I want to ride my motorcycle...

[H2Andy]

ok... i am a first time motorcycle buyer, newbie rider, and
am in the process of buying my first motorcycle.

unfortunately, i must get a 250cc bike, for a long number of reasons, the most important of which are out of my control...

i have narrowed my bike to the following:

Honda Rebel
Yamaha Yirago
Suzuki GZ250

after reading a ton of stuff, I am leaning towards the
Yirago.

does anyone have any imput on my choice, within the above paramaters? any votes for a particular machine?

also, how significant is it that the GZ250 has a single cylinder?

as always, thanks in advance!

 

[armyscuba]

Good Luck Andy..I ride a Harley Davidson...so I'll end it there..sorry no input on the rice.

 

[jagfish]

A 250, I thought you said you were getting a motorcycle?!?!?!

Here in Japan, there are a lot fo smaller bikes in use due to license and tax reasons. Personally, here I find the 400 to be a great choice, though for more local driving, the 250 is even more ideal.

The Virago is a nice bike, though my personal favorite is the Honda VT 250. What a great bike for the money. Do they still make that one if the states?

The advantage of multiple cylinders is that this reduces the engine vibration since the movmetn of one cylinder can offset the other. That is one reason why cylinder numbers usually come in even nubers, though there was a wierd 3 cylinder Yamaha years back, an 850 as I recall.

Some people just love the thump of a single, not me.

JA

 

[CHUD]

As a Yamaha Road Star rider, I recommend the Yamaha Virago. Or maybe the Honda Rebel, since I also ride a Honda Shadow. Or even the Suzuki since my first bike was a Suzuki. Hell, get any bike, it's better than no bike. :0

My best advice, though? Get something bigger than these 250s you listed. (Hope that displacement isn't the thing that's out of your control.) Bikes are like computers: ALWAYS go bigger if you can -- you'll want to later, so you might as well do it up front. Besides, 250s are really too small for street riding; they're really just glorified mopeds.

 

[Scuba Duke]

Cough, Cough, Harley, Cough, Cough

 

[HammerNoMore]

unfortunately, i must get a 250cc bike, for a long number of reasons, the most important of which are out of my control...

Hmm, I'm guessing insurance is one of the reasons... My first bike was a 250 and I'd have to say unless you are real thin I'd go with something around a 400. A 250 will get you around but a big guy looks silly as heck on a bike that size.

I've owned a Honda Rebel, a Honda CB400, a Honda CBX-1100 and a BMW R850R. The CBX was without a doubt the fastest but the BMW clobbers them all as the most fun to ride. I was big in my teenage years and the Rebel was my first so I speak from experience.

James

 

[jagfish]

Depends what kiind of insurance...
Liability coasts nothing because in any accident, you are the pancake, not causing much damage to anything else.

Comprehensive usually costs about as much as buying a new bike every year or two since they can be damaged and stolen so easily.

JAG

 

[H2Andy]

well... the factors limiting me to a 250 are, in reverse order of importance:

1. purchase money
2. insurace costs
3. my wife is dead set against anything else

thanks all for the info... let me check out the Honda VT 250 (i think they don't sell
that one stateside anymore... need to check)

 

[oscar80]

my friends got a sweat deal on a 2003 250r ninja peppy little bike

dave

 

[oscar80]

and he only lives 2 hrs from jax