What did you do to get your first bike

[x only performance]

I had always wanted a motorcycle growing up but as i got older and bills started coming get larger and more abundant i was never able to save the money to buy a bike. Between all my follies as a youth driver and my cars braking down or being stolen, i just couldn't do it. I decided to cut back on everything in my budget including: lowered the heat in my house and when it was cold i just grabbed a blanket, drove only to work and back and got rides everywhere else, no more eating out or going to the bar, cut down smoking to make a pack of smokes last 4 to 5 days, and ate Ramen for pretty much every meal. i did this for 16 months and when i was done i had paid off all of my past debt and saved enough money to buy my 2008 ninja 250R. Times are a little easier now that i have gotten a promotion at work and gotten rid of my debts and every week i find myself putting a new part on "the Ninj", riding as much as i can, and learning new things everyday.


What's your story?

[xSean13]

I was traveling to school 5 days a week, which is a 100 mile round trip. Given that I have a truck, I was spending more money just on gas than the amount that I made from my part time job (fortunately I had money saved up to act as a buffer). Although I didn't have the funds to buy a motorcycle out right, I borrowed the money from my dad and now pay him off each month. Ideally I would have bought from a private seller, but the market for ninja 250s was limited here to begin with, but I found a 2010 Ninje 250 with 137 miles on it for sale at a dealer near my school.
Now I only spend about $10-$20 a week on gas

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by xSean13

I was traveling to school 5 days a week, which is a 100 mile round trip. Given that I have a truck, I was spending more money just on gas than the amount that I made from my part time job (fortunately I had money saved up to act as a buffer). Although I didn't have the funds to buy a motorcycle out right, I borrowed the money from my dad and now pay him off each month. Ideally I would have bought from a private seller, but the market for ninja 250s was limited here to begin with, but I found a 2010 Ninje 250 with 137 miles on it for sale at a dealer near my school.
Now I only spend about $10-$20 a week on gas

I want to ride to school so bad but all the binders and books and my laptop so freakin heavy that i endup just throwing them in my car that way i can just switch out books and binders between classes.

[Vampyre]

sodomy

[Stingray1000]

I moved into my house 1 1/2 years ago renting a room from a girl, and she rented a room to another girl... Well the first girl got kicked out for squandering all of our rent money and then the second girl lost her job and hadn't paid rent for like 3 months. a few months earlier her ex-boyfriend bought her the ninja. I asked her after watching the ninja sit there for a few months how much she wanted for it.. She asked 1000.00 Which was a good price but I jsut couldn't afford it. So after the pothead was going thru hard times and lost her job and hadn't paid rent in months I offered to take the motorcycle off her hands for 1 months rent (550) and she agreed. I had always wanted a motorcycle but my mom stopped me when I was younger seeming my middle name was named after my uncle and died on a motorcycle before I was born. Now I'm as happy as can be and enjoying (nearly) every minute on my ninjette!

[Jono]

Sold my soul to the devil.


jk



I live at home and am still in college so I have no bills to pay. I have a part time job at a pizza restaurant so that is how I bought my bike. Last summer I decided I wanted to ride so I worked my ass off that summer trying to get overtime every week and picking up shifts as much as I could. I took the MSF class then bought my bike on the second day of the MSF class. Bought a used pregen even though at the time I wanted the newgen. But I couldn't wait any longer to ride and it was my first bike so I figured might as well drop/crash a bike that I am not totally in love with.

[diablos991]

I told my wife that we should pick up a couple of scooters for cruising around town.

After buying her scooter, I told her that I should probably get something I could commute to work on and bought a ninja.

Ye old bait 'n' switch.

[toua70]

I told my wife one day, I want a motorcycle! Went to the dealership and bought my Suzuki Gsx-R 750 K8 and they delivered it to me since I had no idea how to ride it. Then I spent the next few days staring at it lol before taking the MSF course.. good times =)

[lostdaemon]

I quit smoking, and gave up my car to get my Max

Totally worth the savings in gas, time, and sanity on my crazy commute (2 hrs @ 25 mpg -> 40 minutes @ 65 mpg with gas $4.50 in Los Angeles = totally worth it! )

[Ninja Assassin]

I rode dirt bikes my etire childhood but could never afford a streetbike really. Alwayyyyys wanted one though. Wife got laid off from her job just as spring came around a few years ago. I said "hey, you know who's hiring this time of year?" Took her by the local dealerhsip and they hired her on the sport (I think they thought she was purdy).

