250cc Naked bikes ???

[kenmal07]

Hi everybody

New guy on this forum So I'm thinking about getting my license A done and wanted to start out with a 250cc bike. Thing is I prefer 'Naked' bikes and was thinking about buying a Hyosung GT250 (read a couple of great reviews me being 6 ft tall and weighing in the 90-95 kg region).

So anybody got any other suggestion to good looking 250cc naked bikes ?

Thanks guys

[wodge]

I came to biking very late in life (mid forties). When I was a teenager my friends were riding (and falling off) a succession of 50's, 100cc and 250cc bikes and naturally when I started thinking about riding a bike this is what I thought I would be doing.
I soon found out that 50's are REALLY crap, 2 strokes are practically extinct and the choices are really between having a bit of a laugh on a sub 125cc machine or doing direct access full A licence on a 600cc plus machine where the world is your Lobster and you can ride anything

It seems to me bikes between 125 and 400 aren't that common these days so why not just go for a 500cc Royal Enfield.
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nolidge iz pouwur.
Yamaha RXS100 RS100

[RE8ELD0G]

I have a 250cc supermoto for sale in the "sales" section.
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Its a fine line between an cuddle.......
And holding her down so she cant get away..!!!
Honda Varadero XL 125

[Rogerborg]

Why would you do your training and tests on a 600cc+ 40kW+ bike and then take such a massive step down?

I'm not criticising it - I ride a low powered Enfield for fun - I'm just wondering what's informing your decision.

I'd suggest that you wait until you're licensed up, or have at least ridden a training big for a bit, before pondering what you want to own.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[kenmal07]

I know it will be a massive step down but right now all I need is a bike to commute from home to work (about 6 miles) without breaking the bank (£3000 max). But as you said it's inevitable that some time in the future I will get tired of it.

[Rogerborg]

Smaller capacity bikes aren't necessarily cheaper. There aren't many 250cc bikes around, which means you aren't going to be picking and choosing. There are only 69 examples of the GT250 still on the road in the UK, including the faired version. If you're after the naked then you're hoping that one of the 32 running bikes left come on the market.

Those numbers mean that parts supply is also sparse. You'll be sourcing salvage parts in the UK, or buying direct from Korea, if you can still get them.

Compare against something like a Bandit 600. Thousands still on the road. Can be had for under £1K, parts are everywhere and it'll return 50-something MPG - you might be able to do better, e.g. with a CB500.

If you're stretching every penny, then 125s will do the job. If you're going bigger, I'd suggest going for something popular.

Just a suggestion, mind. I had fun on my '305 and enjoy my Enfield. I just wouldn't recommend that route as a default choice if you have other options to try. If you can bag a good one and you enjoy it, sure. Just noting that you're unlikely to be in a position to be fussy about what you get.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[M.C]

I planned to get a 250 after passing my test, but once you get a taste of that powahh you'll want something more. That's not to say I don't still want one and won't have one in future, a light bike with a bit more power than a 125, yet decent fuel economy.

They're expensive compared to 125's and bigger bikes, new and used. I wouldn't go full on Bandit but something inbetween.

[linuxyeti]

Hi

I've replaced my 125 naff weather bike, with a 250 naff weather bike, which will be more than adaquate for a 6 mile commute, I do a 50 mile round trip commute, on the M54 & M6. I've also got the Mash 400, for general commuting in nice weather, and the CF650 for those longer trips.

The Honley 250, is a nice bike to ride, it's also a big bike, physically, for a 250cc bike.

It has got plenty of good reviews, and has a very active community in the states.
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[Ed Case]

Sinnis 250cc Retrostar ?

[linuxyeti]

I was tempted to suggest 1 of those as well, but not having ridden 1 I couldn't recommend it. If you're looking for something older, then you could look at an old Honda CB250/CD250, although the 1 I had struggled to get to 60
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Beware what photos you upload, or link to on here, especially if you have family members on them

[Rogerborg]

[M.C]

There are some good 250's if the OP's interested Just not that many left, bikes like the Hornet 250 and other imports.

Consider the Duke 200, has around the same power as most 250's, just be aware there are issues over build quality. The same can be said about newer Honda's, although the CRF250L/M seem quite highly rated, despite being made in Thailand and looking a bit cheap.

[kenmal07]

[linuxyeti]

[JoeDaStudd]

There is the Suzuki Inazuma 250.
They do a Yamaha YBR 250, but its a bit hard to get to as they don't sell it in the UK market.

6 miles should be doable on a push bike so I wouldn't limit yourself to only the 250cc range without there is a specific reason.
The difference between 50mpg and 75mpg on a 12 mile round commute is going to be about 30p.
At ~250 working days a year at 12 miles a day, is 3000 miles so your looking at less then £100 difference over a year.

[M.C]

[kenmal07]

[M.C]

[kenmal07]

[Piercee100]

What kind of roads do you ride on?

I've run a Suzuki Inazuma GW250 for the last three years and as a commuter, can't fault it. Around town it's great fun and makes me grin from ear to ear. It can out accelerate anything from the lights to around 40mph, even hitting the rev limiter at 93mph (about 86mph gps) fairly easily but it's not fun on the A-roads as anything near 70mph is flat out and of course, kills the economy.

As a commuter I fill the tank with around 12-13quid a week and that gets me bang on 125miles
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).

[arry]

Inazuma ticks all the boxes

[stevo as b4]

I'd have to like the bike firstly and predominantly, and then the capacity can be incidental.

[Northern Monkey]

£13 for 120 miles isn't that great fuel economy. Less than 50mpg.

Bikes which do 80mpg and more than 50mph is a huge category.

My Royal Enfield gets round about 80mpg. A cb500 would manage maybe 60+mpg
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Fisty: after polishing the tank with the glistenng beads of sweat from my full hot scrotum, I filled the headrace bearings with 10cc of my manmilk

[Rogerborg]

Agreed, that's utter mince. Are those numbers right?

I see that WK do a 250 for £1500 + OTR which is pretty much what I'd want to pay for one. 19kW, so just enough to be real world usable.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[arry]