I have an 09 250 with 10.5k miles and I love this bike. I bought it used over a year ago with only 1.6k miles so I've put 10k over 18 months. I mainly use it for commuting 50 miles round trip 4 days a week and some weekend fun. Half of my commute is on HOV so I need power to pass sometimes which the 250 barely delivers at high speed. I'm totally happy with the 250 for what I need it for. Will the 300 satisfy this need for power to pass? is 20-25% power increase worth $2500(after I sell my 250 in spring)?

Only you can answer that question. I find that the 300 is a better bike in just about all aspects, but in none of those aspects is it a night and day difference from the 250. On the power front, it does add about 10 mph to the performance envelope. What I mean by this is this: (all speeds actual, not speedo indicated)

On my 250, it would accelerate to 70 mph quickly, it would make its way to 80 mph more leisurely, and if I tucked down and had no wind, after quite a long while it would nudge 91 or 92. The 300 is identical, except add 10 mph. It gets to 80 quickly, makes its way to 90 a bit more leisurely, and tucked in and no headwind, it will get a little over 100 mph without too much trouble. This means that comfortable cruising at 80 mph leaves quite a bit of capability in reserve, and the bike can accelerate from that speed, even without dropping down a gear.

But it's still the same bike in a very similar form factor, so it still isn't optimized for long-distance touring, isn't the best choice for riding 2-up, and wouldn't provide any new capabilities that you don't already have with the 250.

But you'll look like 12x better when you commute on a 300 compared to when you commute on a 250.

i think its worth the upgrade.
you might actually end up saving gas, due to the lower revs at 65-80.

But you'll look like 12x better when you commute on a 300 compared to when you commute on a 250.

I ran the number..it only came out to 11.27x better. Not sure if good enough..

:lol:

I ran the number..it only came out to 11.27x better. Not sure if good enough..

last i heard the threshold for good was 10, technically thats significantly better than good.

Insurance is also a factor to consider....could very well be personal circumstances but my insurance for the 250 was around $250 for the year I think...quoted a Ninja 300 out of curiousity and it was a lot more. Think around $150 A MONTH, maybe a little less. Like I said, I'm sure this will vary from person to person but at those prices, I could insure a supersport.

I'd be surprised if insurance was a factor; definitely work with different providers if it seems to be a problem. Mine went up $20/year with the new bike compared to the '08 250. YMMV.

i was quoted the same price for the 250 as the 300 with all coverages equal.

last i heard the threshold for good was 10, technically thats significantly better than good.

lol i will make a note in my report :)

Although I adore my 300, I can't imagine getting rid of a 250 for it. Unless it is about looks, in which case (and yup, this is totally subjective), I do think the 300 is a huge upgrade. But if I were in your shoes, and was thinking to spend the money, I'd go Ninja 650 or SV650 -- has that higher speed performance you're looking for, still a budget(ish) bike, still gets good gas mileage, and will be LOADS more comfortable.

All that said, if the 300 makes you horny, sell your bike and buy one. That's what I did. :D

Area P + rejet + k&n airfilter = 20% more power for $800

Just sayin :cool:

Not the same Jiggles, not the same at all.

Pretty much exactly the same

No, the newer bike has different suspension, different gearing, more torque down low than a modded 250R, is still stock quiet, and is fuel injected and smooth.

Different.

I like my full exhaust/full intake/aftermarket fuel injection, but if I could get that performance (plus some) with a dead quiet stock exhaust system and a slick oem fuel injection system, I would.

Good points guys - OP is looking for just a power increase (so far) and I think if the 250 relationship hasn't soured too much - Jiggles' recommendation would save money.

