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Im a new rider...never rode a bike before where should i start older 250 or a brand new 300i have heard various opinions i dont even know if iwill like riding i jis want one any advice?
new rider...where do I start?
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People will tell you different things.. Most people on this forum will actually be "beginner" riders and give you the best advice possible, what they learned in the MSF class, and that tells you practice on an old POS because you WILL crash..
That class is great, take it and then decide what you want to do, that is what I would recommend to anyone, I learned allot in that class which really helped me..
What I personally did is a different story.. Had zero experience on a bike, went out and bout a brand new $10,000 Yamaha 600, insurance is not required in this state so I didnt want it of course. Took the MSF a few months later only because my wife gave me the "your going to kill yourself if you dont take the class" nothing bad happened to me or the bike all worked out great.. I bought the 600 for the style not for the speed, so that made the 300 a better match for me which is why I am here now
That class is great, take it and then decide what you want to do, that is what I would recommend to anyone, I learned allot in that class which really helped me..
What I personally did is a different story.. Had zero experience on a bike, went out and bout a brand new $10,000 Yamaha 600, insurance is not required in this state so I didnt want it of course. Took the MSF a few months later only because my wife gave me the "your going to kill yourself if you dont take the class" nothing bad happened to me or the bike all worked out great.. I bought the 600 for the style not for the speed, so that made the 300 a better match for me which is why I am here now
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bought my self a 96 suzuki 550E about five yrs ago, took advice to get an old POS, it was so awesome, that it wouldnt even allow me to take the driving course, after i had expired my 6mo. driving permit. The **** thing gave me so much problems I rarely got to ride and practice, and then it could not even hold gas without leaking every where at time of testing. This time, I have to get do a MSF course, cause the rules have changed. I probably have 10 hrs of practice, and maybe 600mi. of practice distance, and this time, I will be coming home with a 300. No crap this time....
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Iv been wanting a 250 but eveeyone says i will out grow it fast im a small guy (5'4")so i dont want a big bike (tall) and the 250 was the right size now the 300 has the same sizebut more power and upgrades would the 300 b a good bike for me
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I am not a fan of the 100+ mph honestly it scares me lol i have never been on a street bike of any kind so i am looking for something to cruise on n look good but im told the enjoyment wont last long idk i guess iv been lookin at the 250 but now this comes out and everything says a beginer will enjoy it longer than a 250
I've been riding scooters for over 10yrs. I had a can am spyder (wifes bike which she never rode) and traded it in recently for a ninja 300. It's a great beginner bike. Yes ppl tell me I'll out grow it, but I don't like to go fast and like to just tool around on a nice day, plus I'll commute on it. I plan to have it for many years to come. FYI, I have a friend ride it home from a dealership for me due to my lack of freeway exp. he was going 85 on it and wasn't close to redlining. He said 6000 rpm.
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At 5'4", ht. is a factor. They did increase seat ht. on the 300 to 30.9 inches up from 30.5 inches in the 250r 08+ models. Before that, seat hts. were even lower in the 250r. They would probably both be fine, but you should be able to flat foot your first bike I think. Otherwise, just backing out of a parking space or stopping on a hill can cause you to drop the bike. Once you become experienced, seat ht. becomes a little less important. The next smallest seat ht. is the Ninja 650r at 31.7 and you would not be able to flat foot that for sure. It might even feel too tall. They make sport bikes for taller people. You can have a bike lowered however by an inch or so with a lowering link. I'm judging this from my ht. of 5'8" and can tell you, being 5'4" will limit the bikes you can choose from. The Triumph Street Triple r is a good sport bike with a low seat ht. too at 31.7 inches, same as the Ninja 650r. The Ninja 600 has a seat ht. of 32.1 in. which would mean you had to lean the bike to the side just to touch the ground. Ninja 250r sure looks like the way to go based on seat ht. alone.
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im 5'5" and 190 lbs, and I think the 300, would be an excellent choice. The 250 is nice cause of how cheap they are, so if money if your factor, then sure grab a 250, however I feel you will get bored of it. If you got the $$ I say do the 300, I really feel like it can be a reasonable bike with power to entertain someone for a typical 4yr loan cycle. Remember, you will probably drop it. Dont let it get to ya, give it a lil time, and the replacement fairings will be all over the net, you could probably buy full replacemnts for $400, fix it and sell it after your satisfied loan, no sweat.
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Im gonna be paying cash for my bike im just scared of the power cuz i know im gna make a mistake or two n i dont want em to be a my last ones any advice on how to get used to the basics of a bike i think i need to take the school or find someone to teach me without being an ass about it beiing a small bike
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88 Posts
Definitely take the Basic Rider's Course! You can use their bikes, which are already beat to crap, so it doesn't matter if you drop one. They're also really good on the no pressure thing, because a majority of the class will be a bunch of n00bs who don't know the clutch from the rear brake (I may be exaggerating a bit, but you get my drift). You can also get some pretty sweet discounts on insurance, gear purchases, etc. within the first six months of obtaining your BRC MSF card (at least in CA).
