Nighthawk 250 - Good Fledgling Bike
Written: Aug 06 '01
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Pros: Easy handling, lightweight, well-behaved
Cons: Not much power, pogo-stick front end suspension
The Bottom Line: Excellent within its limitations and I would certainly recommend it to a friend who had no previous experience in motorsports.
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| hularider's Full Review: 2000 Honda Nighthawk 250 |
I'm VERY new to motorcycling, and began by taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCourse. We learned on Nighthawk 250s.
Having never been on the front before, I found this to be the perfect way to begin. At around 350 pounds (I think that is wet), I was able to horse it around until I started developing a modicum of finesse. The weight seems to be carried fairly low, making the bike nice and stable, helping a new rider to feel secure at low speeds. Sure, stability is in speed, but most of us newbies are gonna start slow, so it's good to have a bike that is happy there.
OK, some might call it a poodle, perhaps even a toy poodle, but at least it's housebroken. Well-behaved and forgiving, it's geared pretty low, which means that if you accidentally kick it into third, it will still (slowly and gently) pull off a stop, instead of dying and dumping a beginner (experience speaks!). If the throttle is wide open and you pop the clutch in first, it can stand up on it's hind legs, but it really would prefer not to. It would much rather give you a nice gentle pull-out.
I know a Nighthawk 250 which is used as a commuter on a 30 mile run with about 20 miles of highway. It's pretty much wound all the way up out there, but in town (small tourist trap of Kailua-Kona) with many pedestrians looking at the sights, not the traffic, that low gearing and light weight is perfect for sudden stops, 15mph streets, and loooooong waits at intersections. With a set of saddlebags, it will happily run down to the grocery store for goodies and take them home. I wouldn't want to stress it with a passenger, though.
Once some finesse is developed with this bike, and the rider understands the capabilities and limitations, it is a fun ride, especially on twisty pavement.
Like other Hondas, it's a nice sturdy machine, solidly built, engineered, and reliable. Though I don't own one, so I'm not worried about repairs, my mechanic friends say they are easy to maintain and that there are enough around that parts are easy to find.
I'd certainly recommend it as a starter bike, especially for those of us who are of smaller build (I'm 5'3" when I stand up straight) and for anyone who wants a good town bike. It would be ideal for a college student with a short (under 20 miles) commute.
This is an excellent bike for someone who has never before been involved in motorsports or is easily intimidated by machinery.
I do find the price a bit out of line for the amount of bike you are buying.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1350
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2000
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Epinions.com ID:
hularider
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Member: Leilehua Yuen
Location: Hilo, Hawaii, USA
Reviews written: 70
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
HulaRider is an author, artist, and educator who specializes in Hawaiian culture and arts.
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