Quote:
Originally Posted by karlosdajackal
I don't know the 250r is a fine bike, rated 4/5 in most magazine even though its an old design with cheap parts it seems to add up to more than the sum of its parts. But if time went back to 09/09/09 and you put a new 250r and a slightly used 2004 636 in front of me for the same money, I'd take the 636 with its fancy parts, future usefulness, low depreciation and modern tech over the nice but basic 250r built on 25 year old tech, less upgrade potential and "higher" depreciation.
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First off the model you are talking about is a new design, not old. It only came out in 2008, with only about 30% of the old motor making it onto the new design. EVERYTHING else is brand new design. Perhaps you should learn more about the bike before making such statements. Not sure where you got your numbers but the 636 weighs closer to 190kg+ wet, not 170kg. Also a fatter tire usually means slower turning rather then faster turning because it takes longer to make the lean with a larger surface area. This is one reason why in the mountains here in the US the 250 with an expert rider will stomp on a 636 all day long in the twists and turns but lose in the straights.
I don't know what the prices over there are, but here in the states the 250 you have now will depreciate extremely slowly. I still see 2005 EX250's going for more then some of the 636's.
Quote:
Originally Posted by karlosdajackal
Anyway, test is at least 2 months away then I'd have to find a buyer, and a nice example of the 636. So just an idea at the moment. But it surprises me how much people spend on exhausts for 250s for minimal gain, they complain about the lack of digital gauges, they put on clipons and rear sets, spend hours on carbs and all for minimal gains, swap out forks and swingarms even to put better tires and brakes on, with big time/costs involved.
But you could have a bike with all that good stuff on it already for the same money you'd get selling a nice stock barely used 250r. Heck i found a Yamaha Radian for €500, similar technology to the ninja, better tires, 600cc motor can be restricted, same riding position and comfortable, great sound too. Don't get me wrong I like the bike, and probably for a first bike (bought with heart not head) it works well enough. But if I look back and say to myself was that sensible? Was it the best option? I'm not so sure  |
For people that are doing all those mods most of the time it is actually cheaper then getting a bigger bike. Also there's more to it then just getting the bigger better thing. If you got a little sport coupe would you try to personalize it to your taste or just sell it for something else in the hopes it's what you REALLY want? People mod the 250 to personalize the bike to them, make it their own. Sure they could go out and get a bigger bike, but that's not the point nor what they want. They want the 250 the way they picture in their mind, the way it's comfortable or fun for them. So they make it that way just like thousands do with little sport coupes round the world.
Ok, lets say all these modders get a bigger bike and decide they want to mod that to suite their needs. Now they will have to shell out tons more then they would have for the 250 to get it to where they want and in the end would gain a smaller % of improvement. Oh sure they could get another 20hp over getting another 8hp (if you're lucky) out of the 250. However that would be 20hp more on a 130hp motor, a gain of about 15%. While on the 250 if you can squeeze out another 8hp on a 26hp motor you gain 30% for less money then it took on the 636.
These are great little bikes that are built for a purpose and do that job better then anything else out on the market. They also have more aftermarket parts available then just about any other bike on the planet. In some countries they can either spend a couple grand on doing crazy mods to the 250 or they could spend over $30-$40k on a bike like the 636 because of their country's regulations on any bike bigger then 250cc.
I hope I shed some light on the subject for you as to why people do what they do with the 250. If you think the 636 is what you want just for the better parts then I hope you are right. But I would suggest making sure the bike is a good fit for you on comfort and handling. That bike is a major change in ergonomics and comfort from the 250. Many have thought it would be the better bike for them only to find it was too uncomfortable to truly enjoy. That is my only real advice in looking at the 636, just make sure it's comfortable enough for you to enjoy. Otherwise it will just be a waste. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
