Hey there, I'm thinking about joining the world of CBR250R riders but I have a few questions I'd like to ask and hopefully get answers to before I decide to put everything into this decision. First and foremost, I've taken the MSF course and passed (with perfect scores!) and motorcycle riding is definitely fun and could see myself doing it at some point in time. Now, the situation. My car has recently been rendered useless due to an accident (not at fault) involving a construction truck and some engine problems, which will probably be more than likely a cracked engine block. Now, I'm limited financially on what I can afford. At the moment, I could probably save up about 3k in little time, and would use all of that to buy a new means of transportation. Here's where the questions come in.
I know by reading other forums and talking to other riders that the sole purpose you should ride a bike is because you want to, and you have a passion for it. Reasons like "the cool factor" and a cheap means of transportation should come second, if not last, in the decision of buying a bike. While it's not the main reason for my spike in interest on riding motorcycles, the "cheap means of transportation" is a big reason why I'm considering this bike. My question is, how much does it really cost to ride the CBR250R? More specifically, the maintenance of the bike in the long run.
I've heard that tires are probably the most expensive thing to replace, especially if you wear them down on every day use, which I will be doing in the even I should get it. I know that the CBR gets like 70 mpg, give or take, which is definitely something that peaks my interest. But, would it really be cheaper for me? The car I had was a 99 ford contour LX, 4 cylinder, and I've spent more money keeping it alive than anything. If you guys could maybe shed some light on the exact cost of riding the CBR and if it would really be that good of an idea to consider it as a main mode of transportation. I live in Arizona, where weather is MOSTLY on my side, and my commute to work is no more than 5 miles to and 5 miles back on both jobs (yes, I have two jobs ) Thanks in advance for the information I will most likely be spending days reading!
Do you live in an area where it is possible to ride a motorcycle all year? Cold weather stops most riders for the winter where I come from. Only those who have to ride, keep going. There are also other factors, like rain, limited cargo space, need for riding gear. These can put off some people.
The mileage is superior to a car and depending on where you live, the insurance is low too. The real money hole is in the equipment you buy. Safety gear mostly.
Another way to save a lot of money is performing your own routine maintenance (oil changes, coolant flush/fill, etc). Because there is minimal body work to remove and the parts are right there, even a semi-skilled non-professional mechanic (such as myself) can easily perform these tasks. This would save money that can be applied to the proper gear (helmet, boots, gloves, jacket).
While tires are somewhat expensive, they're still cheaper the buying the 4-wheel equivalents. Look for something that is rated for longest life like Dunlop Roadsmarts for example. I've seen bikes log 10K miles on these no prob.
Helmets: Don't buy the cheapest. And also don't buy clearance, old helmets. the Material inside will eventually wear down and helmets do "expire". buy the tightest size that you are comfortable wearing (snug in the cheeks, no pressure points in back of head, forehead, etc). The day you buy it is the tightest it will ever fit.
Coat: To start, buy a coat with removable rain/cold liners. A textile or even a good mesh (Scorpion Hat-trick comes to mind) that will be good for (most) seasons/weather.
Hey guys, thanks for the input. Thankfully I do live in an area where I could ride year round, though the summers are hot and would be my real only obstacle. Rain would be an issue if it rained here enough to notice that the world still has condensation lol. I've just heard how people wanna trade their car in for a bike thinking it would be cheaper but in the long run the bike ended up being a money pit. Is this some what true for the CBR? And I would most likely learn how to do maintenance on my bike, it would be my baby after all!
A lot of times in debates comparing the cost of riding a bike vs a car people will make the argument about how you have to spend $5k or so to get riding and then say that amount of money can pay for 5 years' worth of gas in the car and they conclude that in the end, it's not worth it to get a bike or you shouldn't consider gas mileage, etc.
Don't fall for this. It's just plain wrong and doesn't make sense economically. You can't compare initial cost (price of bike plus riding gear) with operating cost (gas, oil, insurance).
Initial cost of car > initial cost of bike (depends on the bike)
Operating cost of car > operating cost of bike (depends on the bike)
It's not like you're getting a Panigale, you're getting a CBR which is cheap to buy and cheap to ride. If you have $3k of disposable income, INVESTING in a CBR will save you money. Though $4k is probably what you'll need.
