New rider looking for a new bike!

[Armen444]

Hello this will be my first post her on GTA Motorcycle (yes i know its not the introduction thread) anyways, names Armen, and at the moment i drive a 150cc CVT belt driven performance scooter :P i love it for general city use, but i find it lacks in acceleration and its top end is a bit too slow for my taste (100km/h) so im looking to sell my bike, and get a new bike for this season. I have no issues driving on 2 wheels (turning, braking etc.) i just need to practice gear shifting :P So far im leaning toward a 1992 Kawasaki Ninja 500cc or the EX 500cc (are they the same bike, im not sure), so what late model bike would you guys recommend to an experienced rider looking for long distance riding (must be reliable). I am currently 19 years old so a bike made prior to the year of 1995 is preferred due to insurance company's raping me with monthly payments any input will be appreciated, thanks guys!

Armen

P.S im sure many of you guys have seen me out and about in the GTA, yes its the one that glows blue at night :P

[Gummiente]

Welcome to the GTAM jungle. Just a couple of pointers... it's not a good idea to post your phone number on Kijiji (or any other online venue, for that matter). And being 19yrs old with limited experience on a scooter with CVT drive does not make you an "experienced" rider. You should seriously consider taking an approved motorcycle safety course - and I'm assuming you haven't, judging by your comments about being "raped" by your insurance company - to help with learning how to shift a normal motorcycle transmission. And yes, an EX500 is a good bike to start out with.

But I'm just an old coot with 30yrs of two wheeled adventures under my belt, what do I know?

[Armen444]

Welcome to the GTAM jungle. Just a couple of pointers... it's not a good idea to post your phone number on Kijiji (or any other online venue, for that matter). And being 19yrs old with limited experience on a scooter with CVT drive does not make you an "experienced" rider. You should seriously consider taking an approved motorcycle safety course - and I'm assuming you haven't, judging by your comments about being "raped" by your insurance company - to help with learning how to shift a normal motorcycle transmission. And yes, an EX500 is a good bike to start out with.

But I'm just an old coot with 30yrs of two wheeled adventures under my belt, what do I know?

LOL i hear you brother! by experianced i meant to say i have experience on the road and under the hood, per say. Ive done extensive work on my bike and fully understand the concept of small engine repair etc... The phone # issue is debateable but i personally think its slightly more professional, i do however understand it is an easy target to invade personal space. Ive deffinitely considered the motorcycle safety course however, going to work, attending all classes, and having various hobbies i just havent found the time to actually take the course, however i do know how to shift gears and what not, just never been on a bike to get the hang of it. I also know the Motorcycle Safety Course will decrease insurance costs but at this point its kinda insignificant due to my 1 year of clean record (no tickets, no accidents) also i will be buying car insurance soon so if anything i will bundle them and reduce costs

Thanks for all the advice Gummiente! and hey for all i know your an evil genius :P
Regards,
Armen

[MacDoc]

Do the safety course but target bike might be a Burgman 400 as it will tour and be reasonable around town plus will be a very easy transition for you. The only issue will be insurance. The 400s go relatively cheap given what they can do.

Do some research here and do a similar post as you have on the GTAM
http://www.burgmanusa.com/forums/

Otherwise a Ninja 250 is an excellent bike - not too bad on insurance and they will go when prodded by a light rider yet reasonably docile in traffic. You WILL learn to shift to get the most fun from it. But certainly not for distance unless you really trick it out a bit with storage. The Burgman would be a far better choice for that and a very easy transition for you from your smaller ride.

This is a good deal if it's still around

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ328166616

43 years riding - the Burgman 650 Exec is the best all around bike I've had and many on the Burgman site who have owned an even wider range concur. My surprise was the performance in the twisties.

Review of the bigger maxis here
http://www.onewheeldrive.net/2006/10...uzuki-burgman/

and now BMW has moved in the category as well.

I use Wiesner Insurance in Brampton and have been pleased.

Good luck

[Armen444]

Do the safety course but target bike might be a Burgman 400 as it will tour and be reasonable around town plus will be a very easy transition for you. The only issue will be insurance. The 400s go relatively cheap given what they can do.

