Looking to buy a Sport Bike soon!
07-15-2015, 06:51 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Arizona - Northwest valley
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Looking to buy a Sport Bike soon!
I haven't been on this site in awhile, I've just been trying to save money and keep my S running like it should.
As the title says, I'm looking to buy a used sport bike soon! If this doesn't interest you at all, now is the prime time to dip out of this thread.
I'm 18 years old, 5'10, 125 lbs. With that being said, I want a low cc bike and the most lightweight piece of machinery possible. With all the research I've done in the past month, the Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS seems to be my best bet. If anyone has any suggestions for other bikes, please throw them at me! And yes, I've already looked at the Honda CBR 300R, Yamaha R3, Hyosung GT250R, and KTM Duke 390. Still, the Ninja catches my attention most with it's Assist and Slipper clutch, gauge cluster, and optional ABS. If you disagree that the Ninja is the best choice for me, please explain why!
If the Ninja 300 still stands as the winner, does anyone have any family or friends interested in selling their own Ninja 300 ABS in the next few months? It's surprisingly harder to find a Sport Bike than it is an S2000. I haven't been able to find any facebook pages or websites that are specifically created for buying/selling Ninja 300s.
Also, what's the best place to find cheap (in price) riding gear?
Oh and I've never ridden a bike before. Not even a dirtbike. I'm going to take a MSF course and get my license before I start really looking at bikes to purchase.
Thank you for any help you can provide!
As the title says, I'm looking to buy a used sport bike soon! If this doesn't interest you at all, now is the prime time to dip out of this thread.
I'm 18 years old, 5'10, 125 lbs. With that being said, I want a low cc bike and the most lightweight piece of machinery possible. With all the research I've done in the past month, the Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS seems to be my best bet. If anyone has any suggestions for other bikes, please throw them at me! And yes, I've already looked at the Honda CBR 300R, Yamaha R3, Hyosung GT250R, and KTM Duke 390. Still, the Ninja catches my attention most with it's Assist and Slipper clutch, gauge cluster, and optional ABS. If you disagree that the Ninja is the best choice for me, please explain why!
If the Ninja 300 still stands as the winner, does anyone have any family or friends interested in selling their own Ninja 300 ABS in the next few months? It's surprisingly harder to find a Sport Bike than it is an S2000. I haven't been able to find any facebook pages or websites that are specifically created for buying/selling Ninja 300s.
Also, what's the best place to find cheap (in price) riding gear?
Oh and I've never ridden a bike before. Not even a dirtbike. I'm going to take a MSF course and get my license before I start really looking at bikes to purchase.
Thank you for any help you can provide!
07-15-2015, 08:35 PM
#2
Belkin,
We do have a section on this board called "Bike Talk" and you might ask to have a mod move it there. I started riding later in life and wanted a low CC bike so as not to outrun my skill level.
The Ninja is a good choice, but frankly, and I am a believer in starting small, you will outgrow it in a year or two, so what I would say is the even a Ninja 250 or CBR 250 might be fine because you will own it a couple years at most and then sell it. Just find the cheapest that fits your needs. An advantage the Ninja 300 has, and the CBR 250 has is that you can get ABS which is great for a new rider.
I rode a 300cc scooter for two years to get my feet wet and then switched to a Honda CB500f this year with ABS. It is most likely the only bike I will ever own. It is not fast, but I don't need it to be, but it is also not too much to handle for someone with little experience. It is very easy to operate actually, and has enough oomph to do light touring on.
But you can probably find someone to sell you a used CBR250r with abs for $2500, ride the crap out of it for a year, then still get $2500 for it when you decide what you want long term. You won't lose too much more if you go Ninja 300, and it is a much quicker bike, but you'll still want to move on in a year and it will cost you more upfront. For something new like a Duke, or R3 or even a new Ninja or CBR, you will more likely have to spend $5500 out the door. Spend $2500 on the Ninja 250 or CBR 250 and you won't care if you drop it, and you won't be tempted to mod it that much because its old (it might even come with tasty mods from the previous owner) and you'll just unload it anyway. In my area, Craigslist motorcycles stay for sale for a while, so don't be afraid to send someone a reasonable offer if their price is a little high because they probably just want some cash and to get rid of it.
Spend $20 on Amazon and buy "Proficient Motorcycling" and give it a read. It is a great book about being safe on two wheels and helps you understand the dynamics a lot better.
