| Author | Message | ||
     Firebolt020283  |
ok my has gotten the motorcycle bug all of a sudden so i told her i would get her a bike. Natraly i tryed to talk her in to getting a blast however she dont like it so i started looking for other small displacemnt bikes that she may like and i found one she likes (and is not to hard on the pocket book) but i was wondering if any one has any experiance as to weather it is a good bike or not. the bike in question is the ninja 250ex. basicly what im wondering is, is it reliable, beginer freindly and would it be something i could tinker with also? | ||
| U4euh  |
IMO- I believe the 250ex would be a great beginner, if she is not going to be in heavy traffic. Sometimes you need a little more push to get your arse outof the way of itself! I think I would go with at least a EX500cc or maybe even an older 600. Plenty available out there for a good price. Let us know what you and the miss decide. | ||
| Gomo  |
Have her take a MSF Basic Rider course before you buy a bike. As a RiderCoach/Instructor I have seen a couple of students change their minds about riding once they started getting into the exercises. A rider course is less $$$ to lose if she doesn't like it than compared to a bike. But if you do decide to buy first, I would say the 250 would be the better choice to start with. You can always step up to a bigger bike when she is ready and the 250's do sell well with beginners always looking for a bike. | ||
| Porker |
My wife and I just went through this (trying to find the right bike for her to start out on. We ended up with a Honda Hawk NT650, really good if your wifes small, very low small bike with reasonable power. Trying to find parts for this bike is sometimes challenging though. If she did well in the course you my want to consider an ninja 500, cheaper to buy than the 250. The 250's as really in demand and go for way too much $. The 500.oo near new can be found for less than the 250 and is a great beginers bike she won't grow out of too soon, unlike the 250. | ||
| Sandblast  |
Funny you should bring this up- my wife recently started getting interested as well. I know a guy that had an '97 250 just sitting and he gave me an incredible deal on it. My wife got her permit and we have been riding all over town just getting her through the basics. My wife had almost never ridden a motorcycle, I had to teach her almost everything as far as controls and etc... but she loves it. The little Ninja is very light (300lbs) and has a very low seat. There is so little Torque that she is not scared of it really, but if you rev it it will move. Redline is 14,000. The bike has been the same sine 1986!!! So parts are cheap and plentifull, though I have not had it long enough to offer any insight as far as reliability goes. MPG seems to be around 70, like the Blast. It has a six speed gearbox and a couple cool things like a helmet lock and luggage strap holder thingies. I started with the Blast and would have liked Leah to have one also, but I cannot fault this little Ninja as a learning bike. Remember too this will be HER bike- so let her make some choices otherwise she will lose interest so fast your head will spin. Any more specific questions let me know... | ||
| Dsergison  |
a slammed city X, natrually! my 5'2" 110 lb wife bought a xb9sl. loves it. of course she rode dirt before. | ||
| Raraf |
My first streetbike was a Ninja 250. Perfect for beginners but make sure you are not in the fast lane at a stop! Those cars will breathe down your throat unless you got it wound up! | ||
| Midknyte |
Too bad you're so far away. I have a Honda VTR250 Interceptor in perfect shape... | ||
| Gentleman_jon  |
I would say go with the Ninja 250. Light is great for a starter bike, and these bikes corner very well. When I was riding the Blue Ridge with the Buell group this fall, there was a local guy riding his wifes 250 while Tilleys was working on his Buell. The fellow was local, knew the roads well, and led the group every day: nobody was thinking of passing him in the tight stuff for sure. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
thanks guys for yalls imputs i had never really had much experiance with them i just knew she wanted a sport bike but also know she has never rode any thing ever before and she dont like the blast so i started look for other sporty small bikes and that would be the major problem is the fact that she is really short, (like 5'3) and i dont want her to get scared of it so i dont want to get her something with to much power besides that she isnt worried about power no way she just wants to ride and share my passion as well as i guess look cool (or so she thinks though im not sure a ninja 250 looks very cool). i have noticed on ebay that the 500s and older 600s are cheaper as well so ill shop around but she does like the 250 and after all it is her bike. | ||
| Newfie_buell  |