Do some research here and do a similar post as you have on the GTAM
http://www.burgmanusa.com/forums/

Otherwise a Ninja 250 is an excellent bike - not too bad on insurance and they will go when prodded by a light rider yet reasonably docile in traffic. You WILL learn to shift to get the most fun from it. But certainly not for distance unless you really trick it out a bit with storage. The Burgman would be a far better choice for that and a very easy transition for you from your smaller ride.

This is a good deal if it's still around

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ328166616

43 years riding - the Burgman 650 Exec is the best all around bike I've had and many on the Burgman site who have owned an even wider range concur. My surprise was the performance in the twisties.

Review of the bigger maxis here
http://www.onewheeldrive.net/2006/10...uzuki-burgman/

and now BMW has moved in the category as well.

I use Wiesner Insurance in Brampton and have been pleased.

Good luck

OH GOD NO! LOL! im looking to get away from the CVT!!!! Its awesome technology but IMHO it actually sucks away so much power from the bike itself! Ive been told the 250's are really sluggish in terms of acceleration and top speed, as a result, it is not best suited for highway use and long distance riding. Also I forgot to mention i intend to ride in a group aswell. Thanks for the reply MacDog. P.S. that burgman doesnt look all too bad though leaning more towards sport/touring tho.

[MacDoc]

You've been told very wrong. The CVT in the 650 is nothing like you've experienced,

Here's another long term rider's view of it and if you read the review you'll see the comments about the performance surprised the reviews big time.

The Burgman 650 is a cross between a scooter, Goldwing and bullet bike.
It's fast, comfortable and very manuverable. Braking is outstanding. Storage is terrific. I've owned many, many bikes of all brands and models, but the Burgman 650 is the best two wheeled vehicle I've ever owned.
I bought my wife and 2002 for an anniversary present. At the time, I was riding a J1500 kawasaki Indian look alike, which I have since given my oldest son. I loved that bike, but must say that I love the Burgman even more. Now, my wife and I ride together, hassel free, with greater ease than any bikes we've had in the past. The seating and storage can't be beat. You can ride all day without paralyzing your crotch or hands. Gas milage, on the highway, is about 50 mpg, with 47 in the city. Manuverablity, in the city or on the highway is terrific. Acceleration, especially if you hit the power button, is excellent.
You can easily put a muscle car down off the line and even do well against cruzers and smaller bullet bikes

The nature of an advanced CVT gives you sweet spot power all the time. Again read the forum and the review - you'll see how wrong you are.

ALL low CC bikes will need to be wound up for performance - an earlier 500 will feel much better than you are used to but that will soon get old unless you are willing to spin the RPM up.
Weight to power on the Ninja 250 is decent if you are light but it only starts to move in the 7k + range and you really need to watch your insurance costs until you are 25

If you are not touring then you might even consider a light dual sport as they are geared for quick acceleration and your riding skills will improve enormously if you get off the pavement for some riding. Those off road skills will last a lifetime and there are excellent courses available.
Dual sports are very tweakable as well so you can have fun with many upgrades.
( so are Ninja 250s to a point )>

They are fun and nimble around town as well.

If you ask for advice you need to be willing to listen to experienced riders, do your homework and not bring misconceptions to the table.

[silverbullet132]

The 05 Burgman 650 my Dad has, MacDoc's old one, pulls HARD. Turn on power mode and that thing is a BEAST! Even without power mode it is fasssssssssst. It has been up past 160k/h once or twice.

[Wogger]

FYI... You dont drive a bike, you ride it.

And I agree the EX500 is a great bike to start out on.

[ViperZ]

The price on this guy's scooter went up from 15,000 to 1,500,000? Is that Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen or some other currency I don't know about?

[MacDoc]

If insurance is not too high there is a sweet 500 listed just now but check the insurance BEFORE you jump. My guess is $3k or so.

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ364036395

BTW group rides are not everyone's cuppa - certainly not mine - anything more than 3 gets awkward often but having a riding partner is good for long jaunts or just out having fun.

[ViperZ]

If insurance is not too high there is a sweet 500 listed just now but check the insurance BEFORE you jump. My guess is $3k or so.

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ364036395

BTW group rides are not everyone's cuppa - certainly not mine - anything more than 3 gets awkward often but having a riding partner is good for long jaunts or just out having fun.

3500 for '97??? Is that a collector's bike or the inflation really shot up in the last few months??

