New to bikes... (Trippen1 )

[MSTRS:Me]

i was referred to a kawasaki ninja 250cc 2009, said they are 4 stroke and only 40hp, so it's a really good bike to learn in and also after it won't feel so slow either.

That is not much different to a restyled GPX250, which has been around since the 80s. And they have maybe 32HP. The same inline twin was shared by the GPZ, ZZR and EL (different styling). The Honda Spada (mechanically up-specced VTR) had close to 40, and the racy ZXR, CBR, GSXR, FZR inline 4s went close to 45HP.
I second the call to avoid new for complete beginners. That way lies tears, as you watch your shiny new $8000 bike slide down the road after a silly newbie error. And insurers are hard on learner licencees.

[motorbyclist]

can we PLEASE end the myth that a ninja has 40hp!

they have 30! LESS than the GPX on which they are based

the IL4 bikes have 40 to 45hp - on paper.



Do remember to buy gear. Full face helmet (i'm a huge fan of the $300 HJC range), gloves and waterproof+armoured jacket is really a minium. All up that's $300+100+300 = $700.... you could knock that down to $300 if you really want to cut costs....

many suggest buying gear before buying the bike. makes sense cause you're not suddenly too broke for a jacket.
"Do I really need a jacket and gloves?", you ask? Consider jumping from a moving vehicle at 50kph onto the road without it, line things up to hit a curb or parked car before you come to a stop. Unless you enjoy skin grafts, yes you need gloves and jacket.
Pants and boots are worthy investments too.


meanwhile the salespeople will try to con you into buying a $1200 shoei or arai helmet with some "but it's safer" argument. in my extensive helmet testing experience, while a $100 helmet isn't quite as durable nor nice, they ALL meet the standards and the safety difference between $300 and $1200 is bloody well negligible; the extra 900 is just to reduce weight and wind noise but mostly so you look good on your overpriced ducati with matching leathers, and ALL helmets are fucked after a single impact, whether or not they were on your head at the time.

$150-ish every 5000kms or so. A bike will save you money on parking if you ride to work, but cost the same as a car in petrol (uses less, but you'll ride more), servicing, tyres (only 2, but twice the price) etc.

actually, just tp be pedantic, i'd point out the 250 tyres cost less than car ones typically do (depends on the car, of course) and are much cheaper to run in petrol - just consider that the $25 you burn on a liesure ride to kaiuia wouldhave been spent anyway if you went to the movies/pub/brothel instead

but $150 every 5000km, or $300 per year is pretty accurate; can of chain lube one or preferably two $40 oil changes, $40 brake pads, $50 wingmirror and a $180 rear tyre plus $25 for a 6 month wof and $270 for a 12 month rego.

[Danae]

Hello and welcome! I don't have a bike yet either lol. I've had a go on Slyer's bike, good fun and entirely more stable than a scooter (well, my scooter anyway) lololol.
Since I have a scooter I've got a jacket, gloves and helmet already.
Get your basic handling skills and license as soon as you can, that way the time between learner's and restricted can start counting down.

[Slyer]

Hello and welcome! I don't have a bike yet either lol. I've had a go on Slyer's bike, good fun and entirely more stable than a scooter (well, my scooter anyway) lololol.
Since I have a scooter I've got a jacket, gloves and helmet already.
Get your basic handling skills and license as soon as you can, that way the time between learner's and restricted can start counting down.

You should have another go now that I've fixed it.

[Cheshire Cat]

hey guys, i'm new to bikes and yeah, i would like to own a bike of my own and start riding one.

had never rode on a motorcycle before therefore i know nothing about them and so i want to get one to also know more about them too.

i was referred to a kawasaki ninja 250cc 2009, said they are 4 stroke and only 40hp, so it's a really good bike to learn in and also after it won't feel so slow either.

said to stay away from 2 stroke as they are quite powerful for a 250cc...

what do you guys recommend?

also what about licences? do i need to be on like, restricted to ride a 250cc bike? or is learners okay?

plus what's an average cost on services for these things?

thanks a bunch!

Hey hey welcome!! Hope you find a good bike! And have lots of fun!!!

[Solly]

I would stay away from a new ninja 250. Why spend so much money on a new bike that your never going to get the money back on when a 2nd hand bike can be picked up for less than 3 grand and easily last until your full license when you can sell it for close to what you got it for.

Yep, that's a really good point....save your money for your next bike.

[sil3nt]

can we PLEASE end the myth that a ninja has 40hp!

they have 30! LESS than the GPX on which they are based

Something silly like 26hp i believe on those new ninjas.

Do remember to buy gear. Full face helmet (i'm a huge fan of the $300 HJC range), gloves and waterproof+armoured jacket is really a minium. All up that's $300+100+300 = $700.... you could knock that down to $300 if you really want to cut costs....

many suggest buying gear before buying the bike. makes sense cause you're not suddenly too broke for a jacket.
"Do I really need a jacket and gloves?", you ask? Consider jumping from a moving vehicle at 50kph onto the road without it, line things up to hit a curb or parked car before you come to a stop. Unless you enjoy skin grafts, yes you need gloves and jacket.
Pants and boots are worthy investments too.


meanwhile the salespeople will try to con you into buying a $1200 shoei or arai helmet with some "but it's safer" argument. in my extensive helmet testing experience, while a $100 helmet isn't quite as durable nor nice, they ALL meet the standards and the safety difference between $300 and $1200 is bloody well negligible; the extra 900 is just to reduce weight and wind noise but mostly so you look good on your overpriced ducati with matching leathers, and ALL helmets are fucked after a single impact, whether or not they were on your head at the time.

Yep i had a silly saleswoman telling me i was stupid for wanting to pay $300 for a helmet and wanted to sell me $800+ shoeis and what not. She also said she was saving up for a new $1200 helmet because it was safer. I turned around and walked out the door across the road and purchased a $300 HJC which has an excellent safety rating! And the saleswoman there was extremely helpful and did her best to find a helmet that i found comfortable.

[Trippen1]

OMG you guys are all legends, hahaha...helped me SOOO much and answered pretty much everything i need to know (apart from knowing how to ride a bike, of course) about the laws and values etc...

yes my thinking in bikes would be the same in cars, (not buying a new car to learn unless i have cash to waste which i don't, lol). i would definitely be upgrading in the future, so a decent cheap learner will do me fine.

i have a mate which will be teaching me how to ride on his 250cc bike so i can get my handling cert asap then learners, i guess after all that, i'll then be looking in getting a bike, for now i'm just learning prices of bikes n such, checking out the market.

as for gears, I LOVE THE HJC helmets...i had one before cause i go tracking sometimes at puke, guess all helmets serve the same purpose. so i should be looking out for bike gears too then huh~...

thanks for everything guys and yes, would love to come by to an event to see what i'll be like as a bike rider in the next couple years, hahaha.