yea now get some new pics up scrub

 

Great choice! I started on a GS 500F and then switched to an F4i. I would do it all over the same again if I had to. Even though I was riding the GS for a year and a half i was still a little timid when I got my F4i. The smaller bikes are great starter bikes if you are new to it.

 

oh I love my F4 dont get me wrong, I have said that one can learn on em, but lets all face it, how many new riders do we all know with self control? I mean really? Maybe 1 in 10? Now on the dirt bike thing, if one has years of experience on a dirt bike, then they transition to the street with throttle control, balance, and a few skills that work on the street. But even they still have alot to learn on the street, like braking, traffic, etc.

And I still learn stuff every time I ride as should everyone, but I know what you mean, most forget about actually concetrating on learning anymore once they get their license, and unfortunately, those are the ones that run into cars, ditches, dump the bike to avoid a accident n so on.

And actually a 250 is a blast on roads like the dragon lol. 99% of us cant ride a 250 to its limits anywhere except a straight away lol.

 

i'd say get the bike you like.

you might want to take the MSF course before you make a final decision. at least the one i took had a variety of styles of bike to choose from...try the different bikes and see what you like.

obviously, i have an F4i...but i've been considering picking up one of the new 250R's just for something to mess around on (and maybe teach the wife on)

 

I had to face this dilemma before I bought my F4i also. I wanted a 250r because I thought I couldn't handle a 600cc bike and because 250r's are fairly cheap and have low miles when bought used.

There was one HUGE factor that made me choose the F4i, and that was fuel injection vs. carburetor. I can't believe that in this day and age Kawasaki still makes bikes that are carbureted. I live in Washington and here we see ALL seasons and just reading about all the carb tuning that has to be done along with all the disadvantages of carbs in general just made me turn completely away from the 250r.

I'm glad I got the F4i though because it's not that hard of a bike to ride at all. I am doing fine on the main roads in my home town (my MSF class is in a few weeks so my skills will improve even more after it) and it is a very comfortable ride. Keep in mind that I am 5'5" and weigh 130 lbs.

 

A bit defensive aren't we? First off I never made fun of anyone, I said 250's are a waste of time, money and effort. I said everyone would be better off starting with a 600 or a dirtbike. If you really thing riding a dirtbike has nothing to do with riding a street bike then you probably also don't understand why most racers train on bicycles constantly. The act of using a throttle, clutch, front brake, rear brake and moving around on a bike are the same no matter what type of surface your riding on. The moves might be different but the princable is the same.

As for chicken strip comarisons, really? Are we 16yrs old again? I've scrubbed the arrow and michelin man off of a 2ct rear within 60miles of brand new [the way this is supposed to work now is you make up a story and tell me how you scrubbed yours off quicker and your sh*t is bigger then mine] Im sorry but you don't come across in the quoted post as a very mature or rational person.

I stand by my statement that 250's are a waste. I've worked in the motorcycle industry long enough to learn. You are correct in your later statements that most people don't have the self control. The problem comes when you put them on something they don't think they need to restrain to stay safe. Then they do stupid crap thinking they can get away with it and they crash. When you start on a 600 you already respect the power and are a bit afraid of it so you don't push it as hard at first.

 

I wouldnt buy a brand new 250 to just learn on and then sell it, as it prolly costs more with all the dealership fees and stuff. I would buy an older 250 from a private party as its just a straight up price. But if you want a 250 for keeps then most deff go with a new one.

 

If I was just starting out there is no doubt in my mind I would prefer to start on one of the 250s. They great for what it is and give the new guys the image they want but also is a heck of a lot more forgiving than a 600.

 

Man, go to work (and actually work for a change) and see what I miss?!?

I hate it when people swear someone else will get bored with XXXcc bike. What if their purpose isn't ***** flapping in the wind behind the rear tire speed? Dunno how many times I've been told Ororo will bore me soon

If you're gonna give advice to someone about buying a bike LISTEN TO WHY THEY WANT A MOTORCYCLE

What's the title of the thread??? What did the OP say??? In case you missed it:

He wants a bike to LEARN on. It will be a daily commuter. Sometimes fun weekend thing with his wife. She may want it and he'll upgrade. Doesn't sound like a power / speed conscious guy to me. Better still though is what he didn't say flat out.

The fact that he's weighing a 250cc bike evenly with a 600cc bike generally means the 250 is the best for him. I read it as an unspoken concern about the power of a 600cc (since he didn't say anything about price). I think we can all agree, whether on PG's side or boredandstoked's, doubt on a bigger bike can likely get you hurt / killed. The second you wonder "Is this too much for me?" is when it becomes it. "Am I going too fast to make this turn?": you swing wide (or worse, grab brakes). "Can I stop in time?": usually you don't.

Just cause your ego can't handle riding a 250 doesn't mean someone else's isn't up to the task if they're doing it for their reasons. And yeah, if someone had offered me a newer Ninja 250 for the same or near price I got my F3, I'd be on a Kawa forum instead

 

Yea I'm a lil defensive about this subject. I know and have seen way too many riders that start out on bike bigger than they can handle and they end up hurt. Grant it, we all can get hurt rolling out of the bed every day. but your every day avg new rider doesnt have a clue and def dont need to be a a 600 supersport. You make reference to the pros, those same pros start small, not only size n age but bikes as well. I dont think anyone can name a pro who just all of a sudden decided they were gonna ride went n bought a 600 and now running AMA or MotoGP. Most of your WERA guys started on small dirt bikes n worked their way up the ladder. And very rarely do n00bs start out respecting shyt, sure they say they do so they dont have to hear all this bs, but all they are really think is f them I want a 600 or worse a 1k n I'll look cool n get laid. Then they crash because they can do the simplest slow maneuver.