*Looking for a beginner bike? Look no further...* - Page 6

mojo1094 · 12-02-2008, 11:52 PM

You have to separate the idea of car and bike. A car is just that, a car. you wanna go faster, get a turbocharger or nitrous and you drop a second or two off your 1/4.

If you want to get faster on a bike, you have to improve your skill, change your launch style, lean, riding position etc.

it's 90% car 10% driver ... on a bike it's 90% rider 10% bike. Sure, you'll never get a 250 to hit 160 and a 8 sec quarter, but that 650 can stand up with the best of 'em if you know what you are doing.

SkinnyMan · 12-03-2008, 01:19 AM

Edit:
I figured out the question I need to know (lol)
If I limit the hp to 34 (with the carb slide), will I be able to handle the weight, turn-in, grip, breaks, clutch ect on the Hyosung GT650R?
(Im guessing because its a V twin throttle response is very smooth with low down grunt...)

winona78 · 01-28-2009, 05:54 PM

Thank you very much for posting this thread. This has really opened up my options.

P57 · 01-29-2009, 12:55 PM

I have been looking for a bike for years, I have read alot and shopped alot. Took my MSF last season ( I live in Canada, so around 7 months a year ). Looking for a Honda Hawk GT 650, or will get the 250r/zzr250. The best information I found were on threads like these. Great work BTW. Also, I your looking for info on new bikes, and can read French, I really recommend the best bike book on the market. Le Guide de la Moto I buy it every year and it shows specs, prices [canadian] they even rate the riding level/experience range and value for money.

The Predator · 03-02-2009, 05:46 PM

hehe no way you could translate the whole thing eh? I'm from saskatchewan. Canadians FTW.

it's 90% car 10% driver ... on a bike it's 90% rider 10% bike. Sure, you'll never get a 250 to hit 160 and a 8 sec quarter, but that 650 can stand up with the best of 'em if you know what you are doing.
Gonna disagree. going faster in a high powered, RWD car around a track is just as hard as doing it on a bike. People think drag racing is revving it, and shifting. it's not.

Track days are even worse. try driving a C6 Zo6 or 911 GT3. Now try it fast. I can guarantee, it's not 90% car.

WickedSkulls · 03-05-2009, 05:39 AM

I was wondering if the the buell lightning xb12scg would be ok for a starter since it doesnt have the powerband of a inline 4. That is the only bike that i have sat on that i feel very comfortable on. i am a very large guy about 280lbs. so i dont think that a 250cc will be a good bike for me. i dont like crusiers. I have a short inseam and for most bikes i am tipitoeing. I know it is a stretch but I wanted to get some other input from other riders. Is it better to get a bike you are more comfortable and powerful with and tread lightly, or get something that is uncomfortable and might not want to ride.

Goin Ape Nutz · 03-06-2009, 11:19 PM

^^ it is important to be comfortable on your ride, but that's far from a justification for a 1200cc bike. If you care about your safety and well being, then it would be prudent to do some research on the wide range of motorcycles there are out there.

Google can bring up 693,000 hits on just the search string "beginner motorcycles". See how easy it is? Make your own decisions, justify your own means, and ride with knowledge behind it.

bassjones · 03-06-2009, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedSkulls

I was wondering if the the buell lightning xb12scg would be ok for a starter since it doesnt have the powerband of a inline 4. That is the only bike that i have sat on that i feel very comfortable on. i am a very large guy about 280lbs. so i dont think that a 250cc will be a good bike for me. i dont like crusiers. I have a short inseam and for most bikes i am tipitoeing. I know it is a stretch but I wanted to get some other input from other riders. Is it better to get a bike you are more comfortable and powerful with and tread lightly, or get something that is uncomfortable and might not want to ride.

Ninja 650R - I'm bigger than you and it's comfortable for me. It's not an FJR or anything, but it's liveable until I'm ready for one. They offer a lower seat for it and if you're really short legged - I'm a 32" inseam and flat foot it - there are lowering blocks available.

Oh, and comfortable on the showroom floor and comfortable riding aren't the same thing. Once you start riding the bike, you'll find the compactness of the Ninja more reassuring

WickedSkulls · 03-07-2009, 02:29 AM

Yeah, I will probably get a buell blast for my first bike. The only problem is where do I go from there? My inseam is like 28 inches. I dont fit on any "sportbike" without tiptoeing. So with that said the only sporty bike I have found that is the low buell. Would it be ok to jump from a 500cc to a 1200cc? Guess my only options are to lower a sportbike or ride cruisers which i really dont want to do. I really hate the idea of lowering a bike, especially to the point where I will have to. Either way I am screwed.

WickedSkulls · 03-07-2009, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goin Ape Nutz

^^ it is important to be comfortable on your ride, but that's far from a justification for a 1200cc bike. If you care about your safety and well being, then it would be prudent to do some research on the wide range of motorcycles there are out there.

Google can bring up 693,000 hits on just the search string "beginner motorcycles". See how easy it is? Make your own decisions, justify your own means, and ride with knowledge behind it.

I have done tons of research... that is why i dont have a bike yet. I cannot find one that like and am comfortable on. I have sat on just about every major brand sportbike in the past 5 years. They keep getting taller for whatever reason.I know it is not a justification to go to a 1200cc. I guess I am just looking for an option that is not there.

mojo1094 · 03-08-2009, 12:10 AM

what about going on something non current? Like, you are very concerned for your size, and I can understand that, but what size do you want, and what sportbikes have you looked at? you've said everything, but what are you looking for? just a 600cc sportbike?

then I'll ask why are you looking at a sportbike rather than a cruiser?

Then I'm going to recommend an SV650.

lower it an inch, then chop the stuffing out of the seat, that should put it at your height.

