Finished my MSF today!

[Shorts]

Yep, definitely sit on the bikes you're considering. It's like trying on shoes or a pair of jeans.

That's sweet you've got a coupon to put towards gear - every bit helps.

[Dragonhawk]

But if the ninja fits like the nighthawk, I wouldn't really want it, since they're both standards I assume the fit will be similar?

Now my question is this: Is something like a ninja 500 or gs500 any bigger physically than a 250 or is it just the engine size?

Congrats on passing your MSF.

In answer to your queries...

Just because two bikes are "standards" does not mean they will be remotely similar. Bike ergonomics vary greatly. Everything fits differently. You just have to sit on the bike and find out if you like it.

Also, some people are more sensitive to subtle-differences in ergonomics than others. For example, many people say the Ninja 250 and the Ninja 500 have similar ergonomics. I disagree completely. The Ninja 500 handlebars sit an inch or two farther forward and I hate it. The Ninja 250 was very comfortable for me.

Yes, the Ninja 500 and the GS500 are physically larger than a Ninja 250.