What's new
By:
Filters

How terrible of an idea is this?

Andrew

Andrew

Resident Redneck
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
420
Messages
280
I have always had a mild interest in motorcycles, but other than a quick spin on a friends dirt bike, I have never owned one.

I have the opportunity to trade for a 2006 Kawasaki Mean Streak, in seemingly mint condition. 12k miles.

It would be a fair trade, so no issues with value difference, but do I want to learn to ride on this particular bike?

I know very little about motorcycles honestly so, how bad of an idea would this be?
 
Worst idea, EVER.

1600cc cruiser for a first bike? I can't think of a worse bike to suggest.

Buy a 15 year old 250. Have a blast.
 
Get a small cheap reliable dual sport learn to ride it without worrying about dropping it. If you are still interested in bikes a year later sell it and move up to a larger bike or just keep enjoying a cheap bike.
 
woods said:
Worst idea, EVER.

1600cc cruiser for a first bike? I can't think of a worse bike to suggest.

Buy a 15 year old 250. Have a blast.
Click to expand...

This.

Not a good bike for beginner, especially if you have a wild streak or drink.

Make the trade so you can trade for a friendlier newer lower mile bike. I like the Honda CB500 or NC700, they'd be a decent beginner bike and you might find someone looking to move up to a bigger faster bike to trade for the mean streak.

I've been riding for years and I'd pass on the mean streak, it'd be a death warrant for me.
 
woods said:
WRR, KLX, or CRF.
Click to expand...

I have a CRF currently and it'd be a challenge for a newbie due to seat height and light weight for any highway miles. The Honda NC700 has the tank under the seat and the balance is amazing. I'm actually thinking of getting a pair for the wife and I.

Trade for the mean streak the sell/trade/trade it in if it is easier to move than what you currently have.
 
Ted_Kaczynski said:
I have a CRF currently and it'd be a challenge for a newbie due to seat height and light weight for any highway miles. The Honda NC700 has the tank under the seat and the balance is amazing. I'm actually thinking of getting a pair for the wife and I.

Trade for the mean streak the sell/trade/trade it in if it is easier to move than what you currently have.
Click to expand...

new to bikes, I'd pass on any bike "capable" of highway use. them retards going 105mph while on the phone. I've had 100+ horsepower bikes and still wouldn't do freeways.

I thought the CRF was shorter? I know the WRR is tall. I've got my DR650 setup at a 38" seat height.
 
I ride my CRF on the interstate loop to get places. It is about 2" shorter but top heavy because the duals are heavier than dirt's. Gotta be aware when moving slow or stopped. Just something a new rider needs so they get plenty of practice picking it up in traffic lol :lmao:
 
Adding another "fuck no" vote.

Too much weight + too much power = good shot at a Darwin award.

Pick up a good condition used 250 - 500 bike to learn on; and move on once that's not enough bike.


EDIT: Ted K has a good point - the NC700 or even a 650 dual sport / adventure could be a good choice also.
 
Thats kinda what I have been thinking as well.

My wifes first (and only) bike was a FZ6R. I told her to buy a "beater" to learn on, then ride her bike but she didnt want to "waste the money".

Ya, she dropped her FZ a few times learning.
 
I suppose I could trade, keep it and buy a beater???? But im not sure thats the best idea either.

I like the looks of the Mean Streak, but may hate riding altogether....

photo20526.jpg
 
I bought a Honda CB450 before I knew how to ride. I still have several scars from that learning curve over 30 years ago. Hate to have a 1600 bike tip over on me like the 450 did...it was a heavy pig in its own right.
 
Andrew said:
Thats kinda what I have been thinking as well.

My wifes first (and only) bike was a FZ6R. I told her to buy a "beater" to learn on, then ride her bike but she didnt want to "waste the money".

Ya, she dropped her FZ a few times learning.
Click to expand...

Johann said:
I bought a Honda CB450 before I knew how to ride. I still have several scars from that learning curve over 30 years ago. Hate to have a 1600 bike tip over on me like the 450 did...it was a heavy pig in its own right.
Click to expand...

My first motorcycle was an '83 CB750SS - mu'fugger was like 540 lbs wet :eek:

Did I mention it was heavy? And honestly, too powerful for a 1st bike.

I lived, miraculously, but dropped it a . . . "few" times (luckily never at speed).

If I knew then what I know now, I would've chosen a different first bike.

It's 10X as fun to ride a slow bike fast, than to ride a fast bike slowly.
 
dnsfailure said:
Yamaha TW200

https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/du...t/models/tw200

There's something about that I really like. I bet it would make a good "first bike", and even brand new, it's not all that much $. And would probably still be fun after you get the hang of it.

I'm trying to talk myself out of it :lmao:
Click to expand...

I know a lot of long time desert racers who love their TW's for casual riding. I've never swung a leg over one but you'd think they had seats that gave blowjobs as much as they swear by them.
 
Gonna hate it if you start out on that as a first bike.

But your mind already seems made up so go ahead and get it.

Dibs on your stuff.
Click to expand...


When did I say my mind was made up?

Since I am/was not bike shopping prior to this offer, I guess it doesnt really make sense to trade, and then go bike shopping for a begginers bike.
 
dnsfailure said:
Yamaha TW200

https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/du...t/models/tw200

There's something about that I really like. I bet it would make a good "first bike", and even brand new, it's not all that much $. And would probably still be fun after you get the hang of it.

