Thoughts about buying a new motorcycle, some advice needed.

After a rider safety course and the buying of some appropriate safety gear, I am going to be buying a new motorcycle from a dealership. Just how bad, to put it bluntly, am I going to get raped and what extra and/or hidden charges should I be expected to pay? I am going to buy a bike with a list/dealer price of $3200. Can I expect to talk them down in the same way one does when buying a car? How much can I talk them down? Am I going to pay setup fees and other such garbage? Do I have to let them do-and thus charge me for-the license and registration? Just tell me what the ins and outs are about this transaction.

Might as well buy some anal lube on the way to the dealer.

The thing is, I want a Suzuki GZ250, not a Honda Rebel or a Nighthawk which is what everyone starts out on and then tries to dump on Craigslist in 6 months. The used Suzuki GZ250 is a rare bird.

Theyre going to get you for freight and setup, probably try to get you on the extended warranty. Id try to negotiate it, in fact, try to negotiate the whole deal. It may be easier to negotiate them to throw in accessories or clothing rather than get the price down. Good luck, have fun, and ride safe! Keep the rubber side down!

You started out right by buying the safety gear and as a beginner not going for one of the 150+ mph sport bikes. Make sure to get some frame sliders or engine guards. There are those riders who have went down and those that are going too because you can't break the law of gravity all the time...

just to let you know...

test ride it first...you will find that you will outgrow a 250 within 6 months , probably less then that..people often think that smaller bikes are the perfect beginner machines and nothing is farther from the truth , small bikes are.....small and lighter this unfortunatly creates a more "nervous handeling" bike. It reacts alot quicker then a bigger more heavier machine will , most of the times this is the opposite of what a beginner needs.

i have been driving bikes for about 27 years , i started on a 1980 50cc/manual shift suzuki (dirtbike)...i started riding road bikes when i turned 18... my first bike was a 1990 honda CBR450...i know own a honda VTX 1800 and a 1994 Honda Magna.
I love the magna it's got everything you want in a bike ... it's a sports cruiser , it's quick , agile but it rides like a cruiser , i've put alot of miles on this bike... and to be honest it drives as good as the VTX , the VTX however is a beast, heavy , sluggish but rides like a dream because of it's weight.

Don't get hung on the engines capacity , a 250 cruiser does not match up against a 250 crotch rocket... it's like comparing same engine sizes between a ferarri and a ford F150 , both the same engine sizes but we both know what the difference is.

The extra power the bigger engine has will sometimes create a much smoother ride...the more you have to fight the motorcycle the more tired and the more exhausting it is.

test ride as many different bikes , not just the lighter bikes but try to ride a heavier bike...get one that feels "right" and one you can handle...

I suggest you get the bike and drive it around in a parking lot, not paying attention to whether or not there are steel cables strewn about said lot.

Sypto, I just KNEW someone was going to go into a long winded and completely irrelevant soliloquy about about their choice in bikes and what kind they are convinced I and everyone else should buy, so thanks for being the one to get that out of the way. You can't even say the word "motorcycle" without someone stepping up with something like this. 250 cc bikes are just fine for lots of people other than just beginners.

well i promise all the "safety gear" in the world wont save you from automobiles of any sort ... motorcycle + automobile = at the very least crippled (in other words if you weren't dead you wished you would be).

Helmets only save some injury with minor crushing or blows to the pavement from the side. Leather keeps your ass from staying on the pavement if you ever were to dive off your bike avoiding an automobile. (you ever had a rug burn? multiply that by 10,000 and you are getting the picture).

I guess the faster and sportier the bike you are seeking ...the more likely you are to avoid the above mentioned and just die ... even if it isnt your fault that a driver pulls out in front of you say at an intersection ..or anywhere else for that matter.

hey choochoo, shit happens!

wear the appropriate gear, have the right training and mindset and the risk certainly does decrease. you could just as easily die in a car crash for fuck sake or choke on some guys cock, the list is endless.

personally, i think it's smart that jeff is content in his choice in a lower capacity bike. sure he may outgrow it but some guys who have their full licenses and have many miles under their belt still enjoy ringing the tits outta their first smaller cc bike. the point: smaller bikes are more forgiving for learners.

jeff, find a local mc forum to direct your specific question.

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff613

Sypto, I just KNEW someone was going to go into a long winded and completely irrelevant soliloquy about about their choice in bikes and what kind they are convinced I and everyone else should buy, so thanks for being the one to get that out of the way. You can't even say the word "motorcycle" without someone stepping up with something like this. 250 cc bikes are just fine for lots of people other than just beginners.

I didn't say you "HAD" to buy a "BIGGER" machine. If it came over that way i i'm sorry for that. lots of people think that the smaller motorcycles with slower/smaller engines are safer...wich is not true . it's all in the right hand...and more then anything ...common sense.

i just told you to test drive different bikes..bigger ones and smaller ones...notice the difference in the handling of the bike... you may find that maybe you find a little bit heavier bike feels better to you..or not , but the point is ... a bike you feel more comfortable with will make you a safer driver.

i drive anywhere from 3200-4500 miles a week , in a big a$$ orange truck wich is 60 feet and people don't see...some drivers are idiots..and you have to be prepared for that...the only one responsible for your safety is YOU...

