is it a big jump from 250 to 600cc?

[fr1dayn1ght]

Sooo I just got a new job with better pay and I am looking to upgrade the 2007 ninja 250. I am hesitating between new ninja 300 or a used 600 (zx6r or cbr600)
Do you guys think its a big jump from 250 to 600 in just 5 months??

[csmith12]

If your talking about a SS then yea, it's a big jump anytime.

[Alex]

It's about 350 cc.

[Falcor]

The only difference will be the minor difference in handling (which includes body position due to lowered clip ons and higher rear sets) when you are first getting used to it and of course the power, but the power is easy to adjust to if you use it in moderation while getting used to it, and as far as getting used to the way the bike handles just take it easy when doing low speed maneuvering.

The biggest key to riding a bigger bike for the first time is to just take it easy and enjoy it, the more scared and anxious you are the more likely you are to do something wrong.

[JohnnyBravo]

If you gota jump to get on it maybe its to big

[fast1075]

Do you mean you have a total of 5 months riding experience? If so, unless you have done a series of Total Control classes or have racked up a bunch of track days, the 600 can be a very bad idea. The 250 is fast enough to get you hurt or killed. The 600 is fast enough to Biatch slap you, then kill you.

You need enough experience that you have good muscle memory, and instinctively use countersteer, good braking practices, have excellent situational awareness, and develop spatial aptitude.

If all the above apply, have at it, otherwise, gain the experience first.

[Panda]

Originally Posted by Falcor

The only difference will be the minor difference in handling

I totally agree with this statement. And by totally agree I think it's completely wrong.

[fr1dayn1ght]

what about the ninja 300 then? Would i be riding the same bike if I upgrade it to 300, i mean 50cc difference. I have never test ride the 300 before

[ninjamunky85]

Do you wan't a 600?.. yes, Do you need a 600?.. probably not.

I think the 300 is a nice middle ground.

[JohnnyBravo]

Love my 300

[eddiekay]

In the way the bike behaves, there's no similarity between a 2 cyl 250 and a
4 cyl 600.
More fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.

[adouglas]

How hard do you ride your 250? After five months, I'd wager "not very." If you're confident really pushing the Ninjette, then you should be able to manage a supersport well. But if you're not riding it hard enough to really feel it come alive, then upgrading is a bit of a waste.

You could well find yourself uncomfortable and fearful, afraid of the bike's power. It could hold you back in your learning. These things are very potent but they demand respect.

[CycleCam303]

Originally Posted by adouglas

How hard do you ride your 250? After five months, I'd wager "not very." If you're confident really pushing the Ninjette, then you should be able to manage a supersport well. But if you're not riding it hard enough to really feel it come alive, then upgrading is a bit of a waste.

You could well find yourself uncomfortable and fearful, afraid of the bike's power. It could hold you back in your learning. These things are very potent but they demand respect.

There is a lot of truth to his pithy point.

On the flip side. I'll do you a favor and give you my perspective on your question and a little street riding philosophies if you will.

So the only 600 I've ridden was a 2006 R6. Supposedly these have a peaky power delivery compared to other 600s. Regardless the best way to describe the power under 8k RPMs is like a ninja 250 near redline and full throttle. On the 600 roll the throttle wide open at 4 or 5k and the bike accelerates but it isn't rip your arms off violent. The bike will build power in a way that feels exponential over the 15k rpm rev range. anything under 7 or 8k it feels like the fastest tuned ninja 250. after 10k the bike starts moving. 13 or 11k and up the bike is fooking fast. They aren't torque monsters so they won't wheelie away and kill you unless you try. Meaning the power wheelies, or the rear sliding out is very dependent on rider inputs. I'm not saying they are slow, it's just compared to what. A v twin 1000 will stand up at low rpm, and the 1000 inline 4s are just fast everywhere, period.

This girl I went on a riding date with recently showed me her second bike, a Ducati 848 Evo. She started on an 05 R6 about 6 months ago. She is slow, she knows it, she doesn't care. She never even took the r6 to redline. For the first month she never even realized it was ok to rev the bike past 8k. She cruises in the twisty stuff and wanted a bike that looks and sounds badass. If it's for street riding, who cares what it is? All these guys who have fast bikes aren't banging out all 6 gears at red line or dragging knees everywhere. Self preservation and the LEO will prevent a rider from using 80 percent of the bike's potential on the street. You'll most likely ride it like your 250. Except people will dig your bike and it'll sound cool.

