GZ 250 or TU 250?

[Gidget]

Thanks so much, "mrlmd1"! You're putting to words some of what I've been thinking. I guess I just wish I could have a "beater" bike for a month to get more comfortable on it, then get to the TU or something a bit bigger. I felt raring to go after my class last summer, but after a few months of not riding, I have some trepidations about getting right on a new bike and possibly downing it in a typical newbie mistake. Wanna come up to MI and pick a bike for me?

I think I will check out the bike shops in March and see what's been turned in and go from there. Maybe I can take a test drive on a bigger bike somehow. Choices, choices.....

[mrlmd1]

If that school's bike is in good running condition it is not a bad deal and the GZ is a really good starter bike, and a keeper bike, especially if you are worried about dumping it - going down- as a new rider, and don't want to spend a lot of money on a new bike. I'm not trying to scare you off that bike, just to let you know you will need new tires and brakes, and even at $1600 or so, it's a good price. Check on nadaguides.com and kelley blue book (kbb.com) and see what these things go for in your area. You can also look on craigslist, but you have to be aware of what you are getting and take someone with you who knows about bikes, or have the seller meet you at a shop or mechanic so you can have it inspected before you buy it. If it's any good, he'll agree to that, if not, run from it.

If you keep the GZ for a year or two I don't think you will lose any money on it, much less than on a new TU250, altho you're buying the TU at $1000 below list price so you won't really lose much on that one either if you decide to trade up to something bigger.

Also, don't forget to add in, you need to buy an armored jacket, (maybe a leather one for cold weather and a textile mesh one for summer), a full face helmet. riding boots, gloves, and maybe if you have any money left, armored riding pants. And ? rain gear if you get caught.
Prices of bikes, new and used will go up as the weather gets warmer and the demand increases. Dealers aren't selling anything now in the middle of winter and you may get a better deal now if you really want a bike. Go for it. Put it in your living room and sit on it every day 'till it warms up outside.

As an aside, you also may be able to go back to that school for a one day refresher course before you go out on the bike on your own, and I bet they would give you that day for free if you bought their bike. You'd be riding your own bike around their course under supervision so it wouldn't be any big deal for them. Ask, you might be surprised. It would really be a good idea if you did that, rebuild some skills and confidence.
Then you could take a ride straight south to Florida where it's much warmer.

[alantf]

With all this talk about bikes "going down" ......... whatever bike you get, PLEASE get an engine guard (or as we English call them, "crash bars") fitted. It's not only newbies who have accidents. I've been riding for over 45 years, but last year a 4x4 sideswiped me as I was overtaking. The bike went down, & the bars got bent, but it certainly saved my leg, which would have been trapped under the bike otherwise. Also, if you lay the bike down at low speed, the bars will save a lot of cosmetic damage to the tank etc. :chop:

[mrlmd1]

A engine guard for the GZ costs about $140-160, depending on where you buy it, takes 5 min to put on and is another worthwhile investment. Look for pics here under accessories/farkles.

[dhgeyer]

I have personally owned and maintained a GZ250, Kawasaki Ninja 250, Vulcan 500, Honda Rebel 250, and others.

1. I would not buy a bike from any training facility. I worked, briefly, for one of them, and have taken/seen a number of classes. Those bikes take an awful beating, even if they are well maintained, which they are not always. The clutches, in particular, get run so much in "the friction zone" that they are often on their last legs. Also, they get dropped so much that they are usually a mess, sometimes even to the point of forks not being quite true. 2500 miles on a training course is an awful lot of wear and tear. You can do better if you look around a bit. The Honda Rebel is quite a bit like the GZ250, and between those 2 models you should be able to easily find a decent one at a fair price on Craigslist that hasn't had anything like the beating a trainer takes.

2. The Ninja 250 has a riding position similar to the TU250 (which I've been examining carefully at 2 local dealers), is similar in price, weight, and handling, and will go at least 20 mph faster, making it highway capable. It is more complex to maintain, being a twin with dual carbs and plastic body work, but you will not outgrow it nearly as quickly as the GZ or the TU or the Rebel.

3. The Vulcan 500 is a great bike if you can handle something a little heavier. It has the cruiser riding position like the GZ250, and the weight is low, so it's not as hard to handle as you might imagine. You will not outgrow a Vulcan 500 anytime soon, or maybe ever.

