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I've decided on purchasing an EX250 as my first bike, but all reviews seem to mention that it is "slow". Granted, I understand that compared to other sport bikes it is not as fast, but when compared to cars, the little Ninja is very quick. The EX250 has roughly the same 0-60 mph time as a Camaro Z28. I've been in plenty of Z28's and can't comprehend how people call the 250 Ninja "slow". That sounds like it has plenty (actually, more than enough) of giddy up for the beginner biker and beyond.

I think you've got the right idea. From what I've seen, it is just "slow" in comparison to beefier sportbikes. I don't think you will be let down at all. And if you decide to sell it later, you'll take a lot less of a depreciation hit than some do.

i think people call it slow but mean "underpowered" (which i don't totally buy). Sure riding down the highway at 80mph you might be twisting the throttle more than you would on other bikes but it's not slow

I think it's just a comparison to bigger bikes. I've always personally thought it was silly to call a bike that can go from 0-60 in under 5 seconds slow.

+1 (x 3) to all the replies above!

It's not "slow" by any means. When you compare it to other bikes in it's class that will do 0-60 in under 3 seconds than yeah, it's slowER. But when compared to what most people on this earth are using it's a rocket, albiet a smaller rocket. It tops out at a lower speed than alot of things, but it gets to that speed quickly. Trust me, even the "slow" EX250 is going to be a fantastic bike. Whether it's to start on or just have a great time on!

p4tz wrote:I've decided on purchasing an EX250 as my first bike, but all reviews seem to mention that it is "slow". Granted, I understand that compared to other sport bikes it is not as fast, but when compared to cars, the little Ninja is very quick. The EX250 has roughly the same 0-60 mph time as a Camaro Z28. I've been in plenty of Z28's and can't comprehend how people call the 250 Ninja "slow". That sounds like it has plenty (actually, more than enough) of giddy up for the beginner biker and beyond.

Why is it considered slow?

Because there are a lot of arrogant, testosterone-filled nimrods out there who all think they are Valentino Rossi.

The Ninja 250 is not slow at all. It is fast as hell.

As I have said many times, 80% of the riders you meet will not be able to ride a 250 to the limits of its performance ... but 90% of them will honestly believe they can.

Compare it to my rebel. then it will be very fast!

i'll get in trouble if i say too much but i just boght an 06 ex250...

its fast.

Why does it matter to you how fast your bike is? I'm not saying it is wrong to care, but you've got to ask yourself why you do.

If your concern is keeping up with traffic... no problem. You can cruise along at 70MPH, roll on more throttle, and hit 85MPH quick enough for reasonable passing. You can certainly keep up with anything around town or on the highways. Even going up hils is no problem. Yeah, you got to shift...you should shift anyway.

If your concern is keeping up with your buddy's 800cc cruiser... maybe a problem.... but most people with 800cc cruisers are pretty laid back and aren't going to do full-throttle launches from every stop light.

If your concern is keeping up with your buddy's 600cc sport bike... you need to rethink your approach because it ain't gonna happen. People will tell you a 250 with a good rider is fast on curvy roads... but you aren't a good rider yet. If you try too hard, you'll ride way above your skill level and end up having a bad day.

It has enough power to turn newb mistakes into disasters... it has enough power to lift the front wheel if you screw up at a stop light (don't ask)... it has enough speed to send you into a guard rail at 100MPH... it has brakes that, if you panic stop in traffic, will all but guarantee you get creamed from behind by a cage... but it doesn't have so much of anything that every dumb mistake you make will be life threatening. That's a good thing.

There are plenty of slower bikes.