250 Ninja for first bike ridiculous?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

It all depends on how fat you are...if you are a 115lb girl then the Ninja 250 will suit you fine. If you are a 230lb gorilla then a walk behind mower will be quicker...

I started out on a used Ninja 500 years ago. I spent a year and 10,000km on it...then sold it for $500 less than I paid for it (paid $2500). Yes I could have traded it in after the first month however there is something to be said about learning how to corner and brake on an underpowered bike--you will become faster but not because of the throttle.

I would recommend a Suzuki SV650, the Ninja 650, or even the Ninja 500. I would make sure that you don' t buy new--there should be good used examples of all three bikes I listed.

Currently I ride a Triumph Speed Triple.
 
If it's not too late...the Ninja 250 is a great beginners bike! BUT you'll grow tired of it very quickly! If you're looking for a fun bike and great gas mileage look into the WR250X/R. It will walk over the Ninja and you'll have a lot more fun riding it. It gets about the same MPG but is a little more money plus you can switch out wheels for whatever terrain you'd like to play on for a few extra dollars.
I worked at a Kawasaki/Honda/Yamaha dealership and the most common response from 250 Ninja owners was that the top end was not there, lagged up hills and became boring in short while. They lost a ton of money only to buy a sport bike a few months later. End all it doesn't matter what you ride, as long as you're riding!!
 
A 250 would be a reasonable starter bike because you can easily learn to counter steer and learn appropriate braking. Always remember that 70% of your stopping power comes from your front brake. Get used to grabbing the front brake in all stopping situations.

In terms of first bikes, I would suggest getting a dirt bike to learn basic techniques of riding. On a dirt bike you'll be faced with many obstacles that you'll have to make split decisions on. It's is absolutely the best way to learn how to ride and prepare for situations on the street.

I would also suggest taking a motorcycle safety course.
 
The more I look at the vids on YouTube, and the more I see a Ninja 500s side profile, the more I'm starting to think its a better choice than a 250.


The 500, The Versys and even the 650r are all twins, and all have an upright or semi-upright riding position.

3n43kd3o31fd1gb13a914c7ff0bce8b471cff.jpg



And I feel the 500 specifically would be better as a 1st mostly bike b/c of its midrange.

I feel learning at slower speeds, you need a motor that will forgive you if its not in the right gear. I'd hate to pull out in traffic accidentally in another gear a lug it to speed b/c it might be faster than downshifting to get up to speed. And its twin will still give you better mileage than some high strung 4s.



I love my 250 thumper in town, but I H8 to face the fact it'll never be highway capable. At 80 the thing is buzzing and it's light weight has it all over the place in anything over a light wind.

With a 500, I think it will be more relaxed than the 250 at speed, which will make a rider tire much less quicker and make longer trips much more bearable. And it might even get better economy at sustained speeds b/c its not as strung out as a 250, IDK? :meh:
 
Wait on the 500 I thought I heard they were going to redesign it sometime soon?? Its a much better choice than a 250 ninja. And as mentioned before hop on a dirtbike and get used to that and take a MST class to get the gist of road riding...it helps and it's kind of entertaining to watch those who has never thrown a leg over a bike try and ride!
 
Go out and get a Versys. You won't be sorry. I am not saying that simply because i have one either.


It's the perfect bike. Easy to ride, plenty of grunt, very forgiving, and a good forum.

Kawasaki Versys Enthusiast Site or Versys - Home

You should also consider the wee strom. Very good bike. You will want to step up from the 500 as quickly as you have the 250, I've ridden one, and know. With either the wee or the V, you should be quite content with the performance for some time to come, and they are gentle enough to learn on, and grow with.

Plus... the Versys can be had pretty cheap.

:cheers:
 
yeah the 500 has been the same since like the 90's lol. The versys is a fun bike to ride, wheelie first, second and clutch in third...brap brap
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom