motorcycle for beginner used and cheap?

Question

ok, i am liking the gas mileage on motocycles. i like the crotch rocket look. but i would rather start out with something slow and stable. but with the same bodystyle. i will have about 1000 dollars to spnd, i wanna get something some one has probly dropped a few times, but it still runs ok, you know? i dont need anything pretty. cause i will probbly drop it never rode a bike b4. but i like the simplicity of the motor and the gas mileage. i dont want a moped... doesanyone have any idea what insurance will do? i will have liability. will it go up or down? anyone know? im a car guru, but motorcycles to me are something new

Answer 1

I suggest a kawasaki ninja 250R or the ex500. You can find used bikes for under $2000. People are always looking for these bikes so you can sell it down the road for probably close to what you paid for it (when it's time to upgrade). I would be very leary of bikes that were "dropped a few times". You can find a used ninja 250 that's never been dropped.

Insurance for bikes (full coverage) is generally very expensive especially if you have don't have a M1 license. After a few years as a "licensed" rider the rates will go down. You are already coming to realization that you'll drop your bike soon after you get it. The insurance companies knows you'll do the same. When I got my first bike "fully insured" it was close to $4000 a year. Of course I was 18 at the time and had a fresh motorcycle license. Liability on the other hand is very cheap. You can probably find insurance for a few hundred bucks a year or less. The reason is simple; who is going to win if you get into fender bender with a car or truck? You guessed it.. you lose...

Be safe, take a CC rider course in your are (800 cc rider). Don't practice on the streets!

Answer 2

don't know about the $1000 limit or how tall you are but the virago 250 by Yamaha is a great little bike to learn on. Also the Honda Rebel 250. As for crotch rockets, I don't like riding them but they make a little Ninja 250 and a 500. I think Suzuki makes 250s too. These bikes are easy to handle and have great gas mileage. Ride safe and always wear a helmet. Dealers get trade ins so ask. Check the local newspaper or on line auctions sites. I once put a wanted ad in the paper and about 2 weeks after an older guy called and had just what I wanted in his barn. It needed some work but ended up being a great bike.

Answer 3

I agree with the Ninja 250 and the Virago 250, if you like the style. But don't forget the Honda CB 250 (Honda Rebel in the States). With the new style now out, you should pick up an older model cheap, but I don't know about the $1000 limit.
If you want something a little more adventurous and with a lot more go; but still very rideable and comfortable, in my opinion the best 250 around is the Honda VTR250. Extremely versatile, and a fun bike; but you will be paying more than $1000.

Answer 4

OK.. How tall are you? I rode a few 250's before. I'm 6'2" and I can tell you that if you are tall or a bigger person, the 250's are more unsafe than a bigger bike. look for a ~600 standard or simliar. I got a cb750 honda for $800, rode it for a season and sold it for the same price (they made them for 30+ years) . I'm a bigger guy and felt unsafe on a small frame bike that couldn't get out of it's own way (any 250). Insurance was cheap and they run forever. PS- A standard bike is like a cruiser but usually a 4 cyl. and more nimble.

Answer 5

I just bought a used 2005 ninja 250 for $2k, only has about 2,000 miles on it. It looks brand new, no scrapes, dents, or anything at all wrong with it. I just completed the MSF course and it was EXTREMELY helpful, I strongly encourage you to sign up for one near you, they provide everything you need- bikes, helmets, etc. Insurance for two people using the bike in NY is $240/year, both brand new riders. This is a very fast and peppy little bike, most people can't tell that it's "just" a 250 by looking at it, it looks and drives like a very sporty bike. The little ninja tops out at about 110 mph and does 0-60mph faster than 98% of production cars! Even with this great performance you can expect to get above 70mpg. I can't suggest this bike strongly enough.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Kawasaki Ninja 250 comes to mind.

MSRP is $3K brand new; used should be a good bit less, and it's an older design, so used should not be too hard to find. It looks just like its racier stablemates, with the word "Ninja" prominently displayed, but nary a mention of "250". Mileage is around 80mpg according to an article in Motorcyclist magazine last year.

Because it's "only"a 250, insurance will be inexpensive, even for a brand new rider. Because it's a well engineered, lightweight 250 it's genuinely freeway ready, and according to that same article, capable of just a tick over 100mph. You can rule the HOV lane and not fear being run over.

Answer 7

For a first bike, I always recommend a dirt / trail bike. A 4 stroke play bike is very forgiving, for the rider, & dropping ' em doesn't hurt 'em much. You'll have fun learning to ride without the worries of gettin killed by traffic. Good Luck =^ )

Answer 8

Get the Honda Rebel 250.

Sportbikes are for people with some experience. And as a new rider, you'll probably lay it down within your first 400 miles.

Stay safe, unless you have a deathwish.

Answer 9

You might be able to find a CBR600 F2 or F3 for that price, or slightly more. You need to stop calling them crotch rockets as soon as you start riding them.