Is Kawasaki Ninja 300 worth it when compared to a new Ninja 250 on clearance? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Is Kawasaki Ninja 300 worth it when compared to a new Ninja 250 on clearance?

M

Moto Stig

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Hi Everyone,

Just to give a small background. Im 23 years old, and although I got my M2 when I was 21 years old but due to financial reasons I was not able to get any mbike. Now in upcoming spring I'm planning on buying a new starter bike (250cc or 300cc).

1) My specific question to you guys is that although the new Kawasaki 300 is an excellent bike, is it worth paying the extra money vs a new Kawa ninja 250 which are on clearance? ? Are the features in Ninja 300 such as slip clutch, electronic gauge etc. worth the extra money ?

Looking forward to this spring.:p

Thanks.
 
Buy whichever gives you lower insurance costs. They're both good bikes.
 
nfq said:
Buy whichever gives you lower insurance costs. They're both good bikes.
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+1 that may be the biggest factor.
 
have you not read any reviews???

the 300 far better.

upgraded a lot. a bunch of engine stuff i have to business paraphrasing, suspension re work, tires, ground clearance, and much more.
as you can tell i have the retention of a 4 year old...

but in the end, for a first bike, get what is cheap...you want a 600 eventually anyway.

the 300 is new new new, so you would have to go dealer and pay full tax and freight, etc...too expensive.
 
no...for the extra 2 G's or so its really not worth it. The 250 is just as capable for a new rider. If you were comparing a 125 tothe 250 it'd be a whole different story...Use the money you'll save for proper gear.
 
Everyone does something to 'improve' their bikes. things that "increase performance"...usually it's something like a velocity stack on a stock bike...

Really, it's just for bragging rights cuz really, how much more quick do you think you're going to go with bolt on parts?

So having a NEW bike over an older model, and it' 50cc more? how much is that worth to you?
 
I don't think 50cc will make a huge difference, eventually you'll probably want to upgrade to a bigger engine anyways....so having said that, buy a used 250 and the money you save you can purchase on things that really matter like a awesome gear.
 
If this is your first bike then I would definitely suggest buying the 250cc model on clearance (or even a cheaper one used). Besides the (slightly) bigger displacement, the biggest improvement between the 250 and 300 is the latter is now fuel-injected while the 250's are carbureted. While it is a nice feature, I wouldn't exactly say it's that big of a deal for beginners; you'll just have to learn to put up with cold-starts/warming up the bike and using the choke.

A nice bonus is that with the 250 being one of the most popular beginner bikes out there, there is almost a neverending supply of used parts should you need to fix anything, and they will be a lot cheaper too.
 
Torcida said:
If this is your first bike then I would definitely suggest buying the 250cc model on clearance (or even a cheaper one used). Besides the (slightly) bigger displacement, the biggest improvement between the 250 and 300 is the latter is now fuel-injected while the 250's are carbureted. While it is a nice feature, I wouldn't exactly say it's that big of a deal for beginners; you'll just have to learn to put up with cold-starts/warming up the bike and using the choke.

A nice bonus is that with the 250 being one of the most popular beginner bikes out there, there is almost a neverending supply of used parts should you need to fix anything, and they will be a lot cheaper too.
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this is great advice too
 
You might get a better rate on the 250 for Insurance. Go with a used 250 and save your money. There are tons of used 2008-12 models for around the 3K mark.
 
id say buy a used 250 because if you get board of it you can sell it for pretty much what you paid for it , use the money you save towards paying off insurance for the first year
 
As a first bike, I would suggest either something used or a bike on clearance. Since most people drop/fall on their first bike, you will probably run into major issues trying to fix the Ninja 300 for cheap even if it suffers minor damage.

You will probably feel like you're never going to drop your bike if it hasn't happened yet like most people, but accidents do happen and you will probably end up dropping it due to something stupid like not putting the kick stand down all the way or you slipping on a patch of oil on the ground.. Or like me, not adjusting to road conditions for a second and going down.
 
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The 300 with abs is a good idea.....how many newbes crash because they apply to much front brake?
 
Of you can afford the better gear, regardless of the bike you get, go for the 300. How much of a difference would it make on insurance, really?

If the better gear is compromised with the 300, then go for the better gear and get a 250.

Save for when you're ready for a 600SS ;-)
 
If your only looking @ 250/300 I would get the 300 and just keep it a while to get your value out of it, contrary to popular belief not everybody drops their first bike. I do not know anybody personally that has dropped/downed their first bike. Not to say you won't, but I don't think its as common as people think.

I also do not know anybody personally that rides now and did not take the MSF course, maybe that plays a role here...
 
bikermahn said:
If your only looking @ 250/300 I would get the 300 and just keep it a while to get your value out of it, contrary to popular belief not everybody drops their first bike. I do not know anybody personally that has dropped/downed their first bike. Not to say you won't, but I don't think its as common as people think.

I also do not know anybody personally that rides now and did not take the MSF course, maybe that plays a role here...
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Ride longer or meet more people.

Everyone I know has dropped their initial bikes. ****, people drop their 5th 6th bike. It happens. Moreso when you're a newb.
 
murf said:
The 300 with abs is a good idea.....how many newbes crash because they apply to much front brake?
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Not a bad argument towards the 300, plus the 50cc would make a noticeable difference and fuel injection is a huge step up from carb.

In the end, if you want to keep the bike for a while and have the extra money, I would say go for a 300R.
If you want to upgrade quick and move up to a bigger bike sooner rather than later then go for a used 250R
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