a good Motorcycle for a beginner?

I've been thinking of getting a street bike... First, I want a good bike to learn on.

Anyone have any ideas?

I was thinking of a Ninja 650R but I was also thinking that maybe the 250 might be better for a novice. I really just want it to cruise around on and enjoy the nice Cali weather.

what size would be great to learn on?

Also, are the Ninjas any good? Any bike would really work, just really curious about what size

I will be taking a motorcycle safety course (Navy Requirement) but I was just wondering what would be a decent motocycle for a Novice to ride.

I've rode dirt bikes before but not in about 15 years. I thought the Ninja 250 would be good plus its only $4k for a brand new bike.

BTW the Grand Prix was this weekend here in Monterey and the entire town was invaded by motorcycles. I'll post pics later

I like Ninja's

Ninja 250R


or

Ninja 650R

 

Take the Motorcyle course and also the CHP Motorcycle class.

I'd start on a Honda 600 or Yamaha R6 if I were you. Plenty of power if you need it and great to learn on.

You can learn for years and move up later. Then you can always mod the 600's to make it more fun once you've mastered it.

A 250 is weak sauce on the street and you'll get over it really fast. Money wasted.

I learned on a Old NINJA and rode around on a CBR 600 for awhile. I wanted to recently get into street bikes again but it was a NO GO from my girl.

Buy a Very Well Kept USED Bike. Buying NEW is for suckers. You just have to wait and find the right one. You'll get poor saps who bought new and never ride.

Thats where you come in!

FYI

Used 2-5K Mile well Kept/Never down One Owners.

07-08 Yamaha R6 Range 4500-6200
06-08 CBR600 - Range $4500-$6500

I badly want to make a STREET FIGHTER street bike.

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My first bike was the 2009 ninja 250. Was an excellent bike. Will you grow out of it. Yes. But how fast depends on you. It definitely kept me under control so I didn't get out of hand while learning my abilities. You sit fairly upright on it as opposed to other sport bikes. Never had any problems with it. I'm actually attmepting to sell it now.

It's a cheap bike that will get you 50+ mpg. Try finding one on craigslist. Unless you want to buy mine.

 

thats a nice bike... I really want a Ducati Monster 796

 

exactly 50+ mpg is great... I'm not trying to race around like a socal bro but I just want a good bike to learn on... the R6 and CBR are great bikes but might be too much power. I can always buy another after I learn the ropes

 

a mordern 600 is not a good first bike, i tought riding lessons for 4 years and would never recomend such a bike. an SV650 a 650R or a ninja 250 or gs500 would be great options.

 

how much?

 

HOW DARE YOU! I love the CBR 600!
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I didnt say it was a bad bike I own a CBR600, but they are not good first bikes, they have way to much power and can easily get a new rider in a lot of trouble.

 

thats exactly what I'm trying to avoid... if the Ninja 250R is "too small" what about the Ninja 650R? Honestly, I wont (nor ever) be that bro blasting off at street lights... I just want something fun, won't get me in trouble, and relatively cheap

 

Pfft, if the trouble is Solus (MARK) is getting all that POOOON TAAAANG with his CBR600.

j/k

Its all throttle control and clutch mastering. Thats it. Master your bike.
Tame the Beast!



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A well kept SV 650 is a great option as already mentioned.
A friend had a Kawasaki 650R that I rode recently because his girlfriend was selling & isn't a bad option. I just bought a FZ6R which is an inline 4, very smooth and basically has a detuned R6 engine it. Yamaha touts it as an intro bike but I have been riding for a few years. New it was $5900.
The biggest thing is making sure you take the classes & practice, practice, practice in empty parking lots.

 

x2! The clutch is a vital component...definitely take the course. My first and only bike is my '05 600RR. Respect the bike.

 

Solus...just FYI Im 6' 195 pounds, and bought a brand new Ninja 500, wasted my money because I grew out of it fast...I was driving 60 miles highway each day...and it bored me after about 3 mo's...just my .02, and when I sold it, I lost 30% of the value easy. Definitely go for something above 500cc and EFI not carb. The ninja 650 would be sweet. -Shawn

 

Nobody needs to learn to ride on a 100 horsepower race replica bike (R6, CBR600). The SV650 is probably the best beginner bike out there and will keep your interest for a few years as your skills grow.

 

I have 04 Suzuki gs500f. It's carburated and that's the only thing I hate. It has good power for a beginner but carbed bikes suck. Next bike is going to be a newer cbr600rr

 

As mentioned by others, take a course. They usually have Honda rebles to ride, so you will get a feel for a 250. I thought of doing the same, but after the class they just felt weak to me.

I bought a used 08 Yamaha R6s for ~$5K as my first bike and I love it. It's light, easy to control, and looks great. And when you're ready, the bike can fly too. I use it for commuting as much as possible. 42 mpg. It's a great all around bike.

 

I had a 01 R6 as my first bike and I could say it was a good bike maybe not the best starter bike, but I would definitely recommend the SV650 because I doubt you will outgrow it.

 

Problems with first riders is not so much about the power of the bike (although a factor) but all of the other dangers out there such as sand or gas/oil on the road, crazy drivers, etc. I would buy the bike that I want first and learn to handle it knowing that it may have more power than you might know how to handle right away but learning your motorcycle is the easiest part of the process. IMO, you will find that you have outgrown a smaller bike very quickly. Sticky side down!

 

Recommendations:

There are two types of motorcycle riders
Those who have fallen,
and those who are going to fall.

Don't spend alot of money on your first bike, or you'll be really bummed that you spent a bunch of money on a bike that you just ruined...I would recommend a Yamaha FZR 600 1989 to 1993. They are nice early gen race bikes, they are cheap (you can buy one for $1500) and they are extremely customizable and reliable. My first bike was a yamaha fzr 600 1989; I got hit by a car on it when I was riding to school, and it still runs.

Get comfortable on that, beat the shit out of it, sell it for 1500 and then buy an R6. Trust me you'll be happy you did it.