Upgrading from the 2008 Ninja 250

[joloy133]

Firstly, good luck with your decision as tough as it seems. I have the Yamaha because ultimately it is the one I wanted. I always liked the company and even thought the best bike for my purposes would be the Kawi. I read all the articles and even considered a Ducati and Aprilia for the exclusivity. The value mattered to me as well as reliability so I looked for reasons to buy the Kawi, but at this point I got what I wanted because who knows what the future holds? Know that both bikes got good write ups with the latest head to head article showcasing what they felt where ideal rider styles for each bike. No clear cut winner. I can't remember the mag but it was at Barnes and Noble.

Get the one you want.........I personally don't care about the fashion aspect........its about the bike, the ride. (You could paint over the clear coat on the tank, green vines over the pink stuff......one of.....) GL

 

[O-turn]

Im biased but the 6R takes it hands down in looks, performance, sound, comfort, overall package over the 650. Thats moving from one starter bike to another IMO.

Good luck

 

[GoGreen09]

I can understand about the gear dilemna...but I don't think you'll regret the FZ6r if you do go with this bike. It's my first bike and I also tried the same bikes you were looking at. This just felt better for me compared to the others. Since I couldn't test ride any of the bikes, I couldn't compare the handling and all that other stuff. From most of the write-ups, they seem to perform at about the same level anyways. I took the Ninja off the list when I heard it revving at a parking lot, it sounded like a lawn mower. I'd love it if the FZ6r came with a louder exhaust, but I like it the way it is compared to the lawn mower. Of course, that's just me! Good luck with the HARD decision!

 

[JSP]

Go with the FZ6R! You wont regret it at all!!! I came from a 08 Honda Rebel! My cover for the Rebel fits the FZ6R perfectly. Its a Nelson Riggs for small-medium sized bikes. Cheap too. One thing I didn't see mentioned ( i just skimmed ) was the type of engine you are interested in... The FZ has an inline-4. The 650R is a parallel twin. Honestly, I cant stand how they sound. More of a choppy, kind of dirt bike sound.

The inline-4 is smooth and just plain awesome

The weight of the bike wont bother you at all. Like i said, I rode a 250 Rebel and then jumped on this thing and took off. No problems at all. Just get the feel for it and it will be second nature. And I dont think you will even notice the difference between the 650 and FZ in weight when coming form the 250. They will both just plain feel heavier. But when standing up or moving the FZ is REALLY balanced and easy to maneuver.

 

[BlueThunder]

So I've grown tired of the weak suspension and limited power on my 2008 Ninja 250R. It's a pretty neat bike, and I've enjoyed it a lot. It eats up canyons here in Malibu and cuts through traffic perfectly. I get about 50-53 mpg on regular gas.
But it's suspension just isn't up to the task of absorbing bumps or vibrations while doing 70+ on our rough freeways (it's doing 9,000 rpms!), I hate having to crank the throttle all the way to go fast or pass, and the brakes are not up to the job at speeds over 70 either. If I never went over about 60 it would be a perfect bike, especially with my Corbin seat on it. Its stock seat was too thin!

It has a pretty comfortable riding position, a neat little storage area under the removable rear seat, where there are also 2 helmet holder brackets, so I can lock my helmet. It holds my big Nelson Rigg tailbag fine, with its underseat hooks.

But I want something with more power without the too-leaned-forward position of the supersports, so what I looked at have been the FZ6R, the Ninja 650R and the Suzuki SV 650SF and GSX650R.
Today I sat on all 4 of these bikes and am down to either the Ninja or the FZ6R. The Ninja has a slight advantage in that it is cheaper (I may even be able to find a green used one), it matches my green gear, and I might be able to get a slightly better deal if I buy another Kawasaki at the same dealership I went to in 2008. it's still a new model with the improvements they made, so I don't expect big discounts.

On the other hand the new FZ6R is getting pretty good reviews and seems to be a higher quality bike than the Ninja. I prefer its looks, especially with the separate seats, though I saw that the white bike (my first choice) has silly graphics on the tank that can't be peeled off like the ones on the fairings.
I browsed the threads here today and would like to post a few questions. My saleman today wasn't much help. Obviously someone who has upgraded from the new 250 Ninja will have the best advise, but I'm sure everyone will be able to chime in.

First I'd like to hear more about people's impressions of the new FZ6R and what features stand out, or are lacking?
I'm very concerned about a bike having a helmet lock, as I live in an area where you don't just toss your helmet over the throttle and walk into the grocery store!

What kind of mpg are you seeing? Does the Yamaha take premium? or regular?

Have you noticed any problems with the heavier weight of the 6R? I have to wheel my bike out from in front of my car in my parking garage, sometimes having to back it up 20 feet and try to angle it out to get out if my neighbors are parked. The 250 is so light that it's almost impossible to drop, but was concerned about the weight of a bike when I bought the 250 last year.
What size bike cover fits the FZ6R? I have a Nelson Rigg that is pretty tight on the 250. It also melts sometimes on the side pipe. I wonder if that could be an issue with the underbelly exhaust.
How badly do the rear view mirrors vibrate on the bike at highway speeds? Mine are so shaky that there could be a cop car in full view and at 75 I'd never know!
What is the break-in rpm limit? What speed will that be in top gear?
I hated trying to do the factory break-in on the 250 and not going over 4,000 rpm for the first 500 miles. That was a 35 mph limit!

I'm sure I'll think of more questions but thanks for any advice you all can give. The lack of proper test drives makes your knowledge very valuable and certainly if anyone has questions about the Next Gen Ninja 250 I'll be happy to help. And if you know anyone wanting to buy one next month... ;-)

I had a Ninja 250 and after a bit of time off from riding I purchased a 2009 FZ6R with a Two Brothers VALE system. The Ninja definitely handled better and was a fun bike. I went as fast as I should have gone at the time. The FZ6R is wonderful. I like the ride position because it is upright. I personally don't care for the clutch but that is a small beef. The bike has plenty of power for me. It will go as fast as one should sanely go on the street. I think the Yamaha is the way to go!

 

[Scott_Thomas]

:zombie::zombie::zombie: Bringing back the dead. LOL!

 

[Rob]

I had a Ninja 250 and after a bit of time off from riding I purchased a 2009 FZ6R with a Two Brothers VALE system. The Ninja definitely handled better and was a fun bike. I went as fast as I should have gone at the time. The FZ6R is wonderful. I like the ride position because it is upright. I personally don't care for the clutch but that is a small beef. The bike has plenty of power for me. It will go as fast as one should sanely go on the street. I think the Yamaha is the way to go!

dammit bluethunder! i just read through this entire thread and was formulating a response to help this guy out only to find out this post is years old! granted i should have checked the date first but still, haha. ya button-hooked me blue thunder! :bitchslap:

 

[Alex6]

...

Was it really necessary to copy the entire post from 2009 to add your infinite wisdom?

 

[dmkun]

Was it really necessary to copy the entire post from 2009 to add your infinite wisdom?

:rof: Although i didnt mind looking at the shiny mustang again...