The more upright position and higher seat of the TU250 or the Ninja 250 makes quite a difference in your ability to manage if you are short. Most people find that the upright position distributes their weight more evenly for better endurance on longer rides. You trade this off against the lower seat and weight distribution of the cruiser style (GZ250, Vulcan 500, Rebel) being more manageable, especially for new riders, or people with short legs.

My daughter took the course on a rebel, but her first bike was a Ninja 250, and she loved it. She's about 5'6'', and had no trouble with it. She didn't ride much, and was away at school for a while, so I traded it in. Now she rides our GZ250, and loves that too! She almost never goes very far at one time.

One hundred miles in a day isn't all that much if that's all you're doing. Add a full day's work on top of it, and you've got a long day, especially if you're commuting on a very small bike. You would be well advised to do some shorter rides for a while before doing the 100 mile a day commute.

Not sure if I've helped, or just added confusion! Good luck with whatever you choose.

Dave Geyer

[burkbuilds]

Hi Gidget,
You have gotten some really good advice here already, so I don't have much to add. I will second dhgeyer about not buying a bike from a training course, it has had a hard life already. The TU250 for 3 grand sounds like a deal, and I think you would benefit from the fuel injection being less temperamental than the carb/choke,(and if the GZ has a temperamental part it would be the carb, but usually only if it sits for a while) plus the bike will be under warranty for at least a year and you might be able to purchase an extended warranty if you wanted to. I don't normally think an extended warranty is worth the money, but part of that would be because I do a lot of my own work on my bikes and I wouldn't benefit as much as someone who would be taking it to a dealer to have work done most of the time. I sold my GZ250 last year and bought a Vulcan 500 only because I was going to need something to ride two hours on the interstate twice a week for several years. The GZ did a great job of getting me around at 55-60 mph and I weigh about 100lbs more than you do, so I don't think you will have a problem unless you want to go 65-75 for more than just a burst of speed once in a while. The Vulcan 500 is only about 100 lbs heavier than the GZ and the seat height is almost exactly the same so you would probably find it comfortable if you fit on a GZ. The handle similarly. You are the perfect height and weight for the GZ. Water Warriors wife rode hers all the way across Canada a few years back and she was comfortable with the stock seat, we "larger" guys find it a big uncomfortable after about 20-30 minutes. So, I guess what I'm saying is, the GZ is a great bike, but don't buy one that's been ridden hard at a safety course, the TU's basically a similar engine with the improvement of fuel injection that probably makes it less temperamental than a carbureted GZ, and if you can find a 2006-08Vulcan 500 for the same price you will probably be very happy with it. Good luck!

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Gidget

Just wondering if I would be paying twice the cost for something that doesn't make that much difference.

Maybe. Less of a gamble with the cheaper bike.
Since you learned on a GZ, I'd lean that way.

IF.....you think the 250 size and weight might be good for you long term......then I'd lean the TU way.....as a "standard" almost always handles better than a cruiser because of the foot peg position. But then you could always "upgrade" to a TU later.

[alanmcorcoran]

G,

To echo some of what mrlmd said: make sure that that "3K" price for the TU is real. Dealers out here routinely add on at least three fees: shipping, assembly and (the ultimate in BS) "safety check". Plus then there's tax, DMV and so on. Shipping on a GZ can be $450 alone. If it is a leftover, it's possible they won't attempt to collect these (my Strat was a leftover and I got it for 12K "out the door" even though the list price was nearly 17K.) Make sure you compare "out the door" prices before you make a decision. Out the door means EVERYTHING including taxes, license and destination.

[Gidget]

Man, you guys are great, thank you!! OK, so now I'm thinking maybe not the school's bike, but will check out a Vulcan. I already have a mesh armored jacket (neon yellow, you'll see me coming!), gloves, boots and a full face helmet. I don't have any pants, but will look at those too. I figure the better prepared I am to go down, the lesser the chance, right? I think I'll take my gremlin (read: daughter) to the store again today to get some more details about the TU. I would be paying cash, so maybe if I wave a wad of bills around I can get what I want for the flat $3K without a lot of add-ons. Maybe the cute kid would help lower the price.

Oh- and I am signed up for a Experienced Rider Course, Skills Practice class the beginning of April, so that should make me a bit more confident. My mom and dad still don't know I'm getting a bike, that's almost harder than choosing a bike! ("You'll shoot your eye out!")

Thanks for all the advice, I'll keep you updated!

[mrlmd1]

Ask about adding a full windshield at their cost - one that covers the grips to keep your hands a little protected from the cold when you ride 50 miles at a shot, esp at night, If you go there with csh ready to but, you could probably talk them into that.