Bike information for a noob

Pirate

Pirate

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So the bike I would love to get is a triumph street triple. I love the look and the fact that it is a sport bike with a kinda cruiser rawness to it. Is this a bike a beginner could just jump onto and be comfortable or should I look at say a ninja 250 as a starter and move up? Would a 250 cruiser work, like a v-star? Or is the ride going to be totally different?

The other dilemma I'm facing is finding a triumph at a good price. I'm looking for a 2008. White or black. Anybody know of places that sell them used at a reasonable price? Hoping for the $5000 price range. Again tell me if that seems completely too low or too high a price for what I'm looking for.

thanks in advance for any help
 
Triumph's are high end bikes, if you damage/ need to replace parts they will cost you more than a ninja. If you go the cruiser route look for a bigger cc, cruisers accelerate much slower.

Is this your first bike? Did you get a insurance quote?
 
ViperZ said:
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforu...from-getting-your-licence-to-buying-your-bike

http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?35867-New-Rider-First-bike-Which-one-%28Guide-to-choosing-your-first-ride%29

http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?42129-Sportbikes-are-Not-beginner-Bikes

These stickies are right above your post. HTH
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Have read these and they don't fully answer the specific that I'm looking for. I understand that the ninja 250 or honda 250 is an ideal beginner bike. I'm looking at it as what would be a transition bike to the triumph, does anyone have experience with the triumphs versus the beginners and know which ones are a similar ride?

I understand the cost is going to be more for the triumph. I like that it is a higher end bike. I'm 30 so not worried as much about insurance costs, I expect it to be higher than my SUV, but the gas mileage is worth it alone though. All things I have taken into account. I just want to know what to expect pricewise for the 2008. I can only seem to find new ones for around $10,000, but they seem to be super rare to find used street triples in the GTA.

I'll be looking at insurance quotes more in the spring when I'm ready to buy, just trying to find as much information about the bike choices before I commit to buy. I'm thinking it's going to be a ninja that I end up getting anyway.
 
Pirate said:
So the bike I would love to get is a triumph street triple. I love the look and the fact that it is a sport bike with a kinda cruiser rawness to it. Is this a bike a beginner could just jump onto and be comfortable or should I look at say a ninja 250 as a starter and move up? Would a 250 cruiser work, like a v-star? Or is the ride going to be totally different?

The other dilemma I'm facing is finding a triumph at a good price. I'm looking for a 2008. White or black. Anybody know of places that sell them used at a reasonable price? Hoping for the $5000 price range. Again tell me if that seems completely too low or too high a price for what I'm looking for.

thanks in advance for any help
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Do whatever you feel like. If you listen to the advice on this forum you'll be stuck riding a crappy old 125 or 250.
If you have the money and brains get the triumph you wanted. You're not a 18 year old kid with no self control any more, you'll be fine.

As for 5K? i think you're out to lunch on that one
 
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Yea, 5k for a Street Triple would be as likely as discovering gold hidden in your attic. They're rare to find used cause no one gets rid of them once they get one. That should tell you plenty. I'd recommend you start small, but if cruisers are your first choice as has been said, start bigger than a 250 if you want to move up to a Street Triple.

I'd say a naked SV650 would be a perfect starter bike for you. Same style, less power, but more than you'd know what to do with as a new rider. Also dirty cheap on parts and insurance. If you drop a street triple, the repair bill would probably be the cost of an SV650
 
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+1 to what Macs wrote I'm effin 55 years old and still havent outgrown the desire to crank it once in a while on my SV1000. If this was my first bike I woulda high-sided plenty of times. Years of riding experience has taught me when to wind it up [touch wood]. I expect a 900 cc Street Triple would be very similar as far as torque and it might bite a new rider. A naked SV 650 has plenty of power for even a veteran rider and the seating position is similar to the Triple. With a nice pipe to let that beauty engine growl you get a uniqueness that you would get with the Triumph --- not same sound, but different to all the inline 4s or cruisers. Plus, they are virtually bulletproof and there are plenty around so you wouldnt be paying arm and a leg. Having said all that, a Triumph Street Triple would sure be sweet --- but only the bug-eyed ones.
 
