Starter Motorcycles In The Sport Bike Category

New riders that desire the best beginner motorcycle in the sport bike category are a wise bunch. A 250 sport bike can be a huge amount of fun and it takes longer for you to “outgrow” them than it does for others with the small cruisers. The biggest benefit of a 250 sport bike is that it is easy to ride. The biggest complaint is those that do not like the sport bike riding position. These bikes are capable of some impressive speeds considering their limited engine size, but the rest of the motorcycle has many of the same properties of a larger sport bike. The brake systems are high performance and their light weight allows for very easy handling. Now that gas is over $4/gallon, they can also exceed 70mpg depending on how they are ridden. The 2 main motorcycles in the 250cc sport bike class are the Kawasaki Ninja 250 and the new Honda CBR 250. Both of these motorcycles are very good bikes, but each has their subtle advantages that draw different riders. The 250 Ninja has been around for a long time. It’s tried and true. The Honda CBR250 comes from a company that is known for very high quality and dependability.

Honda CBR250

Honda CBR250 Photo courtesy of The Adventurous Eye

The Honda’s price is right at $4,000. It’s top speed is 87mph and it gets a reported 57 mpg. Easy riding could make for more even miles per gallon. The Honda uses some advanced technology like fuel injection and a DOHC(dual overhead cam). It is only a single piston engine, but there is a counter balance integrated that stops the usual vibration that a single gives at highway speeds. In true Honda style, they’ve used a 6 speed transmission and water cooling to increase the 250cc motor’s life, even under demanding riding. This is a serious machine for a 250cc starter motorcycle. The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is a parallel twin. If you’ve never ridden a parallel twin, it’s like revving a very powerful sewing machine motor. They’re that smooth. The Ninja is at that same $4,000 range as the CBR250, but the Ninja is rated at a slightly higher 61 mpg. It’s old school fuel system uses carburetors. In true Kawasaki style, the 250R Ninja is faster with a top speed of 110mph. Again, both great bikes that will perform well. They’re both so close that the choice may only come down to color and style for some.

Kawasaki Ninja 250R

Kawasaki Ninja 250R Photo courtesy of PekePON

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Victory Motorcycles Slowly Gaining Popularity

Victory Vision Touring Motorcycle

Victory Vision Touring Motorcycle Image by nwkids via Flickr

The facts on the Victory Motorcycle company have been elusive to me. As an American company, I love the idea of a competitor for Harley Davidson. The truth of the matter is that no company will compete in Harley Davidson’s market without some seriously difficult clout and knowledge about the motorcycle industry. Victory is not going to win customers simply by being an American company. There is much more to Harley Davidson’s loyalty than the fact that they are based in the U.S.A.

It appears that Victory’s plan is to not indulge in over-speculation or over-production. They realize that they’re not going to gain market share without a very slow entry into the market. They’ve already made mistakes years ago when the chrome quickly eroded off of the bikes and they’ve taken steps to improve all areas of quality. These quality improvements have added to their high price to slow entry into the market even further. Through all of this, my number one concern of a company failure has been avoided though. Who wants to find parts for a motorcycle brand that has gone out of business? Considering they’ve recently made the bold move to buy Indian Motorcycle, I think they have plans to continue and that they are profitable enough.

For some, Victory is already considered the best motorcycle and most of them are owners of the Victory Vision. The Vision is a strong competitor for the touring market and it’s one-of-a-kind styling and quality makes it a serious contender. For cruisers, we’re still waiting for someone to make the “best motorcycle” claim.

Victory Vegas Motorcycle

Victory Jackpot Motorcycle

 

 

Victory Cross Roads Motorcycle

Victory Cross Roads Motorcycle

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    The Best Motorcycle For Gas Mileage

    Great fuel mileage motorcycle.

    Not what you had in mind for a high mpg motorcycle?

    A frequent question every time gas prices skyrocket is, “Which motorcycle gets the best fuel mileage?”. This question is difficult to answer. The answer is usually the smallest CC motorcycle. Small efficient motors are always going to get the best fuel mileage. Add in scooters and mopeds if you really want to get a high mileage figure. Some of them get over 100mpg. What people really want to know when they ask is a custom answer to, “Which motorcycle is the most economical for me?”. That’s where the answer gets complicated.

    Consider how much a motorcycle will be ridden. The more it sets in the garage, the more the motorcycle costs. In order to offset the cost of payments, insurance, and upkeep, the motorcycle needs to be ridden. Pay all of these costs, but never ride it, the motorcycle is nothing more than a liability. Also, the motorcycle cannot just be used for fun rides. It must be ridden in place of trips that would normally use a car for. If it’s ridden on freeways to do your daily tasks, it needs to be able to maintain highway speeds comfortably.