My senior year of college I was fed up with not having a vehicle but couldn't afford a car so I went with the CBR250 instead. I put a decent down payment ($1,200) and my loan is only $81/month for 3 years and insurance is $164/year. I can get 80mpg if I try and I'm over 9,000 miles on the original IRC tires (Though the rear is getting replaced on Tuesday). If you can ride year-round it is a much cheaper way of getting around.
One year after purchase, I don't regret a thing. Routine maintenance is fairly cheap, oil changes cost me about $15 I think and Air filters about $7. Stock IRC tire is $100 from my local dealer.
My senior year of college I was fed up with not having a vehicle but couldn't afford a car so I went with the CBR250 instead. I put a decent down payment ($1,200) and my loan is only $81/month for 3 years and insurance is $164/year. I can get 80mpg if I try and I'm over 9,000 miles on the original IRC tires (Though the rear is getting replaced on Tuesday). If you can ride year-round it is a much cheaper way of getting around.
One year after purchase, I don't regret a thing. Routine maintenance is fairly cheap, oil changes cost me about $15 I think and Air filters about $7. Stock IRC tire is $100 from my local dealer.
That sounds reasonable. Though I'm planning the buy the bike probably out right with cash, make the guys at the shop sweat a little bit so maybe I could score myself a sweet deal lol
A lot of times in debates comparing the cost of riding a bike vs a car people will make the argument about how you have to spend $5k or so to get riding and then say that amount of money can pay for 5 years' worth of gas in the car and they conclude that in the end, it's not worth it to get a bike or you shouldn't consider gas mileage, etc.
Don't fall for this. It's just plain wrong and doesn't make sense economically. You can't compare initial cost (price of bike plus riding gear) with operating cost (gas, oil, insurance).
Initial cost of car > initial cost of bike (depends on the bike)
Operating cost of car > operating cost of bike (depends on the bike)
It's not like you're getting a Panigale, you're getting a CBR which is cheap to buy and cheap to ride. If you have $3k of disposable income, INVESTING in a CBR will save you money. Though $4k is probably what you'll need.
Very true. Can't tell you how many threads I've read on different sites claiming they spent more money on the bike than what their car was. But again, they never said what type of bike they rode, how they rode (going through tires more often), etc., etc. Couple more questions, is it difficult to start learning how to maintain the bike on your own? I don't have anyone who knows a thing about bikes lol. And, I sat on the CBR a few months back, and I liked the feel. I took the MSF course on a (brand new mind you! ) Kawasaki Ninja 250R. There were differences in feeling, particularly to the over all bulkiness towards the gas tank. But the one thing that stood out is that the Ninja felt like it was a bit lower to the ground than the CBR, so flat footing the bike was a little easier. Now I'm about 5' 7", a smaller rider, and I was wondering if there is a way to lower the CBR to maybe match what the Kawi had? And, obviously cars have a full tune up point, what point is that on a CBR and around how much would that cost? Sorry for all the questions, I've been researching this decision for quite some time now, and I like to have as much info as possible.
Couple more questions, is it difficult to start learning how to maintain the bike on your own?
Basic maintenance is very easy. There are guides on this forum that take you step by step on how to do it. It's mainly changing oil, checking / cleaning chain, tire pressure.
Valve clearance can be done at home but you need more tools and it might be better to just have a shop do it (does not have to be the dealer).
Quote:
Originally Posted by juraiknight
Now I'm about 5' 7", a smaller rider, and I was wondering if there is a way to lower the CBR to maybe match what the Kawi had?
You don't need to. I'm even shorter than you and I can ride taller, heavier bikes than the CBR. Get used to it and you can ride pretty much any bike, even dual sports that are 35-36 inches off the ground.
Quote:
Originally Posted by juraiknight
And, obviously cars have a full tune up point, what point is that on a CBR and around how much would that cost?
You can choose to follow the manual to the letter or...follow your own path.
Cost: check around just like you would for a car. Different places will give you different quotes. You can save a lot by doing whatever you can at home and have the shops take care of things you can't.
I've had mine for a month put 800km on it. So far probably around $35 worth of fuel . I used to own a v8 so the money I'm saving just on fuel alone is awesome
New rider questions and advice.
) Thanks in advance for the information I will most likely be spending days reading!
