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Which bike do you think I should get?

I’ve saved up some $$$. Help me pick my first bike?

6K views 49 replies 17 participants last post by  Stablefull 
#1 ·
Hello! I am a very green beginner. I’ve only ridden/drove a small Vietnam 2/3rds bike for a certification course. I passed. It’s been a few months. I’ve saved up some money and can now afford a cash payment on these top 4 bikes. I’ve picked these bikes because of the price, the low CC’s and the supposed reliability and safety.

*I plan on driving to work and around town. Between 20-30 miles every day during spring, summer and early fall.

Me being a beginner, which bike do you think I should get and why?

In no particular order:

Kawasaki Z400 $4,999
65697


————
Yamaha MT-03 $4,599
65698

————
Suzuki GSX250R $4,599
65699

————
Honda Monkey $3,999
65700
 
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#3 ·
Any of those would be beginner friendly, the monkey is limited though in terms of top speed though it's no doubt a lot of fun around town and very cute.
Unless money isn't a concern you might want to consider a used bike for your first bike though, usually that first bike gets kind of beat up and it's a shame to do that to a new motorcycle. Maybe pick up a cheap used bike which already has a few warts for under $2k then ride it for a while, then sell it for around the same thing a year later and then buy the new bike of your dreams for your second bike!
 
#5 ·
This ^! Of all of those choices, the 400 is going to be the least limiting in terms of keeping you entertained as your skill set grows. Buying used is the way to go, though. I started on a Ninja 300, put 6,000 miles on it over the course of a year, worked on my skills a bit, and upgraded to a CBR F4i because I'd convinced myself I was ready. I was not and probably should've kept the 300 for another year or so. Finding a used 300 sport bike should be fairly easy and much cheaper than new.

If you absolutely NEED to buy new, your first mods should be frame sliders and front/rear spools to protect it as much as possible from the inevitable drop or tip-over.

Whatever you decide, let us know and post a pic or two!
 
#4 · (Edited)
Have you looked at the Honda Grom? It'd be the size/speed of the monkey, but a more modern style(if that's your thing).

The Grom and monkey will probably do about 60mph max, so highway is out of the question with those(unless you like to impede traffic). If you're in town mostly, they'd be fine. And they'd no doubt be an excellent starter bike!

Otherwise as suggested, go sit on some bikes. Honda has a CBR 300 that'd be the styling of the others as well, and in the price range. Size wise, they're all good for beginners.
 
#9 ·
I see what y’all are saying. Unfortunately, around here used bikes are about the same price as one of these new ones. And that’s because most of used bikes are some of the higher end models, which are not so much beginner friendly.
As for my height and weight I’m about 5’10 and weigh 160 lbs. So I shouldn’t be looking like a circus clown when I ride one of these smaller bikes haha!
 
#10 ·
Unfortunately, around here used bikes are about the same price as one of these new ones...
I've noticed the same thing this off-season, i.e. prices on dual sports, naked, sports, and mini's are all high to ridiculously high. For whatever reason, cruisers are prolific and really low priced.
 
#11 ·
None. I suggest getting a used Kawasaki Ninja 250 in good running condition for $1500 - $2000. Consider these two scenarios.

1) You buy a new bike for $5000. It's actually $6000 out the door. You ride it for two years and drop it lightly a couple times along the way. It's time to upgrade to a GSXR600. You sell it for $3500. Net loss: -$2500

2) You buy a used Ninja 250 for $2000. You ride it for 2 years, dropping it a couple times along the way. It's time to upgrade to a GSXR600. You sell it for $1500. Net loss: -500.

The amount of money you lose in scenario 1 is equal to the cost of the bike in scenario 2. If you go with scenario 2, the bike is actually free.


I know, I know, you won't drop it. The chances of that are REALLY slim. Porky and Hogcowboy are the only guys I know of here that didn't drop their first bike. Most everyone does it. It stings WAY more to drop a shiny new bike than a used bike that's 10 years old. Also, the idea of keeping your first bike forever is equally unlikely. You'll outgrow whatever you start on and want something else. We all did. I've had close to 20 bikes and I'm not even close to a record of any sort. Once motorcycling becomes part of you, rides come and go. It's your first bike, not your forever bike. Go used. That's my 2 cents.
 
