l am a 20 year old dude iam 6'2 160 pounds and Iam going to get my m1 license soon, and l need your advise on what would be a good beginner bike for me thats fun, reliable, cool looking and forgiving, and of course easy on the insurance and registration. Based on the research that l did the top five l selected for me was the yamaha fz6 600cc, the kawasaki ninja 250r or 500r, the hondanighthawk 250, the yamaha rz 350 2 stroke, or a dual sport dirt bike like kawasaki super sherpa 250cc. Well l figure 600cc is going to be to much for me cause 600cc is alot of power for a beginner like me. l am not sure if the yamaha rz 350 not legal to use in california cause its a two stroke. So more realisticl have a choice between the honda nighthawk 250 or the new kawasaki ninja 250r or 500r. The honda nighthawk is light weight only 315 pounds wet and full tank, has a honda rebel engine in it which is really reliable and lasts a long time, but the down side its just a 234cc twin cylinder air cooled engine with a top speed of 70-80mph. The kawasaki ninja 250 is fast enough, wieghs 338 pounds, cool looking, top speed of 105 mph but l heard it has a hard time starting up in temperature below 75.So which of the two should l go with if l want reliability, fun factor/performance, low insurance, and l want it to look good so the ladies would love it? So which would be a better choice? Or better yet is there any dual purpuse dirt bike thats better then the two?

honda all the way!

Go with Honda!!!
Honda is the best
Honda should be the best
Honda will always be the best
Get the message?

go for the kawasaki

Ride Honda!!! most reliable bikes once you change the R/r :P.
if you are 6'2 the 250 will feel like a tricycle. l would say get a 600cc and do not be afraid of it. remember 600cc sportsbike are not the same as 600cc cruisers.

l would say the best bike for you would be a honda shadow 600 (can get like 50 mpg).
but if you want a sportsbike, go for a cbr600 and love it!

Just one vehicle which can deliver all the goods is a tall order for any bike. Since you are starting out with your first bike, it would be prudent to stick to the industry leader Honda. As you own and drive the bike and later enjoy their service standards, you will begin to enjoy what is known as the Honda experience. It is something which you may want to stay with for the rest of your life. Hope you get a chance to experience it ! Good Luck.

Wow, u r exactly where l was two years ago. l learned how to ride on a nighthawk 250. l almost bought a ninja 250 (a few times, too) . & l ended up buying a used Yamaha FZR 600 as my first bike. The FZ will be by far the most comfortable bike for ur size ( l am the same size, too!). It will also be a lot better off if u plan on spending a lot of time on the freeway. The Nighthawk is insanely light, & the Ninja 250 is really not far off at all, esp. compared to the Yamaha. l personally think the Kawi looks better than the Honda.
If u r concerned about reliability, newer bikes will always be better. My 98 Yamaha has been great to me for over a year now. Do not waste ur time with 2-strokes or dual-purpose if u plan on riding on paved streets.

The Ninja & Nighthawk may have cheap insurance, & may look good too, but 250cc is r not enough for picking up chicks, yadadimean? If l could go back & change one thing, l would have opted for a fuel-injected bike for those cold-morning warming-up-the-bike times, instead of carbs. Also, check out the Suzuki SV650 . they r good looking, decent priced, easy to ride . . . Very important: Make sure to get some good riding gear, as well. Very important.

Good luck, ride safe!

The honda 650 shadow would be a great beginner bike for a rider your age and size. It is a cool looking cruiser, and used it should not be too costly to get one that is a few years old.. It is very well mannered for a 650cc and it will be capable of freeway use. The seat hight is pretty low . A 250 cc will dissappoint all too soon ,and really it is too small for a man your size.

l am not reading that! To long. If you got the money, get what YOU want.

A 250 will only last u 1 season. After that, u will feel you've outgrown it. Especially if u plan on doing any interstate driving. The little 250cc engine will be screaming like a banshee at interstate speeds. I, myself, plan on getting a Kaw Ninja 250 just for scooting around town. l do not really do any freeway driving, so that will suit me just fine for the little l will drive it.
A bike l am seriously looking at instead of the 250R, is called the Venox 250, made by Kymco. Kymco has been around a looong time & r supposed to be very reputable.
Pic here -
http://strmotorsports.com/gallery/still/current/VENOX250_01.jpg
Specs here -
http://kymcousa.com/brochures/08OnroadFullLine.pdf