new to bikes

ok so i read the wat to start with, i was thinking a new ninja 250. i've talked to the salesman, who stated that ninja's are dificult to find when new, and usually have a wait period.

i want this type because it's the bottom of the line ninja, looks good, and the saesman stated, if i don't run out the gears i could get around 300 miles outta a tank, if not a lil more. i'm looking at bikes for one reason, not to look cool, not to go fast, but if a tank is 5 gallons and gas(by me) is 4 for 93 then 20 bucks gets me 300miles, it seems good to me.

i was just gonna ask, is 300 miles something i should expect after getting used to the bike, and are ninja's themselves good bikes?

i know how to drive a 5spd in a car, is there anytheing the same between a bike and a manual car?


and hell no i'm not gonna get a moped just to save gas, i dont wanna hold up traffic either

If you've never ridden a motorcycle before (even dirtbikes), then it will take a bit to get used to the controls. Shifting a bike and a car are similar, it requires the same coordination of clutch/gas/shift.

I would strongly suggest (<----read INSIST) that you take an MSF safety course snce you're new to our hobby.

That being said, the fact that motorcycles get such great mileage is a great plus to our hobby. My 1450cc Fatboy gets between 35-40 mpg around town and between 45-50 mpg on a long cruise, so that little Ninja 250 (sharp looking bike BTW) should get much better than that if you stay under 70mph.

Finally, no scooters!! Blayne (Aussieidiot) and I will have to go Guido on your kneecaps, :cwm27:

. My 1450cc Fatboy gets between 35-40 mpg around town and between 45-50 mpg on a long cruise
Just for comparison, I usually get about 36 mpg.
I have gotten 49 mpg...( and 27 mpg once or twice or more...:uhoh: )

My old cruiser got 36-42 mpg. Thats with worn shafts in the carbs. (and random adjustment tweaks by someone that can't leave well enough alone...:wink: )

...before that I didn't have to pay attention to how much I filled up...:crying:

I'm hatin! I get 33 mpg. But then again I'm always doin 90mph or more...could that be why? Lol.

my friend has a hyosung gt250 and she gets somewhere around 65-70 mpg on that thing, i assume the 250 ninja would be in the same area. my 636 has a 4.5 gallon tank and i get around 185-200 miles to a tank if i'm not flying around all the time so that's around 40+ mpg or so. better than most cars.

i'm going from a porsche 944 that's gets around 35mpg on the highway. but still takes near 80 buck to get from VA to NJ, where my parents live.

i also thought that after a while i'd just move up to maybe a 650r or something. i've riden on bikes, but it's been almost 9yrs since driving a dirtbike.

thanks for the feedback

Finally, no scooters!! Blayne (Aussieidiot) and I will have to go Guido on your kneecaps, :cwm27:


Guido usually is the scooter rider!!!!

I just go and run the little f@$kers over in my ute!


I (used to) get around 200K's out of 15 litres so its around 30MPG in yank speak but then my throttle only had two settings. off and on

I (used to) get around 200K's out of 15 litres so its around 30MPG in yank speak but then my throttle only had two settings. off and on

My bike gets forty rods to the hogshead and that's the way I like it

Ahhhh Americans.

when will you join the rest of the world and go metric!

eh we tried in the 70's and early 80's...but we failed miserably. o well. i kinda know metrics, in terms of distance measurements

Ahhhh Americans.

when will you join the rest of the world and go metric!

Americans were too busy trying to compare the metric system with english measurements, and when we couldn't find an easy conversion so we gave up. Never mind that once we figure out that a meter is close to a yard and the rest is decimal (so much simpler than 12 inches to a foot, 3 feet to a yard, 5260 ft to a mile, etc...)

The only part of the metric system that I personally hate is the Celsius temperature scale because having only 100 degrees between freezing and boiling isn't accurate enough without using decimals.

I own a 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250. Unless you just drive real easy 55 MPG is about all I get. I have changed the countershaft sprocket to a 15T for better top end. By the way my Ninja is "FOR SALE" Only because my wife bought me a Suzuki SV650S. The 250 is a great bike but if you plan to buy NEW your going to have to wait until sometime next year. I checked dealers here on the Western US & none in stock, all are hoping for them. I checked Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Eastern California.
There are a few used around but they are also hard to get. I'm not saying it because I have one FOR SALE. Just check around. Most dealers are getting a half a dozen calls a week for NINJA 250s, NEW & USED. NOTE: I don't care if I sell mine or not. I still ride it & love it. But I will let it go.
I can assure you no other maker produces a 250 that will even come close to the Kawasaki Ninja 250, AGAIN READ REVIEWS.
If you have never owned or ridden you need to take a Motorcycle Safety Class. Riding is a great way to get around, but with no experience your asking for real trouble. You get into a crash with a car or truck THEY ALWAYS WIN. So take a class. I doubt you could pass a driving test with a motorcycle if you have never ridden, at least not in Arizona,or Nevada.
Best wishes on getting into our sport, it is fun. I have ridden for over 40 years.

from what i was told, bikes tend to never win in accidents. and the rider is usually more messed up than the bike

as for metric, a yard is 3 inches shorter than a meter. i think a kilometer is .62 miles. and some other random things.

from what i was told, bikes tend to never win in accidents. and the rider is usually more messed up than the bike

as for metric, a yard is 3 inches shorter than a meter. i think a kilometer is .62 miles. and some other random things.


I once side swiped a sedan and my indicator broke off sharp and cut through the sheet metal of his door! my bar end smashed his mirror and the sudden impact of that threw me into a tank slapper! I managed to ride it out and stay on. All i had was a sore knee and a broken indicator. He had a f'd up left hand side of his car.



as for conversions, i find this site good for translating
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/conversions.html