Kawasaki Ninja 500 Review

Well after a lot of research, time and effort. I went to the dealer today, sat on the bike and just love it!

I looked at the 250 first off and decided that it is just to small for me and for what I want to do.

The ex500 fits me for the following reasons.
-Larger frame fits my body shape very well.
-Larger CC's ticking in at 499 gives me more adjust-ability on the highway then that of the 250.
-The foot pegs put me right where I want to be on the bike.
-The back seat is a bit larger which allows me to put a slightly larger saddle on it. Which is what I need considering I do not have a car.
-The seat puts me in more of comfort zone, I have a big ass and I am a big ass... hmmm...
-Liquid cooled. This doesn't reflect a difference between the 250/500 however in Texas we have colder winters and hotter summers.

As said before I went to the dealer. But before heading out I researched everything I could and wanted to know. I asked the dealer stuff I already knew, why? I had to find out how much he knew about the bike and bikes in general.

The next step is to figure out things such as.
-Cost of gear. (Now and in a year)
-Cost of insurance on a new bike.
-Cost of monthly payments.
-Cost of gas.
-Cost of maintenance. (Per month, Per Three month, Per Six month and One year)
-Cost of upkeep (slightly differed from maintenance)
-Cost of OTD* monthly payments.

and compare it to my monthly income/yearly income.

Questions Asked:
Whats the average gas mileage per tank not including the reserve?
Because i'm a more heavy set why should I consider the ex500 over the 250?
What will the ex500 give me over the 250?
Do you apply discounts for riders who take the MSF Course?
Do you apply discounts for riders who buy full gear in store?

and alot more.

Although it will be another week before I return. I can extablish whether or not I want to return.

Anyways, back to the research,

Kick

I have a black ninja 500 for sale if anyone is interested. Light cosmetic damages. Mileage is under 3000 and I have the clean title to the bike. I can include my helmet and jacket. I live in los angeles california. I want a bigger ninja ( GREEN would be nice) !! =). Firm price is 3000. THANKS! My email is edward_lee1234@yahoo.com

i'm 5'10" and roughly 190ish lbs in weight would a 250 or 500 suit me better?
i'm curious because i'm not your average sized southern lady lol

Hi I am a football player and a big guy. I'm 6'3" and weigh 320 pounds. Will the ninja 500 ride ok with my weight or will i Need to go bigger? I have a 40 mile commute one way daily and i want somethin that will handle that distance easily. Thanks

I am a 53 yo male new rider. I am a good athlete, bicycle rider and long time skier. I have also driven stick shift cars for 30 years. I am interested in a bike that provides excellent balance between power, handling, comfort especially for 7-10ths riding speed on the back roads. As a skier I totally understand speed, space and control.
I am 5 ft 9 in and 180lbs. Which Ninja would you recommend...the 250 or the 500?
PS I don't expect to do much crowded highway riding, mostly back two lane roads.

Thanks,
Jeff

My wife just bought one today. initially, i didn't like it, but after staring at her, and then the bike, i realized that i'd be much happier if she was on something that she'd be comfortable on and easy for her to learn on, rather than the R6 she was supposed to get.

my comments will surely echo many on the page, but thought i'd add my recent 'beginner rider' story:

notes about the bike:
after a lot of research, i bought a used 2005 Ninja 500R in October. i found the bike on eBay; it had 950 miles, been in a garage all it's life, only had a broken front brake lever and a bent rear brake lever and i paid $3000 - and i still think it was a good deal! kelley blue book will put a 2005 Ninja with 10,000 miles at $3700... after $380 in the shop to get it back to riding form, fix the levers and to get it lowered 2" (I'm a 5'3" rider, 120 lb small guy), it fits like a glove and purrs like a kitten (not quite; my opinion of the 500r is that its extremely practical but lacks any sort of polish. aka - engine power/reliability is excellent; engine noise/refinement is not to be expected). the look does leave something to be desired, but for me the black model with silver highlights and none of the enticing faux-excitement flames on the side, make me feel as sophisticated as i can.

