Best 250 for Learners?

[VNSSMAN]

What you guys think is the best motor bike for L's and P's
I gotta get one and im thinking honda cbr 250
What you guys reckon?

[gumbs]

Yeh I'm about to do the same thing. But your in nsw so you have LAM (learner aproved motorcycles) so you can buy a bigger bike. The CBR250s are so over priced its not funny. 5 grand for an early 90s model bike that sold for what 6 or 7 new? 250s are a complete rip but thats the way it is.

I'm looking at either a Spada, a GPX, or an across. Which ever I can find in good condition in my price rang 2 - 3 grand. Mightant look as good as CBR but they're better value for money and I'm not going to lose as much if it put it down.

[bangers]

kwaka ZZR 250. wicked.it's what i learnt on.

[kmbattle]

....rgv 250....

[Stupa]

ZZR'2 are awsum bikes, then again theres the road trails like the dt 175 or xr 250, and the klr 250. there good to start off on

[253@7k]

Yammy TTR 250.

good reliable 4 stroke.

[Jimboss]

a friend of mine has a ZZR, goes like a rocket when it wants to.

[ucwepn]

....rgv 250....

Totally agree, you will not find a better quicker 250 for the price. Scary bike tho so be careful LOL

[Pretender]

Plenty to choose from and most are very good in their own way but you have to live with your choice (at least for a while anyway).
Think about what sort riding you will be doing mainly and go from there.
Two strokes and high reving fourstrokes don't like stop start slow going unless you blast it off the mark each time or have the chance to clear their throats regularly. They do not like heavy traffic. They are sluggish unless kept on song and reved out then they are anything but sluggish. Twostrokes use a lot of fuel for a 250 as well but not enough to be of concern really and do need more maintenance than a fourstroke. Usually more fun though.
Try sitting on 100 - 120kmh on a 250 twostroke for an hour, not nice but some don't mind it.
Single Cylinder fourstrokes are great on fuel but can be lacking in performance over 100km/h.

CBRs have always been a good bike to ride and are adequate performers but I only have experience with older models. Any similar roadbikes are usually a good bet with more than adequate road manners and performance for commuting and for the occasional long run.
It makes it hard when you can't test ride bikes yourself.
The good thing is if you are not happy with your choice there are hundreds of buyers willing to buy it from you, such is the world of the 250.

The best 250 I owned was a KLR 250, as mentioned earlier. Great on fuel, comfortable at 100+ especially for a road trail and very quick. Problem was when I took it for servicing I was told it actually had a 450 barrel fitted to the bottem end. I don't know how often it happens now but a lot of the older bikes used the same bottem end from the 250 - 400cc models and an easy power upgrade was to change the barrel, head and pistons and rejet the carbies (it is illegal to ride of course with only a 250 lic.).

[VNSSMAN]

Do you's prefer ferring on naked.

[gumbs]

Naked for a learner bike. I can spray a bike easy as, I can't make new ferrings.

[TheForgotten]

meh the bike I want there's only one I've seen for sale in the country, and I think the guy has died

[sts71]

Suzi Across 11litre fuel tank
cbr good bike if low k's the better
kwaka zzr250 just sold mine a week ago, kwaks have unbeatable gearboxs, very docile when learning and reliable. Good wind protection and fun to ride.
Easily attach a ventura rack for bags n bits, dont get gearsack they look ridiculous. zx2rs are higher revving and some convert those to track bikes, same with cbrs. Spadas ok if you like nakeds, but ride one ifpossible first.
Also take your height into consideration, taller you are more likely youll get hit by wind and when your learning it can scare the crap out of you.
Im 6'2 and found the zzr good, looked like a lollipop on it but owned it for 6 years and no problems what so ever.
I can put you in touch with a few ride groups if your interested.
Go kwaka, you wont regret it and resale is good too, very reliable machine.
Also if you ever get the chance go trail riding can teach you a lot on handling, better to fall on dirt then the road!
And DONT buy a second hand helmet, get best you can afford.
Any further info pm me Id be happy to help here.
Steve

[ziggee]

get a zx2r... they are wicked fun... and yeah buy a kwaka at least to many cbr's getting around..

its a pity in vic you have to have a 250cc on l & p's I can see the need, just there expensive, and resale pfft forget it, for a few $000 more you can get a great zxr6... wish I spent my money on the 6, but had no choice..

def great fun, and you learn heaps about car drivers and how bad some of them are

[glen_56]

Totally agree, you will not find a better quicker 250 for the price. Scary bike tho so be careful LOL

What they said or an aprilia rs250

[Wombat]

An RGV for a learner? Buy a tombstone now...I'm a little concerned by the comments about which is the "fastest" 250 you can find to ride...there is a reason for a limit to power and size...unfortunately manufacturers find ways to squeek around the edges of the laws. A car with a bit much horsepower? Not a huge problem. A bike for a novice with a bit much horsepower and flicky steering? rather a larger problem there, don't you agree?

Seriously, even guys who've ridden for years on much bigger bikes can get into trouble on one of those firecrackers...

Learner Approved Motorcycles are the best idea ever...it keeps inexperienced riders off bikes which, even though they may be 250's, are way above what any learner should be allowed anywhere near.

While I'm at it, the system they have up here of "Q-Ride". This is from the website for the system.
Our TWO DAY COURSE is designed with the novice in mind, that is, no prior riding experience is assumed. You will be with a group of other novices. Group sizes will be restricted and a trainer to student ratio of 1:6 will apply.
When you have been assessed as having achieved all Q-Ride competencies you will be issued with a Competency Declaration which you must present to your nearest Queensland Transport Customers Service Centre to have your licence endorsed.

The thing is, inexperienced riders just starting out, or riders who haven't ridden for many years, can do this simple two day course, (and notice that they "assume no prior experience!") and after that, they endorse your licence and away you go! Any bike you like! How mad is that? Basically, if you have held your "Open" car licence for three years, you can do Q-ride (with no previous experience riding mind you), pass a two day course, and hop straight on, say, a 300+ km/hr Suzuki Hyabusa. Does that make sense?

This sort of rediculous course may sound like a great shortcut to getting straight on a big bike, but until you've personally been to a church and seen two coffins with helmets sitting on them, and thereafter followed a hearse with a hundred others bikes to the cemetary, you can't make any fair comment. Two older riders from our club, did Q-ride after a lengthy break from riding, straight on a brand new R1100 BMW, new leathers, shiny new helmets, first big highway ride with club, and swerved across a curve to head on with an oncoming car. Not a fun day.

My advice is if you are really just starting out, have no experience, and would like to survive to enjoy riding for the rest of your life, you'll get a Learner Approved Bike of some sort, or stick to dependable and predictable 250cc bikes and not be swayed by big-talking friends into crouching all over a race replica that needs it's guts revved out constantly and which has steering and brakes which will take quite some getting used to. A ZZR-250 has the looks, is reliable as hell, and will take any abuse you like. It handles, goes, and stops and won't get you into trouble.

In motorcycling, taking shortcuts can often lead to somewhere you don't want to go...

Starting out on a ZX-6? ......:my: