[SuperTodd]

And I would be lying if I didn't say it was dissapointing. It was fun don't get me wrong, I feel like I have waited way to long for this day to come, (I bought a $500 ex 500 this summer and my hopes of riding were dashed by a junk engine block, and I've been looking for a bike but never having the money or finding a good deal for 2 years)but the bike really didn't satisfy me.

1. Forks were soft. Like way softer than I expected. But I've read on here that that's a common problem with 250's, especially with a 200lb dude on it.

2. Front brakes were very touchy, maybe I just need to get used to that though. It surely helped me discover how soft the forks were in a hurry.

3. I'm not gonna say that I'm ready for a SS, but the power really didn't impress me. I really didn't get to ride it very far, but I did get the chance to wind it out once in third and it really didn't thrill me all that much.

4. Steering felt a little weird, not very neautral, but I think that is just something I'm not used since I've never rode a sporbike before.

So here's the deal. There isn't a whole lot of riding season left up here in Indiana, But this bike is by far the best deal I've found around here I can Afford. Its a 2002 Kawasaki Ninja 250, one fairing crack and some scuffs to go with it, tires not great but will probably last the year, bent handlebars ( It must have been laid over the other side at some point earlier but fixed) and a price tag of 1200 which is under bluebook trade in value of 1335. The seller said he would hold it for me till Saturday after I get another check, but I'm thinking of calling him and telling him not to bother.

My question are these: Will the power seem better in a different environment? Is it good that its weak so I learn how to handle turns under throttle better? Is it the point of a "starter bike" to be a little less than exciting for safety?

Will I get use to the soft forks? Cuz I think out of all things this might drive me insane the most.

I think right now I will just save my money for next spring, or at least not spend it on this bike. I just wonder if I'm being too particular, maybe had too high of expectations? I really have been looking for 2 or 3 years to get a bike but no good opportunities came up, or something else did to take my money away. I just really feel like I'd be happier on a 500cc bike or thereabouts with more power and stiffer forks. What do you guys think?

 

[teedubyaw]

How many miles did you get on the 500?

 

[SuperTodd]

How many miles did you get on the 500?

Zero. I discovered oil and water mixing when I first got it running. I'm currenly parting it out. Need anything? lol

 

[teedubyaw]

Zero. I discovered oil and water mixing when I first got it running. I'm currenly parting it out. Need anything? lol

That sucks. Why not pick up an engine off of ebay? It'd be cheaper than buying another bike.

As far as your post, there's nothing I can tell you that you haven't already discovered for yourself. I would have expected that post coming from someone stepping down in size, which is why I asked about the 500.

 

[SuperTodd]

It need lots of other little things, some very expensive. I actually have a brand new battery I'd like to sell but it's filled and unsealed, probably can't ship it. The fork Tubes were checked up causing them to to leak, parts of the airbox were missing that you can't buy new anywhere, cables were junk...the list goes on and on. I made the mistake of buying a money pit and wasn't going to dig it any deeper.

 

[Stick N Move]

That sucks, you waited four years to be dissapointed by your first motorcycle.

 

[gen0]

Gotta inspect them 110% and ask them to check inside and stuff

 

[SuperTodd]

I break shit!

That sucks, you waited four years to be dissapointed by your first motorcycle.

Haha...Yeah...Life isn't always good to me with Mechanical things. I bought a CR125 back in like 2001 that I rode 4 times before the shock absorber snapped in 2 along with 2 peices of the linkage. My dad sold my latest cage with the tranny slipping, The POS hand me down van I drove all summer won't start...the tranny went out as well on my first car...I could go on an on. It seems that Chevy Trucks and John Deere tractors are the only things that I can't destroy, and trust me I've put our Chevy truck through hell. Still Running with 251,000 on it. Whats the most durable bike? I should probably buy one of those. I know Honda's are reliable but they don't make much in the way of starter sportbikes. Hawk GT's and CB1's are hard to come by....

 

[LobsterMagnet]

test ride the pair of 500s, kawasaki ninja and suzuki gs.
If you still think they are underpowered then you need to learn how to effectively use a parallel twin engine. If the forks still feel soft, then keep in mind you're a bit heavy.

It could be that any entry level bike will require a change in fork oil. As far as power, that's all in how you ride it, literally. High RPM and such turns them into little devils.

 

[LessPeople_MoreRobots]

Honestly, if you were disappointed because it didnt make the jump to lightspeed as you were expecting, I think you've kind of missed the point of a $1200 beginner bike.

Its still quicker than the cars most people are driving on the road. But thats not what its about. Its about learning how to ride a motorcycle, and being able to control it effectively and making the decidedly unintuitive parts of it second-nature.

Case in point: you mentioned that you thought the brakes were touchy? Those single-disc mushy things? And you say the steering wasn't very neutral/natural (can't tell by your spelling). Thats absolutely the lightest and most flickable bike you can get.

Lets worry about maneuvering, shifting, downshifting, rev-matching, counter-steering, cornering, and overcoming target fixation before we try leaving a trail of flaming tire marks on the street as we jump back to 1955.

You've going to have at least a few "oh shit" moments in your first year or so. Those times where you go in too hot and want to chop the throttle or touch your brakes. The times where you think you're shifting to second and you hit first at the complete wrong RPM and lock up the rear.

The difference will be either you ride through those moments and go "wow, i gotta make a 100% conscious effort not to do that again" or picking pieces of your bike out of a guardrail going "damn, this is going to be expensive".