I'm not going to judge anyone for wanting a cool sport bike. I'm also not going to give you the ok that it'll be easy or just like I say to ride one. I don't know you. At 5 months into my street riding career, I probably could hop on a 600 and go really fast. Or you could be someone who is very cautious or slow when it comes to learning and be totally uncomfortable with the performance. My 50 cents.

[rasta]

300 bro. I'd rather have a bike I can ride to its full potential

[Rugby Winger]

Stick to your 250 and ride it at least 7 more months. Do track days during that period. When you hit a year then you'll feel a lot better when you get that ZX-6R.

[caineroad]

I jumped from Ninja to R6 after riding the for 3 months, and now back to Ninja again.

If you have been riding every day or 4-5 times a week for 5 months, then I think you have got more than enough experience.

Riding wise very similar.. Other things you just need to get used to, like the weight, bigger bike, riding position, throttle, gearing, etc

But it wasn't too hard.

[fr1dayn1ght]

Originally Posted by CycleCam303

There is a lot of truth to his pithy point.

Self preservation and the LEO will prevent a rider from using 80 percent of the bike's potential on the street. You'll most likely ride it like your 250.

I like this part
thanks for the advices guys! I will look into the ninja 300
on the how hard i ride question: i do ride everyday in 5 months period to and from work (my car got stolen so bike is my only transpotation) but mind you i wasnt knee dragging or anything

[choneofakind]

Look at it this way. You know how to operate a motorcycle. Those same skills are required on every motorcycle, just there's bias towards some things for certain bikes vs others. For example, a 250 can be WOT all day, but you need to know how to carry mid corner speed and brake hard on brakes that suck. Compare that to a 600ss, which requires a lot more throttle finese and will stop on a dime from 140+

Will you ride it? Yes. Will you scare/amaze yourself? Likely. It all depends on whether you like the bike or not. I won't tell you go or no-go, instead I'll tell you to take a test ride and see if a super sport is something you want.


It's all about knowing how to ride what you ride. You'll always end up learning when you hop on a new bike.

[SMman]

Small bikes are where it's at. I have a ZX-6R that's been sitting for 3 years because I am having more fun on the 250 and DR-Z400SM. I've ridden lots of 600s and 1000s and they are complete overkill for the street. I'm sure you'll love the 300. I'm hoping to get one soon myself.

[Sinister]

It's all personal preference. No one, at all, can tell you what you should ride. Some people are more than happy with their 250. Great. Some people want more and get one of the bigger para twins like the 650 and are thrilled. Great. Some people want a full on supersport. They get one and couldn't be happier. Great. Some people get a bigger bike and regret it, not so great.


Find yourself a dealer than has some used bikes and is willing to let you test ride one or more of them. Even if you have to go out of your way to get there. It's worth it.


As an example of personal opinions.. I went n250 to zx14. and i will never go back. I tried riding the SO's 250 a couple times and was miserable. The 14 is quieter, more comfortable, suprisingly easy to manuver at low speeds and will let me pass any slowass i come up behind at will. However, it gets worse gas mileage, costs more to insure, costs more to maintain and makes you think wacky things like "i got 12 cars last time through this passing zone, wonder if i can do 15+"


So in closing, only you can tell you what the right bike is.

[80MPHdownhill]

I don't get this oft-asked question.

I've had a dozen bikes since 1983, starting with a 550 then to an 1100, then a bunch of 600s, a 900 and now my 250.

I don't understand the "big jump" question.

I guess unless you are talking about physical size, seat height, or weight.

Because one thing all the bikes had in common was a throttle. You see, you can make an 1100 go as slow as a 250, and it isn't even difficult. You just twist the throttle less. An 1100 will cruise at 30 mph just as nicely as a 250 does. It'll also do 0-60 in 25 seconds (slower than an old diesel car!), if you'd like.