I appreciate the help. And the street triple is a 675cc, not a 900. I'll definately look at the sv650. Although I'll probably start with the ninja. Give me a chance to learn while I try to find the triumph.
 
Pirate said:
I appreciate the help. And the street triple is a 675cc, not a 900. I'll definately look at the sv650. Although I'll probably start with the ninja. Give me a chance to learn while I try to find the triumph.
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The reason I recommend the SV over the Ninjette is because the handling and riding characteristics between a sportbike and a naked bike are different. Also, fun fact the SV is cheaper on average than Ninjettes.

He's thinking of the Speed Triple at 1050cc I think, no 900cc Triumph naked bike I'm aware of.
 
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yeah, my mistake .... was thinking of the early model Speed Triples which i think were 855 cc but Macs is right, they are 1050 cc now. I also got confused with original post. I KNOW it said Street Triple, but my brain thought Speed Triple. The 675 engine has got great reviews but as other have said, not a lot around on the used market. When you say you'll probably start with the Ninja, are you talking about the 650 twin? Can't really go wrong there either. In 1992 I bought a mint condition 89 Suzuki GS500E. It was a little twin and the only model year that it came with clip-ons. It was supposed to be my transition bike for a couple of years then into something bigger. But I ended up keeping the damn thing until 3 years ago because it never let me down, and pretty much did everything i asked of it. It was smooth enough on highway for me and i could play speed racer without it biting me. Sometimes its pretty easy to fall in love with a bike that was supposed to be a transition.... good luck... as long as its got 2 wheels youll be happy.
 
I was looking at the GS 500. Has the naked sport aspect with a little less power for me to learn with. Also has a nicer (lower price tag). Anybody have any experience with them at all?
 
Pirate said:
I was looking at the GS 500. Has the naked sport aspect with a little less power for me to learn with. Also has a nicer (lower price tag). Anybody have any experience with them at all?
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Tons of people. Search the forums. I know a couple people had engine seizures at around 35k. Not sure if that's a year or model issue or just coincidence.
 
Macs said:
Tons of people. Search the forums. I know a couple people had engine seizures at around 35k. Not sure if that's a year or model issue or just coincidence.
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A couple of people = Sabex who wouldn't take care of his bike even if someone beat him up. His engine seized because he didn't take care of the bike and lost his oil plug. Plus he bragged how he kept riding with almost no oil in the engine. GS500 is a bike with bulletproof engine. Check out gstwin.com forum for GS500 info. Also, there is no such thing as 'model issue' for GS500, as that bike design hasn't changed for at least 20 years, probably more like 30.
 
I saw 3 ads on kijiji over the summer for 06 and 08 GS500s with seized engines. I think one was Sabex's. The other also went at about 36 something. I know nothing about the bikes, just saying what I've seen.
 
ViperZ said:
A couple of people = Sabex who wouldn't take care of his bike even if someone beat him up. His engine seized because he didn't take care of the bike and lost his oil plug. Plus he bragged how he kept riding with almost no oil in the engine. GS500 is a bike with bulletproof engine. Check out gstwin.com forum for GS500 info. Also, there is no such thing as 'model issue' for GS500, as that bike design hasn't changed for at least 20 years, probably more like 30.
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How about not being a ****.

It wasn't the oil drain plug, it was the plug on the right side of the engine that for some reason has access to the oil area but doesnt seem to have any use (which I never once messed around with.)

I didn't brag about riding it with almost no oil. That was when I first got it and rode it through the state. Yes I should have checked the oil before leaving, beginner mistake big whop.

@Macs: none of those ads were mine.
 
I'm thinking I may go with a ninja 250 or 650 as they seem to go for cheaper and insurance won't be a killer and then just turn it into a streetfighter so it'll have the look I want. Plus gets me to learn about the bikes workings a little bit before upgrading to a triumph
 
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