MadRonin

The last time I road an EX250 was in 1991; it was peppy at best. Maybe they've changed.

cleoent

Nope, they're still the same lol. They still put down 27hp to the wheel.

But they wont hurt the wallet when you fill it up, when you insure it, or when you drop it. I really cant say enough good things about the bike. The fastest local rides his wife 250 in the hills, lets just say no one can keep up with the "wee 250."

Intrigue 8

dont mean to jack the thread in anyway but i had the same question. ne one have any info the zx6r kawasaki i know i could look it up but is it a good bike to start off with?

MadRonin

Great bike. One of the fastest 600s when it was first introduced. Lousy choice for a first bike. Way too much power.

cleoent

No, it's an awful choice to start off with. Agressive geometry, peaky power curve.

Kawi

I still have the ex's Ninja 250 in my garage. I rode it a couple of time and agree it's pretty zippy and a lot of fun. I was pretty surprised how well it handled on the interstate, though I wouldn't recommend it very often. It's so light that it gets blown around quite a bit by passing traffic.

Fanman

Yeah, if it is just a commuter bike, and maybe for fun in the twisties a Ninja 250 would be hard to beat. You won't be doing 12 sec. 1/4 miles, but who cares.

TAKE A SAFETY RIDING CLASS.

psbjames1970

Quite alright... I ask this question in public so that others interested in trying out motorcylces could also have some questions answered... Go ahead and ask!!!

I however, don't have any answers. I really am a virgin (when it comes to motorcyles...)

psbjames1970

It is required for a motorcycle license (separte from an auto license) in the state of MD.

It is both a learning and safety course combined with a motorcycle road exam at the end of the course. I need to take the written test on motorcyles first and plan to study over the labor day holiday.

I would be CRAZY if I didn't take a safety course (required or not!)

wedge357

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Harleys??? He's a n00bie and you guys are recommending him sportsbike??? One way ticket to the hospital (or even worse) if you ask me...

Have you checked out a used H-D Sportster? Compliant ride, decent gas mileage, comparably light, and the kicker... a 2001-02 883 Sportster will only set you back about $4k or so. Another thing too is that you won't feel tired when you get to your destination nor have a stiff neck from looking up (driving a sportbike).

I have one of these and one thing about Harleys, you can customize it to suit your style (kinda like the RX-8).

wedge357

Oh, did I mention you insurance rate will be much better if you buy a touring bike (Harleys and similar) vs sportbike?

Kawi

Well the Ninja 250 is less sportbike as it is a standard bike with a fairing. It's a very upright riding position.

wedge357

true, but would you rather ride a ninja250 or a harley 883? :D

gh0st

my first bike was a 1000cc with no experience.
needless to say, i crashed the very first day and totalled the bike. 2 months later, bought another 1000cc and crashed again the very first day(but it wasnt that bad. and was able to ride it home that day. but i dropped it in my drive way that same day). had a few lowsides at the tack since then.

on the other hand, my girldfriend started off on one of my 2004 r1s. dropped it once at a red light cause her pant leg got caught on the peg. thats about it. shes been riding for about 18 months now without any real problems. in my defense she took the CHP riding course though. in fact, there are 3-4 people here at work that all started on 04-05 r1 and cbr1000rr's that have had no problems with the CHP course. it all depends on your maturity lvl. the new 1000's have such tall 1st gears that once you get them going, they are actually easier to ride at low rpms the 600's. it really depends on what you want. will you be satisfied with a 250cc or even a 600cc? i know plenty of people that get a 600cc and sell within a year for a 1000cc. i also know people that buy a 600cc, crash, get scared and never ride again.

but keep this in mind, i had a buddy last year that bought a 2001 r1 as his starter bike. he thought he was pro just because he could ride a 1000cc bike. 2 months later he killed himself becuase he didnt know how to stop or turn correctly. whatever you buy, as long as you RESPECT IT and understand your own limits, youll be alright. a 250 could kill you just as fast if your an idiot.

also keep in mind that the zx6r and rr are not true 600cc bikes. the motors are 636cc and makes the zx6r the most powerful in their class. you really cant go wrong nowadays though. all the new bikes are superb compared to just a few years back.

denward

MadRonin

I'd take the Ninja over the Harley any day. At least then I would know it would run and not cover me in oil every time I did manage to get it started. :p :D

MadRonin

Lol, that sounds like something out of Monty Python...

"Listen, lad. I built this kingdom up from nothing. When I started here, all there was was swamp. Other kings said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built it all the same, just to show 'em. It sank into the swamp. So, I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So, I built a third one. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp, but the fourth one... stayed up! And that's what you're gonna get, lad: the strongest castle in these islands."

:p :D

Intrigue 8

thanx Ghost good info.

wedge357

you're talking about the ooollddd Harleys. The newer ones with the Evolution engines are very reliable. In fact, the 2003 and up are all fuel injected.

Krankor

Sometime back the subject of helmets came up, and didn't get a lot of discussion.

One of the most important safety features of a helmet is *comfort*. If the helmet isn't comfortable, you won't *wear* it. And comfort is a very subjective thing: different people have different shaped heads and different brands fit them differently. I've heard it said that some people have Shoei shaped heads, some people have Arai shaped heads, and someone I talked to didn't have either, but fit well with... I forget what, maybe HDC. The point is, you need to try on helmets and find what fits you. And not just try it on for a second, you want to wear it for as long as possible; ideally, you may be able to get a dealer to let you take it home and wear it to watch a movie.

