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Title: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: zenjim on April 13, 2010, 08:05:32 AM My g/f just got a Ninja 250 and I rode it back from the seller's house last night. What a hoot! It's the older model (2007). I haven't been on a street bike with <600 cc since my old man's BSA in the Jurassic era. Comfy enough to ride cross country, flickable like you read about and a 5 gal tank/50 mpg? Sweet. I dig being WFO on the freeway doing 80 and getting the extra mph by getting into a tuck. A Little iffy when the wind picked up and the brakes were just OK, but that was way more fun than I was expecting. If you run it way up at the top of the rev range you can feel the awesome 36 hp really pulling. [laugh]
Woo Hoo! Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: Popeye the Sailor on April 13, 2010, 08:07:05 AM Explain to her you need to test it for safety at the track [evil]
Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: ID_DUC_MON on April 13, 2010, 08:20:51 AM There is a reason they are Kawi's #1 selling machine and dealers can't keep the things in stock. FYI, 2-1 exhaust, KN filter, and jet kit will make that motor sing. There is also a really bad azz rear signal mod that is stupid easy to do and cleans the tail up nicely.
Here is a site with bunches of good info: http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Main_Page (http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Main_Page) I rode one from Boise through YellowStone and back over a few days. Fun, fun, fun bike. If I lived closer to a track I would buy one and make a track day bike out of it. Wood Craft makes some nice clip ons. I ran battle axe tires on mine and loved them. The only cons were two-up riding and tire size. I hear the 2008+ bikes are better but I have no FHE. Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: Spidey on April 13, 2010, 08:22:20 AM They sure are. [thumbsup] But you're dreamin' if you think that bike has 36 hp. [laugh]
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2427/3634797260_c8ffd35f40_b.jpg) (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3333/3634797278_6a847c23dd_b.jpg) Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: somegirl on April 13, 2010, 09:47:08 AM I did a review of a friend's a while back, great fun, taking on-ramps WOT, I got up to 108 mph indicated, feels almost like a bicycle in the twisties. ;D I'm not sure why some people are so against them. ???
Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: Popeye the Sailor on April 13, 2010, 10:13:01 AM I did a review of a friend's a while back, great fun, taking on-ramps WOT, I got up to 108 mph indicated, feels almost like a bicycle in the twisties. ;D I'm not sure why some people are so against them. ??? Because a new unsure rider won't have enough power to accelerate away from danger like a bike that power wheelies in fifth does! Duh! Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: NoisyDante on April 13, 2010, 10:38:18 AM Because a new unsure rider won't have enough power to accelerate away from danger like a bike that power wheelies in fifth does! Duh! Wheelies are essential to our survival. He, however, is going it wrong. (http://www.myspaceantics.com/images/funny/wheelie-gone-bad.jpg) Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: zenjim on April 13, 2010, 10:39:23 AM Explain to her you need to test it for safety at the track [evil] "Honey, I need to take it for a test ride on the streets [voice lowered to near inaudible level] of Willow" Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: zenjim on April 13, 2010, 10:42:11 AM I did a review of a friend's a while back, great fun, taking on-ramps WOT, I got up to 108 mph indicated, feels almost like a bicycle in the twisties. ;D I'm not sure why some people are so against them. ??? Damn, I'd need to be going downlhill with a tailwind to break a hundie. Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: hbliam on April 13, 2010, 10:58:33 AM I did a review of a friend's a while back, great fun, taking on-ramps WOT, I got up to 108 mph indicated, feels almost like a bicycle in the twisties. ;D I'm not sure why some people are so against them. ??? Because they are gutless POS's one step away from a scooter. That being said..a scooter can be fun giving the right circumstances. Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: Goat_Herder on April 13, 2010, 11:13:17 AM Because they are gutless POS's one step away from a scooter. That being said..a scooter can be fun giving the right circumstances. So you are saying that Ninja 250s are fun to ride but nobody would admit to riding it... much like a... Nevermind. I want to keep this thread openTitle: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: Spidey on April 13, 2010, 11:45:03 AM Wheelies are essential to our survival. He, however, is going it wrong. Speaking of which, let's not forget the Ninja 250 wheelie dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1149HFuI-I# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1149HFuI-I#) Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: NoisyDante on April 13, 2010, 11:58:18 AM ;D never knew that was a ninja250
Epic video though, worst launch ever (http://laughingsquid.com/wp-content/uploads/royal-fail.jpg) Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: jim_0068 on April 13, 2010, 12:06:40 PM I love my S2R 800 but i love my 150cc Genunine Blur more for the city, it is so practical and fun to ride. I'm sure the 250 would fee the same way. Even with my fat 230lb ass on it i can get it up to an indicated 70mph and once 80mph with a tail wind LMAO.
http://www.justgottascoot.com/blur.htm (http://www.justgottascoot.com/blur.htm) Mine is grey/black and not orange/black Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: Mr. Van Sant on April 13, 2010, 12:52:36 PM learned on a ninja 250, would like to ride one again today
Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: Charlief on April 13, 2010, 02:25:14 PM I have one, in black, in my garage. It belongs to a friend who just got her license. I'm storing it for a couple of weeks till she gets shelter for it.
I've...ahem... kept the battery charged for her........ [evil] Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: CMDRDAVE on April 13, 2010, 03:23:43 PM I test rode a ninja 250 when I was looking for a bike for my wife. It was a fun but short ride. Good deal too, but we ended up with a rebel. I wish she had liked the Ninja better. But I still take the rebel out once a week and thrash it on my way to work ;D
Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: Bladecutter on April 13, 2010, 06:09:45 PM Ninja 250's can be a bunch of fun.
Doesn't matter if you're new to riding, want to commute to work on the cheap, or you've been riding forever, and you want something completely different than the other 13 bikes in your garage. I have a slight confession to make. I am Ian, and I'm one of the admins on www.ninja250.org (http://), and have been since before there was dirt. Well, since like, 2002, or something like that. Anyway, I've owned both generations of bikes. My first one was a bright yellow '02 that I bought new back in '01. My second was a blue '08 that I bought in April of '08. Now, this is just my personal opinion, but I owned the '02 for 4 years, and put 28k miles on it. I owned the '08 for about 5 months, and put, maybe, 2800 miles on it. I was done with the '08 after that much time. I just never liked it. Yes, the New Generation looks nicer, and it has better ground clearance, so you can really get your lean on, but they sacrificed the little bit of power that the Ninja 250 came with, and stripped away the personality of a little engine that would rev to the moon, and give you everything it's got in order to make you happy. I really wanted to like it, but it was not to be. Don't even get me started on the factory carb setting issues. And this was 2 years ago when the bike was $3500. Now the same bike costs you $4000. Still no fuel injection. Still no restoration of the fun, lively little engine that could. But, both are great bikes in their own right. BC. Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: zenjim on April 13, 2010, 06:11:18 PM Ninja 250's can be a bunch of fun. Doesn't matter if you're new to riding, want to commute to work on the cheap, or you've been riding forever, and you want something completely different than the other 13 bikes in your garage. I have a slight confession to make. I am Ian, and I'm one of the admins on www.ninja250.org (http://) (http://) (http://), and have been since before there was dirt. Well, since like, 2002, or something like that. Anyway, I've owned both generations of bikes. My first one was a bright yellow '02 that I bought new back in '01. My second was a blue '08 that I bought in April of '08. Now, this is just my personal opinion, but I owned the '02 for 4 years, and put 28k miles on it. I owned the '08 for about 5 months, and put, maybe, 2800 miles on it. I was done with the '08 after that much time. I just never liked it. Yes, the New Generation looks nicer, and it has better ground clearance, so you can really get your lean on, but they sacrificed the little bit of power that the Ninja 250 came with, and stripped away the personality of a little engine that would rev to the moon, and give you everything it's got in order to make you happy. I really wanted to like it, but it was not to be. Don't even get me started on the factory carb setting issues. And this was 2 years ago when the bike was $3500. Now the same bike costs you $4000. Still no fuel injection. Still no restoration of the fun, lively little engine that could. But, both are great bikes in their own right. BC. Hi Ian! Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: RetroSBK on April 14, 2010, 05:18:57 AM I LOVE the Ninjette!! I rode one at Streets of Willow last year and had a BLAST! All stock, right down to the tires, and you could slide it around and drag parts and make sparks... You should have seen the look on the guy on the 1098's face (wish I did) when my buddy Gary PUSHED me by him on the front straight... Yeah, you read that right.. PUSHED me by.. AWESOME
I still think that a lil Ninja might be the perfect street bike... for anyone. But it IS damn hard to wheelie! Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: bulldogs2k on April 14, 2010, 08:08:05 AM I friend let me use his 250 back a couple of years, and since that ride, I'm a firm believer that smaller bikes can-do! When I get bored of my crf230l, I'll most likely find an older model since they can be had for CHEAP!
Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: Goat_Herder on April 14, 2010, 09:39:35 AM Since I sold my M620, I have been toying with the idea of getting a small displacement bike (good MPG) for commuting. The more I research, the more I realize that there just aren't that many options in the US. Everything keeps on leading me back to Ninja 250.
Maybe I should save some for a new thread on commuter bike but it's good to know that pretty much everyone has good things to say about this little bike that could. Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: zenjim on April 14, 2010, 04:22:37 PM I friend let me use his 250 back a couple of years, and since that ride, I'm a firm believer that smaller bikes can-do! When I get bored of my crf230l, I'll most likely find an older model since they can be had for CHEAP! We got a 2007 that had been taken care of meticulously (except for some requisite newbie scrapes on the fairing) for $1600. You can't beat that.Title: Re: OMG The Ninja 250 is Fun! Post by: darkduke on April 14, 2010, 04:37:29 PM We just picked up a used 08 in red for my wife. Guess who got to ride it home for her? ;)
That little bike is a lot of fun, I've ridden it twice and I'm already looking for an excuse to take it to a track day. |