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Beginner Bikes
#165
09-30-2009, 03:36 AM
I know this is a month old thread, but I would like to add my tiny peice of .02 to this subject.
I started out on a 2009 Ninja 250R. Absolutely a stunning bike. I felt comfortable on it the first time I rode it, and I believe it all has to do with more mentaly then anything. You all have heard and read the horror stories Im sure. As I have heard some too.
Take this into consideration, if someone starts out on a 250, they will be more... apt to learn. To prove my point, lets take firearms into example.
"Hey Son, time to take you out to shoot."
"Gee dad what Am I shooting with?"
"You're going to use my .22 rifle. See how small the bullets are?"
"Wow, these are so small, this will be fun!"
That situation would go pretty well, son would learn to shoot, and not be afraid. Now lets take this one... and lets call this a "1000cc Bike"
"Hey son, time to take you out to shoot."
"Gee dad, which gun am I going to shoot?"
*Dad reaches in and lets out a slight grunt as he pulls his Barrett M107 .50 Cal Rifle out. *CLUNK* as the gun rests on the table"
"Oh my.... those bullets... their almost as big as my arm!!!"
"Now go ahead and shoot son."
"No daddy im scared!! Its going to hurt!"
Thats pretty much the mentality of any compitent person, the learning curve on a much smaller bike is going to yield much better long term results, then going right for the big bike thinking its going to make you look cool, when in reality people are making bets at how long it will be before you lay it down.
Thats why I am glad I didn't get a liter bike from the get go, because I would have already crashed it, I just know it. and when I crashed, I probaly never would have rode agian because I would have been too scared.
With this, gradualy stepping up, I am able to fully learn and understand the basics that any beginner should learn. And advance my knoledge in a SAFER means, rather then having my family worry about me. Altho anything can go wrong, at any given time. Its better to have some controll, then no controll.
Agian I know I have not ridden any other bikes, so I can not claim how the others would stack up. But I am going to go ahead and nominate the 08-09 Ninja 250r's the best starter bike...... for me.
Reliability, forgiveness, and affordability.
Remember, starting out on a Literbike is like having unprotected sex with a prostitute..... I'll let you figure the rest out.
I started out on a 2009 Ninja 250R. Absolutely a stunning bike. I felt comfortable on it the first time I rode it, and I believe it all has to do with more mentaly then anything. You all have heard and read the horror stories Im sure. As I have heard some too.
Take this into consideration, if someone starts out on a 250, they will be more... apt to learn. To prove my point, lets take firearms into example.
"Hey Son, time to take you out to shoot."
"Gee dad what Am I shooting with?"
"You're going to use my .22 rifle. See how small the bullets are?"
"Wow, these are so small, this will be fun!"
That situation would go pretty well, son would learn to shoot, and not be afraid. Now lets take this one... and lets call this a "1000cc Bike"
"Hey son, time to take you out to shoot."
"Gee dad, which gun am I going to shoot?"
*Dad reaches in and lets out a slight grunt as he pulls his Barrett M107 .50 Cal Rifle out. *CLUNK* as the gun rests on the table"
"Oh my.... those bullets... their almost as big as my arm!!!"
"Now go ahead and shoot son."
"No daddy im scared!! Its going to hurt!"
Thats pretty much the mentality of any compitent person, the learning curve on a much smaller bike is going to yield much better long term results, then going right for the big bike thinking its going to make you look cool, when in reality people are making bets at how long it will be before you lay it down.
Thats why I am glad I didn't get a liter bike from the get go, because I would have already crashed it, I just know it. and when I crashed, I probaly never would have rode agian because I would have been too scared.
With this, gradualy stepping up, I am able to fully learn and understand the basics that any beginner should learn. And advance my knoledge in a SAFER means, rather then having my family worry about me. Altho anything can go wrong, at any given time. Its better to have some controll, then no controll.
Agian I know I have not ridden any other bikes, so I can not claim how the others would stack up. But I am going to go ahead and nominate the 08-09 Ninja 250r's the best starter bike...... for me.
Reliability, forgiveness, and affordability.
Remember, starting out on a Literbike is like having unprotected sex with a prostitute..... I'll let you figure the rest out.
#166
10-03-2009, 01:18 AM
I just bought a ninja 250r 09 as my first bike and i almost layed it down once.lol but i am a big guy so i managed to pull it up.lol
But yeah it has treated me well so far.
But yeah it has treated me well so far.
#167
02-07-2010, 04:31 AM
I'm new to the forum and I am kinda torn here regarding a beginner bike. I have taken the MSF and have my license just waiting for riding season to come along so i can start riding
With that said, I am 340 lbs , 5'11 and 41 years old. I was originally looking at a Ninja 250r and was liking the idea of the bike after everything I read on the internet on several sites. After sitting on one at the dealer 2 different times I felt that for my fat *** it was a bit cramped. I later sat on a 500r which felt pretty good and then the 650r which really felt great ergonomically. I also sat on a Vulcan which kinda felt like kicking back on a couch..
