[Kumada]

Hey all!

I’m not yet sure if I will be riding or not….and I still have a good while before I do try anything. But I have discovered a few things in my research. One, is I’ve looked at a few beginners bikes. Another thing is that I’m far more attracted to cruisers than anything else.

So, with that said, I’d like to get some advice from those experienced riders out there on the models I’m looking at.

I am 6′ tall and around 200 kb, if that makes any difference. And if it does….what model would any of you suggest?

The most attractive so far are:

Honda Rebel

Kawasaki Eliminator

Alphasport / Hyosung GV250 Aquila (my favorite so far) Hyosung

Suzuki S40

Kawasaki Vulcan 500

Of all the models, I like the look and price of the Hyosung. But then there is the Vulcan…it’s a motorcycle that could something more if I needed to demand it, and it is a 500cc. While it is labeled a beginner’s bike, I can;t help but wonder… especially if I’m nervous about my first time…would 500cc really be alright?

Another attractive point about Hyosung: 2 year unlimited mileage warranty.

Any and all advice welcome!

Kumada

[Munch]

First…the V500 Don’t worry much about it really being too much. The power that you will need will definitely be there, but it’s not in an overly jerky fashion. It has a smooth run through out the gears and only will fly if you know how to get into the throttle and hang on. At 6′ the Rebel may feel a bit cramped but I imagine with the following that lil’ bike has there’s all kinds of mods that could make it fit. The V500 could be the same. A little bit bigger and longer then the rebel but not by leaps and bounds. I am 5’10” and fit fine on the one I had.
I have only seen one eliminator and if I remember, it’s a pretty little bike. The hyosung will have to depend on if you have a dealer in your area. Here we have none. That so called unlimited mileage warranty is only as good as the access to utilize it.

[Amoryl]

also with cruisers moving up means a heavier bike as much as more power. I’m not sure on the specs of the Vulcan, but if I recall, the Yamaha Vstar 650 only has like a handful more HP than the Vstar 250 and nothing close to the hp of a lot of sportbikes.

you ARE taking the MSF? IMO thats the first step to seeing if riding is for you. they’ll likely start you off on the rebel or something similer (looking through I think the MSF in San Fransisco says they use Kawasaki Eliminators instead) so first off, you’ll get an idea of how cramped or not some of the beginner bikes are, and when you butt test larger bikes while looking for your ride, you’ll note the difference in weight between the two.

I mention SF not because I’ve any idea where you are, but because thats where I’ll be taking my msf course (not specifically inside the city, but around somewhere) and also because they’re the only one’s I’ve seen so far that use the eliminator. but that thing’s a 125 thumper, and TINY. I’ve never sat on one, but I think someone at the local cop shop rode one to work, because I always saw it parked outside. and man it looked tiny.

the hyosung is DEFINATELY my current favorite, and fortunately for me, there’s several dealerships to choose from. I like the looks, the size (for a 250) that it’s oil cooled, that it’s got a good guarantee. but I also plan to butt test a few before I commit to one or the other.

[eternal05]

Those bikes are super small. My nighthawk failed on day two of my MSF course and I had to do the rest on an eliminator. It really sucked. I can see how they’d be good bikes for some people in some situations, but I think for normal riding in the city, they’re too small and underpowered.

[SafetyFirst]

I know it’s not on the list, but the ninja 250 “F” series is an awesome bike to get on after MSF. I found it much easier than the Nighthawks in the class. I did kinda like the CB125-T’s they had, too. Maybe it was the sporty look of them. Or maybe it was that they were easier to do low-speed stuff with because the twist of the wrist gone wrong didn’t suck so much, because of a smaller engine, LOL.

I’d get a 125 if they were more plentyful than Ninja 250s. Same with a 50 cc Aprilia RS-50. I’d want to try the RS-50 out to see what a 2-cycle is like on the street.

[Kumada]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses and advice! I’m looking at Hyosung even more now. My neighbor who is a very big bike enthusiast, has a Honda Shadow and told me that for my size, the 250 will get old within a week or two and to just stick with a 650cc for my first bike – especially after I take a class. And so I looked at the Hyosung’s 650cc Avitar…and holy cats it’s a sexy bike.

http://mpgmotors.com/blog/2008/01/29/heres-the-windup-and-heres-the-pitch/

Here’s a blog by a dealer who sells Hyosung in Pensylvania. Not where I live, but full of good info! Man…if I could fit that thing, it’d be awesome. But still…that class will tell me if it’s for me or not in the first place I suppose.

[ranette]

I’m not really a cruiser fan, but that Hyosung is definitely an impressive looking bike; kind of like a baby VRod.

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