Beginner Motorcycle
 

Hi all, I'm looking to buy a starter motorcycle. I have been looking between the Honda CBR250R and the Kawasaki Ninja 250R. They both seem very similar spec wise. Is one better than the other? I was also told by a friend that a 600 would be a decent starter bike too as long as I'm not doing anything crazy. Do any of you bikers have any suggestions? Thanks :tiphat:

I'm looking for a beginners bike too. I had a 1995 ninja 600 for 2 months.. it was fun.. but then it started to have problems. But now i want a fuel injected bike.. thinking bout getting a Suzuki gsxr600.

Both the 250s are great starter bikes. You can't go wrong with either one of them.

It depends a lot on your experience and ability, but a 600cc can be ok too. Avoid 600cc sport/supersport bikes with 4 cylinder engines. It's too much for a noob. Twins and singles up to about 650 are a lot more manageable.

If you've never ridden, start with the 250. The hold their value well so you can get back most of what you paid after riding it for a year or two building experience.

Here's how I started: I jumped right into a Harley Davidson Night Rod Special weighing in at near 800lbs, a 1250cc motor, 240mm rear tire, and advertising 100+hp. Sure there have been times when I had the pucker factor but I survived riding in Hawaii, Seoul Korea, and South Carolina without any major issues.

If you want a 600 start out there. Just realize that you can get in trouble on any bike. Always respect the bike, ride defensively, use common sense and take the MSF courses.

The one time I dropped the bike was in my garage of all places as I was parking. My foot slipped since it was wet and by freak chance I gave it some throttle so the bike ended up on its side. No damages, just one bruised knee and a big lesson learned.

Have fun!

600 is fine for a starter bike. My 08 ZX6R that i bought in 09 was my first bike and i've never crashed.

Take the motorbike safety course and when you get your bike, do the same drills you did on the course. I spent a full day on my bike when i first got it, just going around in a parking lot getting use to the clutch and balance. So pretty much just take your time and if you go for a ride with friends that are expeirenced, dont try and keep up with them if they start speeding up.

OP, your friend that said a 600 would be a good starter bike is spot on. As long as you respect it's power and don't do anything stupid it'll treat you well and give you room to grow. 250's might be great for learning but after the first year you'll be bored with it and want something bigger so just get a 600 to begin with and save yourself some money. Definitely get a fuel injected bike. They are much easier to maintain especially when winter storage is involved. My starter bike when I started riding a few years ago was a Honda CBR600 F4I. Just remember that even the 600's are absurdly quick and should be treated with respect.

Best thing you can do as a first timer is take a "Beginner Motorcycle Safety" class. Not sure what they offer in your area but here's a link to one of the big sponsoring groups for these types of classes. Motorcycle Safety Foundation

+1
Definitely take the MSF course. My first bike was and is an 08 cbr600rr. If you go the 250 route you feel like you've outgrown it in a few months to a year. I don't regret my decision to skip the 250. 600's have excellent power, throttle response, and stability both at highway speeds and in the twisties.

thanks for the tips guys. yeah i am looking to take the motorcycle safety program that my dmv offers. still contemplating whether to go with 250 or 600. what is your takes on buying used bikes? anything i should be looking out for specifically? Im interested in the YZF-R6. what do you guys think of that bike?

Definitely find one that's fuel injected. And low miles.

A used bike is probably smarter since it won't sting as much when you drop it and value depreciation isn't as bad if or when you want to sell it to get something new. I would try to find a bike that hasn't been stunted because the forks will be in much better condition. I wouldn't be too worried about mileage as long as it's been properly maintained, including valve adjustments for higher mileage motors. The 4 Japanese 600 sport bikes are all good, it's gonna be a preference thing. Although I would suggest trying to sit a look at each one to decide which one looks better to you and sit to feel the ergonomics. Each one is slightly different ergonomically and performance difference is negligible unless you are an experienced track rider. The R6 is a good bike.

