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Review of the CFMoto Glory
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CBBaronParticipant
Suzuki DRZ-400SM, Yamaha WR250X, Kawasaki KLX250SF, and possibly the Honda CRF230M.
There are also so nice models from the european makes but price, performance and maintence goes up considerably.The DRZ has been around the longest and is quite popular so used versions are easier to find. The WR250X is a little more advanced and has fuel injection and a wider range transmission. The KLX is about $1000 cheaper new and still a good machine. The CRF has a lower seat height but otherwise offers no real advantage over the others.
Supermotos look like a lot of fun and I seriously considered getting one. However getting a great deal on a Ninja 250R changed my mind.
Bikes like the Ninja 250R, Ninja 500R and GS500F are also good entry level city bikes. They are small and light making it easier to learn and maneuver in the city but you sit upright unlike the supersports. Those bikes are usually classed as sportbikes but ride more like a standard.
Craig
CBBaronParticipantExcellent, sounds like a good place to start.
I really liked the GS500F when I was looking at bikes. It probably fit better than the Ninja 250R I bought but I got a great deal on the Ninja.
I wear a hi-vis Tourmaster Transistion 2 jacket. I like the extra coverage of the longer jacket, the visibility of the hi-vis color and reflective panels and the flexibiltiy of liner and vents in a water resistant jacket. I’vev worn it for hour long rides in temps from below 40F to above 90F.Craig
CBBaronParticipantI’m 6’2″ 220 and ride a Ninja 250R. Eternal on this site is even taller and has one also. You are definately not too big for a Ninja 250R.
If you are reasonably mechanically inclined I would look for a low mileage fairly recent Ninja 250R, Ninja 500R or GS500F. With patience you can find a good deal on craigslist or similar sites. Pre-08 Ninja 250Rs can easily be found for under $2000 and good examples of the other are under $3000.
Ninja 250Rs in particular have excellent online support ar ninja250.org There are other places to look for information about the other bikes. However that site will help you out with all kinds of maintence, repair and upgrade questions.
Good luck with your search but I would take advice like that from a dealer with a grain of salt. A used Ninja 250R is not going to make him much money and it easy to find much better deals else where.
However if you really like the newer Ninja 250Rs then buying new is not a bad option. Because of demand those bikes hold there value pretty well and you will lose less than you would buying most other new models.
Craig
CBBaronParticipantI’m 6’2″ and ride a Ninja 250R so I know what you mean about a tight knee bend.
When I first starting riding this spring my knees would start aching after 10 or 15 min. By an hour I could barely stand.
However I have put 2000 mile on the bike in the last few months and I’ve noticed that my knees don’t have nearly the discomfort any more. Especially if I stop and get off the bike once or twice and hour. That makes a good excuse to stop and take some pictures occasionally.
Now I still wouldn’t want to ride 500 hundred miles a day on my current bike. With another inch or 2 or opening I could do it easily.Craig
CBBaronParticipantNearly every city or village has a monument to something. Even if its just a flag pole, tree or old cannon. I don’t think you will have too much trouble finding one.
I’ll participate in this thread. Not today but I’ll do my best to get what ever is current tomorrow.Craig
CBBaronParticipantGS500F is a nice bike to start on. Ninja 250R and 500R are also good places to look for sport styled bikes.
As mentioned you should always ride with Helmet, boots jacket, gloves, and pants. For SoCal heat mesh jacket and pants may make it more comfortable. Perforated leather is also an option.
I ride in usually cooler and more variable weather here in the midwest so I have a water proof and well vented textile jacket (Tourmaster Transition 2). It handles he wide variety of weather we see but is hot sitting in traffic at 90F.
Good luck
Craig
CBBaronParticipantThe Ninja 250r will handle you all right. You will probably use up more of the suspension statically than you might like but it won’t be a real problem most of the time. There are some suspension upgrades you can do to eliminate that problem. Power won’t be a problem.
Other good choices in sportbikes are the GS500F and Ninja 500R. I’m not sure but the suspensions may be a little stiffer on those bikes and I found the GS500F to have more room.I’m 6’2″ 220# and ride an `06 Ninja250R.
Craig
CBBaronParticipantThe Ninja 250r is a good bike, and a great starter bike. I’m really enjoying my ’06. The GS500F and Ninja 500r are also good bikes to start with if you like sport faired bikes. Several other good choices for standards, supermotos and dual sports too.
The 250r is nice to start with because it is inexpensive, is easy to find used and resell if you move on, light but plenty of power and speed.
Other bikes are lighter, easier to learn/ride but those usually struggle at highway speeds or cost considerably more.Craig
CBBaronParticipantHelmet speakers are not the same as ear plugs. Ear plugs reduce the sound levels of all noise to more comfortable levels. You can still hear everything, you are just not deafened by it. I think that for unfaired bikes earplugs probably allow you to hear more sounds when riding than without.
