Opinions on which Bike i should purchase

[rainier]

well im gonna get my bike this week and have two choices in my price range.

first bike is a 1995 Honda CBR F3 (600 cc). has about 30k on it. 1 small crack in the fairing. a small dent in the gas tank. some small scratches from being dropped in a driveway. recent tune up and flush, chain replaced less than 2 months ago. heres a pic of the bike.
The bike cost $2,000


http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7940/image00157yj4.jpg
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/2793/image00156ie2.jpg

the other bike i want is a 1996 Suzuki Katana (600cc). w/ 26k miles. the guy replaced the battery, front+rear brake pads, flushed the brake system, fuel system, and oil, replaced both tires, and both mirrors, reupholstered(SP?!) the seats, and took off all the decals. and has a aftermarket exhaust and Newer blinkers all around. it has been dropped on both sides with minor scratches to the bottom portion of the bike.(not too bad) the paint is pretty nice and he thinks it was repainted at the dealer he bought it from 2 years ago.
The bike will cost $2,200

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/6985/1vv6.png
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8812/2ox2.png


i know that its up to me, and im leaning towards the katana since its in better condition but still cant actually make up my mind.
i really dont want to spend much more but i have about another grand and a half saved up

[A Spec Products]

i wouldnt get either, bikes are dangerous

but anyway ill stop being your mom

id get the second one, the first one looks like u need neon oakleys and Op swimwear to match

[ALTRNTV]

I'd get the CBR, since I'm planning on getting one too in two months.

[A Spec Products]

Eh I think you would look cooler riding bike #2.

And cmon you know you're buying it so you can look cool.

[kerosinek]

Katana hands down.

[LB.Motoring]

haha ^yah, you know you are getting it for the cool factor...

[Omarius Maximus]

The CBR is the better bike, but the Katana is in better condition. The tacky graphics on the CBR would be a deal breaker for me unless a respray was planned in the near future. Really I can't make up my mind either.... CBR with respray>Katana, but it might cost slightly more.

[rainier]

of course its "cool" as you guys say, but i really need something that will save a bit more gas then my car right now. i fill my 11.xx gallon tank every 3 days. i get about 25-26mpg.

so the bike would be a smart thing.

as for the paint of that cbr. i hate it. if i got that though i would respray. ive already made some topics on some other forums about how much a respray was. they said paint the plastics myself. and the tank at a shop to save some money.

[A Spec Products]

of course its "cool" as you guys say, but i really need something that will save a bit more gas then my car right now. i fill my 11.xx gallon tank every 3 days. i get about 25-26mpg.

so the bike would be a smart thing.


no, the smart thing would be to NOT get on a bike in a sea of crappy drivers with 3000 lb battering rams

if gas money is the issue, why don't you just buy a 4 banger grocery getter? for 2000 i'm sure you could find something

what are you currently driving?

i think you just want to be coooooooooooooool

not being a hater just more concerned with safety

[Ricks15]

It can be either San Diego or Downtown LA or what ever there are a lot of stupid ButtHoles on the roads these days that just dont give a shit about highway safety.

[sw20>>s14]

the cbr is pretty high mileage for bike standards, but id just keep looking for an F2/F3; great beginner bike...just start looking in late october/early november...you usually see a lot of owners pricing their bikes to sell before the season is over because they no longer want to deal with it...and they know that there is like a 3-5 week window before they have to store it and waste space on their property so they usually take the first legit offer that comes their way...just a tip...CBRs/kawi 250s are perfect beginner bikes...

[rainier]

no, the smart thing would be to NOT get on a bike in a sea of crappy drivers with 3000 lb battering rams

if gas money is the issue, why don't you just buy a 4 banger grocery getter? for 2000 i'm sure you could find something

what are you currently driving?

i think you just want to be coooooooooooooool

not being a hater just more concerned with safety

i drive a 2.0L SENTRA. how more economical can that get? haha

but it is true that good deals on bikes always come up since everyone gets rid of em. i dont think the katana would be hard to resell since it looks like it was fresh paint. no scratches but for the two bottom sides n all. runs nice and has all reciepts for everything!

[wootwoot]

F'n hell, filtering is legal in California, that is enough reason to get a bike right there. I'm personally getting a 1979 Honda cb350 from my uncle....70mpg bitches! Thing is that the 0-60 is 4.2 seconds or something according to some magazine articles I picked up so that isnt really that bad. It just dies off around 75-80 in the power. Still accelerates but not like something that was made to be fast. How many miles are you going to be commuting with this thing? You might want to look at some more chill stuff. Mileage that high is scary. Suzuki sv650 maybe? or find an old 1970's 1980's "sport bike" and shred that. Cheaper insurance, cheaper on gas, the motors are not as strained, much cheaper to have an initial purchase.

my car is definitley going to be way faster then my bike though.

[sr240mike]

Did you at least take the MSF course yet? Here's a nice video of an inexperienced rider on an f4i in the canyons trying to keep up with his friends, His pants are now brown on the inside
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSMaGKda8Cc

[sw20>>s14]

whats filtering? is that florida for "lane splitting?" dmv handbook states its legal, but not recommended and cops usually get you if you lane split too aggressively or on the flip side, too squidishly =) ...

as for a bike that you just want to commute on, why get a sport bike then? sv650, ex250, ex500, etc. would be perfect for your situation...

i say buy something thats not a "sportbike" or "supersport" only because they have been depreciating very rapidly for the past three years with sportbikes getting more and more advanced and the onslaught of squids with parents willing to buy only the newest/best...theres simply no more demand for starter bikes compared to when me and my friends started...and we had to make ends meet for our $500-$2800 bikes...every bike you see in the bay area is now an 04 or newer...makes my 02 F4i look like an F1 hurricane :rant2: and you guys think 240s and drifting are the biggest bandwagons...

[sr240mike]

And my choices are between 2 of what sw20>>s14 said, the sv650 and ex500.

[sw20>>s14]

excuses...wasnt concentrating my ass, its the same shit as any other rash, inexperienced rider...overshoots a turn, too scared/late to lean more or get off the seat to make it, sees the double yellow approaching very fast, jams on the front brake, instant understeer that sends you straight...hes very lucky he didnt highside the camry, front end the 4runner, lowside in the dirt, or clip the gixxer behind him...god does exist!!!

[rainier]

well ive made up my mind. tonight im purchasing a 1999 Yamaha FZR600. with a little less than 9k miles. never dropped. runs pretty nice. its not as old as the choices i had before but not as NEW as the bikes out there now. i think its fine for me now, until i find another.

i will not be canyon running or anything with this bike until i know every aspect on how this bike runs. im a very careful rider and i dont have the balls and experience to take it up there.

of course ive taken the safety course already. ive had my license for a bit now and have been riding a friends ninja around. thats why ive decided i dont want a 250.

[g6civcx]

of course ive taken the safety course already. ive had my license for a bit now and have been riding a friends ninja around. thats why ive decided i dont want a 250.

Famous last words.

EX250 FTW! Seriously.

[sw20>>s14]

FZRs are good bikes too, but if you want something you can learn on and keep for a longer period of time without having to upgrade, id still say F2/F3/F4...F2/F3s were way ahead of its time...i have never had the chance to ride an FZR, but i have heard nothing but good things about them so im sure either way would be good...

how come bikes are so much more expensive in socal...with all you trendy and gaudy people, i would have assumed that bikes are sold and bought like stocks down there with like 5 previous owners by the time it leaves the lot...

250s are sooooo fun...i love riding those things...so light and flickable...after riding my friends 250, ive been dying to buy an aprilia rs or gray market nsr...

[g6civcx]

You don't quite appreciate the ergonomics, suspension, brakes, and especially power of a supersport unless you've paid your dues. That's my personal beliefs.

