Thinking of getting a bike

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Dave Sherman

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Hoping some seasoned folks might offer some tips. Years ago I got my learner's permit for a summer, and rode my dad's old Honda CL-100 bike. Neat little bike, but extremely lightweight, lousy traction with skinny tires, very little power, and a just a little scary riding it on the highway to take my test.

A couple friends of mine kind of got the bug back in me, and giving some thought to getting a small bike. I live close to where I work, and I can take back roads to get there. I've been looking at both the Honda Rebel 250 and the Yamaha V-star 250 (I think it used to be called the Virago), and I'll admit I like the looks of the Yamaha. Only trouble is I don't have a permit and it's been years since I've ridden a bike. Any thoughts?
 
Only one thought: go to www.msf-usa.org and see when they're holding classes in your area. You'll learn a lot. A friend of mine who's ridden for over 20 years attended the Basic Rider's class with a friend of hers who was starting out and didn't want to go to class alone, and she said that even she learned some things.
 
Safety class first. Then test ride both bikes. The Rebel is not in the Honda line-up for 2011, but there are plenty of leftovers from the 10 model year. It's a great bike, not much power, but for short commutes, and leisurely back road rides it's a perfectly reliable and willing partner.
 
You might look at a used Ninja 250. It does not have the "sport bike" posture that kills your back, but a nice normal "sit" to it.

MANY new riders buy a Ninja 250 and then sell it to get a bigger bike so they are EVERYWHERE with low mileage. You see them on Ebay with 129 miles on them (sure...you are skilled and ready for that SUPERBIKE after 129 miles on the road!) No real need to get a big bike as they are a nice ride. I have done an 800mile interstate day on my Wife's 250 with no problem.
 
The seceret to living as long as possible on a motorcycle is to remember you never have the right of way and every vehicle on the road is out there to kill you . A helmet and proper shoes ,gloves and jacket is so important. I survived M/C riding !!!
 
Originally Posted By: Steve S
The seceret to living as long as possible on a motorcycle is to remember you never have the right of way and every vehicle on the road is out there to kill you . A helmet and proper shoes ,gloves and jacket is so important. I survived M/C riding !!!


+1000
 
I'm a former MSF instructor. The classes in Ohio are only 25.00, and passing the course will meet the states requirements to get your endorsement. There is no better way to learn the basics of riding than in this course. Check out the website linked above. Classes will fill up quickly, and it's about the time that the schedules are released.
 
+1 on MSF course.

It was a requirement to get my 125 license at 15. The only thing I needed to learn from Driver's Ed the following year was how to parallel park. I had already learned everything else + many other useful things in MSF.

Most people do upgrade from a 250. Rather than drop $4000 on a V-star 250 you can get it's more chromed Chinese Clone from American Lifan dealers for about $2500.

1) it is Chinese and may require a bit of tinkering. Some of us like that stuff.
2) Resale value is going to stink...but it will for the Yamaha as well.
3) It is Chinese, and that may be reason enough to avoid it right there. But American Lifan seems to be one of the rare Chinese motorcycle companies with a modicum of quality control. I had a blast riding their 200cc Honda knockoff OHV single "sportbike". Reminded me so much of my CB125, but with better brakes. If I ever have $1500 of disposable income just sitting around I might actually pick one up just for the eventuality of $5.00 a gallon gas, something to tinker with, and trips that do not require freeway speeds.

You could probably get a decent clean Vulcan 500 for the price of a new V-Star 250. It'll take a little longer to outgrow that.
 
Don't ride them .Too much traffic on the road now.You could be the safest rider ever,but it won't help when a car or truck pulls out in front of you.
 
Get your permit again. If you buy a bike, there are lots of older rebels around for cheap . Take the safety course if you want. If you buy a brand new bike and drop it, you'll feel worse then if you drop a 15 year old one. Practice on quiet side roads or parking lots to give you the feel of the bike. Find some experienced riders to help get your feet wet. Whatever you do resist the urge to buy a non- dot helmet. Get a real helmet and gloves, and boots. Take your time and enjoy the ride.my 2 cents.,,
 
I was on the way to a dealer to buy an '05 VStar 250 with 2500 miles for $2995.

I happened to call a Honda dealer I had to pass to get there, and they had an '07 Honda Shadow 600 with 1500 miles for $3500.

Perfect bike for me. Not too big, not too small. Most people upgrade from the 250 pretty quickly, whether they should or not. The Shadows are pratically bulletproof, not too heavy, and have passing power on the highway. At a steady 60 mph, I get 65 mpg.

Start off with a used bike. You can get an excellent deal on a low mileage bike. So many people buy one, decide they don't want to ride, or upgrade. Let them take the depreciation. Then you can sell it, get all or most of your money back.
 
Riding a bike can get addictive. Same for the wife on the back, That's called 2-up riding. Hard thing to describe. It's not for everyone though.
 
Thanks all for the info, and it looks like that safety course would be very worthwhile. It's nice that they provide the bikes to learn on and prefer you use them, so I don't have much to lose if I just take the course. If so many people upgrade from a 250, then it seems like it shouldn't be too hard to find a used one. I agree that used would probably be better in my case; cheaper and less heartache if I drop it. Thanks again!
 
Don't get hung up on engine displacement. The size and configuration of the frame to best fit you is a critical factor. There aren't many (any?) 250 bikes made these days with a frame to fit a long-legged person. And, some mid-sized engines aren't too powerful that you'd surprise yourself and wreck...and some are.

A few 650s like the Suzuki S-40 and the Yamaha V-star are good starter bikes if that frame size and configuration works for you. A Kawasaki Ninja 250 is an excellent starter bike with the same caveats. A dual-sport 400 can be a great choice. Try as many different bikes as you can get on at the training class, then sit on lots of bikes at dealerships. Decide what frame configuration you want...standard, cruiser, dual-sport, sport bike, then get closer to finding the good used starter bike for you.
 
Originally Posted By: MrMeeks
Don't ride them .Too much traffic on the road now.You could be the safest rider ever,but it won't help when a car or truck pulls out in front of you.

A tree may fall on him or maybe he'll get hit by a car while walking down the sidewalk. Yeah, he probably shouldn't even go out the door in the morning, just to be safe.

Wait! He may slip and fall in the shower or trip and fall down the stairs. After all, the home is the most dangerous place to be. Considering this, I recommend he just stay in bed and never, ever, pull the covers from over his head...

wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Dave Sherman
If so many people upgrade from a 250, then it seems like it shouldn't be too hard to find a used one. I agree that used would probably be better in my case; cheaper and less heartache if I drop it. Thanks again!

I just went through this last year. Took a class, got my license, bought an '06 Suzuki GZ250 (similar to Rebel and Virago 250 you're considering), rode it through the summer and then upgraded to a Vulcan 500. Those 250cc bikes are great to learn on and help you get comfortable and gain confidence before moving on to bigger/heavier bikes. And they hold their price rather well, so you're not going to lose much by selling it later on.

Good luck. Have fun! Ride safe.
 
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