Newbie rider questions(motorcross armor and starter bike)

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supernova12034

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Hi there folks, im a new rider, about to get a new bike soon, at the moment just getting together all the protective gear, got a good helmet that fits me well, i was wondering if you can wear motorcross protective gear for street riding on a street bike?

by protective gear i mean armor

also im planning to purchase the honda 125 cbr is that a good starter bike?


thanks
 
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I don't personally advocate starting on a 125r, but it's a popular starter bike.

As for MX armour, you can do it sure. In a lowside or similar crash at speed the plastic might not agree so well with hot asphalt though.
 
supernova12034 said:
well isnt pretty much all armor now days just plastic?

for instance, this: http://www.canadasmotorcycle.ca/icon-field-armor-stryker-vest.html/


And what would you suggest for a starter bike if not the 125 cbr?
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If you want a less powerful bike get a Ninja 250 - that's the most popular starter bike for good reason. There are a lot of people that will take the piss out of you for starting on anything less than a 100hp 4cyl 600cc bike that I don't agree with at all but even I would highly recommend a 250 and up.
 
hm..i dont think they sell a 250 anymore...the site only shows ninja 300 as the most beginner model....and that is more powerful than the honda 125cbr which i was thinking of getting
 
There is such thing as a used market. Check insurance quotes before you buy anything. The Honda CBR250 is better than the ninja 250 too.

supernova12034 said:
hm..i dont think they sell a 250 anymore...the site only shows ninja 300 as the most beginner model....and that is more powerful than the honda 125cbr which i was thinking of getting
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i will look around for used models, but i just find it funny that a new bike would cost me the same or less than a used bike(granted they're both starter models both used and new)
 
Get a used Ninja 250R or a new Ninja 300, where are you seeing new 250s for less than used ones? Avoid those used sellers for sure. And yes all armour is plastic but it's built into street gear, under leather or denim/kevlar which has MUCH better abrasion protection. Hot plastic on hot asphalt while you slide can end very badly. MX armour will help with the initial impact, but on the street most damage is caused from the slide.

"More powerful" is a funny term to use here. A 125 has enough power for a new rider, guys on here tour on them and they're solid bikes. I just think that a 250 is the optimal starter.
 
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hm.. i found a whole bunch of places, after sifting through i think cycle trader is the best, but ofcourse most of the 250 ninjas are in america...so....price + shipping...i think ill probably just end up getting a new ninja 300 or a new honda 125cbr

#edit


iv been reading around and apparently other people also say the ninja 250/300 is the better starter bike than a honda 125 cbr....saying that you will get bored of the 125 cbr quickly..
 
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Dude why are you looking at American 250s? Just hit Ontario Kijiji/Craigslist and look for deals.

People get bored of the 250R quickly, I can only imagine it being similar on a 125. After 3 months I was sick of the 250.
 
i suppose a 600cc starter bike is a bad idea...not to mention the insurance..( found some good deals on used ones..the prices are great but the size of the engine is something else altogether)
 
Have you taken a look at any of the stickied threads in this section at all?
 
MC armour is for impacts not for slides. Not great for the street. Get leather or textile gear with CE approved soft armour in it already.
 
If you're tight on your budget, get a used CBR125 which go for $1500 and less now for the 07 and 08 versions and are cheaper on insurance by about $100 a year (for me when I was 19). The bike was pretty forgiving on my fall other than a scrape on the bare end and bent brake lever which will cost me like $20 to fix (luck was on my side). Somehow the fairings remained untouched by the ground as well O_O.

If you have a bit of money to spare and intend to keep the bike for a while or intend to do a lot of highway riding, I would suggest getting a used 250cc+ sportbike which will probably cost you about $1500-$2000 more than the cbr125 if you're looking at the ninja 250 ('08+ )or cbr 250.

They're all good starter bikes but it depends on your financial situation.

I would avoid getting a brand new cbr125 as you would probably be able to land a barely used ninja 250 ('11 or '12) for that price.
 
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I got these as knee pads to wear under my jeans when I ride..
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/alpinestars-vapor-knee-guard

They are supposedly made for motocross but look WAY better than the alpinestar reflex knee guards that are meant for street-riding. Oh and they are CE rated ;)

There isn't a definite yes/no answer for this question. It all depends on the product you are looking at. In my case these CE rated knee-guards are much better than most knee guards that "are meant for street riding".. made from better material and CE rated unlike others.

When looking at jackets however.. I would definitely steer clear of MX jackets for street for sure.
 
e90 said:
If you want a less powerful bike get a Ninja 250 - that's the most popular starter bike for good reason. There are a lot of people that will take the piss out of you for starting on anything less than a 100hp 4cyl 600cc bike that I don't agree with at all but even I would highly recommend a 250 and up.
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How would you know what bikes to recommend if you haven't even had the safety on your 250 done yet?

http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforu...-Ninja-250-as-a-starter-bike-and-Carb-s/page4

Based on what others are saying or by experience?
 
You can still get new 2012 Ninja 250s or Honda 250 pretty cheap, especially right now. I was talking to a sales guy last week (just about a random thought of trading my bike in for a 2012 ZX6r) and told me that he was selling new 2012 Ninja 250s for $3,999 plus tax OTD. Sucks for people like me who think about trading in a slightly used one in but this ain't cheap hobby now is it? LOL. I know the dealership closest to me has 3 or 4 2012 250 sitting in the showroom. If it's in the budget and you are wanting a new bike look around for a 2012, lots available. I would have been bored within 2 days on a 125, while the 250 is a great bike and I have a ton more to learn on it I am still looking at upgrading soon which was why I am starting talks with sales guys etc (still waiting on my insurance quotes because that is the big decision maker for me on whether or not I upgrade this year)

As for gear, MX would be better than nothing I would guess, but if you are spending money to get gear, get the right stuff for the street. Last year was my first year riding and after this spring I am sure I will be around $2,000 in gear purchases. For some on this site that is very low but for those of us that wear full get most of the time I don't think it is an offensive amount, though I am sure on a budget you could spend a lot less. My original budget was about $1,000. I will have double that by spring and if I get leather pants and the new helmet I want add another 1k on my gear costs.
 
PLau said:
How would you know what bikes to recommend if you haven't even had the safety on your 250 done yet?

http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforu...-Ninja-250-as-a-starter-bike-and-Carb-s/page4

Based on what others are saying or by experience?
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Based on my buying experience and months spent on research before buying the bike, installing parts and winter prepping it. To add to that I'd like to call out on the overwhelming support for the 250 as the perfect and most popular starter bike by statistic.


It might not be worth **** to you but maybe it would to another new rider. Keep your hostility to yourself, you definitely aren't making this forum a better place. Keep your hostility and random willingness to come off as alpha and aggressive off the forum. Idiot.
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