What bike is similar to this one in Canada?

I am a n00b rider hoping to get my M1 this week.

I rode a bike in Mexico in February which I really liked.
Model: Yamaha Mexico Urbana YBR-125R.
Link: http://www.yamaha-motor.com.mx/ybr125r.html

I am hoping someone could point out what a similar bike might be here in Canada. The main aspects I liked about it, and would want in a bike in Canada are:
- It was a fairly upright riding position;
- It carried two passengers without issue;
- And, it was low enough to the ground that it would accommodate me (I am not tall).

Also, it was a 124cc. I would be OK with a 125cc bike, and want to try to keep at 250cc or less as a learner. 300 tops.
Thanks!

CBR-125R is as close as it gets here. It's got a reasonable seat height for most people, fairly upright, you'll probably like it. There's enough of them on the used market now that you can pick them up for fairly cheap too, and if you decide to sell it you'll get back what you paid for it.

Two passengers? Not that the 125 can't take em, but with that I'd think of the 250 or the Ninja 300.

Nothing wrong with the 125 but most will want to sell after a year or two. So now you have to factor in whether you will be able to do this (financially). Keeping it smaller will also help with the insurance, make sure you get some solid quotes before you buy.

Check out RTI courses, M1 exit course or Do I want to Ride? course. I took the M1 exit, great teachers and good advice but to your point you get to ride a variety of 125-250cc bikes of different styles, sport to cruiser. If you're going to ride 2up then you definitely want a 250 at least. I'm a bigger guy, 225lbs and 6'3"(almost 2 smaller people) the cbr125 was fun and nimble in the parking lot but would have struggled hauling me around keeping up with traffic.

The CBR125 is definitely the closest thing. There are also 250 and 300cc variants of the CBR, plus the Ninja 250 and 300, and the new R3. All of those bikes have a fairing like a sport bike, and some of them have seating positions that are similar to sportbikes, where you lean forward more.

If you are looking for something without a full fairing, the CB300F is the closest thing. It is a new model introduced in Canada this year. If you want to save some money and buy used, the GS500E is also an option. The dual sports like the CRF250L, XT250, KLX250 and DR200 are styled more like dirt bikes, but are also similar in power and capability to what you want. You might need to lower them if you are short, though

Super helpful, as usual from what I've seen on GTAM!

Oh, so that's what a "fairing" is. I think I am looking for something that exposes more of the insides of the bike, fairings are too plastickey for my taste. I know this is mainly aesthetics, so it's not a dealbreaker...but. The "urbana" line I pointed out in Mexico was a very upright position, it almost felt like being on a scooter but on a motorcycle instead. Would it still be considered a "sport bike"? To me, it looks "commuter-class" which is a genre I don't see promoted much in Canada (seems more European). Are commuter style bikes essentially lumped in with sport bikes here? I want to know so that when I shop around, I know where to search online.

The hybrid dirt/sport bikes aren't really a genre I am interested in. Also, for insurance and learning, I don't want to get anything in the 500-class.

As a n00b, do most guys tend to let styling blind them over what's practical and affordable? I don't want to get something simply because it looks good and be disappointed with it later. Spoked wheels are out though.

So where it leaves me is:
- The Honda CB300FA: looks good and with ABS, nice! I think this will be out my price range I was hoping for. $6000 when it's all said and done. My price range is closer to the $3k mark. Also, it seems that while USED bikes don't depreciate that badly, new bikes do, so I won't be able to get much of the money back if I decide riding is not for me.

- A used CBR250: A bit too sporty-looking for my taste, and its fairing covers most of the insides, amirite? How is its riding position, upright? This might be the best compromise option though.

- A 125 variant in the Honda line: Maybe, but still too much plastic...and I'm hesitant on account of it struggling to carry large loads. At least I could turn it over and upgrade within the same season without losing lots of money.

- One other option I am considering is the Suzuki GW250. Does anyone know anything about this bike? It is just above my pricepoint and has the styling I'm after. Other than that, I don't know much about it. I read about it here: http://www.trackfanatics.ca/forum/index.php?t=msg&goto=6128

marktwothousand said:

As a n00b, do most guys tend to let styling blind them over what's practical and affordable? I don't want to get something simply because it looks good and be disappointed with it later.

Click to expand...

Basically, yes. There has been a history of some bikes (FZ6, Bandit 650, GS500) being directly replaced by mechanically identical or slightly inferior fully faired bikes (FZ6R, GSX-650F, GS500F) because they sell better. I'm not saying they are bad bikes by any means, but Kawasaki and Honda have both leveraged this to great success with their beginner bikes (CBR125/250, Ninja 250/300).

