| Suzuki GZ250 |
| PRICE |
| MSRP | $2949 |
| ENGINE |
| Type | air-cooled single |
| Valve arrangement | sohc, 2v |
| Displacement | 249cc |
| Transmission | 5-speed |
| CHASSIS |
| Weight | 331 lb. (wet)309 lb. (fuel tank empty) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.7 gal. (14L) |
| Wheelbase | 57.1 in. (1450mm) |
| Seat height | 27.8 in. (680mm) |
Verdict: Stable chassis, good ergonomics and fine build quality all overshadowed by gimpy engine. Massively underpowered for full-sized adults.
| Yamaha Virago 250 |
| PRICE |
| MSRP | $3299 |
| ENGINE |
| Type | air-cooled 60-degree V-twin |
| Valve arrangement | sohc, 4v |
| Displacement | 249cc |
| Transmission | 5-speed |
| CHASSIS |
| Weight | 328 lb. (wet)313 lb. (fuel tank empty) |
| Fuel capacity | 2.5 gal. (9L) |
| Wheelbase | 58.7 in. (1490mm) |
| Seat height | 27.0 in. (686mm) |
Verdict: Go-getter V-twin engine makes the most of the displacement and adds a relaxed demeanor to boot. Cramped for large riders, the mini cruiser calms newbie nerves admirably.
The $3000 Club
You say you can buy any number of really good used middleweight-or-larger streetbikes for three grand, do you? Well, here's a partial listing of how old and how slow you'll go to keep on the $3K budget. Prices are average retail from the AMA Official Motorcycle Value Guide.
| 1986 BMW R80RT | $3060 |
| 1988 BMW K75C | $3005 |
| 1982 Ducati 500 Pantah | $2855 |
| 1988 Honda CBR1000F Hurricane | $2705 |
| 1991 Honda CBR600F2 | $2945 |
| 1994 Honda VT600 Shadow VLX | $2880 |
| 1994 Kawasaki ZX-6 Ninja | $2945 |
| 1996 Kawasaki EX500 Ninja | $2865 |
| 1996 Suzuki Bandit 600 | $3025 |
| 1998 Suzuki GS500E | $3025 |
| 1993 Yamaha FZR600R | $2770 |
| 1995 Yamaha Virago 535 | $2695 |
| 1996 Yamaha Seca II | $2680 |