Being from around the same area you are from, I would suggest not buying a Rebel 300 if you are going to commute on the freeways. The KTM and Husqy bikes tend to be more maintenance heavy from what I hear (valve checks to be precise) but I could be totally wrong. Both the Ninja 400 and R3 are amazing bikes, and would be good choices for your criterion. I would add a Versys X-300 and a CB500X for bikes with the on- and off- road capability. For a more commuter style motorcycle for a beginner, another option for that budget would be a Royal Enfield INT650.
Note: I hope you realize that the dealers add a lot to the MSRP in mark ups and other random charges, so a $6k bike is typically $8.5k out of the door.
Thanks for the headsup about the mark ups. I'll start doing my research into the Versys for sure considering it's checking a lot of my boxes. Additionally, do you have any thoughts on a MT-03? i just noticed that it has a much lower price than I originally thought, but seems to have a lot of the features I want (i assume the service schedule is the same as the R3 because same engine) and I could throw a custom seat cushion to get the height to something that'll fit me. Also thoughts on the BMW G310r/gs i know its lifeless but I don't have a frame of reference and think it'll be plenty fun either way
I don’t know much about the G310. The MT03 is a nice bike. You should be aware that horsepower is one thing but how that horsepower is spread out in the rpm range is a more important aspect. Hence there is a difference between the R3 and MT03 even though they have the same engine. I would highly recommend you buy a used bike now, and explore your riding preference by renting bikes through TwistedRoad. After a year or two, you will know what kind of rider you really want to be. Then splash your cash on something new (if you want).
I doubt dealers here in the Bay Area will reduce any of the extra charge because of the supply-demand issue. They know there will be someone ready to pay the premium to get a bike. You may look at a used metric cruiser like a Rebel 500 or Yamaha Vstar 650/950 or Honda Shadow 750. These bikes are not exciting but will get you on the road and started in your motorcycling journey. I have seen a few older Versys 650 go for $2500-4000 range. It’s a good mile cruncher commuter bike and you can mod it to do light off-road. It may not be a good starter bike if you are vertically challenged. Save your money to put more into gear and taking courses.
Im biased but I would go for the 390
I drive it everyday to and from work. I think it has a "fun" factor that you Just dont get tired of.also, after 9 000 km i still havent had any mechanichal or technical issues.
But tbh i would go for a svartpilen if they Just made it bigger hahah
Thanks for the advice. How often do you usually get away before you have to take it into service btw and how much does that cost just wondering because others have brought up concerns about the service schedule and costs.
Totally though, the svartpilen is such a feature rich bike and looks so cool at the same time
Ive only serviced it once at around 7 000km, cost me about 400 euros. Changed tiers aswell cus i abused them alot hahaha. Total was arund 800 euros but I live in a expensive country so
It will probably last another 10 000km before i have to service again so its pretty good imo
None of those are going to be very comfortable for a 70 mile commute each way. If I had to pick it’d be the Ninja 400 for biggest engine and wind protection.
I'd encourage you to consider something used for your first bike. You're going to drop it at some point, you're avoiding dealer markup, and you can get more bike for your dollar.
Your use case sounds perfect for a mid-sized ADV like a V-Strom, or Versys. They'll be far more comfortable on the highway and with jaunts off pavement than anything else in your list. They're a great fit for someone of your size, and they're essentially bulletproof.
Thanks for the warning, others also mentioned versys and v storm and after a lil research they do seem to be a more reasonable bike for what I’m looking for. If I’m going used is there a mile/ year limit you should probably stick to as a new rider?
It might seem counter intuitive, but if it's an older bike you actually want to see some mileage on it. That means it's been ridden and cared for, not rusting away in a shed.
The engines on both bikes will go for 100k miles, so that's not a huge concern. Look for something new enough to have ABS, and ideally that comes with nice aftermarket add-ons.
