Kawasaki 250 Ninja to a Yamaha R6

O.K., Right now I am in High School and looking at purchasing a Sportbike.  I am thinking about a 250 ninja for my first ride, because it will most likely be a safe bet.  But, after about a year on the Ninja, would I be ready (in your opinion) for a Yamaha R6?
Or should I start out with a Ninja 500 so that it is not as much of a leap between bikes. Because eventually I would like to own an R6.

Thanks for the response.  

Mario -- Go w/your gut and start w/the 500. Even a 500 Ninja will not be too much for a new rider if you ride cautiously --the 250 just gets outgrown too quickly for me to recommend one, although they are kind of fun.

I say this to every new rider, and even some who've been riding awhile but are obviously unskilled --Take the MSF class, preferably before you buy the bike. It is amazing how much ahead of the curve this will make you compared to a new rider who figured it out for themselves or learned from a buddy. As a young guy, you'll also save a bit on your insurance if you complete a class.

Make sure, before you buy, that you've got $300-$500 budgeted for your gear, with a minimum of $175 for your helmet. Don't buy it cause it has cool graphics --buy it cause its comfy and fits right(cool graphics are a plus, but I've known tons of cats to buy a lid that didn't work for them due to the graphics!!!).

Always good to hear about a new guy joining the sport --do it the right way and you'll be riding until they put you in a home in 70 years time!!  

+1  on everything he said.  You probably will outgrow a 250 a bit quickly.  You could go with a 500 or even an older 600 and probably still be safe  

The 250 is not a bad bike to learn on.  It's super light (304 lbs dry) and is so easy to handle and forgiving that it will let you learn quickly.  The 500 is still a solid starter bike, maybe worth hanging onto a little longer because of the extra power.  It's 84 lbs heavier though, but definitely still do-able.

I would avoid older 600s though.  I'm assuming the whole reason you're getting a 250 or 500 is to get something comfortable, light, easy to ride and forgiving.  An older 600 will still have a lot of power, bad ergos for a beginner (you'll be bent way forward) and it'll be heavy.  You're smart to consider the smaller bike first because it'll let you get away with mistakes.  

Small bikes let you learn quickly.  Learn how to ride the *** out of it... get to the point where you can do anything on that bike, then get that newer bike you want.  Don't be that dork that bought a 600 but can't ride it.  I guarantee you'll develop your skills way faster than any of your buddies who start right on a 600 or bigger.  

Quick comment about ergos ... dont assume just because a bike puts you into more of a crouch that it will necessarily be less comfy.  I started with a ninja 500 and then went to YZF600R  which i expected to be less comfy, but the opposite was true. part of the problem I'm 6'1" and the windblast off the screen of the Ninja would hit me right in the neck and it always felt like my helmet wanted to come off,  on the YZF though the windlbast hit me more in chest and help support my weight onthe highway and i found it more comfortable.  

This is long winded but worth reading--I was in your exact position a little less than 2 years ago.  I was in high school and needed a bike.  I ended up going with a CBR600RR for my first bike.  It's totally dependant on you as a rider what you decide to do. If you can control your urge to ride like everyone else for a while, youll be ok.  I was a "dork that bought a 600 who didn't know how to ride it" for quiet a while.  I was mixing- learning how to corner at speed, u-turn in the parking lot, going to class on it, trying to keep up with others, with power that i wasn't ready for--basically dealing with a lot of new situations at once. If you can restrain yourself, and arn't afraid of looking like the "dork who can't ride for a while" you'll be fine.  Don't let pride or pressure screw you up. I'd go with the 600 and take it easy for a while, maybe the first 5000 to 6000 miles--thats what I did.  Every time you swing your leg over your shiney new sport bike think how you will feel if you screw it up doing something stupid or are paralyzed. Don't let opinions of (people like the guy who posted above saying you'd be a dork on a 600 who can ride it) pressure you into doing something stupid. The fact is- you will be a "dork"(in his opinion and probably the minds of others) on a 600. That isn't the problem.  The problem comes when you try to act like a bad a s s on the 600, when you don't know how to ride it. When you act like a bad a s s on a 250 you end up going 0 to 35 miles an hour in 10.5 seconds. On a 600, or god forbid a 1000, its 0 to (my bikes screwed and I'm in the hospital in 3.0 seconds).  In my case and in your case we weren't ready for a 600, if we try to ride it to its potential or like others who have more experiance riding them, we will screw up.  I got alot of pressure and crap from guys because I always took it easy.  After the first few months I felt confident on my bike and decided to ride with some guys who had 600's and 1000's.  They were doing wheelies and allsorts of crap.  If i would have been on a 250 I wouldn't have felt as much pressure to keep up, or do what they did.  Thats what saves alot of guys, they don't have the courage, honesty, and confidance to tell themselves what they cant do, so they get a 250.  If you can be honest with yourself and your abilities, have the confidence to not get pressured into riding over your head, and enough cash to get a 600, go with it.  Also get full coverage because stuff happens that is out of your control.  

