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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?

I have a truck as well, it gets about 13-16 MPG.. A 40-50 mile increase on my MPG is also going to help me out a ton
 
I have a truck as well, it gets about 13-16 MPG.. A 40-50 mile increase on my MPG is also going to help me out a ton

Completely! Rode today, it was a bit cool but the heat from the engine keeps me a little warm. You have no helmet laws, it's good that you plan to wear one.
 
I have a truck as well, it gets about 13-16 MPG.. A 40-50 mile increase on my MPG is also going to help me out a ton

You're not going to save money.

Maintence expenses per mile traveled are drastically higher on a motorcycle and will wipe out any savings on fuel you make.
 
Had a ninja 250 for a while then upgraded to a svs650 and rode that a few years

No longer have a bike

They are a lot of fun but ultimately, had too many close calls from other drivers not paying attention that I sold it

Not worth it for me personally anymore

In regards to cost, bikes are not cheaper to run. You go through tires muuuuuuch quicker, insurance can be up there and the gas savings aren't that great compared to most cars. Plus you have to worry about two maintenance cycles which is annoying.

Also, the utility of a bike sucked. I found I ended up riding for the sake of riding a lot more as its fun, but totally took away any savings as a result.

Also, no fun this time of year when nice in the day but effing freezing at night haha. Many a time have I rode in cooooold weather and it hurts
 
You're not going to save money.

Maintence expenses per mile traveled are drastically higher on a motorcycle and will wipe out any savings on fuel you make.

Not so sure I agree with that. Been riding daily for the past 4 years give or take and maintenance costs have been very minimal.
 
Total garbage. I rode for 30 years and never laid my bike down while it was moving. Lots of riders never go down.

You're still alive right? Not wishing bad luck, but you don't know what may happen in the future.

Props to the OP for wanting to start out on a 250 as all have said though. That's a nice looking bike.
 
I'm not going to save money? Really..? Because I spend $15-$20 on Gas A DAY (no, I am not exaggerating).. The college I attend is miles from my house.

Even if the maintenance fees end up being ridiculous, I am expecting to save a lot on gas money...
 
I'm not going to save money? Really..? Because I spend $15-$20 on Gas A DAY (no, I am not exaggerating).. The college I attend is miles from my house.

Even if the maintenance fees end up being ridiculous, I am expecting to save a lot on gas money...

Tires: be prepared to replace them every 5k miles at over 100-150 per wheel and mounting tends to be around 30-50 per wheel

Oil changes: more frequent than my car were

Brakes: a lot more frequent than one's car

If you are like me, say you drive 20 miles a day on your truck. On your bike, I ended up driving maybe 40 as it was fun and always wanted to ride

Also, I see the bike is $4,200 MSRP. Your out the door price will be close to $5,000 as if it is anything like the ninja 250, you won't be able to buy for less than MSRP due to the demand.

I don't care who you are, but 5k is a lot of money that could be used to spend on gas

Nothing wrong with getting a bike but to think of it is a cost saving move is a bit naive as you are hoping that the difference in mpg between the bike and your truck ultimately will offset:
1) cost of the bike
2) registration of the bike
3) insurance of the bike
4) maintenance of the bike
5) gear you wil buy to ride the bike

For me it didn't, which was fine as I bought it since I always wanted a bike, not a justification I would be saving money
 
I'm not going to save money? Really..? Because I spend $15-$20 on Gas A DAY (no, I am not exaggerating).. The college I attend is miles from my house.

Even if the maintenance fees end up being ridiculous, I am expecting to save a lot on gas money...

Just do the math.

Finance it and you've got your monthly payment + insurance as a fixed monthly cost. Because you're 18, have no riding experience, and are going to finance the bike you will be required to carry comprehensive and collision coverage which will probably result in your insurance being around $100 a month. Figure roughly another $150 a month for your bike payment. Those two costs alone will probably wipe out any savings in fuel you might have. Then you have the maintenance costs such as:

Tires every 5,000-7,000 miles, roughly $350-400 each time.
Engine service, figure at least 3 full services by 12,000 miles. Your first one may be under warranty but the subsequent visits will be $200-$300.
Chain maintenance every 500 miles, cleaning and lube. You can do this yourself, but it still adds up.
Oil change every 2000-4000 miles, again you can do this yourself but just the oil will be $50-$60 plus the filter.

I've been riding for years and trust me, you won't save money by riding.
 
Others here are right, you likely won't save any money by getting a motorcycle. If you're hoping to get it to save money then I would suggest you sell you truck and get a used honda fit (or any cheap econobox) instead. It will always be cheaper to own 1 vehicle instead of 2.

To me motorcycles are toys. I ride them because they're fun to ride not because they make any economic sense. They're more like a big money pit. LOL
 
To me motorcycles are toys. I ride them because they're fun to ride not because they make any economic sense. They're more like a big money pit. LOL

My experience differs, motorcycles have always been the cheaper option for me. Purchase cost, servicing, insurance, fuel and road tax all much cheaper. Even tyres would last me 20,000 miles, riding style I guess.

That was in Europe, I now live in the country with the most expensive cars in the world. Bikes really make sense here. Bikes are my only form of transport, one for touring and one for commuting.
 
Good luck with your bike! :)

In a few months I will have my driving license and I still can't choose what should I ride. I'm thinking about Ninja 250 or buying some car (4000-7000 euros). It would be my daily transport, about 25km per day. I like that idea of "adventure" bike but at the same time it's not safe - do not call me *****, myself is only thing which I truly own and I care about it.
 
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