[adouglas]

You "need" a bigger bike like you "need" a giant SUV.

For the vast majority of riding that the vast majority of people do, the 250 is just fine. Arguably better than larger bikes, even.

It's kind of like an economy car. (I drive a Honda Fit, BTW). The performance is similar.

Having ridden both a new gen 250 and a GSX-R750 on the same rides for a number of years, I know first-hand what the differences between a small bike and a big bike are.

The big bike is giggle-inducing. Want to pass the five brain-dead commuters in front of you and have just enough of a gap in the other lane to do it? Beam me up, Scotty. A few seconds later and you're past 'em and GONE. It's like a Ferrari. On steroids. With a rocket pack.

On the Ninjette I could (and did) make that pass, but I'd have to plan it just like in my car. The gap might not last long enough. I'd have to get momentum up. But so-freakin'-what? I don't expect warp-drive performance from a 28-hp engine.

The big bike's brakes are OH MY GOD powerful. The Ninjette's are more like a car... but better because the bike weighs about as much as an overfed gnat.

Just like a small car, it's capable of more than people give it credit for. You'll hear that it's not good on the highway. Well, yeah, it's light. You will feel the buffeting from trucks and such, more than on a big heavy bike. But so what? If you're at all skilled it's a non-issue.

Can you do long rides? Sure. I did a 2,600-mile tour on my Ninjette just after I bought it. No sweat.

What would you "need" a bigger bike for? My answer: The exact same reason why you might "need" a big SUV... load carrying. I would not want to ride the Ninjette 2-up.