First, I need a bike. Hello all!

HI! Once I became interested in bikes it's amazing to find out how many avid riders are living amidst my friends!

Glen put me onto this forum, and after my first few posts in the general section thought I'd better follow protocol, so my own newbie thread.

Got my L's test booked for 10th Jan and I'm informed to MAKE SURE I DON'T GET THERE LATE!

Grabbed a couple of riding books and watched youtube videos so far, but actual riding experience doesn't go past a quad when i used to work at my cousins farm. I'm co-ordinated and generally learn pretty quick and I'm really chomping at the bit.

Need to buy GOOD gear(new/2nd hand) and bike(2nd hand).

A BIKE:

I was thinking of CBR250 because of the looks and reputation, but Glen, prices and a "helpful" salesman trying to sell me a GPX convinced me it wasn't the wisest first bike to get.

Plus, after only a few days I feel pretty lucky to have found this forum and the weekly rides etc to the point i see it as an asset and another reason to go kwaka!

I've got it down to GPX or ZZR with the general advice I read tending to be that the ZZR is expensive to repair and find parts for, so GPX sounds like a goer.

If I find a good deal on a good ZZR should I go it tho I dunno.....

Found on in a local dealer today, 40k, looks straight, started it up for me sounds ok, nice red colour wants $4k for it. I know they go cheaper than that on the private market, but with an offer they move into good deal territory. Getting sent to QLD store on tuesday apparently.

Looking through ebay completed listings something like this is what I'm after, this one was a good deal.....
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2001-KAWASAKI-GP ... 240%3A1318

this one was even better!!
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2000-KAWASAKI-GP ... 240%3A1318

So I'll look around until mine comes along

Welcome to KSRC. Please, put your location in your profile so people in your area can help you out better.

Way back when, we went for the ZZR over the GPX on looks alone. They share mechanicals, so you can't split 'em there.

We picked ours up when it was 5 years old, for $5k, with 11k on the clock.

Welcome, ZZR/GPX are basically the same bike, just a little more plastic on the ZZR. Both would serve you well as both are cheap, reliable and easily repairable.

cookeetree I updated the profile, much better thanks. Yeah ZZR appeals more to me on looks, but the GPX doesn't send me running so happy either way.

One of my clients yesterday had a pearler GPX a couple of years old with 32000km on the clock that he paid $3500 from our local Yamaha dealer. Silver/black/green one. I rode it and it was a peach. There are some bargains out there!

Welcome buddy - good luck with the shopping

gidday and welcome

good luck with the bike... make sure its a Kwaka

Welcome and enjoy the forum.

Good luck with the bike hunting

welcome aboard

welcome to the club

Welcome Tim. Listen to the "Logistics Manager" Glen, he'll see ya right.
Don't rule out the Original GPZ250R, same bits different look & ever now & then they give them away for under 2 grand on Feebay.
Cheers Nanna

So far I've watched a few come and go on ebay, holding off because need to be sure of financial situ and can't actualy ride for a month yet.

Some potentials at the moment:

ZZR. 1995. 39,000K. 8 months rego
Dig the maroon and some of the accessories will come in handy, and recently having all that work done sounds good to me.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Kawasaki-ZZR250- ... 240%3A1318

ZZR. 1994. 52,000k. 9months rego
Can't really come at this colour, might need to see it in the flesh
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Kawasaki-ZZR-250 ... 240%3A1318

New tyres, but rego expires before I do lams course, and is in brisbane, too much dead money proportional to the cost of the bike in shipping and rego.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Kawasaki-ZZR-250 ... 240%3A1318

OOOLD '88 "gpx250 'ninja' " 46,000k, 2 months rego. any different to "non-ninja" gpx's?
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Kawasaki-GPX-Nin ... 240%3A1318

<10k 2005 gpx black and green. Probably the best buy when you consider kms and age, not attracted to the colours tho. $3800 buy it now, more than i want to spend.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Kawasaki-gpx-250 ... 240%3A1318

How to look like you're riding a ZX10R
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/KAWASAKI-GPX250R ... 240%3A1318


And If I was a bike mechanic I'd probably buy this and fix her
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Kawasaki-GPX250_ ... 240%3A1318

Seems like fork seals can be a common repair, this guy's at least being honest
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Purple-black-199 ... 240%3A1318




For example a GPX already finished 1996 46,000K 10 months rego went for ~$2200 in good nick.

That's all.

Tim.

Howdy and welcome to the road..

Some other things to keep in mind...
* How long you plan on having your starter bike for ?
* Commuter bike or weekender ?
* Will you service yourself ?
* Are you looking for resale $$ ?
* Test Ride ! what feels better for you?

Got to love choices ..
Cheers Poss

I love coming back to the thread and someone else has written in it, it's like getting a letter from a pen pal.

Oh yeah, good points "Possum", that was "Magic"

*How long you plan on having your starter bike for ?

Thinking 9 months.... because then I'll be 30 and I can go straight from my Ls to blacks. (I believe, that's the idea at the moment anyways)

* Commuter bike or weekender ?

Commuter.

* Will you service yourself ?

As much as I can yep! Do my cars.

* Are you looking for resale $$ ?

would be nice, dependant on condition I keep it in really?

* Test Ride ! what feels better for you?

Won't know 'till the 10th jan...... I'm 6foot and thin... whateer impact that has on things.

"whateer" indeed!