In my experience the GN250 and the various versions it spawned isn't a bad bike for a learner. BUT-the very first thing I do to a gnu is rip the handlebars off and fit a set of trailbike/enduro/dual purpose 100mm rise bars. You would be amazed at the transformation of the bike something so simple makes. Then if its an import from china (alloy wheel version) I throw the front tyre as far away from me as I possibly can and fit something that actually grips the road. Yep you will find the limitations of a "ginny" a heap sooner than other bikes but then thats balanced by it 99% of the time bouncing back from a novice rider typical 10km/h crash.
All that said I'd still put a novice rider on something like an XL100 and have em learn the basic mechanics of riding BEFORE they get out onto the road Then Id suggest a VTR250
wrong2,
Feb 24, 1:55pm
which is what just happened here with that post
wrong2,
Feb 24, 1:59pm
that they are, & the former is the best place to learn
just being slow & gentle & carefull is a great way to be safe, but what happens when you get a washout orhave to do an emergency dodge !
red97,
Feb 24, 5:17pm
that seems unlikely
splinter67,
Feb 24, 5:24pm
What seems unlikely to you
red97,
Feb 24, 6:05pm
global warming, creation, the ability of israel to surive medium to long term, anybody remembering the name of the current labour party leader, the black caps winning a test against england, rain, me shooting under 80. thanks for asking
frytime,
Feb 25, 9:01am
i learnt on a 80 in a paddock, then down the beach. went to a dt 175 that was fun, picked up a dr400 heavy pos but fun had few years off got a 250 cr and damm scary to say the least. borrowed mates 1100 something and fark, start small if you can't/ haven't ridden.
and going to work the other day in a car, doing 100kph got overtakin by a vespa scooter, what the hell!
tazcsv,
Feb 25, 9:19am
1st bike i rode was a tzr250, no matter how much dirt bike ridding you have done its nothing like a roadbike. The only way to learn to ride a roadbike is get out on a quiet road and ride. my main bike on learners/retsricted was a hyosung gt250r and it was a great bike, full size looked good but no power so great to learn on.
kazbanz,
Feb 25, 9:38am
tazcsv-How do you come to the conclusion that riding a trail bike isn't like riding a road bike! Is the clutch on the other side. Mabee you change gears differently! Maybee the brakes are different! To qualify my statement In my view riding a road bike is divided into two distinct and seperate "stages" First theres the purely mechanical side of rideing a bike. feeling how the clutch bites.Changing up and down the gears.getting it to steer where you want it to and stopping. Then theres roadcraft-Being aware of traffic.tarsnakes,etc. Trying to learn both at the same time spreads the available attention to a task too thinly. A much cleverer bugger than me explained it as being the attention dollar. Your brain only has a dollar to spend on tasks. If you are using 95c on the pure mechanics of riding then theres only 5c left to worry about road hazards
sw20,
Feb 25, 9:42am
My GSF250 Bandit is stupidly easy to ride. Gets along ok when you rag on it.
sw20,
Feb 25, 9:49am
Our 46 year old SS180 Vespa would do that. lol
tazcsv,
Feb 25, 10:12am
For a start if you try going around a corner an a road bike as you would on a trail bike what happens!the skill here could not be further from each other. ppl like to complicate things to much for learners, learners should getlicence and get on a road bike and ride to learn.
kazbanz,
Feb 25, 10:24am
having ridden raced and rallied on both ANDtaught a lot of people to ride I can honestly say in reply to your question "exactly the same " lean a trail bike or lean a road bike -same. Gyroscopic effect regardless of the bike type still takes effect after you get over a certain speed. Brakes/clutch/gears are the same on a trailee as on a road bike. Ive seen far too many novice riders have what should be stupid accidents with little or no concequence end up doing themselves serious damage. The skill they lacked was almost always of a very basic nature
rednsr,
Feb 25, 11:11am
Buy an rsv4 and be done with it.
People on these threads are overly cautious.
