New Rider With A Comparison Question

[colen1520]

Hello all, I'm Nick from Wisconsin. I'm new to the sport bike world, and have really minimal riding experience when it comes to bikes. I want to buy my first bike and have it narrowed down to either a 250r or Yamaha R6. Now I know most on this site will be biased, but I'm wondering what would be a better bike to start off with. My main concern is although the 250r being a smaller bike would be obvious choice, i'm concerned after getting comfortable on the bike I will want something a little faster. Any thoughts?

[smackenz]

of course u will eventually want to go crazy fast, but the 250 is a great learning bike and for many ppl on this forum it is a great bike to keep for life. the 250s are a fun ride, and can be ridden hard on the street, u get to use all the gears and actually give her without worrying about flying through a school zone. i have never ridden an r6 but i understand as a new rider if u were to make a mistake and give the throttle a twist u can easily end up on ur back watching ur bike go down the street. i think the 250 is a great way to start and build up your skills. someone with more experience will probably have alot more than me to share

[EsrTek]

Give yourself 2yrs on a 250r then get the r6 and you will be able to use what the R6 can deliver.

[colen1520]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm definitely leaning more towards the 250r now. It just seems like when ever I talk to friends bigger is always better and I don't want to drop 3-4k on a bike and not be satisfied in the long run.

[BlackNinja8]

Originally Posted by colen1520

Hello all, I'm Nick from Wisconsin. I'm new to the sport bike world, and have really minimal riding experience when it comes to bikes. I want to buy my first bike and have it narrowed down to either a 250r or Yamaha R6. Now I know most on this site will be biased, but I'm wondering what would be a better bike to start off with. My main concern is although the 250r being a smaller bike would be obvious choice, i'm concerned after getting comfortable on the bike I will want something a little faster. Any thoughts?

Just went through the same thought process as you. I was deciding between and 250r and an FZ6 or 650r. I know how you feel. You want the biggest bike you can manage, and if you were confident in your skills you would get the R6 - but you're not confident and that's why my advice would be the 250r. A newgen could be had in your area for $3K and 6 months from now you could probably sell it for $3k - so there is little risk of much depreciation. I bought my 250r 3 weeks ago and so far I'm very happy. There have been 5 or so times when riding where I say "thank god I got this bike." Poor corning lines, poor low speed clutch feathering, poor parking technique, and excessive throttle at take off are all forgiven on a 250r. Many are not on an R6.

You already know its a good bike to learn on, so let me say that there is plenty bike here to keep you interested. This bike has plenty of get up depending on your riding prefs. You can putt about town or you can own traffic. If you crave, 130mph speeds then yes you will eventually want an r6 but [B]until you are ready for that r6[B] you will have loads of fun with this bike. From a stoplight you are still the first one off the line and way ahead of traffic if you are driving agressively. While you are working your way up to 130mph, 75 - 105mph will keep you interested...and much safer.

Ignore what your friends tell you!!!! Anyone who equates the size of your engine to riding prowess is a poser. Real riders know that its about the ride, not what you ride. Just my 2 noob cents!

[colen1520]

Originally Posted by BlackNinja8

Just went through the same thought process as you. I was deciding between and 250r and an FZ6 or 650r. I bought my 250r 3 weeks ago and so far I'm very happy. There have been 5 or so times when riding where I say "thank god I got this bike." Poor corning lines, imperfect low speed clutch feathering, poor parking technique, and excessive throttle at take off are all forgiven on a 250r. Many are not on an R6.

You already know its a good bike to learn on, so let me say that there is plenty bike here to keep you interested. If you crave, 130mph speeds then yes you will eventually want an r6 but until you are ready for that r6 you will have loads of fun with this bike. From a stoplight you are still the first one off the line and way ahead of traffic if you are driving agressively. While you are working your way up to 130mph, 75 - 105mph will keep you interested...and much safer.

Just my 2 noob cents!

I appreciate the response. I think now I'm for sure going with the 250. I guess I spent more time worrying about the future than I did how inexperienced I will be when I actually get the bike. And of coarse safety is always number 1.

[austexjg]

I have noticed that riding the ZX6R is not as "fun" as the 250r - the ZX6R takes total concentration when riding at higher speeds on roads with lots of turns. The 250r is a very forgiving bike that makes being on two wheels just plain fun - the ZX6R makes you want to ride at higher level and will make you pay for not being able to "ride - in all aspects" with total confidence. Mistakes made on the 250r are not as pronounced as on the ZX6R - your SRs (survival reactions) tend to kick in more with the faster/heavier bike.

