[Mulholland]

I have been obsessed with the 250r ever since they redesigned them, and really want to get into motorcycling, and start commuting on a bike. I live in Texas so I should be able to ride pretty well year round if I want to.

In the grassroots racing world "the answer is always miata" is a pretty common saying, meaning that when it comes down to it, for auto-x, cheap race car builds etc. etc., odds are a miata is going to be the purest, most raw, exhillerating platforms you can get your hands on. that's pretty well how I view the ninja 250r.... with the exception being the prices on 250r's are ludacris in my area.

Dealers literally laugh in your face if you think you're walking off their showroom floor with a 250r for less than $5500+... but then offer to get you out the door for next to nothing as a beginner on a 600 supersport... retards.

Also I am absolutely in love witht he 2011 white SE, love at first site, gotta have it, want it so bad. But even so, at used prices, I can get a terrific array of other suitable bikes for less than the 250r it would seems, such as a 650r, a very similar bike to the 250r some might say, or a complete monster for beginners according to others. Also the hyosung gt250r/gt650r and of course the new honda cbr250r are all options. The hyosung is attractive in ways and not in others... the cbr250r I have practically zero interest in. I have sat on them all and was comfortable witht he ergo's on all, but the honda felt very small, even compared to the 250r. I'm between 5'11 and 6'2 (about 6'0) depending on which gas station I'm leaving, and weigh in at 180ish. My friend said I looked huge on the ninja 250r, but I felt fine on it and told him he was just feeling small in the pants.

I love the 650r... I could very easily see myself ending up with one in a year or two... but I don't want to miss a stepping stone in the 250r, and odds are I would still want to keep the 250r around even if I got a new bike in a year or two. The 250r really is what I want... but how do you justify paying just as much for a 250r as a 650r both used/equal condition? It's a supersize combo for free... how do you turn it down? Is the 250r really that much more beginner friendly and suitable than the 650r? The 650r really just seems like a plus sized 250r with some balls on it... how much more unwieldy is it to manuever? Other than the obvious abilities to accelerate more rapidly, and achieve a higher terminal velocity by 30mph or so, and the associated need to know your braking distances and judge manuevers accordingly, what is different on the 650r?

I'm fairly young at 24, and don't have unlimited expendable income, and will probably not be able to buy a second bike for another year or two... probably going to have to let the wifey trade in her 08 corolla and buy her an '11/'12 kia forte in order to sneak the bike purchase in honestly... which brings me to my final 2 questions: Riding 2 up on the 250r - once I have been riding it for months (thousands of miels down the road to get acquanted and comfortable with it) am I going to be able to ride 2up without it being horrible for her? Looking more for passenger experiences her than rider. I have seen a lot of riders comment, and doubt sincerely I'd have any issue with it, but if it's awful to ride on the back of, she won't want to enjoy it with me, which leaves me without my best friend to enjoy it with as a hobby when not commuting, which will take away from the experience.

And lastly on a further not from the above, I live in Texas, I have massive lengths of huge straight highways and tollroads everywhere that speeds hover between 75-80mph cruising with slowlane traffic basically... I've seen a lot of videos on the top speed and passing power of the 250r, but seriously... are highway winds and 80mph cruising cagers going to kill me if I try and commute it on the highways here? I don't want to be riding the arterial roads through town for the next 5-6 months only to realize once I try and commute to work and cut my commute down from 45min back to 20min of tollroad like in my car, that it's just too dangerous and I'm in the way of traffic around me. I know the 250r will do 100mph-ish, and I know the 650r will knock on the door of 130mph almost, and I don't plan on going that fast in traffic on either, but having power to move away from the millions of ricers around here who will drive up your ass if you're on a bike or in a car that they think would be fun to race... it would be good to have some oomph under my wrist to quirt away from danger. I'm a bit worried the racey look of the 250r is going to get me mauled by civics and stuff... anyone share their experiences here? Not really worried about around town, but highway, the attention makes me worry. Cagers drive full retard on the highways here, especially the tollroads because they think they own them.

Thanks for answers, opinions, suggestions/recommendations in advance. I have lots of questions I know... been spending the last year+ trying to make up my mind. I just want something new to enjoy that works with my previous experience and know-how, I love cars and racing karts and I make my living slinging wrenches for the past 5+ years, limited experience with motorcycles beyond occasional dirt biking and flying around parkinglots at car events on pocket bikes when people have them. I'm not into stunting, I don't think wheelies are cool or impressive on a bike (I can do one on a Huffy...) like they are in a car (no production cars wheelie.) I don't care for drag racing really either... and I would have to find local 250 riders to ride with because all of the riders I know rock supersports or harleys and think I'm a retard for only wanting to ride 250r/650r... while I think they are retards because they act like idiots ont heir bikes and most of them are scared shitless of their uncomfortable bikes and do not enjoy them at all beyond showing up at a bar in their jacket and helmet and parking it on the curb out front to show off. Elsewise it's old guys who cruise on harleys or suzuki's, which is good and well I suppose, but they are heavy and obnoxious (the bikes... and most of the guys actually) and not for me.

I want something I can and will ride the HELL out of, pretty much all the time.