[LessPeople_MoreRobots]

So I've heard from all the bike guys in my area that the ninja 250 is going to be a good fit height wise but it's not going to be fast enough to get out of it's own way if the situation requires quick reaction. From what I've read on this thread most of you seem to feel differently so I'd like to know why.

Well its been written here hundreds if not thousands of times.

Ninja 250:
0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) 5.75 sec
1/4 Mile 14.6 sec @ 88 mph

Would you feel nervous giving a new driver a 350Z or WRX because its not fast enough to be safe in traffic? Thats just crazy talk.

 

[I-Jo]

I really like the style and I'm wondering if maybe there's something a little shorter with the same look and handling as the sv?

the 250 is as manageable and great as you can get. But the gs500 is sporty- and not super tall- a little shorter than the SV- and its got handlebars instead of clip on's. So it will handle a little differently but let's be honest- you won't know shit from shinola when you first start riding so you won't know that it handles differently- and more importantly- you won't care- that type of great "sporty" handling in an aggressive bike isn't what you need to be learning on- so a bike with a more upright seating will go a long way to helping you help yourself.

I hear the Kawi 650R is a manageable beginner bike- but I can't speak for it since I have never ridden one. The SV though- is not. NOT NOT a beginner bike. Its a great step up- and its a great bike to really rail on if you want an intermediate bike- or its a great "final" bike- I am nothing but pleased with mine and I won't sell it or trade for another- not saying I won't have another bike- because there are plenty I want- but I'm very satisfied with my bike-point is... its more than just a stepping stone bike.

 

[sQuijeW]

anyone here have any experience with the suzuki GS500F?

how does it feel when you are riding, is it very nimble and responsive? (i guess comparing with a 250 and sv650)

 

[JohnnyRocket]

I ride a Suzuki SV650S... It's quite the powerful bike for a beginner and i would actually not reccomend it to most people. It should really be a 2nd bike if not a 3rd. It VERY torquey and will scare the shit out of you from time to time. I have locked up my rear wheel once around a corner and i almost high sided it. Another time i was getting around in 1st gear and i hit a speedbump that was a little taller than i thought it was, i was knocked back and my hand slipped on the throttle and i went from 10mph to around 25 faster than i ever wanted too... Long story short. The SV650 is a good beginner bike if you are very diciplined and not a "squid"... I have had 2 scary moments on it and if i was some wreckless kid i proabably would of wrecked by now. Dont buy an SV650 unless you're responsible. seriously. stick to the ninja 500r. it's a nice bike...

 

[notaracer]

how much can i lower a 08 GSX-R600

wanna buy a 08 GSX-R 600 but before i do i wanna know how much i can lower it for my height, im a new rider and only 5'1"

 

[R6Rupture]

wanna buy a 08 GSX-R 600 but before i do i wanna know how much i can lower it for my height, im a new rider and only 5'1"

Please die

 

[Turrock]

wanna buy a 08 GSX-R 600 but before i do i wanna know how much i can lower it for my height, im a new rider and only 5'1"

You better be kidding. Plus, Mr.Google can answer that in .0214 seconds apparently

Sent from my PG86100 using Motorcycle.com App

 

[ThatGuyWithTheBike]

I drove a friends 07 GSXR1000 for my first time on a bike, that thing was one of the most powerful and fastest things Ive ever been on, I do like the mode selection on them so you can tune it down, I really would like one just to have that feature and still be able to have the power on demand when you want it.

 

[rxsmith]

Probably looking at something lije this for the wife

 

[Stunt_101]

As I was Reading through this thread, I didn't see if anyone asked about the Honda F4i ( I may have missed it though) What is your input on that as a starter?

 

[Jamie01]

As I was Reading through this thread, I didn't see if anyone asked about the Honda F4i ( I may have missed it though) What is your input on that as a starter?