Good luck, ride safe, wear a helmet.
We do have a section on this board called "Bike Talk" and you might ask to have a mod move it there. I started riding later in life and wanted a low CC bike so as not to outrun my skill level.
The Ninja is a good choice, but frankly, and I am a believer in starting small, you will outgrow it in a year or two, so what I would say is the even a Ninja 250 or CBR 250 might be fine because you will own it a couple years at most and then sell it. Just find the cheapest that fits your needs. An advantage the Ninja 300 has, and the CBR 250 has is that you can get ABS which is great for a new rider.
I rode a 300cc scooter for two years to get my feet wet and then switched to a Honda CB500f this year with ABS. It is most likely the only bike I will ever own. It is not fast, but I don't need it to be, but it is also not too much to handle for someone with little experience. It is very easy to operate actually, and has enough oomph to do light touring on.
But you can probably find someone to sell you a used CBR250r with abs for $2500, ride the crap out of it for a year, then still get $2500 for it when you decide what you want long term. You won't lose too much more if you go Ninja 300, and it is a much quicker bike, but you'll still want to move on in a year and it will cost you more upfront. For something new like a Duke, or R3 or even a new Ninja or CBR, you will more likely have to spend $5500 out the door. Spend $2500 on the Ninja 250 or CBR 250 and you won't care if you drop it, and you won't be tempted to mod it that much because its old (it might even come with tasty mods from the previous owner) and you'll just unload it anyway. In my area, Craigslist motorcycles stay for sale for a while, so don't be afraid to send someone a reasonable offer if their price is a little high because they probably just want some cash and to get rid of it.
Spend $20 on Amazon and buy "Proficient Motorcycling" and give it a read. It is a great book about being safe on two wheels and helps you understand the dynamics a lot better.
Good luck, ride safe, wear a helmet.
07-15-2015, 09:06 PM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Arizona - Northwest valley
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Belkin,
We do have a section on this board called "Bike Talk" and you might ask to have a mod move it there. I started riding later in life and wanted a low CC bike so as not to outrun my skill level.
The Ninja is a good choice, but frankly, and I am a believer in starting small, you will outgrow it in a year or two, so what I would say is the even a Ninja 250 or CBR 250 might be fine because you will own it a couple years at most and then sell it. Just find the cheapest that fits your needs. An advantage the Ninja 300 has, and the CBR 250 has is that you can get ABS which is great for a new rider.
I rode a 300cc scooter for two years to get my feet wet and then switched to a Honda CB500f this year with ABS. It is most likely the only bike I will ever own. It is not fast, but I don't need it to be, but it is also not too much to handle for someone with little experience. It is very easy to operate actually, and has enough oomph to do light touring on.
But you can probably find someone to sell you a used CBR250r with abs for $2500, ride the crap out of it for a year, then still get $2500 for it when you decide what you want long term. You won't lose too much more if you go Ninja 300, and it is a much quicker bike, but you'll still want to move on in a year and it will cost you more upfront. For something new like a Duke, or R3 or even a new Ninja or CBR, you will more likely have to spend $5500 out the door. Spend $2500 on the Ninja 250 or CBR 250 and you won't care if you drop it, and you won't be tempted to mod it that much because its old (it might even come with tasty mods from the previous owner) and you'll just unload it anyway. In my area, Craigslist motorcycles stay for sale for a while, so don't be afraid to send someone a reasonable offer if their price is a little high because they probably just want some cash and to get rid of it.
Spend $20 on Amazon and buy "Proficient Motorcycling" and give it a read. It is a great book about being safe on two wheels and helps you understand the dynamics a lot better.
Good luck, ride safe, wear a helmet.
We do have a section on this board called "Bike Talk" and you might ask to have a mod move it there. I started riding later in life and wanted a low CC bike so as not to outrun my skill level.
The Ninja is a good choice, but frankly, and I am a believer in starting small, you will outgrow it in a year or two, so what I would say is the even a Ninja 250 or CBR 250 might be fine because you will own it a couple years at most and then sell it. Just find the cheapest that fits your needs. An advantage the Ninja 300 has, and the CBR 250 has is that you can get ABS which is great for a new rider.