But then again - OP is saying that the 250 is going to be sold in the spring. In which case, I would recommend the 300 as an alternative to being completely bikeless :rolleyes:

So yeah a three way fork in the road -

1.) Keep 250 cause obviously you are happy with it (minus power at times)
2.) Keep 250 and give it the Jiggle mod
3.) Sell 250 and get a 300 or + cc's (because you can :D)

Oh and for $2500 more to 300 - you get a pass button? :p

LOL jiggles likes to tell himself it's the same to make him feel better for having bought his 250 just months before the release of the 300. a modded 250 jet+intake+exhaust can barely touch a stock 300. watch the dyno videos i posted.

the 300 with FI = better fuel efficiency, better power delivery, & no choking. that alone makes it worth it for me. then you add in the increased power, new zx10r like styling, updated dash, slipper clutch and it's just all icing on the cake. gotta start saving for next spring.

But my 250 IS faster than those 300s.

They are so fat and non aerodynamic

But my 250 IS faster than those 300s.

They are so fat and non aerodynamic


Your 250 probably thinks the same thing about you. ;)

She lubs me all the same

Area P + rejet + k&n airfilter = 20% more power for $800

Just sayin :cool:

Areap is making the 300 exhaust can you imagine 20% or so on a 300 then its got 40% more power on a stock ninja :p

Mines still faster

oh jiggy we'll see :P

Only you can answer that question. I find that the 300 is a better bike in just about all aspects, but in none of those aspects is it a night and day difference from the 250. On the power front, it does add about 10 mph to the performance envelope. What I mean by this is this: (all speeds actual, not speedo indicated)

On my 250, it would accelerate to 70 mph quickly, it would make its way to 80 mph more leisurely, and if I tucked down and had no wind, after quite a long while it would nudge 91 or 92. The 300 is identical, except add 10 mph. It gets to 80 quickly, makes its way to 90 a bit more leisurely, and tucked in and no headwind, it will get a little over 100 mph without too much trouble. This means that comfortable cruising at 80 mph leaves quite a bit of capability in reserve, and the bike can accelerate from that speed, even without dropping down a gear.

But it's still the same bike in a very similar form factor, so it still isn't optimized for long-distance touring, isn't the best choice for riding 2-up, and wouldn't provide any new capabilities that you don't already have with the 250.

I guess the answer is no for me. $2500 is a lot to justify just to gain 10 mph quicker acceleration/top speed. I will just run this 250 up to 30k miles then I'll look to 300 then.

it sounds hard to justify it but if you look at the feature sets as a whole it does justify the increase to me.

fuel injection $750
suspension upgrade $50
Sprocket change $ 50
35 additional ccs $900
slipper clutch $100
digital display $150

to upgrade a new gen to be equivalent you would need to spend over $2000 if you do the work yourself.

for additional $500 you get a new bike, with better gas mileage, fast starts, faster acceleration, power, comfort, warranty, and better insurance coverage.

far from being a bad deal.

it sounds hard to justify it but if you look at the feature sets as a whole it does justify the increase to me.

fuel injection $750
suspension upgrade $50
Sprocket change $ 50
35 additional ccs $900
slipper clutch $100
digital display $150

to upgrade a new gen to be equivalent you would need to spend over $2000 if you do the work yourself.

for additional $500 you get a new bike, with better gas mileage, fast starts, faster acceleration, power, comfort, warranty, and better insurance coverage.

far from being a bad deal.

I like mods too but the things you mentioned are not important to me thus, I have not or will not get those mods anyway. Who knows maybe I'll be sucked in anyway just for the 'greatest, shiniest' aspect of the 300. I flip cars this way so I won't rule out myself from flipping motorcycles.

I like mods too but the things you mentioned are not important to me thus, I have not or will not get those mods anyway. Who knows maybe I'll be sucked in anyway just for the 'greatest, shiniest' aspect of the 300. I flip cars this way so I won't rule out myself from flipping motorcycles.

i think its a good flip, have done most of the upgrades mentioned except for the big bore kit and slipper clutch.

they were all worthwhile upgrades for a daily commuter.

i imagine the slipper clutch will be good for stop and go traffic.

You're never going to use a slipper in stop and go traffic unless you regularly go from 75 mph traffic to 25 mph stop-go by dropping from 6th to 1st...

Here's the basics of how a slipper clutch works. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slipper_clutch) All they do is keep you from over-revving your engine and locking your back wheel if you downshift too aggressively.

