For the BEGINNER BIKER

[boingk]

In australia riders are limited to 250cc bikes for the first year of their licence and as I am going for my learners permit on friday I was wondering if someone could recommend some bikes in this range?
Im 18, 6 foot tall and 82 kg if thats of any importance[/quote]

yeah, i'm around the same stats as you maybe a bit lighter, but have you checked out the rta webstie yet? go to www.rta.nsw.gov.au and then check out the bikers section. somewhere it has a list of all available bikes, and they have recently approved up to 650cc bikes so long as their power is under 150 kilowatts per ton (calculated with an 80kg [200lb?] rider). hell, i'll just post the list here.

As from 6 September
2002 a Learner
Approved Motorcycle
(LAM) scheme for
novice riders (both
learner and
provisional) will
commence on a trial
basis. The LAM
scheme will allow
novice riders to ride
moderately powered
motorcycles with an
engine capacity up to
and including 660ml
and which do not
exceed a power to
weight ratio of 150
kilowatts per tonne
and are shown on this
list. The following list,
which will be adjusted
as new models are
approved by the RTA,
displays details of all
motorcycles that can
be ridden by learner
and provisional riders.
All in 0-260cc class,
with the exclusion of:
Suzuki RGV250
Kawasaki KR250
(KR-1 and KR1s
models)
Honda NSR250
Yamaha TZR250
Aprila RS250
In the 261-660cc class,
the following bikes are
acceptable for L’s and
P’s:


AJS:
MODEL 18
MODEL 30
APRILA:
MOTO 6.5
PEGASO 650
PEGASO 650 I.E.
ARIEL:
HUNTMASTER
RED HUNTER 350
RED HUNTER 500
BLTACO SHERPA

BMW :
F650
F650CS
F650GD
F650GS
F650ST
R50
R60
R60/5
R60/6
R65
R69

BSA:
B33
B50SS,
GOLDSTAR
EMPIRESTAR
GOLD STAR
GOLDEN FLASH
LIGHTNING
SPITFIRE MKIII
THUNDERBOLT

CAGIVA :
410TE
610TE
610TE-E

CANYON:
CANYON 500
CANYON 600
RIVER 600
W16 600

COSSACK 650

DNEPER K650

DOUG 350

DUCATI: 400 SS
JUNIOR
DM450
DM500
M620ie (24kw LITE)**
SL 500 PANTAH
SL 600 PANTAH

ENFIELD :
BULLET DELUXE
BULLET STD
TAURUS GASGAS
EC400
FSE400
SM400
SUPERMOTARD

HARLEY: SS350

HONDA:
600V TRANSALP
BROS
CB350
CB350F
CB400
CB400F
CB400N
CB400T
CB500
CX500
DEAUVILLE
NX650
FT500
REVERE
RVF400
SHADOW
SILVERWING
SL350
VT500
VT600C
XBR500
XL350
XL500
XL600
XL650 TRANSALP
XR350
XR350R
XR400R
XR500
XR600
XR600R
XR650L HUSABERG
FE(ENDURO)4E8
FE(ENDURO)5E8
FE(ENDURO)7E8
FE400
FE501
FE600
FE650

HUSQVANA :
350TE
400TE
410TE
430WR
510TE
610TE
610TE-E

INDIAN:741 STOUT [does it mean scout?]

JAWA:350

KAWASAKI :
EJ650A
EN450
ER500A
ER500C
EX400
EX500A
KL600
KL650A
KL650B
KL650C
KLE500A
KLX300B
KLX400B
KLX650B
KLX650C
KZ400
KZ440
KZ500
KZ550
LTD440
Z600A
Z650B
ZR550B

KTM:
EXC SERIES 300
EXC SERIES 360
EXC SERIES 380
EXC SERIES 400
EXC SERIES 510
EXC SERIES 525**
GS SERIES 300
GS SERIES 400
GS SERIES 450
GS SERIES 500
GS SERIES 550
GS SERIES 600
LC4 SERIES 300
LC4 SERIES 400
LC4 SERIES 500
LC4 SERIES 540
LC4 SERIES 550
LC4 SERIES 600
LC4 SERIES 625
LC4 SERIES 650
LAVERDA 500
MAICO 500

MATCHLESS :
600
650
G80 MAJOR

MONTESSA COTA:
MORINI 350 SPORT
500 STRADA
500W

MOTO GUZZI :
V35
V50
V65
MUZ BAGHIRA 660
SCORPIONREPLICA
SKORPION SPORT
SKORPION TOUR
MVAUGUSTA 350
MZ ETZ250

NORTON :
50
DOMINATOR
ES2
MODEL 88
PANTHER 600
650&
RICKMAN 650
ROYAL ENFIELD
650
RUDGEWHITHWO
RTH 650

SUZUKI:
AN650
DR350
DR350S
DR500
DR600R
DR650R
DR650RE
DR650RL
DR650RSL
DR650SE
DR-Z400E
GR650
GS450S
GS450SX
GS500E
GS500K
GS550
GSX400E
GSX400F
RE5
XF650
TM 300 ENDURO
TM300
TM400

