Opinion on USED NINJA 250 prices.

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dank45

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Hello everyone,

I'm a beginner just getting into biking and am looking for a new bike, since it's winter right now I thought it's a good time to get a deal on one and keep until summer comes around. I'm looking at kawasaki ninjas because people say they're easy to learn on, cheap on insurance and hold their resale for when I want to upgrade, all in all sounds like the bike to start on. Although some people have said somebody who's 6'2 might have a problem on it, im not overweight though so would appreciate some feedback on that.

I got a really good quote on insurance from statefarm for $790, probably cus im 25. SO that's not an issue.

There's a couple of deals out there, one for a white ninja at 4000.00 and its done 5000 kms. Do you guys think that's a good deal?

One more question, how much do you guys recommend a person should budget for Gear, and what kind of gear is necessary.
 
People are insane asking $4,000 for a used 250 when a new 2012 can be had from the dealer for $3999 + fees. At 6'2, it won't be the most comfortable for long distances but plenty of riders have managed. Otherwise, the 250 is a great learners bike and cheap entry point into the world of motorcycling.
 
What year Ninja is that? I would expect the Ninja 250 price to deflate after a few years as the 300r gets on the used market, and more cbr250s.

Also keep in mind it's carbureted, so if you want to ride late/early in the season that's most likely out of the question (I wanted to take my girlfriend's R6 out a few weeks ago but it wouldn't start in the cold).

Gear is totally a personal choice..but here's a rough guide:

Helmet = $100-400
Jacket = $200-400
Gloves = $30-120
Boots/Shoes = $120-300
Pants = $100-200

Of these, bare minimum would be helmet, jacket and gloves, so your budget would be around $330-920. You can get a decent HJC or Scorpion helmet in the mid to high $100s range. Buy the best gear you can afford though in my opinion (I repeat, best gear, not most expensive necessarily).

The gloves I listed aren't the racing gauntlet ones though, those are easily $200-300.

I'm a gear fanatic so this is what I've spent on:

Icon Domain II helmet = $300
Icon TiMax jacket = $275 (IIRC)
Alpinestars vented summer gloves = $70
Gauntlets = gifted
Fall shorty gloves = gifted
SIDI Vertigo boots = $300
Arcterix Knee Guards = $100 (these aren't motorcycle grade but better than nothing, and I can wear them when I do other activities).
Dainese Back Protector = $30 used

and I wear all of this every time I ride, and I ride to work everyday. The boots I love. Very comfy and well ventilated. Good articulation for regular walking.

MY helmet and jacket are in need of an upgrade, but I've opted to spend that money on keeping the bike in good condition.
 
I agree with Boom King...4k is too much....if you take one of the courses you will have to get the gear anyway...(some ppl rent)...
 
dank45 said:
Hello everyone,

I'm a beginner just getting into biking and am looking for a new bike, since it's winter right now I thought it's a good time to get a deal on one and keep until summer comes around. I'm looking at kawasaki ninjas because people say they're easy to learn on, cheap on insurance and hold their resale for when I want to upgrade, all in all sounds like the bike to start on. Although some people have said somebody who's 6'2 might have a problem on it, im not overweight though so would appreciate some feedback on that.

I got a really good quote on insurance from statefarm for $790, probably cus im 25. SO that's not an issue.

There's a couple of deals out there, one for a white ninja at 4000.00 and its done 5000 kms. Do you guys think that's a good deal?

One more question, how much do you guys recommend a person should budget for Gear, and what kind of gear is necessary.
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It's alright guys - I'll take it from here. First of all... congrats on taking your time to get an insurance quote and so on.

I am a new rider as well - 25 years old and got that same quote from StateFarm. I also have recently bought a 2010 Kawi Ninja 250 Special Edition paint with 5000km on the dash for 3000$. It is good that you're looking off-season because prices can be haggled lower.

First of.. sign up for a Motorcycle safety course in the spring (I've signed up for RTI in early April) and then get your M1 just before the course (if you haven't already)

Second: You should be budgeting 3K to 4K for a 09-11 Ninja 250. They are great bikes and I have already learned a lot about them by just winterizing it and doing small mods like Fender Eliminators and Rear seat cowls etc. I can safely take the fairings apart and most of the paneling, put it back together and perform basic maintenance. They are the ultimate first bike and they hold their re-sale value very well so you can sell it for pretty much what you paid for it in a years time if/when you want to upgrade.

There are lots of articles that go over why you should/shouldn't learn on a 600cc inline 4 supersport.. but for me it boils down to risk. It is financially risky to get a 600 because they are harder to sell if you have a bad experience with it. But if you don't like the 250.. selling it will be a piece of cake. So there is really no risk associated with it. They are cheaper to learn on and cheaper to maintain etc. Just get the 250 and don't bother looking at bigger for now. At 25 you have a long life ahead filled with many other bikes.

