new motorcycle

whitee5515 · April 8th, 2010, 11:42 PM

so hopefully ill be getting my first motorcycle soon and i was planning on getting a 250 but iv been told that's not a good idea bc im around 6 foot 200 something pounds. iv heard that a 500 or 650 would be good beginner bike for me. any thoughts to help my decision please

kevlarorc · April 8th, 2010, 11:56 PM

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=41220

I'm 6' as well and it doesn't feel too short. Your legs will be bent a little when you're stopped but that's pretty insignificant.

whitee5515 · April 9th, 2010, 12:13 AM

i was told that the power won't be as much as i would expect and you can't move around as much. i didn't think that would be too much of a bad thing bc then i won't be able to get into as much trouble lol

SteveL · April 9th, 2010, 12:47 AM

I am 5’11” and 190 lbs I never had a problem on the 250R if it’s your first bike it has more than enough power to get you into trouble, no it won’t give you the hang on for dear life acceleration of a 600 I4 but there is a chance you will live a bit longer.

Steve

ScraitT · April 9th, 2010, 05:25 AM

If you crave speed and acceleration, then you'll get bored of the 250. If you just want to relax and enjoy riding, the 250 is great.

The 250r is NOT a slouch in speed though. In the motorcycle world it may be slower, but compare it to a car and it's still faster to 60 then 90% of the cars on the road...

I'm not sure about the 500 (never looked at it), but the 650 is just plain fast. It's faster to 60 and through the quarter mile then almost any car (it's only real competition to 100 is things like Lamborghinis).

Then 600s are race replicas, so they are just insanely fast.

For me the 250 is great. It has usable power and gears I can actually go though without breaking the speed limit in 1st and worrying about getting in trouble.
IF you feel cramped on the 250, there are plenty of modifications listed on these forums that can help make things more comfortable as well.

rage42 · April 9th, 2010, 06:13 AM

another 6' 210ish lbs here...250's perfect unless you want to race, do more than 100 mph, or 0-60 in less than 4 seconds vs 7 seconds. I've done hours on the interstate, and plan to do more this year, lots of people take it to the track, so its very versatile.

My legs started getting a little cramped after a while, so I just put on the buell footpegs...pretty nice http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17572

JeffM · April 9th, 2010, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitee5515

i was told that the power won't be as much as i would expect and you can't move around as much. i didn't think that would be too much of a bad thing bc then i won't be able to get into as much trouble lol

I'm 5' 10" and was around 200 when I started riding my 250. Never a problem riding up the mountain canyons around here which start at 4500' and top out at 8500'. Plenty of speed to get myself in trouble. I've been riding for almost 4 years now and I am now way near able to ride my 250 at the levels it can be ridden.

Check out this video and link about the 250: http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showp...33&postcount=1

Jeff

TrueFaith · April 9th, 2010, 07:59 AM

Who's filling your head with all this trash? The salesmen at the bike dealership? I'm 6' and 220 and my 08 Ninja 250 is a lot more comfortable than an R6 or CBR600. And it's not under-powered. If anything, the 600s for sale these days are over-powered. Especially for a complete beginner.
You'd be a lot better off learning to ride on a 250 and then trading it in for a 600 or 650 after you know what you're doing. And stop listening to morons.

whitee5515 · April 9th, 2010, 09:02 AM

thank you all for reassuring my previous thoughts lol, i am back to searching for a 250 again.
and actually wayne it was my moms boyfriend lol, i wasn't really sure to believe him when he said his first bike was a suzuki 650 and he wrecked it in the first month.

demp · April 9th, 2010, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitee5515

thank you all for reassuring my previous thoughts lol, i am back to searching for a 250 again.
and actually wayne it was my moms boyfriend lol, i wasn't really sure to believe him when he said his first bike was a suzuki 650 and he wrecked it in the first month.

the last part made me chuckle, is that a bad thing?

JeffM · April 9th, 2010, 09:10 AM

No Matthew, not a bad thing. I got a kick out of it too.

CC Cowboy · April 9th, 2010, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitee5515

thank you all for reassuring my previous thoughts lol, i am back to searching for a 250 again.
and actually wayne it was my moms boyfriend lol, i wasn't really sure to believe him when he said his first bike was a suzuki 650 and he wrecked it in the first month.

