Quick question

[Sheresh07]

So I went into Colorado Motorsports today out here in Boulder today looking at some bikes as I'm about to get one as gas prices go up. I went in asking about the 2008 Ninja 250 since I haven't ever been on a motorcycle before and I hear that they are great bikes, turns out they didn't have any. Seems that they are so popular right now that they sell out before they hit the showroom floor.

Soooo the guy I was talking to showed me the Kawasaki Ninja 650R, asked me to sit on it, asked me how it felt, you know all that good salesmen stuff. While it did feel good, and I think I was a good fit on it I voiced my concern about it possibly being too much bike for me since I really on have SOME experience on small dirt bikes and snowmobiles a LONG LONG LONG time ago. He said that I shouldn't be overly worried because after taking the MSF and they way I was describing to him what I wanted in a bike that I shouldn't have any problems with it. He also said that if you "Focus on the chances of you wrecking, then you will wreck".

I then asked about the 2007 Ninja 500R sitting right next to it and he said that that was the absolute smallest bike he would want to put me on due to my size. Now I'm not HUGE but I am big, 6'1, 200lbs, stocky. I also asked him about the performance difference between the two and he said it was night and day.

Now don't get me wrong, I like this guy, from what he said, he races super bikes and judging from how much he seems to know I wouldn't doubt it, but I am a little concerned that he may not have MY best interest in mind. I say that with some hesitance because he kept reminding me that he likes to sell to guys like me who don't want to just jump right into an R1 or something like that.

My question to you all is, do you think this guy is right about something like the 650R for my first bike, am I just being overly analytical or is he really just trying to sell a bike?

[jeffcoslacker]

They gotta try to sell what they have on the floor, knowing that ultimately it's not their problem if it's too much bike for you.

Only you know your learning curve and maturity where power is concerned. Don't let a salesman make your descisions for you.

Not saying you couldn't handle the larger bikes, you probably could.

There's loads of cheap 250R's used I see a lot, is that an option? You'll take less of a hit when you decide to upgrade....and by then you'll know exactly what you want in a new bike (well, as much as any of us ever do)

[Sheresh07]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

They gotta try to sell what they have on the floor, knowing that ultimately it's not their problem if it's too much bike for you.

Only you know your learning curve and maturity where power is concerned. Don't let a salesman make your descisions for you.

Not saying you couldn't handle the larger bikes, you probably could.

There's loads of cheap 250R's used I see a lot, is that an option? You'll take less of a hit when you decide to upgrade....and by then you'll know exactly what you want in a new bike (well, as much as any of us ever do)

I agree with you in that I probably could handle something like that since I am a very fast learner, and I'm not someone who is constantly taking stupid risks, but as I keep hearing, even the best riders go down, so I guess in that aspect the question is am I willing to take a bigger personal risk to myself with a bigger bike.

As far as used 250's go, I've been digging through the Denver Craigslist looking for 250s and slightly larger, only stuff I can really seem to find around here is Dirt Bikes. One of my fathers friends that rides a cruiser suggested that I go back after getting my license and try something in the range of a 250 and then a little bigger to see what I feel more comfortable on.

Now to this guy's credit, he didn't show me anything like the CBR 600RR or the or any of the bigger bikes like that, and trust me they had ALOT of that stuff on the floor, He definitely agreed with me on my choice of a ninja or something like the sv650, so I think after I take the course I'll head back and test drive some of the bikes to see what I'm comfortable with.

Just from reading various forums including this one and talking to several people, I don't want to get onto a bike that would be way too much for a newbie to handle. At the same time, perhaps I'm over analyzing and with my experience and after the MSF perhaps a bike of that size wouldn't be a bad place to start. All in all I'm just not sure I wanna dump 6 or 7 grand on a bike only to wreck it because of a stupid beginner mistake.

[caddydaddy]

I'm the same size as you, and the 250 has plenty of power to be a LOT of fun, and be a great, cheap bike to learn, or in your case, relearn riding.
I wouldn't start on anything more powerful than the Ninja 500. I would recommend buying a used 250 or even 500 cheap, then save up for the bike you want.

