Forum Replies Created
The “Five to Survive” Rule & Why You Should Use It
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eternal05Participant
Super happy for you! I know that bike was a long time coming. Enjoy the hell out of it, and welcome to the clutch club
eternal05ParticipantIt’s quiet now, but not unusually so for winter.
eternal05Participant…but they both have the ugliest, fattiest exhausts ever. That’d be the first thing to go if I got one. Otherwise, they’re comfortable and not-too-heavy feeling for literbikes. The Ninja 1000 even has an adjustable windscreen. You can raise it up to block more wind on a long road trip or you can lower it down to lower the bike’s drag. Kind of a neat feature I guess.
eternal05ParticipantI wasn’t supposed to talk somebody OUT of buying a bike I just wanted you to know what you were getting yourself into.
Well…ya gotta do whatcha gotta do.
eternal05ParticipantSeppes just gets better and better at editing/pacing/everything really. Impressive vid.
eternal05ParticipantThe older gen Ninja 250 fits taller people better thanks to the absence (more or less) of that groove. I, however, a reasonably tall dude ringing in at 6’4″, managed to make the current-gen Ninja 250R work as a first bike by getting adjustable footpegs that lowered the pegs down an inch, giving me another inch of room under which to stick my knees. Could work for you, provided your lower leg isn’t too tall.
eternal05ParticipantMadjak’s hit the nail on the head. It’s a common perception that you’ll save money by switching to a bike, and while it’s true that you MIGHT save money by SWITCHING to a bike, most people are really ADDING a bike.
The fact is that, especially if you’re a younger guy/gal, the cost of insurance alone can make it more expensive to ride than drive. My first year of motorcycle insurance cost me $1700+. Add in gear and you’re up at least another $1000 (if you buy new). Add in the bike, the maintenance, the gas, etc. and you’re rocking a good sum. If you already have a car and it’s not an F-350 super-duty, there’s almost no chance that you’ll save money when adding a bike.
As far as bike lifespan goes, a well-maintained, well-treated bike can last around 50-60K miles, with exceptional machines lasting even longer. They definitely don’t have the lifespan of cars, but you’ll still get a good number of years out of one, especially given the lower amount of money involved.
eternal05ParticipantJust don’t get the Blast. It was a good beginner option before, but you don’t want to rely on H-D’s promises to honor support for old Buell models. I’d dodge that nightmare if I could.
Regarding height, the biggest issue will be the length of your lower-leg. I’m 6’4″ and started on a Ninja 250R. I had to get adjustable footpegs (about $130 total) to lower the pegs for a bit more leg room, but since then I’ve had no comfort issues. If you have an inseam longer than 36, however, you may be in trouble. The trick is to go sit on one, have a friend hold the bike up, and put both feet on the pegs. Get into riding position and try foot braking and changing gears, both up and down. These will present an issue for you without aftermarket pegs, but at least you’ll get a sense of how much room you’d need. Adjustable pegs will give you up to an inch of extra room.
eternal05ParticipantFeel free to post up your questions. People around here love to help out, but you gotta give them something to work with. What kind of bikes do you think you’ll be into? What sorts of uses do you have for your bike-to-be?
eternal05Participantgitchy said:
“Something to remember when you are looking for Ninja 250s, in 2008 they updated the model to a more “sporty” ride, with a little more “umpf” in the middle of the RPM range. Pre-2008 models are more forgiving, have a more neutral riding and are likely to be cheaper.”
First, this is not strictly true. While they did try to boost the midrange of the 250R over the previous generation, the net change was dramatically less overall power. Yes, the power comes sooner, but it dies much faster on the newer version. Second, with respect to riding position, the latest model Ninja 250R is still a standard, and that includes riding position and steering geometry. Having ridden both models, I don’t really see a good argument for saying one is any “more forgiving” than the other.
The bottom line is, the most important concern I think you raise is cost. The new model and old model 250s are both fantastic beginner bikes on which you can’t really go wrong (unless you wanted a cruiser, in which case…). The new model looks better and, in my opinion, handles better. The rear suspension, especially, is substantially improved if you happen to weigh more than 100 lbs. The old bike is cheaper and more powerful at the redline, but decidedly out-dated in the style department. They’re 250s…I mean you really can’t go wrong.
eternal05ParticipantCongrats on the expert plate dude!
Alright, I gotta find a way to rent a legit track bike in SF…or maybe the next time I come to the bay area I’ll just trailer on down
I need to play with all you cool cats at T-Hill…it just looks like so much damn fun.
eternal05ParticipantWelcome back, and sorry to hear about the ankle.
eternal05ParticipantCan’t seem to get rid of that bike. Just too close to my heart.
eternal05ParticipantFor a single, not-too-big rider, a 250 is fine. I commuted for more than a year on my Ninja 250R, and I’m 6’4″ and almost 200 lbs. Not only is it totally fine getting to freeway speed quickly, but it’s also perfectly capable of gunning up to 80 to make a pass. It’s easy to be spoiled after riding a bigger bike, but the Ninja 250R is about as capable at legal speeds as my car, and while it’s no Maclaren F1, it has 265hp.
It’s another thing to ask “could you be more comfortable on a bigger bike?” It’s another thing to ask “is it good for long-distance touring?” But is a 250 “freeway capable”? Absolutely!
eternal05ParticipantConfusing, I know. “Streetfighter” is a type of motorcycle, just like “chopper.” Specifically, it’s a sportbike that’s been stripped of its fairings and made to look more “urban” and aggressive. The Ducati Streetfighter is just that: their 1098 superbike with the fairing stripped away and the engine detuned, the suspension softened, fat handlebars swapped in for the base model’s clip-ons…
If you want the streetfighter look, just get a used Ninja 250R and strip it, get a new headlight, new handlebars, do some body work, and voila. Ninjas run somewhere between $1K-3.5K in the used market, so you should be able to find something that fits your price range.
But all the same, like everybody said, if you’re starting out, you should be concerned with finding a bike you can RIDE not a bike you can look at. Take it from another guy in his 20s. You’ll kill yourself if you give yourself enough rope…errrr, enough bike I mean, when you’re just starting out.
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