WickedSkulls · 03-08-2009, 03:16 AM

I am looking for a sportbike that is very agressive looking but isnt going to put me to where I can barely touch the ground. I like naked sports and SS bikes. I know i definately dont want o start on a SS bike with 130+ hp. That is insane! The way i see it I will have to lower anything i ride, but i dont want to mess up the suspension geometry. Cruisers really arent my style.

As far as engine size goes I really dont care. I dont want to to fly down the road like most squids on a sport bike but, i do want to have enough power to pass a car easily on the freeway if i need to. I also want something that will handle with the best of them. Like I have said before I like late model Buells I just wish they made one that was low other than the Blast and the XB12Scg something in between that would be perfect. Ok parameters are: Something with a seat height less than 30 inches, about 45-75 hp, good looking, and good gas mileage between 50-60mpg. I know this bike can be built it just doesnt exist, That i know of.

I wish that there a was a 500cc sportbike that looked good, the ninja is 20 years old and looks it and the suzuki is an acquired taste(fugly) IMO, and both of those I would still have to lower. If Kawasaki would update the 500 the way that they did the 250 and keep the seat height the same , I would not have a problem with lowering it since it would look great. The SV650SF is a good looking bike but I would have to lower it about 3 inches.

At this point I am about ready to just go get a Harley 883 Iron and give up on trying to get a sportbike, but those bikes are very heavy. I love the ninja 250, but I dont think that it will have enough power for me and I will have to lower it. The reason I believe it will not have enough power is cause I want to be able to use my bike as a commuter when possible and anywhere I go pretty much involves freeway riding (60mph +).

Sorry for the long post. There is just no bike that is made that is good for a beginner and someone of my stature in the sportbike segment. As far as I know and was just making shure that there wasnt something that i have overlooked.

SilverBandit 03 · 03-08-2009, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Predator

hehe no way you could translate the whole thing eh? I'm from saskatchewan. Canadians FTW.

it's 90% car 10% driver ... on a bike it's 90% rider 10% bike. Sure, you'll never get a 250 to hit 160 and a 8 sec quarter, but that 650 can stand up with the best of 'em if you know what you are doing.
Gonna disagree. going faster in a high powered, RWD car around a track is just as hard as doing it on a bike. People think drag racing is revving it, and shifting. it's not.

Track days are even worse. try driving a C6 Zo6 or 911 GT3. Now try it fast. I can guarantee, it's not 90% car.

Having done both I can say that it is still a lot more difficult to ride a bike fast in the turns than it is driving a car fast around a track. The closest you can get to the difficulty of riding a bike fast in a car is rally racing.

SilverBandit 03 · 03-08-2009, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Predator

hehe no way you could translate the whole thing eh? I'm from saskatchewan. Canadians FTW.

it's 90% car 10% driver ... on a bike it's 90% rider 10% bike. Sure, you'll never get a 250 to hit 160 and a 8 sec quarter, but that 650 can stand up with the best of 'em if you know what you are doing.
Gonna disagree. going faster in a high powered, RWD car around a track is just as hard as doing it on a bike. People think drag racing is revving it, and shifting. it's not.

Track days are even worse. try driving a C6 Zo6 or 911 GT3. Now try it fast. I can guarantee, it's not 90% car.

Having done both I can say that it is still a lot more difficult to ride a bike fast in the turns than it is driving a car fast around a track. The closest you can get to the difficulty of riding a bike fast in a car is rally racing.

SilverBandit 03 · 03-08-2009, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedSkulls

I am looking for a sportbike that is very agressive looking but isnt going to put me to where I can barely touch the ground. I like naked sports and SS bikes. I know i definately dont want o start on a SS bike with 130+ hp. That is insane! The way i see it I will have to lower anything i ride, but i dont want to mess up the suspension geometry. Cruisers really arent my style.

As far as engine size goes I really dont care. I dont want to to fly down the road like most squids on a sport bike but, i do want to have enough power to pass a car easily on the freeway if i need to. I also want something that will handle with the best of them. Like I have said before I like late model Buells I just wish they made one that was low other than the Blast and the XB12Scg something in between that would be perfect. Ok parameters are: Something with a seat height less than 30 inches, about 45-75 hp, good looking, and good gas mileage between 50-60mpg. I know this bike can be built it just doesnt exist, That i know of.

I wish that there a was a 500cc sportbike that looked good, the ninja is 20 years old and looks it and the suzuki is an acquired taste(fugly) IMO, and both of those I would still have to lower. If Kawasaki would update the 500 the way that they did the 250 and keep the seat height the same , I would not have a problem with lowering it since it would look great. The SV650SF is a good looking bike but I would have to lower it about 3 inches.

At this point I am about ready to just go get a Harley 883 Iron and give up on trying to get a sportbike, but those bikes are very heavy. I love the ninja 250, but I dont think that it will have enough power for me and I will have to lower it. The reason I believe it will not have enough power is cause I want to be able to use my bike as a commuter when possible and anywhere I go pretty much involves freeway riding (60mph +).

Sorry for the long post. There is just no bike that is made that is good for a beginner and someone of my stature in the sportbike segment. As far as I know and was just making shure that there wasnt something that i have overlooked.

The ninja should be pretty good for what you are describing. I rode a 250 earlier today (6'4 240 pounds) and it cruised down I'4 at 80mph without really breaking a sweat. It accellerated decently and with the aftermarket pipe on it it sounded like my yz450 (which has a killer sound in my opinion). I think you will be happy on it and you can always add a little performance to the bike if it does not have enough power for you. This bike had exhaust and some engine tuning for the pipe. Nothing fancy but it certainly was fun to ride.