After that she wanted me to get a bike. I want a 600 but i wanted a new sportsbike and a 250 was all i could allow myself to spend.

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by diablos991

I told my wife that we should pick up a couple of scooters for cruising around town.

After buying her scooter, I told her that I should probably get something I could commute to work on and bought a ninja.

Ye old bait 'n' switch.

Love using the bait n switch

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by Ninja Assassin

I rode dirt bikes my etire childhood but could never afford a streetbike really. Alwayyyyys wanted one though. Wife got laid off from her job just as spring came around a few years ago. I said "hey, you know who's hiring this time of year?" Took her by the local dealerhsip and they hired her on the sport (I think they thought she was purdy).

After that she wanted me to get a bike. I want a 600 but i wanted a new sportsbike and a 250 was all i could allow myself to spend.

Did you get a good discount?

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by lostdaemon

I quit smoking, and gave up my car to get my Max

Totally worth the savings in gas, time, and sanity on my crazy commute (2 hrs @ 25 mpg -> 40 minutes @ 65 mpg with gas $4.50 in Los Angeles = totally worth it! )

DANNNGGG $4.50!!!!! well i guess thats not much higher than here in portland...$4.09. how much do you love that 20 bucks fills a tank

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by toua70

I told my wife one day, I want a motorcycle! Went to the dealership and bought my Suzuki Gsx-R 750 K8 and they delivered it to me since I had no idea how to ride it. Then I spent the next few days staring at it lol before taking the MSF course.. good times =)

I bought the Ninj of craigslist...brought my van because i didnt wanna seem like a fool when i rode it away so i tucked it in the van without test riding it...very glad the guy was honest

[akima]

I don't spend much money. I noticed I'd saved up quite a bit, enough to do something fun. I'd been thinking about motorcycles quite a bit, so I decided to learn how to ride and get myself a bike. I somehow stumbled upon an unpopular (in the UK) bike called a Kawasaki Ninja 250R. It seemed perfect for me! So I found one and bought it, did my test and have enjoyed every minute on my bike I've had since that time.

Originally Posted by x only performance

DANNNGGG $4.50!!!!! well i guess thats not much higher than here in portland...$4.09. how much do you love that 20 bucks fills a tank

~£20 (~35$) to fill my tank where I live.

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by Stingray1000

I moved into my house 1 1/2 years ago renting a room from a girl, and she rented a room to another girl... Well the first girl got kicked out for squandering all of our rent money and then the second girl lost her job and hadn't paid rent for like 3 months. a few months earlier her ex-boyfriend bought her the ninja. I asked her after watching the ninja sit there for a few months how much she wanted for it.. She asked 1000.00 Which was a good price but I jsut couldn't afford it. So after the pothead was going thru hard times and lost her job and hadn't paid rent in months I offered to take the motorcycle off her hands for 1 months rent (550) and she agreed. I had always wanted a motorcycle but my mom stopped me when I was younger seeming my middle name was named after my uncle and died on a motorcycle before I was born. Now I'm as happy as can be and enjoying (nearly) every minute on my ninjette!

Nice deal but the question is did she pay in any other ways

[Stingray1000]

Originally Posted by x only performance

Nice deal but the question is did she pay in any other ways

LOL no I'm engaged LOL

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by akima

~£20 (~35$) to fill my tank where I live.

does that make it 5 something a galoon?

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by Stingray1000

LOL no I'm engaged LOL

perfect threesome opprotunity

[akima]

Originally Posted by x only performance

does that make it 5 something a galoon?

Um. ~£1.40 a litre I think.

[kcaja1]

I've had a scooter for years and I started warming up my wife with the idea of me getting a real motorcycle. Then one day, I just told her I bought one (Honda 599) and I needed her to get me to the dealer to pick it up. Three months later I sold the 599 and got this Ninja off eBay.