[Klondike1020]

If you learn on a 250 you will learn skills and ridding style.
Then when you upgrade you will be a better rider for having done it.

[Toly]

It depends on what you want... if you want to show off, definitely get the R6. If you want to learn and ride well, get the 250.

[choneofakind]

Of course this forum is going to be a little biased towards the 250 as the best learning bike period, because many of us learned on one and fell in love with it. There are also many many experienced riders who still love their incredibly slow (hardly) and boring (yeah right) ninja 250R's. It is a very forgiving machine, but at the same time, it is still very quick on twisty roads, and is still fun as hell in the same manner that a Mazda Miata is just as fun as a Corvette. They both drive the same roads, and while the Corvette is faster, they are both very good at different things, and are both butt-loads of fun to drive for different reasons.

But since we are going to be a little bit biased here towards our beloved ninjette, here's a source that is biased in another direction, but saying the same thing that we do, which is that the 250R is a great bike to learn on; Supersports are not.

Go ask any responsible, experienced rider, and they will tell you that the 250R is a the perfect bike to learn on. Go ask any current rider of a 250R, and they'll tell you how much fun it is. Go watch any 250R track-day junkie or 250R racer, and they'll show you just how fast the bike it when they put it through its' paces.

You won't ever be able to explore the full limits of a supersport on the street, especially an R6; that's one of the most savage, race ready, high strung 600's out there. (topping it out on the freeway and not s**tting your pants doesn't count as "needing a bigger bike") Honestly, most of us average riders won't have the skill to explore the limits of a 600, even on a track.

Trust me, you'll be happy with a 250, as long as you can learn to love it for what it is, because it is down-right fun. Yes, 600's are a blast, and I fully support riding them, because they're simply amazing machines. I'm not naive enough to think, "the 250 is the only bike you'll ever need omg how dare you ever say you want a larger bike that can induce tunnel vision and drops panties with the twist of a wrist!!!" But trust me, you'll still love the 250.

Starting small builds the skills and experience necessary to be competent and proficient on a larger machine. Your first bike isn't your last bike; don't buy a bike assuming that is the case. My only friends with the bigger=better attitude are the ones who don't ride.

[BlackNinja8]

Originally Posted by colen1520

I appreciate the response. I think now I'm for sure going with the 250. I guess I spent more time worrying about the future than I did how inexperienced I will be when I actually get the bike. And of coarse safety is always number 1.

As new riders we look at this dilema as if we are choosing between safety (250) and fun (bigger bike). Knowing what I know now and echoing what members on this board have been saying, this bike is both - safer for the noob, and loads of fun. You will hear many experienced riders who own a 250r and a 600 say that their 250 is more fun. I think that's because the bike is so nimble that you can really move the bike in and out of corners without the precision and effort that heavier bikes require. Leaning into a corner at 40mph feels just as good on a 250r as it does on a 600 I would imagine. On a 600 you may get to 70mph before the next turn while the 250 may only get to 55mph but the speed at which you navigate through that next corner depends on your ability and traction not necessarily the bike. This is a lot of bike, especially for the $ you pay for it. IMO you will not be disappointed. If you only keep the bike for one season and resell you will recoup most of your investment and this will amount to a great starter bike rented for 1 season on the cheap at worst. Good luck

[BlackNinja8]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

still fun as hell in the same manner that a Mazda Miata is just as fun as a Corvette. They both drive the same roads, and while the Corvette is faster, they are both very good at different things, and are both butt-loads of fun to drive for different reasons.

My only friends with the bigger=better attitude are the ones who don't ride.

I used a similar anology with a bmw 3 series and 7 series. No doubt the 7 is a more powerful and advanced machine. But whether it is "better" depends on your tastes and riding habits. If you have a 50 mile freeway commute you may prefer the 7. But if you enjoy carving canyons on a Sunday afternoon you may prefer the more nimble, light weight 3 series.

I have noticed when other riders see me on my bike they are impressed with the looks of the little ninja and usually say something like "nice bike, ride safe."

