[crf869]

Hi guys, I am a beginner rider and I need help deciding on my next bike. I started riding last year after taking the beginner V-twin rider course. I ended up compulsivley buying a Honda CBR 125cc, and sold it 6 months later as it was too small and I was not comfortable riding it in traffic. I want to be smarter this time around….I am looking for something mainly for city riding/commuting. I have read a lot of reviews saying the SV650 is a good beginner bike, or the ninja 500. Any advice? THANKS!

[Jeff in Kentucky]

The 250cc Kawasaki Ninja will go about 110 mph, and the newest one looks like a 600cc supersport with narrower tires.

The Ninja 500 costs less than the SV650 and has an older look, and the lower power is safer for a beginner. Both of these bikes are heavier and faster than a 250, which makes them less safe for a beginner, but they are more comfortable at 75 miles per hour.

Take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation class, and buy the oldest, smallest bike you can stand to save money and save your life. Look at every slower bike sold in the US to start with, and narrow your choices later, after sitting on many of them.

[CBBaron]

Wow, Excellent advice and a great way to put it.

Though I’m not sure about 110 on a Ninja 250 based on what I have read on other forums but I know it is very capable of 90 and will easily accelerate at 70.

Sounds like the OP has some experience so I imagine capable of the bigger bikes. Both have a lot of good reviews and the SV has a strong following.

Me I’m loving my older Ninja 250. Especially the price and insurance costs.

Craig

[Overtime]

With the research I did, both the SV650 and the ninja650r came up as good beginner bikes in about the same category. The head-to-head comparison review I read summarized it that the ninja650 was a little easier on beginners, but had a slightly lower skill cap, whereas the SV650 was a little harder up front, but you could eventually do a little more with it.

Personally I don’t like the partially-faired look of the classic SV650 and the fully faired models are only very recent and I couldn’t find any for sale used. It ended up coming down to the best deal though and I found a great deal on a ninja 650r that had 600 miles on it, so I went with that.

I would not recommend the ninja 500…it’s old technology and ugly imo.

The previous poster makes a good point about a ninja250…it might be good for city commuting. It’ll be easier to make sharper turns, and you wont’ get yourself into as much trouble in tight situations in traffic. Of course, the 650 is better able to get out of its own way if you need to take evasive action, get around on the highway, etc. You may also get bored of the 250 quickly, especially if a cbr125 was too weak.

If you get an sv650 or a ninja650 I think you will be happy

[megaspaz]

i’ve ridden both a stock sv650 and a stock ninja ex500. An ex-coworker bought an ex500 and I rode it home for him. Stock for stock, the ninja ex500 rode like a pile of turd.

[Author]

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