Newbie first bike - my three choices

[easye1097]

I am a newbie about to enter the motorcycle world. I've never ridden before and am doing MRF next month and securing my motocycle license. I've read quite a few forums regarding beginner sportbikes, what to buy, what to stay away from, etc... I am 25 years old, 6'0, 175 lbs, fairly athletic. I think 250cc will be a bit small for me since I want a bike that I will stay with for more than a few months, but I also want to take it slow and learn on a smaller bike before moving to the major leagues. I am definitely going to buy Used so I don't worry about dropping the bike while learning.

Based on my research, I am considering a used version of the following three sport bikes:

Kawasaki Ninja EX500
Suzuki GS500
Suzuki SV650

Are there major differences between these 3 bikes that might cause me to choose one over the others?

How much more powerful/harder to maneuver is the SV650 versus the GS500? I definitely want something that is easy to handle during my beginner days and am worried that a 650 may be too much.

Any advice is greatly appreciated,
- E

[CB750F]

For a beginner I would suggest the GS500 or the Ninja 500. Either one of those bikes would be great.The GS has an air cooled twin cylinder DOHC engine where the Ninja is liquid cooled. Either one is reliable and will run for years when take care of right.You won't get bored with either one to easy for a long time.Both of them are good bikes and have good performance but the Ninja is a good bit faster I would say.Just be careful and either one will let you learn to ride.The GS is probably about the best beginner bike out there IMO.

I have not ridden a SV 650 but I do know that they are runners and have a good bit of torque being a V twin type engine. If you were to get one of those just be a little bit careful.

Maybe when I get tired of pissin' around with old bikes I'll get something like the SV 650 or go for a Kawasaki ZRX 1200.Hell I would have a blast on a GS500 or a Ninja 500.

[KaJuN]

My friend just bought a GS500 not too long ago. He really likes it and says it's real peppy, but not so powerful that it's intimidating. It has a good sound and I think it looks nice, and I don't even like sport bikes all that much.

[Ninja500R]

You won't find an easier handling bike than a Ninja 500r or Ninja 250r. The 250r feels like a scooter with regards to turning and flicking around.

You can't go wrong with either!

Good luck!
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Rubber side down..

Ninja500r.info

[Uesque]

I'm going to play devil's advocate and recommend the SV. I like the idea of the v-twin because it will offer better performance at lower rpm's, and as a newer rider, you don't want that peaky, on-off type power. My wife's Shadow is so much smoother at lower RPM's than my XJ.

[teufelhunden]

Ok, I'm going to jump in on this thread. I'm similar to the original poster in that I'm a newbie to the biking world. I'm looking into getting a bike, but don't know what to look for. I enjoyed the suggestions on the three bikes, but I have one further question. What year should a beginner look to buy? New probably isn't smart and/or realistic, but on the other end of the spectrum, I don't want something ancient. So, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Uesque]

Ok, I'm going to jump in on this thread. I'm similar to the original poster in that I'm a newbie to the biking world. I'm looking into getting a bike, but don't know what to look for. I enjoyed the suggestions on the three bikes, but I have one further question. What year should a beginner look to buy? New probably isn't smart and/or realistic, but on the other end of the spectrum, I don't want something ancient. So, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Keep in mind that, depending on your area, bikes aren't usually ridden all year round, nor do they put on as many miles as a car, so older is not necessarily worse. Most bikes from Japan, with proper maintenance, will last a long time. The sportbikes are a competitive market, so they are usually replaced by something better/faster every 2-3 years, but standard or naked bikes don't move as fast, meaning a 10 year old Bandit isn't going to be much different than a new one performance wise.

My wife rides a 1985 Shadow that we bought with 7,000 miles on it, and it runs great, is reliable, and still looks good too. My father-in-law has an 84 Venture Royale that they ride from Ohio to New England every two years or so.

Find what you like, check the maintenance on it, and enjoy.