Good Price on this Motorcycle?

I picked this up for $3,700 (2005 Yamaha R6). I'd get a 600 personally, the first day you're gonna be scared of it and asking yourself "WTF DID I DO" but you'll start getting comfortable after a few days. Those 250's top out at 85 or 90 I think, barely fast enough to keep up with highway traffic. Cruising around town gets boring fast.

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When I got my first motorcycle I was a lot like you. I figured, for a beginner slower is better. So, I went shopping with a guy that has had a dozen bikes and he was not some kind of crazy dare devil.

He told me, get a 650 or 750 or don't bother. You'll outgrow the smaller bike in less than a month and be truly sorry you didn't go bigger.

He was absolutely correct. I got a Suzuki 750GS and yes it did feel "too big" and such for the first 7 days or so, but I was eternally grateful that I had followed his advice.

This advice works for lots of "new" things: Buying a boat -- go bigger right from the start.

See, what you don't know yet, because you've never owned a bike is what's important. A bigger more powerful motorcycle is actually safer than that little 250 crotch rocket.
 
if your going to buy a 250 you might as well get a small scooter or something for cheaper till you learn to balance
 

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+1 on getting a bigger bike.. they seem adequete and can be fun to ride at first but ive had 2 of my friends go out and drop good money on that same bike as well as 2 friends who got the 500 and they get bored/disappointed with them very quickly...

i don't mind smaller bikes but tha'ts cause i prefer old school KZ's, GS's, and CB's my first bike was a GS500 tons of fun even on the highway when it could barely do 95...

i would suggest a used 600 plenty of power for when you get comfortable not just for going as fast as possible but the added torque makes riding it more enjoyable and easier IMO... i prefer buying used to avoid depreciation but i can do my own work on my cars and bikes if you have the extra cash to blow on something newer with less miles then fuck it ball out and go for it..

not saying that Kaw 250 is a bad starter bike or that you should give a fuck about what other people think, but from personal experiences most prolly wish they went a little larger on their first bike..
 
Get a used bike on craigslist for around $2500.

You can get an older 600cc or a newer 250cc, learn it, drop it a few times then move on.

No need to spend 3500 on a first bike imo
 
forgot to mention i also took that MSF class highly recommend it.. i took it in college for credit and they provided us with 250's and buell 500's.. one thing you will learn and this may really help affect your bike choice is that your prolly not gonna lay a bike down while attempting to do a quick blast down a straight highway its the slow maneuvers in parking lots that get most people and thats a big focus in the class.

and their right to i see way more people put their bikes down while trying to make a slow U-turn then i ever do when they ride hard.. slower speeds require a lot more balance on your part cause the bike isn't going to want to stand its self up
 
I was literally in your same position two months ago. Considering the exact bike. The ninja- 250.

Let me tell you, get a bigger bike. You will out grow it very quickly. Get the next size up and get it used. Your going to drop it.
 
Wow so many idiots in here pushing for this guy to get a 600, 600CC (really) 599CC bikes are too heavy and powerful for most beginner riders, sure you can do it - but its going to be scary as fuck and most likely lead to you getting into an accident because you don't know what to do.

Start with a 250, that 09 ninja is a fun and nice bike.

In a few months when your ready to move up you'll love it and be glad you waited.

Its about having fun, not dying.

Trust me, I've t-boned a car doing 70MPH on my CBR 600RR and its not fun. (not my fault at all either)

Have fun and be safe, and wear a fucking jacket and helmet! you will be glad you did if anything ever happens.
 
Dont get a 250. They are too weak and you'll be bored as fuck with it within a week, 99% guaranteed.

I started on a 600 and it was easy as fuck, just make sure to not slow down when doing a low speed turn (mistake i made 2x). Also my beginner's bike was like $1200 (98 yzf600r)
 
Took a turn too hard on the 650r (two weeks after getting it) and crashed into a road side barrier... totally wrote off the bike and just got a new one a week ago.

Take both for a test drive. But if you a) aren't strong b) aren't experienced on bikes then I'd probably go with the 250 and sell it in a month or two.

If you drop the bike it won't go too much down in value. You'll prob lose $500 on depreciation or so anyway when you resell it. Riding the 250 for a month or two just gives you the experience, balance, etc you need for a faster bike (especially in the turns of the city).

This will probably help you out: Vex's observations on purchasing a 250 : KawiForums.com Kawasaki Forums: Kawasaki motorcycle forums

P.S - Worth noting I've only driven the 650r, never the 250. But in terms of 0-60 speed there isn't really much difference.

P.P.S - Also most of the people in this thread don't have bikes. And those that do have been riding for years. Take that into consideration. I'd go 250 for a few months until you're comfortable, take a loss of $500-1,000, and upgrade to a 650r or something comparable.
 
I have to agree with everyone else that is saying go big, or not at all. I'm conservative, but when you get on the bike it all goes out the window. Once you learn how to control the throttle, you won't regret leaving the 250 for the wussys. You can easily buy a larger bike for much cheaper than 3 grand.
 
Bunch of fucking morons every single person in this thread telling a new rider to get a 600. I doubt a single one of you fucks have ever ridden on the track or have a shit stain of riding skill in your body.

OP, nice choice of bike. You will get sick of your first bike within a few months, but the Ninja's tend to hold their value really really well. In fact a lot of people I know have sold their 250's for more than they paid for them. Whether you get the new model Ninja or the old model doesn't matter. You WILL learn more from trying to tear up the road on a 250 than any of the 600 nobs in this thread realize. If you can, pick the bike up from a private party so you have title on hand and can sell it as soon as you decide. A good price is anywhere from $2,000 to $2,500. Mileage isn't going to matter much apart from resale. Also, I would recommend after a month of two riding, rent some leathers and take the bike to a track day. You WILL be a better and safer rider than every single person in this thread that has never done track in the matter of five hours.
 
stussy5555 said:
Dude how can the bike not keep up with traffic? You are talking like its a moped. The 250 probably out accelerates most sports cars. How is that not keeping up with traffic? lol
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Lol, 250 accelerates better than a sports car for the first 3 seconds or so. Then after that it tops out fast.

Some places traffic goes fast (above 60-75 miles/hour). 250 in this case doesn't cut it (like driving a car of 900ccs or less) If that is the case, go bigger, you want to not only stay in traffic, but get out of a tight spot easily.

Really, something people don't mention enough is staying in traffic. Going too fast is damn dangerous everybody knows that... but so is going too slow... going too slow/not having decent pick up is an underestimated danger.
 
greenleaves said:
Lol, 250 accelerates better than a sports car for the first 3 seconds or so. Then after that it tops out fast.

Some places traffic goes fast (above 60-75 miles/hour). 250 in this case doesn't cut it (like driving a car of 900ccs or less) If that is the case, go bigger, you want to not only stay in traffic, but get out of a tight spot easily.

Really, something people don't mention enough is staying in traffic. Going too fast is damn dangerous everybody knows that... but so is going too slow... going too slow/not having decent pick up is an underestimated danger.
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Are you on crack? 250R has a top speed of 115mph and 0-60 in 5.5sec. Shit, that's faster than my 350Z off the line, and I typically don't spend much time on the freeway above 80mph.
 
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