Deciding on engine size for 1st street bike

[WVUChrome]

I'm looking into getting my first street bike sometime this spring/summer. I'm having a hard time deciding on what size engine to get. I've ridden a 1980 Honda XL250S enduro off-road only for the last couple of years. I'm confident in my ability to handle a clutch and riding in off-road conditions. I do understand that off-road experience does not equal street experience by any means. That is what brings me to my problem.

At first, I was interested in the Kawasaki 250R as I've heard nothing but good things about it as a learners bike, and I actually like the style of it. I was turned off from the descision when I found out it can struggle on steep grades at 70mph (interstate speed here in WV). I'd like to be able to take the bike from here to home (~220 miles on the interstate). I then began to look at 500cc bikes, and the Suzuki GS500F began to look more appealing to me. Like the Kawa, I heard many good things about it. One common complaint was how the bike felt "out of place" at interstate speeds.

I am very hesitant to look into 600cc bikes both for insurance reasons and the risks that comes with a faster bike. I've been told that a Suzuki Katana would not be too bad since I do have experience on bikes before. What do you guys think about it? I'm a little worried about having too much power. I've looked at older Katanas and they are in my price range, just not sure about them as a learner. Have any other suggestions?

Here's more what I'm looking for:
Ability to maintain 70mph for 200 miles
Comfortable during a 200 mile ride once a month
I'm 5'8 and 185lbs, so nothing very tall
As close to $3000 or less OTD. No more than maybe $3500.
The bike needs to be VERY reliable. I am mechanically inclined, but I can't afford working on a bike all the time. When I need it to go, it needs to go.

Thanks for your guys help.

Later,
WVUChrome...

[VermilionX]

the katana600 should be fine if you can manage its heavy weight. you can probably find an older model katana for $3500.

i also suggest you consider the SV650S. you can buy lower fairings for it if you want your sportbikes fully faired. IMO, it's better than a katana.

this SV is 2003 and above. pre-2003 models are kinda meh in design IMHO.


good luck!

[MotoF150]

As a former dirt bike rider, you won't be happy with a heavy cruiser bike, get a lighweight street bike with the footpegs in the same postion as ur dirt bike, make sure you get a street bike with radial tires, it makes a big difference, the Ninja 250 or 500, or 650 is a good choice, the V Strom 650, the Yamaha FZ6, or the Honda 599 , any would be a good choice. If it was me I would take the Yamaha FZ6.

[gsJack]

I've crossed West Virginia at least 8 times on I77 at an indicated 75-80 mph doing the approx 400 mile first day to Wythesville VA from NE Ohio on a GS500. No problem, the GS will do it all day long if you can. We went down there to play in the Smokies for a few years. No problem negotiating the mountain backroads and the BRP is a blast on a GS, particularly the more mountainous part from I77 south to US19 where we stayed in Maggie Valley a few times.

Don't think you'd have any problem with the GS500 or the Ninja 500, two good choices for a first street bike. Nothing wrong with the Ninja 650, the SV650 or even the 599 or FZ6 with your off road experience, but they are more expensive to buy, more expensive to insure, and more expensive to operate. I get a solid 60 mpg all summer and never drop below about 50-55 mpg in the winter.

I've never ridden a Ninja 250 but when you say it won't go fast enough for 70 mph freeway travel, you make me want to ride one down to the Smokies across WV. It has a 100 mph top speed and 6 gears doesn't it? Those top 2 or three gears would be quite happy as needed on the interstates.

Have you read this:

http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1145

[Scott58]

I rode across WV last year on my Rebel 250 and had no trouble maintaining 75mph+. A ninja 250 is much more capable then a Rebel at maintaining speed on the interstate. You either got bad info, there was something wrong with the bike or the guy that was riding it weighed about 400 lbs.

[Dragonhawk]

At first, I was interested in the Kawasaki 250R as I've heard nothing but good things about it as a learners bike, and I actually like the style of it. I was turned off from the descision when I found out it can struggle on steep grades at 70mph (interstate speed here in WV).

That is a lie and a myth from people who have never owned one.

My first bike was a Ninja 250 and I put over 16,000 miles on it before I got a new bike. I never had any trouble keeping up with traffic. I commuted on it for 45 minutes a day on Los Angeles highways. I rode it in the mountains. I took it from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

It tops out at about 105MPH. Anyone who says it lacks power for the highway doesn't know what they are talking about.

I made this site to tell beginners about different bikes they might consider when they are learning to ride. Check it out:
www.CaliforniaBikeNights.com/learn

[VermilionX]

i know somebody who had a 250 before and he used it on ACH. he said the thing is just sturggling up high over there.

i dunno how the highways are on WV but the elevation was probably the reason the person said it was struggling.

[Dragonhawk]

i know somebody who had a 250 before and he used it on ACH. he said the thing is just sturggling up high over there.

i dunno how the highways are on WV but the elevation was probably the reason the person said it was struggling.

That is COMPLETELY different.

A Ninja 250 has carbs, not fuel-injection. Angeles Crest Highway reaches almost 8000 feet in altitude in some places. THAT is why it was sluggish on that road. Keep the Ninja 250 below 3000 feet and it's fine. Starts to slow down a little at 4000 and gets noticably slower at 5000. Any internal-combustion engine that doesn't have fuel-injection is gonna get significantly slower at 8000 feet.

The original poster lives in West Virginia. The highest point in all of West Virginia is Spruce Knob, at 4861 feet, in the Circleville District of Pendleton County. Altitude shouldn't be an issue there.

[gsJack]

A Ninja 250 has carbs, not fuel-injection. Angeles Crest Highway reaches almost 8000 feet in altitude in some places. THAT is why it was sluggish on that road. Keep the Ninja 250 below 3000 feet and it's fine. Starts to slow down a little at 4000 and gets noticably slower at 5000. Any internal-combustion engine that doesn't have fuel-injection is gonna get significantly slower at 8000 feet.

My 02 GS500 has carbs as did my 97 GS500E and both have been above 6000 feet with no noticeable loss of performance. Neither was re-jetted and the 97 was a bit too lean, but the 02 with it's new 3 circuit carbs to replace the previous 2 circuit ones is much more flexible. Of course I tend to keep it in the 7-9000 rpm range in the mountains and I might be cruising only in the 6-7000 rpm range on the interstates.

You just don't ride a 1/4 or 1/2 liter bike like you do a liter bike. It needs all of it's six speeds.



We took the side road up Mt Mitchel which goes up to about 6600 feet.
My old 97 GS:

[Sev]

i know somebody who had a 250 before and he used it on ACH. he said the thing is just sturggling up high over there.

i dunno how the highways are on WV but the elevation was probably the reason the person said it was struggling.

That is COMPLETELY different.

A Ninja 250 has carbs, not fuel-injection. Angeles Crest Highway reaches almost 8000 feet in altitude in some places. THAT is why it was sluggish on that road. Keep the Ninja 250 below 3000 feet and it's fine. Starts to slow down a little at 4000 and gets noticably slower at 5000. Any internal-combustion engine that doesn't have fuel-injection is gonna get significantly slower at 8000 feet.

The original poster lives in West Virginia. The highest point in all of West Virginia is Spruce Knob, at 4861 feet, in the Circleville District of Pendleton County. Altitude shouldn't be an issue there.

For the record I have sort of the same problem with my 599. It is also a carbed bike, and I find that when I go through the mountains I need to keep the revs about 1000rpm faster to maintain the same sort of riding then what I would if I were riding where I live.