Cbr 600, blast, ninja 500

[ol blue]

I have been looking at bike a lot lately and I cannot decide what I for sure. These are the 3 bikes I keep coming back to. If you have a different bike you would think that would be a good commuter and is decently quick to 70( this is where I keep my speed most of the time) please post it up.

For the cbr I want the f3 generation, I just ain't to fond of some of the newer bikes with the way the front end looks. This bike though is quick enough to 70 and i really like the way it looks.

Buell blast is second on my list. It is suppose to get around 60mpg, and you don't see to many around my area. That goes for any kind of buell. I drove one last weekend and thought it was pretty comfy. Had a load of torque which is nice for take off but didn't climb to fast in speed. I think my saab would beat this bike to be honest.

Last on the list is a ninja 500. They get up to 60 in around 5-6 seconds which is perfect. Like the way these look and shouldn't get me in to much trouble. I haven't ridden this or the cbr yet but will soon.

Just looking for some opinions or if anyone has had a personal experience with any of these. I don't plan on adding anything other than a full exhaust to whatever one I end up with.

[H311RA151N]

Do a 30 second search on the Buell Blast 500's reliability. You will take it off your list.

[Chrisisiced]

I've ridden all 3 enough to give a credible rating. The Buell Blast is an excellent beginning rider bike. Low on power, comfortable position, controls are easy to operate. With that said it is only good around town. On the highway it is fairly light and you get blown around pretty easily. Also on the highway it doesn't have enough power to do anything. Lack of passing power and no ability to cruise at high speed. For this reason I do not feel comfortable on the highway with this bike. You will be at the mercy of other drivers.

The Ninja 500 is another good beginner bike but noticeably more powerful than the Blast. Very easy to control. Excellent upright seating position. My only complaint with seating position is that the stock seat is too narrow for my fat ass. This bike has enough power to be comfortable both around town and on the highway at speed. I've taken this bike to 120 which is pretty close to it's limit and also way more than the casual rider would need. I would recommend this bike to anyone starting out. I would also say that this bike is fairly easy to maintain. While this bike doesn't get the 60mpg of the Blast 40+mpg is not uncommon.

The CBR600 is in another league than the first 2 bikes with respect to capability. Could a beginner manage on this bike? Sure. But this bike has enough power for an inexperienced rider to find himself in trouble pretty quickly. If you can take it easy while learning and gaining experience it's not too bad. Seating position on this bike is more forward than the previous 2 bikes. Mpg's will be largely dependent on your style of riding here but don't expect more than 40 and if you're running it hard constantly it could be significantly less. One thing to check with is whether or not this bike takes premium fuel as that would hurt your gas savings. The other 2 take regular but I don't remember what this one uses.

Based on your claimed usage I would recommend: Ninja first and CBR second. Blast I wouldn't recommend.

[H311RA151N]

The Blast was junk. QC was downright horrible and after Harley took over the QC department openly admitted this. There are about 20 design flaws that make for a pain in the rear. For instance the belt tension can't be adjusted. When it get's more than .5" deflection you have to buy a new one. If you choose not to replace the belt the bike will bounce constantly off the slack. One of the most annoying things I think i have ever experienced on two wheels. I'm 5'8/9ish and the bikes just too damn small. Rather straddle a narrow ass 883 Sportster than a Blast to rid myself of the unwarranted rider position of the Blast.

The F3 (91-94) isn't forgiving. It's a wretched machine designed with performance in mind and not much else. Like most sport bikes of that era. Which I'm very familiar with by the way. The bulk of my riding experience has been on 90's Japanese sport bikes. I started out with a 1994 Katana actually. Owned a 1995 Kawasaki ZX6R 600 and an F4i which I can't remember what year it was exactly. Best friend in HS had/still has a 1996 GSXR 750 which I rode frequently. These bikes are just not fun to ride all the time. It's work. And it requires endurance as well. So many reasons as to why this is which I can elaborate on if need be. Easy way to attempt to cover it... the only thing they do is haul ass. And they do that at the cost of everything else and that's the only time they are happy.

Ninja 500 I simply don't like. Although, I would be more apt to recommend it that the other two. Just not my preference. I've ridden a 2011 very briefly. Tis a dog IMO. Cheap, not simplistic. Cheap. IMO of course.

[Chrisisiced]

I understand your points. I started on a 1995 CBR900rr. She was my first love although she had her quirks. She was large and heavy by today's standards. Then I graduated to my 2006 Yamaha R1. Both bikes only did 1 thing right and that was go fast. While I love the R1 for speed and handling like a dream, on long rides it is quite tiring. My gf owns a 500 ninja and I love being able to switch between hers and mine. The ninja feels very smooth and comfy compared to the R1 and I could ride it all day with no problem. In the 5 years of owning the 500 it has needed very little maintenance to keep it running.

[H311RA151N]

I had an '01 R1 for a season which was much more refined in just about every possible aspect over the 90's sport bikes I owned. Yet being significantly more powerful it was less brutal and rugged. I can tolerate a sport bike especially one that's more modern. It's the old "early crotch rockets" that are just to wretched for me to stay on for very long anymore. My 95 ZX6R was an atrocity.

GF just bought a Yamerhammer WR450 to make a supermoto out of (she's been watching too much Jakethegardensnake on youtube). I think it's a 2012 but I'm not sure. I bought her a 2013 Ninja 250 last year because she thought she wanted it and ended up only ridding it twice. She traded it and a little cash for the WR450 which idk how she did it but she made out like a bandit. Currently I have her on a craigslist special 2002 Kawi ZZR600. Was slightly dumped on the left side when I bought it but I fixed it before she could look at it.

