Best bike for a Beginner

[Picc84]

Yes, but I'd think the Katana is abit more of a beginner bike no? I've only ridden the Haya and the Katana, and jesus... lmao

 

[UnoMOTO]

You’re only going to stay a beginner for so long. The SV will entertain you for many years to come, the Katana will not.

 

[Matt R]

What's the difference? I've never quite understood. Why can't a beginner just hop on say a Yamaha R6? Why would something like a Suzuki GS500-F be a better bike for beginners? What makes the R6 a bike for intermediate to advanced riders? Both bikes act and ride like bikes. So what gives?

 

[Dazzla]

Buy a CBR125R

 

[vr6gti72]

What's the difference? I've never quite understood. Why can't a beginner just hop on say a Yamaha R6? Why would something like a Suzuki GS500-F be a better bike for beginners? What makes the R6 a bike for intermediate to advanced riders? Both bikes act and ride like bikes. So what gives?

Dont judge bikes on the CC's. There are some small CC 2 strokes (250cc) that arent for beginners either. There are quite a few factors. Riding position is important. You have to be comfortable when you are learning. If your wrists hurt you may not be paying enough attention to the road around you. Not having to deal with clip on handlebars helps. Gearing can play a factor. I dont think a beginner really wants to start on something that hits 100mph in first gear..and still has 5 more gears to go. Sportbikes are twitchy and it doesnt take much to get them trying to shake you off. I know of riders that have be going for 20 years and wont venture past a 600cc sportbike because they are already a handful. They arent scared of them...they just dont think they would ever use a 1000cc bike to its full potential on the streets. The other bike mentioned arent slouches either. They just dont have the looks that make girls all silly. Keep it simple your first season or two then upgrade.

 

[wfooshee]

What's the difference? I've never quite understood. Why can't a beginner just hop on say a Yamaha R6? Why would something like a Suzuki GS500-F be a better bike for beginners? What makes the R6 a bike for intermediate to advanced riders? Both bikes act and ride like bikes. So what gives?

It's worse than giving a 16-year-old a Z06 for his first car.

Until a rider can control a bike without thinking about that control, in other words, unil a rider has built muscle-memory, then an R6 is nothing but trouble. Riding a motorcycle is NOT riding a bicycle; there is no stop pedalling and it stops. And just 1st gear on any motorcycle will take you way past what any bicycle can do.

There are people out there with enough restraint to know their limits and stay within them. Why, I myself represent such a person! But we are few and far between, and there's no such thing as, "Well my friend showed me all the controls so I can just jump on it and be fine."

When the unexpected happens, the rider forgets everything he knew about the controls and just screams until he hits the tree/car/truck/cliff/building/wall. We've all seen the "first ride" vids of exactly that. (Tiny language warning at the end of the first one, a simple "Oh, poopie," or words to that effect.)







This guy has no idea what to do. He's been told what the clutch is, but he doesn't "know" (without having to think about it, which he can't because he's panicked) that he's supposed to pull the lever in when he wants to stop. Notice the bicycle method of dragging feet to try to stop. Motor much stronger than sneaker-brake.



This one shows that it doesn't take inexperience, and shows just how quickly the bike can get away. Granted, this is a racing liter bike (I think), but still. Just a touch strong on the throttle with cold tires.



Buy a used 250, 400, or 500. Ride it for 5000 miles and sell it to the next n00b and move up. You'll ride safer, and you'll have a better appreciation for the next bike.

 

[UnoMOTO]

Infinity invisible rep for you wfooshee! Archive your post and repost it every time someone asks this question again.

 

[soldiaboy]

It's worse than giving a 16-year-old a Z06 for his first car.

Until a rider can control a bike without thinking about that control, in other words, unil a rider has built muscle-memory, then an R6 is nothing but trouble. Riding a motorcycle is NOT riding a bicycle; there is no stop pedalling and it stops. And just 1st gear on any motorcycle will take you way past what any bicycle can do.

There are people out there with enough restraint to know their limits and stay within them. Why, I myself represent such a person! But we are few and far between, and there's no such thing as, "Well my friend showed me all the controls so I can just jump on it and be fine."

.

I agree with you. to me it's all about knowing your limits. My first bike is my current CBR 1000. I've got close to 5000 miles on it and still learning everytime I ride. I haven't even felt the front tire go up because I'm still a rookie

 

[Wolfe]

You would get eaten up on the freeways around my area on a 250.