[fast1075]

The problem with an inexperienced rider is having the experience to handle all the input without being overloaded. It has nothing to do with the "size" of the machine beyond how well the rider fits the machine. In that respect, if the machine does not fit you like a glove, you need a different machine, or you modify that machine to fit. Case in point: No one other than Dani Pedrosa "fits" Dani Padrosa's GP machine.

Ask youself this question: If you just had a hairy situation, do you know what happened in detail, or was it simply a big "oh crap" that you have no idea what went on, or what you did to survive it?

The brutal truth is that in order to ride a bike fast, you need "the right stuff". You either have it or you don't. If you don't, you need to proceed with caution. If you have it, you need to hone it. Constantly.

If you grew up doing tricks on a bicycle, or skateboard, were a gymnist, or were skilled at other similar activity, you do have the right stuff.

Now go do some track days, and find out who does the Lee Parks Total Control classes in your area. Get the finest gear you can afford, and go shred.

[Joshorilla]

Personally I would say do it, but wait till you have a year under your belt, i am ragging my 250 for every last drop of power and I find it lacking, rode an r6 and loved it, untill you can say you're approaching the red line on every shift you don't need a new bike.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by rasta

300 bro. I'd rather have a bike I can ride to its full potential

This.

Having just gotten my first supersport this year, I appreciate that as a new rider the OP doesn't know what he doesn't know. There's a strong curiosity component.

When you truly know that you can do more than the 250 can deliver, it's time to make a choice. Is what the 250 can do enough to do what you want? If not, it's certainly time to move up. If you still have fun on the 250 the answer is less clear.

I LOVE my GSXR750. But I do miss my Ninjette a lot. I got to really work that bike and that was fun to do. Lots of shifting, lots of attention paid to keeping up momentum… the 750 makes so much power and torque that it encourages laziness. Quite literally, on anything but interstate blasts you just put it in third gear and leave it there.

I modded my 08 with a full exhaust, jet kit, clip ons, rearsets, etc. It made power and torque about on par with a stock 300, and I had ergos that were very much like a sportbike. It was COOL and the extra power made a big difference. The 300 is a terrific little ride, I have no doubt.

I tend to view the world in a functional way, so I think about ergonomics, performance and how they relate to the real environment I ride in. Others don't look at it that way… the girl who bought Ducati 848 just because it looked cool and sounded badass? To me that's a travesty. But to her it was the right move, because for her it's apparently more about making a fashion statement than buying a bike that goes fast.

That's just as valid a motivation as anything, and it accounts for personal preference. For me, the "right" bike for most of what I actually do is in fact a Ninjette. I'm having FUN on the 750 and I like it for all kinds of reasons, both rational and emotional. Those are enough for me to have made the investment despite the obvious fact that a bike able to outperform a Ferrari is just silly overkill on the street.

But I'm still HERE and I will undoubtedly go back to a 250/300 class bike in the future.

[subxero]

there is a big difference between say a ZX6r and a ninja 650. Sure similar displacement but one engine is 4 cylinder and the other is a 2 cylinder. This translates into a totally different temper which is only enhanced through the tuning of the bike. One will give you what you need and then some while the whole time providing you with lots of controllable usable power in all types of street riding conditions. The other is a barely tame race horse just waiting for the gates to drop so it can let loose. It is essentially a civilian race bike out of the box, you will be the limiting factor while riding this machine.

[Falcor]

Originally Posted by Panda

I totally agree with this statement. And by totally agree I think it's completely wrong.

That's not all I said you know?

[Somchai]

Some time ago we've been talking about the power of different bikes and if you want to compare apples with apples you need to have a same factor which could be the power-output calculated per 1000 cc.
So please take a look at this:

Motorcycle---------cc-----HP----HP per 1000cc

Ninja 250 --------- 249 --- 33 --- 132,5
Ninja 300 --------- 296 --- 39 --- 131,8
Honda 500 -------- 471 --- 48 --- 101,9
ER 6 -------------- 649 --- 72 --- 110,9
ZX-6R ----------- 636 --- 129 --- 202,8 (US-Model)
GSX-R 600 ------- 599 --- 125 --- 208,7
GSX-R 750 ------- 750 --- 150 --- 200,0
GSX-R 1000 ------ 999 --- 185 --- 185,2
ZX-10R ---------- 998 --- 200 --- 200,4
BMW S1000RR --- 999 --- 193 --- 193,2
Panigale -------- 1199 --- 195 --- 162,6
(I don't like autoformat functions )

