I want to ride my motorcycle...

[Scuba Duke]

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)

I tell ya, #3 will do it every time!

 

[H2Andy]

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

dave

yeah, the ninjas are nice bikes, but i just don't like the style
at all... also, i hear they're murder on your back... still, if
i were younger ...

 

[H2Andy]

I tell ya, #3 will do it every time!

oh yes...

 

[cobaltbabe]

I was going to get the Virago because of my size. It was a lower bike then alot of the others and for someone like myself who is relatively short it worked for me. I know that the insurance is a factor but can I ask what you want to do with the bike. Are you just going to ride it back and forth to work or are you going to take the wife on rides too. If your not concerned with the looks and it is just something to save money on gas, why don't you go for a little more CC and buy an enduro. They ride a little higher and have the lights for street driving. Also if you get the urge to do a little off roading the shocks can handle it. Just something to think about.

 

[H2Andy]

let's see... i am 5'10 just pegged at 175 lbs (quit smoking), so it should be the right
size for me. i do love the looks (like a baby Harley).

the bike is basically a toy. i will ride it once or twice a week in the afternoon, around
our historic neighborhoods here in town, and maybe once or twice a month on a
county-road sunday afternoon trip (that's at least my plan for now).

my wife will be an ocasional passenger, but only for short trips around our neighborhood.

the 250cc is a compromise (from "you will get a bike over my dead body"). the thought
was to limit myself cc-wise for at least two years during an "apprentship" period.

i actually toyed with the idea of getting the Kawasaki Eliminator, at 125cc (that thing looks so sweet!). but i figured i'd needed
a rock bottom 250 in case i needed to move away from trouble
in a hurry.

 

[jagfish]

Andy
The VTR 250 has a pretty nice "standard" seating posture. Similar to the CB 400 and BMW bikes. I did a quick search and it seems that it might not be produced in teh US anymore, but was as recently as 2002, and maybe later, which means you will be able to find a really nice used one (saving more cash).

Ever since they came out, they were technologically rather advanced and peppy as compared to other bikes in that class. There are a whole slew of accessories available for that bike as well, farings, bags, etc. I see from my brief search that there are forums about that bike, because it was hugely popular.

Here is one link to a picture:
http://www.bikez.com/bike/index.php?bike=20167

One more thing, the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) is a nationwide organization that does one-day safety courses for bikers. If you were in my circle of friends or family, I would absolutely insist that you take this course, which is like a defensive driver and intermediate skills course. Also usually gets you a reductoin on insurance.

You can ask your local bike shop about the location and dates for classes.

JAG

JAG

 

[cobaltbabe]

i actually toyed with the idea of getting the Kawasaki Eliminator, at 125cc (that thing looks so sweet!). but i figured i'd needed
a rock bottom 250 in case i needed to move away from trouble
in a hurry.

Actually the engines are a little different. Enduros are built for multiple tasks. I know the 250 moto crosser that I use to ride would knock your head back a couple of notches if you weren't paying attention. I haven't seen the Virago for a while now. I was 18 when I was going to buy it so that tells you how long it has been. If you want the speed the street bike would be best. The reason I asked how tall you were is because I was taught that you should only be able to touch a toe on the ground but then I was raised around racers and they only put down a foot to corner.

 

[CHUD]

Ditto what Jagfish said -- the MSF course is HIGHLY recommended. It's a great way to learn to ride if you're new, and learn to ride right if you're self-taught.

Let me again stress what I said earlier: go bigger, especially if you're thinking of riding 2-up with your wife. At the absolute minimum I'd suggest going with a 400, and at your size a 650 would probably be even better. I know you're trying to ease into it and are reluctant to get too much power too soon, but I promise you won't regret getting something a little bigger now to start with.

 

[cobaltbabe]

Ditto what Jagfish said -- the MSF course is HIGHLY recommended. It's a great way to learn to ride if you're new, and learn to ride right if you're self-taught.

Do you know if they teach new riders how to lay the bike down?

 

[jagfish]

Do you know if they teach new riders how to lay the bike down?

Gosh...
Having been down 4 or 5 times in 20 years, that part always came naturally to me!

Cbabe-
Proper turning skills, looking through the turn, balance, stopping at speed, riding out a skid, are a few of the things I remember.

Amazing how many people will go down in a heavy breaking situation by using too much rear brake.

I was shoocked at the course. Here I was with this great new bike (ZX=11) with super safety teachers, and the first thing they said was,

"There are two kinds of riders...those that have been down, and those that are going to go down..."

Having never been down when I took that course, I will not filled with confidence. Now I realize that I fall into both categories these days...

I do some of the most dangerous biking of my life here, a commute into central Tokyo twice a week. Actually, riding is actually pretty tame in the Tokyo area compared to Osaka, where there are essentially no rules for anything with two wheels. You can drive anywhere there is space. Pass cars on the shoulder at any speed, lane splitting, even on highways. Most of my driving manuevers these days (when in Rome...) are outlawed in the States...

JAG