Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I've been looking to get a beginner bike to learn on. I recently heard about this Suzuki GZ250 that seems like a good deal.

It has 1500 miles on it. It's red with a few dings and scratches. The guy is selling it for 1100$.

Do people think that's a reasonable price? Going into winter I've seen people trying to get rid of their bikes for less than that. I feel like I could get a better deal on an older bike that might need some work, but should I get a newer one instead?

I don't know where you live, but that's certainly below blue book value for a '01 GZ250 in my area (south NJ). Condition is everything. Is the bike running? Does it start up right away? Ever been dropped or in an accident, or are the scratches just from general wear? How old are the tires? If they're the original tires, they need to be replaced, even if they only have 1500 miles. Is the battery original?

Unless you're experienced working on bikes or have strong mechanical skills, I'd lean towards spending more and buying newer for a first bike. You'll want to spend your time riding, not wrenching.

I would like to get this, but the guy seems firm on price. It's more than I wanted to spend. Going into Winter there is only about 1 month or less of good riding weather.