With that said people I know who ride keep telling me I look like a cruiser type.. (cause im fat and mean looking i guess?) So I started looking at the Vulcans and read the 500 LTD was really a good choice for starters.
in summary, I don't think the 250 is right for me because of my weight. I would like to go used and there are plenty of ninja 500's out there for a decent price. For a Vulcan 500 LTD its about a grand or two more on the used market.
What do I gain by going for the Ninja 500 over the Vulcan 500 LTD? I'm older and a family man so I am big on riding safe and learning how to ride well through practice and expect to take the advance rider course later on.
any thoughts?
With that said, I am 340 lbs , 5'11 and 41 years old. I was originally looking at a Ninja 250r and was liking the idea of the bike after everything I read on the internet on several sites. After sitting on one at the dealer 2 different times I felt that for my fat *** it was a bit cramped. I later sat on a 500r which felt pretty good and then the 650r which really felt great ergonomically. I also sat on a Vulcan which kinda felt like kicking back on a couch..
With that said people I know who ride keep telling me I look like a cruiser type.. (cause im fat and mean looking i guess?) So I started looking at the Vulcans and read the 500 LTD was really a good choice for starters.
in summary, I don't think the 250 is right for me because of my weight. I would like to go used and there are plenty of ninja 500's out there for a decent price. For a Vulcan 500 LTD its about a grand or two more on the used market.
What do I gain by going for the Ninja 500 over the Vulcan 500 LTD? I'm older and a family man so I am big on riding safe and learning how to ride well through practice and expect to take the advance rider course later on.
any thoughts?
#168
02-07-2010, 03:52 PM
On a sport bike, anything of an extended ride (like an hour or more) can be torture for us "bigger" guys. They're a blast for the first hour though. After that, give me the "couch" ride!
#169
02-10-2010, 01:59 PM
I'll start by saying that size and weight isn't important, except that for a complete beginner it's good if you can arrange to do 2 or 3 days on a 125 to really master the basics and practice falling off. Doesn't matter about looking silly. You won't be on the road where your friends can see you.
After that, don't get anything too powerful untill you've learned to read the roads and to read traffic. If you really feel that you need a 650, fit it with an EU-style restrictor kit for a year.
If you want to learn to ride a sportsbike, and ride one really well, you must start with a 250. It's hard work. That makes you learn how to anticipate and stops you being lazy, and it's slow enough that you can practice pushing the bike to its limits and wringing all the available power out of it. Start on a bigger bike and you'll never be as good as the rider who spent a year and 10K miles on a 250.
For cruisers, tourers and commuting, it's less important - you don't need to ride so well to really enjoy your bike - but a 500 is still about as big as you should be going until you've got some solid experience.
No disrespect to Senzo, but at 340 lbs he's never going to ride a sportsbike really well, so a 500 cruiser is a not too bad option.
Rob
Rob
After that, don't get anything too powerful untill you've learned to read the roads and to read traffic. If you really feel that you need a 650, fit it with an EU-style restrictor kit for a year.
If you want to learn to ride a sportsbike, and ride one really well, you must start with a 250. It's hard work. That makes you learn how to anticipate and stops you being lazy, and it's slow enough that you can practice pushing the bike to its limits and wringing all the available power out of it. Start on a bigger bike and you'll never be as good as the rider who spent a year and 10K miles on a 250.
For cruisers, tourers and commuting, it's less important - you don't need to ride so well to really enjoy your bike - but a 500 is still about as big as you should be going until you've got some solid experience.
No disrespect to Senzo, but at 340 lbs he's never going to ride a sportsbike really well, so a 500 cruiser is a not too bad option.
Rob
Rob
Last edited by williamr; 02-10-2010 at 02:03 PM.
#170
02-10-2010, 10:48 PM
Welcome senzo to KF.
A friend of mine learned how to ride one of those ysr 50's I think they were and she took her license test on that same street bike. She was in the 350lb range as well. Not a pretty site nor the most powerful bike for her (Not what riding is meant to be), but she learned how to ride as a beginner. She took some courses and started to feel comfortable on the streets and how to manage a ride. It really is up to you on your abilities as "a new rider", before you can get a good answer to your question. I like all of my rides for street use although a couple are better suited for my expectations. Maybe a good thing to move up the ladder to make sure that "you" are comfortable with the ride if you have no previous experience on a ride. I like the EX500 for my street useage as well.
A friend of mine learned how to ride one of those ysr 50's I think they were and she took her license test on that same street bike. She was in the 350lb range as well. Not a pretty site nor the most powerful bike for her (Not what riding is meant to be), but she learned how to ride as a beginner. She took some courses and started to feel comfortable on the streets and how to manage a ride. It really is up to you on your abilities as "a new rider", before you can get a good answer to your question. I like all of my rides for street use although a couple are better suited for my expectations. Maybe a good thing to move up the ladder to make sure that "you" are comfortable with the ride if you have no previous experience on a ride. I like the EX500 for my street useage as well.