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250s are a blast around town and even on select out of town roads. The downsides are lack of passing power, a lack of stability in the wind, and cheap azz suspension, tires and brakes. You can have fun on them, but just imagine a Ninja 250 with a solid frame, top quality suspenders and decent tires on slightly larger rims. It could be fun.
I loved the VTR 250 we had in our garage for 11 years but when the garage overflows and something had to go, and it was time. I had a lot of fun on that bike....and I sold it for a healthy profit$$$$

It would be nice if there were better quality 250s available in the US... personally, I'd have paid up to $2000 more for higher quality suspension, frame, wheels, and other components... maybe $5500 total (out the door) to have a really good light motorcycle.

As it is, I don't have that option... so I'm going to end up with a cartridge emulator in the front, stiffer springs, and a Works Performance custom rear shock. It'll cost me about $800+/-... but from what I've read will seriously help the suspension. I don't have any complaints about the motor... especially on the freeway where you don't really need much power. The bike will go faster than I want it to up hills or down and can pass anyone moving on a multilane freeway. I do have a minor complaint about the gearing, mainly that it seems "wrong" somehow to cruise along for an hour at 10,500RPM. So I'm going to replace at least one sprocket and see how that goes. I spent part of the weekend hooking up my GPS, so that little detail has been resolved. Once I finish the hard luggage I should be pretty much done with the mods.

Whether it is a sportbike or a standard is something for motorcycle freaks to debate. I've had my bike referred to as a "crotch rocket" a number of times... the non-riding public can't tell how big the engine is and don't know the subtleties of seating position. As far as they are concerned, it's a go-fast... and since I ride it about the way I drove my sports cars, I don't see much difference either truth be told. There were plenty of sport cars that could just about keep up with a plymouth on the open highway... the difference being that the sports car was *fun* where the plymouth just wallowed. Thinking about it, my ninja is as much a sport bike as my RX-7 was a sport car... both could go twice the speed limit along curvy backroads if you really wanted to, both were usually slowed down by slower traffic, both could pass in roughly the same conditions... the real difference is that when the traffic thickened the RX-7 was a PITA because you were constantly slipping the clutch to roll along at 5MPH, where the bike never has to drop below 25.

The RX was officially a "GT"... grand touring... which is about what I consider the ninja.

Personally, I would pick up a Hyosung Comet GT250R if I had extra cash burning my pocket.

I love the Hyosung 250cc engine, and the GT250R is the perfect light little sportsbike in my opinion.. all kinds of fun to be had!

Anyone think this is an ugly 250??



These are pretty easy to find state-side too. They also have the regular Comet 250 which is a naked bike. (looks like a mini SV650).

You can find them really cheap too... Now that I actually look at it, I might pick one up as a 250cc track bike after I get my house.

those comets looks nice.

and those i consider sportbikes unlike the ninjettes.

they look like 2nd rate gixxers but at the same time, that also makes them look cool.

I considered waiting for one of the Hyosungs... but decided that a month or two of riding was worth more to me than whatever benefits the Hyosung might offer.

If I need to replace the Nnja for "unnatural" reasons I'll probably try the Hyosung just for variety.

DivideOverflow wrote:Anyone think this is an ugly 250??

Just the decals on the tank....seriously cheesy. I wonder how the air-cooled engine compares to the Ninjas....

Decals peel... unless they oversprayed them with clear coat (like Kawasaki did on the fuel tank... only decals you can't easily peel are the ones that read "Kawasaki"..grrr...)

ericeverson wrote: I do like some of those larger +125CC scooters, very comfortable ride and the gas mileage puts nearly everything but my lawn mower to shame

Your lawnmower must be crazy efficient. Mine can only run maybe an hour before I run out of gas

-Holiday wrote: that makes about as much sense as Choobacka on Endor

But everyone knows that wookies come from Endor!

now i will agree that the suspension is too squishy, but the brakes are fine. i have never done a stoppie on my bike, but i could with 2 fingers if i wanted.

i will go back to the price point-
if you want a bike that does 0-60 in about 3 seconds, has lots of "performance" tires available for grip, has a nice suspension, and looks sweet, and gets about 100 miles to a tank of gas. get a gixxer 750. (i dont know what the o6's go for but im going to guess about 10k?)

if you want a cheap, economical, fun, user friendly bike thats a little sporty looking bike that gets 250 miles between stops at the gas station [sometimes more], get a two-fifty. spend 3.5k and still have a little cash to buy some gear or luggage.

if you get a 250 thinking your going to street race/stunt or track race against 600+ bikes, you are sadly mistaken.

if you get the 250 for what it is, a neat little all around package to ride and enjoy comuting or touring or just riding around town- you'll never be disapointed.

skoebl wrote:

ericeverson wrote: I do like some of those larger +125CC scooters, very comfortable ride and the gas mileage puts nearly everything but my lawn mower to shame

Your lawnmower must be crazy efficient. Mine can only run maybe an hour before I run out of gas

-Holiday wrote: that makes about as much sense as Choobacka on Endor

But everyone knows that wookies come from Endor!

No they don't, they come from Kashyyk.
I dunno about yall but whenever I see some dude on a scooting I start singing the old spiderman cartoon theme except I replace spiderman with Scooterman!

Scooterman
Scooterman
Going as fast as a scooter can
Where he'll stop
No one knows
35mph is as fast as that thing goes
Lookout, it's the incredible Scootermaaaaaaaaan!

It also doesn't help that whoever I see on scooters either belong in Apple stores or the loony bins (there's a dude who comes into my work dressed up in a yellow rainjacket, year round on a bright yellow scooter, and yes, it's really a rainjacket). And just yesterday I saw an orange vespa-looking scooter with a sidecar attatched to it.