Some notes:
The ZX-6R WVTA (Full Power Version, Model 2013) has 132 HP at 13500 RPM what means that the HP per 1000 CC = 207,5 HP
Interesting is that the Suzuki GSX-R600 has the highest power ratio and even when the Panigale doesn't show it in this picture, never forget it's a 2-cylinder and this bike has the same weight like the bike with the lowest power - the Ninja 250 (also it's a given fact that in reality there is no BMW S1000 below 200 hp when it leaves the factory, the spread from this engine is always in the upper range).
Maybe this could help a little bit to find a solution

[Redgeneral]

Originally Posted by fr1dayn1ght

Sooo I just got a new job with better pay and I am looking to upgrade the 2007 ninja 250. I am hesitating between new ninja 300 or a used 600 (zx6r or cbr600)
Do you guys think its a big jump from 250 to 600 in just 5 months??

That's a question only you can answer for yourself. If you feel confident in your riding skills, find a dealership that is doing a demo day and go ride a 600.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by Redgeneral

That's a question only you can answer for yourself. If you feel confident in your riding skills, find a dealership that is doing a demo day and go ride a 600.

I did this and it made a big difference for me. Rode a ZX6R at a kawi demo day in 2012. I highly recommend it, especially the factory demo days because you can compare bikes back-to-back.

A real supersport is a scary prospect if you've never been on one. The fear of having it get away from you is undeniable.

The only caveat is that demo days do not give you a chance to ever open the bike up. On our demo I never got the bike above 7k rpm… so it didn't show me the scary side. But it did give me a feel for ergos, the wonders of good suspension and it took away that edge of anxiousness about the bike biting me. I felt confident that I could move up if I wanted to.

I was really considering the Ninja 650 as the next bike because it was, rationally and on paper, a better choice for me. But getting a chance to ride it vs. the ZX6R made the difference. I didn't truly know until I rode it, but I was ready for a supersport.

This year, you'd get to ride the 300, 650 and ZX6R all on the same day. Perfect way to see which one you feel good about. Listen to your gut… if you get out there and see the dark side of that supersport, you might not be ready yet.

[xSean13]

If you know how to use the clutch, and you don't have a twitchy throttle hand, then it's not. Takes a couple of rides to get used to the greater stability of a bigger bike, and how it wants to stand itself up.

Originally Posted by eddiekay

In the way the bike behaves, there's no similarity between a 2 cyl 250 and a
4 cyl 600.
More fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.

I disagree, especially on the interstate. It's reassuring knowing that I still have 8,000 more rpm available in 6th gear (going 80mph) whereas on the 250, well, if you need to accelerate to get out of something then you're SOL.
Having had time to hit some nice sets of curves, so I can't judge on that aspect.

[choneofakind]

I love me a nice highway cruise on a supersport. The bike just sits there and puuuurrrrss at 80 mph. Barely even breathing. It's like asking a 10k runner to go do a charity 1-mile fun run with the kids. They get all excited, he doesn't even sweat.


That is the only thing I really wish my ninjette had more of; moar passing power without having to try so hard.

[Whiskey]

Take as many as you can for test rides & see for yourself.

While you're at it try a few other bikes too. A 250 to 300 is a very minor step in my opinion, probably not worth it for the hit you'll take financially.
You sound like you want to move up to a 600, so if you end up ragging a 300 for a few months then selling again so what's the point.

Take a look at a few other street bikes too, faired SV650, bandit/hornet/fazer 600, each of them will be a bit more forgiving than a SS600, something like a CBR600F wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Hell if you want something that looks & sounds good look for a Triumph triple.

Originally Posted by choneofakind

That is the only thing I really wish my ninjette had more of; moar passing power without having to try so hard.

Spot on.

It's a good little bike in all fairness, great fun to cane it senseless on the twistys, but it has **** roll on capabilities.