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by akima

Um. ~£1.40 a litre I think.

litres to gallons= 5.30 a gallon


DAMN!!!!

[highpsiguy]

I was 15 when I got my first motorcycle. I borrowed the money from my father. One of his good friends had it and had terminal cancer, so he had to sell it. It was a Honda cx500. I worked at a department store for about a year to pay him off. I think it was around $1200 dollars. He told me that it was a nice bike and that I should take good care of it. *I have* I turn 43 in a few days... and I still own/ride the bike. Very proud to still have it!

Proud to say that I only borrowed money from my father 2x in my life. The mentioned one above and $500 when I was 19. Both which I paid back. My father was well off financially for the times but I wanted to earn my own way. He offered me cash/help my entire life but I was always too proud. Lost him 5 years ago in a car accident. Miss him terribly.

[alex.s]

"what would you do for a klondike bar?... would ya.... would ya kill a man?"

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by highpsiguy

I was 15 when I got my first motorcycle. I borrowed the money from my father. One of his good friends had it and had terminal cancer, so he had to sell it. It was a Honda cx500. I worked at a department store for about a year to pay him off. I think it was around $1200 dollars. He told me that it was a nice bike and that I should take good care of it. *I have* I turn 43 in a few days... and I still own/ride the bike. Very proud to still have it!

Proud to say that I only borrowed money from my father 2x in my life. The mentioned one above and $500 when I was 19. Both which I paid back. My father was well off financially for the times but I wanted to earn my own way. He offered me cash/help my entire life but I was always too proud. Lost him 5 years ago in a car accident. Miss him terribly.

WOW 28 years! how often do you ride nowadays? Dads are the best. Mine is the same way but i have taken him up on a couple of his offers to assist me. he just turn 55 and me buying my bike made him want one again. i am hoping that he and i will be able to ride together soon.

[akima]

This is a great thread. Love hearing this little stories.

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by alex.s

"what would you do for a klondike bar?... would ya.... would ya kill a man?"

ill kill a man...but i better get something better than a freaking KLONDIKE BAR!!!

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by akima

This is a great thread. Love hearing this little stories.

[DevinWolfe]

I was still living in an apartment with my wife just after she finished school and we were saving for our house, so I did a signature loan for $2,100 for my cruiser. After buying the house and 6 or so months of riding I decided I wanted to try something different. I paid cash for my Ninja since we weren't saving for our down payment anymore and I bought it used.

The cruiser now resides in the very front of the garage just collecting dust, so I will likely sell it soon. It has been ridden on one group ride while the 'jette was yanked apart and one commute just to get her moving.

I always figured my parents would s*** when I got a bike but less than a year before I wanted to they both bought bikes so I just went for it. I have put over 3x the miles on each of my bikes than they have combined.

[Luvninja]

I've always wanted a motorcycle, ever since I was small. I actually remember drawing my gear when I was like 10 (everything had flames LOL). I was working two jobs at the time, full time. I was busy but Damn it was fun. One day some staff came in to work, one dude on his beat up sport bike and another on a brand new dual sport. Seeing them and hearing them talk about it, I got the itch again. They told me they'd help me out picking one. I spent a month researching bikes. Finally went to check out my first ninja 250, took one of the guys with me, and I bought it one week later. It sat in my garage for a couple weeks until I took the MSF course. Best choice I've ever made, I love it.

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by trixter

My story is boring. I wanted one so I went and checked out a few dirt bikes and then bought one. The original plan was to get that first then get a sport bike later. Earlier this year I just went to the dealership and bought the ninja.

The trick to avoid having to save up for something and wait is to always be saving then when you want something you have the money for it

sometimes easier said than done...in my case debt and a bad payrate were screwing me.