[Armen444]

You've been told very wrong. The CVT in the 650 is nothing like you've experienced,

Here's another long term rider's view of it and if you read the review you'll see the comments about the performance surprised the reviews big time.



The nature of an advanced CVT gives you sweet spot power all the time. Again read the forum and the review - you'll see how wrong you are.

ALL low CC bikes will need to be wound up for performance - an earlier 500 will feel much better than you are used to but that will soon get old unless you are willing to spin the RPM up.
Weight to power on the Ninja 250 is decent if you are light but it only starts to move in the 7k + range and you really need to watch your insurance costs until you are 25

If you are not touring then you might even consider a light dual sport as they are geared for quick acceleration and your riding skills will improve enormously if you get off the pavement for some riding. Those off road skills will last a lifetime and there are excellent courses available.
Dual sports are very tweakable as well so you can have fun with many upgrades.
( so are Ninja 250s to a point )>

They are fun and nimble around town as well.

If you ask for advice you need to be willing to listen to experienced riders, do your homework and not bring misconceptions to the table.

To address the CVT issue, its not a "misconception" its just something ive experienced on my bike while i was working on it. Without the CVT attached (no belt on) the bike actually reved up to 11500RPM+ (yes i have a no rev limit CDI) and after the installation it of the belt it shot down to 9500RPM of course it will decrease due to friction but i wasnt expecting a 2000RPM drop... Like i said im just going off from prior experience and dont mean to sound ignorant or arrogant, im here to learn just like everyone else! I have no problem in high revving machines :P 7K+ is A OK with me, however if its bad for the bike mechanically im not totally sure :P ive never riden a REAL motorcycle before, i just know that my CVT driven scooter likes to be between 6500-8000RPM for cruising (80-90km/h). Like previously posted, im trying to stay away from CVT driven scooters no matter what the CC's, i can attest to its fuel consumption and smooth riding but im kinda looking for something different If i go with a 250 ill probably want to sell it after just one season for something with more power, so i think if i stick with a 400-600 ill at least keep it for 2 or 3 seasons because theres only so much power i need :P im not that power hungry, im satisfied with my bikes output but at the moment it just cant serve the purpose of long cruises at high speeds which i intend to do in this season (looking to get on the highway and get out of town a month at a time, along with general city use). I have thought about the DualSport idea however i just dont think it really suits me, however they do look really badass! I do know they are easily modifiable with upgrade parts galore which can be found almost anywhere, but like ive said in the previous post im looking for a sport/touring type of bike I plan to do some work on whatever bike i get probably not upgrades just yet but things like valve adjustments, new coils, spark plug, gaskets, etc. you know, the small stuff which keep the bike working at its peak performance with little cost :P nothing too extensive like a $400 exhaust system or a $200 carb etc. etc...

"If you ask for advice you need to be willing to listen to experienced riders, do your homework and not bring misconceptions to the table."

Like ive said on many other forums, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and yours matters just as mine, so in essence im willing to listen to you if your willing to listen to me type of deal Im willing to learn Im no flamer, ignorant, arrogant, keyboard elitist, btw i can keep going :P but im sure you get my point. Really appreciate the info brother.

Regards,
Armen

[Armen444]

FYI... You dont drive a bike, you ride it.

And I agree the EX500 is a great bike to start out on.

LOL, thats debateable :P ill tell you just like i told one of my buddys. you can ride a roller coaster, but at which point in time you take control over somethings speed, acceleration, direction, etc. you are now currently driving it
"drive
3. To guide, control, or direct (a vehicle)."
Brought to you by www.thefreedictionary.com , im not a know it all, but i like to be whity when i can :P

[Armen444]

3500 for '97??? Is that a collector's bike or the inflation really shot up in the last few months??

yes, i agree with you! Thats pretty steep for a '97 bike... I dont know how much these things go for regularely or how much they are brand new, i just know that, that price is way out of my budget.

P.S. I did forget to mention my budget on my "new" bike, like posted previously, im selling my scoot, so pretty much looking to trade it for a descent 500 Ninja, or spend between $1200-$1800 on one with the money i collect for my current bike. Ive seen some pretty reasonable prices on kijiji for second owner or third owner bikes, im not scared of getting one thats kinda faulty or has slight problems, ill take it apart and replace what needs to be replaced, im handy in that scene, also studying Electro-Mechanical engineering at the moment, so that helps too

[Armen444]

The price on this guy's scooter went up from 15,000 to 1,500,000? Is that Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen or some other currency I don't know about?