Doesn't mean you can't crash a 250 in the first few rides. Be careful.

sixer · April 9th, 2010, 01:02 PM

get on the bike and decide- doit.. do it...

backinthesaddleagain · April 9th, 2010, 08:06 PM

Alot of people who haven't ridden a bike in years are clueless about what a 250 or 500 can do. Think back to the 70's. Hon CB750, CB550, Kaw Z1(900). Bikes like a Hon CB350 weren't all that earth shattering so how good can a 250 be? Consider the source of statements that a 250 is no fun. A friend of mine has a couple CB550/CB750 powered vintage road racers, a cool CB400F, and a couple stock CB750 restoration projects. His street bike - a VTR250 interceptor.

Cab305 · April 9th, 2010, 09:29 PM

No complaints on the deal i got for my 250.

But the sales manager was definitely trying to steer me into a 600 and about $5000 more debt.

TrueFaith · April 10th, 2010, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Doesn't mean you can't crash a 250 in the first few rides. Be careful.

Probably the best reason not to buy a 600 or 650 to learn on. The 250 is not only a lot more forgiving of beginner's mistakes, it's also a lot cheaper to replace or repair.

clegg · April 10th, 2010, 08:15 AM

Yeh being a big guy with a 250 myself, I can see clearly areas that the lower power of the 250 saved me from some noob mistakes. Stuff like too harsh of throttle transitions mid corner (an easy way to kick the rear of the bike out by accident), going too fast into corners, etc... Reasons I went with the 250 over the 650R:

1. Dirt cheap insurance... like $12 a month for me, full coverage at the same level I cover my car with.
2. Cheap purchase price, 3000 - 4000K cheaper than the 2010 650R.
3. Great mileage
4. Easy, flickable, and responsive. Being so light and with the narrower tires make it great for learning the turning techniques and ballance of the bike.
5. Good ergonomics - fits and rides well.
6. Simple maint, the bike is simple and straight forward. Easy oil changes, low chain and tire wear, low clutch wear, etc...

I have no quams about that purchase. Down the road I will be upgrading, but I can easily see keeping the 250R as its just a fun easy to ride bike for getting around town.

untdavid · April 12th, 2010, 08:55 AM

I'm 6ft tall and 210 lbs. The 250r is more than enough for around town riding, but I have to admit that Freeway riding gets alittle scary for me.

April 8th, 2010, 11:42 PM	#1
whitee5515 ninjette.org newbie Name: christopher Location: winder ga Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): none yet Posts: 7	new motorcycle so hopefully ill be getting my first motorcycle soon and i was planning on getting a 250 but iv been told that's not a good idea bc im around 6 foot 200 something pounds. iv heard that a 500 or 650 would be good beginner bike for me. any thoughts to help my decision please

April 8th, 2010, 11:56 PM	#2
kevlarorc noob motovlogger Name: Gareth Location: Austin, TX Join Date: Dec 2009 Motorcycle(s): Black 2009 250r Posts: 328	http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=41220 I'm 6' as well and it doesn't feel too short. Your legs will be bent a little when you're stopped but that's pretty insignificant. __________________________________________________ My Motovlog "Damn, either shimming the needles fixes 90% of any problems with the 250Rs, or kkim owns stock in a washer manufacturer." -DmbShn41

April 9th, 2010, 12:47 AM	#4
SteveL old git Name: Steve Location: Geneve Switzerland Join Date: Mar 2009 Motorcycle(s): BMW K1300S Posts: 479	I am 5’11” and 190 lbs I never had a problem on the 250R if it’s your first bike it has more than enough power to get you into trouble, no it won’t give you the hang on for dear life acceleration of a 600 I4 but there is a chance you will live a bit longer. Steve __________________________________________________ Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

April 9th, 2010, 05:25 AM	#5
ScraitT Green! Name: Tyler Location: S. Florida Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): 08 Ninja 250R, 04 Honda CRF230F, 94 Honda XR80R Posts: 505	If you crave speed and acceleration, then you'll get bored of the 250. If you just want to relax and enjoy riding, the 250 is great. The 250r is NOT a slouch in speed though. In the motorcycle world it may be slower, but compare it to a car and it's still faster to 60 then 90% of the cars on the road... I'm not sure about the 500 (never looked at it), but the 650 is just plain fast. It's faster to 60 and through the quarter mile then almost any car (it's only real competition to 100 is things like Lamborghinis). Then 600s are race replicas, so they are just insanely fast. For me the 250 is great. It has usable power and gears I can actually go though without breaking the speed limit in 1st and worrying about getting in trouble. IF you feel cramped on the 250, there are plenty of modifications listed on these forums that can help make things more comfortable as well. __________________________________________________ 2008 Green 250R