notes about riding:
it's quick, agile, and i feel safe with it's composure. i had never ridden a bike before this past fall. i took the MSF course, passed, and bought the Ninja with my only experience being on the Eliminator 125 they gave me to take the course. again, being a small guy, i was really nervous about the whole venture (respect the road; i'm still a beginner and city traffic tenses me up quick!). i own the bike in nyc, and have had about 300 city/rural miles on the bike and 400 highway miles. the weight of the bike is perfect. i feel a little jostled on the highway, but highway riding on a 250 (which i also considered) was a fear of mine, so i think i made a great choice. the bike's acceleration is excellent; i keep it high revved in 2nd or 3rd in the city lanes of traffic and get the necessary control and also the punch i need to maneuver those pesky yellow cabs that aren't looking for you.

notes about gear/other expenses:
the previous owner gave me her helmet, an HJC (FREE). it was big for me, but was fine in the beginning. i did some shopping and purchased Shoei's bottom-of-the-line helmet, the TZ-R ($280). immediate difference! it's quieter, the fit gives more mobility, it's lighter, i can feel more venting on my head (somehow achieved with less vents than the HJC), it has a seal where the visor closes that feels solid and allows no annoying whistles - overall solid. i bought a tourmaster intake jacket ($120) with three liners (helpful), comfort is fine, nothing great but it gets the job done. i bought a cortech duffle type bag ($80) to fit over the seat behind me - great purchase - love it for my commutes and travels. covermax cover ($40); cheap, many better options for more money, but it keeps the dust off when it sits on the street.... bar bones insurance in the city with the Ninja 500r - ($45 a month with All State). fill up the gas tank ($15).

overall, i'm very pleased with the bike. it truly is perfect for a beginner and has enough power and capable handling for almost every riding situation. i think a 650 will be the absolute perfect bike, but i can wait until i get another couple thousand miles under my belt for that. weather permitting, i'll be taking it on it's first long tour with mixed riding this coming week (nyc to obx); perhaps i'll report back... hopes this helps and if your thinking about a bike, just get one!

I am thinking about buying a bike and a friend of mine has an aunt that is selling a 500r. bike only has 5,000 miles on it never been laid down and has not been rode for approx 1 year due to his aunt moving to arkansas (bike is in his grandmothers garage). bike looks like in almost new condition except for dust that was on it. my friend thinks his aunt will take $1,800 for the bike... bike was purchased new in 1998 and has only been rode by a 40y.o. female..... is this bike worth the money she wants for it...... thanks for any input

Hey everyone,

I am brand new to the motorcycle world and am looking to get my first bike. I am 20 years old, 5'11 and 210-220 pounds. I have good upper body mass and am pretty athletic. I've been looking at different forums and have been going back and forth between a 250 and a 500...I agree totally that a 250 would be a great beginner's bike but I also have to weigh in the fact that I may "outgrow" it too quickly. Is a 500 still too much bike for a beginner with my specs or do you think I should be alright? I also know that it is inevitable that I will most likely drop the bike so going towards a cheap, naked, lighter bike would be good for me. I'd be using the bike for commuting which includes back roads as well as 65mph highways. I'm not looking to race and get my neck broken or see some blue lights in my mirrors but do want to have at least a little bit of fun with it. I am also going for a sort of "bad-ass" look and wanted to know if I'd get that with the 250. Plus, my friend, (a complete beginner as well) just took out a loan for a 2006 GSX R600...I'm pretty much just waiting on him to drop it and just hope he doesn't kill himself...he is 20 as well and is basically the exact same build as me. He doesn't have his learners yet but is getting it soon. What do you all think? It too much for him? He's not going to be able to learn to maneuver it correctly, right? So if him in his 600 and me in "my" 250 go up and I can handle the 250 better, I'll still "win", if we go through turns and inclines/declines? So what I'm saying is will the 250 stay with a 600 in the mountains? How about the interstate?

