Looking for a 250

[klyong82]

If I am comparing a brand new Scorpio for $4,250 and a 7 year old vtr with 38000km on the clock for $4K I would err on the side of the yamaha. Is there something about scorpios that makes them so cheap? Or vtrs that makes them hold their value so well (apart from being in the learner bike category)?

Its a Honda so it will hold its value. The yammie is a single cylinder while the VTR is V-twin so expect to get more power out of the Honda.

[Patar]

brand new scorpio you can expect as much if not more to go wrong as on the vtr.

Ignoring the effect the law change will have on prices, if you keep the vtr maintained and don't crash it, the resale price should be pretty much the same.
That and they're great fun.

[motorbyclist]

vtr is the better bike all round (fun, performance, reliability, versatility, resale, looks) - it's that simple

[bomma]

i the vtr!!! it's such an AWESOME bike!!! its like sex on wheels (till you get your full) and soo much fun and AWESOME and cool and did i mention AWESOME?!?!?!

[motorbyclist]

and even once you've got your full you have a blat on one and still appreciate how stable it feels in corners

[Zim_Invader]

buddy, on the vtr, u feel more at ease wit taking a turn at a harder angle. 6 weeks and i peg scraped (did a ride out to piha today, on my own... goot speeds, but again, i couldn't do the andrew turn - double and add ten... had to settle for double and minus 5. hahah... but it's a big improvement!)

have now added the gsx to my list of "have ridden" bikes. if u want a faired bikt, i' suggest u consider the gsx. it looks bulky, but it's such a sweet ride! comfortable seat and riding posture, fairing make a big difference when at fairly high speeds or in open road areas, plus, it has enough pull and though not as much torque as the vtr, it's still enough to get u by!

but still.... dont think twice if u're stuck between new scorpio (new = ~5000 km) or fairly used vtr (fairly = ~35000km). i'd say stick with the honda for reliability, and a great experience teacher, and plain brilliant!! the vtr will take care of u, and the big tyre at the back, plus it's fairly light weight makes it sooo nimble bud! hands down, i love the vtr, it's def my choice of a fisrt bike. easy to learn on, easy to get better at using! u'll be doing burnouts after 3 days, wheelies after 4 weeks, and peg scrapes after 6 weeks (not that i did any of that... of course)

[Slyer]

And it only took you how many pages to choose it? :P

[motorbyclist]

buddy, on the vtr, u feel more at ease wit taking a turn at a harder angle. 6 weeks and i peg scraped (did a ride out to piha today, on my own... goot speeds, but again, i couldn't do the andrew turn - double and add ten... had to settle for double and minus 5. hahah... but it's a big improvement!)

watch out you don't hurt yourself mate - while (if) the vtr could possibly do it at that speed you're yet to learn what to do (and not do) if it all turns to custard;
unless it's a clear road you know well, or ideally a racetrack, you should always have available lean - if the pegs are scraping around a blind corner there's next to nothing you can do if something unexpected happens

go hard m8

have now added the gsx to my list of "have ridden" bikes. if u want a faired bikt, i' suggest u consider the gsx. it looks bulky, but it's such a sweet ride! comfortable seat and riding posture, fairing make a big difference when at fairly high speeds or in open road areas, plus, it has enough pull and though not as much torque as the vtr, it's still enough to get u by!

yep, pretty much what i thought too

but still.... dont think twice if u're stuck between new scorpio (new = ~5000 km) or fairly used vtr (fairly = ~35000km). i'd say stick with the honda for reliability, and a great experience teacher, and plain brilliant!! the vtr will take care of u, and the big tyre at the back, plus it's fairly light weight makes it sooo nimble bud! hands down, i love the vtr, it's def my choice of a fisrt bike. easy to learn on, easy to get better at using!

yep, i think i'm going to officially call Zim an SMC success: no bins, good attitude, and already knows what makes a good machine (and rider) aside from straight line speed.

i think it's clear what we've been doing wrong in the past - no more suzukis and no more two strokes (just look at how dushi turned out after his suzuki rg150)

[PirateJafa]

yep, i think i'm going to officially call Zim an SMC success: no bins, good attitude, and already knows what makes a good machine (and rider) aside from straight line speed.

We might need to teach him that fat rear tyres =/= make a bike nimble though.

[JBJB]

So now all I gotta do is find a vtr in my price range (under $4K) in reasonably good nick... although I still kinda like the hyo comet. I have had a brief ride on both the vtr and the comet. The vtr felt like it gave me a little bit of cramp in my thigh (I'm 6'0 and 80kg) but don't know whether that was just coz I'm not used to bikes. I had a longer ride on the vtr and apart from almost crapping myself (coz it was first decent road ride) it was very fun Sounds like you're a full-on convert Zim

[motorbyclist]

We might need to teach him that fat rear tyres =/= make a bike nimble though.

true, but i've seen "experienced" riders on KB muck that one up too:slap:

[motorbyclist]

So now all I gotta do is find a vtr in my price range (under $4K) in reasonably good nick... although I still kinda like the hyo comet. I have had a brief ride on both the vtr and the comet. The vtr felt like it gave me a little bit of cramp in my thigh (I'm 6'0 and 80kg) but don't know whether that was just coz I'm not used to bikes. I had a longer ride on the vtr and apart from almost crapping myself (coz it was first decent road ride) it was very fun Sounds like you're a full-on convert Zim

might pay to ask zim to ask the importer he got his from

[Phurrball]

The VTR250 is all the better for its relatively NARROW tyres - our one has a 130 rear - which is SMALLER than the OEM 140 section tyre.

I like it just the way it is - think, and it turns.

It's a very different beast to the big viffer it shares a shed with - I both for their differences = best of both worlds!