[Sheresh07]

Originally Posted by caddydaddy

I'm the same size as you, and the 250 has plenty of power to be a LOT of fun, and be a great, cheap bike to learn, or in your case, relearn riding.
I wouldn't start on anything more powerful than the Ninja 500. I would recommend buying a used 250 or even 500 cheap, then save up for the bike you want.

Thanks, that helps a bunch. That was really what I was leaning towards from the start but I just needed some reassurance that it was a good choice.

[speediva]

Buy used for your first. Truly, there's no other "good" way to learn if its something you want to get into for the long haul. Riding really is a lifestyle, and for some it lasts a year or two, and for others its a lifetime. Plus, it's an EXPENSIVE sport, and getting in on the used side makes it a little bit more manageable - Don't forget that on top of the price of the bike, you're looking at a minimum of $500 for the absolute most basic of gear.

As for the size of the bike, if you're comfortable on the 250, you can't go wrong with it. It's not a super speed demon, but those lil buggers will MOVE if you learn to row through the gears right. I very much respect that you are letting your brain drive your decision, rather than the other "head".

Regardless of your final decision, let us know how things go!

[caddydaddy]

If you haven't already, check out the Ninja 250 forum. There's a great FAQ section with a part with any questions that new riders would have. It's great to read!

http://forums.ninja250.org/

[richtazz]

Are you absolutely set on a sportbike? There are many 500-650cc standards out there that are great starter bikes. They're tuned less radically, cheaper, have more comfortable ergomomics, and don't have expensive plastic bits that break if you drop it. Also, is this going to be an around town bike, or are you going to do some highway riding? At your size, the 250 may feel a bit cramped, especially on longer rides, and I would suspect they are a little buzzy at highway speeds (I cannot say that from experience as I have never ridden one). Maybe a few owners can shed some light on this for you, as I could be mistaken.

You seem to have a good head on your shoulders so your chances of trouble on a bigger bike will be limited to the fact that you're not an idiot. Beginners hae a larger chance of making a mistake, but take an MSF course and wear proper gear, then your chances of dropping it/getting hurt are far outweighed by the fun and great mileage you'll experience. Good luck on finding the right bike!

[Sheresh07]

Originally Posted by richtazz

Are you absolutely set on a sportbike? There are many 500-650cc standards out there that are great starter bikes. They're tuned less radically, cheaper, have more comfortable ergomomics, and don't have expensive plastic bits that break if you drop it. Also, is this going to be an around town bike, or are you going to do some highway riding? At your size, the 250 may feel a bit cramped, especially on longer rides, and I would suspect they are a little buzzy at highway speeds (I cannot say that from experience as I have never ridden one). Maybe a few owners can shed some light on this for you, as I could be mistaken.

You seem to have a good head on your shoulders so your chances of trouble on a bigger bike will be limited to the fact that you're not an idiot. Beginners hae a larger chance of making a mistake, but take an MSF course and wear proper gear, then your chances of dropping it/getting hurt are far outweighed by the fun and great mileage you'll experience. Good luck on finding the right bike!

Yes I am set on a sportbike. I'm still not quite sure as to what I'm going to do as I am finding it difficult to find used bikes that are accurately priced.

[caddydaddy]

The Ninja 250 is buzzy on the freeway, but it is running at over 9,000 RPM at 70 MPH. Some people do Iron Butt rides on them, but I'd use it mainly for around town and back roads.
Sheresh07, are you having problems trying to find a Ninja 250? There's millions of them out there! Or are people asking too much?

[Sheresh07]

Originally Posted by caddydaddy

The Ninja 250 is buzzy on the freeway, but it is running at over 9,000 RPM at 70 MPH. Some people do Iron Butt rides on them, but I'd use it mainly for around town and back roads.
Sheresh07, are you having problems trying to find a Ninja 250? There's millions of them out there! Or are people asking too much?

Not really problems finding them, but rather finding them at a fair price. From what I've seen locally (Which is rare pickings) the bikes are going for 4k+ without any modifications what so ever, thats like 2k more then what the bike was originally worth depending on the year. I've seen 1 or 2 2008's that are similarly priced, its ridiculous, they hold value yes, but the don't INCREASE value with age unless your doing some SERIOUS work to them. I think I'd rather just buy new and skip the little dance that you have to do with private sellers.


