First off I dont want any flaming in here. Any or all flaming and I will pm every mod in the place to delete your post.


Im in a bit of a predicament here. I plan on going to a kawasaki dealer tomorrow to look at bikes.

Heres where I need help kinda sorta.


I want a "sport" bike. I honestly could give 2 shits how fast it is but I like the look of the bikes. I dont need a bike that does 170 mph on the highway.


Im looking at 2 bikes. Price is kinda a big deal. I wont buy on craigslist because I want to try and finance the bike.


First is a ninja 250. Pros: Comes in 4 colors and I like all of the colors but 1(I dont like red bikes), 61mpg, bang through 6 gears and not even break 100mph. Price. Cons: only comes in 4 colors lol, really quiet.

The second is a ninja 500r. Pros: a little more sac, a little bigger for a fat ass like me. Cons: about 1500 more than a 250, only comes in blue and black, dont know too much about them.


So basically I need help deciding which one. I dont know too too much about bikes. Ive riden 250's and i personally think they are comfortable and again I dont care about speed. Its basically going to be a cruiser for nice days without the heavyness of a cruiser.


So help me decide. I will be going to the dealer sometime tomorrow to try and finance one and maybe even drive it home tomorrow.

I don't have much knowledge on bikes, but I would go with the one thats most comfortable to ride

OK here's my suggestion....skip the 250 and the 500 and consider the 650R. It's not much more than the 500 but still substantially less than the ZX6R. It's got a better overall feel, is a bit quicker than the other 2 and won't have you needing a new bike within 2 months.

I rode Kristens bike, for someone as light as her it's perfect it can move her and still do 80mph. For someone of our stature it feels quite slow and small. A 500 isn't too much better and definitely isn't as appealing looks wise as the 250 is. The 500 still has an old school look to it while the 250 is completely redesigned and looks a bit more like the 6R,

The 650 is far and beyond better than the other 2 for you Chris, again no disrespect meant to the other 2 bikes. They are actually both cool and are great for different people, but you are about my size Chris and you definitely need something that can get out of it's own way with you on it.

Here is a pic of the 650R

what Josh said

Full article on teh 650R here http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorc...0r-ar15639.html

that 650 is a nice lookin bike

agreed the 650r is a nice looking bike. but my problem lies within money. I wasnt trying to spend 7k. Whatever I get Im keeping until it dies so it doesnt really matter to me. If I got bored with it Id try to find a way to make it unboring.


I guess my real problem is I dont have a moto license and have no idea when Im going to get one.

Maybe the reason I like the 250 is because Im used to riding dirtbikes and the one bike Ive really ridden on like a long haul really wasnt for me(gixxer 1k)...because im more of the go for a cruise on the jap bike lol.


In any case I will look at the 650r....i mean it should be at the dealer.

dont forget man you can negotiate with bikes just like you can with cars!!! If the 650 falls just outside don't worry, those dealers are hurting like everyone else!


just go in there, find one you like (best to always try and get a leftover from last year). Check it out, get the guys bottom price on it. Don't mention financing just yet, act like you're paying cash. Then, if you can, ride it, and give the guy your bottom offer. If he doesn't take it, tell him he has your number and your offer and walk away. I guarantee you'll get a call within a week or two, allowing plenty of time to get your cycle license

sounds like you want new. they finance older bikes at the dealer also, but the incentives are never on old bikes. maybe you could find an 08 still in the showroom. some dealers are not open on sundays and mondays. i know nault's windham, nh is open sundays but only like a few short hours and they just started that like last month. if you are a big boy you are gonna want a 500cc or bigger. a 250cc is not going to be fun after a while of riding. a 250cc may be okay for you off road wise...but on the road is a bit different.

i have a black bike myself, but blue is my fav color. personally i would step up to a 6r or a 650r that's cheaper and get the $95/mo deal they got goin on. I ride a busa. But I think the zx14 is a bit faster right now.

honda is known for its reliability and mantenance free bikes. but they seem to be running about 1,000 to 1,500 more than the kawi's.

I had a 1986 suzuki gs550e and it was fine for around town, but on the highway it was rapped out. Just be aware that you are going to be revving high rpms on a 500cc or lower on the highway. helps to have liquid cooled engine to prevent overheating when cruising around on hot days in heavy traffic. bike tends to overheat. sitting still.

it is more about what you like ... in this case what you want to afford.

if you dont have your bike license and you take it on a bike less than 1000cc usually they restrict your license to that class. so if you want to upgrade to a bigger bike later you may need to retake the test on the bigger bike. i am not familiar with all the laws everywhere, but this came up when I was taking my test in Missouri. I live in NH now...I have had my license since 1994. i have been riding motorcycles since 1976. ride to live...live to ride my friend.

hope this helps.

well I went to the dealer today (razee's) and I looked around. I sat on a 500r and a 650r. I found a used 500r for the price of a 250. actually less. Its 2 years old with 1400 miles on it and its mint. The only thing stopping me is getting a co signer because razee's wants people to have cosigners if theyve never had loans before. So if I get one soon I will own the bike very soon.

good luck buddy!

if you have never ridden the 250 and 500 are good choices however you will be bored and not like the take off of them if you are heavy like I. On my wifes 250 it doesn't get out of it's own way too quickly. it isn't bad with her on it and I wouldn't say it is horrible but it definately takes alot of throttle to get out of the way up to highway speeds etc. If you can sit on them and maybe even see if they will let you test drive it.

well ive ridden a 250 so thats why I decided against it. I dont care how fast I go. I think the 500r will be the best choice for me...

Sounds like a smart choice. the 250 is a great learning bike and a good bike to use as a commuter but if you are a bigger guy it just doesn't have enough power to save you if you need it. imho.

you could always buy my bike chris

you finance Ill buy it derrick.

yeah...thats the only reason Im buying from a dealer...because I dont have cash. even if I sell the CTD I still wont have straight cash to buy the bike.


Plus I need to build my credit a little more.

well you could get a personal loan and buy derricks bike.

thats funny lol. I couldnt get a personal loan to save my life. Although I should probably check out a CU and see if I can get a better rate vehicle loan.

you should listen to john

you should read the post above yours....lol

sorry to inform you guys, nobody is doing unsecured personal loans now. IE you have to have a savings account with an equal amount of money in it or something of equal value for collateral. You miss payment, they deduct it from the account or take your collateral.

You're better off to finance through razee or try and see if a CU will give you a loan with a cosigner.

This might be one to look into

cheap and I guess they come with a long warrenty, 2yrs



http://www.hyosungmotorsusa.com/product/in...mp;model=GT250R

The chang chang bike looks nice...but Ive recently realized Im too big to comfortably ride a 250. Im a little to big to get it to move out of the way in the chance I might have to do that.

you should get derricks

loan me whatever he wants for it?


this is the one I want from Razee's....just gotta find a cosigner

things badass lookin....pumpkin bike FTMFW!

dj what the hell is that smiley for?


-The onion

All the bikes you mentioned are good starting bikes. I want to say I've heard some negative things about the 650r's, but I can't think of what the problem was off the top of my head.

It sounds like you're set with the 500 which is a great bike. I wish I could have found one for my first bike that wasn't stupidly overpriced.

One thing you need to consider, when you finance a bike, you'll need full coverage, and you'll pay out the nose for it! I would shop around and take that into consideration before you buy. Contrary to popular belief, you DO NOT save any money commuting by bike. Insurance and upkeep are considerably higher for a bike.

Another thing, GET YOUR GEAR, and TAKE THE MSF CLASS. I can't stress these enough. The roads are dangerous enough, and as a beginning rider you can get into big trouble very quickly.

You can spend a lot on helmets, but see if you can find a Z1R dealer. Their helmets are around $90 and outperformed every helmet on the market in a recent test. As for jackets, shop around, and get something that fits you in your riding position. I got mine from motoport.com, who makes theirs custom for your measurements, and they're cheaper and better than anything you'll find in a store. Get full finger gloves, some sturdy boots, and riding pants (or riding jeans) if you can afford them. Skin grafts don't tickle, so you'll want this stuff.

Good luck with your bike search. Be smart, see what's comfortable, and be safe!