- This topic has 9 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 9 months ago by yugen852.
Suggestions, please.
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July 22, 2009 at 3:26 am #3182yugen852Participant
Hi, everyone. I’ve posted a few things here already, but since I’m still very new to this, I want your proffessional “?” advices. I’m 5’10”, weight around 140 pounds (don’t know why ’cause I am very thin), and I like the sports bike look. The main reason I want my bike is for commuting. I could get a scooter, but I don’t really like them (sorry, eon). I have set my sights on the ninja 250, maybe a 2001+ model. But, I would like to hear suggestions on other bikes as well.
No hate-mail:
yugen852July 22, 2009 at 12:42 pm #20862AParticipantI’m 5’10”, 140 lb. I ride a bicycle approx. 6-8 hours a week…
Besides the Ninja 250, there are plenty of options depending on whether of not you plan to take long trips (+2hr) on highways; if so, 600/650cc displacement might be more versatile.
Also depending on your budget, 2001-2005 Suzuki Bandit 600 would likely be the least expensive at around $3000. 99-02 Suzuki SV650 could be found around $3500. Older Suzuki GS500 are also good bikes for cheap if you can find them.
July 22, 2009 at 3:04 pm #20863eonParticipantHa, no need to apologize to me. To be honest I never considered scooters myself. It was a new Ninja 250 I wanted but they were impossible to get last summer. The fact I live beside the scooter dealership had a lot to do with my decision. The thing was just sitting there. I could ride away with it that day or wait who knows how long for a Ninja.
I can’t really help you as I don’t know a whole lot about other sportbikes. I would say pay attention to the seating/handlebar positions. One of the sport bikes I part beside at work the handlebars are the same height as the seat. Great for the track but not great for seeing through city traffic or long rides I would think.
July 23, 2009 at 1:09 am #20874yugen852ParticipantWe have a website over here that’s like craiglist, and I can find sport bikes for as low as 1,300 dollars, and good bikes. Cruiser bikes, 660cc+ and from recent year models for as low as 1,900!
yugen852
July 23, 2009 at 2:00 am #20876JtownJJAParticipantMy GS500F has worked out great for me. I had NO riding experience at all on motorcycles except for the MSF BRC. I had some bicycle experience, and I also drive a 5-speed manual transmission car, so the shifting gears part came easy to me. I had considered a Ninja 250, but thought a 500 would do better for me on the freeway on the way to work in Columbus. My first ride really didn’t seem all that different from the Honda Nighthawk that I had in the beginners course, except I finally didn’t have any problems finding neutral. I also live on a country road that is straight and flat, so I had a great place to do some practicing before I hit the city traffic. Of course, you have to choose what is right for you. Until you buy, sitting on them at the store is lots of fun.
July 23, 2009 at 9:18 pm #20888yugen852ParticipantThanks. I have considered getting a 500cc bike, at most, because of freeway riding. Its illegal to drive a 250 on them. But, it really isn’t necessary for all the roads are well connected and I can reach my destination fairly easy.
Thanks for all of your suggestions, guys.
yugen852
July 23, 2009 at 9:47 pm #20890SafetyFirstParticipantIf you’re going the 600/650 route, remember this:
A 600cc I4 (GSX-R600, R6, Zx-6R) is much more powerful than a I2 650 (Ninja 650) or V2 (SV650S). For a beginner, too powerful.
July 23, 2009 at 10:11 pm #20891AmorylParticipantreally? where are you at? a ninja 250’ll do 90mph according to most, 70 at the min, which is about the top speed of a smart car…there really shouldn’t be anything keeping it from being freeway legal, heck there’s a decent number of people who’ve done the 1000mile in 24 hours Iron Butt challenge on a ninja 250.
July 24, 2009 at 6:04 am #20899jmango95Participantlike jtown this is my first ride and i love it! unlike jtown i didnt choose the dark side. lol the 500 is a great bike and will get you where you need to go with a little more power than the 250. but i also pretty much stole my bike it only had 1600 miles on it and i got it for $1800! its all just fast, affordable, fun!!
July 25, 2009 at 3:47 am #20934yugen852ParticipantWell, sincerely, I haven’t read a law or something that says its illegal. I just heard the instructor in my bike class say it. He said that because the bike is lighter, if a trailer or one of those big ass trucks passes beside me, the turbulence could blow me upwards, or suck me under. I reeeeeeeeeeeally don’t want that to happen. I have read the many reports and tips on this website that a beginner should get a 250 bike, but if I can find a 500 sports bike, I will take it! It is a bit contradicting me saying that I would like a 500cc bike, since I have told some people here to get 250 bikes as a beginner. Its just that in my class I felt so comfortable riding, it was like a unknown talent. I even got to 4th gear riding controlled, for the first time on a bike.
A 250 would be nice, I don’t deny it, but a 500 would be more convenient in the long run.
Thanks everyone for your advice:
yugen852 -
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