Ninja 300 on the Highway?

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by quadcrazy

Haha well, I spend $430/month in gas alone for my truck. This will cover the montly payments, insurance, and gas with some left to spare! I got prices for everything and estimated gas, it came to about $250/month. That saves $180/month. Now I'm obviously not expecting to save that much with maintenance and all but any money saved is nice.

Lets say you saved $180 a month in gas, it would take you 2.5 years to pay off a ninja 300 with that savings and break even, then of course you have tires, oil, valve adjustments, etc and more leisurely riding. You realize quickly, no I'm not saving money, I just used that as an excuse to buy a motorcycle instead of being upfront with myself.

Originally Posted by tnr4

By not spending $20000 on a car!

If you already own a car, buying an additional motorcycle will not save you money.

[Alex]

It's possible to save money on a motorcycle. But buying a new one in addition to another vehicle isn't likely to come out ahead, especially when factoring in service costs, tires, motorcycle safety gear, etc. Buying a cheap used one, getting long-lasting commuter type tires, and performing all your own maintenance would certainly help get closer to that break-even point.

[tnr4]

Yes, so if you use it as a car replacement, of course you can save money. I've done that for over 6 years. It's a huge savings.

But the other way to look at it, is even if you get it in addition to your car, if it saves you that much money in gas, then you can finance an awesome hobby for what may eventually be free (if you get to the break-even point). That's still a great tradeoff.

[quadcrazy]

Originally Posted by tnr4

Yes, so if you use it as a car replacement, of course you can save money. I've done that for over 6 years. It's a huge savings.

But the other way to look at it, is even if you get it in addition to your car, if it saves you that much money in gas, then you can finance an awesome hobby for what may eventually be free (if you get to the break-even point). That's still a great tradeoff.

I agree, at least with the bike I am putting that money into an investment that one day will be paid off and I can sell or trade in. Instead of just burning up the money in gas.

[Bones85]

Originally Posted by Alex

It's possible to save money on a motorcycle. But buying a new one in addition to another vehicle isn't likely to come out ahead, especially when factoring in service costs, tires, motorcycle safety gear, etc. Buying a cheap used one, getting long-lasting commuter type tires, and performing all your own maintenance would certainly help get closer to that break-even point.

That's what I love about the Ninja 250. Maintenance is easy to do and inexpensive and the tires, chain, sprockets, etc. last pretty long.

[Havok]

YOu never save money buying a bike, they cost you money. You will want another bike, or better gear, or gas to go on an epic ride. They are a wonderful glorious way to blow your money and have some fun.

Buy a used bike, thrash it decide what bike you want next. If you decide you want a smaller CC bike the 300's will be around. No need to go new for your first bike.

[ChaoSS]

Originally Posted by Alex

It's possible to save money on a motorcycle. But buying a new one in addition to another vehicle isn't likely to come out ahead, especially when factoring in service costs, tires, motorcycle safety gear, etc. Buying a cheap used one, getting long-lasting commuter type tires, and performing all your own maintenance would certainly help get closer to that break-even point.

Don't forget that while you may already have your current vehicle paid off, it still costs money (or, future money), in depreciation, which you are saving by putting the miles on the bike. So, if I pay 5k for the bike, and get 100,000 miles out of it, or I could put that 100,000 miles on my truck, and then have to replace it, say, for 10k, (buying used), then even by buying in addition to the other vehicle, you are still saving money.

Originally Posted by Havok

YOu never save money buying a bike, they cost you money. You will want another bike, or better gear, or gas to go on an epic ride. They are a wonderful glorious way to blow your money and have some fun.

Buy a used bike, thrash it decide what bike you want next. If you decide you want a smaller CC bike the 300's will be around. No need to go new for your first bike.

I'm saving money by having a bike. It's called being responsible with your money.


Not saying that it's irresponsible to have fun, of course, but if you can't afford it, then it is. I like having a bike, of course, but I bought it because I needed a second vehicle and the bike was, and still is, the cheapest route. I'd love to blow money on it certain ways, but my family has other priorities with the money I make, so that's how it works out.

