[Andrew]

Brought it home tonight. Just need to take care of the title switch and the license plate now. No screws for the plate but I’m guessing I can just pick something up at the nearest hardware/auto store.

[Andrew]

Sadly another person to the stats about drinking and riding leading to fatalities. Also another rider failing to negotiate a corner.

[Andrew]

The ad’s work you know. I don’t know how many comments I got at work about how small a 250cc bike was, or how it wouldn’t go highway speeds or how since the manufacturer website had a girl riding one it must be a girl bike. Usually from guys who didn’t ride or who had family members who ride big bikes.

Budd also has a point about the tiered license system. I wonder how many sub 250cc bikes are available overseas because of the license requirements and not because the manufacturer wants to make them or the dealers want to sell them.

[Andrew]

The Ninja is a 4 stroke twin I don’t know about the others though. So EPA shouldn’t be the problem. IMHO it reflects the market place. I don’t think many people in my MSF class even considered a 250cc as a first bike apart from me. There was a lot of discussion from the class and teachers about the 500-750cc cruiser bikes.

Now I would have thought with the sales of the Ninja that the other companies would have noticed and figured they should try to compete for those dollars. Maybe there needs to be a push from dealers to get Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha to import the small cc sportbike models they sell overseas.

[Andrew]

I like that one fotobits. Funny but true.

[Andrew]

Buell is part of HD. It was started by a former employee who started making sport bikes with HD engines. HD bought him out.

[Andrew]

The Honda Rebel is a good little bike that can handle interstate speeds. It won’t be the most comfortable bike at those speeds though. I don’t know which road your doing 100mph on but I don’t do that in my car let alone on a bike. If your a noob then you’ll just get yourself killed going that fast.

I mentioned the Ninja because having ridden one I now know how much torque they have. On the interstate you will want to get out of peoples way and be able to to do 65-85mph. I would think for that little (5 minutes) interstate time that a Ninja would be fine. If you are in stop and go traffic a big bike with lots of torque is just more weight to balance while you wait. If your prefer a standard or a cruiser then I wouldn’t discount a 250 but you might want to look at a 500 cc cruiser.

The Virago is what the Yamaha VStar used to be called before they changed the name.

[Andrew]

The Monster is a nice bike and I could see owning one down the track if I had the cash. The Italians do have a knack for designing pretty bikes. That being said I can’t imagine buying a Monster for my first bike due to the cost and the amount of displacement and torque it has for a noob. Step one is to acquire riding skill. Step two is to get the shiny bike when you have the skill to keep it shiny.

[Andrew]

I’m 5’4 and I was able to flat foot a Rebel and a Nighthawk at the course. Same goes for Virago at a dealership. I am buying a Ninja on Wednesday and I can almost flat foot it with both feet. It felt so much lighter and better balanced than the other bikes for my height though. Try a Ninja if you like the sport bike look lots of smaller people ride them.

[Andrew]

He will need to find something he’s comfortable on but that doesn’t mean he needs a liter bike.

[Andrew]

I think Spaz is right about the target fixation and going to fast. He wasn’t even slowing down for those corners though. Just because the guy in front can lean without slowing and drag a knee doesn’t mean any idiot can do it.

[Andrew]

I would think the Shiver and the Monster might be worth looking at since they are standards. Not sure how the forgiving they are on a noob though.

[Andrew]

How about a sticker that says “Cops eat my dust!”

[Andrew]

He doesn’t even try to initiate lean to take those turns he missed. So either he has no clue, he froze or he was hamming it up for the camera.

[Andrew]

The other thing that helps me might be the riding position of the Ninja. I didn’t think I would like the placement of the pegs until I rode one and they just seem to be in the right place for my body. The position is a little leaned over (not much) but that seems to feel easier for me.

Finding neutral on the Nighthawk was easier than the Rebel I rode. Maybe it’s because I was so raw that first ride but man it was tough.

[Author]

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