The Ninja 300 is a Terrible Beginner Bike

[Jiggles]

Man this thing sucks for beginners. Its so much less noob friendly than the 250. Where to start... Well I have this video from my gf's first ride and she was having a hell of a time with it.

Ok so, this bike is very finicky with staying on. Half the time when coming to a stop it will just die as evidenced by this video. You might think its operator error but it happens when I ride it too. My gf does nooby shifts which doesn't help the problem but I don't want to tell her to do other things because it will probably be too much for a noob to concentrate on. For example if you pull the clutch but stay on the throttle and let it down easy while stopping then it won't die but thats just asking her to do too many things at once right now.

So to try and correct it I jacked the idle way the **** up and that helped a little though it still happens.

Then there is that ****** ass on/off engine. This is the exact problem that I HATED on the ninja 650 though it is less prevalent on the 300. At lower speeds its very hard to find that coasting amount of throttle. You're either accelerating or decelerating and when you make that switch the bike will jerk you. Carbs are so much more noob friendly in that respect though some decent fuel mapping would solve the 300s issue. Its so annoying I'm half considering a power commander even though I bought this bike with the intention of leaving it as stock as possible.

Then theres the brakes, those are pretty nooby friendly, ****ing impossible to lock up

So I told my gf to ride my 250 instead since its so much easier to control. She was hesitant because she knows how much time effort and $$$$ I've put into it and she doesn't want to crash it or mess it up. But I told her to learn on this one and then she can go back to riding Persimmon (thats what she named my 300.....) when she is more comfortable controlling it.

So the Ninja 300 still sucks and is going to fail and here's a vid of my gf's first ride

Video should finish 2 hours from this post

Link to original page on YouTube.

[lgk]

what gear and rpm are you at when you're trying to coast?

[Brother Michigan]

The 300 is pretty finicky in first gear (because it's so darn short), but every other gear is smooth as butter in my book.

[old3]

Raise the gearing +1 CS, IDK what they were thinking on those final drive ratios. It relieves some of the snatchiness. You will learn to ride around it in long turns, it thankfully is pretty easy to get past but is there. The tight engagement point of the clutch counters the super easy pull IMO. Again, a mystery why they did that too.

Sounds like you got one of the stallers. No cure has been found as of yet, but a tuner wouldn't hurt it. Mine stalled a couple times early on, never again since Area P tune went in its gut.

[rojoracing53]

Me thinks your GF's natural skills are simply to much for the stock 300 and she simply needs raw untamed power of the jiggles special edition 250. It sounds like the 636 would be a much better bike for her to learn on IMO.

[Joshorilla]

With the on/off jerkyness, the FI 250 is very much like this also, it also dies on decelleration, or at least drops down to about 1k rpm.

I believe the FI systems are near identicle, at least the bazzaz system works for both the 250 / 300 with the same everything, bar maps and O2 sensor.

So it may be worth getting a bazzaz, they seem to be cheaper than PC's and they get better reviews from what I see.

[Tigerpaw]

You have a lemon. Take it to the shop.

My 300 never stalls(idle was set to spec). Is not jerky(outside of the super low first gear.

[allanoue]

my unmodified 300 never stalls maybe downshift sooner and push the slipper clutch some

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by allanoue

my unmodified 300 never stalls maybe downshift sooner and push the slipper clutch some

I can ride it and make or so it doesn't stall but she doesn't have that level of skill yet. Her shifting process is let the friction zone on the clutch handle it.

[csmith12]

Gratz on her first ride!

[JohnnyBravo]

You got to have a lemon... Mines great

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBravo

You got to have a lemon... Mines great

I think you're just doing it wrong

[xSean13]

Get an R6

[HKr1]

Whats all the clunking noise coming to a stop??

[Jono]

Hurry up and total that bike on the track!!

[Byakkotai]

She handled the stalls really well (especially in traffic) imo. Did the dealer check out the bike yet?

[Coolbpf]

I think jiggles is just a troll.

[allanoue]

I think jiggles gf is learning how to stop properly and the 300 will not let her develop a bad habit.

[Joshorilla]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBravo

You got to have a lemon... Mines great

I agree, Jiggles should get a working GF.

Also, you do something that really bugs me with where you walk the bike while slowing down, some people do it because they like it, some people aren't confident riding slowly (past stop signs! ) you would fail your test for doing that here! (Both walking the bike and doing a rolling stop)

But seriosuly, just get her to pull in the clutch on the 300 sooner, that stops the bike from dying, I noticed on the 250 that if I decelled to a speed I would be comfortable riding at low rpm's the bike would drop revs and die, the fix is to just pull the clutch sooner and give a little throttle.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Byakkotai

She handled the stalls really well (especially in traffic) imo. Did the dealer check out the bike yet?

