ninja fever!!!

oh yes..absolutely..i wouldnt have it any other way

 

well that i must say is a nice bike..and i appreciate the clarifying on the 500 vs the 600 cc thing...if ya dont mind me askin...how much do you think a used bike like this would cost vs a new one.and whats the model again?

 

you guys kidding? get the 600. the thing has a throttle..that you control. only downside..a bit more weight, more insurance $$, etc.

my last bike was a ninja 600. great bike.. tranny was notchy-er than the honda F4i i got ran over with. a ninja 250 is fun, but honestly, i see chicks riding them. i say 2-3 weeks, you would outgrow it, and want something bigger.

my first bike was honda 500 interceptor. V4 of awesomeness.

 

Yea definitely sign up for the MSF course. I first learned on a 250 Shadow, but really wanted a sportbike instead so I got my CBR 600RR. For me that was plenty fast and never felt the need to upgrade to a liter bike. I'll give it the occasional rip on the throttle, but I never do wheelies or any other stunts on it. Love it, but respect it above all else.

 

Been riding since I was 17, sport bikes, can't stand dirt bikes (mainly cause I suck at riding them)!

My personal opinion is to go ahead and step up, and pick up a used 600, or new if you have the money.

Since 17, I've only owned three brands, 4 suzukis, 2 yamaha, and 1 triumph. I'm devoted to suzuki and their bikes bc they put out such a great reliable product. whether for the street or track.

Go for the Gixxer 600 and you'll never look back until you feel you want something better. And x1000 on the msf couse. Dunno where in NC you are, but in Charlotte they had a great program with 250cc bikes to learn on.

 

I bought mine for $1200 and it didn't run. I have been fixing it up and plan on selling at the end of the summer or beginning of the next for about $2200. A new one costs $4.4K.

I would not get a 600cc bike and I'm sticking to that. Your throttle hand isn't a good enough limiter in my opinion to control your speed. But you know yourself best. If you feel that you are a person that can control your impulses to go fast then fine go get a 600. I knew that I was a person that was going to pin the throttle and see how fast I could make it go within the first week. A 600 will do about 160-170 full open. My 500 will do about 120-130. That being said you can be killed at zero and have someone hit you from behind and it doesn't matter what kinda bike you have.

 

I would start with a 500. but if you can control your throttle hand
i would get early 2000's zx6 and MSF CLASSES

 

thanks guys for all the helpful information..i think ill see how much money i can save up and depending whats out there..ill see if i can get a 500..if not then ill step down and get the 250 to start out on..either way, i plan on taking a motorcylce safety course.

 

Zx6-r

 

Not a novice bike at all but that might be my next bike.

 

600's aren't powerhouse bikes, but that can depend on your height/weight too.......more ballast = less "butt dyno" power/torque........I'm 6' @ 275lbs. so a 600 feels like a flippin' moped to me.........I started on a KZ550LTD in my teens, and wasn't months before I added a Kerker 4to1 header and geared the piss out of it to give me the torque I wanted, then sold it and got a YZF1000R and that was more along the lines of what I was trying to achieve in performance -- sold that last year and bought a ZX14, and I'll NEVER, EVER loose respect for this machine.......but it keeps us big guys up front with the jockeys on the liter bikes!!

 

For me, 5'9'' and 150 my friends 600 did POWER wheelies (no clutch) through 3rd. But yea I can definitely see your point. I watched a busa this summer do a 75-140 mph pull on a highway. I asked him how long it took him when I caught up after reaching some traffic. He said about 3 secs.

 

I just finished the MSF course here in Cali... I'm gonna get a 250R to learn on... I'm going to Iraq in April so theres not real point to getting a bigger bike now, plus I am a complete novice to motorcycles.

When I get back from the sand I'll get a bigger bike

plus they are so damn cheap new and used $3000 - $4500

local dealer has them for $3900

 

You've got to do what YOU want to do when it comes to feeling comfortable with YOUR bike.......we can all throw advice at you, but in the end it's your decision -- if the 250R suits your interests, then by all means go for it.........never know, you may hang on to it for a few years and love that size of bike - especially considering your size.........wish you the best of luck and take your time learning, don't overdo it and enjoy the lifestyle!!

 

I'd look at a Katana 600, YZF 600 (not the R6) or SV650. They're sporty but not as high strung as their race bike counterparts. They're typically more forgiving, have a better low end and are more comfortable for just cruising than the race bikes. The 250s and 500s are great starter bikes but easily outgrown, especially if you're going to be running highway speed frequently.

x1000 with the motorcycle safety course, it's a great course.

 

You're right about those too, definitely good choices over the "R" series bikes........my wife got her endorsement via the Honda safety course, and I took the experienced rider course.........which was good for low speed maneuvering techniques, you use your own bike, and was only 5 hours VS 3 days for the beginner course.........they are both great investments as you get that money back and then some on insurance savings

 

I'm buying an 08 or 09 ninja 250R in the next few weeks. Gonna paint it silver streak mica, put red ninja stickers on it and a red lp on the black rims. Try and match it to my truck as much as possible. I've done 7 months of research on the 250 and on some various 600's and I've decided the ninja 250 is perfect for my needs

 

I just sold my Ninja 250 and bought a 650R... the 250 was a great bike but if you plan to ride on the freeway with large trucks be ready to get tossed around. The Ninja 250 is buzzy and is somewhat underpowered and undersized for large freeways... especially merging into traffic. Around town is where the 250 is home... great mpg and easy to maneuver. It is a rough ride on less than smooth streets and your ass will go numb after about 45 minutes of riding it. However, it revs to 13K is super light, easy to handle, and very forgiving for mistakes.

I'd suggest a middle weight bike if you plan to ride on the freeway often... not some supersport bullshit... but the Ninja 650, Suzuki SV650, the Yamaha Fz6 or the like. Plenty of power, easy to handle, usable torque, and less buzziness....

The 250 is an excellent bike to begin with but it will get old QUICK! especially if you want to go anywhere on it other then to work and school.

Just remember there is a reason why the Ninja 250 is so cheap...

 

cheaper than that keep looking

 

already bought an sold the 250