The ninja 500 would not be too much bike for her. The problem with a 250 is that within 6mths she will be very bored and if you ever take her with you on the highway your gonna be kicking yourself for not getting the 500. I have my 13yr old daughter riding a Blast around a closed, fenced compound where we teach the equivalent of the MSF course. She absolutely loves the Blast and don't even look at the 250 and 125 bikes we have out there. She told me she likes it because "It goes around the corners easier!!!!!" Did I mention that she can take it through a 3 meter (10ft) slow speed pylon course!!!!!! (Message edited by Newfie_Buell on January 31, 2005) | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
nefie u do make a good point cuz she does want to be able to ride with me and that kinda would blow to have to put around but i just dont want her to get scared which is the bigest thing if the 500 dosnt have alot of kick then that would be great. i have only riden one ninja and it was a 98 600 and i know she would be scared of it but i also know that the 500 is a totaly different bike. | ||
| Lpowel02  |
Have her take a MSF Basic Rider course before you buy a bike. As a RiderCoach/Instructor I have seen a couple of students change their minds about riding once they started getting into the exercises. A rider course is less $$$ to lose if she doesn't like it than compared to a bike. ...if she's a total novice, I'd say this is your best advice...learning some of the the basic skills in a structured environment on a small bike will help her a lot...and potentially save you some $$$ (as said above) if she ends up not really liking it just my $.02 | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
lpowel that is what i planed on doing because i need to take the course too (cuz i dont have a motorcycle licence and for insurance puposes) besides i dont think im gonna spend $2000 for something thats gonna just sit in the drive way and not get used but i just wanted to find out what every one thought of the ninja 250 or 500 as those are bikes she likes (and are easy on my pocket book) but who knows like yall say she may not like riding once she takes the class. | ||
| Cowboy |
Does any one have any experence with a throtle lock my grand daughter has laid clame to my XB12R(15yr old) I guess I will give it to her but I would like to limit it to approx 60 MPH for at least 2 yrs ( she can ride it) She is a big Girl stands 5 ft. 9 in. tall but I do not want her rideing it as it is now. Any way to limit it for a while. | ||
| Cataract2 |
Got a kid on my street with a 250. Does him good to learn on it. Just wish he would ask to ride with me rather than race me. He swears up and down that his 250 could take my XB9SX. Oh well. I think he's jealous. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
cataract please tell me u win these races between u and ur kid  | ||
| Mikej  |
The only way to truely limit the top speed of any vehicle is to get a vehicle with a top speed of that desired limit. You might be able to hack an interface into the wiring that will take reading from the speedometer or speed sensor and couple that to an ignition limiter similar to the rev limiter, but you'd probably be better off just putting the person under control/limits on a little 125cc street bike instead. The only true throttle limiter is the one controlled by the rider.  | ||
| Cowboy |
I under stand the problem.BUT 1.She has ben around bikes all her life. 2.She can ride the bike now. 3.She will never be happy with any thing less. 4.She fits the bike good. 5.This bike should last her through college. 6. I just dont trust her out of my sight... After all she is her grand fathers grand daughter. | ||
| Mikej |
Well then sometimes you just have to turn them loose and trust in their judgement that you've instilled into them. | ||
| Cataract2 |
cataract please tell me u win these races between u and ur kid That ain't my kid. I don't have any (How do you think I afford 2 motorcycles on a Gov. job.) Haven't raced him yet. Don't care to. I think we know which would win. | ||
| Lpowel02 |
Firebolt020283 - ok, cool...I'll get off my soap box now...  you guys will probably have a good time doing the course together. It's not difficult, but you learn a lot of good things. | ||
| Seanp  |
I have a GS500F that is my first bike. I love it, and it's done very well for me since July of 04. I sat on a Blast, but my wife told me I looked like a circus bear on a trike. The GS500F looks like a little Hayabusa, but it's only got about 40 horsepower. I've ridden it about 4,000 miles, on the highway and on back roads, and never felt like I was having trouble keeping up with traffic, or passing when I wanted to pass. The Ninja 500 has similar characteristics. However, now that I'm much more confident, I am wanting just a little bit more power. I plan on keeping the 500 until at least the end of the summer, if not until Spring of '06. But I will definitely be ready to move on by that time. Also, I've heard that it's not a good idea to do the MSF course together, because you will distract each other. Just a thought... Sean | ||
