Thinking about buying a bike just for general commuting and some fun, I am 177cm and 110kg, will I find a 250cc a bit gutless and too small!
pollymay,
Oct 21, 9:14pm
You had a bike before! I just bought a little VT250F honda with a bad bearing and threw a VTR motor in it, goes pretty well for a few hundred dollars worth. Not all 250's are equal and it depends what you want out of it. Some sound horrid, some have bad seating position, some break all the time, some are slow and some are fairly quick.
00quattro00,
Oct 21, 9:17pm
Not a road bike, I dont want anything slow, it seems the decent 250s are quite expensive!
pollymay,
Oct 21, 9:27pm
Define decent! So you want a dirtbike kind of thing!
berg,
Oct 22, 5:11am
Have you got a motorbike licence! If not, start with this list http://www.nzta.govt.nz/licence/getting/motorcycles/approved-motorcycles.html Have a look at the allowed bikes on a learner licence and see what style and riding position suits you. If you have a licence, go ride some bikes and see how they feel. Modern 250s have plenty of pep if you are only into commuting but there's plenty more bikes out there.
kaymay88,
Oct 22, 12:08pm
LAMS. google it. read it. then go try a few out for size.
Heres the thing, most people think, ooh, a commuter wil be nice and cheap, so they go and buy some dinky wee heap and decide its fun, then they want something bigger anyway.
With the lams thing changing what you can have on a learners licence, think about going bigger, small engine doesnt always mean superior economy, I just did a 2000km trip on my GSXR1000 and had better economy than a Honda 600 Hornet - big engine = less work.
also, size and comfort can be a factor if you decide you might use the bike to go and see someone out of town, youll also probably find you want to start going on pleasure cruises as well, for which a larger bike would generally be better.
One other factor is if you went for a 650 over a 250, you have more room for passengers if you want to take one later on, and more room for storage, like panniers and top boxes etc etc, which will enable you to take the bike instead of the car, as these things add practicality - i.e. you put the panniers on and you can still do your groceries on the way home rather than having to take the car.
At your size a 250 might be a bit lacking in the power department. A Suzuki GS500 might be a good starter bike (I assume it's on the LAMS list). If you keep it under 601cc then you save $100 a year on your rego (thanks Nick Smith, I hope your mother dies in a freak yachting accident).
mantagsi,
Oct 22, 2:03pm
I'm the same height but weigh a bit less than you, and I've currently got a very tidy 1990 xj600. yes it is old but it is a fantastic commuter bike and pretty reliable. about 90% of my travelling is motorway and 100kph highway so a 250 would get very old very quickly, in every sense of the word. if I was plodding about in town I wouldn't say no to one.
I think kaymay88 has given you some good advice, read it carefully and have a good think about it - best of luck either way. oh, and don't be a cheap-ass on safety gear either, trust me!
lad2,
Oct 22, 9:03pm
Mid nineties BMW F650 . Affordable, comfortable, reliable, versatile and fun.
sabbath-black,
Oct 22, 9:15pm
.dont forget.soul-less.character-l- ess and an fun.bmw is about sterile.the bike you buy when you have given up
mantagsi,
Oct 23, 3:14pm
From personal experience, you could say that about a lot of Jappa bikes too. There's always Euro bikes, but they can be a bit, hmm, temperamental. It's all good and well if you want to go mad every trip but sometimes a nice quiet dependable bike is infinitely more enjoyable than some crazed rocket that breaks down every 50 ks and just about kills ya with character :P
mantagsi,
Oct 23, 3:14pm
From personal experience, you could say that about a lot of Jappa bikes too. There's always all the other Euro bikes, but they can be a bit, hmm, temperamental or the good old yankie iron that them thar old boys like is another option (kind of). It's all good and well if you want to go mad every trip but sometimes a nice quiet dependable bike is infinitely more enjoyable than some crazed rocket that breaks down every 50 ks and just about kills ya with character :P
glyn4,
Oct 23, 7:07pm
The older 650 BMW singles vibrate like anything. I'd also stay clear of anything with a rear belt drive. Much criticised the Suzuki GN250 if looked after can give years of good service. Difficulty is getting one that some whipper snapper hasn't caned too much. Go for a Jap made one (I think pre 2006), not a rust quick made in China one. Get the step taken out of the seat by a decent upholsterer and put the R/R on a cool spot by the back shocks. They sometimes run stators (due to the stupid standard rectifier position). Fit a voltmeter somewhere so you can see the charge rate. Change the oil frequently and always keep it to the right level. They are pretty quick off the mark and give great fuel consumption if that's your thing. One of the best bikes I've owned for commuting 30k's each way every day. 185cm tall, fits fine.
arrithedog,
Oct 23, 7:38pm
After 36 years on a bike, I've finally given in to the governments relentless attacks on bikers and given up. Cheaper to take the 4x4, and that's slightly more resistent to the tourists in their campervans.
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