Aka, if you're at the track on the back straight doing 100 mph and need to get down a few gears for a 60 mph turn, you can just bang down a couple gears at once and focus on braking, instead of having to go down one at a time and blip each time as the engine slows enough to accept the next lower gear. They're kinda useless on the street if you're riding normally.



fuel injection: Nice upgrade, but not a deal breaker. An oem system is better than an aftermarket system, just because it has replacement parts more readily available.
suspension upgrade: yes. Well worth it, but not that expensive/hard to do on your 250R.
Sprocket change: Not a deal breaker either, but taller 6th would be nice
35 additional ccs: meh. Torque is good. But my 250 cc engine is just fine until it dies. Not a deal breaker.
slipper clutch: dumb.
digital display: meh


What was not mentioned: better fitment of uber sticky tires (rim is 1/2" wider, a 140's and 150's will fit better. There are some nice tires in 140 and 150 sizes.)

Don't let this make you think the 300 is a bad bike. I'm thrilled to see new bikes in this market!! The 300 is a great combo on paper. But to me, it's not worth buying as an "upgrade". If I was looking for a second small displacement bike, or was looking for a new bike already, the 300 is what I would get, hands down. But as a bike to buy instead of my current bike, meh.

Thought they said it made the clutch easier to pull, in addition to everything.

If thats true i wish had it yesterday when i was driving though DC.

Ride a pregen. The clutch pull on that is already light. The pull on the 08-12 is also damn light. I've read the 300 clutch is a little vague. I'd rather have feeling over lightness.

Why upgrade from a beginner bike to another beginner bike.

People buy Civics their whole life.

What makes a bike for beginners only?

Alex is on his 3rd ninjette. He has other larger, more powerful bikes as well. alex.s prefers his 250 for the track and his 600 for the street, because going "fast" is fun on the 250 without going f-a-s-t.

Good point. I don't really justify upgrading to a ninja 300 for a small power increase however. At the price tag of 4800, dealer fees, taxes, and insurance no thank you. I would agree with jiggles and just upgrade the current ninja 250 to run fast or just as fast as the 300 for about 1000 bucks.

Alex Annie is on his her 3rd ninjette (which Alex makes sure to exercise often :)). He has other larger, more powerful bikes as well.

FTFY. :p

I would agree with jiggles and just upgrade the current ninja 250 to run fast or just as fast as the 300 for about 1000 bucks.

Meh. I've argued that with Jiggles as well. Until more of us get more riding time on the new bike, I think we can't definitively say that.

Dyno runs, dyno prints, and a quick analysis can be seen here:
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=580432&postcount=1

I really don't think that it's possible to make a 250 perform like that. I know my 250 (full exhaust, full intake, fuel injection conversion. The fuel map needs work though :o ) doesn't, and it's a pregen, which means I already have more compression than a newgen. When you factor in the fact that the 300 is getting that kind of performance quietly, it's not necessarily true to think that modding your 250 will compensate for engine size and a complete redesign.

Don't forget, that 300 is stock. If you bump compression up to the same level as the 250 ( or up even more to where the pregen was), do a full exhaust, and do a good dyno tune, the numbers are going to stomp every 250 mod you can do for a reasonable amount of money.

FTFY. :p

:rotflmao:

I would agree with jiggles and just upgrade the current ninja 250 to run fast or just as fast as the 300 for about 1000 bucks.

i don't think you could do it for $1000, and the performance won't be the same.

in the end when you resell, value doesn't increase much with the parts added.
imo, you better off with the newer bike now than when the 2008s first came out.

they are both good bikes, it just that the 300 is a much better highway commuter than a 250, and has a lot more potential than the newgen.

its worth the $2500 upgrade, unless you cant afford it.

What was not mentioned: better fitment of uber sticky tires (rim is 1/2" wider, a 140's and 150's will fit better. There are some nice tires in 140 and 150 sizes.)



there's another $300 on an aftermarket wheel.

the 300 is everything an upgraded 250 is and more in a cost effective package.
i'm sure someone will come out with a regular clutch for people that want them.