Someone on this forum decided to **** around with my Kijiji ad.... Im not going to name any names but lets say if he decides to come see me like i asked him too, ill probably be the last thing he sees for the rest of his life. Now can you guys say this is the work of an educated, intellectual, respectful, and welcoming person? Ill let you be the judge... This is what the add was modified to.

Date Listed 15-Mar-12 Last Edited 19-Mar-12 Price $1,500.00 Address Scarborough, ON Canada View map Make Indian Model Other For Sale By Owner Engine Displacement (cc) 1900 Year 2001 Kilometers 60000 Colour Black

Hello i have to offer a fairly new 1900cc scooter which i love to death but need to sell This bike has over $5 worth of performance parts and upgrades! MAJOR p*ssy magnet! Cheap to insure, AMAZING on gas, 2km/1itre, only 60000km on it, tons of extra and stock parts included but want to keep my rainbow license plate for 2012 Pride Parade on new ride. Bike runs perfectly and is fully functional! Brand new battery (filled with urine, distilled water is snake oil), tires are good for another 2 months, brakes are good for another two or three days, brand new cvt belt, most lights have been changed to LED, new paint job (2 coats of flat black) and both engine oil and gear oil have just been changed. The bike likes to cruies at around 8-9KM/H and tops out at 15KM/H, the valves were improperly adjusted and CVT works amazing also has blue LED's underneath the bike for more speed at night! Has great torque (good for 5 up riding) and bike sounds amazing with the new exhaust system and hockey card in front spokes only add to it's awesomeness! Heres a few videos of the bike. Only problems with the bike are purely aesthetic as there are a few holes in the body and occasionally loses tire at top speeds. Not major and does impede on any functionality of the bike! Comes with advance led tubing (As seen @dollarama ) If serious interest is present, i will get it satisfied for you as well. Currently accepting any reasonable offers! Prefer a small child in trade but well hung transgender porn is acceptable too I need this gone by the end of this week!!! shoot me an email, worst i can say is no My name is Armen and you can email me or reach me at ********** call/text/leave me a message if i dont answer I may be m*sturbating but i will get back to you ASAP after I clean up! If you have any questions or would like to know what parts/accessories are included/installed please feel free to contact me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2DXq...ature=youtu.be http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm0xw...ature=youtu.be Also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmcA9LIIXWw


If this is a practical joke, mind my anger but you cant go around hijacking website accounts for fun and youll soon see that they will result in the complete opposite when you are caught.

[silverbullet132]

Just looked at the link in your first post, you posted the link to edit the ad...no one hijacked your account

[Armen444]

Just looked at the link in your first post, you posted the link to edit the ad...no one hijacked your account

Im sorry, i dont quite understand what your saying. If what i think your saying is, I posted the link (properly described item) and then intentionally and willfully edited it to make this forum look bad, then you are sadly mistaken my friend. Then again if i am wrong please correct me. BTW thats not possible. The ad has been removed, so i dont know how you just checked it, unless your looking at a cached version...

[MacDoc]

Back on topic OP your experience with your 150 CVT has no bearing on the Burgman 650...period.

I'm outta here - good luck.

[mikbusa]

Im sorry, i dont quite understand what your saying. If what i think your saying is, I posted the link (properly described item) and then intentionally and willfully edited it to make this forum look bad, then you are sadly mistaken my friend. Then again if i am wrong please correct me. BTW thats not possible. The ad has been removed, so i dont know how you just checked it, unless your looking at a cached version...

No, when you create an ad on kijiji, you are given several links, one will allow you to go to the ad, click [edit] at the top, and make changes. That's the one you provided to the forum. You aren't the first to be messed with, and won't be the last. Consider it to be an honour, a rite of passage if you will.

[Armen444]

No, when you create an ad on kijiji, you are given several links, one will allow you to go to the ad, click [edit] at the top, and make changes. That's the one you provided to the forum. You aren't the first to be messed with, and won't be the last. Consider it to be an honour, a rite of passage if you will.

so what your saying is that if i am currently signed into my kijiji account, open up my ad, and copy paste the link, others may edit it through that link? ive actually never had this problem before so i wouldnt know.