Need help looking for used bike...

[Crisqo]

Planning on purchasing my 1st sports bike this upcoming season..
After reading around the forums, probably looking for a 250cc-500cc range..
The thing is, the price range for these bikes can be found $3K-8K ..

I don't really want to go for a bike any older than a 2005, my reason being that mechanical parts get old, don't really want to spend time fixing it up if things go wrong (normal maintenance I don't mind), and just prefer a newer bike...

Not sure what brand I should be looking for...
Looked at brand new bikes on Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Honda's websites...
any recommendations? Or is it just personal preference? (I drive European cars vs Jap\domestic because of the appeal and the feel of the car)..

Looking around on Kijiji, CL, GTAM Classifieds for Bikes...
I have no clue what the price market is, to know what a good deal would be...

Please point me in the right direction..

[blackcamaro]

Better yet how about you tell us how much you want to spend and then we can point you in the right direction. Remember to Plan on spending about $1000-$1500 on gear, $400 or so on rider training course. You also have to factor in insurance costs.

[Flashmonkey]

I also wouldn't bother discounting bikes older than 2005. Ninja 250's, 500's, GS500's, etc, have pretty much been mechanically the same for the past 20 years or so. Only recently have they been getting makeovers and upgrades. These beginner bikes tend to get abused quite a bit. Most of the noobs that buy them may or may not follow regular maintenance protocols, so a lot of these "newer" model beginner bikes may already have a few lingering issues just waiting to surface.

Just be picky and patient. The one benefit you have when shopping for a beginner bike is the fact that there's an abundance of them on the used market.

[Crisqo]

$3000-5000 on the bike itself is my budget....
Other costs have already been budgeted...

[short stop]

That's a pretty workable budget, and you should have no problem finding a newer Ninja 250 in that price range.

As Flashmonkey said, don't limit yourself to a magical year where you won't consider anything older. A lot of it depends on how the bike was cared for (if at all).

As for brands...it's pretty well personal preference. You really can't go wrong with any of the major brands (ex. I've owned 3 out of the 4 main Jap brands), and instead do some research into particular models and decide which may best suit your riding needs. Once you've narrowed it down to a few, it helps if you can test-sit them and see if they "fit".

[blackcamaro]

There is a few 2007 and newer Suzuki GS500's on Kijiji in Toronto. With what you want to spend and wanting something newer thats what I would do. The bike has been around forever so its easy to find parts and is reliable. I think you should be able to pick one up for 3800-4000 and your doing pretty good.

[Flip]

with your budget it all goes down to preferences...
There's alot of them out there for your price range.
I agree with the all the guys inputs...


fyi.
did you go to the show last weekend for gears?
If you didnt you've missed out. There were lots of good deals.

[Crisqo]

Would I go wrong with getting a new Bike...?
Looking into a Kawasaki 250R...
fairly good reviews...and can afford to buy one straight from factory...

[Green Meenie]

A new Kawi 250 would be top end of your budget and, if you're a completely new rider, you'll likely drop it once or twice when you first begin riding (low speed or no speed drops are common for beginners). If it were me, I would get a decent used first bike as you'll save a bit on initial depreciation, don't have to worry so much about damaging it cosmetically from a small "oops" situation and, you may even be able to get what you paid for it a year or so later when you trade up to something bigger. Something to think about anyway.

[DemonPig]

Questions I would ask - what's your budget for insurance payments? How old are you? How tall, heavy? What are you going to use the bike for? What kind of a driver are you?

If you're not too worried about insurance cost you could start yourself on a Suzuki V650 or Kawasaki Ninja 650. Both these bikes are substantially faster than your average 500cc bike though. I started on a Kawi 250 myself.

Starting on a 500cc bike may be a better idea. GS500 and Ninja 500 would both easily fall into your price range. You should be able to find a 2005-6 model for $3,500-$4,000. Remember - asking price is not what you pay for the bike. I always assume at least 10% off after negotiating is done.

[Crisqo]

Budget, I'm aiming for $5K area.
27
5'6"
135lbs
Will be used as a daily driver to work and back.

I started looking into those bikes as well, and seems to be a better bang for the buck vs buying a new 250R.

thx for the tip

Questions I would ask - what's your budget for insurance payments? How old are you? How tall, heavy? What are you going to use the bike for? What kind of a driver are you?

If you're not too worried about insurance cost you could start yourself on a Suzuki V650 or Kawasaki Ninja 650. Both these bikes are substantially faster than your average 500cc bike though. I started on a Kawi 250 myself.

Starting on a 500cc bike may be a better idea. GS500 and Ninja 500 would both easily fall into your price range. You should be able to find a 2005-6 model for $3,500-$4,000. Remember - asking price is not what you pay for the bike. I always assume at least 10% off after negotiating is done.

[DemonPig]

Ok, since you're 27 - the insurance won't eat you. Your weight and size are non-issue since you're on the smaller side and shouldn't have any problems fitting on any of the above mentioned bikes.

If you want a bike for years to come then definitely SV650. For $5,000 you can find a nice 2nd gen one with FI. V-twin power is great in the city. That bike's all low and mid torque. Top speed 'only' 200km/h, wasn't designed for drag racing. Acceleration to a 100 should be around 3.7 seconds though.
Dry weight around 380lbs so it's a light bike, easy to control and maneuver.

Ninja 650 is considered to have a smoother delivery (inline 4) so it may be better for a rookie but once you learn SV should be more fun.

[frekeyguy]

Ninja 500
ninja 650
sv 650
nija 250

[Streetfighter]

Ok, since you're 27 - the insurance won't eat you. Your weight and size are non-issue since you're on the smaller side and shouldn't have any problems fitting on any of the above mentioned bikes.

If you want a bike for years to come then definitely SV650. For $5,000 you can find a nice 2nd gen one with FI. V-twin power is great in the city. That bike's all low and mid torque. Top speed 'only' 200km/h, wasn't designed for drag racing. Acceleration to a 100 should be around 3.7 seconds though.
Dry weight around 380lbs so it's a light bike, easy to control and maneuver.

Ninja 650 is considered to have a smoother delivery (inline 4) so it may be better for a rookie but once you learn SV should be more fun.

Kawi 650r's are parallel twins, not I4.

[DemonPig]

Kawi 650r's are parallel twins, not I4.

My bad. Believe it or not, that's what I meant. End result, SV = more grunt, Ninja = smoother.

[Pocket]

1983 xs400rk

[Kokla]

1983 xs400rk

Hell yes Pocket

[DaFrEnCh-TiCkLeR]

The one thing you dont want to do is kick the older bike idea to the curb cause of mechanical failures.

My bike's a 93 and I'll double dog dare you, hell I'll triple dog dare you to find rust on it besides the inside of the screws I take off to do maintenance on it.

IMO, get an older cheaper 2g to 3g 500, like an EX or GS 500, it will have all the power you need to commute and if you drop it a couple of times you wont feel your heart sink in your boots.

Use it to learn with and toss it to your friend or GF or wife when your done with it.