[rojoracing53]

If I'm just factoring fuel on my daily commute then the 250 save me $350 per month on just has alone. But if you factor in my light modding I do once in awhile as well as my tires that seem to wear out prematurely and insurance then I'm probably breaking even but enjoying the ride along the way. I rode my bike for a full year before I started spending money on mods and tires. In that time the bike had saved me close to $4000 in gas so with insurance and a couple oil changes its closer to $3400 saved, that's almost what I payed for the bike. Since then its been a break even deal with street gear and mods but with street gear out of the way and running out of stuff to mod I hope to see a positive money saving balance in the next year but if not then at least I'm having more fun and its not costing me any more money then before.

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by ChaoSS

Don't forget that while you may already have your current vehicle paid off, it still costs money (or, future money), in depreciation, which you are saving by putting the miles on the bike. So, if I pay 5k for the bike, and get 100,000 miles out of it, or I could put that 100,000 miles on my truck, and then have to replace it, say, for 10k, (buying used), then even by buying in addition to the other vehicle, you are still saving money.


I'm saving money by having a bike. It's called being responsible with your money.


Not saying that it's irresponsible to have fun, of course, but if you can't afford it, then it is. I like having a bike, of course, but I bought it because I needed a second vehicle and the bike was, and still is, the cheapest route. I'd love to blow money on it certain ways, but my family has other priorities with the money I make, so that's how it works out.

I love being an irresponsible bachelor with little to no obligations

[drbyatch]

Originally Posted by tnr4

I think this is likely. A lot of us who complained about the brakes were either coming off a more expensive bike, or switching back and forth between the 300 and a more expensive bike. If this is all you've known, then you'll see that they stop the bike, they do it in such a distance and in such a way, etc, and you'll use them correctly for what they are. If I'm trying to bleed off speed from 70ish for a 30mph turn, then I find myself wishing I had better brakes occasionally, but for the most part, I just don't notice them.



I'm with you on this. Especially depending on your circumstances. I live in a city where it's expensive to do everything on a car: register, insure, fuel, PARK. My bike costs a fraction for all of those things. ESPECIALLY the fuel and parking. My wife's Camry gets low 20s mpg in the city, I get 58. If she parked at my university, it would be $1500/semester; it costs me $121/YEAR.

So if you want a bike as a car replacement, this can certainly be an economical choice. It saved me a lot of money for a lot of years. Of course, now I can't keep the bike out of the mountains, so the numbers may have changed.

totally agree depends where you live and how you approach riding

my car in australia is

$1500~ AUD registration per year
$1500~ insurance per year
if i drove (replacing what i do for riding/catching public transport) fuel would be ~80$ per week
parking in the street near work is around 16$ a day (not to mention a parking ticket is 99$)

fuel on the bike is less than a weekly train ticket to work and back :/

Although i have the itch now and want a large street fighter when i come of licence restrictions (MV Agusta, BRUTALE 800 - why is it so pretty?) i will probably keep the ninja though i don't think i could part with it.

so pretty much if you get addicted you will spend more money but riding a bike is twice as fun as driving and uses less fuel than a hybrid car...

but weigh up your circumstances. - i bought a bike for several reasons. commuting/fun/spare mode of transport.

[JohnnyBravo]

I was taught you save money in the bank, and through investments. You may can claim its an investment, but it's no bank account and it isn't interstate bearing. Some folks save it will help you save this money and that money, or the exact opposite. It's all up to you in the end. The brakes are fine for street riding and the bike, some folks used them a bit on the track... They are fine, but like everything else you can't spend money and find some better.

Your life, your money, do it your way!!!

[choneofakind]

^^ Dude, can you complete your thoughts and and make complete sentences.

[JohnnyBravo]

Autocorrect running wild, and lack of attention to detail. My bad, they say anything is possible.

[choneofakind]

Oh okay I was hoping that was auto correct.

[JohnnyBravo]

Part auto correct screwing with me, part attention lacking rambles.
Seems to Happen with boredom an such.

[tuan3742]

I have the ninja 300. highways are perfectly fine. and i lived in cali where the average cager will drive 80mph. you can get a FI programmer and clean up the power band, then it'd be the perfect bike.

this is how i see it, you can get a 600cc or a liter bike, but all you can do with them over the 300 is accelerate faster. you can't go 140mph on them on the streets anyway.