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by Luvninja

I've always wanted a motorcycle, ever since I was small. I actually remember drawing my gear when I was like 10 (everything had flames LOL). I was working two jobs at the time, full time. I was busy but Damn it was fun. One day some staff came in to work, one dude on his beat up sport bike and another on a brand new dual sport. Seeing them and hearing them talk about it, I got the itch again. They told me they'd help me out picking one. I spent a month researching bikes. Finally went to check out my first ninja 250, took one of the guys with me, and I bought it one week later. It sat in my garage for a couple weeks until I took the MSF course. Best choice I've ever made, I love it.

did you buy from a dealer or private seller?

Flames = Fast lol

[Old Lemon]

I wanted a lime green bike since i was 3 when i saw mad mike jones on tv at the x games
So i dreamed of getting one, i got my first job in 10th grade and since i didnt have any bills to pay. (i got my license after high school and got a hammy down car) i just saved and didnt buy anything other than food and a few very cheap things.

Then i asked my mom if i could get a motorcycle and she said. Well you are 19 now so you can spend your money on what you want. Astonished i started frantically looking for a new gen 2fiddy.

Found one with 7000 miles and advertised 3000$. I said id buy it for 2500 and he said ok.
Best investment i have ever done and probably the best for the forseeable future

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by DevinWolfe

I was still living in an apartment with my wife just after she finished school and we were saving for our house, so I did a signature loan for $2,100 for my cruiser. After buying the house and 6 or so months of riding I decided I wanted to try something different. I paid cash for my Ninja since we weren't saving for our down payment anymore and I bought it used.

The cruiser now resides in the very front of the garage just collecting dust, so I will likely sell it soon. It has been ridden on one group ride while the 'jette was yanked apart and one commute just to get her moving.

I always figured my parents would s*** when I got a bike but less than a year before I wanted to they both bought bikes so I just went for it. I have put over 3x the miles on each of my bikes than they have combined.

i didn't know my dad had a bike before i was born until i bought mine...then he wiped out his endorsment, grabbed my key and went for a 30 min ride.

my grandpa did pretty much the same thing a week later...wierdest thing i have ever seen .... my grandpa is 78 years old and he was opening that throttle all the way up.

[smackenz]

always wanted one, took a year off after highschool and worked, bought a bike

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by Old Lemon

I wanted a lime green bike since i was 3 when i saw mad mike jones on tv at the x games
So i dreamed of getting one, i got my first job in 10th grade and since i didnt have any bills to pay. (i got my license after high school and got a hammy down car) i just saved and didnt buy anything other than food and a few very cheap things.

Then i asked my mom if i could get a motorcycle and she said. Well you are 19 now so you can spend your money on what you want. Astonished i started frantically looking for a new gen 2fiddy.

Found one with 7000 miles and advertised 3000$. I said id buy it for 2500 and he said ok.
Best investment i have ever done and probably the best for the forseeable future

oddly enough, i always wanted an all black bike but went i bought the ninj my thought process changed... i like flashy colored bike now...probably because i want to be seen night or day for safety. bought my new-gen for 2500 with 7800 miles on here and all maintenance records

[xSean13]

Hearing you guys talk about gas makes me not feel so bad about the prices around here. It's $3.34/gallon for non-ethanol gas (woohoo! ethanol sucks), and about $3.27 or so for the standard ethanol crap. Plus, with the gas station reward cards I get .03 off.

Interesting stories, keep 'em coming!

[x only performance]

Originally Posted by xSean13

Hearing you guys talk about gas makes me not feel so bad about the prices around here. It's $3.34/gallon for non-ethanol gas (woohoo! ethanol sucks), and about $3.27 or so for the standard ethanol crap. Plus, with the gas station reward cards I get .03 off.

Interesting stories, keep 'em coming!

i think ill start planning my move to TN now

[tooblekain]

I got my first full time job (after graduating college and moved back home) and paid off some credit card debt that accumulated during college when I was without a job for a quarter before graduating. After I paid off most of my credit card debt I bought my first bike...2006 Triumph Daytona 675

[Luvninja]

Originally Posted by x only performance

did you buy from a dealer or private seller?

Flames = Fast lol

Private seller. The guy was pretty cool, he delivered it to my house, parked it in my garage. By the way he was talking to me I think he was afraid for my safety lol. He kept saying "please be careful"