Well, CDailey did specifically mention the Ninja 250. From personal experience I can tell you that the Ninja won't win any 70+mph drag races, but if you're not paying attention and just passing cars you could easily find yourself doing 90. Keep going, though, and the engine will hit a brick wall, running out of steam around 105mph. Hey, 36hp can only take you so far.

That said, keeping up on the freeway is absolutely no problem. However, between the seating position and the vibrative parallel twin, long rides can be trying. The most I'd do in one sitting is 2 hours; I don't know how that compares to the typical rider/bike.




Now, obviously I'd be one to recommend a Ninja 250 to a beginning rider.
They're affordable, plentiful, nigh bulletproof, safe enough for beginners, sporty enough for experienced riders, and they went unchanged in the united states for 20 years so parts availability is through the roof. They also tend to be in high demand, so if you'd like to just buy one, learn to ride, and then move on to something bigger, finding a buyer won't be much of a problem. I don't know how the release of the new Ninja 250 has affected this, though.

The following website is a great resource for more info on the bike:
http://www.ninja250.org/

Otherwise, I always recommend an older 500 or 600cc bike in whatever style (sport, cruiser, standard) you prefer. If it's kinda beat up, that's good; it won't be as heartbreaking when you fall or drop it (and you will).

I'd recommend other 250s but there aren't really any in this market that are worth buying over the Ninja. I liked the Honda Nighthawk 250 I rode in the MSF course, but I haven't heard good things about them.

 

[vr6gti72]

Im sure it can do freeway speeds but the drivers around here are more the problem. Staying out of the way or having the power to make a pass and getting ahead of the crowd would be the challange. A 250 would put right into the middle of where you dont want to be. The traffic in socal is nuts. 6 lanes wide and most are on cellphones driving SUVs. Bikes are often not seen. Surface streets it would be perfect or a less traveled canyon for a 250.

 

[Pupik]

Warning: I may not be making any sense here. Motorcycles are comparatively alien to me compared to cars, so bear with me if I say something stupid. And if someone is reading this from a bike forum, have a laugh anyhow.

Okay, I'm suddenly re-interested a bike...I've been thinking about it for about 5 years but now that gas prices are so high, taking it to work might be of interest to me. There's not much traffic in the direction I travel to work, at the hour I leave, so that doesn't frighten me.

I also enjoy taking the back-roads far away from home, but I want to experience them in a whole new way. I'm probably not going to drive on the freeways/interstates in South Florida; they can be dangerous since people pass on the right without signaling at absurd speeds even when the left lane is completely free of traffic (my biggest pet peeve).

I've been researching a little, and an 250cc bike seems to be all I need. I don't need breakneck acceleration, but something that can keep up with traffic. Most of the web sites I've read seem to give me an idea of top speed and comfort, but nothing I've found online tells me 0-60 times, or any acceleration times for that matter.

Obviously comfort is important, but I'm 5'10" and 190 pounds, so I'm fairly average-sized, thus I'm sure most anything will be an okay fit. Some of the ~250cc bikes have top speeds of around 75-85 mph, which should be more than enough. Outright speed isn't important, but I want to make sure I'm not holding up traffic from a stoplight after I've gotten the hang of riding.

I personally want a new bike, just because I'll personally feel more comfortable with a mechanically-sound bike that hasn't been dropped or tinkered with before. I would rather buy a used one financially, but I know that I'll be mentally uncomfortable with a used one. Besides, I have two cars that are over 8 years old anyhow...I don't need more repair costs, even though I know that a used bike/car teaches you more about how they work and how to maintain them. But I feel my confidence is a lot more paramount when riding, so I'm 99.9% sure a new bike is what I want.

I don't care about how cool or stupid I look on it; I'm not riding to impress anyone. I don't really care about noise, or cool factor, or any of that garbage. I just want to enjoy it as a spare-time interest (and maybe save a few bucks on gas in return).

Maybe a little storage space, if possible. Enough for a camera.

Yes, I'll be buying the best helmet I can afford: I don't have a $20 head.



My budget is around $3000-4000 for the bike.

 

[UnoMOTO]

Okay, I'm suddenly re-interested a bike....