| Jpl9sx  |
I take it from this thread that most of you don't recommend a Lightning as a beginner bike for a novice ? My wife is taking the MSF beginner course in March. I mentioned a Blast or a small Suzuki but she feels she will outgrow a small bike too quickly and really likes the CityX (with a lower seat). | ||
| Buellbabe |
I started on a Blast (having never ridden before) and it took me about 2 years to outgrow it (mods for power added). I'm riding an XB9S Low now. I think it would have been too much for someone who has never ridden, but if a person has some experience - go for a Lightning or Firebolt. | ||
| Charlieboy6649  |
Just like to say that I believe you have to evaluate the rider. I know my wife to be level headed and her first bike she ever rode was my 984 Firebolt. She, in my opinion, was a natural rider. I, on the other hand, taught my wifes friend to ride and was not confident in her abilities. We ended up doing a lot more parking lot work before we ever took to the street. But still, she learned on her 750 cruiser... Both of them immediately took the MSF course and I highly recommend it, but I also recommend the rider have some basic skill before attending so the optimum skills can be gleaned. So, again, if you think your newbies are mature enough to respect the bike for what it can do to them, and are confident in their ability. I say why not, trust away, and let them play! | ||
| Sarodude |
BROKEN RECORD PLAYER WARNING I still chuckle when I hear about people who've "outgrown" their bikes. I use Loli as my example of just plain FANTASTIC progress. When she first got her Blast, it was just a stepping stone to some Harley. Maybe a Low Rider. Maybe some kinda Sporty. Loli had NO interest in turns. Really. NO DESIRE WHATSOEVER to do anything other than cruise in a fairly straight line. This mentality resulted in a low speed encounter with a curb and a street sign post. And MONTHS of resultant fear. We got me an FXD so she could ride on the back. I guess she paid lots of attention to a non-Harley guy riding on a Dyna. She came to ENJOY the silly, 2-up leaned over (as far as an FXD will go, anyway) deal. Came to appreciate the skills necessary to effortlessly ride a clearly inferior machine behind squidly riders with much better bikes - STRUGGLING to stay ahead of the fat dude on a harley with his chick on the back. Loli decided to give riding another chance - only this time she took it seriously. She started riding my Blast EVERY STINKIN' DAY. I had to get my own. A local Buell sales guy (Ernie @ Glendale) asked my once, "Bro, is she equipped?" A couple of months later he got to see Loli ride on a BRAG thing and had a number of the beginners "do what she does". Loli is short. She's 5'1" on a good day. That severly limits what she'll honestly think about throwing a leg over. But she rides the Yellow Smelly Fluid out of her Blast. Many former Blast riders who "graduated" to something bigger (XBs, Cyclones, whatever) can't keep up with her through the corners. Funny thing is that Loli isn't really fast. She doesn't wanna be fast. She just wants to be good. Just because you can get to / from the grocery store doesn't mean you graduated. Loli's got over 20k miles on that Blast and she ain't giving it up. This winter has been bad for her health-wise and she's basically only ridden ONCE since September. Just wait till Spring. We now live near the base of Angeles Crest and hopefully the Lepprechaun and the Terrorist will be seen frequenting Newcomb's - each on their own Blast. Whatever any beginner does, the hardest, most humbling thing is to keep an eye on where you must improve. Use what you CAN do as inspiration for what you MUST STILL LEARN or IMPROVE. It DESTROYS me to see beginners do (and continue to do) foolish things. It's not necessary. So, what's a good beginner bike? One that you RIDE & RIDE & RIDE & RIDE.......... -Saro | ||
| Newblaster  |
Saro is right about almost everything he just said. Except for one thing... Loli IS really fast. Everything else, he's dead on. | ||
| M2nc |
"Loli" found the right bike for her. Bikes have to fit the rider's size and capabilities. | ||
| Jlnance  |
Whatever any beginner does, the hardest, most humbling thing is to keep an eye on where you must improve. At the same time it can be fun. Every time I go out, I pick something to work on. Lately it has been the ability to shift/clutch/brake smoothly. It's kind of fun to be deliberate about it, and you get better quickly. | ||
| Ezblast  |
Loli is fast and very very smooth - I had a hell of a fun time chaising her and Ryan through the twisties - I like following a good line and she knows how to lay one down - lol - she's got my vote! - wink - which brings me to my point - a good beginnerbike helps and improves your skills - instilling good riding habits - the Blast does that in spades! GT - JBOTDS! EZ  |
