Gonna go look at this puppy tomorrow

[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.

Registered and logged-in users don't see this ad! Register your free account today.

[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]

[youtube]<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f1BWyGBAzvU&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f1BWyGBAzvU&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>[/youtube]

[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]

Originally Posted by IluvJae

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.

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]

Originally Posted by Megatron

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]

Originally Posted by 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?

I was actually thinking about rebels as well.

[Megatron]

Originally Posted by IluvJae

I was actually thinking about rebels as well.

Take a MSF course. The bikes are usually 250cc and under. The Rebel & Nighthawk were used during the MSF course I took. Some locations have the Ninja 250.

[IluvJae]

Originally Posted by Megatron

Take a MSF course. The bikes are usually 250cc and under. The Rebel & Nighthawk were used during the MSF course I took. Some locations have the Ninja 250.

Yea i've taken passed and fully licensed for the past 3 years. Just never got a bike.

[Megatron]

I assume that you haven't been riding much since passing the MSF BRC three years ago. It's probably a good idea to take a MSF course again to refresh the skills before taking to the mean streets.

The MSF program in my area offers an intermediate course. It seems like it would be just right for you.

What is the Intermediate course?

This 15 hour course is designed for people who already have some experience as a motorcycle operator. Maybe you rode years ago and still have a valid motorcycle endorsement but have been away from motorcycling for awhile. Or, maybe you already ride off-highway or on-road but need to obtain your motorcycle license endorsement. Or, perhaps you have recently taken a motorcycle safety class but need additional practice. The Intermediate Rider Training (IRT) course may be for you!

(http://mrp.uiuc.edu/programs.asp)

I'm enrolled in the IRT. Class starts in a couple weeks. Should be a fun time. Next year, I'll enroll in the Experienced Rider Training course. Then maybe...I'll take the course to be a MSF rider coach.

[Megatron]

<bump>

Jae, what did you end up doing?

[bnuk]

yeah as far 250s are concerned I wouldn't sweat it. Maybe if you are the kinda guy who wore a lot of big johnson T-shirts back in the day you should think about it... Faster doesn't necessarily mean more fun.

It's like when you have a hot girlfriend who will only make out with you. Everyone thinks you're awesome for landing her but really its just a tease.

Getting something like a 250 is like a girl that just kinda cute but is real freaky and can't keep her hands off you.

[LABARINTH]

I have a 2006 Ninja 250....I rode it last summer and I still love it. It was faster than I expected (way faster than the buells they had us ride during the course).

[DarkStarr]

Jae, here's a good read for you:

--

Stolen from GStwins.com (who actually stole it from elsewhere)

--

On our old forum, Chris Sedition wrote an open letter to new riders, which covered a lot of the common questions that people ask. We've been getting a lot of posts with exactly the questions Chris wrote about, so I copied his letter here.

Have a read, and if it answers your questions, great. If not, post up and we'll all help out as best we can. Many thanks to Chris for going to the trouble to write it.

--

One of the most common questions new sport bike riders have is, “What kind of sport bike should I get?” This question is asked so often that I have created a standardized response to it. Please keep in mind that these are the views and opinions of one person (albeit countless other also hold them) With that said, on we go…

Getting ANY modern 600cc sport bike for a first ride is a bad idea (far, far, far worse is a 1000cc bike for a first ride.) In fact, it may be nothing more than an expensive form of suicide. Here are a few reasons why.

1. Knowledge of Subject Matter

When anyone starts something new they find themselves at the most basic point of the “beginner’s mind”. This is to say that they are at the very start of the learning curve. They are not even aware of what it is that they don't know. A personal example of this is when I began Shotokan Karate. The first day of class I had no idea what an “inside-block” was, let alone how to do it with correct form, power, and consistency. After some time, and a lot of practice, I could only then realize how bad my form really was. Then, and only then, was I able to begin the process of improving it. I had to become knowledgeable that inside-blocks even existed before I was aware that I couldn’t do them correctly. It takes knowledge OF something in order to understand how that something works, functions, performs, etc. Now lets return to the world of motorcycles. A beginner has NO motorcycle experience. They are not even aware of the power, mistakes, handling, shifting, turning dynamics etc. of any bike, let alone a high performance sport bike. Not only do they lack the SKILL of how to ride a motorcycle, they also lack the knowledge of WHAT skills they need to learn. Acquiring those skills comes only with experience and learning from your mistakes. As one moves through the learning curve they begin to amass new information…they also make mistakes. A ton of them.