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff613

Sypto, I just KNEW someone was going to go into a long winded and completely irrelevant soliloquy about about their choice in bikes and what kind they are convinced I and everyone else should buy, so thanks for being the one to get that out of the way. You can't even say the word "motorcycle" without someone stepping up with something like this. 250 cc bikes are just fine for lots of people other than just beginners.

Remember, you did ask for advice.

Normal charges should be small set up fee, small freight charge, tax and liscence.
Go to ebay motors, a dealership in Ohio has a new 2007 set up ready to go for $2997 tax paid.
You should be able to buy the bike for your $3200 out the door

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff613

Sypto, I just KNEW someone was going to go into a long winded and completely irrelevant soliloquy about about their choice in bikes and what kind they are convinced I and everyone else should buy, so thanks for being the one to get that out of the way. You can't even say the word "motorcycle" without someone stepping up with something like this. 250 cc bikes are just fine for lots of people other than just beginners.

You mean like women, or gays? Actually most women and gays probably drive decent bikes too.

Oh well, enjoy your fail bike you'll hate in a few months.

Just a thought...
I have been riding for about 14yrs and I started on a RZ350! Once you find out what that is dont laugh! The last bike I rode was a Kawi ZX10 built to the max tested it at 180+ mph. Everyone SHOULD start small the only word I have about that is if you can buy a used bike dont get a new one. I also use to sale bikes and I have seen one too many bikes come back without their owners... Bike goes to the shop... you go to the mourge... Keep it Rubber Side Down!
So far as credentials go...
Member CMRRA
Tracs ridden, Willow Springs, Laguna Seca, Sultan Sea, PIR, oh yeah and I5

I could afford a 600cc new bike, I just don't think it would be right to start out on one that size, plus it would be way more than I am going to need for the surface street riding I am going to do. In this age of excess, I happen to believe in keeping it simple and not buying or owning more than I need. If my life has one dictate it can be summed up as this: simplify.

While a 250cc bike is not the most powerful out there, it's still a capable, legit bike, and yes there are lots of guys who ride just smaller bikes because they are fun and unintimidating.

My chances of getting injured are low because I am starting out late in life at age 38. NO hot dogging for me, and I am way past the age where one realizes that yes, you can die. I'm also going to take an MC rider safety course before I even get the bike, and if I have to ride it around my apartment parking lot at 10 mph before I am commfy getting it up to, say, 15, then I'll ride it around in the parking lot doing ten until I feel perfectly comfortable at that speed and so on. I have nothing to prove as a rider, which is probably what really gets most guys killed.

Well, if you can afford a 600 then by all means go for it.
My FIRST bike was a Suzuki SV 650 in 99.
I did a lot of research and found that it had excellent reviews/feedback at the time and was a "top 10 bargain"
I still have it with 30,000 miles on it and still love it. I have however had to regear to get a little more low end (at the expense of top end-120+ which I never use after a few time of "seeing what she can do" as my ability has increased and I have felt the need for more off the line acceleration.
This is not just from a "hot rod" mentality, but from the realization that sometimes you need power on tap to get out of troublesome situations. Along those lines,just cause you've got a 650 doesn't mean you have to be using every horse all the time, but it sure is nice to have the HP when you need it. I have found this to be true with all motorized vehicles that I have owned - cars, trucks, snowmobiles, motorcycles, fourwheelers (now watercraft yet)you can NEVER have TOO much power unless you are such a retard that you can't handle/control the throttle in which case you shouldn't even be on a 50cc....

Now, all that said if this is your FIRST motorcycle I would agree with a previous poster that you might want to purchase used first. Like I said this was my first cycle and to paraphrase another response to this thread, if you haven't gone down it isn't a matter of if, but when. You will put your bike down one day. Me, it happened within the first month (600 miles) I owned it . The adjuster said it was $500 short of being totaled. So I signed up for a motorcycle safety training class, slowed down and learned how to ride. I haven't put it down since but believe me there have been times when accel on tap allowed me to get away from automobiles that had their radar set on me.
HTH do with as you will.....

Quote:

Originally posted by wbwanderson

Well, if you can afford a 600 then by all means go for it.

Amen!

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff613

The thing is, I want a Suzuki GZ250, not a Honda Rebel or a Nighthawk which is what everyone starts out on and then tries to dump on Craigslist in 6 months. The used Suzuki GZ250 is a rare bird.

i would like one of those to play with the hondas that is i may have to look there

Quote:

Originally posted by Honda_X

...

You mean like women, or gays? Actually most women and gays probably drive decent bikes too.

im a woman, i wouldnt choose a fucking bike like that

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff613

NO hot dogging for me