2013 Honda CBR 250r Motorcycle

[RRutter]

Planning on getting this for myself within the next couple of months! http://powersports.honda.com/2013/cbr250r.aspx

I am only 18 years old, so I am going to save up a couple of stacks and use them to open up a credit card and begin financing! I'll have the full price of bike already saved up, so I won't need to worry about debt. I'm looking forward to building my credit score up, and more importantly, getting on my new bike!!

 

[Queen of Spades]

Finally, a young person smart enough to start on a lower cc bike. I started out on a 250, and it was a great bike. People that act like it's a toy and you'll get bored of it don't know what they're talking about. If you learn all the proper maneuvers, you can ride that bike happily for years. And nothing will teach you how to ride the twisties better.

I'm really glad they started making the 250cc bikes a lot better looking in terms of styling, I remember when I got my Ninja 250, it was not nearly as cool looking as the 600cc bikes. They've changed that, and it makes a big difference in my opinion.

If you can, take an MSF course. Remember it's your body and life at stake, and they're worth protecting with intelligence and safety. Congrats and good luck!

 

[elistan]

Nice looking bike. I have a 600RR and really like Honda's bikes.
Don't neglect helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and pants.
And yeah, definitely take the MSF course.

 

[SidewaysTakumi]

Kudos to you for a few things...

1) buying a 250

2) saving up your money and buying it right

3) also using a credit card to help establish credit


Please be careful!

I rode a 250 for a few years and really regret selling it. Ended up getting an SV650S and wasn't happy with it. I missed my 250. Then a friend of mine died on his bike and I've been scared ever since.

Please take a rider's course and get some good protector gear.
And ride within your limits.

Next up for me, a Honda Ruckus, lol.

 

[RRutter]

I'm really glad they started making the 250cc bikes a lot better looking in terms of styling, I remember when I got my Ninja 250, it was not nearly as cool looking as the 600cc bikes.

If you can, take an MSF course. Remember it's your body and life at stake, and they're worth protecting with intelligence and safety. Congrats and good luck!

At first, I had a firm decision that I would be purchasing the Ninja; but a friend of mine has a CBR 1000rr, and convinced me to go with Honda! I was planning on taking MSF courses, but the same friend with the 1000rr has begun teaching me the ways of the bike; if I don't feel comfortable with what he's taught, I'll be doing MSF no doubt!

Nice looking bike. I have a 600RR and really like Honda's bikes.
Don't neglect helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and pants.
And yeah, definitely take the MSF course.

Of course!!! I am actually planning on spending a LOT more (about 2-3 times more, to be exact) on accessories then I am on the bike itself. Good helmet, very strong jacket/pants, etc.

Kudos to you for a few things...

1) buying a 250

2) saving up your money and buying it right

3) also using a credit card to help establish credit


Please be careful!

I rode a 250 for a few years and really regret selling it. Ended up getting an SV650S and wasn't happy with it. I missed my 250. Then a friend of mine died on his bike and I've been scared ever since.

Please take a rider's course and get some good protector gear.
And ride within your limits.

Next up for me, a Honda Ruckus, lol.

A fellow Texan!! Thanks, brother. I am planning on getting the 250 brand new, and hope it will last me for years to come!! I'm excited to get my credit score started (and in a positive manner, as well). Hopefully I'll be hitting the streets by the time 2013 comes around (and if I'm really lucky, by this upcoming winter!!)

 

[Zwhaler]

Yeah be really careful as others are saying, the other day I was stuck in a traffic jam and sure enough I drove right past a motorcyclist on the ground that wasn't moving with some people trying to help him, not sure what to do. Starting with a 250 will reduce your risk but remember 70mph is over 100 feet per second and is the same on a 250cc, 600cc, Bugatti, etc.

 

[RRutter]

Yeah be really careful as others are saying, the other day I was stuck in a traffic jam and sure enough I drove right past a motorcyclist on the ground that wasn't moving with some people trying to help him, not sure what to do. Starting with a 250 will reduce your risk but remember 70mph is over 100 feet per second and is the same on a 250cc, 600cc, Bugatti, etc.

Wow - how sad. I already have a fear of the freeway with my normal car, so I don't plan on ever driving on it. 100 ft per second? Wow.. That's something I'm taking into account. The 250cc still has power to it, I'm not going to underestimate it.

 

[Zwhaler]

Wow - how sad. I already have a fear of the freeway with my normal car, so I don't plan on ever driving on it. 100 ft per second? Wow.. That's something I'm taking into account. The 250cc still has power to it, I'm not going to underestimate it.

