Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 22

Thread: First bike questions

  1. #1
    Join Date
    22nd April 2007 - 22:44
    Bike
    99 cb250 hornet
    Location
    auckland
    Posts
    5

    First bike questions

    Hi all hows it goin
    Lookin at gettin my first road bike.....narrowed it down to a 250 Hornet, i think. only thing is im 6`1 and 135kgs. Would the hornet haul the lardyness ok? or should i be lookin at getting an exemption from the 250cc rule and getting something with a bit more torque. will be a weekend toy.....probably with a few open road trips. any advice welcomed, thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    4th January 2006 - 19:30
    Bike
    2011 Kawasaki ZX-14 "Monster"
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    3,293
    It'll be fine... oh, and welcome to the site...
    “There's nothing more exhilarating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there? ”-Clerks

  3. #3
    Join Date
    26th March 2007 - 13:55
    Bike
    08 Busa
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    67
    Hi there, I'm 6 foot 2 and recently bought a 250 Hornet as my first bike and I don't have a problem with space on it. I've got quite long legs but find that the indents in the tank give plenty of leg room so I'm sure you'll be fine.

    I can't really comment on the performance though as I've only had it for a couple of weeks and have been taking it very easy so far.

    As far as I'm concerned it's an ideal first bike but I am ever so slightly biased.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    5th November 2006 - 00:36
    Bike
    675cc of naked British goodness
    Location
    East Auckland
    Posts
    688
    PM gijoe1313. He is "Quite a big fella " and manages very well indeed onhis Hornet.

    P.S. And he does BIG rides e.g. 500km+ in a day
    "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing" - Socrates

    "All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind" - Aristotle

  5. #5
    Join Date
    4th January 2006 - 19:30
    Bike
    2011 Kawasaki ZX-14 "Monster"
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    3,293
    Quote Originally Posted by Chisanga View Post
    PM gijoe1313. He is "Quite a big fella " and manages very well indeed onhis Hornet.

    P.S. And he does BIG rides e.g. 500km+ in a day
    yeah, GIJOE1313 and his pootles... he keeps up fairly well with that Hornet 250 of his...
    “There's nothing more exhilarating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there? ”-Clerks

  6. #6
    Join Date
    8th November 2004 - 11:00
    Bike
    GSXR 750 the wanton hussy
    Location
    Not in Napier now
    Posts
    12,765
    Quote Originally Posted by cletus View Post
    Hi all hows it goin
    Lookin at gettin my first road bike.....narrowed it down to a 250 Hornet, i think. only thing is im 6`1 and 135kgs. Would the hornet haul the lardyness ok? or should i be lookin at getting an exemption from the 250cc rule and getting something with a bit more torque. will be a weekend toy.....probably with a few open road trips. any advice welcomed, thanks
    The Hornet will do, but might be working a bit. Try the exemption-thingie and go for a V-twin for that extra torque in a user-friendly package (Eg SV, V-Strom)
    Do you realise how many holes there could be if people would just take the time to take the dirt out of them?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    4th December 2006 - 13:45
    Bike
    2008 KTM SuperDuke R
    Location
    Brisbane, Queensland
    Posts
    1,010
    If you're tall, and you can get an exemption, you might want to consider something like the Suzuki DR-Z400SM Supermoto, KTM 640 LC4 Supermoto. I'm of the opinion that if you're tall enough to handle them, road-legal trailies or supermotos make the ideal first bike.

    They're probably the best bikes for riding around town. Ultra-manouverable, heaps of low-down grunt, easy riding position, lots of suspension travel (speed bumps become great fun) and you can take them for the odd weekend blast too. Even better, invest in a set of MX wheels and tyres for them, and you've got two bikes for the price of one.

    If you just want a pure road-legal trail bike, the 'possibles' list is a lot longer. Yamaha and Honda both do several road-legal trail bikes. Most KTMs can be made road-legal by the dealer; and the same for Husaberg and Husqvarna.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    25th January 2007 - 10:06
    Bike
    '14 Multistrada 1200S
    Location
    palmy
    Posts
    3,759
    Quote Originally Posted by cletus View Post
    Hi all hows it goin
    Lookin at gettin my first road bike.....narrowed it down to a 250 Hornet, i think. only thing is im 6`1 and 135kgs. Would the hornet haul the lardyness ok? or should i be lookin at getting an exemption from the 250cc rule and getting something with a bit more torque. will be a weekend toy.....probably with a few open road trips. any advice welcomed, thanks
    135kgs?? dude, you're a monster...which scrum are you propping in south africa??

    oh...and welcome to KB.....
    F M S

  9. #9
    Join Date
    4th January 2006 - 19:30
    Bike
    2011 Kawasaki ZX-14 "Monster"
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    3,293
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanx View Post
    If you're tall, and you can get an exemption, you might want to consider something like the Suzuki DR-Z400SM Supermoto, KTM 640 LC4 Supermoto. I'm of the opinion that if you're tall enough to handle them, road-legal trailies or supermotos make the ideal first bike.

