Need advice regarding my little bro vs. bike

[Anonymous]

So I have a 19 year-old brother who is pretty short (5'3" I think) and is interested in getting into motorcycling (and has gotten his MSF lisence)

I advised him not to..and here were my reasons.

He's in his first year of college, and the school's ridiculously expensive (USC)...so much so that my parents had to take a mortage out on the house
He doesn't know a lick about mechanics, or even how an engine basically works...(he has never even tried to change the oil in his car...nor do I believe he could)
He's not very responsible in terms of doing shit for himself...he's the baby and is pretty reliant on others to do stuff for him
He scared me driving a car...much less a motorcycle (not because he's a crazy driver...he just sucked at it)
Honestly, I just don't trust him riding or taking care of a motorcycle.

But of course he is adamant. He has the money (even though my parents are shelling out thousands for him to go to school), and wants one cause "it's cool." Plus, he wants a sportbike of somesort...so I reccomend the Ninja 250. His feet barely touches the ground.

My stance now is that he should not get a bike for at least a couple of years...why? (and no, I'm not against young people getting bikes, just him) Because I don't trust him on one. Is that wrong?

My parents are obviously with me on this, cause they obviously don't want him on a bike period. But apparently they have made a comprimised that he could get a 50cc 2 stroker racing bike that costs $1800!!!

I think he's a moron to even think of it..and that it's waste of money.

Here's a pic of the model of bike.. IMO he's buying it for it's looks, it should really be purely tracked, not street riden. (top speeds like 60 mph..not even freeway legal)

What do you UK KR members think of this? since you probably know more about it....

[duff daddy]

i want one I WANT ONE !!!!! HOW MUCH!!!

[Black_peter]

My neighbohood shop has one!! I want one too..

Tell your brother they stopped giving out licenses..
If he doesn't belive you give him a nuggie!!

[Range]

wow...I want that bike...Powersports in Ottawa has one...open to offers

plus you could drop the 125 two stroke in it 8)

[Zukiman]

Looks like it would be a fun little bike.

[MTFYR]

Kick,

You know your brother best. By what you say your argument is
completely valid in my opinion. Can you imagine someone learning
to ride a street bike in L.A. Besides that bike will get stolen in two
days.

[Anonymous]

Kick,

You know your brother best. By what you say your argument is
completely valid in my opinion. Can you imagine someone learning
to ride a street bike in L.A. Besides that bike will get stolen in two
days.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[WildKat]

All of your reasons for thinking he shouldnt ride are valid, w/ the exception of not knowing how to work on it.. that is something he can learn once he gets the bike.. there's no substitute for hands on training, and who knows, maybe it inspires him to be reliant on himself and to learn by doing... BUT, from your description, it doesnt sound too promising.

And remember this, the more you tell someone they shouldnt do something, the more compelled they are to do it.

State your case and your concerns in a constructive manner and see how he reacts.

[harrye]

Hi Kickitjp, remember me? I'm that "anti-post" guy.

Please tell me more about the 50cc Derbi bike. I recently got a 49cc pocket bike, and I love the small bikes. The Derbi would be a much better street bike for me. Mirrors, lights, turn signals, it would be street legal, but at 49.9cc's, in my state I wouldn't even need a license plate or insurance.

From a Spanish web site, I see where they sell for about 3,400 Euros. So the $1,800 you mentioned means its a used bike you are looking at?

Are there enough of them in the US, or are you keeping it a secret as to where the bike can be purchased?

About your brother, if his driving record with a car is trouble free, maybe his driving is not that bad after all. Being nervous in another's ride, especially a young family member, is very common.

[Anonymous]

Harry...I described you as the "anti-postwhore" which was meant with the utmost respect, as it is a compliment on this website.

For the bike, well, its rare, but I have actually seen it being sold in many forums...so it is around

I personally think it would be a fun bike, but at that price...you could get a real motorcycle (in that I mean a 4 stroke with freeway reliable power)

This bike's engine is a 2 stroke, and in parralel with dirt bikes, the top end needs replacing after so many hours/miles.

