One less motorcycle in the valsidalv household

"valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option" (valsidalv)
05/28/2018 at 13:20 • Filed to: twowheelsgood

Over the weekend we sold my girlfriend’s CBR250R. Sad! But good riddance as well. Hot take: this is not a great beginner’s bike.

It took a surprisingly long time to sell given I posted it for the start of the riding season. After dealing with many tire kickers and Craigslist bros someone finally agreed to come check it out. He liked it, didn’t haggle, and put down a deposit same day. Easy as pie (after weeding out the scammers, that is).

Reason for sale: girlfriend didn’t ride a lot. Reason for not riding a lot: never got confident piloting a bike on the street. One reason for the lack of confidence: the 250's tiny engine which made smooth riding difficult for a real beginner. I wrote about this before and got some rebuttals but I stand by my point. If you’re not familiar with bikes or manual cars then the need to get those revs up and be quick with shifting doesn’t make this an easy bike to learn on. Many people work through the quirks just fine but I remember how relatively simple it was to hop onto my first bike, a Ninja 400R, and set off without worrying too much about stalling and so on. My analogy: you can jump right into thermodynamics, but it’d help to understand calculus first.

DISCUSSION (12)

DipodomysDeserti > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
05/28/2018 at 14:36

Poor clutch control on a small bike results in a stall. On a large bike it results in a wheelie. If you haven’t mastered shifting, you definitely should stay away from freeways. Sounds like your SO could have benefited froma few more classes.

Some people are just more comfortable on bikes. My first bike was a ‘78 CM185 and I had no problem riding that thing on American freeways.

Nom De Plume > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
05/28/2018 at 14:51

Who puts their girl on a sport bike to learn? The 250cc cruiser market exists for a reason .

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > DipodomysDeserti
05/28/2018 at 14:58

It can also result in a take-off with lots of bucking if you are too gentle with the throttle. Walking that fine line between stalling and forward momentum. On something like my Ninja 400R I can’t imagine wheelieing unless you had those revs up waaay too high and popped the clutch. It was just an easier bike to learn on.

I recall a time I was on the highway riding the 250. Left lane, 6th gear, around 70 mph I’d say. I was passing slower traffic. Then there’s a slight (and I really do mean slight) steady incline in the road. The bike maintains its speed but does not accelerate. Shift down to 5th, barely moves any faster. I had a car behind me and one to my right side and was literally stuck because of this little slope. As soon as the road evened out it began to pick up speed again but I did not feel comfortable at all in that position.

DipodomysDeserti > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
05/28/2018 at 15:10

If you’re a beginner you shouldn’t be passing people on the freeway, and if you’re not a beginner you should know better than to be riding in the left lane at the top of your bike’s powerband.

I don’t think a 400 is too big a bike for a beginner, but a larger engine is not going to solve clutch control or confidence issues. That requires more practice.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > Nom De Plume
05/28/2018 at 15:16

Her MSF course used CBR125s, as did mine. So it was a familiar feeling. You get something that’s comfortable for a first bike, and the CBR250R is not like being on a supersport.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > DipodomysDeserti
05/28/2018 at 15:21

Whether or not you’re a beginner, if you encounter someone going far slower than the rest of moving traffic then you ought to pass them. Staying behind someone going too slow is extremely unsafe.

I didn’t expect a small incline to kill the power the bike had, and I was not at the top of the powerband either. And I have to disagree with you: if you get on a bike (or even a car for that matter) and struggle just to get going then your confidence is going to be shot. How could it not be? During my MSF course the CBR125s were, at times, incredibly difficult to get going. The entire class was having issues. I was so scared my 400 would be that way but it wasn’t. It enabled me to worry about other things while I was learning like signaling, lane position, etc.

DipodomysDeserti > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
05/28/2018 at 15:39

Whether or not you’re a beginner, if you encounter someone going far slower than the rest of moving traffic then you ought to pass them. Staying behind someone going too slow is extremely unsafe.

It’s much more unsafe to be stuck in the left lane with the slow car now next to you and nowhere to go in case of an emergency. Gotta know your machine and how to ride it.

I didn’t expect a small incline to kill the power the bike had, and I was not at the top of the powerband either

If you don’t know how the bike reacts to things like hills, you sure as shit shouldn’t be passing people on a freeway.

During my MSF course the CBR125s were, at times, incredibly difficult to get going. The entire class was having issues.

Clutch control is the first thing you need to master before riding a bike on the street. Sounds like your MSF course had less than stellar instructors. Like I said, more practice is the proper remedy for poor clutch control, not more power.

Ssfancyfresh > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
05/28/2018 at 15:55

I think it’s amazing that people are still arguing with you even after you and your GF decided it wasn’t the right bike.

Happy trails! Good luck. Hopefully you guys find a way to keep motoring

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > DipodomysDeserti
05/28/2018 at 16:03

Whoa, somehow I offended you? Not sure why you’re attacking the instructors - they were actually really good and everyone ended up passing the course that weekend, even some of the stragglers. They had a few techniques for learning clutch control but that doesn’t mean a beginner won’t struggle with a low-power and well-worn bike. I agree that practice makes perfect but on a bike like the 250 you may not even bother practicing because it’s difficult. There is no MSF course that will teach you all you need to know about street riding and make you competent in the span of 2 days.

You’re still not hearing me about the issues the bike has. That time on the highway I was passing traffic without any problem, then all of a sudden I couldn’t. I never found myself in that situation again but imagine you’re a beginner and you’re caught in the wrong gear on a slope? Perhaps you prefer a trial by fire but I think the more effective way to learn is when you’re comfortable in your environment and don’t have to worry about things like that.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > Ssfancyfresh
05/28/2018 at 16:44

Thanks! 2-up for the time being.

DipodomysDeserti > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
05/28/2018 at 17:30

No, you definitely didn’t offend me, that’s pretty hard to do. I wasn’t attacking anyone. Back when I took my first MSF course (albeit thirteen years ago), clutch control was handled on day one, and everyone who passed didn’t have any issues starting the little 250s we were on. As a teacher, everyone passing your course is not necessarily a good indication of how good a teacher you are. It could be quite the opposite if kids passing your class are struggling enough with the basics of your subject to deter them from pursuing it further.

What bike do you plan on strapping your SO on next? SV650s make a decent first bike with plenty of power for clutch operation.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > DipodomysDeserti
05/28/2018 at 19:02

I think her riding career is over for the time being. The CBR was just one of several factors that made it difficult - as you know street riding ain’t for everyone. If she decides to pick it back up maybe a CBR500R or the new Ninja 400, perhaps an R3? I’m currently trying to sell my Daytona 675 to find a better bike for 2-up riding and will probably get a dedicated track bike if all goes to plan.