Will LAMS kill the 250 bike market?

[ducatilover]

Theres woman logic.

Bingslayer - I wouldn't count your chickens yet. Some people are still going to want a 250 to learn on, simply because the idea of a bigger bike, just because they can, might scare them a little bit. This is why GN125's are selling so well at the moment. Perfect learner bike is the selling point as far as I know.

I've got my heart set on a monster 400. But I'm buying a VTR250 instead. I'd rather learn on a smaller bike, than buy a larger one simply because I can. Thats like learning to drive in an STI instead of a (insert small car here) oh wait....

The Monster 400 is shit anyway I do hate Duke Monsters though

[quickbuck]

The Monster 400 is shit anyway I do hate Duke Monsters though

So; you should change your name to ducatiloverexceptmonsters then??

[ducatilover]

So; you should change your name to ducatiloverexceptmonsters then??

I think that might be a bit over the top... I like!

[Hillbilly]

Even though this is an old thread, there is a certain logic not taken into consideration. You won't trade in a 650! Having owned a GS500F under the NSW LAMS scheme and an XJ600S the 250s are very, very expensive for what they are. It's still nearly 10K for a Honda VTR 250, and 3k cheaper for a Suzuki GS500F. However, that was in Aussie with their wider roads and long straights and 110km/hr speed limit. In reality the flow of traffic on the F3 between Newcastle and Sydney was between 130km/hr and 140km/hr including all those massive 18 wheelers. The maiximum horsepower under the LAMS scheme is 53 horsespower shared by the Honda CB400 Super Four and the Ducati 600SS/600 Monster. Many of the other brands have "underpowered" or restricted variants. After passing your full licence, you take them back to the dealer and get them de-restricted.

Some manufacturers have also woken up to the fact that the LAMS rules are made by beaurocrats that don't ride motorcycles. I mean, this is a direct quote form the LAMS list:

Notes:All motorcycles :-- built before December 1960 are approved,- with electric powered engines are approved,- with an engine capacity under 260ml are approved with the exception of :-

Suzuki RGV250Kawasaki KR250 (KR-1 and KR1s models)Honda NSR250Yamaha TZR250Aprila RS250.New model added since last update

Last updated - 9 February 2012

Notice that they use fluid measurements and NOT displacement. So, many manufacturers aware of their ignorance have begum quoting CURB MASS in their figures as opposed to DRY WEIGHT to get around the power to weight ratios. The Ducati 659 weighs only 165 kg and still it got LAMS approval. There's no mention of the horsepower rating anywhere on the Ducati Australian website. Also, all those bikes listed above are illegal under the LAMS scheme yet perfectly legal here. I don't know how true this is, but I was told that an Aprilia RS250 has 79 horsepower!

[gammaguy]

most learners would shit themself on these

crips I almost would as they are so light and grunty and being a 2T
no engine braking which would throw most people on the frist corner they approch

RGV 250 s were built to keep noobs on four strokes

If ya didnt have the balls they bit you,and had those not worthy rushing to trade them in on a nice GN250

Which was where I came in.....

[gammaguy]

They're too small for boat anchors ...

dam right,far too light and not at all suitable for a boat anchor.

but then theres a nice big fat jap four.......

[Big Dave]

It certainly hasn't killed the new 250 Market in Aus:

http://www.mcnews.com.au/NewsArchive...Sales_2012.htm

[GrayWolf]

RGV 250 s were built to keep noobs on four strokes

If ya didnt have a frontal lobotomy they scared you, and had you rushing to trade them in on a nice GN250

if you had 'balls', they bit ya Which was where I came in.....

there fixed it for ya

[FJRider]

dam right,far too light and not at all suitable for a boat anchor.

but then theres a nice big fat jap four.......

Yep ... they'll sit under water for years without rusting. Pull them out and they'll start right up. (needs a bit of choke though)

[reggie1198]

Actually a 20kw bike with a dry weight of 168kgs would give a kw/tonne of about 107kw/t including the 100kg rider. Which is about the oomph of a standard 2.0l mid size car. Not bad from 250cc

On another note, is the dry weight really 168kg, cause that's 1000cc sports bike dry weights.

Reggie

[DrunkenMistake]

Actually a 20kw bike with a dry weight of 168kgs would give a kw/tonne of about 107kw/t including the 100kg rider. Which is about the oomph of a standard 2.0l mid size car. Not bad from 250cc

On another note, is the dry weight really 168kg, cause that's 1000cc sports bike dry weights.

Reggie

My poor overweight rust bucket is 211kg's dry.
And its a 650.

[Asher]

Actually a 20kw bike with a dry weight of 168kgs would give a kw/tonne of about 107kw/t including the 100kg rider. Which is about the oomph of a standard 2.0l mid size car. Not bad from 250cc

On another note, is the dry weight really 168kg, cause that's 1000cc sports bike dry weights.

Reggie

What bike are you talking about?

[reggie1198]

My 1198s is quoted as 169kg dry, with 170hp (160ish at the rear wheel, with the termi's on)

[DrunkenMistake]

What bike are you talking about?

Pretty sure a late model R1 is around 160 - 170 dry also

[GrayWolf]

20 year old, thrashed to buggery and back sprot 250's are overpriced, due to 'demand' of the uninitiated/unknowing... LAM's will sort THAT out.