[SweetLou]

I suppose if you want to fly me and Corey out there, we could break his legs so he couldn't ride if you really want us to.

[harrye]

Kick, don't concern yourself about that "anti" thing. You cleared up my confusion right away back in the original topic. I just wanted to get your attention.

I was more successful in finding info on Derbi on my later attempt. I notice that Derbi's USA distributor is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, so I think your brother will have few servicing problems. There's a dealer in Wisconsin, not too far from me either.

With the GPR50, Derbi is going for the mass market of European youth aged 14 to 16 for street riding. Apparently 14 year old's can drive these motorbikes over there. I think 14 year old's can drive under 50cc bikes in many states as well.

I can't imagine this bike is designed as an all out racer, needing rebuilds frequently. In Spain and Italy, and really all the countries where this bike is marketed, the youth are not affluent enough to be continuely sinking money into the bike. It's got to be reliable as it is. But that 11.5 to 1, or 13 to 1 compression in a 2 stroke is surprisingly high. And, if it does need certain maintenance and rebuilds, a small 2-stroke single is an ideal bike to learn with. Wait a minute, I think that liquid cooling explains the high compression, which wasn't possible back in the air cooled days.

I had an 80cc Yamaha street bike when I was young, aged 16 to 19, and I sold it when I got a car. I regret getting rid of it, and long to get a replacement. The Derbi is it, I believe.

If your brother likes the GPR50, I think he has good taste. Since he is a smaller person, this is the right size for him to begin with. Unless he will be driving on roads with fast moving traffic where he will clearly be unsafe, the 50 cc bike ought to be workable for him. I am not sure whether he would take it to college with him, or keep it at home with his parents (the later alternative would be best). Just knowing you have a little gem like this at home is all thats needed sometimes.

If this bike is purchased by your brother, please post your impressions of it.

[Katana600Tao]

I have a friend who is very short and her husband bought her a Ninja 250 and had it mechanically lowered. She's riding it like a pro now.

personally, I wouldn't really recommend a 50cc to anyone ... 250 or higher, but again that's my opinion.

As for your arguments in regards to your brother riding. Although I'm sure your heart is in the right place, you might as well resign to the fact that he wants a bike and will probably buy one. That being said, perhaps it would be in his best interest if you didn't approach the subject as if he's incapable of riding ... he might start to believe it and then he's guaranteed to drop whatever bike he gets. Instead maybe you should just tell him that you are concerned for his safety, and perhaps offer to ride with him until he really gets the hang of it?

Good luck man, and safe riding!!

[harrye]

I finally nailed down a price on the GPR50 Replica. New ones sell for $3,600 if you can find one ( and if there are multiple bidders?). My thoughts that this bike was a mass market item in Europe were wrong. Derbi makes only about 50,000 vehicles per year, and that includes several other lines of bikes and scooters. The GPR50 Racing is almost identical to the Replica, so it would be priced near the Replica. These are upscale vehicles, even in Europe.

The Ninja 250R, with a $2,999 MSRP is an obviously better choice in most cases. The arguement for a GPR50 in Europe, per Derbi's website, is that 14 yer olds can ride it. At least in the states near me, a scooter or motor bike under 50cc which can't exceed 35 mph can be driven without a driver's license. Meaning probably that 14 or 15 year olds could drive it on streets, though probably not on highways, and certainly not on freeways. The GPR50 will go at least 60 mph, so it won't come under the scooter rule.

In the US, the case I'd make for the GPR50 is that its a high tech gem and racer replica. For a light weight teenager's first bike, it would be nice if the cost wasn't an obstacle. The bike would have to be able to keep up with the traffic in which it would be driven. I live in a sparsely populated area, and the nearby two lane blacktop road may have periods during the day when a half hour can pass and no traffic goes by. I could have fun with a GPR50, but not at half the price of a YZF600R.