That bike is over 100hp and I would not consider it suitable for a beginner. This is why I say I4 600's are a bad idea for beginners. You cannot compare the power output of an inline-4 600 to a twin or single. You also cannot compare it to the output of a 1300 or 1600 v-twin Harley because the I4's make ridiculous power with small displacements.

Small mistakes = big trouble. Keep it under 80hp.

As others have said, DEFENITELY take the motorcycle safety class. I started on a R6 however I have riden dirt bikes since three years old so I am very confident on two wheels. I had that for about 1.5 years and after 8-10 track days went for a 1000 and have had a R1 and GSXR1000 since <3 my GSXR

Go for 1,000 CC's, that will end well :p

I dont understand why someone couldnt start with a 1000cc bike. Is it really that much different than learning to drive on a 370z? Shouldn't it all come down to responsibility/maturity. I would imagine your wrist is the difference between 600cc or 1000cc.

I could be completely wrong however

A 1,000cc bike is a BIG difference over a 370z

Have you ever been on a literbike?

OP, highly recommend considering a 650 or a 500 to start with.


Most sportbikes make crappy beginner bikes...partially because they make a lot of power, but they are also not terribly comfortable, and all their power comes on strong up top...with little grunt down low.


The 650s and 500s tend to be torquier and have a more sane powerband, not to me mention a more comfortable arrangement.

I'm going to have to go with suggesting a 250 if you zero experience. I own my 250 still in addition to my ZX6, and I still love riding it. I hate the term "outgrowing" the bike because until you can ride that bike to its absolute limit, you haven't outgrown anything. That little 250 is capable of far more then people give it credit for, and the learning curve to become a skilled rider is much easier.

EDIT: the 500 was mentioned as well, that's also a very good first bike, especially if you'll be on faster roads a lot. The 650 is pushing it, but it's definitely doable.

My beef with the 250s (and certain 500s), is the way you can get yourself in trouble by not having enough power....a lot of this comes down to location, but I constantly found myself unable to accelerate away from situations on the highway with my gs500. With a 650, I felt like the bike had enough grunt that it could move, but you still didn't have the risk of sneeze-throttling yourself to death.


Of course, a 250 is probably more than enough if you don't have high speed highways to deal with.

The Yamaha R1 (998cc) Can do the 1/4 mile in less then 10 and a half seconds. On two wheels. If you're not careful... well you do the math...

I have been to the drag strip when a few guys on a much smaller bike get in trouble, not cool

There are different terminologies when it comes to selecting your first bike. Some say get the smallest cc you can find and older the better cuz you will drop it. While others will say get the happy medium and go for a 600cc as you will quickly outgrow the 250,500, etc. If you are dead set on getting a bike and you feel comfortable get the one you want. I would stay away from a liter bike if you have never ridden before in your life...dirt/street. But if you have then learning on a liter bike can be done just know that a twist of the wrist is a lot different on a big bike vs a 250cc. A 250cc will be a lot more forgiving than a 600cc..1000cc etc if you make a mistake. A mistake on a liter bike will either have you sitting on your *** in a turn or send you flying from a high side or some other nasty scenario. With that said ride smart not stupid and invest in the proper gear...helmet,jacket,gloves,pants,boots. Sweat is easier to wipe away than blood. Once you go down once you will be sure to wear you gear next time.

No, never been on anything but a mountain bike, which i assume is a little slower than a liter bike.

I really want a Ducati 1098, however don't want to have to purchase learner bikes. Cheap and Lazy i suppose. I assumed I could just be responsible with it.

It's hard man because the smallest movement with your wrist and it just GOES

It wind up being a huge risk as a noob. Having a solid understanding of how to modulate the throttle, how to behave mid turn, etc is crucial before getting on something like that.

It can be done (and has been done) with perfectly fine results...but unless you have that understanding beforehand, you usually wind up never becoming a very good rider because you can't push a bike like that anywhere near it's limits.

