time to buy new motorcycle

[jcsalazar]

ive had a 250 for three years. i think its time for an upgrade. ive been thinking about the motto guzzi v7 or triumph street twin. which do yall think is a better all around bike.

[jkv45]

Search around and read some reviews and comparisons for a better idea of which one fits your riding style best.

That's the responsible route, but I'd suggest buying whichever one excites you most.

[jcsalazar]

i have yet to test ride either. i have heard there both not bad bikes and they each have there own issues

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by jcsalazar

ive had a 250 for three years. i think its time for an upgrade. ive been thinking about the motto guzzi v7 or triumph street twin. which do yall think is a better all around bike.

Just for fun, test ride a Yamaha FZ-07.

[corksil]

I have felt the same way, many times, at many points in life. Yet the 250 still remains as my primary commuter in terms of transportation value and practicality. That's saying a lot, as I am currently up to 8 bikes and several four-wheeled vehicles.

If transportation and practicality are your intention, you can't beat the 250. I have taken the engine to the absolute limit in terms of what it's reasonably capable of and I still get 200 miles per tank.

My recommendation is to keep the 250 and change your strategy. Buy another bike if it tickles your fancy, but keep the 250 as your primary commuter. From a financial standpoint, you cannot beat the 250.

[michvin]

Ducati Scrambler, if retro naked are what you after

[adouglas]

One of the defining characteristics of the Ninjette, and one of the things that makes it so much fun, is that it's light.

Both of the bikes you mention are stylish, but they're bricks by comparison. Heavy for the amount of power they produce. A quick Google shows me that the Street Twin, for example, clocks in at 460 lbs give or take with a full tank, but puts out only 55 hp.

Another thing to consider is that with a Ninjette, the fun comes from making it scream. Ride it around at 5,000 rpm and you're missing out on what makes the bike great; the party starts at about 9000 rpm and you can ride it like that, all day, every day, for years. I did and loved it. If you haven't been riding your bike like that, give it a try. You might gain a new appreciation for it.

Both of the bikes you mention are more relaxed, making their power and torque much lower. Big displacement, lazy thumping engines. So the riding experience will be very different. The torque will feel good around town and off the line... the Ninjette is more about momentum than grunt. But bikes like that really aren't about spirited riding.

Having ridden the FZ-07, I can say that in spirit it's a lot like the Ninjette. Feels nice and light, good personality, lots of fun. If I were buying a commuter, it'd be on the short list. But it's definitely in the modern-naked camp and doesn't have the retro vibe of the bikes you mentioned.

It's a matter of personal taste and priority. If cafe/retro styling is your thing, then you're fixed into a certain subset of the motorcycling universe.

Other bikes to consider in that vein:

Yamaha XSR900 (I rode one and loved it), the Ducati Cafe Racer. I haven't ridden one of those, but I sat on it at the motorcycle show and it just made me smile for some reason.

Also take a look at the new Suzuki SV650, or an 08 or earlier used one (ignore the Gladius and whatever it was that replaced it; they didn't get it right again until last year). The new one is more retro than the Yamaha FZ07, which it competes against. Great motor.

If a fun-to-ride bike is important (vs. a bike chosen for its style), take a look at track day threads and see what kind of non-supersports people ride. You see a lot of Ninjettes and SVs at track days. The occasional Ducati Monster, and maybe a Ninja 650 or two. Also some hypermotards, but that's a whole different can of worms.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Having ridden the FZ-07, I can say that in spirit it's a lot like the Ninjette. Feels nice and light, good personality, lots of fun.

Exactly.

There's also the FZ-09 that's only a few pounds heavier, and has lots more power, but to me it loses out due to significantly lower fuel economy and higher cost.

[michvin]

It all boils down to how the bike is used, then?
If it is a commuter - bigger displacement and Japanese reliability will be more important, than European style and character.

[Triple Jim]

Actually I'd say that reliability, light weight, and high fuel economy are the big ones for commuting, with bigger displacement being less important, as long as it's not underpowered for the route.

[jcsalazar]

well when i do commute it will like 150 miles round trip

[Triple Jim]

Test ride the ones you're considering and go from there.

[SLOWn60]

Originally Posted by jcsalazar

well when i do commute it will like 150 miles round trip

If it's for commuting then reliability & particularly parts availability and service in your area may be significant factors to consider. If you get stuck waiting weeks or more for parts; your first two choices may be impractical or not. Worth checking thoroughly thought if it could cause you problems down the road.

[Triple Jim]

I have a older Guzzi. Parts are easy to come by, stocked in the US by several supplers. The motorcycle is very reliable. Dealers are scarce if you plan to rely on them for service.

[corksil]

Several notable modifications that have made my 250 much more attractive to me.. In no particular order.

Switching to a non o-ring chain. The bike became noticeably stronger due to less power loss through chain friction. It has been my experience that sealed o-ring chains can only be ridden without lube once or twice and when that happens, the chain heats up and the lubricant behind the o-rings leaks out. Then the chain develops tight spots, sticky links, etc. With a non o-ring chain, you need more frequent lube applications. However, if you forget to lube the chain it will be more forgiving and not wear out as quickly. At one point I rode the bike for around 1k miles in wet conditions without applying chain lube. Rust developed on many of the links but after a proper clean/lube job -- the chain is still going strong and only stretched a tiny bit as a result of my negligence.