I live in Virginia, close to Charlottesville but in the Blue Ridge Mountains to give you a general idea on the terrain that I will be driving on.

Thank you all so much in advance for your input...

My boyfriend just bought the Ninja 500 today (4 hours ago) from a bike shop in Falls Church, VA. He spent all weekend at the MSF course, and barely passed it. It's funny that when we went to the bike shop before he took the MSF course, he said NO WAY to the Ninja because it was too heavy and intimidating. He was planning on getting a 250 cruiser. Then, after the MSF course, he sat on a bunch of different sportsbikes and when he sat on the Ninja, he loved it the most. Immediately after we bought it, he drove it from Falls Church to Fairfax, all streets had a speed limit max of 40. He was nervous the whole time, stalled a lot, drove pretty slow, but when he hit over 40 mph, he said it was really fun. If he can do it, who was a nervous wreck about riding a motorcycle, you should be fine. Don't let the 500/250 difference scare you, you probably could not tell the difference.

I am looking at a Kawasaki Ninja 500R, it's a 2006 with only 800 miles, and they are asking $3500...does this sound like a good price or should I try to back them down a little bit??

I just put a deposit on 2008 Ninja 500 and am now wondering if it would be a good bike to buy. In CND dollars I would be paying 8000 total with taxes and everything...is that too much?? I loved it when I sat on it, and I have taken the course but Im still a new rider...just wondering if thats way too much to pay for a new one...

Has anyone had the privilege of riding the 2009 Ninja 500? Go on Kawasaki's website. It's looks good as the 250 with the new fairing designs.

Ive got the 500 ninja, although its not that great looking it is a very nice riding starter bike. It gets around 60mpg, ALSO my insurance payment is low. Im paying $65 a month for $10,000 coverage for damage/stolen/etc with a $500 deductible.

I have loved ninjas since the first time I had ever seen one and I am so excited to actually be able to begin to ride them. The situation is that I'm a total noob when it comes to motorcycles (as i have never ridden one) and am wondering wheter I should get the 250 or the 500. I'm not concerned about the body shape or look because i personally think they are both very sleek and sexy. I'm 16 about 6 feet tall (maybe more) and about 125-130 lbs. The 250 fits more with my price range About $4000 new (In Canada) and about $2, 500 used.The 500 comes in at about $6000 new (once again in Canada) and about $3000 used. The 500 also appeals to me because a i want to have a more powerful bike, but not once so powerful that i will be overwhelmed. The reason for this is that my friends are all going to be one bigger bikes and i want to be able to keep up with the pack. I'm personally leaning more toward a used 500, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thx

- Tim (Puma)

My first street bike was the EX500, got it back in 1990, I was pushing for the zx600 ninja at the time but the salesman wisely talked me into the EX. I was very pleased with it, low price, cheap insurance and still enough power to get you in and out of trouble. I am 6' and at the time weighed in at 170 and the bike fit me well, had it for a good 3 years before it got jacked out of the parking lot of my apt complex. It is a great bike, very forvgiving, pretty peppy, I believe at the time one of the selling points was that it was essentially the zx10 motor cut in half, coming from lineage like that, it had to be good, it was and still is. I'm glad I didn't get in over my head with a bigger bike. I can thank a responsible salesman for doing right by me, ended up buying a CBR600 from the same shop a few years later.

