Though I normally don't do the whole "racing" thing, which is meant for closed track and not the street, and I do not condone nor recommend street racing, but I did today and am happy to say I easily won.

The story is this: I was sitting at a stoplight waiting for it to change on my way home when a tricked-out camero (modern) pulls up next to me (tricked out visually, not sure about engine) and I got the fealin' that he wanted to race. Well, We are both in the L-turn lane and I'm still not 100% comfortable with my cornering abilities so I was just like "whatever" and took the corner safe, but accelerated a bit more comming out of it and easily kept up, though I gave up about 4 length 'cause he had the inside corner and screamed through it.

Anyway, the next stoplight comes and he is still in racing mode and takes off screaming, so this time I ablige him and "delay" my in-town shifts of 6-7,000rpm to a more agressive 12,000rpm, as well as feathering the clutch a bit when starting out in 1st. Well, to make a long story short, I got about 5 full car lengths on him before I hit the speed limit, and even if I push my acceleration, I won't push the speed limit, so I stopped accelerating at roughly 45mph. The camero was roarin' trying to keep up, but just fell short of the mark (nice car though, it was white with some black checkers and a sweet hood) and even after I went from speed mode to cruise mode he still hung way back.

Anyway, again I don't recommend this type of driving, and I don't drive like this save a few sparse times and even then I hang off at the speed limit and if they want to pass me, fine, I still know I won! :D This just proves that our "little" ninjettes are still some of the faster vehicles on the road, even if they may not be supersport material. They are sporty machines intended for just that, sport driving, not track-bred monsters intended for all out world-cup racing. :) Just thought I'd share that thought!

Travis

Yup, just about any bike, including our ninjettes, can embarass most street cars in acceleration. I generally don't race anyone from stoplights, as the outcome is already known, and I'm most concerned about not getting pegged by a red-light runner coming from a side street. If I know it's all clear, and I'm in a playful mood, and a car is making it obvious that they are going to gun it at the light (modded car, loud car, young kid, any number of other tell-tale signs), all I do is take off at whatever same speed they are, sitting straight up with one hand off the bars, making it look as easy as pie (which it is) to go whatever speed they choose, right up to the speed limit or thereabouts. That seems to drive the point home that no, their car really isn't the fastest thing on the road, a bit stronger than actually trying to "race" with anyone.

Yeah, it sounds like you and me think about the same. This was a fairly quiet street area near the local college (read: lot of kids... like me!) the intersection was between a 2 parking lots with virtually no traffic at any time (very little, even durring rush hour/between classes), I don't think anyone even went through the green light (timed light, not sensored), and there was no one as far as I could see on the cross streets, so there was little fear of red light runners.

I didn't crouch or anything, but I like the one handed idea! :D This car was tricked out, and a bit "anxious" to get through the light. Plus, after the first corner I was well assured that he was wanting to race me. I already mentioned the graphics, plus I think he had an exhaust system also, because it sounded a bit deeper/louder than most Cameros I've heard.

Hehe, maybe next time I see someone like this I'll do the signature "left-hand-behind-the-back" Crotch-rocket/highway riding position :D

I love the performance on this 250! I actually had a dream last night about the performance of a ninja 1000 and it actually scared me! I kept running wide in corners just because of the acceleration, but then again, it was a dream, and maybe not based on reality. I don't know if I'll ever even WANT to even try the 1L+ sportbikes out though, a tuned 600/750 is probably as big as I'll go unless I get a harley or something. I really like the small bikes, and with the performance this 250 puts out, something like a ninja 600 would be insane, and the zx-14 would be almost unstreetable! Oh well, enough rambling!

Travis