This link has everything you might want to choose from. Sportbikes, cruisers and dual sports. If you pick one out I could give you a personal opinion about it if you like.

http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/reviews/beginner-motorcycles

 

[wfooshee]

Don't stop with the helmet. Yes, South FL is HOT. So is North FL! I always ride in full gear, and I need about 10 or 15 minutes once I get to work to become presentable. Sit in front of a fan, then change shoes and shirt. But think where I'd be if I'd put skin instead of gear to pavement in this incident.

Mesh gear is comfortable enough to wear in the heat, although sitting at lights is rather un-comfortable.

You'll need a couple hundred bucks for a cheap jacket and pants that won't do you too much good, to about 4 or 5 hundred for good protection.

A lot of modern helmets have removable washable liners so helmet skank isn't so much to deal with, and gear is washable too although the armor and pads may need to be removable.

 

[Rue]

A very interesting thread. I've been thinking long and hard about getting a bike, although the obvious risks always tend to burst my dream bubble. A lot of people I know here ride bikes (really nice bikes - Duke 996 SPS, Ninja 10R, etc.) and I am somewhat envious of the freedom and buddyship that riders share. The fact that you can get such incredible performance for such relatively little money always amazes me too. Of course I am a realist and fully understand the dangers involved (all my friends have a crashing story or two and a good friend of my grandfather, the late Barry Sheen, once told him to tell his grandchildren to stick to cars) and would never get anything that I wasn't experienced enough for. For the moment I will make do with taxis and public transport, but it's good to know that if I ever do bite the bullet (probably not the best analogy) in the future there's a very knowledgeable crowd here at GTP.

 

[Sniffs]

well, look what crawled outa the woodwork...my tinhorns-R-us bike thread!

wfooshee made an excellent point earlier about knowing your limits. which is why I'd wanna start with a 250 or smaller. as for me, it's getting the thing to shift that I'm worried about.

Rue: Ida thought a motorbike was SOP (standard Operating Procedure) in HK (or most anywhere in an asian city, for that matter)

 

[Rue]

Strangely enough bikes are far less popular in Hong Kong than almost all other Asian countries. I think it's to do with 'status' - something daft anyway.

 

[homeforsummer]

I've been researching a little, and an 250cc bike seems to be all I need. I don't need breakneck acceleration, but something that can keep up with traffic. Most of the web sites I've read seem to give me an idea of top speed and comfort, but nothing I've found online tells me 0-60 times, or any acceleration times for that matter.

You may be interested in some of the reviews on Motor Cycle News. Okay, it's a UK site but it has plenty of reviews of bikes, including the 250s you're looking at. And performance figures, handily.

For example, the new Kawasaki 250R Ninja, 4-stroke twin, does 110mph, and a quarter mile in 14.5 seconds, from around 33bhp.

The Honda CBF250 is a naked 4-stroke single with only 22bhp, does 80mph and 16.5 for the 1/4 mile. Also gets around 60mpg UK, which is what 50-55 US? Think that's a little pessimistic though. The older CB 250 which preceded it takes 0.5 longer for the 1/4 mile, does the same speed, and gets 75mpg UK.

I don't really know what 250s they sell in the States. In the UK they aren't that popular any more, most people starting out, after they've been restricted to 125s for a bit, hop straight onto 500s or 600s which is where the bulk of the market is.

 

[Wolfe]

The new Ninja 250 looks like a fine bike, and I've been meaning to give one a test ride, but I still can't believe the fuel economy was cut back to ~50mpg. The '88-'07 does 70mpg with little effort, and is obviously cheaper to buy than the '08.

 

[homeforsummer]

The new Ninja 250 looks like a fine bike, and I've been meaning to give one a test ride, but I still can't believe the fuel economy was cut back to ~50mpg. The '88-'07 does 70mpg with little effort, and is obviously cheaper to buy than the '08.

I'm surprised by the economy figures on all those 250s actually. Many 4-stroke 125s can do more than 100 UK mpg, and it doesn't necessarily follow that with twice the capacity 250s should get twice the fuel consumption, otherwise it would follow that a 500cc bike would only do 25mpg and a litre bike 12.5, which isn't the case. So I should be expecting 250s to do maybe 75mpg pretty easily in normal riding.