    They're probably the best bikes for riding around town. Ultra-manouverable, heaps of low-down grunt, easy riding position, lots of suspension travel (speed bumps become great fun) and you can take them for the odd weekend blast too. Even better, invest in a set of MX wheels and tyres for them, and you've got two bikes for the price of one.

    If you just want a pure road-legal trail bike, the 'possibles' list is a lot longer. Yamaha and Honda both do several road-legal trail bikes. Most KTMs can be made road-legal by the dealer; and the same for Husaberg and Husqvarna.
    Those Suzuki DR-Z400SM's are awesome...
    “There's nothing more exhilarating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there? ”-Clerks

  10. #10
    Join Date
    3rd September 2006 - 22:33
    Bike
    a minature T-34
    Location
    melbourne
    Posts
    259
    Quote Originally Posted by ZeroIndex View Post
    Those Suzuki DR-Z400SM's are awesome...
    Agreed. Just wish I could get more then my tiptoes down on one without hacking the seat up.

    No better excuse to invest in platform boots.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    4th January 2006 - 19:30
    Bike
    2011 Kawasaki ZX-14 "Monster"
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    3,293
    Quote Originally Posted by vamr View Post
    Agreed. Just wish I could get more then my tiptoes down on one without hacking the seat up.

    No better excuse to invest in platform boots.
    I'm 6'4, and so far the only bike I've had a problem sitting on with both feet firmly planted is that new 950 v-twin KTM... those things have crazy amounts of clearance...
    “There's nothing more exhilarating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there? ”-Clerks

  12. #12
    Join Date
    22nd April 2007 - 22:44
    Bike
    99 cb250 hornet
    Location
    auckland
    Posts
    5
    sweet....thanks for the replies

  13. #13
    Join Date
    3rd January 2007 - 22:23
    Bike
    A chubby lollipop
    Location
    I'm over here!
    Posts
    2,539
    Quote Originally Posted by cletus View Post
    Hi all hows it goin
    Lookin at gettin my first road bike.....narrowed it down to a 250 Hornet, i think. only thing is im 6`1 and 135kgs. Would the hornet haul the lardyness ok? or should i be lookin at getting an exemption from the 250cc rule and getting something with a bit more torque. will be a weekend toy.....probably with a few open road trips. any advice welcomed, thanks
    Can you get an exepmtion to the 250 rule??? I got plucked on my 1340 HD on a learners and the cop never mentioned THAT!!!!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    26th February 2005 - 15:10
    Bike
    Ubrfarter V Klunkn,ffwabbit,Petal,phoebe
    Location
    In the cave of Adullam
    Posts
    13,624
    You *can*. But it's not easy. And learners is much harder to get exemption than restricted. Basically have to prove that a 250 is unsafe for you. And convince them that you don't just want an exemption to buy a big bike.

    Being old helps. And having a good driving record for lots of years (in a cage, usually). And if you can say that the bike you intend to ride will be no faster than most 250s that helps (proves its not just "I wanna really fast bike").

    And the luck of the drawer. Some get it. A lot don't. It's one of the harder ones, because they know that most people who complain about the 250 rules and want a bigger bike just want it for the speed. Which is exactly what the 250 rule is designed to prevent.

    It's totally at their discretion by the way. Absolutely no appeal, and no guidelines except the "must be no less safe for you and other road users." And, by definition a >250 is assumed less safe than a <250, until you overthrow the assumption.

    A 1340 Harley would be pretty tough.
    Quote Originally Posted by skidmark
    This world has lost it's drive, everybody just wants to fit in the be the norm as it were.
    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Vincent
    The manufacturers go to a lot of trouble to find out what the average rider prefers, because the maker who guesses closest to the average preference gets the largest sales. But the average rider is mainly interested in silly (as opposed to useful) “goodies” to try to kid the public that he is riding a racer

  15. #15
    Join Date
    24th September 2006 - 02:00
    Bike
    -
    Location
    -
    Posts
    4,736
    Quote Originally Posted by Ixion View Post
    Absolutely no appeal
    Can't you just resubmit?

    ...

    Ask GiJoe1313 about his Hornet. GiJoe1313 is a pretty well-built guy (although not as much as you), it's a good thing he's so friendly because I sure as hell wouldn't want to look at him funny in a dark alley He cracks his 250cc Hornet along at a very reasonable pace. I struggle to keep up with him, even off the lights, and my bike weighs very little and so do I.

    Just give it shit. I've heard the engines are exceedingly reliable.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •