Whats the best sportbike for a new rider?

Question

I'm 5' 8" and 170 lbs. i know that everyone asks this question but the answers that i read are not that great in detail. and the bikes people recommend are all really hard to find or i don't like them. beggars cant be choosers but i want a bike that

- is fairly easy to learn on

- i wont get bored with in a month

- easy to find

- easy to ride in the city (i live in buffalo ny)

- can be taken on highway (family lives far away)

i like the new ninja 250 but i dont wanna have to shift too much plus i heard highway miles kill mpg, and i dont wanna break it. (9k rpms)

i also love the sv650. the naked not the full fairing one. i can get one new cheap but i dont want to kill myself on it.

the ninja 500 is nice but so outdated looking.

the gs 500 is nicer but seems cheaply made and there are reviews to back it up. both positively and negatively.

thank you to everyone that can help me out.

Answer 1

there's a huge difference of power between 250-and 500...there's even a bigger difference between a 500 and a 600-650.

if you only wanna choose between the three I would say go for the sv650, its a solid not so powerful cool looking bike. and excellent for learning.

if you really wanna get a good one you won't ever get bored of, I would recommend:

-katana 600

-cbr600 f4 or f4i ( best choice)

-ninja 650

and do put some frame sliders, it will save your bike.

Answer 2

Wow. Lots said SV650 (I agree- had one) You don;t need a 650 to kill yourself. You can do that on a 30cc moped.



Some said Ninja 500 (I agree- had one)

GS500 Suzuki is junk

250 Ninja is cute but irritating (had 2 of those, sold one) but rid your mind of the idea that 9,000 rpm is a lot. The thing was DESIGNED to do that. A Dremel tool can top 26,000 rpm and it's ok. Highway miles don't kill MPG, riding like a moron does. At any rate, 70mph on a 250 Ninja will be more efficient than 70mph on any of the other bikes you're considering. You will "shift" a lot on ANYTHING 600cc and smaller- that's just a mechanical fact.

I've owned 61 streetbikes, and I have three racebikes, and one of them is a 250 Ninja. At TGPR, in one 20-minute session, I lapped a dude TWICE. He was riding a Ducati 900SS.  How did I smoke a 900SS while riding a 250 Ninja? Skill.  Plus the fact that a 250 Ninja will lean over so dang far you'd think Gravity quit working.  If you get "bored" with anything in a month there's something vewy vewy stwange going on with you.

Also, nothing, and I mean nothing, takes the place of the MSF Beginner Rider Course. Take that ASAP.

Answer 3

As long as you maintain your wits and learn to ride well, you'll be fine on a number of bikes.   A month into riding, you shouldn't be bored with any bike unless your already dragging knees around the on-ramps & thru intersections!   That said, you want to buy a bike that is going provide enough HP as you grow into it.    Too much HP can get you into trouble fast, but you'll learn that in city riding, you need something with enough grunt to help you stay out of trouble too.

Too small a bike & you won't be bored, you'll be irritated on the highway.

From your examples, buy the SV650.

This is a bike that you can always use and will do a little bit of everything.  It is manageable for a beginner, doesn't have too much power at your disposal (especially while you learn).  On the other hand, it can also become a pretty good bike for track days if you ever got into that type of thing.

I recommend a motorcycle safety course if you haven't done so.  They are well worth the cost

Answer 4

Any of the bikes you listed would be OK, as long as you respected the power.  I started on an SV650S and loved it, but it still had plenty of power to get me in trouble.

If you want to learn how to ride better than a squid (i.e. only go fast in a straight line), then it will take you YEARS to "outgrow" an SV!  There is so much more to riding than twisting the throttle, and it's just waiting for you.

Don't forget to take a formal class (like an MSF course) and wear ALL the gear, including full face helmet, armored jacket, motorcycle gloves, boots and pants.

Answer 5

My favorite of the ones you mention is the sv650. I don't know why you think you're going to kill yourself on it.  The Ninja 500 is also a very good bike, styling notwithstanding.  To me styling is not that important.  If you're going long distances on the highway a 250 is going to be just too weak.  It can do 70 but it's beating its little heart out.

Whatever bike you get you will definitely not get bored in a month!  It's the most fun you can have with your shoes on.

If you are considering long trips at high speed, a fairing or at least a windshield might be a good idea.  The wind really tears you up riding all day on the freeway.  Instead of an SV650 you might consider a V-Strom.  It would be better for touring or even all-day rides. The GS 500 is okay but I think you'd grow out of it.

Good luck!

Answer 6

" i dont want to shift too much "

if you're getting a sportbike get used to it, almost every single one has a tight-knit transmission.

In addition to Tecno dogs list, add the DUCATI MONSTER 6 series

Answer 7

out of those...I think you should get the SV650s

outside of those....you can also consider

Honda CBR F4i, vfr800

kawasaki 650r, zzr600

yamaha R6s, yzf600r

suzuki katana

Answer 8

I just read the question and not the description. I know many people probably have mentioned the Ninja250R.

The best beginner sport bike is a 600CC bike from the big four from years 1996 to 2003.

that ninja scooter will make you mad and everything else is just plain ugly.

Take the MSF course and get practice. The ultra conservative Y!A posers, I mean posters will give me a thumbs down for this but trust me.

Want proof? Go to a hooters bike night or any local bike night in your area. Check meetup.com t find out where they hang out after a long ride. Ask RIDERS instead of bloggers what a starters sport bike is and they'll tell you 600CCs used.

Have fun man and stay safe. make sure you get all the proper gear. Helmet, gloves, jacket and boots