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Is this a good bike for a beginner? First, what bike is this
hectorse
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I can get this one new for a very cheap price. The dealership also lets me borrow it for free for a day, if I get pre-approved. This is with classes and stuff.
But I forgot to ask the exact model and didn't really look into it because I was lusting at all the sweet bikes at the place!
sweet bikes
Ok, here is the bike in question
All I know is that it is a 200cc
Also, which book do you recommend for getting some drills and stuff before hitting the saddle?
But I forgot to ask the exact model and didn't really look into it because I was lusting at all the sweet bikes at the place!
sweet bikes
Ok, here is the bike in question
All I know is that it is a 200cc
Also, which book do you recommend for getting some drills and stuff before hitting the saddle?
hectorse on
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I started on a Ninja 250 @ 140lbs and it was a great bike to learn on. Keep in mind that within a year or two you'll be wanting to upgrade to something bigger (most likely).
I am 5'9" 186'ish planing on getting to 200 lb (weight lifting)
They also sell a 300cc model.
How much did you get your Ninja 250 for?
I would ignore anyone that tells you to start with more than a 250cc. Yes you will eventually want a faster or nicer bike...but isn't that the way with all toys? It's a hobby, and you can put as much money into it as you feel like when you are ready to move up.
As far as books, I don't know. I went to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic Rider Course on the Navy's dime. It's a bad ass course and I'd recommend it to anyone trying to learn how to ride.
-Switching gears. I'm told on a 200 you have to do a great deal of switching gears because the speed ranges for each aren't very forgiving, which for a new rider may be distracting. I tried it out on my 600 out of curiosity and found I could go 0-80 in 2nd gear alone, which is pretty funny.
-Mobility on a highway. Drivers are fucking assholes. You learn very quickly that they are ALL out to get you. I've become a master of riding while looking at the lanes to my left and right to see who wants to try to kill me next through reckless driving. Having a bike that can still show some acceleration at highway speeds is pretty crucial, in my mind. 200 will REALLY crawl regarding highway acceleration.
-Passengers. I don't know if you're considering ever having any passengers with you, but if you do, I'm not sure 200 will work that well. Essentially, it's the same reason that the 200 may have problems on the highway; add 2x more weight and your acceleration and mobility, even in town, will become significantly compromised.
2 of the beginner bikes suggested in that thread are 500's.
Edit: I think the OP in that thread was mainly couseling against getting a 600cc sportbike (CBR, GSXR, YZF) as a first bike. I'd agree with that since they're just light modifications away from being racing bikes.
I got a Kawasaki Ninja 500R as my first bike two years ago. That particular model is well-suited to a beginner. It has enough power to keep you where you need to be on highways and in town, but not so much that you'll get into trouble too quickly. That said, all bikes can kill you. Take a safety course if you haven't already. Buy all of your gear before you buy your bike (and fucking wear your gear EVERY TIME). Don't skimp on the gear. Don't buy cheap shit because you're looking to save money. This is safety equipment designed to keep you alive when the worst happens, treat it as such.
In short, calm down and approach this rationally. Just like buying a car or house, you need to know exactly what you're getting into beforehand.
Exactly. No one here advocated for a SuperSport class bike. I still would not recommend anything smaller than a 500. You will shift less. have a little more oomph, and the bike will have more longevity due to not having upgrade fever so soon. 250's are buzzy and shift intensive. You can find an EX500/500R and GS500's for cheap and they have extensive support, parts, and customer bases. The EX500/500R is particularly a nice starter bike. It has plenty of oomph, but due to being a parallel twin it is nothing unmanageable even for raw beginners. The basic bike and engine design has been around for about twenty years. It is bulletproof and will last through any abuse you put it through and come out smiling.
Well that is exactly what I am doing, else I would have already buy the bike
The thing is that the used market around here sucks, tons of off-road and dirt bikes but not many street capable ones. I only found 1 Kawasaki 250R, and although it sells for cheap ($1.1k) it seems pretty beat up, which would surely add up to the cost.
Maybe a beat up bike is the best option as a beginner since I will drop it. Another one I found for $2K is a HONDA REBEL that seems to be in good condition
Trying to get all things into consideration.
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
Also, bikes are really that cheap?
I loved that bike and it was a great learner bike. It's got a modified Ninja engine and is really peppy for a cruiser but lower to the ground and easier to manage than a sport bike. I got around 50-60 mpg on that thing... crazy. I really would recommend a 500 cc bike to start. They are really easy to manage but still allow for highway driving if it is needed. A 200 cc bike is going to be really straining at 70 mph and passing someone is not going to be fun. After about a year I upgraded to a 1600cc Mean Streak even though I told myself that I wouldn't be one of those people who had to upgrade.
That is a sweet bike!
The nearest craigslits are full of shitty bikes though
Wait, that's too expensive! I can't pay $5k
I say go for it, read up on safety forums and check weekend classes in your area. As long as you don't bite into the temptation to flick your wrist, and ride like others around you cannot see you....you'll have many happy miles.
Avoid gravel, don't ride in the center of the highways, and find those twisty roads.
A little tape on the headlights/taillights, mirrors and blinkers removed and they are pretty much track ready. Depends on your maturity level as to whether or not this should be a first bike.
Im a Motorcycle Instructor in Australia. To get your L's here, you need to pass the course that I teach, then pass a knowledge test from the Road and Traffic Authority (RTA). Most common question ? "pete, what bike should I buy?"
Weight, Height and experience are key. I've never owned a bike less than 500cc (a Suzuki GS500 to be precise) and I'm glad I didn't. I weigh 125kg, and I'm 6'5".
You need to realise that every bike is different, that every ride is different, and every rider is different.
Here in Australia, you must have a learner legal bike until you are off your provisional license. That means that whatever bike you buy would need to be good to ride for atleast 3 years. This is the reason I'd suggest a 500cc as a beginner bike. There are plenty of low top speed, medium torque 500cc bikes out there that'll be able to keep you going for sometime.!
Btw, I dropped my GS 500 about 7 times in the first year of riding... Now, 8 years later, I've owned 6 motorcycles, having out grown them as I became more skilled, and interested in track days. Its a progression, and don't believe anyone who says that motorcycling is a hobby. Treat motorcycling as a life style, and you will be much more likely to get back up when you come off that first time!