Valve adjustments are virtually unheard of on the 250. My valves haven't moved at all in 35k miles.

The 250 doesn't have enough engine power to wear out chains and sprockets. As long as you don't ride in sand or lots of abrasive dirt, your sprockets should last a very long time. Stay away from the "ultra-light" or similar aluminum rear sprockets. They don't hold up well.

For the front forks... intiminators, stiffer springs, and heavier oil. Preload adjusters are a gimmick and aren't worth the money.

For the front brake... a SS braided line is worthwhile. I went overboard and did a 4 piston brembo caliper on an SSR aluminum bracket designed for that purpose. Also switched to EBC floating front rotor. That rotor is not wearing at all and I'm through my second set of brembo pads in the caliper on that rotor. If you want an even better front brake, switch to a radial master cylinder which is of a different design than what the 250 has.

Rear shock gets a lot of complaints about being too soft but I haven't had any problem.

Don't bother with rear brake mods. Even a SS line seemed useless to me. I bought one but didn't really notice a difference and I hardly ever use the rear brake. There is a matching brembo caliper and ebc rotor and ssr bracket available but seems too expensive to put that much $ into something that is seldom used.

I'd stick with hard grip compounds for the bars because I have learned that soft and squishy grips wear out gloves more quickly.

As for tires I swear by the sava/mitas available on ebay through dave (motorace). I've been through 4 front tires and 3 rears and they are soft sticky tires that don't last terribly long but that's the tradeoff you have to pay in exchange for amazing traction. I've tried "all" of the "other" tires on the market and nothing compares to the sava tire.

I'm on my second set of clutch friction plates at 35k miles. When you need to do the clutch, get the EBC friction plates and upgrade to the 10% stiffer spring.

Also recommend oil changes every 5k miles with maxima premium4 10w-40. Use a bit of lucas oil stabilizer but not more than 10% by volume per oil change. That stuff slightly increases compression ratio when your piston rings start to wear. It also boosts viscosity which equates to better sheer resistance which causes oil breakdown. Using more than 10% in your oil change might cause your clutch plates to fail and I'd rather not find that out so I've never used more than 10%. The maxima oil is on amazon for free shipping and it's the cheapest/best of all motorcycle oils I've used over the years.

I could go into engine mods but I've already typed more than enough. Pod intake, area-p full high mount race exhaust, a couple sizes up on the main jet, dynojet needles, and you might need a bigger pilot jet. Get the older CDI and an ebay chinese gear indicator so you don't overrev in top gear. (The older CDI disables the rev limiter.)

I tore down my engine at 25k miles and the piston rings and cylinder were still fresh and looked new inside. That is saying a lot because, quite frankly -- I ride this bike as if I'm trying to break it. The 250 withstands the abuse and does not quit.


Okay that's my ten cents. Keep the 250. Find people with different bikes who you can ride with and trade bikes with to keep things fresh.

Yeah yeah... the "grass is always greener"...

[corksil]

Oh yeah. And gear it short so it accelerates more quickly at the expense of top speed. Realistically the engine (even highly modified) doesn't make enough power to overcome air resistance and easily exceed 100mph. Gear it for 90mph.

[SLOWn60]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

I have a older Guzzi. Parts are easy to come by, stocked in the US by several supplers. The motorcycle is very reliable. Dealers are scarce if you plan to rely on them for service.

Good to hear, Jim. I love the Guzzi's! I know from a couple of owners that here in Canada it can be a challenge to get parts. Many brands here in Canuckerstan have a Canadian distribution system and most are not allowed to source from the US so even if a part is in stock 5 miles away across the border; it has to come from the factory! Hopefully; that's not the case for the OP!

[Triple Jim]

I hate stuff like that, Bill. At least Canadian Guzzi owners have the option of buying directly from places like Harper's, Moto International, MG Cycle, etc..

[alex.s]

rsv4

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by alex.s

rsv4

Nah. Busa.

[corksil]

What was that motorcycle that had like four jet engines in it, and a warp speed hyperdrive unit that could propel it beyond the speed of light? I think the bike was so fast that it could actually travel backwards in time....

Heh, in all seriousness -- the honda inline-4 600cc "super" sports produced after model year 2008 were very nice machines. The longevity and reliability of a honda cannot be beaten. The yamaha 600 would be a cheaper option for virtually the same machine. Honestly I haven't looked into them at length yet because the prices haven't come down enough on the used market.

Stick with the 250 until the market is flooded with yamahas. It will happen. I predict that the hondas won't come down much in price, because the price a person is willing to pay is directly proportional to the value of the item being sold. If it works well, people won't sell it because it is too valuable of an item for what it does.

[psych0hans]

Originally Posted by jcsalazar

ive had a 250 for three years. i think its time for an upgrade. ive been thinking about the motto guzzi v7 or triumph street twin. which do yall think is a better all around bike.

My friend owns a street twin hi torque version and absolutely loves it! He takes it literally everywhere, including light off-roading.

[JohnnyBravo]

Ninja 300 ... A green one