    Motorcycles generally start at 250cc. An example is the Honda Rebel. There are also sport bikes like the 250 Ninja. Always consider the cruiser model’s cheaper insurance and better selection of luggage if possible for your tastes. These will get you around town, perform short stints on the freeways, and they’re good enough for some casual riding on the back roads. They’re initial costs isn’t that much less than a bigger average motorcycle. These do get outrageously high mileage. They vary depending on the rider, but over 70mpg is not uncommon.

    Average sized motorcycles in the 500 – 750cc range are where the majority of riders will find a motorcycle that performs well for all situations. The Yamaha lineup seems to get the worst mileage. The Suzuki GS500 gets the best with nearly 70mpg if ridden conservatively. For the exception of the Yamaha, they all get between 45mpg and 70mpg.

    Large sized motorcycles are improving with some getting over 40mpg. It’s not uncommon for them to be below 30mpg. A Gold Wing for example is below 30mpg. Unless you’re into luxury or power in all of your vehicles, these bikes will rarely save money. Harley Davidson is becoming the exception and is advertising over 40mpg in money of the models. These still stand a chance of saving money if your requirements are comfort and distance.

    A large gas-gulping motorcycle could still be the best choice for you. How? As statee earlier, the more the motorcycle is ridden, the more money it saves. The rider must enjoy using the motorcycle. Choose a 250 Rebel to cover a 150 mile commute with luggage that needs to stay dry and any excuse to not ride will be taken. If a Gold Wing getting 30mpg still gets 10mpg better than the family minivan, it can still save money if ridden as often as possible.  If gas goes over $4/gallon, it doesn’t take long for that 10mpg extra to add up to a significant savings.

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    • How to Improve Your Motorcycle Gas Mileage (motorcycleinsurance.org)
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    Ohio’s Famous Motorcycle Road. State Route 555, The Triple Nickel.

    Ohio’s southern half is famous for all of it’s roads that make for exciting motorcycle rides. They are usually well maintained, twisty, and hilly. There are great stops along the way too, like The Hocking Hills. Good people, nice little towns, and interesting stops on great roads makes for great times. Which leads me to wonder why The Triple Nickel gained so much popularity. It’s not a bad trip, but it’s one of the least desirable in the area. My guess is that it has a catchy name, but it could be that the trip is a little bit of an adventure.

    The road starts in Zanesville on the north and terminates in Marietta. Get gas before you go as there is only one station on the entire trip. As described in this description of Ohio State Route 555, it’s an adventure. Many parts of the 555 are very rural. The maintenance is sketchy in parts and the basic road construction is bad on quite a few curves. These can really catch a rider off guard. There isn’t much traffic, but the cars travelling this area are going fast. These folks know the road well and are quite aggressive when they travel on it. The most dangerous part of this road is gravel and chuck holes that you cannot see until you are committed to your speed and angle through the curve.

    Don’t take new riders on this road unless there are very confident riders. Some of the things that they’ll experience can really wind them up and there’s few good spots to stop and let them wind down. If you have an newer, but experienced rider, this road is a great challenge and if used wisely, can really teach this type of biker some great lessons.

    Here’s the start point in Zanesville.


    View Larger Map

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    Sport Bike

    R1 Driver
    Image via Wikipedia

    Sport bikes are primarily for performance. Very little attention is given to rider comfort. The aim of these bikes is nothing short of making them fast, light, and sometimes easy to steer. Other priorities take from these categories and is passed over in most models. There are touring versions, but they’re don’t compare to a true sport bike.

    The raw power and speed that these bikes produce is incredible. Cars producing the same types of performance are priced at 10 times the price of a regular car, but sport motorcycles are not much expensive than any other type of motorcycle. Due to the price and lure of speed, these bikes sell well to younger riders. Sadly, they’re often sold to inexperienced riders looking for the thrill instead of the utility that a motorcycle can provide. This tends to give the sport bike a bad reputation as a dangerous machine. In fact, it’s the type of rider that is the dangerous factor.

    Sport bikes play a significant role in the development of all motorcycles. The technology to create them and use them on the race track ends up improving all motorcycles. For those that ride them, they glad trade the comforts of other motorcycles for these motorcycles that provide a ride like nothing else on the ground at a price the average person can afford.

    BMW S 1000 RR
    Image via Wikipedia

    If a new rider desires a sport bike, they can have some speed, all of the handling characteristics, and all at a very low price. Models like the Suzuki GS500 and other models 500cc and under are great starter bikes. The only lacking aspect is comfort. Their top speeds are well over 100mph, they just don’t have the enormous torque to get the rider there as quick as larger sport bike models.

    Sport bikes are a great way for a motorcycle performance purist to enjoy riding. So long as you don’t expect comfort and you realize that what the bike your buying is designed for, you’ll enjoy your choice.