Haven't taken it down yet, probably will after my next trackday

Originally Posted by Coolbpf

I think jiggles is just a troll.

I will mouth rape you

Originally Posted by allanoue

I think jiggles gf is learning how to stop properly and the 300 will not let her develop a bad habit.

What do you mean?

Originally Posted by Joshorilla

I agree, Jiggles should get a working GF.

Also, you do something that really bugs me with where you walk the bike while slowing down, some people do it because they like it, some people aren't confident riding slowly (past stop signs! ) you would fail your test for doing that here! (Both walking the bike and doing a rolling stop)

But seriosuly, just get her to pull in the clutch on the 300 sooner, that stops the bike from dying, I noticed on the 250 that if I decelled to a speed I would be comfortable riding at low rpm's the bike would drop revs and die, the fix is to just pull the clutch sooner and give a little throttle.

I do or she does? When in the video? When I was turning around in gravel?

Also the problem seems to be that when the throttle is closed and in gear there is no fuel going to the engine then the clutch is pulled and the engine dies rapidly and isn't able to catch up when it hits idle. If you rev it with the clutch in or in neutral it won't die.

[Joshorilla]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

I do or she does? When in the video? When I was turning around in gravel?

Should have made it more clear, she does it about 40 seconds in, you mention gravel, I always "walk" the bike through gravel, that's the only exception and a wise move, kick out the outriggers and if she (the bike) slips you have a chance of saving it or stepping off.

[Jiggles]

Yea I've noticed she leaves her legs down for too long too. It's a confidence thing with her. It's best not to have a noob think about too many things at once so I'll let it slide until she gets some more experience

[JohnnyBravo]

What am I doing wrong, besides having no problem with my 300? Seems to me I'm doing something right... Perfect bike for this beginner!

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

What do you mean?

idk it just sounded to me like she was in too low of a gear, like it was lugging way before she was going to stop then you would caption it shut. It sounds like there is a flaw in the programming in the FI but I am sure I have the same flaw but I do not notice it because I stay in gear all the way to first gear than clutch in.

Now I know I could likely be wrong but that is my

[Jiggles]

Well she doesn't blip and downshift, she's too much of a noob

[allanoue]

skip the blip the slipper clutch will cover her

[Jiggles]

That's what she does

[allanoue]

ya but don't skip the down shift

[Daks]

Good. People will buy them, sell them and then we can buy them used. B)

[gt_turbo]

That's gotta be disappointing. Trade it in for a 500!

[iceknyght]

Originally Posted by Daks

Good. People will buy them, sell them and then we can buy them used. B)

This is what I have been waiting for, but haven't seen many used ones up for sale yet...

[Byakkotai]

Originally Posted by iceknyght

This is what I have been waiting for, but haven't seen many used ones up for sale yet...

There are a couple on C-list...mostly owners trying to recoup however much they lost at the dealer though

[iceknyght]

Originally Posted by Byakkotai

There are a couple on C-list...mostly owners trying to recoup however much they lost at the dealer though

Yeah, I have seen a few of those (I have IFTTT recipes for 650's and 300's), as well as dealer (advertising), but I am assuming it'll be at least another 6 months or so before people start posting them at a reasonable price... Perhaps around the fall...

[tfkrocks]

I saw a 300 w/ABS on craigslist for more than what I paid OTD at the dealer and I already thought I paid too much. These sellers are out of their mind.

[CycleCam303]

Yes but people must be paying those ridiculous prices. I'm no better I paid 4 grand for an 09... 8 months ago...

[iceknyght]

Originally Posted by CycleCam303

Yes but people must be paying those ridiculous prices. I'm no better I paid 4 grand for an 09... 8 months ago...

Damn, I could have sold you my '09 for $4k 8 or 9 months ago?!

[massacremasses]

Originally Posted by CycleCam303

Yes but people must be paying those ridiculous prices. I'm no better I paid 4 grand for an 09... 8 months ago...

where were you when I sold mine 2 years ago.... lol

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by CycleCam303

Yes but people must be paying those ridiculous prices. I'm no better I paid 4 grand for an 09... 8 months ago...

I bought my 2011 for 4k 9 months ago.

But mine was completely stock and therefore worth it

[subxero]

tons of 300's for sale here in D/M/V area all the same story. "bought this bike x months ago, upgrading to bigger bike..." All mostly listed at $4200-$5000 1500-3k miles on them.

I hate selling stuff, i will never sell my 250 regardless of getting another bike...or several bikes. 1st i would take to big of a hit money wise for what i did to it, and 2nd i'm a hoarder and all my toys mean far much to me to ever get rid of

[fishdip]

I think every one who is so in love with the 300. And won't admit to its down falls is the fact they along with the rest of the 300 owners got riped off like the rest of us.