[etmydst]

can you even get a HYOSUNG GT250R in the states?

There making a comeback they even had a section at the International Motorcycle Show in Chicago this year but probably still hard to find. Personally not a big fan. Easier to go with CBR

He is looking for a beginner bike 250cc area, a Cbr is not that although a older f3 may be but I would not recommend it. but as far as hyosung goes they have dealers ALL OVER ,there are 4 dealers in a 100 mile radius of me. And for $3800 OTD they are not a bad deal the gt650r go for $5200 OTD, I may be a little off on price but NOT MUCH.. I would not even recommend my yzf600r as a beginners bike..

here is my ninja ZX7R
polished frame and wheels
full muzzy exhaust system
cammed and jetted
1/4 turn throttle
full fiberglass fairings
ss brake lines
190 rear tire

 

[tyson]

i had a 89 Honda HawkGT 650 Vtwin. its the CRX of honda bikes, no kidding. small, highly modable, cult following on the internet (and oddly in San Francisco), great race bike, fun but underpowered street bike, great handling... and sold in the US from 88-91.

i sold it last year because i just didnt ride it anymore. no time, no interest, no need. i put about 20,000 miles on it myself and worked and maintained it myself.

anyway, my advice starts with: take the MSF course.

i repeat: TAKE THE MSF COURSE.

learning to ride a bike is very counter intuitive. its like learning to snowboard, the body wants to do different things that works against proper control of the snowboard/bike. such as leaning INTO the turn, not leaning away. also looking where you want to go, not right in front of you where you think the worst danger is. you go where you look. anyway, lots of other things they will teach you that you simply wont learn on your own, at least safely and properly.

the side benefit is that it makes getting your motorcycle license easier.

i honestly dont recommend starting off with a 250cc as your first bike. i believr that there are things that you will need to RELEARN to control a 600cc bike that you probably didnt have to deal with a 250cc bike. the wieght, the speed the whole feel of the bike is too different. so its my opinion that getting a 250cc bike is a waste of time. get an old, used 600cc CBR f2/f3 or something that already lost its value and wont lose much else if its resold.

also, i would feel naked riding without my jacket. and i would rather spend money on a decent, but cheap helmet and make sure i buy a decent leather jacket and gloves than putting all my money in a fancy/expensive helmet and ride around in just a t shirt, despite the hot socal weather.

 

[ryan_long_01]

I'll start this off by saying that I do not ride...but I've seriously considered taking the MSF course and getting a bike, and I would definitely start out with a 250 Ninja or similar. You might get bored with it down the road, but I've talked to a lot of riders about this, and most everyone says start with a 250, you'll lay it down at some point, it's more than enough power for a beginner, it's light and easy to maneuver, and when you're ready to upgrade to a 600 or 750 or whatever, it's easy to sell to another beginner.

Sure there will be more learning to do when you get on the bigger bike, but you gotta walk before you can run.

The reason I haven't started riding, BTW, is the incredible number of idiots I see every day on the roads. As we all know, driving a small car, people will constantly cut you off, change lanes into you, pull out in front of you, etc. To be 1/10th as visible to these idiots while I'm 10 times as vulnerable to injury is not a chance I am willing to take. I have a long interstate commute...and every day at least one moron tries to put me in the ditch by changing lanes right into me. I get forced onto the shoulder or all the way into the emergency lane a few times a month. I can deal with the chance of my car getting totaled, but I've got enough back and knee problems and old injuries as it is...waking up in the hospital with multiple broken bones because of one of these d-bags is not a chance I really wanna take. I'm confident that I could become a safe rider, but I'd always be too paranoid about the people around me to even enjoy being on the bike.

 

[Sweetj]

hey ryan i agree completely but at the same time its part of the excitement in a way. It is something that is constantly on your mind whenever you ride but the thing is you have to take it on yourself to become that much better of a driver and the one thing that I always use when riding or even just driving my car is: What's the dumbest thing the person in the car/truck/bus/other can do and you always are trying to predict the worst so it doesn't happen. Even when you think you've seen it all somebody surprises you with something even worse. For me the benefits outway the risks but for some its not the case and so to each his own. Personally though its a feeling like none other to be riding even only going 25mph through the city is enjoyable to me.

 

[bryman10]

Mark,
We in the medical field also have another name for bikes....."Donorcycles". :shock:

A 250 Ninja is a GREAT beginner bike, for all the reasons mentioned above.
There's nothing more unnerving to me than seeing a 17, 18 year old kid who's never ridden before that *HAS* to have a 600+cc crotch rocket as their FIRST bike :?

Taking a safety/MSF course-----SMART!

I'm 37 and have owned/ridden about a dozen bikes or so, from my first bike....'81 Yamaha 400 special, sport bikes (600cc CBR's, 750 Ninja, 1000cc Aprilia, 3- VFR's, etc) and I can tell you the more you ride and the better prepared and protected you are (GET FULL LEATHERS AND A DARN GOOD HELMET!), the more fun your riding experience will be.