I am a brand new rider, being a nearly 40 yo woman at 5'4" and 123lbs. I bought a 2008 500r for $4500 new about 3 weeks ago. I'm still waiting to get into the Ohio Motorcycle class. I guess Ohio doesn't accept the MSF course. The first time I was on the bike was pretty scary since I haven't ridden anything in like 25 years and those were dirt bikes and a moped! But, I'm becoming more and more comfortable everyday and constantly practicing my corners. In some ways I have it easy to practice because I live in the country and traffic hasn't been a major issue. However, the roads are very narrow and bumpy. Maybe this will be an advantage to my riding skills in the long run? Sometime soon though I need to get out into more traffic. Being country though the speed limits are 55-65mph and with the break in I can only get the bike up to 50mph to not exceed the 4k rpm. I had no idea the bike could be lowered about 2 inches and I'm going to investigate that because I would like to get my feet flat on the ground. My biggest problem seems to be taking off from a stop and making a turn at the same time. The right turns have given me the biggest problem and I did drop the bike on one after stalling. I must have let the clutch out too fast. All I know is it lurched forward, stopped suddenly and I wasn't strong enough to keep it upright in the turn. Sliding on gravel, which is all over these roads out here, didn't help any! My foot just slid out from underneath me. Can anyone tell me more about that lowering kit? Is that something my dealer could do for me? I wasn't too happy about scratching up my fairings. I bought this bike over the 250r due to the salesman and others warning me I wouldn't be able to take that out on the freeway without being blown around all over. I want to use the bike to commute to work, 42 miles each way, to save on gas. I don't think the 500r has too much power for me (I have been cautious and have no plans at this time to explore just how much power it has) but I also wouldn't mind the seat being a tad lower!

On insurance, I have Progressive and full coverage with a $250 deductible is costing me just under $35 a month. So, cheap to insure and great on gas.

To all the guys who are wondering if this is too much bike for them, I don't think so. It shifts easily and goes into 6th gear at only 35mph. As long as you are easy on the throttle it behaves itself just fine and hasn't scared me during acceleration at all, past my first trip down my driveway when I was WAY too high on the throttle :) That was called, gee I haven't driven anything on 2 wheels for 25 years and I forgot!

I am looking to buy a 2007 500r tomorrow at dealer, It is the only one there. they have the new 2009 500r but the price is about 2 grand more. They are offering it to me for $4600. This sounds like a good deal. This will be a first bike and I did take my msf class. I just dont want to buy a 250 and then want to sell it quickly. I will be 40 in november and I am 5,4" and when I sat on the bike it felt fine. It is an ugly yellow color but this does not matter to me. there is a long waiting list of 25 or more people for for the ninja 250s and would probably not get it till Jan 09. Does this sound like a good deal? I like the feel of this bike. I wanted to get a vulcan 500 but could not find any.

I am 27 and pay $59month for full coverage collision, theft, all my gear and this is on a 2001 750 gsxr with progressive. I also went down on a vfr750 and they paid out book value + retail price of my mods as well as my used gear and refunded all payments from the day after the accident. I can't say what other companies are like but progressive takes care of bikers and quickly.

im looking to get my first bike in the spring. i am about 6'1" and 210 lbs. i have been looking into the 250r and i think that it will fit me perfectly. my only concern is that i am going to get bored with it quickly. i am going to school in indiana and i want a bike that will get me around campus and also take me for a good ride on the highway. should i go with the 500?

Hi all, just read most of the comments here and I want to clarify a few things.

FIrst, the 500R is an excellent beginner's bike. Most average-to-above sized folks (I'm above average at 6'3" & 180lbs) will be relatively comfortable on the bike. Folks under 5'6" may not be able to flat foot. Folks over 300lbs should definitely look at the 500R over the 250R.

While the bigger Ninja has more overall power than the 250, both machines have a similar engine layout. The parallel twin and heavier flywheel allow for a slower revving engine with less likelihood of a stall. The 500R has a slightly wider seat, and more room for a passenger or luggage (if you want to go the sport-touring route).

In regards to fuel, I regularly see 55+ MPG and keep my shifts under 5K RPMs. Unless merging or carving back roads, there isn't much need to accelerate beyond ~6K RPMs. The bike really begins to come alive between 6-10K RPMs, with most of the action from 7-9K. Anything over 10K is pointless, as you are actually accelerating out of the power curve.

Back to fuel - it is important to shift within a certain RPM range to get maximum fuel economy. One poster noted she uses 6th gear at 35 MPH. At that low of a speed & RPM (roughly ~2.5K), you are dumping fuel into your carbs and expelling it out the exhaust without it even being burnt. The 500R shouldn't be accelerated below 3.5K RPMs unless in 1st or 2nd gear. By the way, with a 4.8 gallon tank (4 gallons of main, .8 gallons of reserve), you can easily see 250 miles on a single fillup.