I rode a 300cc scooter for two years to get my feet wet and then switched to a Honda CB500f this year with ABS. It is most likely the only bike I will ever own. It is not fast, but I don't need it to be, but it is also not too much to handle for someone with little experience. It is very easy to operate actually, and has enough oomph to do light touring on.
But you can probably find someone to sell you a used CBR250r with abs for $2500, ride the crap out of it for a year, then still get $2500 for it when you decide what you want long term. You won't lose too much more if you go Ninja 300, and it is a much quicker bike, but you'll still want to move on in a year and it will cost you more upfront. For something new like a Duke, or R3 or even a new Ninja or CBR, you will more likely have to spend $5500 out the door. Spend $2500 on the Ninja 250 or CBR 250 and you won't care if you drop it, and you won't be tempted to mod it that much because its old (it might even come with tasty mods from the previous owner) and you'll just unload it anyway. In my area, Craigslist motorcycles stay for sale for a while, so don't be afraid to send someone a reasonable offer if their price is a little high because they probably just want some cash and to get rid of it.
Spend $20 on Amazon and buy "Proficient Motorcycling" and give it a read. It is a great book about being safe on two wheels and helps you understand the dynamics a lot better.
Good luck, ride safe, wear a helmet.
Awesome. Thank you very much! The two reasons I prefer the Ninja 300 over any 250 bikes is the outdated cluster look on all those older bikes. I cannot stand the look of it, plus it would be cool to have a digital cluster on my car and bike. Also, the extra 50cc. BUT I have considered just buying an older 250 bike since it's my first anyways and it'll be much cheaper. I'll look around and see if I find anything worthwhile. Thanks a lot for the advice!
07-15-2015, 09:10 PM
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Arizona - Northwest valley
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
I haven't been on this site in awhile, I've just been trying to save money and keep my S running like it should.
As the title says, I'm looking to buy a used sport bike soon! If this doesn't interest you at all, now is the prime time to dip out of this thread.
I'm 18 years old, 5'10, 125 lbs. With that being said, I want a low cc bike and the most lightweight piece of machinery possible. With all the research I've done in the past month, the Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS seems to be my best bet. If anyone has any suggestions for other bikes, please throw them at me! And yes, I've already looked at the Honda CBR 300R, Yamaha R3, Hyosung GT250R, and KTM Duke 390. Still, the Ninja catches my attention most with it's Assist and Slipper clutch, gauge cluster, and optional ABS. If you disagree that the Ninja is the best choice for me, please explain why!
Yes, I've considered buying older and cheaper 250cc bikes, but I can't stand the outdated clusters (Plus it would be awesome to have digital speedo's for both my bike and car) and less power. And let's be honest.. the Ninja 300 is the sexiest of the 300 and under bikes out there.
If the Ninja 300 still stands as the winner, does anyone have any family or friends interested in selling their own Ninja 300 ABS in the next few months? It's surprisingly harder to find a Sport Bike than it is an S2000. I haven't been able to find any facebook pages or websites that are specifically created for buying/selling Ninja 300s.
Also, what's the best place to find cheap (in price) riding gear?
Oh and I've never ridden a bike before. Not even a dirtbike. I'm going to take a MSF course and get my license before I start really looking at bikes to purchase.
Thank you for any help you can provide!
As the title says, I'm looking to buy a used sport bike soon! If this doesn't interest you at all, now is the prime time to dip out of this thread.
I'm 18 years old, 5'10, 125 lbs. With that being said, I want a low cc bike and the most lightweight piece of machinery possible. With all the research I've done in the past month, the Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS seems to be my best bet. If anyone has any suggestions for other bikes, please throw them at me! And yes, I've already looked at the Honda CBR 300R, Yamaha R3, Hyosung GT250R, and KTM Duke 390. Still, the Ninja catches my attention most with it's Assist and Slipper clutch, gauge cluster, and optional ABS. If you disagree that the Ninja is the best choice for me, please explain why!
Yes, I've considered buying older and cheaper 250cc bikes, but I can't stand the outdated clusters (Plus it would be awesome to have digital speedo's for both my bike and car) and less power. And let's be honest.. the Ninja 300 is the sexiest of the 300 and under bikes out there.
If the Ninja 300 still stands as the winner, does anyone have any family or friends interested in selling their own Ninja 300 ABS in the next few months? It's surprisingly harder to find a Sport Bike than it is an S2000. I haven't been able to find any facebook pages or websites that are specifically created for buying/selling Ninja 300s.
