[eternal05]

…and, oddly enough, a GSX-R, I’d probably go with the DR-Z myself for versatility and fun-factor. It’ll also be easier to do low-speed maneuvers thanks to its light weight and steering geometry. As IBA270 also pointed out, it’s a less punishing bike to crash (no fancy schmancy fairings). However, there are a few issues with the DR-Z that are worth knowing about:

1. Security becomes an issue. That bike is so light that two high school kids (or one college football linebacker) could carry it away. You’ll probably want to get yourself a disc rotor lock or lo-jack or something.

2. The DR-Z has a really high seat. It will sink down a lot as soon as your weight is on the rear spring, but getting your leg over in the first place can be hard if you’re too short. Make sure that you’re not!

3. The bike has no tach and no fuel level indicator (not even a low-fuel light).

4. The bike offers no wind protection at all, so you will get fatigued riding at high speeds (over 50mph) for long periods of time.

I love both bikes (the Ninja and the DR-Z), and have recommended them heartily, so really it’s down to what you want to ride and what feels comfortable to you. If you have any questions regarding how one performs in a particular way versus the other, feel free to ask. Otherwise the ball’s in your court.

[eternal05]

It’s a fairly powerful, fairly torquey, and fairly heavy bike for a beginner. All the same, if that bike really makes you happy, feels good when you sit on it, and makes your heart skip, just proceed with caution. Lots of practice, and patience, will help you get started safely.

[eternal05]

You’re insuring an older small-displacement bike. The price of insurance drops dramatically for motorcycles the farther they get from being new. If this was an ’05 DR-Z instead of an ’09, the price would drop to ~$300.

[eternal05]

Especially given the price tags on some of their more spendy models, I don’t blame you. Truth is though that most Ducatis are in line with Japanese pricing (Monster 696 is $9K, GT1000 is $11.5K, Monster and Hypomotard 1100s are $12K). I mean hell, the most expensive motorcycles commonly on the road are Harleys! Especially considering he’s looking at used bikes, the real $$$ sink with Ducati can be in maintenance.

You can never tell where a person comes from based on their material belongings. Things didn’t always cost someone as much as you’d think, and there are plenty of people that spend or borrow far beyond their means. I’m in my mid-twenties and I drive an Audi. I was thinking about trying to get a diesel VW Jetta a while back, but they were scarce and dealers were putting huge premiums on them. Saw an A4 on the same lot, two years’ used, with 19K miles and a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty. Drove it away for $19K of my own hard-earned dollars, most accumulated at minimum wage prior to the age of 21. Doesn’t make me a rich kid from Harvard

[eternal05]

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/mcy/1535676282.html

[eternal05]

Believe me, as a tall rider, no bike’s foot levers are ever in reasonable places. Luckily, both shift and rear brake levers are adjustable on every bike I’ve ridden. Just move the rear brake lever down. It won’t reduce your ground clearance because, unless you bent it out, it hugs the side of the bike. Moving it up or down doesn’t change ground clearance to the side, which is what matters when leaning. Your pegs will touch down long before the lever.

[eternal05]

I’m 6’4″ and had the same problem with my Ninja 250. Aftermarket adjustable footpegs are a $120 fix. Problem solved.

[eternal05]

I’m a big sportbike rider but got a DR-Z400sm just recently (Thanksgiving) and OH MY GOD it’s fun to ride! It’s not just fun, it’s got a lot more pep than a 250cc but it’s still perfectly beginner friendly and very easy to maneuver. It’s not a great highway bike (no fairing or windscreen), but for around town and in the twisties it’s fantastic.

To be honest, I actually don’t have a big vibration problem with my DR-Z. I’m perfectly happy at 60mph, whereas a Ninja 250R gets pretty vibrate-y at that speed. Then again, it might just be that the DR-Z vibrates with greater amplitude and lower frequency. I guess it’s like sitting on the washing machine vs. sitting on a vibrating cellphone.

[eternal05]

If you want to live, be happy, and learn to really ride, you’re going to want to get a reasonable first bike. If you want to look cool, make your buddies happy, or make up for less-than-satisfactory anatomy, well, that’s a different story…

Everybody’s given you good advice so far, but it seems like they need more reinforcement, so here I go.

I’m a guy who IS really into going fast, taking turns on the very edges of my tires, and trying to find the limit of my bike. I do it exclusively at the track, where things are controlled and as safe as possible, but I do it nonetheless. I tell you for two reasons:

1. I did not think I would be here when I first started riding. I was just getting a motorcycle to have some fun riding around on 25-50mph twisties. You do not know now what you will want later, and you cannot underestimate, as eon was saying, the impact that others’ influence and your own fantasies will have on you.

2. As somebody who really loves a super high-performance bike, you might be surprised to know that I don’t ride my GSX-R on the street. I ride a Ninja 250R and a Suzuki DR-Z400sm around town almost exclusively. Why? Because they’re more comfortable to ride, and far more fun at street-legal speeds.

My point? Your dad is involved in drag racing. He’s so far removed from being a beginning motorcyclist that his advice is just about useless for you. If you have the skills to control a car on the way to an 8 second quarter mile, you’ve forgotten how hard it is to brake and accelerate smoothly when you first start driving. Do NOT get wrapped up in the macho advice of your peers. Don’t get wrapped up in your own ego or your desire to meet a certain image. Think honestly about what you want, what you SHOULD get, and make the right choice. If you want a Ninja 250, get a freakin’ Ninja 250. If you want a bit more pep, but still want a reasonable beginner bike, you have options there as well.

[eternal05]

“At least”? But that would have made the whole journey worthwhile!

[eternal05]

“my jacket had given up all pretense of being waterproof”

I’m not a fan. That point when even a fancy schmancy waterproof jacket starts getting soggy and bleeding through is just the worst, especially when you have plenty of time still to go before you get to take it off and warm up. I empathize completely!

Sounds like a great opportunity either way, so congrats on getting that under your belt. Now I’ll just have to play catch-up!

[eternal05]

Eon, I’m pretty sure your new winter jacket made an appearance at the BMW motorcycle dealership on Lake City…am I right? I would have waved from my passing car, but even if you’d seen it, that would have probably been more confusing than anything.

[eternal05]

If the grip won’t twist past a certain point, that suggests the throttle cables are holding it back. If you can, buy or download your bike’s service manual. I’d check along the length of the decelerator/accelerator cables, and especially at their carb-side end. You may need to take some fairings off to see there…not sure what the fairing gig is with the 500R.

[eternal05]

The difference between the older ZX-7 and the newer ZX-6 isn’t going to be dramatic. A 600cc sportbike is a beast compared to an equivalent non-sport bike. Period. Depending on engine response, a 600cc can power-wheelie, but not as easily as you might think. Lifting the front on the 600s I’ve ridden requires that you abruptly slam on full throttle in the powerband of a low gear, usually first. Accidental power-wheelies are only an issue if you’re not patient in learning to be smooth on the throttle. Be sure to spend lots of time getting acquainted with your bike in closed areas (read: parking lots, etc.) before getting to adventurous on the road.

In a short, the ZX-6 is basically just a lighter, slightly less powerful ZX-7, but with two years’ worth of new research technology. Not much different.

[eternal05]

It’s about the same every time I hit the track, so a one-time trip wouldn’t be that bad. Sounds like the class is worth it!

[Author]

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