- This topic has 5 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 11 months ago by eternal05.
bikes im looking at
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May 28, 2010 at 1:03 pm #4004feezee29Participant
Ok i have made my mind up on what size bike that i want to get i what a 250cc either the ninja 250 or a Suzuki gz250. I like the style and looks of the ninja. And i like the fact that the gz250 has in seat storage just in case i need to put something in there. At first i wasn’t to big on sports bikes because of the speed that they can reach. But the Cruisers make me feel a little old. I was wonder if anyone has either bike and how much is there insurance costing them.
May 28, 2010 at 11:33 pm #26809gitchy42ParticipantI don’t know if you have looked at the Suzuki TU250, same power-plant as the GZ, but it is injected. It also has a ‘standard’ riding position, like the CB250 Nighthawk, although the styling makes it look like a state-of-the-art 1968 motorcycle.
However, between the two that you are considering, the GZ would probably have better insurance rates and a better price, but the Ninja will probably have a better resale value and a zippier ride.
May 31, 2010 at 7:07 pm #26837owlieParticipantThe Ninja 250 is a good starter bike. The other guys can weigh in if i say something stupid, but it doesn’t have the same riding characteristics as a supersport (600cc race-tuned sport bike)- which generally means that it has tamer acceleration and braking. It is also relatively common and easy to find on the used market if you are concerned about cost. The newer Ninja 250 also just looks cool if you don’t go for the cruiser look.
For insurance- every rider is different, and every bike is different. Try getting some online quotes to see where it will run.
June 1, 2010 at 4:23 pm #26861CBBaronParticipantThe Ninja 250 is more of a faired standard than a sport bike. However the little water-cooled twin does like to rev. Still the power is a faction of the power of the 600 or 1000cc rocket ships usually considered sport bikes.
Dual sports and super motos I think would make great starter bikes. They are very light and not usually damaged if you drop them and you can play around off-road to work on skills without cars. The main disadvantage I found was price and seat height. The cheap dual sports like the TW200 and DR200se are still usually more expensive than a 250 street bike and will struggle with speeds much over 55mph. The water-cooled 250cc bikes are fairly capable road bikes but are considerably more expensive.
Dual-sports are often fairly tall. This can be a problem if you have a short inseam. However if you are tall they probably fit better than the other 250cc bikes.Craig
June 1, 2010 at 8:25 pm #26868redcromwellParticipantI own a Ninja 250. It’s my first bike and agree with owlie and CBBaron that it definitely doesn’t have the same umph as it’s larger cc siblings. But it looks so much like the larger bikes that other riders may do a double-take wondering what you’re riding.
Since I’m just starting out, I like that is very forgiving on accelerating and I don’t have to worry about inadvertently doing a wheelie.
I’ve taken it out on the Interstate and had no problem keeping up with traffic … and pulling away when I needed to.
I had thought about getting a cruiser and I plan to eventually get one… maybe by my third bike.
As for insurance cost, of course age, bike type and location are factors. For me, I’m paying a little over $500 a year on insurance through Progressive. That’s with more than just minimal coverage.
I thought that was good deal considering I pay more for my two cars.
June 2, 2010 at 1:26 am #26878eternal05Participant“[The Ninja 250R] doesn’t have the same umph as it’s larger cc siblings.”
This is true, but it’s not nearly exaggerated enough. It’s not that it doesn’t have the same oomph. You could say that the Ninja 650R (~75hp) “doesn’t have the same oomph” as the track-oriented 600cc equivalent, the ZX-6R (~120hp). But the Ninja 250R isn’t even in the same universe as those bikes. The 600cc bikes have somewhere in the neighborhood of 120hp at the crank. The Ninja 250R is rocking a solid 28hp. Like I said. Not even the same universe.
The Ninja 250R is a fantastic bike. I started on one and still have it around, despite moving on to this:
It’s “tame” if by that you mean “easy to ride,” but it’s not lame. It’s not fast by motorcycle standards, but it is fast by car standards, and you can have way more fun, especially around town, on one of these:
than you will with, say, one of these:
It’s easy to ride, responds quickly, but doesn’t punish your mistakes. It’s also more comfortable than its true sportbike cousins, and easier to cope with around town. Great bike. You’d like it.
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