First Bike dilemma: CBR250 or Ninja250 or DRZ400

[DudeMan]

Hello! I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a new motorcycle. This will be my first motorcycle and I will be upgrading from a 178cc 16" wheel scooter.

I'm 6ft 180lbs, slim build. I only want to ride around town and country road cruisin, just as I did on the scooter. Very would I hit the trails, if ever. I'm not interested in taking a risk on the highways. I'm having a hard time deciding on whether to get a 2011 Honda CBR250, a 2009-2012 Ninja 250, or possibly a dual sport Suzuki DRZ400sm.

You cannot find used CBR250 bikes in my area but I did find a deal on a new 2011 Red/silver CBR250 w/ ABS for $4481.32 OTD. The best deal I could find on the Ninja is a used 2009 Ninja with 1500 miles for $3889.76 OTD. The best deal I could find on a DRZ400 was a used 2006 DRZ400 w/ 1500 miles for $4500 + tax.

Which bike would you recommend for my size and riding preference? ALso, I want the most comfortable bike for city cruising out of these bikes I have selected. From my research I hear the CBR250 is well suited for around town non-highway riding and has decent low end torque when compared to the ninja 250. Also, the honda has fuel injection with updated instrumentation. Honda bikes are renowned for having the best quality. I hear great things about the DRZ400 but I will probably never do any trail riding so really there is no point to getting a dual sport bike right?

Your feedback will be greatly appreciated! I'm looking to buy this week.

[PacoMaderaVerde]

Which one feels the best when you test em?

[tbird98]

even thought your 6'0" tall you need to sit on a drz 400. they have a 37" seat height. it can be very intimidating to a newbie. the honda cbr 250 is a great bike and you can't go wrong there. the revised ninja is also a very good bike. if i were you i would consider with your price range and to cover your increased skills to look at a used ninja 500. it will have a lot more going for it but is also rated as one of the best beginner bikes. it won't overpower you but will have a lot more going for it if you choose to hit the road, go on longer rides, etc and it should be a bit roomier than the othe sport bikes. most sport bikes are designed to fit people in the 5'7" to 5'10" range. the smaller sport bikes you mention might be a little cramped. good luck. the ninja 500 should also give you 55-62 mpg.

[tbird98]

if you just want to cruise a used kawasaki 500 is a good choice with a lot of get up and go and a used suzuki gs 500 is bulletproof. a used suzuki bandit 500 or sv 650 would also be entertaining bikes that you would not get tired of. the sv 650 would be my choice for smiles per mile factor.

[DudeMan]

Thanks for the insight. I like the maneuverability of a lighter bike though. Like the old adage goes riding a slow bike fast is more fun than riding a fast bike slow. Doing no more than 35-60 it is not necessary to go above a 250? I guess. I will never get on the highway. A GS500 is a 432lb bike. I like the idea of a 330lb bike. remember , you are talking about someone who is coming from a 178cc 16" wheel scooter which fit me fine. My inseam is about 35".

[DudeMan]

Btw, I loved cruising on the 178cc scooter but the engine seized, crappy chinese scooter. It was fun while it lasted though. I can't see how a 250cc would bore me around the city roads. My sister's bf just told me I will get little respect from the tough 600cc+ guys which I could care less about. lol

[zmago]

You'll plenty of respect from the 1200cc+ guys because we have nothing to prove.

I'd love to try a CBR250 or a Ninja 250. All the reports I've read and the Youtube videos I've watched make them out to be real fun to ride.

[Sigma.40]

Originally Posted by DudeMan

Btw, I loved cruising on the 178cc scooter but the engine seized, crappy chinese scooter. It was fun while it lasted though. I can't see how a 250cc would bore me around the city roads. My sister's bf just told me I will get little respect from the tough 600cc+ guys which I could care less about. lol

I have a Ninja 250r and get compliments on it wherever I go. I have yet to hear any insults from anyone over it. Most people just seem to assume its a 600cc. I told one guy it was only a 250 and his jaw dropped. Then he said it was still faster than his car. I love the bike and while I may add a touring bike to my collection, I don't plan on selling or upgrading from this one any time soon. Good luck with whatever you pick.

