Thinking about buying my first bike

[HoWTV_Sandra]

In my personal opinion I'd go with something bigger. 250 doesn't give you much oomph. Not saying you have to go real big but 500 ninja would probably be great.

However they say those bikes resell decent because people are always looking for them. I just don't buy something that costs that much and try to resell it in a year or two. But it's up to you. I think people make riding out to be a lot more difficult than it really is.

MAKE SURE YOU TAKE A SAFETY COURSE!!!!!! As a matter of fact safety courses in the US teach you how to ride. (Free in PA). Take one before you think about getting a bike, you may not even like it.

I totally agree...I just finished reading an older forum on beginner bikes that recommend starting with a 250, but I don't really get it. Although this may be true for some, I think that if you are a responsible rider, you can start with something bigger. I took the course using a 250 and when I got home I told my husband that I wanted to go out and buy a 250. He convinced me to take over his Honda Magna 750 instead because he felt that I would grow out of the 250 to soon and why spend the extra money. Considering he had been riding for 20 years, I took his advice. Well, I spent a few days in a parking lot getting used to the 750 - did many figure 8s and after 2 years I moved on to a ~1600. This is all on a cruiser - whether the power/configuration of the sport bike changes things a bit, I don't know. Is it like having a Ferrari and not using it to it's potential? For me, it all goes back to being responsible and riding within your own limits.

[storysunfolding]

Too many people judge their skills by what you can do on the street and how well you do in the Basic Rider Course. Looking at it objectively, passing the BRC means that you demonstrated a rudimentary understanding of basic skills after you were just taught them. Very few people progress much further then that level throughout their years of riding and many people regress. I can't tell you how many guys I've encountered with "20 years of riding experience" that are a danger to themselves and others. Personally I feel that if you want to be part of that group then buy whatever you want.

If you want to be an accomplished rider, then the ninja 250 is a great starting point. Start with a basic rider course, get some seat time, then go back for something challenging like the Advanced Riding Course- Sportbike Techniques (ART-ST) which is open to all types of motorcycles; The lee parks total control classes; a cornering school; or any other advanced curriculum. Then keep practicing.

Many guys hop on a ninja, and because they are so used to a car, never get the revs over 4-5k. As previously mentioned the ninja's powerband doesn't even start to kick in until 7-8k rpm so it's no surprise that they find it anemic. Furthermore, that bike can get some serious lean and falls effortlessly into a turn. WERA even has a ninja 250 class now and those guys are proving time and time again that the guys that talk down on the ninja 250 don't know what they're talking about when it comes to that bike's abilities.