Bikeless noob here (kiwirach83)

[crazyhorse]

ive gone through a few second hand ones. My flatmate got a new one, both were thrashed

Well, there you go!

Not everyone thrashes bikes. And bikes do need to be ridden properly and hard at times too - but thrashing is different to hard riding too.

My first bike was new (didn't need a 250 or less), got my licence before those rules came in, and it was a 500cc bike. My second bike had 1800 km on clock and third bike had 55,000 on clock and I've never had any problem with all three.

And not many girls ride like I do, which is with a very fast bunch of guys all of us on big powerful machines......

[kiwirach83]

Do you just want to just have a full bike license and a little experience?
Do you want to tour the country quietly and enjoy the scenery?
Do you want to combine a little road with some riding up in the bush with a tent strapped to your packrack?
Do you want to tour the country in expert hard-core mode with the hotboys and enjoy the road, ignore the scenery, and maybe do a little bit of track?

Hmmmm, all of these sound good but I'll go with scenario #4 thanks Steve

What kind of bike do I need to ride with "hotboys"?

[FROSTY:Me]

kiwirach I don't recomend you buy a brand new bike.
My reasoning here is
1) you are at the greatest risk of dropping a bike during the early learning period so the less invested the better (within reason)
2) a new bike requires running in and a couple of services fairly quickly. Running in isn't a major issue but its just another thing to worry about.
3) a new bike WILL devalue by a comparatively large amount as soon as it leaves the showroom. Now if you were keeping the bike for a few years-who cares? but you're not so you're gonna take that drop within a year most likely

I do however reccomend you look at a NEARLY new (less than 2 year old) bike with moderate milage.
Someone else has taken the big loss.
I would unhesitateingly recomend the Yamaha scorpio with one comment. DO replace the front tyre if its still the factory one.

[Mully]

+ however many - Newish Scorpio, but not a new one.

[cave weta]

^Cheers.

Would it be wise starting out on one of those road-legal dirt bike thingeemajiggers? Or an actual road bike?

- GET A TRAIL BIKE......

You can fall off them without it costing you a grand
You can have fun riding them hard and not be breaking the law.
They make a brand especialy for girls (Honda)
You are safer in the city on a traillie cos you can see and be seen better.
You meet nicer people on Trail Bikes.
You can explore.
They are more forgiving to ride with more suspension travel and 21" front wheel
You learn to ride better cos you can skid and slide in the dirt.
All the bits and pieces are more accessable so you learn more.
Even the dumbest people will never ask you if its a Harley.


If you buy a Kawasaki Sherpa- http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-231737698.htm
they are so easy to sell when you have finished with it- and they go and go and go......

[paddy]

It's a good thing for newbs to buy a new (or very new) bike. It's one less thing they have to think about, when they already have lots to do. Do consider looking for something a grand less than new price, with only a few thousand km's on it.

I can see where DB is coming from here, but I'm not 100% sure that I would agree. I think there is a lot of value to be had in learning to work on your bike. Old bikes are good for this. Firstly, it will force you to work on it. Secondly, you don't have to worry about the warranty. Even if you are not mechanical and send your bike off to the shop for most things - there is still a lot more regular maintenance that you would perform on a car. The chain for example....

Types of bikes - it depends where you see yourself in five years time. Do you just want to just have a full bike license and a little experience? Do you want to tour the country quietly and enjoy the scenery? Do you want to combine a little road with some riding up in the bush with a tent strapped to your packrack? Do you want to tour the country in expert hard-core mode with the hotboys and enjoy the road, ignore the scenery, and maybe do a little bit of track? All these things will hint at what learner bike you need to set your initial thinking in place. If you don't start in the right place, you won't end up wherre you want to go.

Definitely agree here. That was some elegant prose. I'm a "combine a little road with some riding up in the bush with a tent strapped to your packrack". So I bought a second hand DR250. I'd like to upgrade at some point, perhaps an F650GS - but it's not a financial reality at the moment.

[paddy]

They make a brand especialy for girls (Honda)

Lol!

The only negative I can think of for a trailee (unless you are obessed with the race bike look in which case there may be other negatives) is that they tend to be very tall. That can be a bit intimidating when you are manoeuvring at slow speed but it's fine once you are up and going.

[cave weta]

Lol!

The only negative I can think of for a trailee (unless you are obessed with the race bike look in which case there may be other negatives) is that they tend to be very tall. That can be a bit intimidating when you are manoeuvring at slow speed but it's fine once you are up and going.

Check out my TM link- they are not called a Sherpa for nothing- lovely little low seated workhorses- And its in Wellington Rachael!- go test ride it and report back.

[Cheshire Cat]

Hi all,



The Town Drunkard

Ahh, yes. That explains a lot.

[The Everlasting]

Welcome to KB...


Another female biker....

[kiwirach83]

Ahh, yes. That explains a lot.

_________________

[gatch]

Yo, buy a spada, they are easy to ride, even for short people. They still look good, are moar powah than all of the new 250 twins and are pretty reliable.

But then I'm biased as hell.

[retro asian]

What I want is something that wont kill me when I learn on it (so definately nothing too powerful) but not something unpowerful like a granny scooter as I will want to ride it on the motorway.

My VL250 would be perfect, much better than a GN250.
I really need to sell it, so will let it go at a very good price

[Stickman]

1. Go to bike shop and talk to bike sales person/people and tell them what you have told us.
2. Ride some bikes.
3. Buy bike you like,
4. Ride till you want to get bigger or newer bike.
5. Repeat steps 2 thru 4 for ever.

Enjoy the road!

[Pixie]

- GET A TRAIL BIKE......

You can fall off them without it costing you a grand
You can have fun riding them hard and not be breaking the law.
They make a brand especialy for girls (Honda)
You are safer in the city on a traillie cos you can see and be seen better.
You meet nicer people on Trail Bikes.
You can explore.
They are more forgiving to ride with more suspension travel and 21" front wheel
You learn to ride better cos you can skid and slide in the dirt.
All the bits and pieces are more accessable so you learn more.
Even the dumbest people will never ask you if its a Harley.


If you buy a Kawasaki Sherpa- http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-231737698.htm
they are so easy to sell when you have finished with it- and they go and go and go......

I agree.A trail bike is a much better proposition for a learner,