Anyone with a bit of experience want to help a noob shop? :P

**Motu** · 3rd February 2005, 20:58

Originally Posted by SpeedMedic

No worries mate

They sitin around cause theres not a lot of crime on the island.
Except at night when they get the odd disturbing the peace etc.
They average 4-5 arrests per week.. mostly for small time stuff.
Whenever theres anything decent going down, the boys come across from town anyway. Armed Offenders for the P lab thing a while back, and STU (Strategic Traffic Unit) whenever theres a traffic blitz... that you will need to be careful of!!! When theres checkpoints on the island it is NOT usually the local guys.. they are from town and are on a mission to "do those banjo playin islanders" We even took the God Squad over a few weeks ago.. they had a field day.

When I lived there the cops hated a Waiheke posting,although they all enjoyed it there,the workload was just too much and they all left as soon as they could.(one,um...disapeared,a hush hush scandle) Crime was so bad locals started a vigalantie group called the Night Owls who patroled the streets at night and called the cops if they found any baddies - of course the cops would turn up late and the kids would just laugh at the Night Owls and run away.This prompted a breakaway vigalanty group (Night Eagles I think) who carried sticks and weren't afraid to use them.One of the original cops who was there in the early 80s had a lot of commmunity respect - he would go down to Kennedy Point and stop the barge with a bike gang on board,tell it to turn around,they weren't allowd on his Island.Out of uniform he would give out his own punishments.One day I asked a guy ''what happened to your dog?'' 'P*****r shot him,it's not often he misses'

It must be paradise over there now if the cops have nothing to do...

**jrandom** · 3rd February 2005, 22:20

Originally Posted by Motu

When I lived there the cops hated a Waiheke posting... It must be paradise over there now if the cops have nothing to do...

Probably is, yeah. Seems that all the properly dodgy sorts have moved to the Barrier.

Mrs Random's dad has been bumming around on Waiheke for about 20 years, now, but I don't think he'll be there terribly much longer. It's gone all posh.

**Zapf** · 3rd February 2005, 23:22

how about you buy me an R1 or a Honda SP1 and I'll lend you a 250, and we'll swap when you get your full license? I promise I'll look after it like my baby.

**loosebruce** · 3rd February 2005, 23:23

Hey Fenix, like i offered before, i'll help ya look at the Strom, i know whats what, but one of my hands is too bung to ride the thing, but i can give a fairly good run down on it with out riding it. I'm free all weekend so you can either PM or call me 021 2236081.

Dont get too angus at the guys on here as they are generally concerned, i dont recall you saying you been blasting round on dirt bikes half your life or have some real riding experience as it would be a different story then, but this site has some wicked people on it and when you need help or someone to ride with you'll always find it here, there's no attitude here just concern there's enough statistics as it is. A bike of that nature 1000cc Vtwin is VERY easy to ride but in saying that VERY easy to fuck up on, they pick up speed amazingly easy and one of the easiest way people new to big bikes crash is they just don't realize how fast they are going, some well come out of a corner start braking when they noramlly do on there 250 and wonder why they dont make the corner and crash as they were going 50-60kph quicker on the 1000cc and didn't notice, the big twins are very effortless in the speed department, believe me i know.

Good to see you dont plan on crashing, but hey, neither did I, or half or pretty much all the guys n gals on this site, shit happens bro, might not be your fault but when some clown runs a red or pulls a U turn in front of ya and you grab too much front brake, it happens all the time and it's very real. In all fairness if you buy a bike, EXPECT to crash, simple as that.
Insurance, fuck it man, forget about it, like the guys have said, has your mum got a full bike licence??? And is she willing to lie (fraud) for you.

I'm not saying your're making a bad move, it's a risky move and quite ambitous, it seems you have a reasonably sensible head on your shoulders and i'm more than happy to lend you a hand, but i hope, no i really hope that you are planning on buying top quality riding gear to go with the bike, not just a jacket helmet and gloves, coz that just dosen't cut the mustard when you hit the road, pants and boots are just as important. There are some really good deals going on gear at the moment and i'd be more than happy to point these out for you too.

