Kawa EX250 vs. EN500

[lunchmeat]

You guys know me. I've been doing this whole "buy a bike" thing for a pretty long time now. I'm one step closer - I've got a helmet. (A size small...I didn't know my head was small....I figured my ego would at least bump me up a size, har har, eheh, ugh...yeah, enough bad jokes.)

Anyway, I've got a choice - a used Ninja 250 from a private seller, for approximately $2200, or a used Vulcan 500 from a dealer for approximately $3300. Both seem to be in pretty good condition.

Now.

The 250 is obviously the cheaper bike, and being a cheap individual I am inclined to go after this bike - however, I haven't gotten a friend to test-ride it yet and I'd really like to do that. I'm not sure if it will happen, though. If I buy the 250 I won't have to worry about insurance immediately - it's something I plan to get, but I'd like to hold of for a month or two after I get the bike.

The 500....it's a cruiser, and I do like the style; I had my heart set on a cruiser before. The sales rep (a pretty nice guy, lots of experience, but he does realize that I'm a prospective sale) noted that with an EX250, I'd probably want to trade up after a few months. This is not uncommon, as I've seen it happen with two people I know. I'm not sure if I'd outgrow it, though...that's the thing, I'm not sure.

I should probably just list the pros and cons.

EX250 Pros:
-Cheap
-Reliable
-Good resale value
-Don't have to pay insurance immediately

Cons:
-Seems to be good quality, but I have no guarantee
-Will I outgrow the bike and want something else in a few months?

EN500 Pros:
-Great style, fairly comfortable
-Longer "outgrowing" period
-Buying from a dealer, so I have a 30-day moneyback guarantee, and they do all the title stuff as well
-If I buy the bike I might be able to get a hefty discount on these nice Ducati gloves I tried on

Cons:
-I'd have to get insurance immediately; wanted to save a bit for a couple of months before I started that
-A little over my $3000 bike budget

That's really it. My mother seems to like the dealer idea, but I don't think that really means anything. She's not so set on a bike anyway, and she hasn't done the homework on the subject I've done.

If you guys were in my position, what would you do? I'm not saying that I will take your advice, but I also won't reject it. I don't know how much this will sway my final decision. We'll see, though. What would you do?

[Big B]

i'd go with the second option, it may be a bit more than you wanted to spend, but it sounds like you'd be happier on it, plus the added security of having a dealer back it for a bit is nice.

[VermilionX]

i suggest to go w/ the ninja 250.

a lot of people buy it to get started and then move up. out-growing it a few months is not really uncommon. just try to see if you can find a cheaper one.

you're buying it to get some confidence. so it already is worth it if even if you only use it for a few months. plus, it might save you from making common beginner accidents on a more expensive bike later on.

good luck.

[storysunfolding]

Both are good bikes.

You can probably resell the ninja for the same that you paid for it.

I don't know where you live but in Va you have to have insurance when you register a bike so you'd have to get insurance for the 250 right away regardless.

Neither are going to be lifelong bikes as they are targeted as more beginner friendly. Both will hit the highway fine, but have plenty of power. The ninja will probably sell faster but other than that it comes down to how much you want to pay for a bike. 2200 leaves lots of room for gear and insurance.

[NorthernPete]

Never having riden the 250, I dont have anything to say about it.

the 500 is a great bike (I own one, my first new bike ever) its easy to handle, nice and low, and they look great. and if youre after a bit of omph, you dont have to worry about it. itll go fast if you want. you could probably weasle him down a bit on the price as well. (what year is the bike?) If youre worried about "outgrowing" the 250 (which I doubt anyone really ever does) get the 500. Its got a good learning curve and its fairly forgiving.

my

get what makes you feel good!

[VermilionX]

hehehe...

i think it's best not to use the term "outgrowing" around here as many people here consider it the same a mastering.

but yeah, a 250cc will make most people want more after a few months.

keep in mind i said "want" and not "need."

[Veda]

I'm no expert on either bike but I'm not sure its fair to say you'd outgrow a ninja 250 before a 500 cc cruiser. Just because it is lower cc's doesn't mean you can make an apples to apples comparison.

[flynrider]

A couple of thing to consider.

Check your state laws on insurance. Most of them require at least a minimum amount of liability insurance (although some do not).

Get more info from the dealer. Find out the "out the door" price of the EN500. Dealers love to add on miscelaneous fees and charges that can bump the true cost of the bike significantly. I know a couple of dealers personally and they refer to these tactics as "profit enhancements". Also, a 30 day, money back guarantee on a used bike sounds very unusual for a dealer. Most used bikes are sold "as-is" and you sign a statement to that effect when you buy them. Find out what the specifics are on the 30 day warranty and make sure you get it in writing before signing on the dotted line.

[flw]

When buying a used bike of any sort, you can never be sure of the condition until you've had it for some time. A few week is the min.

Example you ride with a buddy and riding hard, your buddy notices a slight puff between shifts at higher rpms. Another is you notice that gear shift seems to go into 3rd gear with almost no pressure from you as compared to other gears. Last is the drop or drops of something on the floor after not riding for just a couple days. I could go on but you get the idea.

Most of these repair would range from somewhat below $1,000 to well over $1,000.

In my area all the dealers will only sell used bikes "as is condition" even if its on your way home after the sale. Most of all you want a bike that you can ride when you want and not turn into a search for your tools or dialing your repair guy.

As far as which bike as my opinion and not fact only, sport bikes tend to get abused. They are sold to people that wish to go and go. Where cruisiers get abused less often because they get sold to people that like to just ride around in town or interstate. Any type bike can be abused/killed by poor or no maintenance. Same goes for riding a bike for which it was not intended like a sport bike on dirt etc...

Good Luck. I do feel your pain, as I'll be hopefully buying a different bike in the next week or two depending on weather.

[Koss]

I'm no expert on either bike but I'm not sure its fair to say you'd outgrow a ninja 250 before a 500 cc cruiser. Just because it is lower cc's doesn't mean you can make an apples to apples comparison.

That is a good point.

I think, since these are two different animals all together... choose the style of bike you want. Want to attack the corners and learn all about the spirited pace? Choose the "Ninjette". As far as outgrowing them... i've heard people that have bought their second and third 250 ninja because they've put so many miles on one. And plenty of people i've actually met in person have said that they wish they would have kept their ninja when purchasing another motorcycle. If you consider rider skill, its quite possible for a rider on a 250 to pass up the newest generation supersport bike if the bikes rider is less skilled than they are. Anyone can get use to the level of acceleration in a few weeks/months from any vehicle. Thats why people turbocharge 1300cc hyabusa sport bikes after all.

But, if you know you're a cruiser type of person... then the ninja wouldn't be all that interesting... and the 500 is a great engine anways! For the most part, its the same engine as my bikes... you'll be happy with either choice!