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    East Coast Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

    East Coast Sturgis is a rally held as an alternative to the real Sturgis motorcycle meet. The rally takes place in the beautiful western Maryland mountains near the town of Little Orleans., Maryland.

    Here are some photos of the 2010 East Coast Sturgis. Was it as good as Sturgis? I think so, but it depends on what you’re after. East Coast Sturgis lacks the corporate culture that’s creeped in and overtaken the real Sturgis. There’s a huge crowd, but not like the big Sturgis motorcycle rally.

    East Coast Sturgis is definitely more affordable, especially if you’re coming from somewhere close to Maryland. I’d recommend it to anyone. If you’d like to find out more, visit The East Coast Sturgis website.

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    Piaggio MP3 3 Wheeled Scooter


    Piaggio MP3 Scooter

    Piaggio MP3

    The Piaggio MP3 is a 3 wheeled scooter that leans like a motorcycle. This forward-thinking idea involves extra parts that require extra maintenance, yet decreases the entry level skill of balancing a scooter. With double the tire surface contact on the front, it also allows for much higher performance.

    There’s also a convenience factor. you don’t have to consider where your kickstand is going to land. The scooter holds itself up! This makes load a passenger easy, easier scooter maintenance, and less leg work for those that may have slight disabilities.

    The cost is around $9000. Smaller CC models(250cc and 400cc) of the Piaggiao MP3 cost less. Motorcycle licensing will be required in most areas.

    Will a Piaggio MP3 scooter save you money? That depends on many variables. As a sole source of transportation, most likely, but as a second vehicle, probably not. It’s the maintenance and insurance costs for the scooter that stop the savings you get in fuel costs.

    The storage capacity is much larger than it appears. Errands like running for milk and bread are no problem. There are accessories, like scooter saddlebags, that will work well too.

    As with any vehicle, you will need training to be safe on an MP3. It is easier to ride than a motorcycle, but the risks for untrained riders are still significant.

    httpv://il.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj1irO5UY68&feature=fvw

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    Finding A Bargain Motorcycle

    1997 Suzuki GS500E. A very affordable motorcycle.

    The GS500E is a great example of an affordable motorcycle. Image via Wikipedia

    I’d be the first to admit that many motorcycles could be considered a luxury. When you do the math for payment, insurance, maintenance, and mpg versus a car, even the best motorcycle only comes ahead when you put many miles on it. If you leave it set and drive the car, it quickly becomes an expense.

    You can manage what you spend on a motorcycle by buying one within your means. If you know that you will not put many miles on the motorcycle, don’t overspend on the motorcycle. First, if you’re going to own a car also, figure out what it cost per mile to drive your car. Now figure out what it costs to operate your motorcycle per mile. If you have to make payments on the motorcycle, it takes a huge number of miles to make up for that payment. The more mpg you can get out of your motorcycle, the easier it is to break even though.

    Minimizing the costs can also be done by choosing a motorcycle with the best maintenance schedule. They’re not like a car when you buy them new. My Honda Shadow required a 500 mile checkup that costs over $400! If it wasn’t done, it voided the warranty. Imagine buying a car and getting hit with that cost! It was an outrage and I’ll be sure to look at the maintenance schedule before buying a new motorcycle again.

    Motorcycle insurance is another area to cut costs. Shop around as there is a vast cost difference in motorcycle insurers. Again, it’s not like a car. Your agent may be with a big name company, but their motorcycle insurance may be through a rinky-dink outfit. The type of motorcycle is a big difference too. A large cruiser cost much less to insure than a small sport bike. Agents are willing to get the numbers for you, but give them some time as it’s not as quick to quote as with cars.

    Another way to save money is to buy gear that allows you to ride in bad weather. Heated suits and rain gear can add many more days of riding. Again, you have to weigh the cost/benefit. You can go over $500 for a good cold weather suit quickly.

    If you can buy a small cc motorcycle, it’s easier to save money with the motorcycle. 500 CC motorcycles can perform very well. The mpg difference is much better. If you plan on carrying a heavy passenger and/or travel gear, you have to go larger though. Check the weight limits before you buy. There are exceptions to the rule though. The Suzuki V-Strom 650 is rated at a larger carrying capacity than the Honda Gold Wing. The V-Strom is about $7,000, while the Gold Wing is over $25,000.

    Used motorcycles are a great bargain to consider as well. Many people buy a motorcycle, rarely ride it for a few years, and then sell it. Nearly new motorcycles with all of the accessories added for a used price. Don’t overlook these bargains. Do take into consideration the high cost of accessories. It’s not uncommon for a $7,000 motorcycle to have $2000 worth of add-ons and the seller is going to want some type of return on these items.