2. The Learning Curve

While learning to do something, you make mistakes. Without mistakes the learning process is impossible. A mistake on a sport bike can be fatal. The things new riders need to learn above all is smooth throttle control, proper speed, and how to lean going into turns. A 600cc bike can reach 60mph in about 3 to 5 seconds. A simple beginners mishap with that much power and torque can cost you your life (or a few limbs) before you even knew what happened. Grab a handful of throttle going into a turn and you may end up crossing that little yellow line on the road into on-coming traffic…**shudder**. Bikes that are more forgiving of mistakes are far safer (not to mention, more fun) to learn on.

Ask yourself this question; in which manner would you rather learn to walk on a circus high-wire A) with a 4x4 board that is 2 feet off the ground B) with a wire that is 20 feet off the ground? Most sensible people would choose “A”. The reason why is obvious. Unfortunately safety concerns with a first motorcycle aren’t as apparent as they are in the example above. However, the wrong choice of what equipment to learn on can be just as deadly, regardless of how safe, careful, and level-headed you intend to be.

3. “But I Will be Safe, Responsible, and Level-Headed While Learning".

Sorry, but this line of reasoning doesn’t cut it. To be safe you also need SKILL (throttle control, speed, leaning, etc). Skill comes ONLY with experience. To gain experience you must ride in real traffic, with real cars, and real dangers. Before that experience is developed, you are best suited with a bike that won’t severely punish you for minor mistakes. A cutting edge race bike is not one of these bikes.

Imagine someone saying, "I want to learn to juggle, but I’m going to start by learning with chainsaws. But don’t worry. I intend to go slow, be careful, stay level-headed, and respect the power of the chainsaws while I’m learning". Like the high-wire example, the proper route here isn’t hard to see. Be “careful” all you want, go as “slow” as you want, be as “cautious” as you want, be as “respectful” as you want…your still juggling chainsaws! The “level-headed” thing to do in this situation is NOT to start with chainsaws. Without a foundation in place of HOW to juggle there is only a small level of safety you can aspire towards. Plain and simple, it’s just better to learn juggling with tennis balls than it with chainsaws. The same holds true for learning to ride a motorcycle. Start with a solid foundation in the basics, and then move up. Many people say that “maturity” will help you be safe with motorcycles. They are correct. However, maturity has NOTHING to do with learning to ride a motorcycle. Maturity is what you SHOULD use when deciding what kind of bike to buy so that you may learn to ride a motorcycle safely.

4. “I Don’t Want a Bike I’ll Outgrow”

Please. Did your Momma put you in size 9 shoes at age 2? Get with the program. It is far better to maximize the performance of a smaller motorcycle and get “bored" with it than it is to mess-up your really fast bike (not mention messing yourself up) and not being able to ride at all. Power is nothing without control.

5. “I Don’t Want to Waste Money on a Bike I’ll Only Have for a Short Period of Time” (i.e. cost)

Smaller, used bikes have and retain good resale value. This is because other sane people will want them as learner bikes. You’ll prolly be able to sell a used learner bike for as much as you paid for it. If you can't afford to upgrade in a year or two, then you definitely can't afford to wreck the bike your dreaming about. At the very least, most new riders drop bikes going under 20MPH, when the bike is at its most unstable periods. If you drop your brand new bike, fresh off the showroom floor, while your learning (and you will), you've just broken a directional, perhaps a brake or clutch lever, cracked / scrapped the fairings ($300.00 each to replace), messed-up the engine casing, messed-up the bar ends, etc. It's better and cheaper to drop a used bike that you don’t care about than one you just spent $8,500 on. Fortunately, most of these types of accidents do not result in serious physical injury. It’s usually just a big dent in your pride and…

6. EGO.

Worried about looking like chump on a smaller bike? Well, your gonna look like the biggest idiot ever on your brand new, but messed-up bike after you’ve dropped it a few times. You’ll also look really dumb with a badass race bike that you stall 15 times at a red light before you can get into gear. Or even better, how about a new R6 that you can’t ride more than 15mph around a turn because you don’t know how to counter-steer correctly? Yeah, your gonna be really cool with that bike, huh? Any real rider would give you props for going about learning to ride the *correct* way (i.e. on a learner bike). If you’re stressed about impressing someone with a “cool” bike, or embarrassed about being on smaller bike, then your not “mature enough” to handle the responsibility of ANY motorcycle. Try a bicycle. After you've grow-up (“matured”), revisit the idea of something with an engine.