All the best Fenix, if i dont get to meet ya take it easy bro. See you on the road :cool2:

**Dodgyiti** · 3rd February 2005, 23:43

So the only 2 offering help are too gammy to ride

**jrandom** · 3rd February 2005, 23:46

Excellent post Brucey.

Hey, Fenix, you reckon you can't afford a big bike after you get your full, if you buy a two fiddy now?

Let's look at that, carefully.

Say the price of a nice minty second-hand VTR1000 is about ten grand. There are some going for less, and they're 14K new, you get the idea. Whatever. So that's how much dosh you got, say.

So, let's say you're under 25. It'll take 18 months to do your time on learners and restricted, if you do an 'approved course' thingy.

So you take your 10 grand, spend $1,500 of it on a reliable old dunger, GN250, maybe an FXR150, good bikes those. You should get $1000 for it when you sell it 18 months later.

In the meantime, your $8.5K left sitting at the bank on term deposit at 6% has turned into $9200 or so, and there'll be a VTR on sale somewhere at THAT price by then, guaranteed. Go buy it, insure it and ride it legally. Sell the two fiddy at your leisure.

What do you lose? Nothing.

That's the safe option. The people here aren't being prats, they're giving you good advice. If you choose to go and illegally ride a 100hp litre twin as a first bike, nobody will be nasty about it, this isn't Kiwi Saints Online, but now's the time when you're still making the decision and are presumably open to and able to use the advice, yes?

So what's your real reason for wanting to buy the VTR now? Because you think your balls will shrink if you don't have a shiny plastic rocket immediately, and with only $10K or so you can't afford a ZXR or CBR250 and then upgrade straight after that? Not such terribly good logic, really.

But then again, there's no certainty that anything bad will happen. In fact, there's a better than even chance that you'll have heaps of fun and come to no harm. So, pay ya money and take ya choice...

**Zapf** · 3rd February 2005, 23:52

and plus.... tires for a 250 generally runs around the 3xx dollars mark. And a set of tires for the big bikes are like 5xx dollars / set.

Gas wise, a 250 will generally do around 200~250km's per 10~12 dollar fuel up. Where as I hear the VTR's are very thirsty, like 150~180km's per 20+ dollar fuel up.

So with that in mind in terms of running cost, would you be happy running it for the long term?

**Fenix** · 4th February 2005, 01:06

But the thing is, I've got $0 in the bank. This is a one-off present from the 'rents. And yes, I do intend to get full gear. Helmet, jacket, pants, boots, gloves, CE armour, and *fingers crossed* something like a Scorpio SR500i alarm. All this will be a one-off thing from the 'rents, and I can't cut a deal for cash. My parents don't like giving me cash, because I invariably end up spending it. :P

I can get a 250cc, but if I do, I'm stuck with it indefinitly. And I might be moving to the states before 18 months, or moving to university, in either case I won't be *able* to afford a bigger bike myself cause I'll be dealing with my horrendous internet bill, power bill, food bill and rental bill. :| If I could do it any other way, I would, but this is how it's looking.

So yeah, I can blow a few grand of my parents' money now, and get a bike that will last me for a long time, or I can blow 1 or 2, get something that's legal *right now* and that I'll out-grow in a matter of months. It would've been nice to get the benifit of the doubt though.

**Waylander** · 4th February 2005, 01:16

Then just go for the 250 for a while just make sure its a good one though you might want to wait till you get to the states if your goin shipping fees from there to here arnt good so it cant be good goin the other way. (unless you get a lucky break

)

**FROSTY:Me** · 4th February 2005, 01:26

Originally Posted by Fenix

But the thing is, I've got $0 in the bank. This is a one-off present from the 'rents. And yes, I do intend to get full gear. Helmet, jacket, pants, boots, gloves, CE armour, and *fingers crossed* something like a Scorpio SR500i alarm. All this will be a one-off thing from the 'rents, and I can't cut a deal for cash. My parents don't like giving me cash, because I invariably end up spending it. :P
. It would've been nice to get the benifit of the doubt though.