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      Cruiser Motorcycles

      Harley-Davidson motorcycle

      Harley Davidson Cruiser. Image via Wikipedia

      Cruiser motorcycles come in a large variety of sizes and models. On top of the large variety, there is a huge market for aftermarket upgrades and customization. If you want a one-of-a-kind motorcycle, the cruiser is the only way to go. If you want comfort and style he cruiser is great, if you’re only considering shorter rides. The cruiser is capable of long rides, but they lack the ability of the touring motorcycle.

      I don’t suggest cruisers for starter motorcycles because the lack the stability of a standard motorcycle. However, they do hold an advantage for short riders because of the low seating position. If being able to touch the ground with your flat foot is important to you, a small cruiser may be your best option for learning to ride.

      The make of cruiser you buy should depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want -

      • Price
      • Quality
      • Comfort
      • Looks
      • Technology
      • Old-School Technology
      • New Technology that looks like old school.
      • High Performance
      • Lifestyle
      • High Weight Capacity
      • the list of choices could go on and on

      Here’s the thing about your cruiser choice. You can have a combination of qualities, but it’s rare to find a combination of all choices in one bike. There is a give and take that happens when producing a motorcycles. This balance is weighted towards one type of rider or another and the companies put their investment in bikes that will appeal to the largest groups. Let’s take a brief look at some of the groups.

      Harley-Davidson Cruisers

      For some people, Harley-Davidson embodies all that they dream about. They buy “the lifestyle”. If that’s you’re thing and you have money for it, go ahead, but don’t forget to load up your checking account before buying. These people could care less about specs. It’s about the looks. Harley specs pretty much stay the same and if you don’t like them, you can pay a fortune to change the bikes performance and capabilities. There are some tech advances used by Harley, but they’re rarely a draw towards the motorcycle. Often, in the case of the watercooled V-Rod, the Harley-Davidson crowd will discount these advances as junk because they deviate from the basic Harley design. If Harley covers all of your wants in a motorcycle, no other brand will give you what you need.

      Close Harley-Davidson Knock-Offs

      Harley-Davidson alternative bikes are plentiful. Victory Motorcycles are much more technologically advanced and they are made in America. They’re expensive too, but you get the advantage of a motorcycle that outperforms Harley on nearly every level, except “lifestyle”. Large CC Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha V-Twins are cheaper Harley knock-offs that perform well, but lack in looks and overall quality. The drive trains exceed Harley, but the ornamental pieces are commonly plastic and cheap.

      Cruisers That Only Borrow The Harley Seating Position.

      There are many cruisers that resemble the Harley setting position, but that’s where it ends. Triumph’s triples, Honda’s V-4′s, and other configurations are great performers. Generally speaking, the less the motor looks and sounds like a Harley-Davidson V-Twin, the more value you get for the money. V-Twin’s are antique and the Harley sound is created when the antique technology is used. Motorcycles that do not require this retro look and sound can excel at smooth operation, power, and increased engine life. They are even less expensive to manufacture, so the price is more reasonable.

      In Conclusion

      Consider these options when buying a cruiser. There is one out there that is the perfect bike for you if you consider what qualities you most need in a motorcycle. I would say that you are crazy if you forego motorcycling altogether just because you cannot afford a Harley-Davidson. Don’t let anyone tell you different. Ride within your means and you’ll enjoy it more than a monthly payment bike.

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      Starter Motorcycles

      Honda Rebel

      Honda Rebel starter bike. Image via Wikipedia

      Starter motorcycles are the 250 c.c. motorcycles that I see many people start to learn on. They are light, easy to control, and affordable. The most popular is the Honda Rebel, so I’ll go with it for my pick as the best starter motorcycle. If you want the sport bike look and feel, go for the Kawasaki Ninja 250.

      Here’s the problem with the Honda Rebel. It’s low! To low for many tall people. It also doesn’t have the power that a slightly larger motorcycle would have. The same could be said for the Ninja 250. For just a little more money, you could buy a Suzuki GS500 and have a very manageable motorcycle that you will not outgrow quickly. Carefully consider your options before buying. If you get it wrong, the small starter bikes do hold their value very well due the demand for them.

      If you are a responsible rider, the GS500 is not powerful enough to really get you into trouble, yet it will be powerful enough for long highway speed rides once your skills are up to speed. The key decision factors to a starter motorcycle are:

      1. Can you touch flat footed on the ground?
      2. Is the motorcycle light enough for you to handle and pick up if dropped.
      3. Can you afford the insurance and payments? Sport bike styles are always more expensive to insure.
      4. Can you get a decent resale value when you trade up later?
      5. Is there a model that can be both a starter bike and a long term bike that fits me? If so buy it.

      I use these examples because they are the most popular. Check out the comparable models for price and other features you like. It’s not uncommon for a Suzuki or Yamaha 250 to cost less new than what a used Honda Rebel costs, and these other brands are quality motorcycles too.

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