As far as gear goes.. consider accessories for your bike as well and budget for it. You'll need:
Helmet
Gloves
Boots
Jacket (with optional CE Back Protector - get one that you can insert into your jacket)
Some knee/shin armor or kevlar/textile jeans or both (I just got myself some knee/shin pads to wear under my jeans for light riding)
Accessories that people don't factor in: Motorcycle cover, rear/front stands, battery tender etc.

I spent about $1500 in gear and accessories because I went with quality (Alpinestar Perforated leather gp-r jacket with the CE back protector insert, Alpinestar SPX gloves, getting some Alpinestar SMX-1 boots, Alpinestar Vapor knee guards and an AGV K-4 Fiberglass helmet) as well as got a stand and other bike accessories including a fender eliminator kit from amazon. If you don't want higher end like Alpinestar/Dainese you can get away with cheaper brands for under 1000$... and low-end for like $750. But I would spend on quality because it will stick with you through the next bike after this and perhaps the next one after that.. so it is worth it.. also don't put a price on your skull by limiting yourself to a 69.99$ helmet. Buy quality there for sure.

Lastly check out my thread here which goes through my entire pre-buying to post buying process with my 250: http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?166413-Ninja-250-as-a-starter-bike-and-Carb-s

Good luck!
 
I'm 6'0" and 180lbs no problem on the ninja. Moving the rearsets back would make it more comfy, but that costs $.

I paid $4k for mine in August with 7000km. Probably could have done a couple hundred less but whatever. $4000 is not out to lunch for these I don't think. See if you can get him lower, it doesn't hurt to try.

Gear don't be cheap. About $200 max for boots, $400 max for helmet. Jimmy at velocity can hook you up with a nice textile jacket this weekend at the show for $140, leather at least $400 and shorty gloves $60. Good deals there. He has kevlar jeans too. So about a grand for gear?
 
Lol, I can guarantee you in the summer it'll be hard to get a Ninja 250 (2009 and up) for less than $3500. A brand spanking new one is clocking in at $4100.00 bucks plus don't go thinking the extra fees would be peanuts.
I'm looking at getting a new bike in the summer from a dealer and I was quoted an extra 900 bucks for fees on top of the MSRP. Perhaps it would be different getting it from a used vehicle dealer... but then it's not considered new.

I got someone who's going to be buying my 2009 SE Ninja 250r in the spring for $3100.00 this was agreed upon during the offseason (a month ago) and truuuuust me this wasn't the only offer lol. Mine has 26000 kms and it was dropped twice and on the last drop, the right turn light went into the fairing creating a hole that hasn't been fixed (just been popped back in)
The first drop was by the previous owner and I bought it that way with a crack in the fairing when it only had 12000km on it, for more than $3000.00 and compared to the other guys selling on kijiji I got quite a deal. I'll also be helping my buddy sell his Ninja 250r which is very similar to mine, including damage (somewhat lol) and I'm gonna try and get even more for his bike.

Personally I don't get how some bikes can have so few kms on them, I mean I'm no expert but just letting it sit there all that time without using it can't be good. I put 14k on my bike (in one year) after it already had 12k and it still rides like new.

Just my 2cents.
 
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I know that's not what you're asking, but I'd look at the suzuki gs500 as well. They actually go a little cheaper than the ninja (I'm selling mine in the spring) and are great starter bikes well.
You may even end up keeping it for a couple of years if you're short on cash - it'll hold its own on the highway as well. They're known for being reliable too (I can attest to that). I've done 20k km on mine and I've only had to deal with a couple of gasket leaks (it's an '04) - ~$15 and some of your time to fix.
 
bboySushi said:
Also keep in mind it's carbureted, so if you want to ride late/early in the season that's most likely out of the question (I wanted to take my girlfriend's R6 out a few weeks ago but it wouldn't start in the cold).
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The R6 wouldn't start?? Even with fuel injection? I had my 250 out on Xmas eve and it started up the first try...Its never been winterized and has about 60k on it.

OP, since you seem like a mature guy of larger stature and insurance isn't much of an issue, look at the Ninja 650 or similar bikes...
 
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Naw the old R6 (2000) is carbureted.

Funny side story, went to winterize my girlfriend's bike while I was there...discovered it was already winterized...by me...last season..*face palm*
 
llaen said:
... I'd look at the suzuki gs500 as well.
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I was thinking the same thing. I'm 6'1, 200+lbs and I bought an '06 GS500F about a month ago. So far, I'm loving it. It's still a great beginner bike, and I'm really glad I went up to 500cc. It's enough power to let me be comfortable on the highway, but not enough I worry about hurting myself. Insurance on them is great too, a little higher than a 250, but probably only 10-15% more - still very reasonable.

