New biker looking to get his first bike!

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Duffy · #11 Unread post by **Duffy** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:05 pm

After my post I've been reading into this forum alot more

and I eventually did find alot of feedback about the 250 and all of it good. I see now that my friends aren't so knowing as they think they are and I am confident now in my choice and I'll just ignore the flak that they give me cuz I'll be laughing all the way to the bank :motorcycle:

Thanks for such a great site!! It's Extremely helpful!

jonnythan · Fri Apr 27, 2007 3:47 pm

Duffy wrote:After my post I've been reading into this forum alot more and I eventually did find alot of feedback about the 250 and all of it good. I see now that my friends aren't so knowing as they think they are and I am confident now in my choice and I'll just ignore the flak that they give me cuz I'll be laughing all the way to the bank

Thanks for such a great site!! It's Extremely helpful!

They'll probably be pretty surprised when you're comfortably hitting 75 on that Ninja

Flipper · #13 Unread post by **Flipper** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 5:04 pm

Duffy,
Here is an interesting write up on the Ninja 250.
I think it would be a great first bike.
http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1145

Dragonhawk · Fri Apr 27, 2007 9:28 pm

Duffy wrote:They told me that it will be struggling on the highway and I'll have a problem merging onto it because the bike won't have the omph to bring it up to speed. It'll be topped out at 55...that I might as well just buy a scooter etc etc etc.....

Whaaaaatever. Your friends are clueless.

My Ninja 250 could do 105MPH out on a deserted desert highway.

Er... Um... I mean, I THINK it could. I never went over 55MPH. (ahem)

Duffy · #15 Unread post by **Duffy** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 2:55 am

Well, they were joking around at my expense that at 55 the machine will be screaming whheeeeee, cuz it would have no more juice. But I can see that is completely false. And I look forward to demonstrating that in the near future when I pass them

I read that write up and it was done really well. At first I though it was a editorial for a magazine or something

I am just going to ignore the guys, let them laugh it up and make thier remarks all they want. It'll be fun to see their silenced, shocked faces when my baby ninja throws it back at them. Then they can look down at thier over priced wheels and

IcyHound · #16 Unread post by **IcyHound** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 3:42 am

Let them be stupid.

As a new rider (on a 500, but also a mocked starter bike) you will realize that your own inability is the problem, not the bikes ability. Every sloppy 90 degree turn, every poor line in a curve, every time you stall out and whack the throttle open to start will tell you that its you and not the bike.

Perhaps I am old, but I don't really see the need to go 100mph. In VA it will get my arrested. Just not worth my time or my job (considering I work for a PD being arrested is bad.)

When you don't have to worry about breathing to hard to send your bike into orbit, you get to learn. You get to say 'lets start working on these line angels into turns' and you can practice on your bike. You can go and do hazards and emergency stops and actually learn how to ride. Getting on a bike and going in a straight line is only one aspect of riding the bike.

The 250 will force you to shift up and down constantly. Instead of being a pain in the butt this will teach you a brake/throttle/shifting control that you would lack in a bike with a larger power band.

And you can get out of trouble on these bikes. That lack of power is great for when you need to stop doing something very quickly.

In the end, its not that the bike is lacking in anything. This assumption that only a huge four digit number bike is adequate for anything is not only absurd, its rediculious.

Duffy · #17 Unread post by **Duffy** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:04 am

How true. I look forward to learning the basics, but I think it is going to be even better now cuz I will be getting in more practice on shifting and such like you said. I don't care to go screaming down the highway. I know that you have to respect that they are inherently dangerous and it only takes a second for something to happen. I prolly will just drive it like I do in my car, usually 10 miles over the speed limit and in middle lane going with the flow. I think it will be so much fun to ride though I may take the backroads to and from work.

Thank you to everyone for your input.

gsJack · #18 Unread post by **gsJack** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:13 am

I only went 100 mph once on a bike and that was in the mountains just north of Lake George, NY back in 02 at age 69. But I still love to run the twisties at a spirited pace. It's not how old you are, it's how old you ride that matters.

I've done the last 120k of my 350k miles on a couple of GS500s and had a ball doing it. I've had many say "hope I can ride like that when I'm your age" and I reply "you can, I couldn't ride that way either when I was your age."

Don't let others BS opinions affect your choice of a bike, you will become a much better rider much sooner if you start with a EX250/500 or GS500 if your inclined towards a sportbike or a 500-900cc size if your inclined towards a cruiser.

Respect is earned on the streets and tracks, not purchased at the bike store.

Dragonhawk · Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:29 am

Duffy wrote:How true. I look forward to learning the basics, but I think it is going to be even better now cuz I will be getting in more practice on shifting and such like you said. I don't care to go screaming down the highway.

See? Then a Ninja 250 is PERFECT. Because you shift ALL the time, and you can't scream down the highway.

It's a great bike to learn on. I had mine for about 13,000 miles before I got rid of it ... or was it 16,000? I can never remember anymore. Whatever. It was fun and it's a great way to begin.

Remember - even flying off your motorcycle at high speed is fun! Weeeeee! ... It's that whole LANDING part that kinda sucks.