Also, what's the best place to find cheap (in price) riding gear?
Oh and I've never ridden a bike before. Not even a dirtbike. I'm going to take a MSF course and get my license before I start really looking at bikes to purchase.
Thank you for any help you can provide!
07-16-2015, 10:51 AM
#6
Me (5'10", 190#):
You:
07-20-2015, 07:52 AM
#7
This is something to give some thought too. Do sportbikes look cool? Sure. But if you are riding for more than 30 minutes at a time comfort becomes a bigger piece of the pie. I looked at the HondaCBR500R and the CB500f. To only difference between the two was fairings and a handlebar vs clip ons. The two inches of difference in handle bar height makes a huge difference in comfort and how upright you ride. And the CBR500r is not that aggressive of a riding position. Leaning that far forward on sportbikes puts more strain on your wrists and lower back on longer rides.
You will get some sense of this when you take the course and choose a bike. Some will be more comfortable than others and comfort should be a serious consideration.
I just did a 250 mile ride last week and was only slightly uncomfortable at the end, but a sportbike riding position would have fatigued me much earlier in the day. You might want to take a quick look and sit on a CB300f at a Honda dealer. $4k new (no ABS available) but a nice little starter, but more upright.
Don't worry about what the dash looks like on the first ride, you will ditch the starter soon enough. The key is get something easy to ride, learn, and not get soaked on resale. If an ugly dash for a year of riding saves you $1000 in a Ninja 250 vs 300, than that buys you $1000 better bike next year.
I'd put in a plug for the CB500f (or CB500x or CBR500r). It is upright, comfortable, and it is a Honda so it is rock solid. I put a PUIG windshield on mine and am only 150 pounds but even with heavy throttle trying to keep up with an old Phazer and a friends Vrod on our ride, I never got left in the dust and got 80mpg to their 33mpg. I love my little Honda. I have seen them used for $4k.
Trending Topics
07-20-2015, 11:22 AM
#8
Moderator
If we're plugging Hondas, I had a 919, and the 599 is the same bike with a smaller engine. You can still get up on the pegs, but they are depreciated, reliable, and comfortable for a sporty bike. You'd do well with similar bikes like a Suzuki SV650, which you can get naked or mildly faired, and has an excellent reputation. A Kawasaki Vulcan S might be a good option as well, but that's a new bike.
07-26-2015, 02:13 PM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Arizona - Northwest valley
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Oh yeah, my bad. I want a sport bike to ride around and have fun.. Mostly for the joy of riding and to have another (cheap) form of transportation if I decide I wanna ride rather than drive, or if I'm working on my S (Since it's usually up on jacks for more than a few days. I never travel long distances, so I think the 'cool' feeling of the sporty positioning would be well worth the uncomfortable rare long distance rides. Plus, I'll still have my car for the long, long rides. I don't want to go over 300 for my starter bike. 1. Because I want to learn on a weaker engine as most people say you learn to appreciate the bike and handle it better if you start lower. 2. Like I said, I'm a small guy, 5'10 and only 125 lbs. If I get a larger cc bike, that typically means more weight and with my skill level, I'll be sure to drop it at least 10 times. I won't mind dropping my used and old first bike, but it would be way too often with a heavier bike.
I'll take a look at the CB300f, but my budget is around 2000-3000, so I'm not sure that would work. Also, I'm still 18 years old with a somewhat shitty paying job. I doubt I would upgrade within a year. It might be 3 years before I upgrade.
Regardless of everything, I'll take all of your comments and suggestions into consideration.
I'll take a look at the CB300f, but my budget is around 2000-3000, so I'm not sure that would work. Also, I'm still 18 years old with a somewhat shitty paying job. I doubt I would upgrade within a year. It might be 3 years before I upgrade.
Regardless of everything, I'll take all of your comments and suggestions into consideration.
08-02-2015, 12:57 PM
#10
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Arizona - Northwest valley
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Well.. Now I'm trying to decide between buying a sport bike for back up and fun rides; upgrading some power on the S; or buying a cheap car for drifting.
This is such a difficult choice. I can buy a sport bike for under 2500.. or keep spending and saving more and spending more on upgrades for the S or the drift car.
This is such a difficult choice. I can buy a sport bike for under 2500.. or keep spending and saving more and spending more on upgrades for the S or the drift car.
