[chasnasty]

so i had the chance to ride a ninja 250 today. I was very impressed by the low amount of vibration, just a little in the seat at higher RPMs. Also really liked the suspension and the brkaes on it. Overall, i thought it was a very well put together bike, very competent.

On the lowside i would say that i didn't like the small first gear and the lack of acceleration. That being said i think it would be a great beginner bike, seems hard to even try to get the bike to do something to unexpected. Also, liked the windshield alot, kept the wind off my chest. Just wanted to post thay if anyone has a small girlfriend ect. that is thinking about riding the Ninnja 250 seems to be a great bike to look at.

charlie

 

[coletrain12]

I rode one for a year before getting the SV. I liked it a lot. Great beginner bike! I learned a lot from it!

 

[soulpatch]

The ninja 250 will most likely be added to my stable soon for the wife.

 

[briderdt]

I may well be getting one of these as my 2nd bike and rat the thing out...

 

[slikirish]

I also started on a ninja 250. Absolutely LOVE that bike, still have it and still ride it. It turns on a dime and a person has to REALLY try to get themselves in trouble on one. Perfect beginners bike. Plus since I can really rape the thing and still be within "not losing my license" speed, i tend to ride the sv a little more conservatively on the street.

 

[jameswing]

I just showed this thread to one of my students.

He's wanting to start riding and was talking at break about getting a zx6r or a zx10r as his first bike.

I also Learned on one.

 

[SilverSV]

I started off with one as well and am now trying to sell it.

Northern NJ, if anyone is interested.

 

[SilverSV]

I just showed this thread to one of my students.

He's wanting to start riding and was talking at break about getting a zx6r or a zx10r as his first bike.

I also Learned on one.

Well tell him to read my post. HE WILL CRASH THAT BIKE. My first day on the 250, I lost it a little bit and almost hit a telephone pole. If I would've been on anything other then a 250, I would've hit it.

Do not underestimate the bike, if you wind it up, it accelerates pretty decent, as it is a lightweight bike. It is a dream when turning and most the fun I had on the bike was in placed with a lot of turns, easily blowing by my friends on cruisers that had to slow down a lot more to make those same turns.

 

[eincello]

I'll be getting one eventually as my first bike, and I won't consider anything else for at least 12 months afterwards. I'm itchin' to get on an SV, but I want that comfort zone the 250 offers to a beginner, i.e. won't react to stoopid inputs with dangerous output.

 

[Coop]

My wife has a 2005. She actually went from a Buell Blast to the 250. She HATED the Blast, but loves the EX250.

 

[jameswing]

Well tell him to read my post. HE WILL CRASH THAT BIKE. My first day on the 250, I lost it a little bit and almost hit a telephone pole. If I would've been on anything other then a 250, I would've hit it.

Do not underestimate the bike, if you wind it up, it accelerates pretty decent, as it is a lightweight bike. It is a dream when turning and most the fun I had on the bike was in placed with a lot of turns, easily blowing by my friends on cruisers that had to slow down a lot more to make those same turns.

Thats what I told him.

 

[r3t1awr3yd]

I'll be getting one eventually as my first bike, and I won't consider anything else for at least 12 months afterwards. I'm itchin' to get on an SV, but I want that comfort zone the 250 offers to a beginner, i.e. won't react to stoopid inputs with dangerous output.

I got an SV because of a good deal (and a good amount of ignoring the "SV is not a good beginner bike" threads)... Go get a 250 to start. I read they're so much more forgiving. The brakes alone on the SV with a beginners hand are good enough to endo, throw you off, and drop the bike on top of you. Ask me how I know ;D (the only time in my life that I couldn't walk... for a month)

I want a 250 really badly lol.

 

[nevenelestate]

my room mate bought a "slightly used" 2008 Ninja 250 for $500, put about $300 into cleaning it up and sold it for $3500, he loved that bike, but for that profit how could you not :lmao:

 

[latigid]

that either was far from an 08 or the seller stole that from a kid on the corner and turned a quick profit.

 

[Endless Mike]

A (really obnoxious) guy at my MSF had an '08 for two weeks before getting rearended and was whining about his insurance only giving him $3500 for it. I was like "No, that's probably more than it's worth, actually."

 

[Desmo Demon]

If it wasn't for the bike being low on power for mountain twisty riding with a person of a heavier weight (I'm around 260-ish with full gear), my wife and I have been talking about getting a pair of the Ninja 250s. We always take two bikes when we go riding on the weekends, so our 45-ish mpg is effectively around 22 mpg. Throw in 600-1000+ weekends at the $4/gallon gas, last summer, and I was seriously thinking about a pair of the bikes. I think they'd help us out with our tire consumption, also.

I'd still like to get one, though.....work on my corner speed and embarrass people on much larger bikes.....even if it may only be on downhill slopes. LOL

BTW - Back in '94 or so, my wife started off on an '89 Ninjette and a year later moved up to a '93 GSX-750R.

 

[Liren]

I love the 250. Great to learn throttle control, smoothness of inputs, how to really pick your lines, and how far you can push a bike - all without being intimidated by the bike or the bike getting in the way. It's also got a lower seat height, the weight distribution makes it feel lighter, and it's small enough that a small rider can move it around/load it/unload it/pick it up. It's why I chose to race the 250 instead of my SV - I am more comfortable pushing the 250 to the limit than I am the SV. It's definitely improved my ability to push the SV just a little more (and any other bike I throw a leg over). Parts are cheap and readily available (for the pre 08s at least) and I've only used half a set of tires in over 6 races and 4 track weekends.

And there's the ego boost of passing someone on a 600 supersport on the 250 at the track

 

[soulpatch]

And there's the ego boost of passing someone on a 600 supersport on the 250 at the track

If we were in the twisties I bet many people would pass me on my SV1K....

Hard for me to get over the mental issues with leaning heavily after a few bad incidents that I almost went down in a BAD way..... (slipping out the rear and drifting towards a cliff down into a rocky ravine is scary ****...)

 

[Defconfunk]

I spent a year on a ZZR-250 ("upscale" Ninja 250). I am very very glad I did. It was a riot, and so much easier to ride smoothly than the SV (and it isn't exactly a wild bike).

I once hit a bad tar snake mid way through a sweeper. I was tired and not holding on properly. The bikw skipped sideways throwing my left hand off the bar and left foot off the peg. The bike just held the line as I scrambled to get my hand and foot back on. The bike was totally unphased, even though I was ready to wet my pants. I'm certain if I'd done that on any other bike I'd have ended up in the weeds.
My ZZR was a truely awesome little bike, and now it is showing another new rider the ropes.

The comparison to the Miata is unmistakable. To anyone whose never driven one around a corner, it is a chick car/bike. To the person who has wrung its neck (legally!) on a curvy road, it is nothing but pure fun.

 

[Liren]

If we were in the twisties I bet many people would pass me on my SV1K....

Hard for me to get over the mental issues with leaning heavily after a few bad incidents that I almost went down in a BAD way..... (slipping out the rear and drifting towards a cliff down into a rocky ravine is scary ****...)

Eh, the twisties aren't the place to push a bike or yourself, IMHO.

I'm still working on the mental issues of my wreck last year (incidentally, a ninja 250 is what spit me off - but that's another story) I've found that getting on a small bike is the best way to rebuild the confidence - After I healed, I went out on my 225cc dualsport in the dirt so I could feel the bike slipping and sliding under me and remind myself that it was ok. I still have a difficult time with hard right hand turns, though. I'm working on that with more track time at Road Atlanta this year. The new T12 is a bus stop right hander at the bottom of a hill.