What is the stigma around 250cc bikes

Dez · L Plate Warrior Joined: 31 Mar 2004 Karma :

I am looking to pass my restricted licence shortly and was thinking of a Yamaha Drag Star XVS250 to break me in for a couple of years.

Nearly all dealers don't stock this bike and tell me that 250cc are rarely made. I would have thought this would be a good bike for a new rider with restricted licence. Is their a stigma around 250cc motorcycles - I was told that I would never be able to re-sell it and to stick to a Drag Star 125cc instead !!!

Also, is this forum for all make of bikes - thought I'd ask in case I was intruding... Neutral

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

This forum isn't specifically for any make of bike, there aren't too many cruiser riders here, but all are welcome.

Some reasons why people don't really 'do' 250s (well, expensive, non-sports ones, I have a rs250 that now needs some work):
You can get more power from a decent 125.
You /will/ want more power a lot sooner than you initially expect.
They are tiny, which in the cruiser world is considered a bad thing.
They don't really have the 'kudos' associated with big cruisers; surely the whole point of a cruiser in the first place.
As, obviously, not many people want them, their resale value isn't great.

If you're looking for a <33hp cruiser I wouldn't be suprised if some of the 600ish-cc one's are under or are near enough that it won't make much difference at all.

Flip · Super Spammer Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Karma :

Yamaha did a 535 virago, which will be cooler than a 250, should imagine thats around 33bhp. Insurance shouldn't kill you.

Keen · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Karma :

in this country with our license system 250cc is just a useless capacity. Its too big to be learner legal, so you loose that market, but its usually way less than 33bhp, so who the hell would buy one? I do like the cbr250 and things like the vtr250 and 250 hornet, but the question is- why, when you could get a 400 for not much more?

although saying that, I ride a 250! I have a Ninja 250r here in Florida, basically because they're really cheap for a good example(mine was about £1300 for a 2002 with 3000 miles) and I know it'll last me the year. I could have bought somthing bigger, but it would have been a tattier example and therefore more of a risk for me.