2006 Suzuki GZ250. Bought at 3100 miles and I’ve already gotten it up to 3750. I’ve been wanting a motorcycle for ages, and I knew better to not start on something too powerful. It’s so fun to ride! And comfortable, too, unless I’m on it for 3+ hours, which I do without even knowing because of how fun it is.
Although there is an itch to get something more powerful now. I won’t be able to afford the insurance on that though lol. To get that feeling, I test rode a Harley Davidson Sportster 48, not what people think of a “fast” motorcycle but it might as well be a rocket ship compared to what I have. But I’m super happy with my GZ250 and will keep it through at least April 2024.
I’ve had bikes since the early 80s. I’ve had from 50s to 1100.
I consider a 250 the bare minimum. It’s not the bike per se, but rather that you must be in command in traffic. I would say at the beginning the sweet spot is 350-400 .
Later on I believe 500-600 is fine for most people, and even in this range you can find rockets like Rs and RRs.
Now I ride a sport maxiscooter, a Yamaha Tmax, which handles like a dream, has plenty of kick, is happy at 150-160 km/h, and comfortable as hell. This particular bike is the reference in it’s segment (which it pioneered) for a reason. My mechanic calls it a proper bike in disguise.
I guess age takes it’s toll.
It’s definitely good enough for around town and even on the highways near me. You gotta go pretty far for the speed limit to get above 55mph where I live (although people don’t follow that), and I can keep up in the slow lane at 60-65mph.
Nice ride! I think it’s an excellent choice for a first bike. Pretty sure that’s the same bike I rode at my first MSA class 20 years ago. Was very easy to handle even for a newbie at the time. It looks really comfy. I hope you enjoy the hell out of it!
Yeah I’ve definitely gotten better and better at maneuvering in tight spaces. When I test rode the Harley, it felt like the handling was on hard mode. I definitely like having a nimble motorcycle, and it’s still fast enough for the highway!
Trust me. There is more joy to be had from wringing all the performance out of a small motorcycle than pussyfooting around on a rocket ship. Enjoy your bike.
Although it does suck when I want to ride with friends but then I can’t keep up with their SV650 and CBR600RR…
How’s it run? I used to run a fleet for training and they were the most temperamental.
No problems so far! I do need to get the rear tire replaced soon due to low tread, and the front brake fluid is running a bit low. How do I top up the front brake fluid?
How low? Is it leaking somewhere? How much front brake pad is left?
If you do truly need to add fluid (shouldn’t be necessary if it was added to the correct level initially), get a JIS screwdriver as those screws are not actually Phillips head. Don’t allow brake fluid to get on any painted surface or plastic as it will ruin those in short order.
It’s been at or just below the minimum line for all 600+ miles, so I don’t think it’s leaking.
I bought DOT4 brake fluid. Should I just try to top up the brake fluid or do I need to bleed it?
If the fluid is low and was full at the last change that means the pads have significantly worn. I would definitely check the pads and probably replace them along with a full fluid flush and refill. Brakes are far more important than throttle 😊
I don’t know when the last change was though. The brake fluid level seems to be more or less constant.
Update: The battery died a couple months ago and I needed to replace it. This might simply be because the motorcycle is 17-18 years old.
Edit: superspruce@lemmy.zip is the same person as superspruce@lemmy.ml. I just changed my instance due to downtime issues and communist ties with .ml.
I started on a naked 300 and got a sport tourer 800 just 5 months later. I had the luxury of keeping the 300 and when I came back to it the following spring, I couldn’t beleive how much fun it was. It’s still my commuter because the 800 is a bore in traffic and <50mph and I can feel the extra 150lbs. I’m sure a recent 650 to 900 naked would be better, but there’s nothing wrong with the 300 for its role. Most complaints stem from rider inexperience (making a big deal about wind) and from comparing performance to motorcycles only rather than all motor vehicles around you. My only fundamental complaint: bar and seat vibration at highway speeds/7,000rpm+ (reference: redline is 10.5k, 70mph is 7700rpm). And for that, I’m always considering a larger commuter but still haven’t gotten around to it
That’s a great first bike, and a 250 hopefully won’t get you in too much trouble. Wouldn’t be good on a 60MPH plus highway but that’s not where I like to ride anyway. Give me scenic back roads and no traffic.
It can more or less keep up with highway traffic, but I often enjoy the twisty back roads more :)
Nice! I started on a GN250. Very easy bikes to ride and maintain
Health to ride SuperSpruce.
Stay safe, always wear your gear no matter the weather and most importantly have fun!
Thanks! I wear high viz ATGATT, and I’m definitely enjoying the ride!