#14 ·
I hear you man. I’d go that way too. All the used bikes up here are “certified” and cost just as much as these new bikes. The closest thing I found to a used Ninja 250 bike was for $2100 with 9,000 miles and it was “outlet” going for auction in the next couple months. I’m not sure why they can’t certify it at the store. It makes me think somethings wrong with it.
 
#31 ·
I see OP readjusted his poll, I'm still not casting a vote. Obviously I'm pro Honda, but they're all fine bikes, he just needs to sit on them and get a feel.

When my son did this for his first bike, while he's a big boy, he noticed right away, the bigger the CC typically meant the wider the feel between the legs. He wanted something relatively narrow for starters, felt he'd have better control.

He fits my Honda AT better than I do, but was smart enough to know better and went with the CRF 250l rally(basically same engine as the CBR 300, only smaller CC, physically the same dimensions).
 
#33 ·
Get one of the new Royal Enfields.
Great price, killer warranty, and they look, well, not like a bug, but like a motorcycle.


Good luck out there guy.
 
#34 ·
Get one of the new Royal Enfields.
Great price, killer warranty, and they look, well, not like a bug, but like a motorcycle.


Good luck out there guy.
Cool bikes, but I think he clearly wants a sport bike.
 
#37 · (Edited)
This is my personal opinion: do not buy brand new bikes, do not buy from dealers. When you buy from private seller, take some mechanic with you.
Buy cruiser with side guard tubes (what is right name for them?) Vulcan 800 is good for beginner.
Don't ride in shorts, it is impossible to clean skin off muffler. I was very upset, bright and shiny Vulcan 750 muffler got an ugly spot! 😢
 
#40 ·
Dealerships cost a lot more than just buying used from a seller on Craigslist, FB Marketplace, etc.

If you buy a new bike, there is a bundle of hidden costs on top of the ticket price. I bought my kids a new Yamaha Raptor 90 quad for Christmas. Sticker was $3099. Out the door it cost a little over $4200.
 
#41 ·
Hello! I am a very green beginner. I’ve only ridden/drove a small Vietnam 2/3rds bike for a certification course. I passed. It’s been a few months. I’ve saved up some money and can now afford a cash payment on these top 4 bikes. I’ve picked these bikes because of the price, the low CC’s and the supposed reliability and safety.

*I plan on driving to work and around town. Between 20-30 miles every day during spring, summer and early fall.

Me being a beginner, which bike do you think I should get and why?

In no particular order:

Kawasaki Z400 $4,999
View attachment 65697

————
Yamaha MT-03 $4,599
View attachment 65698
————
Suzuki GSX250R $4,599
View attachment 65699
————
Honda Monkey $3,999 View attachment 65700
Hello! I am a very green beginner. I’ve only ridden/drove a small Vietnam 2/3rds bike for a certification course. I passed. It’s been a few months. I’ve saved up some money and can now afford a cash payment on these top 4 bikes. I’ve picked these bikes because of the price, the low CC’s and the supposed reliability and safety.

*I plan on driving to work and around town. Between 20-30 miles every day during spring, summer and early fall.

Me being a beginner, which bike do you think I should get and why?

In no particular order:

Kawasaki Z400 $4,999
View attachment 65697

————
Yamaha MT-03 $4,599
View attachment 65698
————
Suzuki GSX250R $4,599
View attachment 65699
————
Honda Monkey $3,999 View attachment 65700
Skip the Monkey entirely. You will outgrow it in about 15 minutes and you can't really go anywhere on it or carry a passenger.

When I sold bikes years ago, people posed the same question. My advice to them was to sit on the bike for 10-15 minutes and RELAX. See how the ergonomics fit your body. See which one fits your comfort level.

Performance is secondary.

Enjoy whatever your choice will be.
 
#43 ·
I know it's been said by a few other people already but I'll repeat it. Go to a dealership and sit on all of those bikes. Try to find a dealer who sells all of them under the same roof if you can. If not, make a few trips so you can sit on them all. My vote is for the Z400 and the MT-03 second. The Z400 has as much horsepower as my Honda CB500F so you'll grow into it (but it's not overwhelming) and Kawasaki's are very reliable. But it all comes down to how you fit on the bike.

When I was shopping for my first bike two years ago I looked at a ton of bikes (Honda: CBR300R, CB300F, CBR500R, CB500F, Rebel 300/500...Yamaha: R3, FZ07...Kawasaki: Ninja 300, Versys 300, Vulcan S, Z650). My dealership got so tired of me coming in, sitting on bikes for an hour, and then leaving without buying anything...it was pretty funny. But over the course of about 3 months I narrowed it down to the R3 and CB500F and went with the CB500F because I felt like it fit me better.

All of those bikes you've listed are very reliable but it comes down to how you feel when you sit on them because that's what you do when you ride. You sit on the bike. For hours. Sometimes entire days. And if you're not comfortable on the bike you won't be happy riding it. So, again, go spend 10-15 minutes sitting on each bike...work all the controls, look over both shoulders, stand up with the bike underneath you, move it left to right...all that sort of stuff. If you do this enough you'll start to notice subtle differences between each bike. This one's a little heavier, that one has the turn signal in a weird spot compared to the other one, this one feels more cramped in the cockpit than that one...and eventually you'll start eliminating them until you end up with a winner.
 
#44 ·
My scenario. Wanted a few bikes, went w the MT-03. Brand new was 6k out the door as stated, plus $1500 in quality gear. I tried looking used for a real short bit, like 2 weeks until i went back to think about how i felt when i was into car audio...never ever would I ever buy a used amp or sub because you never know the condition of the small components like the interior caps etc. soooo, I didn't want used...and for good reason.
And how often do you hear people dropping and beating the **** out of their bikes? Quite often I would think. How do you know how the bike was treated before you. If something can go wrong on a SpaceX/NASA shuttle, then for certain something can go wrong on a used motorcycle that was upkept by Jim Bob down the way.

So after that debate I was ready to spend the slight extra bit of money for something with zero problems(unless right out the gate as in a lemon).
The only issue right now is the lack of parts because the stupid virus messed up the whole damn world lol.
 

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#45 ·
My scenario. Wanted a few bikes, went w the MT-03. Brand new was 6k out the door as stated, plus $1500 in quality gear. I tried looking used for a real short bit, like 2 weeks until i went back to think about how i felt when i was into car audio...never ever would I ever buy a used amp or sub because you never know the condition of the small components like the interior caps etc. soooo, I didn't want used...and for good reason.
And how often do you hear people dropping and beating the **** out of their bikes? Quite often I would think. How do you know how the bike was treated before you. If something can go wrong on a SpaceX/NASA shuttle, then for certain something can go wrong on a used motorcycle that was upkept by Jim Bob down the way.

So after that debate I was ready to spend the slight extra bit of money for something with zero problems(unless right out the gate as in a lemon).
The only issue right now is the lack of parts because the stupid virus messed up the whole damn world lol.
Initially I felt like you about buying new vs used, but now I have the opposite feeling about buying used bike. Very few people are capable of actually riding a bike aggressively and beating on it. Probably 95% of owners, maybe even more on a beginner bike, are riding like grandma trying not to crash because they have almost no experience or skill. They buy the bike, ride it slowly for a few thousand miles, then they give up on it, and after a few years wasting away in the garage, they sell it in almost new condition for pennies on the dollar. My biggest regret is buying my FZ09 new. I had the same feeling you had in that, although I'm mechanically inclined with cars, I really didn't know a ton specifically about motorcycles at that time so I wasn't confident I could effectively recognize all potential issues with a used bike. In hindsight, that was wrong. Most of the used bikes out there are babied and stuff that is wrong will be obvious.
 
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