It's really not a practical upgrade from a perfectly fine 250. Only a crazy person would do that :rolleyes:

lgk are you a salesman? LOOK AT ALL THE MONEY YOU WILL SAVE BY BUYING A NEW BIKE!!! :lol:

If my 250 was totaled (and I couldn't find yet another 2011 black stock 250 :Twofinger:) I would consider getting the 300 but to go $2500 out of pocket to trade my 250 for a 300? Nah, not enough of an incentive. This of course is coming from a guy who traded in his 2012 650 for a 2012 1000

It's really not a practical upgrade from a perfectly fine 250. Only a crazy person would do that :rolleyes:

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/28935587.jpg

It's really not a practical upgrade from a perfectly fine 250. Only a crazy person would do that :rolleyes:

wait a sec,
isn't that what alex did, lol.


lgk are you a salesman? LOOK AT ALL THE MONEY YOU WILL SAVE BY BUYING A NEW BIKE!!! :lol:

i'm kind of a salesman, but more of a financial adviser that specializes in wasteful purchasing.:D


If my 250 was totaled (and I couldn't find yet another 2011 black stock 250 :Twofinger:) I would consider getting the 300 but to go $2500 out of pocket to trade my 250 for a 300? Nah, not enough of an incentive. This of course is coming from a guy who traded in his 2012 650 for a 2012 1000

i hope the black 250 lasts for a long time, but a black 300 is a good purchase.
the feature set is good, by the time you upgrade a stock 250 to a 300s performance level it will be almost the same price.

Can't wait until I can find a wrecked one for cheap so I can transplant the engine, throttle body and rear wheel :D

w
i hope the black 250 lasts for a long time, but a black 300 is a good purchase.
the feature set is good, by the time you upgrade a stock 250 to a 300s performance level it will be almost the same price.

But, the 250 is still cooler

Can't wait until I can find a wrecked one for cheap so I can transplant the engine, throttle body and rear wheel :D

the only way that would be cool is if you used the old cdi, and used the yoshi carbs.

a carbed 300 would be sick

But, the 250 is still cooler

if you got money to improve it. it could be cooler.

No, the newer bike has different suspension, different gearing, more torque down low than a modded 250R, is still stock quiet, and is fuel injected and smooth.

Different.

I like my full exhaust/full intake/aftermarket fuel injection, but if I could get that performance (plus some) with a dead quiet stock exhaust system and a slick oem fuel injection system, I would.

Chroneofakind confirmed for buying the first engine out of a wrecked ninja 300 engine to put inside of a pregen?

the only way that would be cool is if you used the old cdi, and used the yoshi carbs.

a carbed 300 would be sick

Reading comprehension

Y U NO HAZ IT?

Reading comprehension

Y U NO HAZ IT?

i understood you but an old 250 with 300 motor and carbs is cooler.

may not be better performing but would be original

there's another $300 on an aftermarket wheel.


Don't forget that, while that wheel is from the oem maker of the standard wheel, it's flat black only, and has questionable bearings. Factor in another $150 for the wheel to get painted/pc'd and have good bearings put in.

Chroneofakind confirmed for buying the first engine out of a wrecked ninja 300 engine to put inside of a pregen?

Ha. No thanks!! I already have a bike that runs well. I spent enough down time last season, I want to ride as much as possible this season. Plus, I don't have the tools for fabbing up an exhaust that doesn't melt my fairings, or milling anything down if needed, etc. On top of that, idk if the engine in the 300 is a structural member of the frame or not? I know the pre-gen's is, and that could be an issue if the transplanted engine is not designed to be a structural member of the frame and it was being used as such.

Sign me out of that. I'm planning on spending as little as possible on my bike from now on. I've got my full intake/exhaust/efi. I've got all the farkles I want, just need to install the last few. The only thing that would tempt me is if I could get a full suspension donor bike to convert to new-gen forks/swingarm/wheels/clip-ons for really cheap. At that point, I might as well get a second pregen engine and have it bored/ported/polished as well, because I would never get rid of the bike after that. EVER!

choneofakind don't be that way. What's a bent frame or a couple thousand down the drain in the grand scheme of things? We ride motorcycles, we're not accountants. ;)

But I want to make sure the whole bike is safe to beat on!! I'm an ME student. I would dwell on it every time I rode if I knew there was ANY chance of it having less structural integrity than it should.