That's good, especially if it's your first bike you don't want to take any chances. I don't mean to scare you but one must also consider that even if you are doing everything 100% correctly, there's a chance that a distracted motorist can cause an accident that's totally their fault, with you taking the fall. I suspect you'll be fine ... just be careful with wheelies if you don't know what you're doing (less about safety and more about destroying your bike)

 

[Mr. McMac]

I stopped riding Motorcycles in 1982 after 2 of my friends died in accidents. One was rear ended, the other hit a tree going way too fast trying to negotiate a curve in the road. Today it's much more dangerous due to kids and adults texting, and other distractions in their cars...... I hope I scared you

 

[Queen of Spades]

I rode a 250 for a few years and really regret selling it. Ended up getting an SV650S and wasn't happy with it. I missed my 250. Then a friend of mine died on his bike and I've been scared ever since.

Yeah, same thing happened to me. I saw a guy die on his bike right near me, and it was beyond awful. After I started having very vivid, horrible dreams of dying on my motorcycle and I started to get nervous riding. I haven't ridden in a couple of years because riding scared will cause accidents. I miss it, but the fear hasn't left.

OP - I'd recommend an MSF course even if your buddy teaches you the basics. My parents taught me the basics, but I still took a course and learned valuable things I wouldn't have otherwise. Plus you get a discount on your motorcycle insurance if you have the certificate. Good luck.

 

[firedept]

Way to go. You are going to have a blast. I have been riding motorcycles for 37 years (rockets) and have never been without one. As long as you are careful and pay attention to what is going on around you then you should be safe. Never ride without leathers and never stunt on the street. I have worked as an EMT for years part-time and have seen the end results of what can happen. But enjoy the bike as it will be a lot of fun and should handle like a dream.

 

[Disposition]

Best advice I can give, always pay attention! Not to what you're doing, but to what every other driver is doing, at ALL times. Every day I commute, almost always someone changes lanes directly into me or pulls out in front of me. If I wouldn't have been paying attention, done.

Cagers scan for threats to them and their vehicle (bigger vehicles) so they might be looking directly at you, but don't see you subconsciously.

AGATT, All Gear All The Time... You'll thank me later.

 

[RRutter]

I am prepared to fall off my bike a couple times when I'm learning the feel for things.. After all, my uncle did say there are only 3 types of motorcycle drivers:
"Those who have crashed, those who will crash, and those who will crash again".

I plan on using the utmost safety at all times that I'm on the bike, and this includes looking out for terrible drivers (which my city has PLENTY of) that don't share the road.

 

[senseless]

It's a beauty! Dress right, don't drink, watch for stupid people and deer. Do you have deer in Texas? This time of year, they are really dangerous to cyclists.

 

[RRutter]

It's a beauty! Dress right, don't drink, watch for stupid people and deer. Do you have deer in Texas? This time of year, they are really dangerous to cyclists.

In this area, there aren't many deer at all. What I really gotta be looking out for is terrible drivers that don't share the roads!

 

[adroit]

Some of these points has already been mentioned. But since they're important, I'll say it again

1. Definitely take the MSF. I'm sure that your friend is a good rider, but every good rider also have bad habits and you would want to start out right.

2. Don't cheap out on gear! And try to pick ones with hard armour. I've seen lots of those foam armour disintegrates after 1 crash. I, unfortunately, have too much experience in this topic lol. Anyone who take a look at my leathers can tell that I wouldn't have any skin left if I wasn't wearing gear. Thankfully, all my crashes has been on the tracks.

3. Just buy the bike with cash. You actually don't need to be pay a cent of interest to have excellent credit. Get your credit card and pay it off every month and just buy the bike outright if you can.

4. Awesome on you buying a 250 as your first bike. Don't be in a rush to upgrade though, you'll only learn a lot of important bike handling skills when you're trying to make a slow bike goes faster. My first bike was a ninja 250 as well and I'm considering picking another one up as a race bike.

5. Have you consider the new Ninja 300?

 

[macquariumguy]

After all, my uncle did say there are only 3 types of motorcycle drivers:
"Those who have crashed, those who will crash, and those who will crash again".

Total garbage. I rode for 30 years and never laid my bike down while it was moving. Lots of riders never go down.

 

[adroit]

Total garbage. I rode for 30 years and never laid my bike down while it was moving. Lots of riders never go down.

There's a local guy here in his 70s who has been riding since he was a teenager. He rides about 100-150mi of local twisties almost every day plus several long tours every year for his whole life. His first crash was 2 years ago on the road that he rides almost everyday and know every pot holes and gravel spots. If after millions of miles this guy can crash then anyone can imho.

There are people who never crash and you might be one of them. But the important advice to give a new rider is still to tell them to dress for the crash and not for the ride.

