- This topic has 16 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 3 months ago by bigguybbr.
Joined 2 years ago, first post today…
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January 5, 2010 at 2:19 am #3634JoeSTLParticipant
Posted this in the ‘introduce yourself’ section, but haven’t had any responses.
So I’ve been lurking around here for a long time, but this is my official first post. I’ve posted on other motorcycle sites for years, though it looks like I may actually be able to buy my first bike this year. Woo hoo!!! A little about myself… I’m 33, with my own house, an more importantly my own 2 car garage (so I can house the bike). I used to live in apartments, so I never really got serious about having a bike. I’m planning on taking the Rider’s Edge MSF course in a few months, once I know that I’ll be able to afford the first bike. I’m 6’3” and about 230lbs so I’m very undecided about the type of bike that would be best for me as a beginner. At first, like most newbies I was looking at the 600cc sportbikes and above mostly because of how they looked. I’m still more into the sportbike look more than the cruiser, but lately I’ve been thinking about dual sports. I’d want something used and under 2k, so when I drop it in my garage (or at a stoplight…lol) I won’t mind as much. I’ve heard that the 650 dual sports are still a little top heavy for a beginner, so how about the 250’s? Mostly concerned about the size of them. I love the look of the dr-z400sm, because I’m probably not going to do much dirt riding. In St. Louis, I think you have to go a couple hours away to get a decent trail to ride anyway. How do the 250/400 dual sports compare to their big brothers? Any recommendations? I’m sure there are people out there that will say to get a 600 because of my size, but honestly I want something smaller that I can really learn to ride on and not worry about going too fast. So any advice about bigger riders on the 250 dual sports? Also looking for other alternatives, such as the 250r, 500r, or gs500. Thanks in advance!
Joe
January 5, 2010 at 7:25 am #23888Gary856ParticipantI started riding almost exactly 1 year ago. My bikes and drop history:
First bike: Suzuki GS500. In the beginning I had wanted to beat the statistics, promised myself that I’d be careful and would never drop the bike, but that was not reality for a brand new rider. Dropped it 3 different times at walking speed (didn’t know what I was doing for the condition), followed by a 40 mph lowside (preventable, I rode over my head). Replaced the handlebar and fixed the gauges, still rides great. I’m 6′ even, and this bike is “comfortably small.”
Second bike: Yamaha YZF600R. Never dropped yet. Much harder to ride and balance at low speed. About 1.5-2″ taller than the GS500, so more roomy.
Third bike: Suzuki SV650N. Never dropped yet. Much more torquey than the GS, probably get me in more trouble as a first bike. About 1.5″ taller than the GS500, so more roomy.
My point is the first bike will get dropped; that’s a part of learning. Still own all 3 bikes above. Want to get an R6 real bad, just because…
I’ve never ridden a dual sport, but kind of want to get one and have been looking. My thinking is, if you ride in the inner city with stop-and-go traffic, and don’t expect to go over much 50 mph much of the time, then a smaller dual sport (let’s say 400cc or below) would be totally in it elements. But if you need to ride the freeway, I’d want a bigger dual sport, like a DR650, which is the one I’m hoping to get. DRZ400sm is very cool looking, but its less than ideal freeway cruising capability is what’s been holding me back from getting one.
January 5, 2010 at 1:53 pm #23890AParticipantAt 6’3″, your must have somewhat long legs, smaller displacement motos tend to have shorter distance between seat and pegs; having long legs riding a smaller displacement moto would most likely require you to bend your knees more, possibly even bend your knees outward on the moto.. not pretty nor safe.
Motos with single cylinder engine tend to vibrate a bit during highway speed, that vibration tires the rider without warning.
For moto under $2000, you might also look for a used Suzuki Bandit 600.
January 5, 2010 at 2:17 pm #23891IBA270ParticipantAt your height, you’ll be fine on just about anything. I’m a little bigger than you are and have spent a lot of time on things like old Ducati 900SS’s and Ducati Monsters. While dual sports are little top heavy, I don’t you’ll have any problems at your size. See if you can find a Kawasaki KLR. They are a lot of fun. A little buzzy on the freeway though.
I really enjoy the smaller motards and dual sports, but in the real/traffic/freeway, then can actually be a little dangerous as they just can’t go with a big person on them.
As “A” pointed out, there are some 600’s out there that I think you’d be fine on. Look for the older air cooled 600’s like the bandit or the katana.
January 5, 2010 at 2:42 pm #23892IxecapadeParticipantdual sports are awesome but I wouldn’t buy one to really ride in the city much. I reeeaaaaaalllllllllllly want one to go eff around in the dirt with but I stick to my sport bike for now.
400/500 will be just peachy.
Lucky you with your garage- I’m fighting the wind on a daily basis cause it keeps ripping my cover off. Can’t wait to have my own garage!
January 5, 2010 at 2:55 pm #23893BouncingRadicalParticipantThe Yamaha wr250 is a good powerful 250 DS, not too much top end but good grunt. I have a KLX 250s, while a little underpowered without a few mods, it is nice and tall! I am 6′ 0″ and could only flat foot it after breaking in the shocks a bit on the trails. I think the WR is only slightly shorter. I know they make the KLX250 (KLX250sf) in motard fashion, but not the WR 250
For around the city, I would totally get a DRZ motard. Throw a tail rack on it and you got a fun and nimble commuter/learner.
January 5, 2010 at 3:00 pm #23894BouncingRadicalParticipantDouble post, sorry.
January 5, 2010 at 6:51 pm #23898SpoolParticipantThe WR250 is available as a supermoto, it’s the WR250x
January 5, 2010 at 7:25 pm #23899SantaCruzRiderParticipantI rode a friend’s DRZ400 for several weeks and used it to pass the Cali DMV test. Really fun bike, especially around town. If I was looking for a town or short commute bike, the DRZ would be at the top of my list. It’s just awesome how you can slip through traffic, create parking in dirt patches that scare off most road bikes and hop off curbs at will. It was fine on short fwy jaunts with no issues at speeds up around 65 (I didn’t try faster, so can’t attest to top speeds).
The KLR is also a great bike, but the fuel tank is huge and adds quite a bit of weight up high. Still, I don’t think you need to worry about either bike being top heavy. You’ll quickly get used to it and you’ve got the height needed to keep them upright (unlike me, who had to basically hop onto the seat to compress the springs enough to get one toe down!)
If I ever get a garage big enough for a second bike, it will probably be a 250-400 dually “town bike”.January 5, 2010 at 11:01 pm #23903JackTradeParticipantI’ve been considering the same thing as others here…getting a small dual-sport for urban/trail use. I like the look of the Honda CRF 230L.
January 6, 2010 at 2:23 am #23905IBA270ParticipantThe CRF’s are great little bikes! We use them at one the schools I teach in the dirt/dual sport as well as motard trim…and they are a HOOT!
Kawaski has a Motard in similar trim that I actually think is a little nicer with a digital dash and I believe it has fuel injection. Might check that as well…
January 6, 2010 at 7:37 am #23911eternal05ParticipantI’m a big sportbike rider but got a DR-Z400sm just recently (Thanksgiving) and OH MY GOD it’s fun to ride! It’s not just fun, it’s got a lot more pep than a 250cc but it’s still perfectly beginner friendly and very easy to maneuver. It’s not a great highway bike (no fairing or windscreen), but for around town and in the twisties it’s fantastic.
To be honest, I actually don’t have a big vibration problem with my DR-Z. I’m perfectly happy at 60mph, whereas a Ninja 250R gets pretty vibrate-y at that speed. Then again, it might just be that the DR-Z vibrates with greater amplitude and lower frequency. I guess it’s like sitting on the washing machine vs. sitting on a vibrating cellphone.
January 6, 2010 at 7:04 pm #23919JackTradeParticipantOne of things that draws me to the CRF230 is that anachronistic analog gauge…looks like something you’d see in a 1980s car!
January 7, 2010 at 4:29 am #23926CBBaronParticipantBeing a tall guy looking for a cheap beginner you are in a similar position to where I was. First thing I found was that most small bikes do fit very well. The ’08 and newer Ninja 250 and the Ninja 500s have a fairing crease that hits on my knee instead of above it. The small cheap dual sports seem really short and cramped. And on the 250 cruisers and standards my knees interfere with the handle bars.
However I did find that the older (`07 and earlier) Ninja 250s did not interfere with my knees and they are readily available for well under $2000.
GS500s and the taller dual sports/supermotos (klx250, wr250, dr-z400, and larger) also fit nice. However these are more expensive so you have to look for older bikes to get within your price range. The dual-sports in particular are much less common and bikes like the klx and wr are newer models without much older stock for sale. You may find a drz-400 in that price range and dr650 or klr650 can usually be found fairly cheap. However the 650s are pretty big especially for a new off-road rider.
So I have an `06 Ninja 250. Figure I can sell it in a couple years for a couple hundred less than I paid for if I want. In the mean time, insurance is cheap, its light on the fuel looks good and is very capable of any sane speeds. Though I almost did buy a late ’90s DR650.
Craig
January 8, 2010 at 12:50 am #23937eternal05ParticipantI’m 6’4″ and had the same problem with my Ninja 250. Aftermarket adjustable footpegs are a $120 fix. Problem solved.
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