The plan is to keep my pregen for as long as I can, and get a second bike to play with. Once the engine dies, I'm gonna have a hard decision on my hands; new engine to soup up, or new bike? Right now I've just gotten to 18k miles. My girl has lots of miles left in her, assuming that my helicoil'd number 1 spark plug stays put for another 20k or so. If I don't wreck before I graduate college, I'll have some fun with the inside of the engine with money from my big boy job :)

In the mean time, you find any new-gens that are in good shape and "totalled" for like $500 or less, PM me plux. I'll take the suspension and rims. Then i'll buy other parts and make it work.

RE: the clutch. I do think it's awesome, whether you think the slipper function is silly or not. The way I hear it, Kawasaki actually just wanted the best commuter/learner clutch possible (that could handle the new torque), and the FCC was it (and happened to have a slipper function). I think that they were spot on on the commuter front. The clutch is ridiculously light, and engages at nearly full extension. I commute through DC every day, and that super-light, two-finger clutch action is great. And when I take to the twisties, I feel like a GP racer, snapping through the gears with that tiny tug.

That still doesn't make it necessarily worth the upgrade (unless, as I've stated elsewhere, it makes you horny). But I'm actually a big fan of the clutch, so wanted to play. :p

That's what Alex wrote about the clutch; easy pull was the target, slipper was just a perk.

That doesn't mean I don't still think it's silly :p

I use 2 fingers on my '99 all the time. Once you get used to it, it's hard to use all 4.

That's what Alex wrote about the clutch; easy pull was the target, slipper was just a perk.

That doesn't mean I don't still think it's silly :p

I use 2 fingers on my '99 all the time. Once you get used to it, it's hard to use all 4.

whats the longest trip you've taken on the bike?

I've done a 2 hour trip to my grandparents house. I've done a long day trip with Felipe the ant (45 each way to Cleveland, and then the whole day out on the bike) and I've done a 6 hour, 220 (I think?) mile trip from my house all the way to the middle of Ohio to the Canton area with Nautica. I've done entire days riding around the cuyahoga valley (100 miles at a time) My legs are always sore, my clutch is never sore.

If you're talking about long trips affecting your clutch hand, highway miles mean nothing. You're just sitting there. I would say if my clutch hand was fine after an entire track day on 14/47 gearing (tons of shifting), I'm not getting sore from riding.

Besides, the 250's clutch is already insanely easy to pull. Ride a supersport.

I've done a 2 hour trip to my grandparents house. I've done a long day trip with Felipe the ant (45 each way to Cleveland, and then the whole day out on the bike) and I've done a 6 hour, 220 (I think?) mile trip from my house all the way to the middle of Ohio to the Canton area with Nautica. I've done entire days riding around the cuyahoga valley (100 miles at a time) My legs are always sore, my clutch is never sore.

I've rode 12hr in a day before, 4 of it stuck in traffic.
get stuck regularly for 1-2hrs in bridge and tunnel traffic, just the nature of the beast when living here. it probably wouldn't be as bad if i could truly lane split, but it is exhausting when you have to ride at 1-2miles/hr, and modulate the clutch a couple hundred times in a mile going up hill.



If you're talking about long trips affecting your clutch hand, highway miles mean nothing. You're just sitting there. I would say if my clutch hand was fine after an entire track day on 14/47 gearing (tons of shifting), I'm not getting sore from riding.

the track is a whole different animal.
you're not getting stuck in traffic at the track...


Besides, the 250's clutch is already insanely easy to pull. Ride a supersport.

thats why i don't commute with a supersport... and one of the reasons i'm getting a 300. you might not think its necessary but its nice to have, in a pinch.

i'm getting the 300 for the street, i'll still keep my 250 for track use.

the track is a whole different animal.
you're not getting stuck in traffic at the track...

You're still on the clutch every few seconds, and modulating it on down-shifts. Especially with shorter gearing, you change gears going into and out of every turn, not to mention the straights.

Not sure what you're trying to prove other than you have a long commute. The clutch pull is practically nothing on these bikes to start out with.

You're still on the clutch every few seconds, and modulating it on down-shifts. Especially with shorter gearing, you change gears going into and out of every turn, not to mention the straights.

Not sure what you're trying to prove other than you have a long commute. The clutch pull is practically nothing on these bikes to start out with.

it seems as though it really the only thing to argue about is the price and clutch.

we all agree that the 300 is a good value, for the difference in price.

i'm just proving the clutch has value, and is a good feature on the bike.
i will most likely be able to adjust the engagement to my needs anyway, its not a deal breaker like you suggest.

My local dealer has one 300 in stock which is white :drool: and was able to check it out.

Will probably work out some numbers on OTD price and see what my current 250 will go for as a trade or on consignment.

A demo model is also in the works so I might wait for the demo to arrive and take it for a spin.

I keep reading that not worth it...

Am I crazy for wanting to upgrade? How much extra will I have to pay after I sell 250? What if I buy ninja 300 used in 1 year?

this is not like me normally very cheap with stuff but can't stop thinking about doing this move.

Anybody else doing upgrade or thinking about it?

It's not crazy but there's no reason to "upgrade" when you have a perfectly functional bike that fulfills all your needs.

Wait a year or two before deciding to buy a 300, there will probably be a bunch of issues early adopters will discover in the coming years that Kawasaki wasn't able to. You'll also have a big aftermarket and the bike will easier to get.

I'm perfectly happy with my 2012 ninja, it does the job and I prefer the styling, but then again i'v already got FI and it's more than fast enough for the roads here.

Do what you like at the end of the day, but the fact that you have to ask should give you the answer to is it worth replacing a two year old bike for a new bike just because it's slightly more powerful.

Agreed, financially.

If it makes you happy and you are willing to spend money for a more-or-less lateral swap, why not? But it'll cost you probably a few thousand at the end of the day for a modest but noticeable performance bump.

If you want to spend less and get close to the performance of the 300, just put an AreaP and filter on your bike and jet it. Assuming you haven't already done that. If you have, then what you're really lusting after is a prettier face.

The smart move is what the veggie primate suggested. That's what I did… I bought my 08 privately in 09 with something like 1200 miles on it for only $3k. Saved a ton of money (remember, with a new bike you also pay dealer prep) and got what was essentially a new bike.

The cool thing about entry level bikes is that there's a lot of turnover and the bikes are usually in good shape. I believe that new riders buy and then soon sell Ninjettes for two reasons:

1) They really want a supersport and either don't have permission to, are scared to, or don't want to spend a lot on something they're not sure about. So they buy the entry level bike that's closest to a supersport. They ride a year or two, prove to their parents/spouses that they won't die and get permission to upgrade, or they get over the intimidation and move up, or the bug bites 'em so hard they spend the money anyway.

2) They buy the best entry level bike out there (according to just about everyone) to see if motorcycling is for them. They own it a year and it's either not what they expected or they find out they're not that into it, and sell. That's how I got mine.

Either way, most people don't own entry level bikes for long. Those around here are the exception. We own 'em because we like 'em.

What that means for you in two years is a lot of used Ninja 300s ready to be snapped up.

I personally wouldn't want to upgrade to the 300R. If you are currently owning a 250R then you should working on your riding skills. Your next upgrade should be the 600 not 300. My personal preference is the ZXR6. That's just me :D:thumbup:

I personally wouldn't want to upgrade to the 300R. If you are currently owning a 250R then you should working on your riding skills. Your next upgrade should be the 600 not 300. My personal preference is the ZXR6. That's just me :D:thumbup:

I think your next upgrade should be what ever you want it to be ;) You don't have to upgrade to 600 just because that's what all the cool kids do. (and the dealer wants you do so you spend another 11 grand)

My son has a 2012 250 parked next to my 300. Even he admits they are different machines altogether. They share 80% of the same parts but the engine/trans are just worlds apart. The new looks don't hurt either. The first time he rode the 300 he said it isn't even in the same league as his 250.

