Yet Another Motorcycle Thread

[crumpet19]

I'm a fairly agressive (and defensive) free rider on my mountain bikes. I ride 5 or 6 miles in traffic daily so the thought of a bike doesnt really intimidate me and I'm intrigued at the idea.

However I really have no experience with motorcycles. It looks fun, and it like to try it. I just want something to putter around on and learn the skills necesary to be a safe and sucessful rider.

Here's what I want:

1. 
   -Sport or Standard (not into cruisers, dirt or touring bikes).
   -Enough power to learn on and have fun.
   -Little enough power to not quickly get myself into trouble.
   -Somthing cheap on insurance (a 250 ninja will cost me ~500/yr full coverage where as a 500cc Suzuki GS will cost me ~1200)
   -Somthing older cause its probably going to get fubared.

The Problem:
I'm 6'1" 230lbs
Im worried about the 250 being phsically too small for me.

Ideas?

 

[notfred]

Buy a used bike for $2500. Get liability insurance only. Do you really need to pay half the cost of the vehicle per year in insurance? Is it worth it?

My friend just got a '96 Yamaha FZR600 for $2000, and hes been learning on it just fine.

 

[crumpet19]

For medical covereage, yes it is worth it.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: crumpet19
For medical covereage, yes it is worth it.

You don't have health insurance?

 

[crumpet19]

I do have health insurance, but to my knowlege they dont cover vehicular accidents... I thought that was the entire point of full coverage on a vehicle.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: crumpet19
I do have health insurance, but to my knowlege they dont cover vehicular accidents... I thought that was the entire point of full coverage on a vehicle.

The entire point of full coverage on a vehicle is so that if you crash your car into a telephone poll (or anything else that's your fault) you get a new car for free. Liability coverage only covers damage that you cause to other people's cars. Generally it doesn't even cover your own medical payments, but the medical payments of those you may have caused injury to.

I've never heard of health insurance that limits coverage based on how your injury/sickness was recieved.

 

[Bulk Beef]

As much as I hate to admit it, notfred speaks the truth. Even a smaller rider would get bored of the 250 before long. For a taller, heavier rider like you, an older 600 would be a pretty good choice to start on, and it will have enough zap to keep you interested for a while. And like he said, for an older used bike, I would just do liability.