Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hey, guys, I am completely new here. Seems like you guys have a very nice community going here; I'd like to be a part of it. I appreciate that there are places like this for noobs to find...

At any rate, I just paid for my MSF course today; I'll be taking it in January. I've been researching motorcycles online, along with gear (which is a lot more expensive than I'd thought) and general information about riding. Based on what I've read, I'd be looking for a starter bike, somewhere between 250cc and 500cc, since I'd be learning primarily in town.

I've always liked the cruiser-style bikes, and man, those Suzuki Boulevards were enticing...but I know that there's no way I'd be able to afford something like that, much less ride it; I've got to put my dreams on the back burner. The Honda Rebel 250 has a reputation for being a good beginner bike, but I'm concerned about my height - I don't want to feel cramped on the bike. Does anyone have any information about this?

(Apparently, there is also a Rebel 450, which might suit me better if the 250 is too small, but I have only seen one picture online; are they still manufactured? What's up with that?)

And finally, I was reading the review about the Kymco 250, which is bigger than your average 250. Does anyone have experience with these, and if so, are they sold in the US?

I'm sorry if my questions sound a bit stupid - please excuse the noobity. Thanks!

heh, noobity

Welcome to the forums!
Well i think the honda will last you a lifetime, but totalmotorcycle has a review on the kymco
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/reviews/ ... ruiser.htm
I hope thats the bike your talking about.

Some reviews on the honda. sorry your going to have to search down the page. http://www.hinshawsmotorcyclestore.com/ ... name=Honda

~Shelly

Lunchmeat- The only way you can tell if a Rebel 250 fits you is to go to a Honda dealer and ask to sit on one. By itself, your height measurement doesn't mean too much. Some people are long in the legs and some long in the torso. I'm 6' 1", but only have a 30" inseam (kinda built like a caveman! ) As well as leg room, pay attention to the reach to the handlebars and the fit of the seat.

I do not think there's a Rebel 450 currently sold in the USA (where are you, BTW? this is an international forum..). Often there is a big difference between what a company makes world wide, and what they're willing to get EPA certified in the USA. Go to Honda's UK website, for example, and you'll see many interesting models not sold in the USA.

Someone else will have to speak to the Kymco Venox 250.

The rebel 450 was only sold for 2 years and it is currently no longer made (yes they are available in the states). I've got a contractor at work who has one.

Honda rebel $3,200
Kymco 250 $4,300

If you are down to these two bikes, I would take the honda, even if it were more expensive than the kymco.
don't take my work for it though, get one that fits you.

Yeah, the Venox is the bike I was referring to.

I'm in Florida, in the USA. Didn't realize this was international...I might have guessed but I didn't really think about it. Might have to tweak my intro a bit.

I've got moderately long legs, I suppose...and people say I have long arms. As you said, I'll have to go sit on one to find out...when I do sit-test it, though, is there anything in particular I should look for besides basic comfort? It's kinda stupid, but I don't know how a bike should "feel"...

And if you don't mind me asking, Shelly, you say you'd take the rebel hands down - what are your reasons?

lunchmeat, if you're still taking ideas on other bikes to look at, try browsing at the Vulcan 500s. That would be a real good medium bike to handle. DH is 5'9" ~200 and his Vulcan 400 (we're in JPN) has been a great bike for him.

As already mentioned, any bkes you have in mind, find a specimen to sit on and get a feel. That's be like trying to buy new boots and not trying them on for fit.

Welcome to the forum


I sat on a REbel 250 and it fit me like a glove. I am 5'3" 110lbs and a 29" inseam. DH also sat on it and it felt tiny for him.

If you sit on several bikes, you'll start to get the idea of what feels right and what doesn't. Again, like trying on boots. Either ots comfy or its slightly off.



hijack: logitech, if your sig pic is suppose to say "sayonara" (spelled sayounara - the "u" makes the "o" sound longer), its mispelled All it says now is "sainara"

lunchmeat wrote:And if you don't mind me asking, Shelly, you say you'd take the rebel hands down - what are your reasons?

Well, it's a huge brand. Good tech support, great quality compared to many other bike brands, I have tried a lot. I own 2 honda's, never a problem, ever. Kymco, well, it's pretty much an offbrand in my opinion. I would ONLY choose the rebel if i had to choose between the honda and the Kymco. The rebel is not the bike for me.

shorts wrote:hijack: logitech, if your sig pic is suppose to say "sayonara" (spelled sayounara - the "u" makes the "o" sound longer), its mispelled All it says now is "sainara"

argg, stu** stink** garbage...flabbin..Language! Japanese is hard...
thanks for catching that

sigh,
~Shelly

logitech104 wrote: argg, stu** stink** garbage...flabbin..Language! Japanese is hard...
thanks for catching that

sigh,
~Shelly

lol tell me about it, we're in the middle of it all. We're taking privates lessons, using this text: http://www.genki-online.com/

Anyway, here's the hiragana spelling: さようなら

さ = sa
よ = yo
う = u
な = na
ら = ra

arigatou for the link, and the spelling!
how hard do you find the language? It's easy for me but the memorization is just killing me...
Simple lang, too many characters. Oh and the verb? Screws me every time.

I gotsa change me sig.

~Shelly