IluvJae

http://www.crossroadpowersports.com/...434&pov=816693

2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250R
$2,299.99
2520 Miles.

Gonna try to get it cheaper and then add in a Full face helmet and a Jacket. I already have gloves and i have ankle covering boots.

Megatron

2 year old, previous generation style baby ninja for $2299? The brand new 2008 one is $1200 more, and looks better.

The MSRP of the 2006 baby ninja brand new was $2999. So they're only knocking off $700? Definitely haggle with them. Just be aware that it's spring, and they probably won't budge that far. With people finishing up basic rider courses, the "beginner" bikes move.

New or old, the 250R is a nice bike. If my lard-ass didn't look ridiculous on one, I'd probably buy one.

OLD



New Hotness





AND

1. Call your insurance company. Make sure you know how much it is to insure.

2. Read this: http://www.clarity.net/~adam/buying-bike.html . It's one of the better used bike "what to look out for" write ups out there.

3. If you haven't already, take a MSF basic rider course.

4. If you want to lurk a motorcycle safety oriented board, http://msgroup.org is a good one.

Megatron

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IluvJae

Well i didn't get the chance to look at it because it was raining up here all saturday. I'm going to go take a look at it this saturday. I wish i could go during the week but i get off the same time they close .

Nice information there Megs.

Also i just want to point out something that is really starting to irritate me. I have friends that ride motorcycles. I know several of them started on bikes bigger then a 250. They all keep saying to not get a 250 cus i'll get tired of it and when i go to sell it no one would buy it. One friend even told me that i'd get no respect from other people when they see me on a 250, and how it's slow and it's like riding a gas powered lawn mower and how some dirt bikes are faster then 250's and so forth. Why can't i go for what i like and what not.

Is a 250cc bike that taboo for males or something. I'm ignoring what they are saying and getting the 250 and i'm sure when it comes time to sell it, i can sell it. I just wasn't sure why people hate 250's the way they do.

Megatron

You got to "ride your own ride". Don't let your friends dictate to you what you need. Also, who's "respect" is it that you're trying to earn? Does it really matter what some numb-nuts thinks? The only real opinion that matters is yours.

Will you outgrow a 250? The answer is most likely yes. The 250 will be light and easy to control. It will be easier for you to learn on. It will be easier to deal with while you're still fine tuning your basic riding skills. When a driver gets their license for the first time, you don't go handing them the keys to a Corvette. It's too much car for a beginning driver to safely control. For me, the same logic applies to a motorcycle.

In your 1st year of riding, the chances are higher that you might drop the bike. Would you rather drop a less expensive used starter bike or a more expensive 600cc + sport bike?

Jae, I ride a Shadow VLX, 600cc cruiser. Everyone told me I would need more. Everyone told me that it's a woman's bike. Hell, I was at the dealership buying oil. I get out to the parking lot, and there's a couple guys eyeballing my bike. I got good compliments on it. One guy said, "my wife had one". Did it bother me that he qualified his comment with "my wife had one"? Nope.

I have had my share of bone headed newbie rider issues. I made it through them because the bike is just right to learn on. It's allowing me to dial in the finesse needed to move onto a larger bike.



To me, the bike is beautiful. It does what I need it to do. That's all that matters to me.

And about the resale comments...

I was at Chicago Cycle Warehouse on Friday (chicagocycle.com). I went and looked around their used bike section. All their used 250 ninjas, used 250 rebels, one used 250 nighthawk, basically all the used "beginner" bikes had sold signs on them.

You buy a 250 ninja. You learn all you can from it in a season or two of riding. You then can sell it for near what you paid for it. Sounds like a good thing to me.

When I first got into it, I lurked http://www.beginnerbikers.org/forum . It's a great resource for new riders.

IluvJae

That's some good info there. I might lurk around a bit.

I pretty much ignore the ribbing or whatever you wanna call it from the friends. I know what i want and when it comes to my safety there's nothing wrong with starting off slow and working my way up to something bigger.

I do like the new Ninjas now that i look at them, but i think a used bike is still in my best interest.....but boy is that thing pretty`

Draconius

I learned on a Shadow 600 and that thing was PERFECT!!! Enough power to get you going, and maintain speeds. The downfall was hills. I couldn't maintain the 65-70mph that was needed on SD highways when a hill came up.

I then moved to the sportbike arena and I WILL NEVER GO BIGGER THAN 750cc and you can mark those words RIGHT NOW! The ONLY time I would is if I was a professional racer and was asked to move to the liter arena.

The BEST advise is take the MSF course, learn on a lighter cc bike (250-600cc ONLY) as it will teach you to respect the machine and control.

I only wish I had both the sport bike AND a cruiser. If I ever come across a cheap Shadow 600 again I will be on that like megatron at a transformers convention.

Megatron

I live in the flat-lands of Illinois, so I have no problem with hills.

The only problem with the Shadow VLX is that it gives me no reason to let go of it. It's just right for the type of riding I do. It 100% paid for. It's basically everything I need, and nothing I don't. I'd like to get something else, but can't justify it.

And I just bolted on a few things to make my commute easier.



Maybe I'll keep the VLX and get a SV650...

Jae, ever think of starting out on a cruiser?

Draconius

If I get a cruiser again I will be looking at the bigger shadow just because I plan on doing some long ass road trips and the more power/size the better for cargo carrying.

IluvJae

I was actually thinking about rebels as well.