There are consequences to this, of course. For example, nearly every GS500F I've seen with mileage on the odometer has been dropped and has visible damage. An unfaired GS500 would have just laughed it off (I would know, I've dropped mine a couple times from laziness/complacency)

marktwothousand said:

One other option I am considering is the Suzuki GW250. Does anyone know anything about this bike? It is just above my pricepoint and has the styling I'm after. Other than that, I don't know much about it. I read about it here: http://www.trackfanatics.ca/forum/index.php?t=msg&goto=6128

Click to expand...

I don't know much about the GW250... I seem to remember that they weren't popular not because they were bad, just that there was nothing great about it. Your main problem will be that they are not that common, so you will have to look a bit harder if you want a used one.

By the way, I highly recommend that your first bike is not a new one. Not necessarily because it might get dropped, but because most people don't keep their first bike for very long and thus end up absorbing most of the bike's depreciation. Since you have some experience with small displacement bikes, you may have a better idea of how long you may hang on it. Then again sometimes you get gear with new beginner bikes (used to be a package with the CBR125R, don't think it is anymore) which can offset the cost significantly.

imho just get a used cbr 250 for 3-3.5k, and take off the fairings. easy.

What would a 250 look like without sidepanels? Can someone find a pic?

and yore right about the Suzuki 250s. In fact, it seems the 2014 model is the oldest out there. Some dealers sel new for $3500, so perhaps with tax and some accessories/gear thrown in, that might be a good deal and a little less hassle. No idea where there's a Suzuki motorcycle dealership near downtown though!

The CBR250 frame is surprisingly pretty underneath that plastic. Paint it red and it starts to look like a Ducati.

Simply pulling the lower fairing off would leave you with this:
http://i44.servimg.com/u/f44/16/24/31/39/8_jan_12.jpg
But the side panels around the seat and the edges of the upper fairing are rather rough looking.

If you Google "CBR250 street fighter" you'll find lots of quite attractive bikes. These have had all the plastic removed, but they've also replaced the gauges and headlight with aftermarket units. To get an idea of what supports the stock instrument panel and headlight, have a look at this one:
http://s716.photobucket.com/user/whitegt/media/IMG_20120915_162501.jpg.html
The streetfighter conversions get rid of all that stuff. This is quite a bit more work and it can get expensive. Plus, it may actually decrease the value of the bike since people will assume that it has been crashed (so keep all of the original parts and put them back on when you plan to sell the bike). Or, buy a crashed bike for really cheap and do the conversion.

And for comparing motorcycle seating positions, have a look at http://cycle-ergo.com

It has a neat little diagram with angles/measurements for just about every bike imaginable

Off topic but Mexican R1 (2014) has nice colours.

That is an amazing little site on bike ergonomics! Thanks for that.

The thing is, the Honda CBRs with fairings do tend to look pretty bad without them. Just look at those support bars. It looks like it's just not meant to be run without its proper fairing. This is making the Suzuki GW250 more attractive (at least aesthetically, and price wise). But reviews absolutely PAN the Suzuki. The entry-level Hondas have too much of a lean-forward position for my comfort level, even if I could appreciate the styling.

are there _any_ other options I'm not aware of that anyone could suggest? Or perhaps the Suzuki isn't as bad an option as the reviewers make it out to be?
What about Kymcos? Are they to be avoided? The Venox 250 looks good.

There aren't many small, naked bikes up here, which is unfortunate. Everyone seems to want a sport bike or cruiser.

The Hyosung GT250 is styled very much like what you want, but Hyosung does not have a great reputation here in Canada. I'm not sure if that reputation is accurate, but quality may be an issue. They depreciate way worse than other brands, so that may work to your advantage if you really want a used one. I know even less about Kymco

Aside from dual sports or cruisers, the only other naked bike under 500cc that I can think of is the Honda Grom. It has some unique styling, but it would be an incredible amount of fun in the city.

The OP sure is making things interesting until the riding season starts. I hope you are more serious here than you are on the Armor thread.

[h=2]Re: New riders: should we armour up?[/h]

"I appreciate all the suggestions, and obvs, I do jest-- to a point. I'll definitely refer back to this thread when it comes time to actually buy something.

Ultimately, it's not really about the outside look of the helmet that I care about, I just want to find one that has the least chance of messing up my hair."

:lmao:​

I had a quick search on the Venox. I don't know anything about that bike, but if you like that styling (cruiser) you might also consider the Honda Rebel, Yamaha VStar 250 (previously called the Virago, I think), and Kawasaki Eliminator