Riding characteristics - this is where the bigger Ninja shines on the back roads. Low weight and respectable midrange power allow the 500R to keep up with most other bikes in the corners. I regularly ride with a friend on his modified SV650S, pushing about 80HP. Unless we hit a straight, I am easily able to keep close to his rear tire without fail. On other rides with 600-750cc bikes, the same applies. It should be noted that the lack of power on the 500R (in comparison to 4-cylinder bikes) can sometimes work in your favor. It allows for smoother throttle delivery out of corners and predictable lines without sliding around the back end too terribly. In turn, this inspires confidence (note: not cockiness) and allows the Ninja rider to pour on the gas while the GSXR squid fears his exit. :-)

As a light tourer, the 500R also does a great job. I have had the bike on several 250+ mile trips and adore the ride. Aside from buzzing through the handlebars and slightly cramped ergonomics (being 6'3", I would be tight on most sport bikes), the 500R is an excellent highway tourer. I have spent some time on a 250R on the highway. The baby Ninja is also perfectly capable of running 75+ MPH on the interstate. However, you are cruising with less margin of power for passing, and the 50lbs less difference can make for a slightly blustery ride. Both bikes do well, but for light touring + luggage, I feel the 500R is the right pick. It can do what the little Ninja does well, better.

I have been quite long-winded in my recommendation of the 500R, so I think it's time to bring this to a close. The 500R is more Ninja. Most folks would say to look at yourself objectively and ask "Am I disciplined enough to ride a bike?" If you have to ask that question and aren't sure of the answer, you should not ride *ANY* bike. You can get yourself killed on an Eliminator 125 if you try hard enough. :-) The key is to realize that the 500R is more bike, but for most people, it will not be too much. Are you disciplined enough to ride a bike and keep it within the speed limits? Will you take the necessary courses to understand the ever-changing dynamics behind riding any motorcycle?

Do not think that smaller engine size will protect you from being engine. While I certainly do not advocate that a new rider purchase a 600cc bike, I feel that the Ninja 500R is an excellent choice for disciplined individuals looking to start their riding experience and continue it with a bike that has more flexibility and capabilities than much of it's direct competition.

Thank you for reading!

I have enjoyed reading the reviews that are posted here. I was looking at a new Ninja 250R till I started reading about the Ninja 500. I will need to look at one.
I was given a BMW GS1150 in "03" which I rode for about two years. I have a spinal desease that that has been eating away my spine for the last 20 some years. I gave the bike back to my brother as it was getting to a point that I could not hold it up on tippy toes any longer. I bought myself a "03" Bajaj Chetak a 145cc scooter with a top speed of 50 miles per hour. I rode cross country twice with this scoot. I bought a "03" 650 Burgman scooter and rode it one year and made two crosscountry trips with it. But the Scooter was top heavy and was not easy for maintenance. I sold it and recieved cash and a "04" Honda Reflex 250cc scooter, top speed 70 MPH.. I rode crosscountry 4 times with it. Great scooter never had a problem with it. I was at my brother in southern Illinois and he wanted a smaller scooter for his wife and he gave me a "04 Honda Silverwing 600cc scooter for it. I have ridden this to Kentucky, Texas, ans Arkansas this year on it. I live in Logan, Utah. Each of these trip were just over 4,000 miles each. I am a long rider. I don't ride much at home. The bike is ok but I need to go back to a motorcycle and I was looking at the 250 Ninjas. You have answered most of my questions he in this forum. I most heartly agree that a beginner should start out on a 250 Bike. I have just given you the last 8 years out of 50 years on two wheels of my life. Do experiance riders still get hurt? You betcha, I have had 3 major accidents and hundreds of close calls in 50 years. Learn to ride like everybody else is out to get you. STAY ALERT. I just can't imagine what it would be like without two wheels under me. Thanks for the great imput. Your new friend... Jerry