If you had kept reading all the way to the third paragraph of the first post, you would have found your answer:

I've pretty much left out the ss (super sport) bikes. These are the 600cc, 750cc, and 1000cc super bikes that can go faster than 160mph and are basically just race bikes with mirrors. Although they are really cool looking machines, they're extremely unforgivable bikes, and are supposed to be piloted by people who know its limits and not go over them, because that's when you crash. Those ss bikes are usually cramped, uncomfortable, deadly quick, and will respond to any input you give them at an exponential rate. Their brakes are super grabby (bad for people with poor brake control because you can lock up your tires easily, which is a bad, bad thing on a bike), their throttle is super responsive and the bike is super revvy (bad for people with poor throttle control, especially when turning or when hitting pot holes or gravel, etc. As an example, all 600cc throttles turn 3/4ths as short a distance as my bike's throttle. This means any minute mistake will be increased another 25%. This can cause you to crash)

 

[Stunt_101]

I dont know how i missed that sorry and thanks

 

[Vaishali]

I would like to prefer you Suzuki sV650sF. It is a good bike for beginner riders. Suzuki bikes are good in balancing. As you are a begineer thats by a tip for you that use your bike's power and maneuverability to ride in open zones in traffic.
Best of luck...!!!

 

[fletcher9230]

well done bro.

 

[mangosmoothie16]

My testament to the EX500/Ninja 500/GPZ500

I love the 500. It's such an old design that pretty much anything developed in the 90's or later feels better. But it's still a great bike and will teach you how to ride. Enough power to scare you at first (probably) but its not like you crack it wfo on accident and hit 100 mph out of nowhere. It has the perfect balance of cheapness, ease to work on, forgiveness of mistakes, speed, and handling for a beginner to learn. It's not super reliable (it's pretty reliable though), but it's easy enough to fix and stuff that breaks or goes wrong is usually trivial. Like the speedo cable WILL fall out, the carbs WILL become clogged, you'll NEED to change the clutch springs, etc. It's not super forgiving, but enough so that you definitely realize when you goof'd and you know how to prevent it or correct it better next time. It handles surprisingly well but you aren't going to be dragging knees. It's fast enough to bring into realization what it means on the street to go from 0 to 100+ mph in a quarter mile. (if you've never driven/ridden anything with a power/weight ratio close to single digits)

 

[Half-fast Rider]

It handles surprisingly well but you aren't going to be dragging knees.

It even handles well enough for that on the right tires. Get rid of the OEM Bridgerocks and put on a set of Pirelli Sport Demons. Go one size wider in the rear. Pay attention to tire pressure (cold 36F 35R worked best for me; YMMV). The bike is perfectly capable of scraping the pegs in a fast corner.

Also ditch the stock brake pads. They fade under aggressive riding. Put in a decent set of sintered pads and life gets much sweeter.

The Ninja 500 is an outstanding bike and an exceptional training tool.

 

[mangosmoothie16]

It even handles well enough for that on the right tires. Get rid of the OEM Bridgerocks and put on a set of Pirelli Sport Demons. Go one size wider in the rear. Pay attention to tire pressure (cold 36F 35R worked best for me; YMMV). The bike is perfectly capable of scraping the pegs in a fast corner.

Also ditch the stock brake pads. They fade under aggressive riding. Put in a decent set of sintered pads and life gets much sweeter.

The Ninja 500 is an outstanding bike and an exceptional training tool.

Suspension is too soft after 18 years and 24k miles and my targa fairing scrapes. If I addressed both of those, I'm thinking I could.

 

[Half-fast Rider]

Suspension is too soft after 18 years and 24k miles and my targa fairing scrapes. If I addressed both of those, I'm thinking I could.

No doubt.

Try simply changing out the fork oil and seals. That alone might give you a decent improvement.

I put 32k miles on my 2006 before it was stolen back in July. Truly an outstanding starter bike. Fast enough that it's a true sport bike, but you have to rev it to make it go. It's quite docile at low revs. That makes it easy for beginners to ride, but still fun for experienced riders. It's light, well balanced, and very flickable.

I thoroughly enjoyed that bike. Limitations came from my own capabilities, not the bike's.

 

[njskum201]

Well again it looks like I'm looking at the ninja 500r for my first bike.

 

[wiremanjon]

I'm taking the MSF BRC next weekend, I wanted to buy a cheap, good bike like a Ninja 500R or a GS500 BEFORE I take the class(I have a learner's permit). I've already bought all my protective gear, but I think I'll wait until after the class to buy my first bike. I have a friend who works in a Honda/Yamaha dealership and his boss told me he has a used 2013 Honda CB500F coming in (4500 miles)when a customer picks up his ordered Yamaha FZ-07 at the end of the month. My course ends on the last weekend of the month as well. Anyway he'll sell me the CB500F for $4500. Does this sound like a wise first bike deal? I haven't read here what people think of the Honda CB500F as a first bike.