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dude… you need to wear gear… Long sleeve shirts won’t cut it…

even on an entry level bike… falling off at 20 mph is not fun at all— The asphalt WILL shred through casual clothing like nothing. Even regular jeans will get chewed through very fast and start to scrap your skin in a fall.

At LEAST get a jacket and some gloves. Most people when they fall reach out with their hands, which is why gloves are so important— also they help keep your hands warm. As a New rider, there is a high probability of you falling at low speed, so gloves and a REAL motorcycle jacket are highly recommended.

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its a BETTER choice for beginner (in relation to I-4 600s)… but far from the best.

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for commuting… I would recommend the 2008 Ninja 250… you’ll get an average of 60 MPG…

if you need more power on the freeway, there is always the ninja 500 and 650 ( I have the 650 its a very nice bike too); both would make excellent commuter bikes, but the 250 would be cheaper to maintain.

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It was geared towards the if you’ve taken the msf, then there’s nothing wrong with the 650 that someone else posted.

Yeah… I think that was a bit of a stretch on my part…though I think it is *possible* for a new rider from the MSF course to ride the 650– its probably only a reasonable risk if that person is much more familiar with two wheeled vehicles. Much in the same manner as a SV650 being a good first bike— provided you are comfortable riding on two wheels.

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yeah… now that I think about it… you’re right megaspaz… When I took the MSF class, there was a guy who just could barely control his bike. He was the slowest rider the entire day– for every exercise. He even flew over his handlebars after braking in a turn! And he was on a 125cc Kawi Eliminator. Yet, he was able to squeak by and pass the field test. The worst part was, he wanted to get a gsx600…

for me though, the 650 wasn’t too bad a step, because after I took the course- I rode on my dad’s 1100cc Honda Shadow (my dad rode with me… no way I would take a 1100cc bike by myself) over the course of about 2 weeks for a total of about 500 miles.

Going from the Shadow to a ninja 650 was really a piece of cake– the ninja being lighter, nimbler, and much easier to ride…

I guess though, I wouldn’t know what its like to go from the MSF course straight to a ninja 650. Go ahead and ask as many instructors their opinions on what a good first bike would be…Keep in mind there are different schools of thought as too what really is a good beginner bike– some instructors will tell you not to get under 500cc others will say start at 250.

Also… never ask a dealership salesman their opinion– cause what ever you till them you want, they’ll show you the next class in engine power and tell you that you can handle it.

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if you have taken the MSF safety course, then there is nothing wrong at all with the 650… remember its a p-twin engine not an inline. Many of the folks here would recommend an SV650 to a beginner (albiet a beginner who is comfortable on two wheels)… and in my opinion– the ninja 650 is more noob friendly than even that bike (because of a smoother throttle and less HP).

Both the Ninja 650 and SV650 CAN overwhelm a completely new rider… but again, if you really like the 650 over the 500- its really not that big of a jump.

Some people on here are making the ninja 650 sound like its a Hayabusa… However, I haven’t spent anytime on a ninja 500…so I am in no way shape or form an expert. I’m curious to those who have rode both the 500 and 650… how much performance does the 650 REALLY have over the 500.

All I know is that the 650 feels more comfortable to me, the throttle is very smooth, and the suspension is very forgiving. I have never felt like my 650 could ever wheelie on me… (that isn’t to say that it can’t be done… I guess I just don’t have the skill); and its my belief that unless you drive like a moron (or are just jumping on a motorcycle literally for the first time) the 650 isn’t likely to get you into trouble.

with that said…. if you are driving in anger (like a moron)… I’m pretty sure you have a strong chance of having a bad day. But its not the same as a green rider jumping on a CBR1000– where even if they are level headed, they have no skill set to control the bike; that is vastly opposed to the 650 which is a very controllable bike (IMO).

if you want to constantly rev your bike at 11k RPM and showboat around… Forget even the 500 and get a 250; cause even that 500 will get you in trouble.

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the 650 is actually a good beginning bike… its probably on the same level as the SV650… which is a highly recommended beginner bike (although, like the SV650- it may have to much power for someone not comfortable on two wheels like a bicycle or dirt bike)

the throttle is really smooth and the posture and suspension are really forgiving.

I heard from someone that the 650 has more mid range power than the 500 (which has a little more low end torque) . Although, I don’t know if that is true or not. Both bikes can get you into trouble… but I think the difference in that regard is rather negligible.

With that said… I was way more comfortable sitting on a 650 than a 500- and In the end, that was what made me make up my mind, cause in reality they are very similar beginner bikes (with the exception of cosmetics and a couple of details)

I have the 650 and I think its a rather solid beginner bike– as well as I bike that I can grow into in terms of skill level.

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I don’t think so…there is a 60lbs weight difference between a Ninja 250 and 650…

60lbs… that’s like a backstreet boy…

besides… people drop small bikes too… they were dropping them left in right at the MSF course… hell I was counting on dropping my bike– that’s why I got it used. Even my Dad dropped his first bike twice in one week… it was only 125cc.

I’m not saying big bikes are the same as smaller bikes when It comes to learning… but I think your point is negligible cause the 250 and 650 weights are rather close. In the given situation I would have dropped the bike regardless if it was 125cc or 1000…. the Front wheel started to roll down an indentation on the ground and I reacted and jammed on the front brake while the handlebars were turned…

Now, the difference between a 250cc and a 1100cc crusier is definitely dramatic… once one of those bikes get enough lean while standing still, its next to impossible to keep it up without hurting yourself. Something like that I would agree with you on.

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I could be wrong… but wouldn’t a lot of highway miles be really really hard on a 250’s engine? I’d Imagine the RPM would be really high for long periods of time…not good for engine wear and tear.

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GET sliders for your new 650…

Most new riders drop their bikes. I got a 650 for my first bike and I dropped it (I hit a hole while turning/trying to park)… lucky it was used and the previous owner already scratched it, so it wasn’t that big of deal for me- I was going to replace the fairings anyways…. but when I do I will be getting sliders so it won’t ever happen again.

btw… I think the 650 is an excellent first bike… but it is definitely more comparable to an SV650 than the ninja 250 in terms of being good as an entry level bike.

The thing I like about it is that the power delivery is very forgiving. you CAN get into trouble once you get into the higher RPMs… the 650 seems to have more mid-range torque; but for the most part the throttle is smooth and very forgiving especially in the lower RPMs.

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don’t buy a new SV650 or FZ6… in fact forget the yamaha…

also something to keep in mind when buying new for your first bike… You will probably drop it, thus making it look like that used bike that you didn’t buy.

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thats a great price… try to get it if you can

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sv650 and Ninja 650r are good bikes to start out on. The Ninja 650 would be better for the beginner as its suspension and throttle are more forgiving. The sv650 has the edge in pure performance with more horsepower.

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=3250

this article compares the two.

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if its blue its an 07

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I hear there are plenty of mods for the 250… but honestly in terms of performance, I would just upgrade if I were you.

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