Speakers are adding noise which can drowned out other sounds. Its not inherently dangerous but its not as safe as riding without. If they acted as effectively as earplugs then using them for a GPS would be a great solution.I probably will not use speakers on a bike as I don’t think its necessary to have a constant sound track to my life.
Craig
June 28, 2010 at 8:22 pm in reply to: Someone with zero riding experience has some questions… #27233CBBaronParticipant1) I’ve had an `06 ninja 250r for about 6 months and 2k miles (bought it just before winter) and love it. Compared to the larger motorcycles it is underpowered but compared to most cars it is peppy. If you want the baddest and fastest bike then you will want more quickly. If you want a fun vehicle that you can learn to ride fast then the 250r is a great choice.
2) With care you should avoid dropping the bike. A strong taller person on a light bike will be able to get away with those little mistakes that cause drops with weaker riders or bigger bikes. I’ve not dropped the bike but there have been a couple times I may have dropped it if I rode a bike bike.
3) I had no problem with the helmet, but I ride a bicycle nearly daily with a helmet and used to play football and rid ATVs so have experience with heavy helmets. I would guess that with some time you will adapt and it becomes barely noticable.
4) My cheap HJC helmet steamed very easily in humid or cool conditions. I got the pin-lock shield and insert and it nearly eliminated the problem. However the shield and insert cost nearly as much as the helmet.
5) I didn’t think automotive clutch experience and shifting really helped me with the motorcycle. It really was a matter of training the motor memories. The first day of the MSF class everything required so much thought tha I was usually forgetting something. However by the second day some things started becoming automatic and I was able to concentrate more on what I was doing and learning the new skills. I think experience and practice is very important in riding skills and ability.Craig
CBBaronParticipantBased on myself (6’2″) trying out the bikes you suggested I don’t think any of them will be comfortable for you.
A Ninja250r would work but your legs would be pretty folded up. Older (pre-08) models fit a little better than the newer sharper looking ones.
Supermotos and dual sports are likely to fit better for a light starter bike. They have more open riding positions with bigger seat to peg distances. You should be able to find some decent used ones in your price range though it will be a little harder than finding the Ninja 250 or GZ250 at that price.
In dual sport bikes even bikes like the DR650 or KLR650 may be a good bike to look at. Though the are 650cc bikes they are single cylinder bikes and nearly as light as the 250s and don’t have much more power. Other options are DRZ400(S or SM), KLX250(s or sf), XT(225 or 250) and several others.
Craig
CBBaronParticipantThe biggest factor with rider size is leg length. Riders with a short inseam will feel uncomfortable on tall bikes as a starter and long legged riders will be overly cramped on some of the smaller bikes.
At 5’7″ you likely would not have a problem with most of the bikes recommended as starter bikes. Only ones that may be too tall would be some of the dual sports and supermotos.
The Ninja 250r is an excellent starter bike and very popular for several reasons. It looks good, its light and fairly easy to ride and inexpensive. Plus it has more power than the other 250cc bikes allowing it to handle freeway riding with less stress. Downsides are expensive fairings that are easily damaged in the event of a drop and its not as easy to handle as some of the other bikes.
The dual sports and supermotos are very light, easy to handle and have a look much less common than the ninja. They also can be dropped with little or no damage and fit long legged riders better.
Bikes like the TU250, Rebel and GZ250 have more of a retro look and low seat heights. They don’t fit taller riders easily but can give those with short inseams more confidence. The TU250 is fuel injected which means no messing with the choke.
Lots of good choices. My recommendation is to find a good used bike that you like. It makes upgrades less painful and provides a lower entry price. Plus you will worry less about dropping it as you learn, since its not showroom new.
Craig
CBBaronParticipantI always love the squids dodging city traffic at insane speeds with their helmet firmly attached to the back of the bike. ????!!!
Seeing a cruiser rider around here with a helmet or jacket is a rare sight. Though fingerless gloves and black boots seem to be part of the image.
Craig
CBBaronParticipantI agree with eternal05. Running the bike at a light load will warm it up much faster. My first couple miles are residential streets so I start my bike, put on my gloves, and take off at a slow pace. By the time I get to busier roads I can turn off the choke and run at a normal pace.
Craig
CBBaronParticipantEternal’s bike is not lowered, his foot pegs are. This adds about an extra inch of leg room.
I’m about your height and inseam and ride an `06 Ninja 250r. It is a lot of fun and a great bike. The `08 and newer 250r has a fairing change that makes it a little harder to fit for long legged folks but its not bad even without the foot peg change. Other than the foot peg to seat distance the Ninja 250r feels like a bigger bike than the other 250 models I have tried but it is still light weight and easy to handle.
Supermotos are usually a little more expensive but I think would make a great choice for a first bike, especially for the long legged. They fit the taller rider better than most bikes, but are very light weight and very resistant to damage if you do drop it. Plus they seem to be the most fun of any beginner friendly bike. Many experienced riders get a DRZ400SM or WR250X for having fun in urban, tight twisties or cart tracks.
Craig
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