I don't see any reason to upgrade from a 250 unless you want to look cool. Otherwise it's just a waste if you don't know how to use it.

There are very valid reasons to upgrade though, but you won't know because you're going straight to a 600.

[Jefferson]

yeah I would get a CBR hands down later down the road. I have had 4 F4i's already al of them stunt bike not one let me down, those bikes are near indestructible. At the same time I have had one GSXR and R6 setup and those pieces don't handle abuse to well, subframes cracking rear set snap clean off...

[ALTRNTV]

I ride my friend's 250 Kawasaki and that's plenty of bike for me.

of course ive taken the safety course already. ive had my license for a bit now and have been riding a friends ninja around. thats why ive decided i dont want a 250.

I agree with g6civx on "famous last words." I can't imagine to tell you the amount of people who were confident on getting a 600cc or higher bike, as their first bike, and then crashing it within a month. Think it through.

[A Spec Products]

i drive a 2.0L SENTRA. how more economical can that get? haha


oh i read that wrong, i thought u were getting 11mpg

25-26 is fine

either shorten your commute or budget more money

your life isnt worth it

[wootwoot]

Lane splitting it is I guess. Its only useful when there is serious traffic though. Like 0-15mph. I wouldnt play above that. It isnt legal above that either I dont think

[rainier]

so i finally bought a bike. found a pretty good deal. 05 ninja250(yeah yeah) w/ 600 miles never dropped and pefect paint and condition. cost me $2600.

still sucks on the freeway but i guess when i do become a better rider i could upgrade.

[Ghettokracker71]

How fast does it top out on the freeway? I was thining of trying to pick up a ninja 250 over teh winter (prices are cheap)

I mean people can make fun of you all day long b/c its a 250,but the fact is you still have a NINJA and its still anice bike!

I personally think ninja is the best crotch rocket or jap bike out there..my all time "dream bike" is an 05/06 ZX6R

[sidewayskeet]

Did you at least take the MSF course yet? Here's a nice video of an inexperienced rider on an f4i in the canyons trying to keep up with his friends, His pants are now brown on the inside
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSMaGKda8Cc

WOW that guy really need to practice by himself at slower speeds on how to corrner a bike, if you cant hang with your friends when riding, catch up to them when you can, that guy was only going 58 mph around that corner and started taking a wide line, thats pretty elementry riding, I am only saying this cuz I have been riding for 7 years, you got to know how to drag the rear brake in a situaton like that.

Drag rear brake, lean more, he would have takin a tighter line, that guy was lucky!!:duh:

but on the real topic, cbr is a better bike to learn on if you plan on getting a newer bigger bike, it will have better cornering abilities, cbr's always do, and the riding possistion is more comfortable. all cbr's even the bigger ones like my 929rr, is way more comfortable.

[Dorifto89]

Sell the 250 and go buy a supermoto.

[sw20>>s14]

so i finally bought a bike. found a pretty good deal. 05 ninja250(yeah yeah) w/ 600 miles never dropped and pefect paint and condition. cost me $2600.

still sucks on the freeway but i guess when i do become a better rider i could upgrade.
very nice...what was the "yeah yeah" for? we all recommended the 250 for you...dont underestimate that bike, youre just concentrating on the high speed stuff...one of the fastest track junkies in california is on a stock ex250 and blows the liter bikes out of the water...that bike is very fun to flick around and very forgiving...but all we ask of you is to ride safe and dont get ahead of yourself...

rubberside down :bigok:

[wootwoot]

Those bikes keep pretty good value and turn over real quick since people get them as beginner bikes. Say hello to 80mpg and some not as scary fun!

[blackflag_Rms13]

Get an R6...

Oh wait I just realized I know nothing about bikes and that's the only one I've driven... :ughd:

The Yamaha sounds nice, post some pics when you get it!

[HyperTek]

Id go with teh cbr,

both are old as hell.. but ive seen a few people rock some old ass bikes that didnt look too bad...