How-To-Ride

There are many good beginner motorcycles out there, but the one that always seems to stand out from the rest is the Kawasaki Ninja 250. You’d be hard pressed to find a bad review of the bike. The Ninja 250 has always been recognized as the perfect beginner bike for many different reasons.

The term “sportbike” is used loosely.

The Ninja 250 really isn’t a true sportbike. The seating position is fairly upright and the handle-bar position resembles that of a standard motorcycle. Some insurance companies even consider the bike to fall under the “cruiser” category which makes the bike even cheaper to insure. Which brings me to my next topic..

The cost of ownership is dirt cheap.

The bikes can be found relatively easy on the used market and can even be bought for $2,999 brand new ($3,499 for the new 2008 models.) Insurance for a 250cc bike in general will be very cheap and the Ninja 250 generally will not fall under the sportbike category for most insurance companies; which make it even cheaper to insure.

For a new rider in their 20’s who has taken the MSF course, the Ninja 250 can usually be insured for around $150 for everything but collision (price will vary depending on insurance provider) for a whole year. Can’t really beat that. Older guys have been known to get the bike insured for under $100.

Cheap to buy, cheap to insure, and cheap to ride (70 mpg). Can it get any better than that for a beginner motorcycle?

Doesn’t “beginner bike” generally mean a slow bike?

Not necessarily. Although lack of speed shouldn’t even be something that a new rider is worried about, it is undoubtedly one of the first things that come to many people’s minds.

One of the greatest things about the Ninja 250 is its power and how it delivers it. The bike reaches max horsepower at around 13,000 RPM’s and doesn’t really hit it’s powerband until around 9,000 RPM’s. What is so great about that, you might ask? This means that below 9,000 RPM’s, the bike will deliver smooth, un-intimidating power for a new rider. If a new rider happens to wack the throttle open for a brief moment, the lack of low end torque will keep the bike under the rider and won’t send them wheelie-ing off into the distance.

Once the rider’s confidence and experience level rises, they are able to take the bike into the higher RPM ranges where the bike really shows its true colors. The upper RPM range is where this bike wants to be. Above 9,000 RPMs, the Ninja 250 really turns into a whole different beast.

Can I take the bike on the highway? Won’t it be revving too high?

The Ninja 250 is a high revving bike by nature. If you’re riding the bike correctly, the bike will always be in the upper RPM range. Is this a bad thing? No, not at all. It was meant to be there.

As far as highway goes, the Ninja 250 will cruise along at 80 MPH all day long, which is generally an illegal speed in most, if not all, states. The bike will top out around 105 MPH, but there is really no reason these types of speeds should ever be reached on a public highway anyway.

I have a used my Ninja 250 to commute to work, which is mainly highway, for a long time now and I have never ran into a situation where I needed more power. Not to mention, I am always happy to pull into a gas station every now and then, throw a few bucks into the tank, and be on my way. At close to 70 MPG, rising gas prices don’t seem that bad anymore.

Overall, the Ninja 250 will be a forgiving motorcycle while giving the rider enough power to experience all that motorcycling has to offer.

Ask any rider who has ever owned a Ninja 250 what they think of the bike and you are sure to hear nothing but praise. The bike will inspire confidence while allowing new riders to work on the fundamentals of riding rather than trying to fight the machine they are using.

Even though the article was printed in 1997, it is still one of my favorite beginner motorcycle comparisons done. Motorcycle.com compares the Ninja 250, Virago 250, and Nighthawk 250. They take into account many aspects of the bike that a beginner would be affected by.

What I like best about this article is that they gear it more toward real world beginner factors, rather than just taking the bikes to a track and seeing which one wins. Don’t get me wrong, they post up all the detailed specs for each bike, including torque and horsepower dyno charts for each bike, but they don’t base their opinions purely off of these numbers like some others would.

I own a 2003 Ninja 250, so I may be a bit biased toward that bike. Here is what Motorcycle.com has to say about it:

“The Ninja devoured the winding asphalt with aplomb. A light, sporty 250 should turn like a French curve, and so the Ninja did, with fine braking into the turns supplied by a twin-piston caliper gripping the rotor up front, and a single piston binder grabbing a disc at the rear. Stoppies are possible on this motorcycle. And just like a sportbike should be, the Ninja was the essence of flickable and, more importantly for a beginner, confidence inspiring, holding on to most lines asked then coming out of the corners into a surprisingly stable ride.”

They go on to explain how the Ninja 250 did not fair well in the lower RPM’s though, which is expected. The Ninja 250 is a bike that loves to be in the higher RPM ranges. Anything above 9,000 RPM’s will make the bike sing a happy tune.

The Ninja 250 went on to be the favored bike of 2 out of 3 of the editors. The other editor went with the Virago 250 as his favorite. The Nighthawk 250… well… it was there, and they rode it, as they said.

Here is a link to the 250 shootout: Beginner Motorcycle 250cc Shootout

Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a good beginner motorcycle.

So you finally got your license or permit and are ready to buy your first motorcycle. Hopefully you have already taken the MSF course at this point and have a good idea of what you’re getting yourself into.

Your first motorcycle won’t be your last.

Way too many people bring up the idea that they want to get something that they can “grow into” and “won’t get bored with.” If these ideas are something you agree with right now, take a step back. Motorcycles aren’t clothes. You don’t “grow into” a bike. You find one that will suit your needs. As a beginner, it’s a really good idea to start looking into bikes that are more suited for beginners.

A few examples of the bikes you should be considering (but not limited to) are the Ninja 250, Ninja 500, GS500, Rebel 250, GZ250, and Virago 250. Do your research and look around. These bikes can generally be found for a fairly cheap price due to beginners selling them quickly. Which brings me to my next point…

Buying used vs. new.

There’s nothing stopping you from buying a brand new motorcycle right off the bat. It may be enticing hearing about the manufacturer deals that are going on that will offer you low monthly payments. Something to keep in mind is that you are a lot more likely to drop your bike in the first six months of riding than any other time. Would you care if you dropped your brand new bike while practicing in a parking lot? Would you mind if you lost your footing and tipped over your brand new bike in your garage? Mistakes are going to happen; all beginners make them. Do you want them to happen while on a brand new bike? If you answered “No” to any of those questions, you should probably go used.

You can save a TON of money by buying a used motorcycle. When I bought my first bike, it was four years old and had only been ridden about 350 miles. The maintenance had been kept up on it though and it was in perfect running condition. The bike was basically brand new. Because I got it slightly used, I saved myself about 2 grand.

If your one of those people who is afraid of ruining nice things, get something that has already been dropped. That way, if you accidentally drop it while learning, you won’t feel as bad. My bike didn’t have a scratch on it but I was prepared to deal with it if it happened since I paid so little for the bike in the first place.

You’ll still have time to change your mind about riding.

Many used bikes you find for sale are from owners who say that riding “just wasn’t for them.” Your first motorcycle will be with you when you determine if riding is right for you or not. Do you want to still have to deal with monthly payments on something that you just realized you don’t want to use anymore?

Don’t go overboard. Use some common sense. A 600cc supersport bike is NOT a good beginner bike, no matter what anyone tells you. The people who tell you “throttle control” or “responsible riding” are all you need to worry about probably won’t be there to help pick up the pieces of you and your 600cc bike when the inevitable happens. This topic has been debated back and forth between the smart riders and Darwin’s examples for many years.

All I will say is, put your ego aside and use some common sense when buying your first motorcycle. It is a very exciting moment but don’t let your emotions blind your sense of reality and safety.