On my learners Licence I had
1987 Kawasaki GPX250r 1995 Honda CBR400RRR 2001 Aprilia Rs 250 1995 Honda NSR250R SE (With over 75 BHP and a weight of only 115kgs).
I Now Ride a VTR 1000 RC51.
I Have never been off and have been to multiple track days. I have seen speeds nearly three times as high as your average person will ever see.
Your over cautious over negative comments are stupid.
kazbanz,
Feb 25, 12:21pm
Yep and I have seen more guys saying just what you are sayingburied than I care to remember. They had all "beaten" the system. They were all 10 feet tall and bullet proof. They are ALL dead. Given you are such an expert do tell me what is a key element in race training in the USA and europe! A hint--it was introduced by a famous 500gp rider. -Ohh wait --it involves small trail bikes and slick tyres. What is the mantra preached by experienced ride/race training organisations world wide! Sorry mon if this seems harsh -I mostly ride alone now because I got tired of burying guys with your exact attitude.
rednsr,
Feb 25, 1:35pm
Wah!
Filling people with fear is not going to help any one.
Just because you own a faster bike than a GN250 doesnt mean you are destined to die. Last time I checked the little turny part on the right hand side handle bar is adjusted by the hand of the rider. A feel for your limitations is what is needed, not a cacophony of negative and fear mongering noise from the likes of those on the message board.
Secondly, my attitude reflects not upon the kind of rider I am. Merely the lack of admiration or respect I have for those claiming to be experts. So what if you rode racing bikes! Given I too get around track days and race events and have not once heard of you, surely is a testament to how incredibly average you must be or must have been on two wheels.
An Ability to know what you can do, when you should do what you can and where is a good place to do it is a gift clearly not wasted on you.
Enjoy your time sitting in traffic
kazbanz,
Feb 25, 1:50pm
So basicly you aresaying that you areright and riding schools the world over are wrong. Ego much! And you are so right I'm just a nobody who hasn't a clue how to ride a bike. I musta bought those AMCCclub championship cups and trophysfrom a pawnbroker.
rednsr,
Feb 25, 1:56pm
Its a well broadcast opinion through out the world at large that most of the people who run a lot of those schools haven't got the faintest idea how a motorcycle works, let alone any idea how to ride them in a way that enables you to , not only be safe, but enjoy yourself.
Ego much!
No I was lucky enough to be born with all of my chromosomes in order that's all.
kazbanz,
Feb 25, 2:19pm
Simple question--Are you prepared to accept PERSONAL responsibility should someone follow your advice and kill themselves! The answer to my own question is yes. Does a fighter pilot or 747 pilot climb into the cockpit of a jet and fly it off the bat! Does a trucky climb into a dual trailer rig and go do a longhaul with no training! Would you go climb everest with no climb training.! But you advocate just getting out onto the road and "learning as you go" I'll pass your opinion re their riding experience to the ART guys,CSS,and the other rider training crowds around NZ. I'm sure they will enjoy your opinion. Most of them will likely ask your MNZ licence number given you know so much better than them.
wrong2,
Feb 25, 2:19pm
holy crap, i hope like hell no learners come anywhere near you
the skills you learn on the dirt are essential, & to get to the same understanding just on the tarmac alone is a lesson fraught with costly repairs to machinery & painfull repairs to flesh & bone
wrong2,
Feb 25, 2:21pm
experienced
possessing wisdom / maturity / overview gained from surviving their mistakes
tazcsv,
Feb 25, 2:34pm
Some of us must just have more natural talent than others then. I have found nothing hard at all about jumping on roadbikes and learning as i went.
wrong2,
Feb 25, 2:35pm
thats largely irrelevant , not to mention dismissive of the dangers newbies face on the roads
tazcsv,
Feb 25, 2:42pm
Riding in a paddock or on a track still doesnt help with dangers of the road. Im yet to see a bus coming at me on my side of the paddock.
wrong2,
Feb 25, 2:51pm
well your entitled to your opinion
i just hope theres no learners in your path to absorb it
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