I still have no idea why Honda felt the need to put a massively oversize 180 on the Hornet 250

[motorbyclist]

because it's a 250 motor in the 600 chassis

which is completely friggen backwards

[Zim_Invader]

The balius, zzr and vtr all look pretty sweet. Pity the balius is out of my price range coz it looks mac! How much do you reckon to fix the muffler on the vtr?

This one also seems alright, like the colour: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=173481801

got a message from choco on my vtr mod-list thread. he said mt eden motors, do a good deal, new aftermarket muffler for 200. good price. dan has a contact, that i need to re-meet, rying to see if i can get that one for 180. otherwise, there's andrews good asian friend, the one with the dodgy imports... he's well priced, and i'm def tempted to go there if the one with dan doesn't pan out well for me.

GO HOONNNDDDAAAAs

watch out you don't hurt yourself mate - while (if) the vtr could possibly do it at that speed you're yet to learn what to do (and not do) if it all turns to custard;
unless it's a clear road you know well, or ideally a racetrack, you should always have available lean - if the pegs are scraping around a blind corner there's next to nothing you can do if something unexpected happens

go hard m8



yep, pretty much what i thought too



yep, i think i'm going to officially call Zim an SMC success: no bins, good attitude, and already knows what makes a good machine (and rider) aside from straight line speed.

i think it's clear what we've been doing wrong in the past - no more suzukis and no more two strokes (just look at how dushi turned out after his suzuki rg150)

haha.... shux mate, u make e blush! (i'm just a little biking fined like u all... learnin my way around this pretty little wrld of ours. haha. besides, great advisors, so lots of mistakes avoided just by paying attention and doing what i'm told. (and minimisin teh freuency of silly stunts... silly, sometime, but cool, always!!!!!)... now fingers crossed i don't bin the baby!!!

so, this straight line speed u speak of. elaborate a bit plz.

yea, i was a bit worried after that peg scrape. i know the road a scraped on (it's the road my house is on, so have riden it lots. big enough lanes, so oncoming traffic isn't a big worry). have taken the turns a bit easier since. chain's loose once again, so will be at uni tightenin it tomorrow, and changin that chain wax for soem chain lube instead (apparently the wax isn't as good for teh sprockets as the lube... sure teh lube gets messy, but i don't care for that mess, more teh maintenance level of the important bits... right?)..

also, on teh fairly hi speed turns, i've been getting more sure to the ild back brake to cut my speed... gently footwork, and slight front. everytime i front braked before, the fron would buccle (ever so slightly, so i'd release the brake and cut throttle, straighten up and slow down, then resume turn at a near stopped speed)... so just to get ths one point right, if it's too late into a turn and u realise u're too quick, with no more lean to spare, is it better to get a bit upright and ure more back brake than front, as it gives u a bit more control. (found that fron brake in a turn killed the ability to turn tighter all at low speeeds ofcourse).

- so, basically cut throttle, get as upright as possible, brake (front and back, and if the kerb then get too close to keep straight line braking, bank hard and turn more, now at a lower speed (bake brake helps t swing the front a bit more, when done with a lot of care and control)...? hope that's right. otherwise i've been playing russian roulette, and gotten away too luckily.

So now all I gotta do is find a vtr in my price range (under $4K) in reasonably good nick... although I still kinda like the hyo comet. I have had a brief ride on both the vtr and the comet. The vtr felt like it gave me a little bit of cramp in my thigh (I'm 6'0 and 80kg) but don't know whether that was just coz I'm not used to bikes. I had a longer ride on the vtr and apart from almost crapping myself (coz it was first decent road ride) it was very fun Sounds like you're a full-on convert Zim

haha. i'm about 5' 10/11'', weigh 72kg. it's a bit uncomfy after a really really loong ride, and the tank can hurt on a quick stop when u aren't fully bracing yourself....(happens on all bikes). te seat slides u foreward a bit too. but apart from that, it's not so bad. i mean that part is a really realy slight agitation, that u kinda manage t ignore really quickly (2 curves and u're pretty much oblivious to most discomforts anyway). u'll adjust quick. but again, for max comfort, keep the gsx in mind. prob my most comfy ride so far (rider, and as a pillion).
what can i say... them hondas got me early! i was sold from day -9 (ie 9 days before i making last depsit.... andrew's pretty good at, not coaxing, but stating teh many many great facts of teh vtr (hondas in general, really)).

We might need to teach him that fat rear tyres =/= make a bike nimble though.

that so? haha. what can i say. my inexperience on a variety of bike types shows too well. guess that the extra weight on teh gsx made the turns feel hevier and so less nimble. but u're right, in that the gpx felt really quick on teh bends. more responsive thatn teh vtr.... hmmm... i still have lots more bike to ride and so compare the turn feeling, before i'll understand teh difference.. mayb i'll take a gpx then some1's hornet 250, both for a bood 1 hour in the twisties... that'll prob give the clearest diff... both light, and so comparable.

And it only took you how many pages to choose it? :P

mhuhuhhahahaaha (that won't embarass me, (anymore), it's a feat to be marvelled! not many can create such a great thread! it's like analogue to teh great wall of china, for this forum!!!! mbhuhuhahahha!!!! it pure evil genius!!!!

haha, but then hey, some good did come out of it too.... i did finally get a bike,and really learnt how to pick out a decent one. caught onto a few keys to look out for and the such... it's a great peice of learning literature! haha... we shold rename it, the encyclopedia on buying a first bike. haha, then all patent it, get it published, and make millions ( i call dibs on 50% of profits, simply becoz i can, and my name's now all over that thread!!!! haha)

and here now ends this massive response...