7. "Don’t Ask for Advice if You Don't to Hear a Real Answer".

A common pattern:
1. Newbie asks for advice on a 1st bike (Newbie wants to hear certain answers)
2. Experienced rider’s advise Newbie against a 600cc bike for a first ride (This is not what Newbie wanted to hear).
3. Newbie says and thinks, "Others mess up while learning, but that wont happen to me" (As if Newbie is invincible, holds superpowers, never makes mistakes, has a “level head”, or has a skill set that exceeds the majority of the world, etc).
4. Experienced riders explain why a “level head” isn’t enough. You also need SKILL, which can ONLY be gained via experience. (Newbie thinks he has innate motorcycle skills)
5. Newbie makes up excuses as to why he is “mature” enough to handle a 600cc bike”. (Skill drives motorcycles, not maturity)
6. Newbie, with no knowledge about motorcycles, totally disregards all the advice he asked for in the first place. (Which brings us right back to the VERY FIRST point I made about “knowledge of subject matter”).
7. Newbie goes out and buys a R6, CBR, GSX, 6R, etc. Newbie is scared of the power. Being scared of your bike is the LAST thing you want. Newbie gets turned-off to motorcycles, because of fear, and never gets to really experience all the fun that they truly can be. Or worse, Newbie gets in a serious accident.
8. Newbie was actually never really looking for serious advice anyway. What he really wanted was validation and approval of a choice he was about to make or had already consciously made. When he received real advice instead of validation he became defensive about his ability to handle a modern sport bike as first ride. Validation of a poor decision isn’t going to replace scratched bodywork on your bike. It isn’t going put broken bones back together. It isn’t going graft shredded skin back onto your body. It isn’t going to teach you to ride a motorcycle the correct way. However, solid advice from experienced riders, when heeded, can help to avoid some of these issues.

I’m not trying to be harsh. I’m being real. Look all over the net. You’ll see veteran after veteran telling new riders NOT to get a 600cc bike for a first ride. You’ll even see pros saying to start small. Why? Because we hate new riders? Because we don't want others to have cool bikes? Because we want to smash your dreams? Nothing could be further from the truth. The more riders the better (assuming there not squids)! The reason people like me and countless others spend so much time trying to dissuade new riders from 600cc bikes is because we actually care about you. We don't want to see people get hurt. We don't want to see more people die in senseless accidents that could have been totally avoided with a little logic and patients. We want the “sport” to grow in a safe, healthy, and sane way. We WANT you to be around to ride that R6, CBR600RR, GSX-1000, Habayasu, etc that you desire so badly. However, we just want you to be able to ride it in a safe manner that isn’t going to be a threat to yourself or others. A side note, you may see people on the net and elsewhere saying “600cc bike are OK to start with”. Look a bit deeper when you see this. The vast majority of people making these statements are new riders themselves. If you follow their advice you’ve entered into a situation of the blind leading the blind. This is not something you want to do with motorcycles. You may also hear bike dealers saying that a 600cc is a good starter bike. They are trying to make money off you. Don’t listen.

8. HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!

Speaking of help, this is a great time to plug the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) course. The MSF course is an AMAZING learning opportunity for new riders. The courses are offered all over the USA. A link for their web site is listed at the bottom of this post (or do a Goggle search and check you local RMV web page.). The MSF course assumes no prior knowledge of motorcycles and teaches the basics of how to ride a bike with out killing yourself (and NO, just because you passed the MSF course it dose NOT mean your ready for an R6, GSX, CBR, etc). They provide motorcycles and helmets for the course. It is by far THE BEST way to start a life-long relationship with motorcycles. In some areas if you pass the course your motorcycle license will then be directly mailed to you. This means that you DON’T HAVE TO GO TO THE RMV, AT ALL!!!). That alone should be enough reason to take the course. Also, in some states you will get a discount on your insurance after you’ve taken the course. But wait, there is more! Some manufactures (Honda, Yamaha, etc) offer rebates if you take the course and then buy one of their bikes. Check their web sites / local dealers for details. I can’t plug the MSF course enough. It the best deal going for new riders. Period.

