motorcyclists: is 250 cc too small

[Orsorum]

All this talk about bikes has me thinking about getting one. Much cheaper than a car. I'm just looking for something to tool around Seattle with, maybe even go home once (20 mile drive) a month or so. Only issue I can think of is I weigh around 240 lbs.

 

[Klixxer]

Originally posted by: CVSiN
post it.. beacsue here in the US.. 10 years ago we had the Honda Hurricane which did not carry a number desgination
after that in the US it was CBR600 then the CBR600F2 F3 up through F4i now its 600rr..
sorry bud..
better do some homework...
becasue I had every single one of those except the 600rr =P

I am a Finn from Germany, i bougt my bike in Finland, it was a CBR600R.

 

[CVSiN]

http://100megsfree4.com/honda/h0600/hurrican.htm
this is correct the entire Honda CBR600 line designations and thier approriate service manual

 

[maziwanka]

i'd get a 500cc bike. wouldn't get higher than that.....

 

[CVSiN]

that is probabaly what the differnce is.. all the ones you posted are Euro pics.. so maybe you do have different model numbers for the same bikes there...

As the same ones I posted are all US pubs

 

[halik]

there has never been a 600R... If your bike had an R, the previous owner felt the same urge that ricers have to put "typeR" stickers on their hondas.

The CBR carried the f designation since early 90s (cbr600f, cbr600f2 cbr600f3) and the RR designation for the race-ready version. Kawasaki and Suzuki use the R designation (zx-6r gsx600r etc)

 

[CVSiN]

This is what I thought too.. but im an ignorant American biker what do I know =P
He is insisting thatin Europe it was called the 600r..
which is what Kawaski designated thier bikes

 

[Turfzilla]

Nah, 250's are fine for new riders. But for your first bike I highly highly highly recommend the Suzuki GS500... I had one. Great starter bike!

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: CVSiN
This is what I thought too.. but im an ignorant American biker what do I know =P
He is insisting thatin Europe it was called the 600r..
which is what Kawaski designated thier bikes

yeah,
im european and i never heard of CBR600R... that just sounds wrong. That bike is as much CBR600R as a ninja ex250 is a zx2r


CBR600f in europe

cbr600f2 in europe

there is however super-rare japan import race bike
cbr250r

 

[CVSiN]

Ya Ive seen and drooled on those 250Rs before... I wanted a 400RR really bad for small class racing here...
too bad they cost more than a 1000 after import fees =/

 

[Rallispec]

i think i've narrowed it down to either a ninja 250 i'm looking at for a little less than 2k, or a gs500 for about ~2500.

However-- thier is a chance i might be getting a new ninja 250 becuase they're so cheap -- and i may end up holding on to it for a while and passing it down to my brother. In which case might not want a used one, becuase a lot of them have been ragged on pretty hard and not maintained properly. (so manyi people buy them for one year and sell them -- so they dont care what problems they cause becuase they just get passed down the line --- at least from what i've seen so far)

 

[CVSiN]

nothing wrong with either of your 2 choices my friend... great choice in fact...
there is nothing wrong with smaller bikes at all..
But do not be afraid to buy used at all... Bikes live remarkably long even under heavy abuse as long as the motor has has its oil changes every 3k or so...
I rebuilt my 929 from a total wreck.. bought it back from my friends insurance company and it was a brand new bike.. woulda cost me 11k brand new in 2001... bought it for 4k from insuance company replaced only the pieces that were destroyed.. (most were just scratched) and away i go on a 200 mile brand new cbr for under 5k...
you can get some good stuff on Ebay or from private users... if its got road rash on its fairigns thats usually ok.. more than likely you are going to dump it at LEAST 1 time while learning...

if you do get a new one I highly recommend taking both side fairings off and getting what we call some frame sliders to protect the frame and engine from damage when the bike is dropped... keep the fairings off till you are comfortable with panic braking and tight corners in a parking lot... slow speed is where most drops happen.. and you will be pissed when those brand new fairings get scratched up.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: CVSiN

if you do get a new one I highly recommend taking both side fairings off and getting what we call some frame sliders to protect the frame and engine from damage when the bike is dropped... keep the fairings off till you are comfortable with panic braking and tight corners in a parking lot... slow speed is where most drops happen.. and you will be pissed when those brand new fairings get scratched up.

sounds interesting-- will most bike shops have those?

after a quick google search for ninja 250 frame sliders -- it looks like the 250 doesnt have the necessary mounting points for sliders to be attached... so it would require some modifications to install them.

kind of dumb to leave those off a learners bike when theyi're probably most needed.

oh well. :\

 

[TechnoKid]

i've been looking to get a bike before i turn 21 or at least my bike license because the MSF courses here go up a LOT (in california) when you turn 21. 19 years of age, 5'-10", about 145 lbs. I have had my drivers license since i was 16 if that makes any difference.

I was thinking of getting a 600cc sportbike (yamaha, suzuki, honda etc) at first, but after reading how dangerously fast they are in this thread, not a good beginner bike i see. I am looking at a Harley sportster XL 883 custom, its a heavier bike than say a F4i, and its 833cc versus the 600 on the F4i. The harley sportster XL 883C costs about $7500, where as a 500-600cc sport would be significanlty less, correct? I'm not really looking to get a bike for speed and such, just to ride on. Would the harley be much more expensive to insure than a sportbike?

Any insight or recomendation on my options would be appreciated.

 

[djheater]

I was looking for this thread.

Marked for easy searching .

:thumbsup: good info here.

Basically this thread somehow soeway convinced me I want to get a bike.

Cheers.

 

[CVSiN]

Ya tech cruisers are a differnt ball game all together..
they make some really nice smaller cruisers that would be perfect for you..
harley is great.. but i think you can find a harley wanna be (read jap bike look alike) for quite a bit less.. then when you are ready step up to a chopper or a regular harley sportster...
Im not very familiar with the harley line but I have ridden with many harley peeps and they are pretty newbie friendly..
but they are much heavier than sportsbikes so be prepared... some take some muscle compared to sports to corner...

They should have some Ninja 250 sliders... but they might require a custom install..
theya re very common these days and are well worth the price if you buy any sportbike...

 

[kag]

Hey Ralli!!!! What's up my man???

I didn't read the whole thread yet, but I would strongly suggest a Suzuki GS500 as a first bike.

But that's just my advice. If you go for a bigger displacement, at least pick up a cruiser or something. I learned on my dad's V-Star 1100 and still learning on his new Harley 1450cc... hehehe.