Krankor
Shoei RF900 bright orange

Japan8

Ditto much of the advise. Taking a motorcycle saftey class. Your first year or so of riding will be full of dropping and crashing your bike. BUy with that in mind. Don't buy too much bike... as was said here... a Ninja 250 will kick an RX-8's ***... what do you think that brand new R1 with 180hp can do? It gets real easy once you start to get the hang of things to want to wack open the throttle.

Take a look at the Ninja 250, SV650, and VFR800. Stay away from the 600 and 1000 supersport bikes. At least for your first 1-2 years of riding. And as many said... the riding position sucks for commuting and for riding 2 up on those bikes too.

Always wear a helmet and full protective riding gear. You wear a seat belt when you drive and get a car with full air bags... why skimp on your bike? You have even less to protect you in an accident.

Lastly... enjoy!

amartin

So..lemme get this straight. You're trying to say that a HARLEY is "SAFER" than a sportbike!?

Are you INSANE!? First off, if you look at the nationa average of "who's dying" on motorcycles-- its guys on HARLEYS, not sportbikes.

Why you ask? Because 40yr old men are buying them with ZERO experience riding. Harleys (and the like) have much less acceleration, breaking, and corning ability (can you say.. "Can't get out of trouble").

Furthermore, the older crowd has slower reflexes than the younger riders... Just a fact of getting old.

What will kill you on a sport bike? Stupid cagers (vehicles), people on their cellphones, just ignorant drivers, and misjudgement about using the THROTTLE. Don't drive like an idiot at 100+mph.. nobody makes you open the throttle but you.

As far as insurance-- I carry 300k comp/collision with PIP, rental, you name it... for my '04 Yamaha R1. The insurnace cost? 600/yr, or about $100/yr if I just want liability.

The trick here-- is to use State Farm for insurance. Progressive quoted me $4,000 for the same (actually less) coverage.

Personally, I'd start out on a '00-'02 used 600 like the R6, ZX-6, or CBR-600. You should be able to pick a NICE one up for $3500-$5000.

tuj

There isn't much to add to this thread, but I'll say this: you WILL GO DOWN if you ride. It WILL happen. I've went down twice, both times at 40-50 mph, and thanks to wearing my gear, I was able to ride away both times.

If you get a sportbike, I'd say stay away from the liter bikes. The 600's are seriously fast and you can get a F2 for under 2k pretty easy. I wouldn't bother buying anything new.

The Phoenix jacket that Joe Rocket sells is a great warm-weather jacket with armor, but it feels like wearing a t-shirt. Some debate how crash-worthy it is. Let me just put it this way; mine's been tested...

As for jeans, they don't abrade as fast as people say (again, I have tested this) but they offer no protection in terms of impact or transferred friction. I got a huge burn on my knee the second time I went down (jeans instead of riding pants) but the actual jeans didn't rip. Pretty weird. Still, riding pants are so much better.

Beware, riding is a statistically risky activity. Do everything you can to stay safe. You won't find many people who've been riding for a while who don't have a friend or relative who's died on a bike.

tuj

Riding skills are about controlling your fear. That first time you feel like you won't make a turn, you have to force yourself to lean the bike farther, stay smooth on the throttle, and don't grab the brake; usually the bike can make the turn, its you that thinks you can't. Learn about countersteering, threshold braking, when to use the front and rear brakes, etc.

Dark8

I started with an old Honda CB350 and had a blast with that bike. Definately start with a smaller bike, even if it is for one season. I ride a Honda 919 now and love it but would have killed myself starting out on one. 0-60 in less then 4 seconds is way too fast for a beginer.

I have the Joe Rocket Alter Ego jacket and love it. It's a true 3 season jacket with built in armor.

http://www.joerocket.com/jrf/home.cfm

Krankor

I think you're the INSANE one here. Your argument makes zero sense. Let's take your statement as read: Harley riders are the ones dying because they attract a demographic of inexperienced riders. Well guess what: THIS GUY IS AN INEXPERIENCED RIDER! Duh! So if being an inexperienced rider is going to kill you on a Harley, then its sure as hell going to kill you on a sport bike! While it certainly is true that a sport bike's superior abilities provide more safety for the skilled rider, they are just rope for the newbie to hang himself with. For the inexperienced rider, the Harley is absolutely safer.

Mind you, I'm not plugging Harley, I don't happen to like them myself, and I think they're a HORRIBLE choice for a newbie, just because of the expense. As I and others have said, in your first year you're likely to drop the bike a number of times, you should have something you can beat up on without worrying about it. I suggested a Rebel 250, I also agree with some suggestions for Ninja 250. And there are other perfectly good small, cheap learner-type bikes out there.

It frankly boggles my mind the horrible advice I've seen offered here, and it frankly makes me question the value of this entire site. I know something about motorcycles and can see the wheat from the chaff; but with RX-8's I'm the newbie and relying on people's advice to be intelligent. I'm glad there are a few sensible posters here, I just hope any newbies reading this can sort out what's what.

And yes, let me add my voice to some of the other important obvious-but-needs-to-be-said advice that the sensible folk have been giving: motorcycling carries inherent risk, and you must take that risk very seriously. That means getting proper training, always wearing proper gear, riding within your limits, defensively, sensibly, unimpaired, etc. The good news is: it's TOTALLY worth it, it's ridiculously fun. My strongest emotion once I started riding was: "Why didn't I do this 10 years ago???"

Krankor
98 Yamaha Virago 1100 Special