First Bike

So I'm looking for a good first sport bike, somewhere between 250-500cc. Brands I'm thinkin' about are Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki. How's the GS500, or the Ninja 250/500?  

All good choices....  

I don't think Yamaha or Honda make an entry level sport bike....  I can't think of one anyway...

The GS500F looks the best.  The Ninja 500R is hands down the best for the money.  I rode a 250R for 5 years, so that bike has some fond memories for me.  I am thinking of getting another one.    Park it next to my 10R.  I like the red for '06.  All 3 make for good first bikes.  You'll probably get bored less quickly on the 500s.  

Some others you might want to consider are the SV650, the new Ninja 650R, and Suzuki Katana 600.  Personally, I am on the fence for those 3 as maybe being too much for a beginner.

Used would be your best bet.  Occasionally these bikes are hard to find.  They might not be stupid fast, but they are fun to ride so many owners keep them after deciding to get something bigger.  And since they are good learner bikes, they usually sell quickly.  Another reason to get used, is many people drop their first bike.  It might even be something as silly as forgetting to put the kick stand down...  It is a lot easier to take dropping a $2000 or less used bike than a $5000 new one.  


Chris  

yeah, i was thinkin about those bikes... and then after about a year moving up to the Honda CBR600RR, anybody know anything about that bike? I've planned ahead, I havent even taken the safety course, but I want to know my plan before I do everything. So yeah, I need a bike that won't overwhelm me. So the GS500, the Ninja 200/500 are good?  

Well, take the course before you buy.  You might not like it...  Riding that is....

Yes, the GS500F and Ninja 250/500 are all good bikes.  I don't believe that there are many if any bad bikes out there.  Some are better than others...  But none are truely bad.  And some bikes are better at certain things than others, and vise versa.

And you should base your move up on seat time, not the calendar.  The more you ride, the better you'll get.  If you ride a lot and safely, you might be ready to move up in 6 months...  If you only ride 3 or 4 times a month, you might never have the skills for when you do decide to move up.

I did the 250 Ninja --> ZX-6R --> ZX-10R...  It took me 15 years to get to the 1000.    And in all honesty, the 10R is too much bike for me.  I love it, but at the same time...  It is unreal...  And I think I mentioned it earlier (or at least in a differt post) that I'd like to get another 250.  

Take your time, and enjoy the ride.


Chris  

some people told me today that even if i don't ride now, i'd probly grow tired after about a month if i got a 250. they said anything from 500-600 is the way to go. what do you think?  

The easy answer is that it is your money and your choice.  Cop out, I know.  

Will you be riding with others?  What do they ride?  And how do they ride?  

The 250 is fun and can keep up ok for speeds upto maybe 80 mph.  I've seen 120 on the speedo on mine (full exhaust, stage 3 jet kit, K&N pod filters, and a few other tweeks) which is in reality 105-110...  Not exactly slow, but it takes a little doing to get there.  Granted if they (your friends on bigger bikes) go WOT all the time, you might want to just meet someplace.  If the roads are curvy and the speeds are relatively low, a 250 can keep up with all but the fastest riders.  Think of a 250 like a small 4 cylendar car...  Cheep, fun but not really all that fast.  You'll need to do a lot of shifting to get/keep a 250 in the power.  Not really a problem, just the way you need to ride to go fast.  When you are going riding at a commuting pace, it'll get over 60 mpg.  Goto ninja250.com or .org for a lot more and better info on the 250.

The Ninja 500R has a bit higher limits.  I put about 900 miles on my wifes this Summer....  It is quite a bit quicker/faster than the 250.  Bigger engine, so this is obvious.    I think some of the mags say it'll do an honest 125 mph or so.  And it will probably out run a Mustang GT/Camero/TransAm in the quarter mile.  Don't do roll ons against them unless you are in the right gear.  You'll still need to shift on this bike to get the most out of it.  Again, not a problem.  And with a bigger engine, it'll accelerate better/quicker when you roll the throtle on.  So you probably won't need to down shift when passing on a two lane.  Or you can just for the fun of it.    I still down shift on my 10R, and I don't need to.    When I am riding it, the 500R gets about 50 mpg; and my wife gets about 55 mpg when she rides it.  This is her first bike and she is just getting the hang of it, where as I think I know what I am doing and tend to twist the thottle a little harder.    

I can't really comment on the GS500F, since I've never riden it.  It looks better than the little Ninjas, and from what I've read (magazines/online) it slots somewhere in between the 250 and 500 Ninja performance wise.

I can't really say if you'll get tired of any of these bikes.  I rode a 250 Ninja for 5 years....  A lot really depends on who you might ride with and what they ride.  Then again, if they are your friends, they'll let you keep up no matter what you ride.

Good luck and let us know what you get when you get it.



Chris  

The first bike I ever road was a ninja 250.  Anyways, I'd only buy a used bike as you're bound to drop it.  The "most powerful" bike I'd buy would be a late 90's 600 and you still need to be quite careful on those.  Anything newer will you get into trouble VERY quickly.  

first bike i had was a dirt bike. crashed it picked it up go again. im pretty sure binning it on pavement would have been more painful. that was fun. but id +1 on the course first. i should have done that myself thinking about it now. after the course id probably get an early r6 or cbr f4 but if you have the cash then go for what you like.  

I know ill get some heat for this but i advise a 600cc bike.  You will get tired of anything smaller quickly. Just be careful and wear all your gear!  

im also lookin for a first sport bike and i was thinkin a yamaha r6 but i need some advice is that going to be to much of a hand full for a new rider like me? eventually i want to get an r1 so also i need some advice on how to prepare for something that powerful  

I was in a similar situation just over a month ago. I'd never been on a bike before, took the MSF course, and loved it. I bought a Ninja 250 from a friend, and so far I've put over 2500 miles on it (in just over a month). I'm only just now starting to want a larger bike, and I might look into it next year. But as far as the Ninja 250 goes, unless you are a suicidal maniac, it will keep you entertained for quite a while, and the resale value is great. I certainly love it. I drive a 1994 Z28 Camaro,and the Ninja's performance is about the same as that(at speeds around 70 and under), so you are still going to be faster than most cars out there.  

wow i had no idea that a 250 would be that fast! are you serious? crap if the 250 will run with a camaro i definatly dont need a 600 to start with....... how bout to ninja 500r how fast are those? could a new rider handle one safely or would i need to just play it safe and go for a 250?  

*** i started on a 2000 zx12r. its in your throttle hand. If you got some sense you can ride anything good.I will admit that 2nd gear corner exits will eat your rear tire for lunch possibly resulting in changing your pants. The choice is yours. personaly i think a good idea if you got the cash would be to buy a 90 model bike and go from there.  

I just got the new 2008 yamaha r6s. I love it. Great bike. Ive always rode gsxr's but I love the new r6s. Very easy to ride.  

the gs500 is a good starter bike, my friend had one and i rode it home for him (about 55 miles) and it had plenty of power and very user friendly.  i have no experience with the ninja's though.  my friend has (2) 250's and a 650r.  250 should give you enough fun for the street.  its really up to you, go sit on a few bikes and see how they feel.  just dont go over your head, ride safe and always wear your gear.  good luck!