hello all

[desi_555]

hello people....i am a newbie when it comes to bikes in US. I am from India and had my first bike when i was 13. But they say bike riding in US is more dangerous. But i am thinking of giving it a shot. Anyways, i have some questions and as i was going through this forum i cleared lot of them...the remaining one's are

1. Which is better GZ250/REBEL250/VULCAN500
2. Do i need to get learners permit before attending MTC (Motorcycle training course)
3. Is it costly to maintain a bike, i mean all the oil changes and maintainence things

Please give me your suggestions

Drive Safe....

[Easy Rider]

1. Which is better GZ250/REBEL250/VULCAN500
2. Do i need to get learners permit before attending MTC (Motorcycle training course)
3. Is it costly to maintain a bike, i mean all the oil changes and maintainence things


Welcome to our humble little group!

1) The GZ...of course! :cool:
The best one for YOU is the one YOU like the best. Honestly.

2) Check with the MTC people or your DMV. Good idea even if not required.
Best to take the course before you buy a bike.

3) Not usually......if you get a bike less than 5 years old that is in good condition.

[desi_555]

Thank you Easy Rider. I used drive 2 stoke Yamaha 100 (lot of power back then) during college days and Kawasaki Boxer 100CC when i visit india...I liked the looks of GZ better than other bikes. Having my class on May 10,11 in Texas. Can't wait to get on the bike...Also, any suggestions where i can get a Helmet ( also what kind)....

Thanks....


Drive Safe....

[Rudeboy]

Thank you Easy Rider. I used drive 2 stoke Yamaha 100 (lot of power back then) during college days and Kawasaki Boxer 100CC when i visit india...I liked the looks of GZ better than other bikes. Having my class on May 10,11 in Texas. Can't wait to get on the bike...Also, any suggestions where i can get a Helmet ( also what kind)....

Thanks....


Drive Safe....

best thing is to find a local motorcycle shop
a helmet has to be comfortable
you have to go to the store and try it on
and wear it around the store, if it starts to hurtat all
then try a different one

[LilNinja77]

Speaking unbiased (as I don't have any of the bikes you mentioned), it's all going to depend on what you want. The Vulcan 500 is by far the most powerful, but considering how cheaply used ones can be found you may be suprised to find one in the same price range of a GZ or Rebel. The Ninja 500 motor that's in the Vulcan is known for great fuel economy (particularly for its' displacement), and unlike on the GZ and Rebel you won't even have to think about having enough power for any given situation. Don't mistake what I'm saying as bashing on the GZ (or any other small-displacement bike for that matter), I'm just speaking realistically. If you live in a place that won't requre lots of speeds over the 65 mph range then that's not even an issue anyway, so truly just pick the one that A---you like the best, and B---fits you the best.

As for the expenses, yes there a quite a lot of things to take your money.....but there are also things you can do to minimize the damage to your wallet. One of the biggest places many people spend money is on maintenance work done at a dealer/mechanic, and those people will charge you every penny they can; so it's always a great idea to try and learn how to do these things yourself. I do every bit of maintenance on my Ninja 250, and find it fun and educating, saving money is just an extra bonus.
To put it in perspective, a typical 500 mile maintenance fee at a dealer can run anywhere from $100-$300 at the shops near me. They keep your bike for several days, and you pretty much have no way of telling what's been done to your bike unless you are familiar enough with your bike that you can hear the difference in valve clearance (and most people don't have that experience when dealing with a new bike). I can do the same maintenance in a couple hours and spend less $$$ than I do for lunch at McDonalds.....seriously. I just recently disassembled the rear end to do a swingarm lube and shock linkage lube, only thing it cost me was the $6 for some high-speed bearing grease.......you don't want to know what the dealer would've charged.

But don't be afraid to invest money in the areas that really deserve it: Tires, brakes, riding gear, rider training. Don't ever skimp on quality when it comes to these things, because all 4 are extremely important to your safety. Hope you have fun on whichever bike you choose, ride smart and ride to be seen.
Ride safe

[desi_555]

wow thats pretty cool....nice write up....thank you LilNinja77. :2tup:

Also, thanks Rudeboy :2tup: . I will keep what ever is said in mind while making my final decision....

First i will finish the training next weekend and then visit some delaer ships to check out the bikes....

one question though....if i am buying a used bike from some private party....is there anyway to have the bike checked up at any repair shop before i give money???? Usually we do the same for cars right...so just wondering if bike mechanics do offer such services....


Thanks....

Drive Safe.......

[Rudeboy]

to be quite honest, If you have a limited knowledge of motorcycles, then you should try to buy a bike from a used bike dealer.
It may cost a bit more at first but could save you 100's to 1000's of dollars in the long run.
some people sell bikes because they outgrow them, and some people sell bike because they broke them.
the problem is both bikes and people will look the same.
at least when buying from a dealer there may be some recourse if there is a problem.
A smart seller would NEVER let a person take a bike for a test ride.
A smart buyer would Never buy a bike without a test ride.
I have known, in the past, more than one of my friends to buy a bike used that was not worth buying.
this has left them and me with a well based fear of buying used bike private.
Chances are you will not be able to take the bike for a test ride, but if the seller will not let a mechanic inspect the bike at your expense then you should walk away from the deal and go to a reputable dealer.

