Post subject: Anybody know anything about sportbikes/cruisers?
Posted: Mon 04-10-2006 11:13PM
Major
Joined: Mon 06-07-2004 4:36PM Posts: 412
Source: Fidelity
I am interested in buying a bike, don't know what yet for sure, nothing fancy, or expensive. I'm new, and am interested in learning. Give me some advice, and please don't give me stupid answers like don't do it you will kill yourself, I'm not a child .
Here are some of the bikes I looked at online so far:
Honda Rebel
Honda Nighthawk
Kawasaki Ninja 250r
_________________ "McDonalds, the ruination of America." -You should go eat some, as part of your balanced diet.
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The women are men!
And the sheep are scared!
I'll sell you a Suzuki GS500, needs about $1000 of work though. But you would get it cheap, and it's a good learners bike. I had fun with it.
Is that the one that you posted in here about being stolen from you?
Thats another worry I have about getting a bike, if it will vanish while its parked and I'm eating dinner or something like that.
Yeah, it is. I don't have the money to fix it up right now, and I probably won't for awhile (unless I just roll it into my loan). If you get a bike, I would recommend 1) Get one with a steering lock (but won't help as much as...) 2) Keep it in a garage, and 3) Put a GPS unit inside of it (this is what I plan to do with my bike).
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All three of the bikes you mentioned are great beginner bikes. My first bike was a 250 Nighthawk, and I still ride it today in-town. They look good, are fairly forgiving, and can keep up with high-end cruisers for long rides. I've ridden quite a few Honda Rebels, and they're fun too, but I think they sit too low. If your at least 5'8" go for the Nighthawk for leg room, plus the upright riding style is easier on your back. I've never been on a Ninja, but I've always heard good things about them. Still, I've always thought crotchrocket riders looked like monkeys humping footballs, but I guess its all personal preference.
I'd also suggest looking into a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Course. The instructors will teach you everything you need to know, and most courses provide bikes for you to ride, so you don't have to buy one before you know what the hell you are doing.
All three of the bikes you mentioned are great beginner bikes. My first bike was a 250 Nighthawk, and I still ride it today in-town. They look good, are fairly forgiving, and can keep up with high-end cruisers for long rides. I've ridden quite a few Honda Rebels, and they're fun too, but I think they sit too low. If your at least 5'8" go for the Nighthawk for leg room, plus the upright riding style is easier on your back. I've never been on a Ninja, but I've always heard good things about them. Still, I've always thought crotchrocket riders looked like monkeys humping footballs, but I guess its all personal preference.
I'd also suggest looking into a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Course. The instructors will teach you everything you need to know, and most courses provide bikes for you to ride, so you don't have to buy one before you know what the hell you are doing.
I've been calling honda dealerships, bc I want to go look at the Nighthawk, but NOBODY has them.
_________________ "McDonalds, the ruination of America." -You should go eat some, as part of your balanced diet.
Rolla Missouri...
Where the men are men!
The women are men!
And the sheep are scared!
You should take the MSF class it is fairly cheap and when you finish you can go get your license. At the class they should have some variety in the bikes they have so you can get a little bit of an idea on what you want. After you have done this then you need to get gear. Helmet and Jacket as a bare minimum. Don't even think about getting a bike until after you have done all this. It would suck ass to have a bike in your garage and no helmet or license to ride with.
After all that, most of your decision will be based on comfort and what you are going for in a bike. I don't know much about cruisers but if you're gonna get a sportbike most people will recommend a smaller and/or older bike.
These are all good:
Ninja 250r
Ninja 500r
gs500
AFter this, a lot of debate comes into play about beginner riders having 600cc bikes. I will say definetely don't get anything bigger than 600cc. Just be aware that 600cc bikes have incredible amounts of power compared to what your used to in a car. If you are thinking about a 600 don't get a brand new Fuel Injected bike. For one you will probably wreck it and again, its too much power.
Reguardless of what type of bike you get, get something used and make sure you are comfortable on it. Keep asking around for advice and you will figure it out.
If you've ridden a bike, it won't take you long to get the hang of a cruiser. If you've ridden a motorized scooter or moped, you'll probably be able to hop right on and go. That was the extent of my two-wheeled experience when I bought a 2000 Harley Sportster 1200XL. Its a great starter bike except for one big problem... hella expensive... I got a good deal on mine (mods, custom paint, performance parts) and it cost 7 grand.
I'm not a fan of sport bikes, but I think if you want a good, reliable cruiser that's easy to ride (and big enough to satisfy you for awhile), I recommend a Kawasaki Vulcan-Nomad 750 (and if you've got the money, an HD Sportster or Dyna) You can get a used (and good) VN750 for $1500-$2500.
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