Upgrading

[Ricke115]

Now ive had my 08 Ninja 250 for awhile and i think im ready to upgrade to a bigger CC bike but im not sure if i want to trade in my 250 or sell it and then use that $ as a down payment, any suggestions, there a couple 07-11 zx-6r's around here at dealers for 7-9k out the door so im interested lol

[csmith12]

Totally up to you man. You know what you can and can not afford.

I have seen so many riders sell off their 250 to only regret it later.

[psych0hans]

^^^ exactly what he said... If money isn't too much of a constraint, keep your ninjette as a second bike.. you wont regret it...

[Xoulrath]

And then there are people like me who only got the 250 to build skills. I don't miss mine at all. In fact I much prefer my ex-wife's TU205X to the Ninjette. It has far more character.

My problems with the Ninjette were many: I HATED the way it sounded, I do not like parallel twin exhaust notes; I hated the fact that to go anywhere with a bit of speed I had to wring the thing's neck out despite the fact that the bike was so loud it made it sound like you were moving at warp speed; I hated the bike being slower than my car; I hated the "upgrade" to the engine that the new-gens saw that resulted in less peak HP and lesser fuel economy; I hated how loud it was when I was on a back road at a reasonable pace and I felt like I needed to dial it down so I didn't attract unnecessary attention, even though my speeds were reasonable. There were many things I simply didn't like about the bike.

Don't get me wrong it is a fantastic motorcyle; but if I ever own a Ninja 250 again it will be a new-gen for racing.

I love small displacement motorcycles. I adore that little TU. That bike, while making less power than the Ninjette, doesn't false-advertise like the littlest Ninja does. What you see it what you get; you don't expect tons of power based on its looks or its sound. With the Ninja 250 it always felt like there would be more on tap, and then nothing. The TU gives everything its got and doesn't sound like I'm mowing the grass while doing so. And people talk about riding a small bike fast; well you can literally ride the wheels off of that thing and it is probably one of the few bikes on the market that can truly be ridden to 100% on the street.

A Ninjette is a great motorcycle, but I feel it is even more suited for the track than the 600's are. On my 600 I can get a quick rush of acceleration coming out of a corner, while keeping noise levels down and thus not drawing attention to me, and then be done. On the Ninjette, when I decided to push it and not worry about noise, I found myself going way too fast for far too long because its all about momentum and rhythm. That is true of the TU as well, but its 12 HP lacks the ability to get you up to 80+ mph on back roads, if at all.

I agree with Chris. Assess what you do and don't like about the bike. If you really like it and know you will use it and can afford to do so, then keep it. If your feelings are more like mine and you know you won't ever choose it over the new bike, then why incur the costs of two motorcycles?

[jstrain]

You'll likely get more money by selling it privately than you will trading it in.

[Jiggles]

With the stock exhaust the ninja is not loud at all..... That dude is on crack

[nst416]

I think you should keep the bike as a commuter and use the ZX6R as your weekend warrior. After all, the mpg difference between the two bikes are pretty significant. Plus the Ninja 250R is a fun little bike to flick around

[alex.s]

zx-14r

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

With the stock exhaust the ninja is not loud at all..... That dude is on crack

The exhaust may not be but the engine sure is. Once you get up to like 8k and up it sounds as if new planets are being created between your legs.

I haven't ridden an inline 4 motorcycle but I would assume that the engine is quieter and smoother. Idk. You can at least easily ride them in the streets with lower rpms. So less engine and exhaust noise.

[Jiggles]

I couldn't even hear the bike if I was going fast enough

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by Jono

Once you get up to like 8k and up it sounds as if new planets are being created between your legs.

hmmm, is there something you're not telling us Jono? new planets being created between your legs? mmmmmm!

Originally Posted by Jono

I haven't ridden an inline 4 motorcycle but I would assume that the engine is quieter and smoother. Idk.

Smoother maybe. Quieter no.

If you think a ninja 250 is a new planet, an inline 4 is a solar system!