Dude then get yaself a brand new Aprillia 250 stroker.
When ya get off the island trade it in on a second hand GSXR or vtwin
You'll have a shit load of fun and they're legal for ya to ride

**loosebruce** · 4th February 2005, 01:35

Originally Posted by Fenix

So yeah, I can blow a few grand of my parents' money now, and get a bike that will last me for a long time, or I can blow 1 or 2, get something that's legal *right now* and that I'll out-grow in a matter of months. It would've been nice to get the benifit of the doubt though.

Dont be thinkin theres anything wrong with a 250cc man, 1 or 2 grand, well you could buy a 96 repsol NSR250SP for $8000 if you wanna, and if you "out grow" that bike in 18 months i reckon you should be talking to a race team.

250cc are not slow, it's all in the hips, um corners i mean. I love riding 250cc's man, most fun i have is on a 250cc the only reason the TL1000S gets the nod from me more often is it's abilty to loft the front with ease.

Just outta curiousity have you ever ridden or been passenger on a large capicity bike, i'd take ya for a 30min blat on the back of the TL if i was fit to ride (and the bike was for that matter) i think it would open your eyes a bit more towards large cc bikes.
You could always PM Death INC and see if he'd be upto giving you an intro into bigger bikes

**Fenix** · 4th February 2005, 03:31

I'm honestly not that interested in speed. I want something big for touring. If we move back to the states, I want to be able to have a nice leisurely ride around the country. And quite possibly with a friend of mine on the back. You can get 250ccs that are fast and powerfull, sure. But a 250 that'll take two passengers, comfortably, over a long distance? I can't quite afford a Goldwing, otherwise I would pick one of them. >.> Anyway, I appreciate all the constructive criticism, and I will take it into consideration.

**ZX12R Hoon** · 4th February 2005, 05:19

Theres a lot of psychology in this as well. I've seen lots of guys who thought that they were good enough to go straight for a big bike and in the end their riding is badly affected. They are normally the ones you don't want to ride with.
It's about confidence. You get a few scares, let the thing fall over at a stop sign, mayby have an off or two and your confidence gets so badly knocked that they never really get over it. On the other hand, if you buy something you can handle and take the time to build up your confidence the end result is a better rider.
Riding is "in the head". Get that right and the rest is all good.

**Motu** · 4th February 2005, 07:00

Originally Posted by jrandom

Probably is, yeah. Seems that all the properly dodgy sorts have moved to the Barrier.

Mrs Random's dad has been bumming around on Waiheke for about 20 years, now, but I don't think he'll be there terribly much longer. It's gone all posh.

Oh,him ''poor bugger,he's going to be jrandom's father in law some day'' we used to say...it was kinda sad in a way.Back then the cops wasted a lot of time keeping track of some guy all in black leathers and black helmet,beard and pony tail who rode around on everything from a lime green step through,various dirt bikes to a black XS1 and green GT750...all with the same plate.A big sigh of relief when he left for Auckland....

**loosebruce** · 4th February 2005, 10:51

Originally Posted by Fenix

I'm honestly not that interested in speed. I want something big for touring. If we move back to the states, I want to be able to have a nice leisurely ride around the country. And quite possibly with a friend of mine on the back. You can get 250ccs that are fast and powerfull, sure. But a 250 that'll take two passengers, comfortably, over a long distance? I can't quite afford a Goldwing, otherwise I would pick one of them. >.> Anyway, I appreciate all the constructive criticism, and I will take it into consideration.

Fair enough man, but you'd find that it'd be better to buy a 250cc in NZ, learn the right skills and gain confidence as ZX12R Hoon mentioned then sell it before going overseas and buying ya big bike over in the states, which would proberly work out cheaper. 250cc bikes dont lose alot of value if you get a good one, as peeps on learners and restricted's are always wanting them, hell you could even make money on the right deal, some 250cc prices are insane, but deals are out there.

Goldwing huh

no swearing under these forums matey