They are also stupidly simple bikes. Air cooled so no radiator or coolant to worry about. Just check the oil and you're good. I would say they are probably around the same price range too. Maybe a little more as they're not as common as the 250s, but I got mine for $2500.

Maybe it's not the bike for you, but it's worth considering.
 
Bring somebody with experience with you when you look at bikes to make sure you don't get burned with a damaged bike. Cracked fairings could mean nothing, but they could also lead to big problems (bent frames, mounts, etc...).
 
$4k does seem a bit much. Last September I got an '09 250 with 4700km (plus a few extras) for $3500. I'd say constantly keep checking around on Kijiji, or whatever you're using to look. A good deal can be gone in a matter of hours. You'll just have to jump on something that looks good when you see it. As you spend more time looking you'll get a feel of what prices are like.

As for gear, bboySushi's breakdown seems pretty good. Instead of riding pants I opted for some armored shorts and knee guards for a little bit more versatility, though I will grab some eventually. Something you also might want to consider is how much riding you want to squeeze out of the season, and how prepared you want to be for it, (Hot weather gear, cool weather gear, rain gear, etc...)
 
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I'm 6'3 210lbs and rode a 09 250 last season. longest ride I did was 400km, and I did at least 6 300+km runs last year a well. Honestly it wasn't the most comfortable for longer rides, but with a corbin seat, 2 inch drop pegs and woodcraft handlebars it made a world of difference, and made those longer rides bearable. I'm happy I went the 250 route, Im 24 and my car is faster than the 250 but still had alot of fun with the 250 found it underpowered at times but at the same time I felt very comfortable and safe pushing that bike to the limits developing my skills alot quicker, than if I started with a higher cc bike.
 
dank45 said:
Hello everyone,

I'm a beginner just getting into biking and am looking for a new bike, since it's winter right now I thought it's a good time to get a deal on one and keep until summer comes around. I'm looking at kawasaki ninjas because people say they're easy to learn on, cheap on insurance and hold their resale for when I want to upgrade, all in all sounds like the bike to start on. Although some people have said somebody who's 6'2 might have a problem on it, im not overweight though so would appreciate some feedback on that.

I got a really good quote on insurance from statefarm for $790, probably cus im 25. SO that's not an issue.

There's a couple of deals out there, one for a white ninja at 4000.00 and its done 5000 kms. Do you guys think that's a good deal?

One more question, how much do you guys recommend a person should budget for Gear, and what kind of gear is necessary.
Click to expand...

In my opinion i wouldn't start on a 250. Id go with a sv650s or similar, btw just cause its "650" doesn't mean its big and scary. its a bike half way between a 250 and 600ss. looks of a 600, and power somewhere in between.

a 250 to me feels like a civic, no balls and not a whole lot of fun.


as for the gear get the best gear you can afford. chances are you will bite the pavement at some point, and believe me the pavement isn't forgiving at all

eljay said:
I'm 6'0" and 180lbs no problem on the ninja. Moving the rearsets back would make it more comfy, but that costs $.

I paid $4k for mine in August with 7000km. Probably could have done a couple hundred less but whatever. $4000 is not out to lunch for these I don't think. See if you can get him lower, it doesn't hurt to try.

Gear don't be cheap. About $200 max for boots, $400 max for helmet. Jimmy at velocity can hook you up with a nice textile jacket this weekend at the show for $140, leather at least $400 and shorty gloves $60. Good deals there. He has kevlar jeans too. So about a grand for gear?
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Not a good idea in my opinion, unless you don;t want/need any wrists after you wipe out.
 
Awesome little bike. If I wasn't a cripple, a Ninjette would be my street bike right now. Good tires, a pipe, clip-ons and rearsets make these bikes into a focussed performer. I also make and sell a Sachs shock conversion for the Ninjette. Race tech makes springs and emulators for the front. Don't be surprised if you get passed by one in the really tight stuff. Nothing is more embarassing than being passed by a little bike.
 

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Paul1000RR said:
... a 250 to me feels like a civic, no balls and not a whole lot of fun.
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Nonsense. Perhaps it's because I don't have much in the way of experience with anything more, but a light and nimble 250 is not only a humbling bike, but a blast to toss around. Play around with intake/exhaust just for kicks, and it becomes a brilliant city shooter.

An advocate for the 250 if there ever was one :P.
 
Bermuda said:
Nonsense. Perhaps it's because I don't have much in the way of experience with anything more, but a light and nimble 250 is not only a humbling bike, but a blast to toss around. Play around with intake/exhaust just for kicks, and it becomes a brilliant city shooter.

An advocate for the 250 if there ever was one :P.
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Lol
So you have no experience riding anything else but youll say my advice is nonsense!
Ive actually rode everything from 250 to 1400cc, but hey what do i know lol
 
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