The best advice I ever got concerning the two-wheeled journey is something I'll pass on here..."Learn to respect the bike because it will NOT respect you!".

Good luck and stay safe.

One story: I was working as a rehab aide for a hospital in Ohio, and we had a guy come in who was in a motorcycle accident. He was riding a harley, NOT wearing a helmet, and had on a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. 4 skin grafts and 106 (that's ONE HUNDRED AND SIX!) fractures later, he showed up in the therapy rehab gym.
Again....GET FULL LEATHERS AND A NICE HELMET! I DON'T CARE HOW HOT YOU GET IN THE SUMMER, YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SET OF SKIN!

bryman<---had too many friends die on bikes who were stupid, and seen too many of them in my medical profession.

 

[JKG08]

well for you guys who argue that bikes are unsafe......I know......but I just think it will be fun and to me the risk is worth it. I'm sure that almost everyone here is thinking (even if they're not saying it) "oh great another teenager with a motorcycle.....he'll just drive fast not wear proper gear and get himeself killed." Well I just want to let you guys know that I think I'm a bit more mature than most people my age. I know to get proper gear and a good helmet. I've ridden everything from 4wheelers, to dirtbikes, snowmobiles and everything in between. I always wore a helmet on all of them and I've had enough wrecks to know that on a motorcycle I'm sure I'll have a few there too. Which is one of the reasons I think I'm going to stick with the ninja 250. I'd like a 600cc bike but I am smart enough to know that the ninja will be better to learn on even though it's not exactly what I want.

 

[Blackbird_Pilot]

I have a 5000 acre ranch here in Wyoming.

:shock:

What did you do before you became a deputy?

Well, Iworked as a grave digger for the cemetery, a Zamboni driver for the local ice rink and paver operater for a construction company. I grew up on the ranch, just last year my parents passed the ranch over to my brothers and I. Not big enough to make a living at it. I love it though. They don't make land anymore.

 

[Blackbird_Pilot]

Ya i ride and absolutely love it! Wish I had that kind of option with places to ride. Pops worked in bike shops all over the map so definetly have an influence there. As far as racing not really always wanted to and have been looking into doing some flat track just amatuer stuff nothing serious. I like your blackbird btw. At first I was kinda dissapointed that you changed the color but definetly looks good. What all do you have done to it?

I've been getting so much crap for changing the black to gold. But its my bike so I did what I wanted. I even messed around with marbalizer on the orange parts. Kind of hard to see from the pictures. Haven't done to much to the engine. Just a K&N filter, stage one jet kit. Saving up for a turbo or NOS. I polished the frame 2 winters ago, did some engraving on it. Some custom fab work. Just little things here and there. When ever I mess with it I always find something else to do. Its an sickness.

BP

 

[jmart]

Go take the MSF beginner course, using their bikes.
Then go buy a 250cc bike and play for a year. Beat on it and learn on it.
Then fo buy your 600cc bike after one year. after you get the 600 home immediately sign up for the MSF advanced rider course using your bike. it'll probably be a few weeks before your course so play nicely on the 600 in the mean time and get used to it. Then go take the advanced class.

this may be overkill, but hey, you can never get too much education. plus they remind you about all the stuff you forgot.

then once you get time on the 600 you might want to pick up a couple books on riding on the street and on the track, and also look into going for a track day. this will teach you about the limits of your bike and what exactly you can and cannot do safely in varying conditions on the road and on the track.

and yes, do not forget to invest in good gear!

 

[Sweetj]

I've been getting so much crap for changing the black to gold.

Hey its all about what you as the owner like. Most the time the people that knock down someone elses work could probably never come close to doing anything like that and so are jealous. Bike looks great though and what you say isn't much is still quite a bit of work. Just gotta make sure to keep the rubber side down! :wink: I'm still waiting for it to get somewhat decent out here so I can get my bike going. I definetly have the riding itch.

 

[Blackbird_Pilot]

I've been getting so much crap for changing the black to gold.

Hey its all about what you as the owner like. Most the time the people that knock down someone elses work could probably never come close to doing anything like that and so are jealous. Bike looks great though and what you say isn't much is still quite a bit of work. Just gotta make sure to keep the rubber side down! :wink: I'm still waiting for it to get somewhat decent out here so I can get my bike going. I definetly have the riding itch.

Same here. Its been rather chilly lately. If its above 30 in the morning I ride to work. Colder than that the rex goes to work. So far I've been lucky enough to keep both tires down. I know its just a matter or time, lets hope it never happens. Do you have pictures of your bike?

BP.

 

[crxfisher]

I sold mine last week.

I miss it more than my CRX. Blasphemy, I know...

 

[Blackbird_Pilot]

I sold mine last week.

I miss it more than my CRX. Blasphemy, I know...

I like the red/white paint. Looks very sharp. Something about a big red honda wing that drives me crazy.

BP

 

[Ragnaarok]

Jiminy Christmas, Tom, are you selling everything???

