which bike

[looser]

Hi guys,

Im currently in the process of deciding which bike to buy for my first bike on my L's at the moment and have around $7k in which to spend, i am tossing up between a honda cbr 250rr or a honda vtr 250.

Im just after some usefull feedback on both models or any other bike which is good.


cheers,

[SocialSecurity]

not sure what local prices are like in syd, but 7k is way more than you need, tho if thats including buying all your gear (boots gloves helmet pants jacket) then you'll do ok..

if your keen to spend 7k, why not shop around for a VFR400 or RVF400? they are learner legal up there, are they not? fantastic bikes with a fair bit more power which would take a fair bit longer to get sick of :)

tho pretty much any I4/V2 250cc bike is fine for a first bike... cbr's, zxr's, fzr's, all good. all pretty much identical power to weight, which ever bike is in better condition will generally go faster... sit on a few, test ride a few... buy which ever takes your fancy

[Sir Revalot]

Said it before and I'll say it again: If you haven't ridden much/at all before, then it would be advisable to look at a trail bike as your first Bike. Get an old one too so if you come off, you can have a chuckle, bend the brake lever(s) back into shape and keep riding!! :D

Once you have become used to doing big slides in the dirt, wheelies, front wheel lock ups (also in the dirt) etc and you have your full Bike licence, then spend your hard-earned on a Big-bore sportbike (if that's the sort of thing you want). You WILL NOT get bored of the power of one of these!!

If you buy a nice bike like a 250RR, all may go well and you might not crash, but if you do, fairing repairs etc cost a shiteload. Might as well wait until you can get a bigger bike as you'll be able to keep it for longer and you'll have more experience to ride it with!

Just my 2c anyway, most people don't follow that path, but I did and I'm glad that I did!!

[Mini_Me]

i agree RE: trailbikes

i've grown up on dirtbikes so my view is biased, but i have also ridden a few roadies and don't particularly like riding them. you have much more control on a dirtbike. The ergonomics of a sportsbikes - bars, pegs etc dont give you anywhere near as much control over the bike - i'll post up what a fellow rider explained.

also for mine, i much prefer the power delivery of a big four stroke single to that of an inline 4cyl 250, as well as the lighter weight and different geometry make them a much more entertaining ride below speed limits

[Mini_Me]

posted by crash and bern from dirtbikeworld.net

"I've been riding on the road for 30 years. Go to the insurance auctions, and have a look at the rows and rows of R6's. I was told most write them off in the first month.

Problem with sports bikes, great on the track as that is their design parameter. Deadly on the road as you have to contend with, gravel, oil, potholes, bricks, timber, stupid car drivers, kerbs etc,ect. With the clip on style handlebars and rear set pegs, you have no leverage to control the bike when it gets out of shape. In my opinion they shouldn't pass ADR as they are basically a race machine.

To survive on the road, you really need a bike with an upright riding position simular to a dirt bike, to contend with all the hazards. Think of it as a bitumen enduro track. A sports bike will lose control, where 9 times out of 10 another bike will make it through.

But your young and have your heart set, and don't need some old fart telling you what's up. So get whatever it is that make you hard. Just buy a good set of full leathers, boots and an Arai helmet. And keep in mind that crashing on the road is a nighmare compared to crashing in the bush."

[Nucci]

Well I havent been riding anywhere near 30 years but there are a few good points and bad points that the fella above brought up.

As far as commuting goes, a dirtbike setup just isnt feasible, the wide bars, upright position and seating location make it a no go for comfortable touring, and the bit he goes on about that road bikes with clip ons and rear set pegs (I dont know what he is going on about here) give you no leverage to control a bike when it gets out of shape doesnt make much sense to me. The fact is that on the road doing road speeds even on a dirt bike you are not going to be able to do much if you do hit oil, gravel or whatever.

That said, learning the mechanics of what a bike feels like when it is out of control on the dirt will give you a greater awareness what your bike may do on the road. The quote of ".. a sports bike will lose control, where 9 times out of 10 another bike will make it through.." is quite an ambiguous and erroneous conclusion. Sport bikes are generally better balanced, have more advanced suspension and usually people have stickier tyres as well on them. The problem is when people go through corners quicker than they should, shit themselves and get spat off. Most of the time people dont trust what is between their legs enough and they let the bike down.

[Mini_Me]

definately that 9 out of 10 comment is not fact, just an observation from experience of riding, so like most things you read on the net, you take from it what you will.

i agree with you that dirt bikes aren't really an option for longer rides, unless you want to hit the gravel roads.

however, my short experience at riding my dirtbike KTM200EXC on the road i can say that the wide bars had more pros than cons. the fact that dirtbikes are so much higher means that the bars are above most car and 4wd mirrors, shich makes manouvering around cars very easy. wider bars also make for more precise control, this is also enhanced by the riding position. however there would be situations where the wide bars would not allow you to lane split, but i found these situations few and far between when commuting in inner city melbourne. similarly, the higher ride height makes them difficult to manouver around on, and could be annoying at lights if you are under say 170cm.

the rear set pegs he is refering to is the location of the footpegs being much further back on the bike than on a dirtbike, making it more difficult to use the footpegs to your advantage - something which dirtbikers use often.

what i read from crash's comments and looking at it myself (i dont have much experience on road bikes) is that the forward leaning position, the width and shape of the bars, and the geometry of the whole bike in general make it more difficult to manouver the bike in the said situations.

also without being able to directly explain it, a dirtbike is designed specifically for changes of direction very quickly at lower road speeds and also the suspension can cope with hits etc and like mentioned before, your body is in a better position to deal with it as well. again i can't explain why but dirtbikes can definately cope with hitting a gravel patch etc better than a sports bike

other bikes to consider are ~500cc twins which are very versatile bikes

just a thought. dirtbikes are definately not for most people. given the cash, i would definately see myself getting a dedicated roadbike, probably something like a buell 1200cc

[AzzA]

Just get a cheap knock-about bike dude...

Get something big and loud aswell...

You'll brobably drop it or get run into by a car or sometihng similar, and you won't have to worry about froking out big $$ for repairs..

(actually what i said sounds very negative...sorry...and i'm not in any way saying u are a bad driver, or you will automatically get hit by a car...Just the fact is, if you're going to ride a bike, u have to except the fact that you'll come off it or get knocked off it at one stage...that's why i think a cheap learning bike at first is a good idea..)

But yeah..just test ride a few..and you'll quickly see which ones suit you more, and feel more confortable to ride...

good luck!