 

[SuperTodd]

Case in point: you mentioned that you thought the brakes were touchy? Those single-disc mushy things? And you say the steering wasn't very neutral/natural (can't tell by your spelling). Thats absolutely the lightest and most flickable bike you can get.

skip

You've going to have at least a few "oh shit" moments in your first year or so. Those times where you go in too hot and want to chop the throttle or touch your brakes. The times where you think you're shifting to second and you hit first at the complete wrong RPM and lock up the rear.

The difference will be either you ride through those moments and go "wow, i gotta make a 100% conscious effort not to do that again" or picking pieces of your bike out of a guardrail going "damn, this is going to be expensive".

As far as the brakes and forks, I'd say I'm 90% positive the mushy forks are the real annoyance. The front brake didn't seem that powerful, but it would make the front in drop like a rock every time I touched it.

I'm pretty familiar/good with rev matching from driving manual transmission cars, trucks and an enduro bike, but I must say the one time I locked up the rear on that bike on asphalt while turning(using the brake) it was plenty scary.

Oh yeah, and the ride was in town, I really didn't get the chance to rev it out, I just expected a little more. I am however glad that it was more on the mild end of the spectrum vs something like a 2 stroke dirt bike with a kick-you-off powerband. Again, I just though it would have a little more oomph.

As far as steering goes: the bike was definitely flickable. It felt small and I had no trouble getting it to do what I wanted it too, it just felt a little strange. I'm sure now it was nothing, I'm just not used to the way a sportbike turns compared to a dirt machine.

Ne-a-tural: I think that should be a new word. lol

 

[Jim Moore]

Buy it. Ride it every chance you get until next Spring, then sell it and get a SS. Simple.

 

[teedubyaw]

Its still quicker than the cars most people are driving on the road.

No it isn't. Off of the line, it may get a good start if the rider knows how to do a good race start.

Otherwise, the bike runs just as slow as a 4 banger gas saver.

 

[tobu]

The suspension on the 250 will definitely feel mushy. Many riders upgrade the springs (~$75 if you use the stock ex500, more for aftermarket) and the rear shock to one from the ex500, sv650, or zx600 (cheap on e-bay). You can check out the dedicated 250 website for details.

Even after I upgraded I've kept my 250 since it's pretty fun to ride. You do have to know how to work it, though -- lots of shifting and revving between 7-11k.

 

[binjamike]

wow

I found my 08 250 to be a great learner. I got mine in march of 08 and between
Snow and an injury I was of my bike for about 4 and a half months and I've still put
16186 miles on it. I've recently hit the point were I'm scraping my pegs zero chicken
Strips I find there's still some excitement but the again I'm not just sitting on the seat
On those back woods roads. So I recommend just getting it playing with the rear spring
Using less fingers on the brake and having fun since after all fun is the most important
Part of ridding isn't it? Don't underestimate that little bike it will teach you more than
You can imagine

 

[F4sSprintST]

I started riding when i was 5 y/o, had a 100cc by age 8, and was riding 250's and 350's shortly thereafter. Followed by a 450 at age 16, and a 650 at 17 y/o.

I had the progression, so I don't even really appreciate it.

Now my brother inlaw bought a 600SS at age 25. We nicknamed him "stall dog", since he kept stalling it, despite driving a stick shift car. He also dropped his new bike many times, some due to the stalling.

It culminated when he actually had some decent miles under his belt, but his inexperience led to target fixation where he followed an experienced rider (trying to eek out miles on bald tires) off the road into a field. $4500 damage, and a cracked rib.

So, while I don't register the experience of starting on a low power, small bike, I actually did live it. I was able to master ever bike I owned, eventually upgrading to b***** and faster.

It's really a pretty good idea to start with a bit of a "beater", low powered bike. You will certainly feel a lot better if you drop it by accident!

 

[bassjones]

...but I must say the one time I locked up the rear on that bike on asphalt while turning(using the brake) it was plenty scary. l

yeah, don't do that... Good thing you were on the 250 and not a 600 when you learned that lesson or you would have been buying a wrecked bike from a very pissed off seller.

 

[LobsterMagnet]

I think you're being a bit picky based upon ignorance.

As far as the brakes and forks, I'd say I'm 90% positive the mushy forks are the real annoyance. The front brake didn't seem that powerful, but it would make the front in drop like a rock every time I touched it.

You weigh how much? And how much of that weight was on the front of the bike, causing it to dive w/front brake? Bend your damn arms man, it's a "sport bike." NO WEIGHT should be on the bars when using the front brake.
Simple solution to the "all low end bikes have poor forks" problem: Change the fork oil.

Oh yeah, and the ride was in town, I really didn't get the chance to rev it out, I just expected a little more.

RPM hit 12k about 10 feet from the parking lot.

 

[SuperTodd]

yeah, don't do that... Good thing you were on the 250 and not a 600 when you learned that lesson or you would have been buying a wrecked bike from a very pissed off seller.

it wasn't on the test ride it was a few years ago on a dirt bike

 

[SuperTodd]

I think you're being a bit picky based upon ignorance.

skip

RPM hit 12k about 10 feet from the parking lot.

About the picky thing: Um thats why I'm asking these questions. I don't know whether these things are normal or not. I really didn't feel like I was pressing down on the bars any, but I can't remember.

and wtf do you mean RPM hit about 12,000 10 feet from the parking lot? Is that some kind of joke cuz I don't get it.