That's exactly what I thought! First the rex, now the bike, where's all the fun in your life going? :shock:

 

[crxfisher]

Jiminy Christmas, Tom, are you selling everything???

That's exactly what I thought! First the rex, now the bike, where's all the fun in your life going? :shock:

It's a sorry subject. That great deal on the TL...turned out to not be so great. I just had to pay to get the tranny rebuilt. So I needed the money for that. It had to be done.

 

[imgoingforit]

That sucks Tom. I saw that bike while I was at his house. Looked hella sweet.

-Chris

 

[JadeR]

Yes!!!!!!
For someone who owns a 250 and has taken the course, I highly recommend both.. unless you're much over 6ft tall and weigh much over 200lbs.. in which case, the bike would still get you places, you just wouldn't look as kool on it :wink:

I think the class was absolutely great, and with the combined 10 hours, you really get your moneys worth. Out of 20 people, only one lady didn't pass because she kept freaking out and dropping the bike.. but everyone else went from barely being able to sit on it, to goin zig zag over the speed limit. Lol.

Freeway is not as bad as they say.. my friend (6"1', 230lbs) rode it back to my house the day I bought it, which was a 30 mile trip, done up to 85mph comfortably (it wasn't his bike, and he's used to riding a 1-liter, so he was a bit nervous). Aside from that, residential and city riding are a blast.. easy in and out, lightweight, and it gets 80mpg hahaha. Mines a 95, bought for 1300 cash.. I figured I would drop it, so I didnt want to get a brand new bike, and if I get bored of it, I can still sell it for pretty much what I bought it for.

Hope this helped and good luck!!

 

[downest]

I've been on dirt/streetbikes as long as I can remember, and I deifnitely recommend both the MSF and a 250 for a starter if you've never ridden. It may be a bit of a step up to move from a little 250 to a 600cc bike, but you learn the basics of handling, and if you DO crash (you will), you won't be out that much. The Ninja 250 is one of the best starter and city bikes out there, I've ridden them and I like them, they are fun even for an experienced rider. If you're dead set on a larger displacement bike, look at a dual sport, like the KLR650 or an older Honda XL series. I had an XL250 when I was a kid, it's a damn good bike. Learning off road is good because you don't fall on pavement, the bike is a little more resilient, and you just can't go as fast most of the time so you won't get hurt. I really believe that modern 600cc bikes are just too much for 99% of riders, the Big Four are trying to compete in HP numbers and it's bad for the riders. The number of bikers in the US is going up fast lately, and too many unexperienced kids are jumping on overpowered crotch rockets and making a bad name for the rest of us.

Anyway... I shouldn't rant... I've been away from CC for almost a week and I'm a little tipsy...

here's my old bike, I had to sell it to get my first CRX, and yeah, I regret selling it for sure. I don't even have any good pics... It's a 1984 Honda CB700SC, AKA Nighthawk 'S'. Blew my roommate's 96 Katana away, with shaft drive and 55+MPG to boot! I rode this as my daily for 2 years, parked for January and February, and I put many 6+ hour trips on it.

Since then, my stepdad gave me his 84 CB650SC, similar engine, more cruiser style. One of these days I have to get back home to get it, rebuild the carbs, and then sell it. I'm looking to get another 'S or an 86 VFR500... or my dream bike, an 87-88 Hurricane 600

 

[Ragnaarok]

It's a sorry subject. That great deal on the TL...turned out to not be so great. I just had to pay to get the tranny rebuilt. So I needed the money for that. It had to be done.

Ouch. Yeah, my dad was pissed almost 20 years ago when his '87 Accord's trans went out at only 44,000 miles. Honda wouldn't do anything, and he had to pay big bucks for a rebuilt trans.

My '99 Accord auto trans had horror stories all over the internet, though mine never failed. I changed the fluid more than normal and drove it carefully.

Honda auto trans = teh suck. Used cars with autos are scary, since you don't know if the previous owner was hard on it.

Anyways sorry to hear about the bad luck.

 

[tyson]

Yes!!!!!!
For someone who owns a 250 and has taken the course, I highly recommend both.. unless you're much over 6ft tall and weigh much over 200lbs.. in which case, the bike would still get you places, you just wouldn't look as kool on it :wink:

jade, youre also 5'2" and a buck and change in weight. i cant see you riding anything else than a 250! i can only imagine noah's fear driving your 250 as i did driving my friends 250. it simply doesnt even feel close to a properly sized bike. i think for me getting on my friends 250, the horrible impression i got was probably due to me being first used to riding my vtwin and other 600's. i dunno, moving up instead of moving down in size probably leads to a more natural feeling.

but honestly, if you have to use your machine to restrict yourself from danger, instead of simply having the right mindset and taking the proper safety and protective measures, i dont see how its worth anyones time to start out with a 250 when they know they want a 600. there are so many decent 600's for cheap you can start with.

i still think its a waste of time for most to start with a 250 and im sticking to it.