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Hi,
I'm looking around for bikes under $2000 and it looks like most are Rebels or other 250s. Are these powerful enough for a 6'3, 205 lb guy? Should I look for something a little bigger?

Thanks,
Chapman

The short answer for your short question is YES. You are a big guy. However if your riding skills suck, then the answer is NO.

My first bike is a 1986 Rebel 250 I got last summer. Great bike to learn on! Faster than "traffic" up to 55mph if you romp on it, will cruise at 70mph but it's running hard. I've had it just a tad over 80 but that was wide open.

So I give it a thumbs-up for anything but freeway riding, but you shouldn't be doing that as a beginner anyway. The Rebel will be great for learning to ride and especially the most-difficult low-speed handling will be safer and easier on a small light bike.

After 6k miles on the Rebel, I bought a CB750, and the transition was very easy for me. I expect to sell the Rebel this spring and get all my money back. Glad I got it.....definately!!!!

...though you are about 6" taller than me. Sit on one and see if you feel cramped. The new models in dealerships are identical to 80's models with the exception of the side covers and few mechanical parts changes over the years.

I just sold my 85 Rebel. I found that it didn't really want to go much faster than 55, although with some coaxing I am sure that it would have.
The larger issue for you is going to be your height. I am 5'6" and the Rebel was terrible uncomfortable for me to ride. After about ten minutes my legs felt cramped and my tail bone hurt because of where it was hitting the back of the seat. Otherwise, it was a great bike to learn on.

Actually the issue is your inseam. I'm comfortable with a 32" inseam. Much more then that however would probably require highway bars or forward controls. I've cruised on mine at 70mph 2-up (approx 260lbs) so your weight shouldn't be an issue.

it will be too small for you.

I'm 6'0 with a 30" inseam, and I wanted to chop my legs off when I sat on one.

Plus, I looked ridiculous sitting on it.

Everyone has a different opinion on this matter and regardless of what people tell you, it IS always an opinion and much of it is based on your riding skills. In my OPINION a 250 is WAY too small for you. Also how long do you plan on keeping the bike for? In my OPINION you are going to get sick of it really fast, especially if you plan on riding with experienced riders anytime soon. I would say start by taking the MSF course, then... if you like the cruiser style bikes start out with a 750cc+ or if you like sport bikes 600cc+. I stared with a Honda Shadow Spirit 750 and got bored with it after just 1 season... you might have a different experience but this seems to happen to many people I meet. I just bought a Buell XB12S (1200cc) standard/naked sport bike and I have no problem with the size/speed and this bike rocks...

Chapman wrote:Hi,
I'm looking around for bikes under $2000 and it looks like most are Rebels or other 250s. Are these powerful enough for a 6'3, 205 lb guy? Should I look for something a little bigger?

Thanks,
Chapman

They are great bikes to learn on - and for some just a great bike in general. You can't beat the fuel economy or the light weight for convenience. Most dudes find them too small after your skills improve - many move on to larger bikes. But it's all personal preference. There's hundreds of thousands of bikers putting in millions of miles on 125cc bikes all over the world on a daily basis. My two cents is that it's a great bike to learn on and maybe even ride for a few years in an urban environment. At your size though you may ultimately want to get a bigger bike if you plan on lots of miles at higher speeds. Nothing says you can't ride it for a season and then sell it and get a bigger one - they hold their value quite well. There's always someone looking for a small bike to learn on and those can be hard to come by in the US market.

cb360 wrote:There's hundreds of thousands of bikers putting in millions of miles on 125cc bikes all over the world on a daily basis.

That would be me then, up to the point where some little brats stole my beloved ride...

And yes I am now trading up, once I am licenced, to a 1983 CB250 Superdream so I can do motorways. (My 125cc wasnt very pleasant at the 65-70mph mark)

The thought process is, you arent buying your last bike - you are buying your first.

Have fun with it. As and when you are ready for larger rides you can sell it for pretty much what you paid for it, unless you totalled it, in which case you might as well be totalling a cheap bike.

Oh yes, and welcome.