 

[4JNA]

...the important advice to give a new rider is still to tell them to dress for the crash and not for the ride.

this. rode for years. raced actually, had my semi-pro license, full leathers, etc. had one fluke accident on a road i knew well. big oil spot, two wheel drift, bounced off a car, flipped over the back, and then had to roll quickly off the road to avoid being run over by the car following. lots of fun (and motrin). it's always the unexpected or the other guy doing something unexpected that gets you. also had riding buddies that were killed in accidents, one of a stupid choice (racing on streets), and one was hit by a drunk driver running a red light. my two cents.

other point i'd make is after years of working in emergency rooms, i can tell you we almost never saw motorcycle accident victims, they usually went to the morgue instead. lovingly called 'donor cycles' by all of the ER staff for a reason.

be safe. plan ahead, way ahead. best of luck.

 

[RRutter]

Some of these points has already been mentioned. But since they're important, I'll say it again

1. Definitely take the MSF. I'm sure that your friend is a good rider, but every good rider also have bad habits and you would want to start out right.

2. Don't cheap out on gear! And try to pick ones with hard armour. I've seen lots of those foam armour disintegrates after 1 crash. I, unfortunately, have too much experience in this topic lol. Anyone who take a look at my leathers can tell that I wouldn't have any skin left if I wasn't wearing gear. Thankfully, all my crashes has been on the tracks.

3. Just buy the bike with cash. You actually don't need to be pay a cent of interest to have excellent credit. Get your credit card and pay it off every month and just buy the bike outright if you can.

4. Awesome on you buying a 250 as your first bike. Don't be in a rush to upgrade though, you'll only learn a lot of important bike handling skills when you're trying to make a slow bike goes faster. My first bike was a ninja 250 as well and I'm considering picking another one up as a race bike.

5. Have you consider the new Ninja 300?

I will take the MSF after all these recommendations! Sounds like the right thing to do. I am thinking about maybe just getting it with cash, but financing would work out better for me (2-4k is A LOT of money to just get rid of). I haven't considered the 300, what is the difference in price?

Total garbage. I rode for 30 years and never laid my bike down while it was moving. Lots of riders never go down.

We got a badass over here, eh? Don't take the quote so literal, it's what he told me to keep in mind as a first-time bike rider.

 

[Queen of Spades]

Total garbage. I rode for 30 years and never laid my bike down while it was moving. Lots of riders never go down.

If you don't go down, it's luck and nothing more. You may be the best rider in the universe, but you can't account for every driver on the road and the stupid/dangerous things they will do. It's just dumb to set up a newbie with the expectation that never going down is a possibility. I don't know a single rider that hasn't.

it's always the unexpected or the other guy doing something unexpected that gets you. also had riding buddies that were killed in accidents, one of a stupid choice (racing on streets), and one was hit by a drunk driver running a red light. my two cents.

other point i'd make is after years of working in emergency rooms, i can tell you we almost never saw motorcycle accident victims, they usually went to the morgue instead. lovingly called 'donor cycles' by all of the ER staff for a reason.

be safe. plan ahead, way ahead. best of luck.

This x 1000000. Accidents are not always your fault. And likely you'll deal with both situations. I dumped my bike and broke my wrist because some guy was going to miss his on ramp and cut over 3 lanes in like 20 feet.

We got a badass over here, eh? Don't take the quote so literal, it's what he told me to keep in mind as a first-time bike rider.

You sound like a smart guy with the right mindset. You've gotten some good advice here. Good luck and stay safe.

 

[RRutter]

Much love to everybody that gave me advice - I am very thankful to have my Macrumors community to give me such noticeable tips! Very happy I posted a thread about this. Gotta get signed up for my MSF course, take that, go renew my license and get certified for the bike, and then SAVE SAVE SAVE!

 

[wvuwhat]

I love bikes. I rode around my college town on a 600.

But, since moving back to the D.C. area after graduation I've learned there are many stupid drivers and sold my bike very quickly.

Just be careful, it doesn't matter if you're a good rider, all it takes is some dumb driver to end your life.

 

[RRutter]

I love bikes. I rode around my college town on a 600.

But, since moving back to the D.C. area after graduation I've learned there are many stupid drivers and sold my bike very quickly.

Just be careful, it doesn't matter if you're a good rider, all it takes is some dumb driver to end your life.

I can relate - I live in El Paso, TX, this town is infamous for bad drivers. I'm going to take things very seriously, and have basically made an oath to my family I'm not going to touch the freeway. I know this doesn't guarantee anything, but even if I'm driving my car I get anxious on the freeway.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Starting on a 250 isn't bad at all, just be sure you can comfortably travel at highway speeds (if on the highway). Do you plan to only ride or do you have a car as well?