Time to upgrade! | GTAMotorcycle.com

Time to upgrade!

O

Ollie

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Hi guys,

So after a great 2 seasons with my cbr125r I think it's time for something just a bit bigger. As of right now I've narrowed my choices down to either a cbr250r or a ninja 300. Both cost the same on insurance and anything larger is out of the question until I'm 25. Having said that I'm looking for something that I'll be able to keep as a daily driver even if I ever get the urge to buy a more powerful bike sometime down the road. Most of my driving is in the city, although I would like to be able to do some touring in the next few years. The cbr has cheaper operating/maintenance costs and better build quality, but the ninja will likely be more suitable for longer distance riding and keep me entertained for longer. As of now I'm leaning towards the ninja but the fact that I would have to buy one new is a bit of a drag. Seeing that the average cbr250r seems to be going for about $4000 used and the otd price I've been quoted on the ninja is $6400, do you guys think the ninja is worth the extra cash if I plan on keeping it for at least 3 years or longer? I'd love to hear your opinions on it.
 
Did you look at the EX / Ninja 500 or a GS500 E / F ? Both bikes have been around forever and the older models can be had for cheap. I don't know what insurance would be (insurance seems to be based on planetary alignment lately...) but the bikes are definitely not sport bikes.
 
You can buy a new ninja 250 for $4k. New 300 is the same price I believe as a honda 250. Maybe you got quoted for the one with ABS? I'd go with the new 300 if your choice is between the honda or the 300. Both are fuel injected but the 300 not only has the xtra cc but also comes with slipper clutch.
 
Sorry, I should have mentioned I'm not too keen on dealing with anything that is carburated. After being spoilt with fuel injection for the last few years it would just be a pain, plus I've heard the ninja 250s are notoriously cold-blooded. The otd quote I got for the 300 was actually for the non-abs model. The MSRP is $5300, but once you add in taxes and dealer fees the price climbs by about $1000. I would imagine that most dealers won't move very much on the price, since the bike will definitely be in high demand and they won't have a high profit margin on it anyways.
 
I saw on Hondas site that you can buy a 2012 for $3999, so there you go save some money but I think their butt ugly but that's just me.
 
Julz said:
I saw on Hondas site that you can buy a 2012 for $3999, so there you go save some money but I think their butt ugly but that's just me.
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nope, its not just you. Its a fact.

And for the OP, if you know what you're doing carbs aren't a problem, especially after you make a bit of an effort to just shim them. I've never been held back or slowed down by carbs and I've got 60k km on the bike...and even the Ninja 250 beats the CBR in the looks and performance department.
 
save your cash, get a 3-4 year old ninja 250 with 10,000 km on it for like 3000$.

then sell it next season for more or exactly what you paid this season.

then buy a bigger bike...
 
Ollie said:
Hi guys,

The cbr has cheaper operating/maintenance costs and better build quality.
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Exactly what gave you this delusion? The 125 is a parts bin special that was slapped together to be cheap.
 
I was thinking about doing the same thing this season as I have had my 125 for two years heading into my third. Keep the input coming!
 
I enjoyed riding the cbr250 more than I enjoy my ninja 250 now. Just felt better quality to me, that is all. And I grew pretty fond of the single cylinder sound too.
 
RedDogDarren said:
Exactly what gave you this delusion? The 125 is a parts bin special that was slapped together to be cheap.
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Should have been more specific. I was referring to the cbr250r when I made that statement, especially considering that a lot of new ninja 300 owners seem to be reporting flimsy fairings that don't fit together properly. If anyone is interested, however, I do find that the build quality of my 2011 cbr125r is very solid for the price, although that might have more to do with the fact that I've never owned another bike that I'd be able to compare it to.
I really like the larger engine of the ninja, but that extra $2000 could buy an awful lot of gear and other upgrades for the cbr250. I guess what I'm asking is would you rather have the ninja or the cbr along with some extra money to modify it? I'm enjoying hearing all of your opinions. Keep them coming!
 
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