Ninja 250

That review is right on. I really enjoy my Ninja 250. It is so easy and fun to ride, and though slow for bike standards, it is faster than most cars, easy and willing to flog, fun to toss around, lots of available cheap parts and online knowledge, easily cruises 80 on the highway, and it get 65 MPG on my commute. I thought after a year with it I would want something else, but find I am perfectly content with it, and see no need to spend a bunch on something that will cost more to run and insure, and likely not be much more fun for how I ride.

Sonic, its review like yours that make me wonder if im making a mistake jumpin up to a 600cc bike. I dunno

Well, another great thing about the Ninja 250 is that they don't depreciate. YOu can buy one, ride it for a while, if you find you want to move on, you can sell it for what you paid for it more or less and move on to something else.

I got a hell of a deal on mine, 2003 with 8k miles, had been knocked over the garage a few times so it isn't perfect, but looks great from 10 feet, needed a front tire, $1300. I bought it in January from a guy who was moving out of the country a week later for a job, so he needed to move it. I've ridden it 2500 miles since then, and while I'd probably have (too much) fun with a 600, I don't really see it being worth the extra $3000 I'd need to spend to get into an SV650 or something, when this does everything I ask of it and does so at the least possible ongoing cost.

you make some very good points. this is tricky to figure out haha

Buy a 2008+

Get ZX6R looks without the worry of certain doom.

anyone got a dirt cheap ninja lying aorund?

nope. just the 500cc version. Still not 600cc hp and extremely similar to the 250