There's also no reason to add the extra stress of knowing that a small flick of the wrist will literally plant you on your back at most speeds below 60:icon17:

A 1000cc as a beginners bike is about like letting your kid take your ZR1 Corvette out to learn to drive. I can't think of how a Z would compare to any supersport bike I guess it's comparable to a slightly older 600cc. A ZR1 is actually more forgiving and easier to learn to control than a liter bike, imo.

In addition, EVERYTHING on a supersport (CBR600RR, ZX6R, R6, etc) is WAY more touchy than other bikes. Brakes, steering, suspension, throttle, everything. They are not forgiving to new riders. On something like that, it's very easy to get in trouble. On a more forgiving bike, you'll be able to control it a lot better.

Depends on the engine config and age of the bike, too. For example: My chopper has an XS650 engine in it. Plenty of power to be safe and get out of harms way, but not not dangerous for a noob at all. Your advice about not outgrowing it the rest of the 1st paragraph is exactly what I was going to say, though. Good advice.

What you'll really need to determine is how good are you when it comes to self control. If you have a strong will in terms of safety and a willingness to accept that you're just a beginner and don't know much then a 600cc sportbike is not that crazy. Now on the other hand if you think you'll be tempted to push the bikes limits immediately and/or have a hard time being humble then just get a 250 and be done.

When I first started riding a few years ago I went right to a 600cc sportbike. I however never went out without my gear on. And most importantly, I spent the first week of ownership learning the bike by riding around slowly on back roads in town and spent the next week riding around cautiously on country roads at speed.

A cruiser 1000cc is far more forgiving than a sportbike of similar displacement. The latter is extremely responsive, turns on a dime, while a cruiser doesn't.

A 250 ninja is a great starter bike, but unless your live in hilly/curvy terrain, you'll out grow it quickly. The new ninja 650 is a somewhat bigger bike, but still very novice friendly.

Or if interested, I have an '09 fz1 for sale..

Anybody know whats a good helmet to buy? Arai? Or any recommendations? I just got my permit today! :)

Buy one that fits. Arai and shoei are distinct in their shapes. Aria being more oval. If you have pressure points with a helmet, it's not the right shape for you.

A great point that often gets overlooked.

Buy a dodge tomahawk and don't be such a pu$$y

:icon18:

Well I have over 100K miles ridden on bikes since 1988, get a 600, 650, or 750 at most. A great bike is the Kawasaki 650 twin. My first one was a Katana 750. Since then I have had a ZX-6, ZX-7, ZX-9, ZX-10, Aprilia RSVR, Honda RC-51, a 600F3 racebike, and now a 2011 RC8R. I have witnessed many old farts, and I'm close to being one, utterly destroy young guys on the latest sportbike on a twisty road...some of them riding two up. Go get a Twist of the Wrist by Keith Code, read it and understand it. Go practice what he says to practice on. Fixation, fear of leaning the bike over, letting off the throttle mid turn, lack of braking skills, and other factors get new riders more than anything.

I heard the best bang for the buck was the GSX-R 600. This would be a good start bike. It is not like you are going to buy a Ducati Superbike 1199 Panigale S Tricolore as your first bike.

Now I think the Ducati Diavel & Monster are pretty bada**, but the Superbike 1199 Panigale S Tricolore is super hardcore. You will pay an arm & a leg for the Superbike 1199 Panigale S Tricolore.

buy any 500cc bike the suzuki 500 twin is a great bike and even the kaw 650 twin, ex500 or a suzuki sv650

+1...:iagree:

Beginner Motorcycle
 

I'm a new rider also. My bike is a Suzuki Raider Pro J, it looks like a scooter and really easy to control. However, you better ask your dealer shop also. Maybe they can show you some bikes that you may like. It is always better to see for your self.:tup:

My friend just bought the 1199 Panigale Red...so nice!

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5442/7...1ef020c8_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7235/7...e2691c9c_b.jpg

heres one of his other Ducati


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7240/7...716bdcfc_b.jpg


Here's all his bikes lol. He has 3 Ducatis 2011 and 2012 and 1 honda cbr250 for his gf