 
Don't worry about increasing your skills quickly-It takes time-everyone wants to be Valintino Rossie.  I developed skills just a quickly as guys on smaller bikes.  I did know a guy that was faster in the corners the me on a 250-embarassing? yes, but who cares.  He was willing to take more riskes than me because his bike wasn't worth crap. He crashed his bike, and isn't riding anymore because he cant afford a new one.  If I took as many risks I would be just as fast.  The fastest guys on back roads are the ones who take the most risks.-In most cases. There are guys out there that are safe and fairly quick. I have the honesty to say I'm not one of them, yet.  

At your age, the 250/500 is probably a good idea...  Just thinking of what insurance is going to run you on a 600...  ***  

FWIW, I rode a 250 for 5 years, a 600 for 10 years, and now beginnig my 3rd year on a 1000.  I don't think people "out grow" bikes as fast as they think they do.  I think people get bored with them or maybe just want something new and fancier.  And faster...  



Chris  

ok heres wat u need to know, Ive been rideing my 250 for 3 years now, all i can say is that they're not that reliable (as with most kawasakis). They have alotof fuel system problems that can actually get u killed if ur not careful. the 250s fuel filters tend to expire quite often an their fuel hoses leak air in an out in to the lines causeing ur bike to bog down when u get low on fuel, which isent good when ur going down the freeway..trust me. As for getting a R6, ide get a 02-05, because the new R6s require a bit of experience to ride since theyre high track orreiented. if u want a 600cc bike, a good one to start with would be the Honda CBR.  

2005TiZX10R:
At your age, the 250/500 is probably a good idea...  Just thinking of what insurance is going to run you on a 600...  ***  

FWIW, I rode a 250 for 5 years, a 600 for 10 years, and now beginnig my 3rd year on a 1000.  I don't think people "out grow" bikes as fast as they think they do.  I think people get bored with them or maybe just want something new and fancier.  And faster...  



Chris

I think that soooo true. I'll be getting a 250R come spring and i don't think i'll get tired of it as fast as people say.

For one i'll never get tired of the fact that insurance for a 600cc is 2000$ while i can get insurance, registration AND about 10k kilometers of gas for about the same price.

While learning at a school i got to ride a 250 Rebel, a Buell Blast and a 750 Nighthawk. The thing i found the most fun is taking the leaning turns. The 250R turns better than all 600cc SuperSport (because it's lighter).

I will move up, but for the next 2 years i think the 250R will fit me fine.

Last, is you would have to be a saint not to atleast want to taste a little of the power a bigger motorcycle has to offer. If i got on a 600 i'd probably be doing redline in 6th after the first month. The 250R will save me on that one.  

I agree with the blogger on insurance for the 250.  The insurability of an under 21 man, with a 600 sport bike is more than most companies will even consider.  Most banks will force you to carry full insurance while the bike is being paid for.  Unless you have cash, and are willing to not protect your own bike, insurance is going to be a problem.