Which one would be a better beginner bike?

[dgunay]

I finally made my mind up and decided to go with CB500F after the MSF course (which will be held on the second weekend of July). There are few reasons why I will buy CB500F:

1) Easy to find used clean one. Many of them are not trashed by new riders, as most people buy Yamaha R3 or Kawasaki Ninja 250/300 as a first bike.
2) Insurance. Due to it's smaller engine (compared to the others on my list), it has the best insurance rates.
3) Parts are cheap due to its popularity, and good on gas.
4) As a rookie, I need a smooth and forgiving bike, and it must be really hard to take the wheels off the ground if I make a mistake. Although some people call it "boring", I think CB500F is the most forgiving bike on my list.
5) I sat on Versys, NC, V-Strom but I didn't feel comfortable. They all have higher seat than the CB500F, and I want to be able to put my feet flat on the ground. Maybe I need to get more experienced to ride a motorcycle with higher seat. But not for now. Somehow it makes me nervous if I can't put my feet flat.
6) On paper, CB500F is the lightest one on my list, which is also noticeable in real life by just sitting on it.
7) Due to these reasons written above, I believe it is a good option for my needs and it is the easiest bike to learn how to ride.

By the way, I also sat on Rebel 500 but that bike is too small for my size, at least this is how I felt.

 

[Jim K]

Did you check out the Kawasaki Vulcan S 650?

 

[David_g]

Originally Posted By: dgunay
I finally made my mind up and decided to go with CB500F after the MSF course

Good choice! Should be a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[dgunay]

I think I should update this topic.

I passed MSF course. It was fun and learned a lot of things. Here is my picture with tiny Yamaha TW200 during the course. This thing is fun!

After the course, I was planning to buy used CB500F (as explained above) but couldn't find clean and unmolested one in my area. Also checked used SV650 and Z650, but market prices are really closed to the brand new bike.

Decided to go with brand new instead of used. I didn't feel myself confident for shopping a used motorcycle. I am too amateur to see the flaws/problems etc of a used motorcycle. I am not planning to sell it soon anyway. I had three options in my mind. Honda CB300R, Suzuki SV650 and Kawasaki Z650. Insurance rates are almost the same, regardless of the displacement of a bike. Maybe CB300R is 10% cheaper than 650cc. We are already getting shafted by the insurance companies here in Canada, so it really doesn't matter. Due to my size and weight, I eliminated the 300R and decided to go with two cylinder.

During the last week, I was negotiating for brand new SV650 and Z650. These bikes are so close that I decided to go with the cheaper one, regardless of their features/design etc. I probably called all Suzuki and Kawasaki dealers in Southern Ontario for the best price.

I was finally able to get 2018 Kawasaki Z650 ABS Black/Green with $200 off MSRP + no freight-PDI fees, just licensing + tax. The dealer had also full Green bike but decided to go with matte black.

Again, thank you sooo much for all BITOGers in this topic who shared valuable input and opinions.

Here are some pictures,

Finally back home (it was my first ride on the road - which I rode 40 km from dealer to home). I have put about 130 kilometres so far.

First impressions:

- Power is really manageable for a beginner, but not slow either. Still taking it easy, because I still have lots of things to learn.
- It handles, feels, rides really well, especially after riding [censored] course bikes.

 

[lego]

650 size bike is a good choice. I have 2 and have been riding for long time.

Good luck and Ride Safe.

 

[blupupher]

The Z650 should keep you happy for quite a while.
A 300 is a good starter, but you will want more soon.