[Xoulrath]

Both the '08 600 and the '11 600 are quieter when I need them to be and deliver more power than the Ninjette ever was. When you are riding down back roads with houses and subdivisions on them, it's nice to not attract attention. I ride some really great back roads but the drawback on a large number of them is people live off of them. I don't particularly want to upset the natives and have them calling the police and asking for patrols.

With the 600, I have the option of keeping the bike quiet in those areas. I can keep the bike below 7,000 rpm and still have more than enough pull to have fun and have safe power to pull through corners and up hills. With the Ninjette, I had to be at 9,000 or better, and the lawnmower sound really drew looks from people. The 600 lets me have my cake and eat it too.

Oh and saving gas money won't exactly fill your pockets. I average 42 on the 600 (same as the '08) and I averaged 50 on the 250. When I said damn the noise and pushed the 250 hard, I would get as little as 45 mpg. Food for thought.

[choneofakind]

hmmm, maybe they've gottne quieter as they've gotten newer than.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

hmmm, is there something you're not telling us Jono? new planets being created between your legs? mmmmmm!

Don't ask me. Ask my ninja. I don't know why or how she is creating planets under me but she is trying.

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Smoother maybe. Quieter no.

If you think a ninja 250 is a new planet, an inline 4 is a solar system!

Yeah it is the smoothness is what I am talking about. The little 250 is not that smooth in higher rpms and speeds. That is when the planet making starts.

Ahh I guess I just need to ride a 600 and see how I like the solar system creation underneath me.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Jono

Don't ask me. Ask my ninja. I don't know why or how she is creating planets under me but she is trying.






Yeah it is the smoothness is what I am talking about. The little 250 is not that smooth in higher rpms and speeds. That is when the planet making starts.

Ahh I guess I just need to ride a 600 and see how I like the solar system creation underneath me.

You should try the 650! At redline that thing is a shaky monster! 250 is alot smoother than the 650 up there but I don't care, in fact I think it feels good

[Xoulrath]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

hmmm, maybe they've gottne quieter as they've gotten newer than.

They have. I just hope the government regs don't start choking anymore horsepower than they already have on some models.

Then again, the current line-up of Japanese 600s are all putting about 100 to the rear or better. Do we really need more than that? (Answer: YES )

[choneofakind]

Yes of course.

I think the Daytona 675 is up around 120-something stock. The other 600's from the big 4 are in the 115 range stock. These numbers are just from all the dyno videos I've watched online and random dyno sheets from like two brothers and other exhaust company's sites.

Do those numbers sound about right? I think they're a hoot to ride; just not sure I would be able to give up my ninjette for an SS without missing it

[csmith12]

My backpack, err... wife's take on exhaust volume as she waits for me on the front porch with rolling pin in hand. lol..... don't ask.



I can hear you "putter" (250) from about 1/4 mile away.
I can hear you blue beast (r6) from 3 miles away.

[csmith12]

Net result is I can't sneak into the garage with either one, so it's all a wash and don't mean sh*t.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by csmith12

I can hear you "putter" (250) from about 1/4 mile away.

Funny, my backpack () says the same thing. She says she can hear from about a quarter mile away because she lives off of a 50 mph road so she hears m downshifting from 5th as I slow to turn into her neighborhood.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by csmith12

My backpack, err... wife's take on exhaust volume as she waits for me on the front porch with rolling pin in hand. lol..... don't ask.



I can hear you "putter" (250) from about 1/4 mile away.
I can hear you blue beast (r6) from 3 miles away.

Originally Posted by csmith12

Net result is I can't sneak into the garage with either one, so it's all a wash and don't mean sh*t.

Garner enough speed, kill engine, roll to safety, then buy a hotter wife

[sharky nrk]

I bought a 250 after I had owned my 6R for a couple years, the ninjette for me is just a better bike to go out and tool around on the street. The best way I think about it is simply that the 6R (any race rep for that matter) requires alot more commitment out of the rider in terms of effort, body placement, attention, ect.