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A friend of mine recently came to me asking about bikes and whatnot. He's interested in getting a commuter that can survive on the highway, and wants to know if the Nighthawk 250 or especially the Rebel 250 would be good choices.

Personally I'd go with something at least 500cc for highway use, but I don't have firsthand experience with either of these, so I don't know what they're capable of. He's probably about 5' 10, average size... weight isn't a big factor.

I just want to make sure he doesn't buy something he's going to regret (we're talking teenager/college student budget here). If anyone can tell me the goods and bads of either of these bikes it would be much appreciated. You don't need to "sell" me the bike, just looking for some honest facts.

Thanks.

Ninja 250 has no problem doing 75-80 on the interstate.

The Hondas would probably do OK if you changed some sprockets... but the Rebel is tiny (uncomfortable for most people) and the Nighthawk is overpriced for what it is.

Ah yeah I totally spaced recommending the ninja.

Also, I forgot to mention, he wants to stay in the lower engine sizes for the gasoline factor. So don't anybody recommend some massive gas guzzler!

The 250 Ninja is a higher strung bike and I've seen many on highways cruising at 65+ mph without winding out. The Rebel is a training bike good for backroads and easy handling. They also feel a lot smaller due to the peg positions - more standard vs. swept back a bit like the Ninja. Both are simple designs that are virtually bullet proof. If he wants small CC and is highway capable, the 250 Ninja will nicely suffice.

The Ninja 250 has a bit more horsepower and is better suited to freeway riding. The Nighthawk/Rebel engine is a milder and is going to be running full out at 75-80 mph. After riding the Rebel on the freeway in L.A. last year, my feeling was that it's possible to ride on the freeway, but I wouldn't want to do it everyday. The Ninja 250 was much more responsive at highway speeds and had MUCH better suspension to boot. A big plus when you hit a bump at 75 mph.

On a less crowded freeway, the Nighthawk/Rebel might not be so bad, since the only real drawback was its lack of accelleration capability once you were at the freeway speed limit.

I suggest saving up a few more bucks and getting a Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD. Ideal for the highway commute and easy to wheel around town.

according to Cycle World's latest buying guide mag, the nighthawk and rebel should get about 78mpg (all around) but the rebels tank is 2 gallons smaller so that means more fill ups.

the ninja 250 in the same test got 74 mpg

also the ninja is an easy resale from everyone i talk to as long as you don't completely mess it up somehow.

the rebel looks and feels pretty small and going uphill on the highway it was a bit gutless when i tried it out but then again i am 6'1 245 or so.

Thanks for the help. I'll recommend the Ninja, but if he still wants the Rebel it sounds like it should work. The highway speed limit here is 55 and the cops actually do ticket people doing over 70... 65 if they're feeling mean.

Ninja is the better choice for performance if he wants a sport bike, but the Rebel will do fine on the highway. 75mph/80mpg all day long if it's a cruiser he's after. It's simple, inexpensive to own and operate and gas prices won't bug you for awhile.

The rebel is a really nice looking bike, but the potential rider MUST sit on one before even adding it to the "maybe" list. My mother (who is a fair amount smaller than I am) liked the Rebel but lost all interest the first time she actually tried to sit on one.

I'll second the Vulcan 500 if the budget will stretch. They are nice.