Returning rider in Kyle, TX

[Maurtis]

Hi all,

I am looking to get a new motorcycle and get back into riding after a 6 year absence. I rode dirtbikes when I was a kid, got my Honda z50 on my 7th birthday (wish I still had it to pass on to my son!).

I got my first road bike in 1998, it was a 1990 Honda Hawk GT (NT650), which I rode until 2005. Put about 50,000 miles on it, a couple track days and Keith Code's Superbike School... I loved that bike!



Right before I sold her, still awaiting paint on the new solo tail section:


During that time I also picked up, rode, and then sold a 1978 Honda Hawk CB400T, a 1990 Suzuki GS500E, and a 1987 Yamaha Virago 1100.

Having moved from NC, to DC, to southern California, then central TX, it seemed like a good time to trade in my beloved Hawk GT for a cruiser, so went with a 2005 Victory Kingpin Deluxe to ride 2-up in comfort with my new wife.

Then we got pregnant with our son, LOL. I continued to commute occasionally on the cruiser, but with the needs of a new baby I felt it best to sell the Victory.

Flash forward six years later and I never lost the itch to ride. We had a Vespa 150LX for a while "for my wife", but she never really took to it. Her brother lowsided it and rashed up enough of the bodywork that the insurance company totaled it, so off it went.



I then tried to fill the need with a motorized bicycle. I had a blast building it, and it was tons of fun to ride, but I ended up blowing up the motor around 35 MPH (the wrist pin bearing gave up around 500 miles):



So here we are. I cannot deny it, I WANT TO RIDE! LOL. Ever since riding my old Hawk GT I have loved small, nimble bikes. It looks like the Honda CBR250R is exactly what I am looking for.

I commute in to the office once a week, so am looking for a bike to do that commute on nice days, and for short trips to the store and general bouncing about. No long distance tours, just enough to unwind

Oddly enough, I picked up a Razor MX350 electric motorcycle for my son when he was 5, which he learned to ride before learning to ride a bicycle. It is in his blood



I am hoping to go for a test ride later this week, the dealership right across the street has a nice black 2012 that I have my eye on... Their website is saying $3,599, which sounds reasonable to me. I am hoping to wrangle a new helmet in the deal. My old gloves, boots, and jackets are in fine shape but I definitely need a new full face helmet.

[Cracker7]

Welcome from NY and good luck with getting a new bike. Honda makes a great bike.


Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App

[Wynne G Oldman]

Welcome aboard Matey. I love the motorised bicycle.

[cbluver1]

Welcome Maurtis, this 250 is a wonderful motorcycle and should perfectly fill the need it sounds like you are trying to fill.

[Maurtis]

Thanks all! I am definitely looking forward to the new bike. I always found I had more fun on small, lower powered bikes than on larger, higher powered ones. Seems like the 250 will be perfect. Hoping for a good test ride!

The motorized bicycle was a fun build and very cool for a 30 MPH runabout. I should have replaced the wrist pin bearing early, it is a weak link on those motors. But when faced with a rebuild, I owned up to the fact that what I was trying to build was a small motorcycle, so here we are

[Ibex250R]

Do it, pull the trigger on the 250R!

[Maurtis]

Just came back from the dealer. They do not offer test rides on sportbikes, only cruisers??? The only other bike I bought new was an $18k Victory Kingpin, and they let me put 100 miles on it as a test ride before buying! Sheesh... I really want to find somewhere that will let me test ride one first. I have never owned a thumper so would really like to get a feel for it first. I do not mind arranging financing first...

I was looking for a red 2012 or 2013 (their website said they had a red 2012 in stock), but when I got there the only 2012 they had was a tricolor with an FMF pipe. He said they could do $5,200 OTD? On the 2012 non-abs red with stock pipe, $5,500 OTD??? Seems almost $1k more than I was expecting to pay!

This was at Kent Powersports right across the street from me, I am going to try the other Honda dealers nearby. I will be happy to ride to San Antonio (1 hour away) if need be.

[sac]

Welcome

[Maurtis]

Just spoke with the dealership in New Braunfels, $5k OTD for a red non-abs 2012... better than $5.5k that is for sure! The guys over at Woods Fun Center are putting together a quote right now for the same bike.

There is also a used 2012 red with 8k miles for $3,750 at Pink Gorilla Cycles in Austin. I really did not want to go used for this bike, but to save over $1k in the deal, I might just do it.

** Update **

Heard back from Wood's Fun Center, they would do $5,150 OTD on a non-abs 2012 but WOULD allow test rides as long as I had a valid motorcycle endorsement and a couple years of experience. So looks like around the $5k range is what I will be paying for a new CBR250R.

Right now I am leaning towards offering my local dealer $4,800 OTD on their 2012 tricolor with FMF pipe and see if they bite?

[Maurtis]

Called Kent Powersports back (the dealership across the street) and offered them $4,800 OTD for the 2012 non-ABS tricolor with an FMF slip-on (originally they said the best they could do was $5,200). He "talked to the manager" and said sure, they could do $4,793...

So unless something goes horribly wrong, I should be clearing a spot in my garage within the next day or so! Woohoo!