sub 250 ... decision pending ... advice needed

[kpac]

Okay so i'm pretty set on a ZZR250 or GPX250 for my first bike.
What i'm looking for is a reliable solid bike. Hoping if possible to get a late model at least post 2000. Prefer sub 30000 kms (i think that's reasonable travel for a bike of that age bracket). Styling colour etc i'm not worried (prefer black, white of grey - sounds a little dull doesn't it...) And the big one price I don't have a number set in concrete yet but i'd prefer to be sub $4k (over that and some other options come into the equation plus baby ninja's bike looks sweet and that ticks the necessary boxes except for price, so if i blow more than $4k then i may as well step up to $5k for something like that.)
So

ZZR/GPX
<30000ks
Post 2000
less than $4k
You guys think this is reasonable?

What about this one?
http://www.bikesales.com.au/as/search/s ... ge=20&x=21


ok here's a noob kawa question!! is there a significant difference between the zzr and the gpx, just thought i'd ask as i only just realised i assumed they were only styled different.

[Slow and wobbly]

It's possible
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19847
Not sure if Michael actually sold it.
My preference would be for the ZZR. Fairing offers a bit (not much) more protection from the weather and the riding position is better for longer trips. Oherwise they are on par with each other. Parts are cheap and plentiful and they are a good reliable bike.

[dave#3]

I think what you're after is probably pretty reasonable .... GPXs were only about $6.5k brand new from memory. To answer your other questions, yes, there are very few differences between the GPX and ZZR aside from styling. The engine is the same, but from memory the ZZR has one additional bolt hole cast into it to support a lower fairing bracket that the GPX doesn't have. I had a few ZZRs and found them to be good bikes, comfortable and not total slugs on a twisty road.

Your bikesales link is dead so I can't comment on that one in particular, but you'll find plenty of them around. Look out for polished turds, expect a few scratches (these are learner bikes after all and do get dropped in driveways, etc). Check to make sure the tyres, chain, sprockets, etc are OK when you buy one - they're not real expensive to replace, but they last a long time and as such a near-new ones improve the value of the bike.

Good luck with the search .., buying bikes is always fun!

[kpac]

Your bikesales link is dead so I can't comment on that one in particular,

my bad, updated the link and is here:
http://www.bikesales.com.au/as/search/s ... ge=20&x=21

22,000ks seems a lot, but everyone i've asked recons thes bikes will goo 50000 before expecting anything major, which is reassuring.

If i'm budgeting $3.5k for the bike i'd like to spend, $500 on gear (have a hand me down helmet but would want to upgrade that. Have good jacket and gloves already, need boots and pants and wets though)

[kpac]

recommendations on where to source riding gear and accessories? local dealers are tossers, i'd prefer to give money to someone with a respectable reputation that would be able to assist properly, otherwise i'd look into getting it off an online store.

[Russell]

22,000ks seems a lot, but everyone i've asked recons thes bikes will goo 50000 before expecting anything major, which is reassuring.

If i'm budgeting $3.5k for the bike i'd like to spend, $500 on gear (have a hand me down helmet but would want to upgrade that. Have good jacket and gloves already, need boots and pants and wets though)

My ZZR250 had 18,000k's when I bought it and 60,000k's on it when I sold it. Hadn't ever had a "major" service during my ownership and was still going just fine.