I'm trying to talk myself out of it :lmao:
Click to expand...

Sceep said:
I know a lot of long time desert racers who love their TW's for casual riding. I've never swung a leg over one but you'd think they had seats that gave blowjobs as much as they swear by them.
Click to expand...

TW 200s are more fun than they have a right to be - try one, just smell the kokanes :laughing:

Not freeway legal, and not a race bike, but seriously awesome for recreational fawkery.
 
dnsfailure said:
Yamaha TW200

https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/du...t/models/tw200

There's something about that I really like. I bet it would make a good "first bike", and even brand new, it's not all that much $. And would probably still be fun after you get the hang of it.

I'm trying to talk myself out of it :lmao:
Click to expand...

Technically my 3rd bike, but I second the TW200. It's a common bike at motorcycle schools for a reason. Picked up from my Father in Law, who used to race drag bikes, and has a fleet of way nicer bikes. He still looks like he regrets selling it to me every time he sees it! It should not be as good as it is given it's age and specs, but it just flat works.
 
I will buck the tide and say "it depends."


I am 6'5", 240. There's no way I would be able to ride a 250. Even in the MSF, they put me on a dual sport, since their mini-cruisers were entirely too small, and the dual sport was even small for me.

My first bike? Yamaha VStar 1100 Classic (XVS1100A). I ripped around on it for a couple years before I had to move up, as it was also entirely too small for me.

These days, I make an FLHTCU Electra Glide Ultra Classic look small, but its much more comfortable.

So yeah, it depends upon your size more than anything.

EDIT TO ADD: Maturity probably goes a lot farther than size. Now that I think about it, I'd have probably gotten myself killed on that 1100 at 19 years old, but I bought that bike a couple weeks before my 36th birthday. Double the age, and multiple times more aware of my own mortality.
 
Last edited:
DRTDEVL said:
I will buck the tide and say "it depends."|


I am 6'5", 240. There's no way I would be able to ride a 250. Even in the MSF, they put me on a dual sport, since their mini-cruisers were entirely too small, and the dual sport was even small for me.

My first bike? Yamaha VStar 1100 Classic (XVS1100A). I ripped around on it for a couple years before I had to move up, as it was also entirely too small for me.

These days, I make an FLHTCU Electra Glide Ultra Classic look small, but its much more comfortable.

So yeah, it depends upon your size more than anything.
Click to expand...

You shoulda looked more. There's lots of 650 dual sports I wish I could ride. Kawasaki is really the only one I could do without suspension work. The Honda 650 dual sport is fucking tall!

I still recommend the CB500 or NC700. One of these is in my near future for a rigged adventure bike to get lost on.
 
DRTDEVL said:
I will buck the tide and say "it depends."


I am 6'5", 240. There's no way I would be able to ride a 250. Even in the MSF, they put me on a dual sport, since their mini-cruisers were entirely too small, and the dual sport was even small for me.

My first bike? Yamaha VStar 1100 Classic (XVS1100A). I ripped around on it for a couple years before I had to move up, as it was also entirely too small for me.

These days, I make an FLHTCU Electra Glide Ultra Classic look small, but its much more comfortable.

So yeah, it depends upon your size more than anything.
Click to expand...

6'4, 230#, 35" inseam.

I took a 1986 Honda XL250R throughout New England and Canada. I clocked about 12,000 miles on that bike before I bought and modded my DR.
 
dnsfailure said:
Yamaha TW200

https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/du...t/models/tw200

There's something about that I really like. I bet it would make a good "first bike", and even brand new, it's not all that much $. And would probably still be fun after you get the hang of it.

I'm trying to talk myself out of it :lmao:
Click to expand...

Damn, now i want one of those, and I just bought a Harley Fatboy.

edit: I started with a Honda shadow 600, many years ago, never really rode it because was too busy with work and all, and couldn't ride it to my sand mines or job sites, so i traded it for a yamaha 250 dual sport, I LOVED that thing. I bet more than half the miles i put on it were offroad, but i could ride to a trail then ride the trail. Then that got stolen. I went without bikes for years, then last year bought a 500 dollar Honda Shadow 1100 that needed a stator and the owner couldn't afford to pay for Honda to fix it, so i bought it and fixed it the next weekend myself and had it running. Rode the hell out of that 500 dollar bike til i was doing longer trips and it just wasn't comfy enough, so i got talked into looking at a used Fatboy by some friends of mine, and bought that a few weeks ago and sold the Honda for 1900 bucks.
 
Last edited:
Buy a Grom.:flipoff2:


HELL, buy 2, so you and your buddy can ride together.
 
woods said:
Worst idea, EVER.

1600cc cruiser for a first bike? I can't think of a worse bike to suggest.

Buy a 15 year old 250. Have a blast.
Click to expand...

This.

I've got an 1100 shadow bagger for my first bike, its about to make me want out of the hobby. Sure its nice to cruise a long distance on and it was dirt cheap, but I had way more fun on a harley street 500 in a riding clinic than I've had on the 700lb Honda.

Less power with way less weight will keep you entertained much more.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh