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Need Advice
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March 11, 2010 at 4:24 pm #3752asunwParticipant
Hello,
I currently own a scooter, 2003 Honda NSS250 (Reflex). I am looking to purchase a motorcycle and was thinking about the Rebel but from what I’ve read in the comments of the review it may be underpowered for the highway. I would like to be able to ride on two lane highways and interstates. I took the MSF course in November 2008 so I have that background and we rode Rebels in that course I’m just wondering if there’s a bike that would be better. I like the look of the cruisers and would prefer that over a sport bike. Also I am 5’6, 135 lbs, and a girl so I don’t want anything to heavy.
Thank you!
March 11, 2010 at 4:51 pm #24902SpoolParticipantSkel3tor1 has no problems running his in the interstate:
March 11, 2010 at 4:55 pm #24903Gary856ParticipantI believe it’s got the same engine as a Ninja 500, in a cruiser body. Some beginners may feel more comfortable on a 250cc, but to me a 500cc is much more versatile as one gains experience while still very beginner friendly.
March 11, 2010 at 6:21 pm #24904JackTradeParticipantGary’s probably got the best advice here, but for another option, the Buell Blast is a decent first bike in line with your requirements, though it’s a standard (sits between cruisers and sportbikes in terms of style and ridinging position).
The Blast’s 500cc engine pulls nicely on the highway, it’s light (~360 lbs), and can be had with a low profile seat (I think around 25″) if desired. They’re pretty cheap used, and the design is nicely bullet-proof/designed for new riders.
I’ve got one, and I like it; it does fine at highway speeds. They are naked bikes though, so the wind is a factor at those speeds, but to me it’s part of the fun.
March 11, 2010 at 7:22 pm #24906TrialsRiderParticipantAs much as I agree the Blast WAS a good choice, better google ‘2010 buell blast’ first ! They totally lost my respect for their product with that advertising campaign. Better buy your replacement parts up front, along with that used bike purchase. How long do you suppose the manufacturer will inventoy parts when they have no interest in complete units ?
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/photogallerys/Buell-Blast.jpgMarch 11, 2010 at 8:12 pm #24908ranetteParticipantNever having ridden one I can’t comment on how a Rebel will do on a highway. However, I did purchase a motorcycle after riding a scooter and one thing to keep in mind is that a larger displacement scooter like your Reflex has many of the same capabilities as small motorcycle such as the Rebel. If you’re looking to get rid of the Reflex and simply want the look or manual transmission of a motorcycle, no problem. If you’re looking for a sizable leap in performance I think you’ll have to look towards something like an S-40 or a Vulcan 500. In my case I still ride my 150cc scooter around town but have something significantly larger for the open road, two very different tools for two very different purposes.
March 11, 2010 at 11:12 pm #24912JackTradeParticipant…just now it’ll be called just “Blast”. No “Buell”, and certain not “Harley Davidson”. HD has continued need for it for their Rider’s Edge course, so they’ll still be parts. I’m unsure though if they’ll actually sell the “Blast” directly to the public, but I’d have to hope parts will still be available.
Even if they stopped making it altogether, HD, when killing Buell, committed to making parts available for 10 years. How easy they’ll be to come by is another story though.
As a Buell guy, I was pretty annoyed at first with how the Blast thing was handled. I loved Erik for his passion, and his idea that motorcycles were first and foremost about connecting the rider with the experience of riding.
To see my bike model dismissed and be told in essense “you’re not REAL Buell material if you ride one of these” was tough to swallow. How could someone as into bikes like Erik not understand that beginning riders can’t exactly start off on a 1200cc Lightning? Surely he’d want new riders to have a way to *safely* discover how much fun his odd-ball machines could be? It just didn’t make sense to me.
But time passed and more info got out, it’s become clear now that he had very little say in what happened, and that HD was calling the shots…so I forgave him somewhat.
Then HD unceremoniously killed the Buell brand, and I totally forgave him. In the video he released when the news was announced, he’s nearly in tears.
March 13, 2010 at 1:17 am #24932KipfireParticipantI looked around and settled on a Virago 250. I found a used one for a good price. I have had some trouble with the chain, but racked up well over 5K miles on weekends even after foot surgery! Okay, here goes my .02 cents. I think any of the 250’s would be a good bet. I think Honda’s are bulletproof. This Virago I got is peppy enough and a nice looking bike. I rode a Suzuki at the MSF course and liked it too. I don’t think any of these bikes are made for the interstate highways. They are just too light and have to work pretty hard to keep a 65-75mph pace. I have done it, but I have a helluva lot more fun on two lane roads. And these little bikes seem to have more fun too there too. I can’t explain it, but you will see what I mean once you are out there. I live in Vermont and there are lots of two lane roads that have great scenery and have enough twists and turns to keep the ride interesting. But it isn’t flat. I found this 250 can run out of breath on grades but it isn’t too bad. Did I mention these bikes are light? I recall one windy day where the wind was leaning my bike over! A LOT! Interstates are often open and windy. They also have a lot of 18 wheelers rolling by. A 250 Rebel, Virago, GS, or whatever, are great fun, but you may get tossed back and forth more than you may like on the 4 lanes.
March 13, 2010 at 2:36 am #24936owlieParticipantFrom one girl to another, it really doesn’t matter how big the bike is if you are comfortable riding it. We all have stories about petite ladies and their Harley monster bikes.
That said, you should sit on a few different bikes and find out what feels comfortable under you. I probably sat on 20 different models of bike (some appropriate for my inexperience, some not) before I settled on the Suzuki S40. Neither the Rebel nor the Blast felt right to me, but you might think they’re great. Alot of people detest my bike, but I couldn’t stop raving about it.
Best of luck!
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