First off, I’d forget about the ninja 250 because touching the ground flat foot is very important…for anybody, not just beginners. Looking brand new isn’t recommended for starting out either, save your money for now and buy something with a couple years under its belt. Rebels are a decent beginners bike but don’t hold their value anymore then the Buell. I really depends on how you feel about your bike. If your leaning towards the sportier side I’d go with the Buell all day, very easy to manuever and will keep up with your boyfriend. Not to say your going to take anybody on a drag but who does that anyways. If you want something that shifts a little smoother and runs quite with less viberations go with the Rebel, it’s all around a better crusing bike. I’ve recently went through this trying to find a nice beginners bike for my wife who’s 5’4″ and about 115lbs. She decided to go with the Buell so I traded my old magna 700 for an 02′ with 4500 mi. SHE LOVES IT. It’s fun and doesn’t sound like a little girls bike either. She can ride by me on my 900CB Custom all day and have a great time. I’m a Honda fan myself but every chick I’ve talked to loves there Buell. They’re fun, cheap, and easy to maintain.