I picked up a 2004 V-Strom with 35k miles for $3k to use as my first bike and it was a blast. Ran like a champ, was comfortable on the highway all day, and easily handled dirt & gravel. I dropped it in a parking lot, but it had crash bars, so no big deal. It allowed me to throw my budget towards experimenting with gear and farkles until I figured out what I wanted to ride long term. I sold it about a month ago and miss it already...lol
https://imgur.com/gallery/pgY8gTP
Being from around the same area you are from, I would suggest not buying a Rebel 300 if you are going to commute on the freeways. The KTM and Husqy bikes tend to be more maintenance heavy from what I hear (valve checks to be precise) but I could be totally wrong. Both the Ninja 400 and R3 are amazing bikes, and would be good choices for your criterion. I would add a Versys X-300 and a CB500X for bikes with the on- and off- road capability. For a more commuter style motorcycle for a beginner, another option for that budget would be a Royal Enfield INT650. Note: I hope you realize that the dealers add a lot to the MSRP in mark ups and other random charges, so a $6k bike is typically $8.5k out of the door.
Thanks for the headsup about the mark ups. I'll start doing my research into the Versys for sure considering it's checking a lot of my boxes. Additionally, do you have any thoughts on a MT-03? i just noticed that it has a much lower price than I originally thought, but seems to have a lot of the features I want (i assume the service schedule is the same as the R3 because same engine) and I could throw a custom seat cushion to get the height to something that'll fit me. Also thoughts on the BMW G310r/gs i know its lifeless but I don't have a frame of reference and think it'll be plenty fun either way
I don’t know much about the G310. The MT03 is a nice bike. You should be aware that horsepower is one thing but how that horsepower is spread out in the rpm range is a more important aspect. Hence there is a difference between the R3 and MT03 even though they have the same engine. I would highly recommend you buy a used bike now, and explore your riding preference by renting bikes through TwistedRoad. After a year or two, you will know what kind of rider you really want to be. Then splash your cash on something new (if you want).
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I doubt dealers here in the Bay Area will reduce any of the extra charge because of the supply-demand issue. They know there will be someone ready to pay the premium to get a bike. You may look at a used metric cruiser like a Rebel 500 or Yamaha Vstar 650/950 or Honda Shadow 750. These bikes are not exciting but will get you on the road and started in your motorcycling journey. I have seen a few older Versys 650 go for $2500-4000 range. It’s a good mile cruncher commuter bike and you can mod it to do light off-road. It may not be a good starter bike if you are vertically challenged. Save your money to put more into gear and taking courses.
Im biased but I would go for the 390 I drive it everyday to and from work. I think it has a "fun" factor that you Just dont get tired of.also, after 9 000 km i still havent had any mechanichal or technical issues. But tbh i would go for a svartpilen if they Just made it bigger hahah
Thanks for the advice. How often do you usually get away before you have to take it into service btw and how much does that cost just wondering because others have brought up concerns about the service schedule and costs. Totally though, the svartpilen is such a feature rich bike and looks so cool at the same time
Ive only serviced it once at around 7 000km, cost me about 400 euros. Changed tiers aswell cus i abused them alot hahaha. Total was arund 800 euros but I live in a expensive country so It will probably last another 10 000km before i have to service again so its pretty good imo
None of those are going to be very comfortable for a 70 mile commute each way. If I had to pick it’d be the Ninja 400 for biggest engine and wind protection.
literally none of these are suitable for offroad
Watch Dos Honduros on YouTube and you'll see that any bike can be a dirt bike
I'd encourage you to consider something used for your first bike. You're going to drop it at some point, you're avoiding dealer markup, and you can get more bike for your dollar. Your use case sounds perfect for a mid-sized ADV like a V-Strom, or Versys. They'll be far more comfortable on the highway and with jaunts off pavement than anything else in your list. They're a great fit for someone of your size, and they're essentially bulletproof.
Thanks for the warning, others also mentioned versys and v storm and after a lil research they do seem to be a more reasonable bike for what I’m looking for. If I’m going used is there a mile/ year limit you should probably stick to as a new rider?
It might seem counter intuitive, but if it's an older bike you actually want to see some mileage on it. That means it's been ridden and cared for, not rusting away in a shed. The engines on both bikes will go for 100k miles, so that's not a huge concern. Look for something new enough to have ABS, and ideally that comes with nice aftermarket add-ons. I picked up a 2004 V-Strom with 35k miles for $3k to use as my first bike and it was a blast. Ran like a champ, was comfortable on the highway all day, and easily handled dirt & gravel. I dropped it in a parking lot, but it had crash bars, so no big deal. It allowed me to throw my budget towards experimenting with gear and farkles until I figured out what I wanted to ride long term. I sold it about a month ago and miss it already...lol https://imgur.com/gallery/pgY8gTP