 

[Sniffs]

Rue: mabey there's too much British in the veins of HK, yet

I think the best estimate involving Imperial MPG and Yank MPG is that the american rate is 3/4 of the british rate. don't forget, an imperial gallon has an extra quart compared to an american gallon.

oddly, the one thing bike guys don't talk about, here, is how far they can go on a tank. they're too busy customizing the bikes to worry about it. As for positioning, mentioned earlier, it was best explained in a Speed channel show I saw once. you ride a Bike the same way you ride a horse, upright in the states, flat in Britan. with exceptions, mostly on stuff like the crotch rocket above.

 

[homeforsummer]

I think people have been more interested in the fuel economy of bikes since fuel prices started significantly riding. I use a motorcycle forum and so many people join with "I live in the city, fuel is getting too expensive so I'd like to buy a scooter/small bike" posts. Even on sports bikes, it's all very well having the fastest bike but people do ride long distances and your journey won't be that quick if your spirited riding is getting you only 80 miles on a 20-odd litre tank.

To put this into perspective, a commuter 125 will get as much as 240 miles on a 13 litre tank. When you're only using that around town, it could be months before you need to fill up. My current commute, which in good weather I actually walk, is 2miles a day. On a 125 4-stroke at the above economy, that would be give-or-take 120 days riding on one tank - a third of a year. Not including weekends. You can understand why reportedly one tenth of vehicles in London are motorcycles or scooters.

 

[Wolfe]

Even if I ride hard, my bike consistently does 250 miles before hitting reserve. That's nearly 4 gallons used, making for an MPG in the low 60s. If I could resist twisting back and letting her scream up to 14000rpm, I could probably stretch that to 300 miles.

 

[homeforsummer]

That's on a 250 though right, I mean realistically there's only so much fuel can be burnt in such a small capacity. And considering how quick (compared to the average car) even a small bike is, it does make me wonder why people buy litre bikes and such solely for the road, other than as an appendage-enlarger. I mean I love bikes, but something like an R1 is going to fulfil it's potential on the road no more than a Ferrari Enzo would. Apart from it being cheaper, which is obviously a major attraction.

But you're certainly getting good mileage from that 250 👍 Incidentally, what kind of speeds is it capable of?

Actually while I'm at it, the bike looks great (clicked on the link in your sig), as does your 318. Been thinking of getting one myself. [/off topic]

 

[Wolfe]

Thanks! The Ninja can muster just over 100mph, with passing power up until about 90. The 318i has seen better days -- this last winter was not kind.

 

[V1P3R]

When the unexpected happens, the rider forgets everything he knew about the controls and just screams until he hits the tree/car/truck/cliff/building/wall. We've all seen the "first ride" vids of exactly that.

lool, awww man, those were great got anymore?

This one shows that it doesn't take inexperience, and shows just how quickly the bike can get away.

Yeah, which means it's the same as a car as my dad says... Minus the metal and glass around you. xD

 

[Rue]

Rue: mabey there's too much British in the veins of HK, yet


oddly, the one thing bike guys don't talk about, here, is how far they can go on a tank.

If there was, I think there would be more bikes!

Actually, fuel economy is a major factor in why I am considering a bike. Fuel's definately not cheap here, but I'm quite suprised to see that bikes use more fuel than I thought.

 

[UnoMOTO]

I mean I love bikes, but something like an R1 is going to fulfil it's potential on the road no more than a Ferrari Enzo would. Apart from it being cheaper, which is obviously a major attraction.

The best that I have done on my 03 R1 is 208 miles on one tank. That was still on mountain roads but never above 65 mph that trip. On average I could get between 160 and 180 miles per tank.

 

[mustangGT90210]

So is everyone pretty much in agreeance that a Ninja 250 is a great starter bike? I'm looking to buy one because it would cost an assload of money to add me to my parents car insurance, or on my own for that matter, and motorcycle insurance in my state is optional. I'm also only 16.

 

[wfooshee]

Motorcycle insurance isn't optional if you finance the bike. The bank will require it to be covered or they'll come and get it.

 

[homeforsummer]

So is everyone pretty much in agreeance that a Ninja 250 is a great starter bike? I'm looking to buy one because it would cost an assload of money to add me to my parents car insurance, or on my own for that matter, and motorcycle insurance in my state is optional. I'm also only 16.

According to pretty much any review I've read, it's supposed to be a very good bike, though a lot of the bikers on the forum I use don't seem to like it, probably because it's not particularly quick. But for a beginner bike, 30-odd bhp and 100mph is enough for anyone. And bikes feel a heck of a lot quicker than cars.