I'm still on the '83 V65 Magna 1100. Likely to stay that way for many years to come.

The Ninja 500 is the only modern 500 I "like". It's not a bad bike. I don't care for the controls or the transmission. Those are the two primary parts I made reference to as feeling cheap to me. I like how they stayed twin cylinder with the 2009+ generation. Some manufacturers are going big single now days on bikes of the like to save materials and thus money.

Not happy with Honda's new 500.

[ol blue]

Okay well the blast is off the list. I have seen a few Katanas late 90s to early 2000s that I don't think look so bad. Otherwise there is a fellow nearby me that has an older honda 750 interceptor that he said he just got some bringing back to life for about $1700. I looked up very little on the interceptor, although I don't want to go any bigger than a 600 for a beginner.

Also Saturday morning I am test driving a 250 ninja to see how I like it and maybe will get it for $900.

[H311RA151N]

Okay well the blast is off the list. I have seen a few Katanas late 90s to early 2000s that I don't think look so bad. Otherwise there is a fellow nearby me that has an older honda 750 interceptor that he said he just got some bringing back to life for about $1700. I looked up very little on the interceptor, although I don't want to go any bigger than a 600 for a beginner.

Also Saturday morning I am test driving a 250 ninja to see how I like it and maybe will get it for $900.

The Katana is an ok bike. Very similar to the GSXR. I'm unaware of which generations span what years.

The Honda Interceptor VF750F was made from... I think '83 to '85 and despite the name and displacement it's not too radical. About 85hp and a little under 50 ftlbs. Being what it is makes it more appealing to me so I can't give an unbiased opinion. It's a raw bike bike kinda like I stated with the 90's sport bikes. But it's not nearly as much so. The early to mid 80's Honda's are from when Honda was dominating the world in motorcycles. Breaking records left and right.

It wouldn't be hard to learn to ride on. Despite it's somewhat similar looks it's not a crotch rocket. It was designed to introduce technologies from the track to the street. Which is partially why it looks the way it does. It also was the first street bike ever to have a slipper clutch. Which slips the clutch on hard braking to keep the back tire from hopping.

Unless your 5'2" and 130 lbs the Ninja 250 prolly isn't for you. Like I said, I have a 2013 Ninja 250 in my shop as we speak. My GF (who's 5'2" and I'd guess around 130 lbs) doesn't find it amusing. When we rode 70ish she had the throttle at about 85%. I could let off the throttle on my V65 and hear her 250 screaming. Going up much of a grade in the highway she would downshift a gear and go WOT to maintain 70. Thing will corner though. I'll give it that.

Edit... correction. I had a 250 Ninja in my shop. Was just reminded of this fact when I opened it up this morning a seen a nice blue dirt bike.

[ol blue]

Well I test drove the 250 today and it seemed fairly quick when you would wind it out. The guy didn't have a title on hand so I passed on it. Would have only costed $800 but titling may be a nightmare since it was suppose to be a parts bike.

[ol blue]

Will be test driving a gs500f tomorrow morning to see how I like it.

[H311RA151N]

Well I test drove the 250 today and it seemed fairly quick when you would wind it out. The guy didn't have a title on hand so I passed on it. Would have only costed $800 but titling may be a nightmare since it was suppose to be a parts bike.

The no title people annoy me. Anything that you need to license to use is pretty much useless without a title.

Will be test driving a gs500f tomorrow morning to see how I like it.

If it's an F then it must be 2004 or newer. I hope this one works out for you. That sounds like a bike right up your alley. Never rode one but it's a Suzuki. And it checks out to be pretty reliable on the net. Let me know how it goes.

[ol blue]

Well that gs500 was a 2002 with 34k miles and it couldn't even get out of its own way. The kid said something with the valves had to be done but the bike was overall in bad shape. He was offended when I only offered him $500. So I'm still on the look out for one, just not that one specifically.

[ol blue]

Found a 92 cbr600 for a decent deal 5 miles away. Will be looking at that tomorrow after I get off.

[H311RA151N]

Well that gs500 was a 2002 with 34k miles and it couldn't even get out of its own way. The kid said something with the valves had to be done but the bike was overall in bad shape. He was offended when I only offered him $500. So I'm still on the look out for one, just not that one specifically.

I don't think it could have been an F then... I'm 99.9999% sure the F model started in 2004.

If the valves needed to be reworked then that's very possible. If it were a GS500F then it would run faster than all but a couple you've looked at/considered thus far. 115-120mph is supposedly the top speed for the GS500F.

Found a 92 cbr600 for a decent deal 5 miles away. Will be looking at that tomorrow after I get off.

Dear god... An F2 is brutal. Not rider friendly at all. It can be ridden like everything else. But 115hp isn't what I would start out with. I started out with right under 100 and by the skin of my teeth I survived. Then again, I've said the same thing about people starting out on liter bikes. if it's what you want then get it. It'll hold it's value if you end up not wanting it if you buy it right.

[phatdoughnut]

The thing that turns me off on the older bikes in the god damn fucking CARBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AVOIDCARBS AT ALL COST!

You can ride on any bike, just learn to keep the speeds low and learn to use your clutch to maintain speed etc.... blah blah blah.