Why would you NOT buy a NInja 250?

Question

Excluding being a 250cc and being a jap bike, why would you not buy the Ninja 250?

Also if you have owned one at what mileage did you have your first $100 or more problem?

Answer 1

Because I was spoiled by test driving a Harley - need I say more?

Answer 2

You've already gotten a lot of good, and even more bad advice. Having owned one, I can tell you that they are not as under-powered as some would have you believe. They will beat just about every car you ever come next to at a stop light. They are plenty quick 0-80mph. It's the 80-100mph where they are slow. When it comes to sport bikes, there's the question of how much power do you NEED, and how much power do you WANT? Modern 600cc sportbikes already have more power than you can reasonably use on the streets. I've owned 4 bikes now, from the Ninja 250 to the new ZX-14, with a FZ6 and VF750 in between. I can tell you that the 250 has all the power you NEED, and is still fast enough to kill you, get you a ticket, or even land you some jail time if ridden irresponsibly.

Now, to answer your question, why I WOULDN'T buy one... The only thing I really have against the bike is it's physical size. When parked next to other bikes, it just looks small. I WOULD buy another 250 sport bike, as they can be a lot of fun, however, I would look at the Hyosung first, as I believe it's a more modern, better looking, and bigger bike. Unfortunately, it's also more expensive and is unproven in reliability here in the U.S. Perhaps though, if they catch on and give Kawasaki some competition in the 250 category, it will force them to give the Ninja 250 a much needed update. Still, as someone mentioned, it just can't be beat for $3K!

Answer 3

Because the Suzuki RGV250R is by far the better bang for buck.
This depends on 2 things, if you can find one, and if you are buying an older 2nd hand bike. Otherwise dont know, as the Ninja and the RGV are the only 2 250 sports i've riden.

The RGV handles better, and will climb hills without any problems. I made the mistake of trying to overtake going uphill the first time i rode the 250 Ninja, and it started to accelerate upto about 4k rpm, then just lost all power, luckily the road ahead was clear, so i just slowly overtook. This has never been a problem with my RGV250R which i still own to this day, but rarely ride.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Just for the record, Harleys are the worst bike anyone could ever buy. Dated technology, unreliabe, and overpriced for what you get. Nuff said.

The 250 Ninja is not as underpowered as people may lead you to believe. If you ridden bigger bikes in the past and you buy the 250, then I could understand that it may seem underpowered.

This is a great starter bike. It's cheap to buy, its reliable, and it'll get you from point A to B with a huge smile on your face. It's a fun bike and will break speed limits, so be careful and always wear your gear.

My first bike was the 500 Ninja which is similar to the 250. Never had any major problems and I owned it for 15 years. Just do the proper maintenance on it, and you'll have no issues.

Answer 5

Teeny tiny engine! If I were a complete novice who wanted a sport bike, and who also believes that it's best not to start out on one, I'd go with a decent-sized street bike to cut my teeth on.

That way I could have a good amount of power available to me while I learned, but minus the dangers of a sport bike.

As soon as I became comfy with that, and felt my skills were up to moving on, I'd get at least a 600. I have not personally ridden either the 250 or the 500 Ninjas, but I seriously doubt they'd give you the same exhilarating experience as a "real" sport bike.

And that's kind of what I did. I may be unusual for a girl in that I worship speed and power, but most people who lust after sport bikes feel the same way - they want not only the superior handling, but they want the acceleration!

I just don't like small engines. This may sound odd, but I actually feel sorry for those little 4-bangers (cars) where you can hear the engine working so hard, and you see the tach needle climbing up so fast....

Answer 6

Haven't owned one, but seriously considered it. There are only a few good reasons not to buy a Ninja 250, other than people who don't like 250's or Japanese bikes.

1. You don't like having a bunch of plastic on your bike that can break when you drop it.

2. You want to carry a passenger - the pillion seat isn't too comfortable.

3. You just plain want a cruiser.

4. You're so tall that the only bike you can fit on is a dual sport. (Note: I'm 6'2" and do not fall into this category.)

Other than that, it's a really good first bike.

Answer 7

The Ninja 250 is a great deal and an excellent choice for a new rider. There seems to be alot of advice on here that i take great exception to.
First off, as a new rider you do NOT need the power of a 600cc supersport, in fact odds are that power will slow your progress in learning how to ride well. Also the bigger the power the bigger it will bite. Hamfist the throttle on a 250 and it will jerk you around, do so on a cbr/gsxr/ect it will throw you hard. All in all less intimidation, that will mentally free you up to explore sport riding. It will force you to shift to stay in the powerband and offer a nible feel in and out of corners. The are excellant bikes to learn with.

Secondly, they are well known to new riders and resale is very good. If you can get one used do so, the design hasn't changed in years and odds are after a year of riding it you can easily sell it for exactly what you paid.

I haven't owned one, but i have a good friend that did, after a month or so of practice (including his completetion of the MSF BRC) we traded for a good 3 hour ride through some twisties. I had a blast tossing it around. Great starter BIKE. Also i noticed that he was actually slower on my sv650, although slower than a cbr600 or the like, he wasn't at all confident on it. Building confidence is the point of a first bike!!!!

Many of the best racers in the world started on minimotos (50cc) starting small and working up is in my opinion the only way to go if you plan on being a good rider.

BTW: not that it matters, but i have been riding for 9 years, started on a Honda CL350, moved up to an SV650, participated in a few trackdays and plan to race next season. There are plenty more experienced folks out there to ask, rider coaches are a great place to start. Check out www.msf-usa.org , get the training, get the gear, get out and ride :-)

Answer 8

ok to all the people that say harleys are over priced, and unreliable..... wake up. yes they are pricey, but they also have the best resale value. go and look up the blue book value of a 1992 harley flhtc, and then look up the value of say a 1992 suzuki intruder. i own both harleys, and jap bikes. love them both for different reasons.

now to answer your question. is it your first bike? do you plan on owning it for an extended period of time? are you short? tall? light weight, or a heavier person? there are alot of things to consider. my first street bike was a Yamaha Maxim X 700. great bike. it was pretty damn quick, had enough power to ride me and my girl friend, handled really well, and looked pretty sharp. dont just jump into a bike because it is cheap, or because you are just starting out. the 250 is a good starter bike, but your skills will not be able to really progress on that bike. you will be out riding the bike in a short period of time.

personally i woud start on a 600 or so. not a sport bike, but more of a sit up strait bike.

Answer 9

Resale value is no indicator of quality... It only indicates what those who are willing to shell out top dollar for a name are willing to spend. Personally, I'd rather shell out money for technology that comes from sometime after the 70's. But, if you've still got the mutton chops and bell bottoms, have a ton of money burning a hole in your pocket, don't enjoy reliability, and only care about a name, then I guess Harley is the bike for you!

Answer 10

I bought one new in 2000. I never had any trouble. A little underpowered, but it cant be beat for about 3000 dollars. Great for just getting here and there. Not the best highway cruiser, but it can still easily get you a ticket. When I got rid of it earlier this summer, I think it had over 7000 miles.

Answer 11

I have never owned one of these but my friends "little" brother had one and he is about 5' 4" and 145 lbs and the bike would just dive down in power on any hill and was seriously underpowered in every facet but it was great on gas so if gas mileage is a big factor I say go for it. but don'e expect your friends that you ride with to wait for you at the top of every hill..Good Luck