Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I had three years on a dual (Kawa KL250) in my youth and myself and my young (then) wife went everywhere and did everything on that bike, including holidays. We even put it on a train once or twice. Man , that bike was fun and I never once thought it lacked power. I kinda gave up on bicycles about the same time I stopped sucking my thumb.

You are saving and plodding around on your bicycle, because of your unwillingness to ride a 250. (Nice ... go 35mph tops instead of 95) Great that's your choice. Have fun.

Like I said I live on campus. It's a LOT more practical to have a bicycle than a motorcycle.

For one a motorcycle can't go ona sidewalk (well, not legally at least).

Two, there's no parking near the buildings where my classes are at.

Three, I live in the center of campus. My classes radiate around my dorm. Streets don't even get to a lot of my classes.


It'd be very impracticle as well as a downright hassle to use my motorcycle to get to and from class. That and I'd have to buy a permit for every lot that was near every one of the buildings that my classes are in (about 6 different permits there) which run about $100 each.

Now tell me that a 250cc is still a good idea.

What works for you may not work for everyone

He got One opinion, and he got another .... that's what we're here for

I never said that my opinion was absolute.

But I would still think it wise to save his $1000 for a bike he won't outgrow and that he can use for everything. Commuting and just riding.


But it's a matter of whether he thinks the $1000 is worth the ride time he gets vs the bike he wants.

Shiv - Your logic is based on the bike being worth nothing in a year (or whenever he sells it). He's not "wasting $1000", he's using it for transportation and will probably get back $800+. Look at the prices of used bikes, after a certain time (8 yrs), an older model year only drops the price by tens of dollars.

That's exactly the reasoning I went through when I got my '92 GS500 last month, it was $800, its a great starter bike, if I outgrow it in a year I'll sell it for maybe $100 less which means I paid $10/month to ride this particular bike (not counting insurance). Good deal in my book and a no brainer.

Of course, he has to make his own decision, based on everyone's differing viewpoints.

True enough.

By the way where'd you get a GS500 for $800? I'd kill for a deal like that....where do you live

But seriously did you get it off cycletrader or just locally?

250s are fine for city commuting. Ever been to an asian capital city? There's millions of 125s getting people to and from work every single day.

The money on a used bike isn't gone unless he wrecks it. I see used rebel250s still selling for $1500 and up that are 20 years old. My wife got an '01 with 6k miles on it for $1650 - if I want to advertise it and deal with tire kickers I have little doubt I could move it for 2k or close. Not that I bought the bike to make money - but to hear some people tell it buying a 250 is like setting fire to your wallet.

Shiv wrote:But it's a matter of whether he thinks the $1000 is worth the ride time he gets vs the bike he wants.

The bike i want i wont get. A BMW k1200s. That would be a dream bike, but no way im gettin that as a first bike, and probably not a 2ed bike. I think im going to get the 250. Its a good deal, and its a good bike to start on.


Thanks for the help all



JWF

JWF505 wrote:
The bike i want i wont get. A BMW k1200s. That would be a dream bike,
JWF

You want what I have, good choice man, but you better take out some life insurance, can I be the beneficiary

All jokes aside, go with what you are comfortable with, if you are into biking it never goes away and you will have many bikes over the years.

Shiv - I'm in SanFran and that bike was local, a buddy I play poker with found out I was taking the MSF course and said "I've got the perfect bike for you". He had recently bought an Aprilia and his old bike was just sitting around.

It was a good deal but not amazing, I checked used bike prices (its 14 yrs old after all) and it was on the low side but not way low. Personally, it was a great deal considering that I knew him and how he treated the bike. If he sold me a lemon he'd hear about it for months & months so I knew the bike was in good shape.

Went out for my first 'night ride' last night (thanks daylight savings time, grrr). Was not as scary as I thought and I think the big light on the front made me more visible to the clueless cagers.... next stop on the learning train, highways...