When I tell someone who is into bikes but no longer rides, they'll say something like "you should've told me before you bought that I would have told you to start out on a 600." - Dude who said my bike is for "starting out?" I love this thing and I'll be riding it long after I'm done "starting out" whether I get another bike or not. Strangely if you tell someone you just bought a Civic they don't say "you should've asked me, I would've told you to get an Audi A4"

[choneofakind]

@BlackNinja8 I like the BMW analogy also. Very fitting. But seriously who buys a Civic for their kid when they learn to drive? Civics are for pansies. Get your kid a GT-R!

[KJohnson21]

Another detail to check is insurance costs. The rates for a 250R are usually a fraction of the R6.

[BlackNinja8]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

@BlackNinja8 I like the BMW analogy also. Very fitting. But seriously who buys a Civic for their kid when they learn to drive? Civics are for pansies. Get your kid a GT-R!

lol...seriously any self-respecting teenage boy drops his nuts in an Evo minimum.

[csmith12]

I have both bikes - The R6 is not for the faint of heart, with stock gearing, it goes from a kinda doggy 600 in the low rpm range to a vicious beast at higher rpm.

[colen1520]

Ok well I appreciate all the words of wisdom! You guys have me sold on a 250 now. I'm looking at a 2012 with 12 miles on it for 4k. Is it worth buying new or should I look for a couple year older bike?

[massacremasses]

Originally Posted by colen1520

Ok well I appreciate all the words of wisdom! You guys have me sold on a 250 now. I'm looking at a 2012 with 12 miles on it for 4k. Is it worth buying new or should I look for a couple year older bike?

first bike?

dont get a new one...

[choneofakind]

^^ true that.

Check out this thread for for a poll on how many people dropped their bike and how long it took them. Notice how if you add up everyone who's dropped their bike within the first 6 months or less (which is cumulative because you can only select 1 response) it heavily outweighs those who have never had a drop. Drops happen to the best of us when we're newbies

[BlackNinja8]

Originally Posted by colen1520

Ok well I appreciate all the words of wisdom! You guys have me sold on a 250 now. I'm looking at a 2012 with 12 miles on it for 4k. Is it worth buying new or should I look for a couple year older bike?

I bought used because my thinking was IF I didn't like it and wanted to sell within 6 months, then I wouldn't lose any money. If you buy new and sell in 6 months you will lose a considerable amount. I ran into a few sellers while I was looking who were selling their bikes after only a few months. They couldn't sell their bikes because they were asking too much. They needed a higher price to pay off their loans. You'll pay $4500 to walk out the door with it and by the time you wake up the next morning you'll be lucky if you can get $3700. This is how the market has been in NY anyway. By comparison, I found a dealer selling a leftover 2011 new for $3600 before tax and tag.

That said, if you buy used get a bike you wouldn't mind hanging on to because you are gonna love it

[nickjpass]

Unbiased answer:

There is also the CBR250R, and the Hyosung GT250R.

Start small.

[Cazper]

I too went through this dilema 2 years ago when I bought my 250R. I'm in the Marine Corps... and that being said Marines are some of the most cocky... egotistical... bigger=better that there are. (it's okay... I am a Marine and have been for nearly 15 years... I can get away with saying all that )

Anyway, I went with what I read on pretty much any motorcycle forum out there that is worth anything and decided I would start small so that I could actually learn how to ride well before upgrading. I couldn't have been happier!!! I've now put 2 years and 11K miles on my bike (which I bought new, although it was a leftover from the previous year... 09' bought in 10')

I've done quite a few mods... so I've learned how to work on it... and I've ridden on pretty much all kinds of roads... I believe I have made myself a fairly decent rider. I am deploying in a few weeks and plan to buy another bike when I get back... note ANOTHER... I'm not getting rid of the 250R... it's too much fun!!!

Have I taken a lot of smack for buying and owning a little bike... yes... but any of the courses that I've attended (BRC, MSRC, Lee Parks Level 1 & 2) they all commend me on my choice to start small. Inevitably it's your choice... could you get a 600 and be okay... probably... would you be a better rider if you started out smaller and upgrade after a season or two... almost certainly

[thisisbenji]

I'd say go with whatever you feel confident on. Used 250s are a great place to start, even the cheap pregen ones. If you feel confident enough to ride a 600 go ahead and get one. I know plenty of people who started on 600s in our area who are doing just fine. Might have something to do with the lack of turns though.

[Snake]

Hello and welcome