[desi_555]

Rudeboy, i totally agree with your write up. Execellent suggestions for a newbie like me. :2tup:
I will keep these in mind when i start looking for bikes....

Is the motorcycle license renewed once a year or once 10 yrs like car license??

Also, we call the sound of bike as ROAR. What is it like on GZ250?? Can we change or improve it once buying it?

[Rudeboy]

renewal depends on the state you live in.
generally every ten i think
in ontario canada its every 5

as far as modifying the bike
read as many of the threads in the GZ BIKE MODS forum
http://www.gz250bike.com/viewforum.php?f=9

and in the HOW TO's forum
http://www.gz250bike.com/viewforum.php?f=8

and read the two write ups by Dupo
http://www.gz250bike.com/viewtopic.php?t=19
and
http://www.gz250bike.com/viewtopic.php? ... light=loud (http://www.gz250bike.com/viewtopic.php?t=5&highlight=loud)

[desi_555]

awesome thanks....

[turbo chicken]

Hey there... i only purchased my bike cause it was a deal i couldn't pass up. Considering GZ's usually go for closer around 2000 in this area.

If that deal hadn't come around. I'd still be looking for a bike.

[desi_555]

ya...i am still thinking whether to take a new one or old one...i would also consider 2006 or 2007 models but not earlier than that...

[desi_555]

ok, i got my MSF training finished and got a small card to show at DPS. It was fun and exhausting....as i was planning to buy a GZ, i jumped on a GZ as soon as they showed us the bikes to choose. But i would say i was little disappointed. Everything about GZ was good except the fuel tank. The fuel tank is kind of straight and square at the end and makes my thighs feel uncomfortable...i don't know if any body else had this same feeling....for other bikes like eliminator and rebel, the end of the fuel tank was more of a small curved structure on the sides of which my knees rest fine....

is it because they use some old models??....please let me know your comments....

[Easy Rider]

.for other bikes like eliminator and rebel, the end of the fuel tank was more of a small curved structure on the sides of which my knees rest fine....
is it because they use some old models??....

It's mostly because the tank on the GZ has at least 30% more capacity than those other bikes.
I've never noticed a problem with thighs vs tank. Maybe the bike just doesn't fit your......mmmmm....body style? :roll:

[turbo chicken]

the bigger tank was also selling point for me when researching what bike to get... I like to be able to "hug" the tank when making turns. But I'm a small person too.

[desi_555]

can some one please tell me a forum for honda aero 750....also any idea what MPG it will give...sorry for posting it here...butu this is the only motorcycle forum i know of as i was planning for a GZ....

[LilNinja77]

Here are some that popped up when I googled, don't know how good/bad any of them are. Generally shadows are great bikes, though some of them do vibrate significantly, especially in the footpegs. They aren't my cup of tea; the gas tanks are too small and I don't like air-cooled motors that have more than one cylinder......but they are still good quality bikes that are very popular and apparently very reliable; go figure, a Honda being reliable....who would've thought that :tongue:


http://www.shadowaero750.com/
===exclusive for shadow-aero

http://www.hondashadow.net/
===for shadows of all makes

http://www.hondabikes.net/forum/
===for honda motorcycles in general

Ride safe

[Littlethumper]

HELLO EVERYONE
I'm a newbie here and just started on this forum. I don't drive yet and going to start my MTC this week here in WI WCTC. I was encouraged by my boyfriend since he started going to a bike gathereing on a certain place here. Lots of diff'rent kinds of bikes,sports or
touring. Then he started going to a drag race in Byron Illinois. He had his own ZX14 for drag race. He just bought me a green GZ250 a week ago as a mothers day gift. He told me to throw the garbage in the bin inside the garage and when i open the garage door i was shocked to see
a new bike(its a used one) in there with a balloon tied on it and a ribbon on each side lights......I'm so speechless!

I am asian and only 5' tall so its a good size and height for me. :lol: I am so excited and this is gonna be my first bike and ride,
of course if i finished my MTC and go for the Safety Driving Lesson. :tup:

:roll: I hope i am welcome here...

Thanks and drive safe.....

[5th_bike]

Hey Littlethumper yes of course you're welcome here. :2tup:
Although, when you introduce yourself, please click 'new post' rather than 'reply' (to someone else's introduction).
Here, the people are just like everywhere else - mostly nice.

Good luck with the riding class this week. For me last year the hardest part was going slowly around tight curves, when you have to work with the clutch... you'll see.

[Water Warrior 2]

Welcome to the forum. You will have a great time getting to know your bike. It is a very forgiving bike for a new rider and loves to travel.

[Littlethumper]

:tup: Thank you water warrior and 5th_bike

[desi_555]

hi friends...got myself a 2008 Honda Aero 750. I am a new rider and this forum helped me a lot in getting used to bikes...thank you everybody who dropped in information for me. I will miss this forum.....Thank you all.....