Slam dunk as an upgrade IMO. Especially if you have any performance parts to swap over.

To suggest upgrade implies superiority, it may be faster, but with the added black plastics and angular looks I prefer the 250r and since the european 250r fuel injection is better than the 300's then I would say it's a downgrade.

But like everyone says, personal choice, but if you spoke to your accountant he/she would tell you "NOO!"

I'm keeping my 250 till it or I die.

I have to agree. If you already have a 250, upgrading right now while it's still new doesn't make much sense.

It's a much harder decsion for me, since I currently own neither the 250 or the 300. But I'm just going to wait and see how the cookie crumbles. I will tell you I am leaning more towards a 2012 250 though. Thanks to some good ideas from Jiggles.

/merged

I personally wouldn't want to upgrade to the 300R. If you are currently owning a 250R then you should working on your riding skills. Your next upgrade should be the 600 not 300. My personal preference is the ZXR6. That's just me :D:thumbup:

That's the plan

But like everyone says, personal choice, but if you spoke to your accountant he/she would tell you "NOO!"


Maybe not...

If I upgrade to 600 next year. I will be paying more for bike, license (bigger cc = more$$$ where I live) and insurance.

If I upgrade to 300 next year and buy 600cc in 5 years instead I might be saving money. Because I won't have to pay higher license and insurance for 5 years. Plus riding skills improved.

Maybe not...

If I upgrade to 600 next year. I will be paying more for bike, license (bigger cc = more$$$ where I live) and insurance.

If I upgrade to 300 next year and buy 600cc in 5 years instead I might be saving money. Because I won't have to pay higher license and insurance for 5 years. Plus riding skills improved.

But if you keep your current bike and buy a 600 in as many years as you would if you upgraded to a 300 you'd have saved the money on buying a 300, and your riding skills will be improved, and your licence / insurance would be cheaper.

I have an 09 250 with 10.5k miles and I love this bike. I bought it used over a year ago with only 1.6k miles so I've put 10k over 18 months. I mainly use it for commuting 50 miles round trip 4 days a week and some weekend fun. Half of my commute is on HOV so I need power to pass sometimes which the 250 barely delivers at high speed. I'm totally happy with the 250 for what I need it for. Will the 300 satisfy this need for power to pass? is 20-25% power increase worth $2500(after I sell my 250 in spring)?

The 300 will not satisfy your "power to pass"

It does have more power, but it will not lunge forward much quicker than a 250

You would most likely pefer a bigger vtwin like a 650. Torque is what your looking for!

Disagree with you here. I can roll on thottle at 45 MPH in 6th and pass easily on the highway. Grabbing a downshift or 2 is an option but the torque in the midrange is really good. I rode most of my highway commute yesterday at an ACTUAL 87 mph. No, at that speed it will not leap to an actual 100, but from 45-85 it has plenty of snot to easily pass cars. Who are ya passing that is going 85 already?

4th gear with a +1 CS will carry you quite quickly to 87 MPH. I have been rolling on in 6th 99% of the time to pass.

My 300 positively walks away from our 1000 mile old 250.

I agree the 300 has plenty of passing power. I just don't think it has what the OP thinks it does. Or, the OP will eventually think the 300 doesn't have enough after awhile.

However you want to rationalize it, if you can swing it financially, get the 300 if that's what makes you happy.

Yup Old3 is right. Highway passing is the one area where the 250 and the 300 are just completely different bikes. Even wo the sprocket change I roll on from 65 to 85 no problem. This is a great commuter. :thumbup:

OP here - I think the $2500+ difference is not worth for me based on things discussed here. I also recently got a new money pit to think about... This.... but I still use this Ninja most days of my commute so that I can get on HOV and make fun of the cagers stuck on traffic on the regular lanes.