ninja 650r or 250r for first bike

[kclv1988]

Hi every one, i just joined the forum after doing some browsing here. I have to say you guys have a good community here.

I did some searching around on the forum and didnt find what I was looking for, so I decided to make a post.

I am looking to buy my first bike. I am trying to figure out which bike should I get. a ninja 650r or ninja 250r. Again I am new rider, I just finished the msf class. Is a 650r to much of a bike for me??? How fun will a 250r be for me?

My main concern is SAFTY

Info
age 21
Weight 155lb
Height 5,10

[mcwilliamsda]

Originally Posted by kclv1988

Hi every one, i just joined the forum after doing some browsing here. I have to say you guys have a good community here.

I did some searching around on the forum and didnt find what I was looking for, so I decided to make a post.

I am looking to buy my first bike. I am trying to figure out which bike should I get. a ninja 650r or ninja 250r. Again I am new rider, I just finished the msf class. Is a 650r to much of a bike for me??? How fun will a 250r be for me?

My main concern is SAFTY

Info
age 21
Weight 155lb
Height 5,10

A 250 will suit you just fine for your first couple years. If you are in NYC (the City) then traffic is going to be outrageous and I expect that the 250 would give you much more maneuverability in said traffic. You will be lacking in the power department though but I think you should still do fine. Being a brand new rider right out of class a 250 is the way to go and you can usually pick one up pretty cheep (around 2-3 grand). If you just have to have something bigger then the 650 is not necessarily a bad choice either.

[Electrical_Tech]

+1

[Shadowcast]

havent ridden a 650 but i owned a 250 as a first bike and its a great commuter and very maneuverable at slow speeds which would benefit you in a city. definately has enough power to get you around, where it really lacks is the highway. not sure how much if any highway commuting you do regularly. dunno how the 650 handles though so i cant make a straight comparison

[Stick N Move]

Have owned a 250 and 650 and you can't really go wrong with either. The 250 is VERY newbie friendly. Opposed to the 650, which is a little newbie friendly. How well did you do on the MSF? If you did exceptional then go for the 650. If you think you did horrible then go for the 250. If you did somewhere in between then its a toss up really. Its your choice, but the 250 is probably the safest and cheapest choice to make.

[jsnuff1]

I have a question which kind of goes with this one...

I am planning on getting a 250r since I have very little riding experience and dont feel like killing myself just get. Once I have got all the basic skills down I plan on going to a "real" 600cc bike after a year or so.

Now will the jump form the 250r to a really fast bike be so big that I will not be prepared for it? If thats the case should I go with the 650r to "lessen" the jump?

Or are all bikes essentially the same just one is faster than the other.

Thanks.

[Stick N Move]

Originally Posted by jsnuff1

I have a question which kind of goes with this one...

I am planning on getting a 250r since I have very little riding experience and dont feel like killing myself just get. Once I have got all the basic skills down I plan on going to a "real" 600cc bike after a year or so.

Now will the jump form the 250r to a really fast bike be so big that I will not be prepared for it? If thats the case should I go with the 650r to "lessen" the jump?

Or are all bikes essentially the same just one is faster than the other.

Thanks.

No, most all bikes are made differently. Look at how the engines are made. A 250r is a parallel twin, whereas a 600cc Supersport is a Race replica and has an inline 4 engine. Both are very different bikes with different capabillities.

You really wont know until you start to ride and get comfortable. I'd say that a year is probably enough time on a 250 that you could safely own a 600ss. A lot of people go 250 to 600 all the time. Maybe someone else can give you a better idea time wise but im sure it is different for everyone. See how you feel after a year or so. I went 250 to 650 because i found a good deal that was affordable for me. I just love the torque this thing has and i am plenty satisfied with the power of a 650 and can keep up with just about all of the 600ss guys i ride with easily. Its really your choice.

[chad21]

IMO 250 is the best bike you can start on hands down. Its super light and super maneuverable. Not to mention its bloody cheap to buy and to insure. You will get a much better feel of the physics of riding a motorcycle without being overwhelmed by too much power. A 250 is plenty quick and will out corner most bigger bikes. Not to mention that when the inevitable crash comes youll thank yourself for not buyin a more expensive bike that you know have to repair.

[mxchamp004]

I'm also thinking about getting a 250 for my first bike, but i am only going to be 17. If i buy a 250 i will probably have to keep it for a few years before i can upgrade because my job doesnt pay so great haha but would a 600 be that bad if i started out just around town and slowly progressed to highway? I have also been riding dirtbikes since i was 8...but thats a totally different thing i know.

[LessPeople_MoreRobots]

Originally Posted by Stick N Move

Have owned a 250 and 650 and you can't really go wrong with either. The 250 is VERY newbie friendly. Opposed to the 650, which is a little newbie friendly. How well did you do on the MSF? If you did exceptional then go for the 650. If you think you did horrible then go for the 250. If you did somewhere in between then its a toss up really. Its your choice, but the 250 is probably the safest and cheapest choice to make.

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. The 250R is a great bike, and if you're not sure, thats what I'd choose as default.

BTW, if you're 17, check your insurance rates on a 250R vs that 600RR. That'll make up your mind real quick. At your age, I wouldnt be suprised at all if it was $600 a month for that supersport.

[dsmgixxer]

i recommend this to everyone.

a 500 is a great starter bike. turns easy, brakes are good but arent supersport sensitive and has better acceleration than a 250 (but not enough to get u in trouble like a 600R)

its a fun bike and will atleast have the acceleration to get u moving on the freeway better than a 250 and u wont grow out of it as fast as a 250

[mxchamp004]

Originally Posted by LessPeople_MoreRobots

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. The 250R is a great bike, and if you're not sure, thats what I'd choose as default.

BTW, if you're 17, check your insurance rates on a 250R vs that 600RR. That'll make up your mind real quick. At your age, I wouldnt be suprised at all if it was $600 a month for that supersport.

600 a month! shit....well i dont know that much about insurance but would i still be able to ride it if it were under my dads name?

[Zonda]

^^^idk what goes on in wiscy but in gayjersey the bike has to be insured by the owner of the bike. u da owner? den u gon pay. whats it like with you guys?

[tigermax14]

Im also considering getting a ninja 250 and was wondering how it does cruising at about 55mph because a lot of the places i would be riding are 50 and 55mph speed limit, but i would probably never take it on the interstate.

[LessPeople_MoreRobots]

Originally Posted by tigermax14

Im also considering getting a ninja 250 and was wondering how it does cruising at about 55mph because a lot of the places i would be riding are 50 and 55mph speed limit, but i would probably never take it on the interstate.

Perfect. That's the realm the 250R lives.

I'm not going to BS you, I wouldn't be taking any interstate trips on a 250. I know people do it just fine. I just wouldn't. Wrong tool for the job.