April 10th, 2010, 08:15 AM	#17
clegg ninjette.org member Name: Joe Location: Madison, WI Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Triumph Sprint ST 1050 - Blue, Had a '09 Ninja 250R Posts: 18	Yeh being a big guy with a 250 myself, I can see clearly areas that the lower power of the 250 saved me from some noob mistakes. Stuff like too harsh of throttle transitions mid corner (an easy way to kick the rear of the bike out by accident), going too fast into corners, etc... Reasons I went with the 250 over the 650R: 1. Dirt cheap insurance... like $12 a month for me, full coverage at the same level I cover my car with. 2. Cheap purchase price, 3000 - 4000K cheaper than the 2010 650R. 3. Great mileage 4. Easy, flickable, and responsive. Being so light and with the narrower tires make it great for learning the turning techniques and ballance of the bike. 5. Good ergonomics - fits and rides well. 6. Simple maint, the bike is simple and straight forward. Easy oil changes, low chain and tire wear, low clutch wear, etc... I have no quams about that purchase. Down the road I will be upgrading, but I can easily see keeping the 250R as its just a fun easy to ride bike for getting around town. __________________________________________________ Riding gear: Tourmaster Hi-Vis Epic Jacket, Firstgear HT Air pants, Alpine star gloves (summer)/Firstgear Insulated leather gloves (spring/fall), TCX X-Five boots, Shoei Multitec helmet... etc... )

April 9th, 2010, 12:13 AM	#3
whitee5515 ninjette.org newbie Name: christopher Location: winder ga Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): none yet Posts: 7	i was told that the power won't be as much as i would expect and you can't move around as much. i didn't think that would be too much of a bad thing bc then i won't be able to get into as much trouble lol

April 9th, 2010, 06:13 AM	#6
rage42 ninjette.org member Name: Matt Location: Waterford, MI Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 09 250R Posts: 186	another 6' 210ish lbs here...250's perfect unless you want to race, do more than 100 mph, or 0-60 in less than 4 seconds vs 7 seconds. I've done hours on the interstate, and plan to do more this year, lots of people take it to the track, so its very versatile. My legs started getting a little cramped after a while, so I just put on the buell footpegs...pretty nice http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17572

April 9th, 2010, 07:59 AM	#8
TrueFaith ninjette.org sage Name: Wayne Location: Brookfield, MA Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Honda CBR250R Posts: 585	Who's filling your head with all this trash? The salesmen at the bike dealership? I'm 6' and 220 and my 08 Ninja 250 is a lot more comfortable than an R6 or CBR600. And it's not under-powered. If anything, the 600s for sale these days are over-powered. Especially for a complete beginner. You'd be a lot better off learning to ride on a 250 and then trading it in for a 600 or 650 after you know what you're doing. And stop listening to morons.

April 9th, 2010, 09:02 AM	#9
whitee5515 ninjette.org newbie Name: christopher Location: winder ga Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): none yet Posts: 7	thank you all for reassuring my previous thoughts lol, i am back to searching for a 250 again. and actually wayne it was my moms boyfriend lol, i wasn't really sure to believe him when he said his first bike was a suzuki 650 and he wrecked it in the first month.

April 9th, 2010, 09:10 AM	#11
JeffM Mr. 988 Name: Jeff Location: Sandy, Utah Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): One Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 1	No Matthew, not a bad thing. I got a kick out of it too.

April 9th, 2010, 01:02 PM	#13
sixer no joy Name: Six Location: Cali Join Date: Nov 2009 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 2006 636 Posts: 408	get on the bike and decide- doit.. do it...

April 9th, 2010, 08:06 PM	#14
backinthesaddleagain ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Greg Location: Rhode Island Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2013 ZX6R 636 Posts: A lot.	Alot of people who haven't ridden a bike in years are clueless about what a 250 or 500 can do. Think back to the 70's. Hon CB750, CB550, Kaw Z1(900). Bikes like a Hon CB350 weren't all that earth shattering so how good can a 250 be? Consider the source of statements that a 250 is no fun. A friend of mine has a couple CB550/CB750 powered vintage road racers, a cool CB400F, and a couple stock CB750 restoration projects. His street bike - a VTR250 interceptor.

April 9th, 2010, 09:29 PM	#15
Cab305 ninjette.org sage Name: Cab Location: Miami Beach Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): Blue 10 250r Posts: 697	No complaints on the deal i got for my 250. But the sales manager was definitely trying to steer me into a 600 and about $5000 more debt.

April 12th, 2010, 08:55 AM	#18
untdavid ninjette.org member Name: David Location: Dallas, TX Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): Candy Plasma Blue 250r Posts: 79	I'm 6ft tall and 210 lbs. The 250r is more than enough for around town riding, but I have to admit that Freeway riding gets alittle scary for me.