93gsxturbo wrote: I have always assumed people that suggest Ninja 250s are "starter bikes" had never ridden a motorcycle and just suggested it based on its low cost and "cute looks".
I would suggest starting with a liter bike. Thats what I did and I turned out okay. I had a modified Ninja ZX-9R with a 993 kit, cams, flatslide carbs, full pipe, etc etc etc.
Like they said in the movie The Rock. "The second you dont respect this stuff, it kills you." Its pretty easy to figure out that your lifespan is determined by how that throttle works.
You assume wrong. My reccomendation is based on almost 20 years of riding experince and two years of having one as my sole source of transportation.
Respect is easy, and so is the connection to the throttle and lifespan. But bikes are more than throttle, they are balance, and braking.
So the next question is what do you do when somehting goes wrong? And on a bike, it always does.
The fact of the matter is most folks will grab their rear brakes, and we trained ourselves as young folks that the front brake was membership in the over the handlebars club. But on a motorcyle the rear tire will usually lock up and slide. Reducing control and increasing stopping diatnce directly proportional to the weight of a bike. Here is one arena where a 250 will be superior to a liter bike, espcially as a starter.
80% of your braking force on a motorcycle is in the front, but it is alo easy to lock that one up as well, another piont a liter bike will fail as a starter bike, until the rider learns modualtion, and that will only happen with time. Meanwhile this leads to a discussion on balance, lock up the front wheel on a liter bike and the momentum is worse than that on a smaller one and you are in real trouble. The same for the 250, but it is light enough you have a hope of recovery, and barring that, less speed, less weight and less in pact on terra firma.
Finally, a 250 is more fun than you realize on curves. Impossible lean angles, and full throttle out of a sweeper that would spin a 600 out from under you. You learn energy managerment, and balance on a smaller bike more than a liter bike.
There are a dozen other reasonings I can get into, but I have niether the time or inclination,. The reality is numbers are on my side. Yes you turned out OK, so far. But if you hand with riders, I am sure you have heard a hundred stories of newbies on too much motorcycle reducing themselves into a crimson stain on the road.
JG Pasterjak wrote: I agree, especially since I just rode my new '08 Ninja 250R home yesterday.
First impressions:
Ergonomically the best bike I've ever had. Fits me perfectly and is comfortable at speed.
Not what I'd call fast, but it's as fast or faster than my Mazdaspeed3.
Best handling bike I've ever had. Something to be said for super light weight. I'd be willing to do a track day on this bike.
8000rpm at 70mph isn't as buzzy as it sounds. At that speed the engine feels right at home. I imagine it will be even more so once it's more broken in.
Pix to come
jg
Rock on! I spent this past weekend helping my buddy break his in here in CO. Its a cool bike, but it desperatly needs to be jetted for this altitutde.