TRIUMPH:
BONNEVILLE 650
SPEEDTWIN
T100 TIGER
T100R
DAYTONA 500
THUNDERBIRD 650
TROPHY 500
TROPHY 650
TRW25 URAL 650

VELOCETTE:
MAC 350
MSS 500

VENOM VOR :
400 ENDURO
450 ENDURO
500 ENDURO
530 ENDURO

YAMAHA :
RD400
RT350
SR500
SRX600
SZR660
TT350
TT600
TT600E
TT600R
TX650
WR400F
WR426F
WR450
XJ550
XJ650
XJR400
XP500

hope some people can make use of this

[hucurreyrry]

Hey guys, I'm new here, and am seriously considering getting into road biking. I have a Yamaha TTR250, so I have some considerable experience off road, but I was wondering what kind of differences you guys can point out first off, and what's a good transition bike for me from dirt to road? Any suggestions you guys have would be wonderful, thanks alot!

I'm pretty young, so lower insurance and higher gas mileage is a plus, but naturally I'll want it to be quick.

[DominicanRider]

hi, im planning to buy a brand new supersport bike but my question is what bike should i start with first?i never ride a mortcylce before but i ride on the dirt bike along time ago and i ask my friends what should i get n they all gave me different adivce i wish i could get the yamaha R1 but i think ill kill myself with that bike. i dont have my lisence yet but im getting it next month but ill have everything striaght with my motorcyle lisence later. yea so i want to kno what bike should start with give me some bike i should start with like yamah, honda, buell, susiki, and kwaski whatever you call that company.
NEED HELP

[TechTMW]

hucurreyrry - You may want to start of w/ a dual purpose or standard bike, which has a seating position similar to the dirt bikes you are used to. The Suzuki drz-400 and the Kawasaki klr-650 are good places to look. The Ducati Monster 620ie and the Kawasaki Ninja 500 / Suzuki GS500f are sportier bikes w/ friendlier seating positions.

DominicanRider - Best to start out with something like the Katana 600, gs500f, Ninja500 or Ninja 250. Try to find one used and learn on that for a while. If you want to eventually get a liter bike, you'll want at least a year on one of these smaller bikes.

Both of you need to enroll in the MSF (or equivalent) safety course to get you up to speed on street maneuvers and techniques which are different than those you are used to for the dirt.

[orFZ6rider]

My first bike was a Honda XL-250L... eight years ago... Now I own a 2005 Yamaha FZ6 and love it. Big difference, but I respect the bike and take it east during my transition.
thanks for all the great information on the web site..Glad to be here.

Safe riding,

[le_r0umain]

Hi guys,

I'm sooo new to all this. I dreamed of a bike since I was a kid. Now I can afford it. I'll take a 6 days course prior to getting my licence. Then I'll buy a Yamaha VStar 1100. I know it is bigger than you all recommend but that's what I dream of. I'll do my best to train on it properly but there's no way I would settle for less. (Of course I'll wear a full helmet )

[Sev]

Hi guys,

I'm sooo new to all this. I dreamed of a bike since I was a kid. Now I can afford it. I'll take a 6 days course prior to getting my licence. Then I'll buy a Yamaha VStar 1100. I know it is bigger than you all recommend but that's what I dream of. I'll do my best to train on it properly but there's no way I would settle for less. (Of course I'll wear a full helmet )

The biggest difference between a vstar 1100 and a vstar 650 is about 200 lbs. That's it. When you take into account the extra weight you aren't getting THAT much more for the engine. AND, you have a lot more to hold up when you come to a stop.

[prodigal15]

Im just getting into riding, and have never owned a bike before. I was thinking of looking into the ninja 500R as a first bike. Does anyone have any experence with this bike or does anyone have any suggestians? I am 6'2" and 180 if that makes any difference.

[blues2cruise]

I saw a few posts where some of the "regulars" posted a link to upload photos from our machines so that we may then post pictures in our posts.

However, I can't seem to find those posts. Can someone please provide the link so I can find the picture place?
Thanks.

[le_r0umain]

I've taken the motorcycling course and after dropping the provided Honda Rebel 250cc, I've learned my lesson. Gentle on the throttle when turning 'cause you can only lean so much...
Now I've already bought the aforementioned VStar 1100 and it's a great ride. I'm neither going too fast nor too hard. Just enjoying it.