you're in Auckland.

[crashe]

Thanks McJim and crashe I will go and look around bike shops and yea it does not help when I want a bike and I dont fit on me I am about 1.6 meter dont know inces because I am a South African.

McJim I hope you enjoy your ride and Ride Safe. Please dont go to your top speed just for me I think 140kph in 4th gear IT ROCKING!!!!!!

The cost of fuel, chain lube, spark plugs, service, tyres, fuses, accident damage if you had any. etc etc and any other cost`s I need to know.

crashe: Yes also I didn`t think about the gear. Question do you need to wear boots when riding? And a Jaket? and Gloves. It is all compulsory?

AGAIN sorry for all the questions but I am new for biking in NZ. New Law`s and costs and and and.

The only thing that is compulsary is to wear a helmet... Buy a Brand NEW one if you dont own one yet.

But it does pay to wear boots... even if you get boots from the warehouse that is good enough to start out on... I started out with Warehouse boots, until I got my HD boots.

You do need gloves to protect your didgits (fingers)
It does pay to wear a jacket as well to A) keep you dry B) keep you warm and C) to protect you should you come off.

To keep your lower half dry go to the warehouse and buy the yellow or green wet weather pants they cost $8.80. they will only keep you dry if it pours down. That will do until you can afford better bike pants.

Keep on asking the questions... as that is the way for you to learn...

[zander]

Thanks for all the Info!!!!

The boots I will go and buy at the Warehouse and the pants. I don`t have a Helmet so will go and buy one also think of a rossi helmet what do you sugest? Jacket`s any or bike leather`s I have a NO JEANS jacet and wore it in SA when i was riding back there. But didn`t ride it in rain because it didn`t rain a lot I actually. Was waiting for rain that I can ride in rain and everytime I get out of the garage the rain stops! But that is that the jacet isn`t a biker jacet and dont think it is rain resistant! The wet weather pant`s is it like plastic? or whta do they call them vinyl or something..... Gloves I dont know i like gloves keeping me warm but it bugs me wile riding pulling the clutch riding the throttle and so on or I just had the wrong gloves in SA

[Ixion]

Helmet you must have, tis the law. You'll get pulled over as soon as a cop spots you without a lid. And gloves, not a legal requirement, but scrimp if you must on jacket and trousers, even boots but do try to get gloves. The hands are the first thing to catch it if you spill, and skin off the palms is excruiatingly painfull. Gloves are only about $35. Get Evo brand, they are quite adequate. Or riggers gloves form a safety store.

The Warehouse trousers are plastic, they'll keep you dry , though not protect you much. Wear at least good heavy jeans under them. You can get waterproof jackets at the Warehouse too, about $30.

Gloves $35
Boots $35
Over trousers $9
Helmet about $150

That's the absolute minimum.

Many will tell you (I can hear the keys rattling now) that that is grossly insufficient. They will give you a $2000 shopping list. Which is excellent , and I completely agree, if you have $2000 to spend. If not , at least helmet gloves and boots.

Try to save up for a second hand jacket you can get them for $40-50 on Trademe.

Keep your speed down until you can afford more and better gear. But you should be doing that anyway as a learner. If you can't , then buy a big bottle of
"Genoclene" ®. Evolution you can see. It's cheap. Almost free in fact. Just costs your life. But if you going to go, you may as well go quickly.

[SuperDave]

Ixion, if this fella really had the money to even consider a 10 grand 125 then I'm sure he could afford to spend a grand on a decent helmet and purpose riding gear.

[McJim]

Ixion, if this fella really had the money to even consider a 10 grand 125 then I'm sure he could afford to spend a grand on a decent helmet and purpose riding gear.

That was the gist of my "compromise on the bike not the kit" comment.

If it was me starting out? $2,000 on kit $2,000 on RG150 - $4,000 all up and speeds up to 160kph straight out of the box with some protection to boot.

But it's not me is it?

[Ixion]

Ixion, if this fella really had the money to even consider a 10 grand 125 then I'm sure he could afford to spend a grand on a decent helmet and purpose riding gear.

Granted. But he's 15 years old! And I doubt has any idea of what a RS125 actaully costs. Do you not remember how it was when you were 15? The dreams and fantasies . And then settling for the much more pedestrian reality when Mum or Dad pinted out the fiscal realities.

If he does have the money to spring for an RS125 , then , yes, indeed, he has the money to afford good kit, wven if it means a cheaper bike. But I suspect that the reality will be the cheapest bike around and whatever kit can be managed.

[zander]

Thanks all Ixion I know I seem a big spender but actually I was told by mum and dad because we moves from SA to NZ. I sold my bike for some of the stuff we needed here. They told me they would buy the bike and helmet and gloves and everything I need but NOT any gagets like fancy gloves that heats up and so on.

I wont go crazy on mum and dad`s offer but i will beg for a little extra!!!!