By the way, the short answer to the question, “What should I get for a first bike?” is as follows;
1. First choice, a used bike that is 500cc or under. A new 500cc bike is good, but it would suck if you dropped it. Plus, it will depreciate in value the second you drive off the dealers parking lot…not good when you want to resell it for that brand new R6, GSX600, CBR600, etc.
2. Any used OLDER 600cc sport bike (like 1980’s, early 1990’s).
3. Go here http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html for the most compressive guide on “how to buy a used bike” that has ever been written.

Good “sport” type bikes for a first ride are as follows:
Honda: early 1990's Honda *** F3, *** 599
Kawasaki: Ninja 250cc, Ninja 500cc, early 1990’s ZX-6E or ZZR600.
Suzuki: GS500E, early 1990’s Katana 600cc, SV650*, SV650s*
Yamaha: early 1990’s Yamaha YZF600R*

*Suzuki’s SV650 and Yamaha’s YZF-600R can be quite a handful for a new rider, but they can also make great bikes.
4. Any other used “standard” style motorcycle.

Also, a GREAT book to check out is “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motorcycles, 3rd edition”. The book coves everything from picking out a first bike, simple repair, anatomy of an engine, how to buy a used bike, riding gear, tips for surviving on the road, racing, etc. You can check this book out almost any major bookstore, http://www.amazon.com, or http://www.idiotsguides.com MY ADAVICE FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO GET INTO MOTORCYCLES WOULD BE TO BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT COVER TO COVER ABOUT 2 OR 3 TIMES. AFTER YOU HAVE DONE THAT, THEN TAKE THE MSF COURSE. You’ll go into the course with some great information that will greatly enrich and hasten your learning experience. It will also give you a HUGE advantage on the written test at the conclusion of the MSF course. Trust me on this one, buy the book. At the very least, go hang out at Barnes & Nobel for an afternoon and read as much of the book as you can until they kick you out of the store.

I haven’t even mentioned riding gear. Get it. Wear it. People who wear tank tops, flip-flops, and shorts while riding don’t look so cool when it comes time for a skin-graft (or when a bee goes up their shorts). There are two types of motorcycle rides: those who have crashed, and those who will. Dress for the crash, not the ride.

A number of people have emailed me recently and asked the following question, “I have ridden a friends street bike a few times, and grew up riding off-road bikes. With this history, would I be OK on a modern 600cc bike?” The answer is “No”. Off-road and street riding are totally different worlds. Granted, someone with off-road history knows things like shift patterns, how to use a clutch, etc but the power, weight, and handling of street bikes are a different ball game altogether.

-chr|s sedition
Boston, MA
chris.sedition@gmail.com

http://www.msf-usa.org (web site for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation)

Contributors to Content:
“Drewser600” / Sportrider
“Z_Fanatic” / sbw.sportbikes
“Ancosta” / NESR
“Tevo” / Sportrider

[bnuk]

There was a fatal accident here a couple days ago. This guy let his friend borrow his R6 to take it for a quick ride. last thing he told him was "be careful" 5 minutes later he goes wide on a turn and goes unnder the side of car. No helmet, broke his neck. He was 18, had no M-class but had some experience riding. Learning to ride a motorcycle is not something to be taken lightly.

[DarkStarr]

That was in Beaver Falls wasn't it? Or New Brighton... one of those, I remember reading about it.

[Llamaguy]

Originally Posted by DarkStarr

5. Newbie makes up excuses as to why he is “mature” enough to handle a 600cc bike”. (Skill drives motorcycles, not maturity)

hahaha so true!! i'm still not mature enough to ride my bike, luckly I'm pretty good at it and haven't killed myself yet.

[LABARINTH]

As it turns out you can get the front tire of a Ninja 250 up. I figured this out a few days ago. It was partially an accident. I intended to launch it but I really didn't think the front wheel would go up.

[DarkStarr]

Huh.. so I wonder if I can get my 500 up. Did you drop the clutch?