Honestly at this point, I'm thinking about seriously getting the 2008 650R right off the lot and saving my self the hassle and frustration of dealing with private sellers. I really would like to get the 250R Ninja but for my weight/size I'm hearing way too many contradicting things about it being comfortable. For instance, one out of, oh I don't know, every 100 guys says hes around 6'3 and 200-280lbs and is VERY happy and comfy with it but it doesn't quite move as fast as he would like, and then there are guys that are like 5'8 and 160lbs that fit it like a glove but say that much bigger would cause real problems with comfort and stability. And with the 250R's being as rare on showroom floors as they are, at least in my area, I doubt I'm going to be able to test one before I buy it so after I do the MSF I think I'm gonna go test out the 650R.

If not I may just bite the bullet and buy an 08 250R, but as you can probably tell, I am quite conflicted on the choice. I won't go more then 100 miles or so out of my way for a bike, and most of what I'm seeing in the Colorado Craig-list is just dirt bikes or over priced bikes. I don't know yet honestly, I would like the 250R but I don't want to be uncomfortable or unhappy with what I get too.

I guess time will tell. I ended up having my class bumped up from the 23rd to the 28th, little ticked off about that but oh well, what are you gonna do, beats waiting until July 18th.

So we'll see after I get done with the MSF and get on some bikes.

[aussieidiot]

I have been helping my apprentices with bike for the last few years. Down here we are limited by power to weight ratios for the first 18 months of licencing. All my apprentices are into cars and doing stupid stuff (espescially in company vehicles). I found a 93 Kawasaki ZX2R for them and they all learn on that. Funny thing is, even with the experience in cars, even that little thing scares the pants of them.

Learn to ride on a small bike first. you may be able to ride a bigger bike and have the self control not to fully open the throttle, but what happens when you panic and accidently pump to much throttle and the larger bike reacts. without experience, it'll end up bad umkay. on a smaller bike the reaction will be scary but not exactly deadly.

also look at power and weight. A ZX2R, CBR250RR or some of the 2 stroke 250's will kick the 650R's arse. CC's don't equal power. 4 cylinders produce more HP in the top end while singles and twins produce less Hp but more torque at the lower end.

[es_class]

Sheresh07... I too had heard so many times that if I got a 650 I would be starving for more power a few months after riding it. My situation is a bit different though; when I was given the opportunity to get a good bike at a fair price...it was an 1100cc kawasaki ninja. Very big..very heavy and pretty powerful for a new jack. I had the advantage of being 6'2.. 280 lbs...but that just meant I was comfy on the bike...it was still alotta power in most peoples opinions. I'm not recommending that u go out and do what I did...but I learned on my bike..never rode prior to it..and I was fine. At the end of the day...its really about being responsible..mature..and having patience. The power was in the twist of my wrist right in the palm of my hands. I shifted earlier at lower rpms not to pull so hard too fast. I don't know about anyone else here... but I think that if u really feel it inside u to ride and u put ur work and time in...ur gonna wanna be getting rid of the 250 way too soon. and from what it sounds like, ur not gonna enjoy having to buy it..then have to sell it to go out and buy what u feel u should have gotten to begin with. After 1 yr of riding my zx11..I got the opportunity to ride a 600 for the first time..and it felt like a toy. It felt like I had to rip it a lot more to move the way I wanted to and was used to. At the end of the day the choice is urs. I've heard a 600 is more than enough power but I don't think its an insane choice to make for a first bike. I'm not an expert..its just my opinion from my own experience. U sound like u got a good head on ur shoulders and ur not a small guy. And they do have things u can put on ur bike in case u drop it like most ..if not all of us have b4. The major thing to consider is what aussieidiot wrote about in the event of a panic and opening up the throttle too hard too fast. While my bike has power..it may not have the torque of the smaller..lighter..newer bikes so if that would have happened to me..I may have had a slight advantage. I was also lucky to have the info from my experienced peers as well as those here on the forum so I focused on throttle control and using the clutch to help control my pull. Good luck and keep us posted. I'm very interested in reading what u decided on.