Hello!
My name's Curtis. I'm currently a senior in a little town called Blissfield in the great motorcycling state of Michigan. The winters here are FANTASTIC for riding, especially if you like 3" of snow and ice on the roads!
I've been trolling around the forums on this site for well over a year. Not only was this the first site that I started reading thoroughly (thank God), but it's the only site so far that I've been consistently reading.
I'm saving up through Winter via my McJob at McDonald's and planning on buying a 250R in the Spring. This site with all its stories and advice, along with financial constraints (being 17, insurance, and minor work laws), have pointed me to this bike.
Cheers to keeping aspiration for motorcycling alive during the cold months!
-Curtis
Keep focus on them savings.
Keep focus on them savings. Make sure to also include money for riding gear and also highly recommended MSF (or equivalent) course.
Welcome to the board!
****Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but, rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy Shit....What a ride!!!"****
Already Done! ...Almost
My mother refuses to let me buy used from Craig's List, but the price difference around here isn't that substantial as to justify not buying from a dealer.
I'm still reading reviews and going through all the footwork for gear, but a recent accident I was involved in sharply reinforced the need for all the gear. I was debating on not even bothering with armored pants and boots, but when my friend slid into a parked van at 35 and I saw his Bronco's door dented in a good 6". This was the deciding factor for pants and boots. I'm young, so I still have that "invincible" problem some of the time.
Both my mother and my father have completed the MSF course. My mom has been riding only for a few years now while my dad bought his Yamaha 2-stroke way back in his youth. When I went over everything with my parents, they made sure this was priority number one. My mom has told me many stories where what she learned in the course has saved her skin and paint. The MSF basic course is required for anyone under 18 in MI. As a bonus to that, it also qualifies as the endorsement test in MI as well. Someone would have to be crazy not to take it!
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I would recommend a Suzuki Hayabusa for a first bike, then work your way up.
Nice signature...
But the Hayabusa is so last decade man...shoot for the newest bike...Honda CBR250R...it's like a VFR that is affordable...
Welcome to the forum...it sounds like you have been lurking for a while...the forum is a good way to keep the interest high while you can't ride...also a good time for bike shopping...the bikes are not moving right now from the dealers, so they will be willing to make a pretty good deal to make room for more seasonal toys...time to go sit on all the bikes and ask the questions...just remember, this is your first street bike, not your dream bike...learn first, then buy the rocket...
Later.
** If you're not having fun, you're doing it WRONG...**
Riding since May 2010...
That CBR600RR will wait for me...
... but I doubt I'll ever be riding an i4 on the streets, lol. I hate that peaky powerband noise, which is odd because the 250r has one too, lol. The highest possible displacement I could see myself riding is a 650cc, and it'd have to only be 2 cylinders. Unlike most teenagers I know, I do see that GSX-R600 and R6 as trouble for new riders and impractical for most street needs. The speed limit where I'll be riding is 55 mph, I don't want a bike that can take me there in a split second. I'll probably want something bigger eventually for commuting to college on the freeways, but those are forbidden ground for a couple of years. As a straight-road commuter, a 250cc is a perfect choice.
Oh, and I don't even WANT to see the insurance quotes of an 18 year old on a 600ss with 0 years of riding experience!!
Your sig has gotten me so interested in Fuelly I signed up! I've been averaging out my MPG (hypermiling vs. aggressive) in my 2003 Golden PT Cruiser for sometime now, but that site will let me compare just how bad the Winter weather is on it. Thank you so much for indirectly pointing me there!
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I would recommend a Suzuki Hayabusa for a first bike, then work your way up.
Reminds me of...
Quote "The speed limit where I'll be riding is 55 mph, I don't want a bike that can take me there in a split second."
Reminds me of something I heard Jay Leno say, and my old Scoutmaster. It is more fun to take a vehicle to the edge than it is to be driving it at half its potential.
I suggest something with good mid-range torque, its nice to be going 55 mph in 5th gear and not have to drop to 3rd to pass someone. You might have to wait till your first upgrade for this, but keep it in mind.
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Nate
2007 SV650
It's not about getting somewhere, it's about going somewhere.
Owner's Manual
... was wondering if anyone knows how to get hold of an owner's manual for a 2007 Yamaha Virago 250 cc (preferably online and cost free). Thanks!
WooHoo the site is up :)
It's sad that owners manual are so marginal, unlike competition bikes where the owners manual includes the parts and service procedure manual. Seek out the service and exploded parts diagrams for your bike and it will provide far more useful information. http://www.carlsalter.com is a great site for free motorcycle manual downloads, you might not find the manual for your exact year or in your native language, but combined with Google translate, extremely useful just the same.
Just you wait
The insurance quote for an 18-year-old with zero riding experience on a 250 will be a shock. Yes, you'd be WAYYY worse off on a supersport, but don't kid yourself. At your age, insurance is going to hurt, so make sure to factor it into your budget. And remember, insurance isn't for the bike...it's for YOU. It's one thing to lose a bike. That hurts, but the hurt fades fast. It's another thing to run a bike through somebody's living room and be responsible for $200,000 worth of property damages. That kind of hurt stays with you a bit longer :)
Your bike choice is great...not that I'm biased or anything ;) The one recommendation I'd make is that you don't go buy a bike right away. Step #1 is definitely to go take a beginning riders course. Get a feel for riding and a) see if it's something you want to do, and b) see if you can learn what bike features you like and which you don't (particularly with respect to ergonomics).
insurance
Eternal: It's funny that you say that insurance will be a shock, since I thought my insurance quote was going to hurt a lot more than it did. An eighteen year old with a clean driving record, a 500 cc bike, WITH a 20 year old I-4 cage is only going to cost me $800 annually (I thought it'd be that much for just the bike!).