As far as the power, don't worry about it. The 300 has some pony to it, but if you rip back on the throttle, the result will not be the same as if you got on, say, a 600 and ripped the throttle back on that. The height issue: I'm 5'5" and I can touch perfectly well. The general contours of the bike are absolutely wonderful for smaller people, too. The difference in fit between a Kawi 300 and a CBR 250 is nuts, with the 300 being the winner, hands down. As far as making mistakes, I recommend getting frame sliders as soon as the ones for the 300 are available. The "fits all models Kawasaki" swingarm spools fit the 300, so if you even wanted to just get used to shifting, get a pair of those little critters and get yourself a stand. Prop the back end up, hop on the bike, turn 'er on and practice your shifting! On the aside: the hex keys that come with the bike's tool kit don't fit the universal spools, so if you don't have a separate collection already, you'll need to go pick some up. (I do not kid about shift practice on the stand. I did that with my boyfriend's Jixxer 600. Totally stable and safe.)
As far as the power, don't worry about it. The 300 has some pony to it, but if you rip back on the throttle, the result will not be the same as if you got on, say, a 600 and ripped the throttle back on that. The height issue: I'm 5'5" and I can touch perfectly well. The general contours of the bike are absolutely wonderful for smaller people, too. The difference in fit between a Kawi 300 and a CBR 250 is nuts, with the 300 being the winner, hands down. As far as making mistakes, I recommend getting frame sliders as soon as the ones for the 300 are available. The "fits all models Kawasaki" swingarm spools fit the 300, so if you even wanted to just get used to shifting, get a pair of those little critters and get yourself a stand. Prop the back end up, hop on the bike, turn 'er on and practice your shifting! On the aside: the hex keys that come with the bike's tool kit don't fit the universal spools, so if you don't have a separate collection already, you'll need to go pick some up. (I do not kid about shift practice on the stand. I did that with my boyfriend's Jixxer 600. Totally stable and safe.)
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Awesome advice thanx wats the first thing i should know bout ridingmy first street bike
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I can't really think of any one thing in particular because I kinda compressed everything I learned in BRC into one thing. Some advice I received after the first part of my first ride: "Relax and enjoy it." Obviously, pay attention to what you're doing and pay attention to your surroundings, but don't get out there wound up super tight, worried about every little thing. You're actually more likely to make a mistake if you're tensed up and freaked out. Go easy on yourself and with your bike.
That's just me. I'm sure the experienced riders on here probably have better advice or at least more what you're looking for.
That's just me. I'm sure the experienced riders on here probably have better advice or at least more what you're looking for.
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8 Posts
Thank you very much you guys have been a lot of help
+1.
I actually was in the same situation but then I did the BRC, which helps build the confidence.
Relax and enjoy is what the instructor told me. You're more likely to make a mistake if you're all tensed up.
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733 Posts
I am 5'4" my self and the 300 is a little tall for me to flat foot it but if you have a good set of boots you should be fine. The only time I have a problem is if the parking space is not flat but I just stand next to it (kick stand side) and walk it back.
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141 Posts
I'd say 300 bro, just because the upgrades make it so far ahead of the last 250. But being a brand new rider hte first thing you should get other than your bike and gear is FRAME SLIDERS. Because you will drop the bike, everyone does at some point. This way the Sliders will save your brand new bike from getting all muffed up. anyway great luck man and welcome!
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Take the basic rider course BEFORE you buy a bike. you'll be less scared of the power that way =D
Sport bikes in general are torqy, even small ones liek the 250 and the 300. So clutching is a bit less gradual. but once you hop on it and take off your gonan fall into place really quick and get it. its not a huge learning curve if you ask me.
I started on my piaggio fly 150 scooter for a while then took the basic riders course, then bought my 300. was a natural progression.
what did scare me a little was aparently when they were prepping my bike, they were working on another bike ( a 1000) and they ripped out of the parking lot with it and scared me a little, i was like **** MY BIKE IS LOUD AND FAST!
then I realized it wasnt my bike hahahahaha
Sport bikes in general are torqy, even small ones liek the 250 and the 300. So clutching is a bit less gradual. but once you hop on it and take off your gonan fall into place really quick and get it. its not a huge learning curve if you ask me.
I started on my piaggio fly 150 scooter for a while then took the basic riders course, then bought my 300. was a natural progression.
what did scare me a little was aparently when they were prepping my bike, they were working on another bike ( a 1000) and they ripped out of the parking lot with it and scared me a little, i was like **** MY BIKE IS LOUD AND FAST!
then I realized it wasnt my bike hahahahaha
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