BTW, I am 5'7" with a 32" inseam and can just barely flat foot it at a stop. Hope that helps!

[goalie]

My friend's son is about your size and loves his 2012 cbr250. He does the kind of riding you are talking about. If the prices remain as you quaoted, I would pay the extra $600 and get the new honda. I doubt there is really much of a difference between the bikes otherwise.

[cbdallas]

It would come down to the Ninja or CBR for me. A fuel injected thumper (CBR) & a carbed twin-cylinder (Ninja) would trump a carbed thumper (DR-Z400SM) in my book.

From the vids & testimony I've seen, the Ninja will walk away from the CBR in a drag race (not to say that you're drag racing, just highlighting the difference in power between the two) and is slightly better on the highway where acceleration at 60+ mph can be important. But I love the look & F.I. of the CBR, so it's really a toss up with what your priorities are.

[DudeMan]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Yeah, I've eliminated the DRZ400 from my choices. I like both the ninjette and the baby cbr but I'd rather not buy new. I could have a sweet deal on a nice blue 2009 blue ninjette for $2700 but I couldn't figure out how to get the bike from columbus to cleveland without spending a lot of money since I don't have a truck. I have an offer on the table for a new 2011 cbr 250r w/ ABS for $4400 OTD but I'd rather not spend more than $3k for my first motorcycle. I guess I'll just wait on a deal.

[DudeMan]

Between the CBR250r and the ninja 250, which is easier to work on myself as far as maintenance goes?

[cbdallas]

Fuel injection will be the maintenance-free fuel delivery system, BUT carbs can be pretty much maintenance-free too as long as you use good fuel, don't let it sit un-ridden for long periods, keep the air filter clean, and occasionally run a fuel system cleaner through it to keep sulfur & deposits at bay. Leaving a Ninja sit around long enough for the gas to get old is a bad thing to do, as the passages in the jets are so tiny and clog easily. Even if the fuel injector in the CBR gets dirty, it'll still start & run...just not as well as it should.

The Ninja will have two spark plugs vs. one in the CBR, but that's sorta moot since most of the work involves removing the tank to get to them. Once you're in there, the plugs themselves are simple to replace. I'm not sure about the valve-adjustment interval on the Honda, if there is one at all. The rest of the chassis maintenance will be the same (chain, fluids, brakes, etc).

[ralphlong]

Personally, smoothness is important to me, so I would go for the twin, although I have read that the Honda is pretty smooth for a single cylinder engine. Yes, the Honda will be reliable, but then again the ninja will be too. Pretty much all bikes a reliable nowadays.

Don't be so sure that you will not do highway riding. Chances are, as you gain experience, you will.

[DudeMan]

I chose the Honda CBR250 and brought a brand new 2011 CBR250 home last night. When I sat on it I knew that was the bike for me. The CBR250 was much more comfortable then the 2012 Ninja250. The ninja 250 felt top heavy and was wider and just awkward. Also, the ninja has OLD technology with an analog gage, no abs brakes, etc. The ninja looked cool in the picture on youtube but in person I didn't like it,

[tbird98]

good choice. enjoy it. of the 250s the honda cbr is the head of the class.

[DudeMan]

I got on the DRZ and that felt like I was getting on a small horse, it sits so much higher up than the sport bikes. I'm 6ft and couldn't flat foot it, was on the tippy toes.

[tbird98]

that's the important part of trying a bike out. the drz 500 is a high altitude bike at a seat height of 37". if you liked the overall bike try to sit on the drz 650. it's cheaper than a drz 400- go figure and the seat height can be adjusted to 33" which might be more to you liking. the drz 650 also has a larger fuel tank at 3.4 gallons and should give you a much appreciated true 150 miles range between fill ups. the drz 400 will have you doing it at 100 miles. did you tell the sales rep you didn't like the height. the drz 650 also has a ton of aftermarket goodies. you can set that up for some serious touring if you want. cna also get an aftermarket 4.9 gallon tank for under $300 if you want greater range.