Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hello,

Since I am new here, I'll introduce myself.
I just recently got a new job in the booming oil industry of Calgary Alberta, moving from London Ontario.

I moved in with some friends I knew from London, and they have both been riding bikes for a few years (3 and 5 years). They quite often go on trips towards Banff and the Rockies and they say it is just gorgeous. I also could use a fairly inexpensive way of getting around town, since I sold my car when moving here.

So I'm looking for a bike to get started on.
Here are a couple of my options at the moment:

2007 Ninja 250: There is a used one available at one of the local shops with low KMs. Sounds like a great starter bike, but I'm getting some heavy flak from the roommates that it is an awful bike for cruising/highway driving, which would be my eventual goal. Going for $3,850

2007 GS500F: A bit of a bigger bike, but still in that beginner range. A bit more expensive at $5,000 (also used), something I may be able to hold on to for a bit longer.

2007 SV650S: One roomate has had this bike for a little less than a year and is looking to get something a bit bigger, I may be able to get this from him for a great price.

Just looking basically for some advice on which bike to get, and if the ninja will really be that bad on the Trans Can.

Well, first off
Second. Thank you! For knowing which bikes are sensible starters, and being willing to start on them!
Personally out of those three, for a starter, I'd recommend the GS500. Nice power, low weight, but still manageable for a newbie!
Third, might want to meet up with Sev from this forum and see what advice he has for you. He works at one of your local shops (service writer/mechanic) and I'm sure he'd be willing to take the time to look with you at new bikes!
Wrider

Thanks a lot for the help!
The new bikers sticky at the top says I should be able to get a used GS500 for 1.5-3k. Is this 5k a ripoff, or just because it is last years model with only a couple thousand kms on it that it is so much more expensive.

Joelseph wrote:Thanks a lot for the help!
The new bikers sticky at the top says I should be able to get a used GS500 for 1.5-3k. Is this 5k a ripoff, or just because it is last years model with only a couple thousand kms on it that it is so much more expensive.

Joelseph,

I agree with you on that. I feel the same way. I bought a new Ninja 250 cause everyone was selling the used ones at practically the same price as the new!

Sev might be a tiny bit out of your way, as he works in Edmondchuk...

But I think you already have a great sense of which way to go. I think you'll find wriders comments close to "right on" about the GS500, but some will tell you the SV might be the way to go, (If you know it's been treated well)


Oh by the way, Welcome to the site...

Thanks a lot for all the input everyone. I'm taking all of it into consideration.

You've been a great help!

Since I've been asked to toss my 2 cents into the pot I'll mix metaphores and make myself look like a complete "O Ring".

1) Don't get the '07 250. They had a full redesign in '08 and you can get a brand new one with a warranty for under or around $4500. It's lighter, faster, and much better looking. It is more then capable of highway miles, though you'll have trouble with two-up. That's rarely an issue when you're first learning. It has the added benefit of you being able to resell it for close to what you paid for it.
2) The GS500 is a great bike, it'll serve you well no matter what you decide to do with it. I have no personal experience with this bike mind you.
3) The SV650 is a great bike, lots of grunt, good price etc etc etc. Along the same lines you might consider the ninja 650. Both are basically the same bike. Just two different ways of going about it. V-twin vs parallel.

Ultimately you're looking in the right direction, now the key is to start sitting on the bikes.

Something Wrider didn't take into account is that Canada is not 2km across. I live in Edmonton (about 3hours North). So a casual shopping trip is basically out of the question. However, if you're willing to either wait for warmer weather I might be talked into takinga ride down to Calgary to look at bikes with you. Alternately, if you want to come up here when I've got a day off I'd be willing to do the same thing.

Best Regards, and good luck.

Lol ok so I made a mistake! Either way, I still vote for the GS500... IMO one of the best beginner bikes!
Wrider

I was quite impressed with the new Ninja 250 at the recent CW bike show. Like Sev mentioned, the new 08 was retuned for better everyday performance with more torque at lower rpm's. I like small bikes and that one looks like a real sportbike now. CW ran a comparo of small scooters and bikes including the EX250 called Petrol Pinchers a couple years ago and I saved some one liners from it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/ ... nchers.jpg

Ran into this forum thread about a Busa guy that did 700 miles on the baby Ninja that intrigued me:

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

Now on to the GS500 which is a good beginners bike as well as a good all around bike and yes I am biased. Bought a new 97 GS500E in 99 after wearing out 4 Hondas and put 80k miles on it and when it was totalled in 03 I bought a 02 naked GS500 to replace it and put 57k miles on it so far. More than a beginners bike, it's a good all around bike too. I did 400-500 mile interstate days on the GSs traveling from NE Ohio area over to upstate NY and south to the Smoky Mtns to play in the mountains with friends on bigger bikes.

You will need some experience to run with your more experienced friends bigger bikes but it can be done, you will probably want a bigger engined bike after you get that experience but you won't really need one and a bike like the GS500 or a Ninja 500 doesn't have the overly powerful engine with abrupt throttle or the powerful brakes that can get a new rider into trouble.

Joelseph wrote:2007 Ninja 250: There is a used one available at one of the local shops with low KMs. Sounds like a great starter bike, but I'm getting some heavy flak from the roommates that it is an awful bike for cruising/highway driving, which would be my eventual goal.

Your roomates are clueless.

Anyone who says the Ninja 250 is too small falls into one of 2 categories:
1. They have never ridden one.
2. They have ridden one, but they have no clue how to ride. (This applies even if the rider has been a motorcyclist for decades.)

I put 16,000 miles on a Ninja 250 on the highways of Los Angeles. I even rode it up to Sacramento and San Francisco (over 6 hours to get up there). They are NOT too small. They are NOT too slow. (They don't hold up too well against a Honda Civic changing lanes into them on the 101, but no motorcycle really does.)