Hi, my names Tim and I just signed up for these forums to learn some info on the Ninja 250R. I've never ridden a motorcycle before and been doing research on this bike and it seems like this is a good beginner bike. I won't be purchasing a bike until April 09 since I'm leaving for basic training in Dec. I will be taking the MSF since they offer it for free in the military. But I just wanted to know what some of you guys thought.

I'll be using the bike to commute around local area and stuff not really on highways. And if this helps I'm 6'1" and weigh about 190 (probably will be less once I get out of basic) thanks for any input! It's greatly aprreciated.

 

I've had an '09 250R for about two weeks now, have 250 miles or so on her.

Great bike - it's amazingly light and maneuverable, and VERY forgiving. I've made some dumb mistakes that, while they probably wouldn't have dropped a bigger bike certainly would have made things much more hairy.

My commute is only 4 miles, all speed limit 25. I tend to do 40 in 6th (not as dangerous as it sounds, flow of traffic is 35-40 on these roads), running at about 4k rpm. It's got plenty of power for the daily grind and with a top speed approaching 110-115 you've got enough juice for the highway (though I wouldn't recommend it for long highway trips, she screams along at about 9k rpm at 70 mph).

The only concern I might have is size - I'm 5'9" and fit pretty well perfectly on the 250... flat foot at stops and all. Definitely sit on one first and make sure you like the way it fits you.

 

Your height and weight are fine for this bike, and it's an excellent starter. It's also a great bike for the experienced rider who likes being able to push his bike on the road.

It's only drawback is in having only a little reserve of power for regular highway cruising. It's fine for regular short or occasional long highway trips, and going for a more powerful first bike is a mistake anyway. you'll learn more, learn it better, and learn it faster than you would on a bigger bike.

Top speed is about 95 according to the mags, but the speedo reads rather higher. I'm not a great believer in short trips of less than about 7 miles on anything other than a bicycle or a 'ped, as it takes that long for the motor to fully warm. That means the cold start contaminants aren't burnt off the oil, so if you do a lot of short journeys, think about cutting the oil change interval.

Rob

 

this is a good starter bike, however, there are other starter bikes that will do just fine as well. also look into the ninja650. it has a bit more power, but the power delivery is very forgiving and you'll probably be happier longer on with it. Its also conciderably taller, so it may be more comfortable for you.

 

650s are not good starter bikes. Lots of people do use them, most survive, and none of them admit to having made a mistake, but you'll learn more, learn it better and learn it faster on a 250, as well have having a much bigger margin of error for your inevitable mistakes. The 650 will too easily pull wheelys in first and second when you don't intend to, and going into a bend at 90 mph only to realise too late that it's an 80 mph bend tends to hurt. 90 on the 650 is relaxed cruising and makes that an easy mistake to make.

I'd go further. Dropping bikes is part of the learning curve. Pushing to the edge as your skill and confidence builds is great fun and fear keeps you from going to far, but even more than fear for yourself is fear of scratching up your shiny new bike. Shiny new big bikes are even more fear inducing, and the owners usually learn to hold back so they never really learn to ride properly. Think about putting in a year on a used bike that you don't care about dropping. A bike with no warranty forces you to learn a bit about it instead of running to the dealer with every little hiccough. That knowledge will also make you a better rider.

Don't beat it up too much and you'll be able to sell it without a big hit on depreciation. That won't be the case for any new bike, but especially the 650. The 250 is currently in big demand and residuals are high.

Rob

 

What you recommend as good base of miles/km between each oil change ?, and which oil you recommend the best for a '08 250R ?

thanks,

Pato Concha
Southamerica

 

2 or 3k or so miles, any motorcycle oil really, rotella, mobil-1...

 

I got a 250 to learn on, and am now selling it. It is a great bike to learn on, and your not so worried about it that you are afraid to take it out. It is a great bike to learn on. I would def suggest you get something small like the 250 to start out on!!

Good luck!!

 

thank you for some of the info you guys gave...I won't be getting one until next spring anyway. So I'm hoping by then there will be some used 08 250's out on the market.

 

Have you riden the NINJA 650? I could agree with everything you said if you had been referring to the average 600, but the ninja 650 is a far cry from a zx6 or cbr600rr. You have to really try to get the front wheel up on the 650. BTW, blowing curves at 90 on a 650 doesnt hurt any more than blowing curves at 90 on a 250