Interesting fact about the Kawasaki Ninja 250R motorcycle

[JulesMaximus]

I'm looking to start out on two wheels in the next few months... something I've wanted to so since college.

I'll probably go with the Ninja 250, and there's one intangible I've noticed. Resale. 2008+ Ninja 250's sell for $2500-$3000 on CL, and they go fast. Other bikes I've considered don't seem to have quite the resale; I've seen the same GS500F and SV650S on my local CL for months now, both priced around $3000.

Coming in as a novice, I don't want a bike I can't sell easily once I've had some time to figure out a.) if I want to continue riding and b.) what it is exactly that I want to ride.

There aren't many SV650's on the market here and when they do come up they seem to sell fairly quickly. Not sure why a Ninja 250 would sell easily and an SV650 wouldn't. The SV is a far superior machine in every way...maybe not so much for the beginner but once you've been riding a while it is very capable.

 

[DirthNader]

There aren't many SV650's on the market here and when they do come up they seem to sell fairly quickly. Not sure why a Ninja 250 would sell easily and an SV650 wouldn't. The SV is a far superior machine in every way...maybe not so much for the beginner but once you've been riding a while it is very capable.

Simply put, if you want to start on a 250, then the Ninja is the only way to go if you want something with sportbike styling. If you're starting out over 250, there's the GS500F, SV650, 650R, 500R, etc... way more options without venturing into supersport territory.

I'm definately not saying that the SV650 isn't more capable, I'm saying that from what I've seen as someone who's been looking at used bikes for about a year now the resale market on the 08+ Ninja 250 is as good as it gets.

That's important me. In a year I may find out I want an SV650, or that I want to move to a supersport 600, or hell, I may be so terrified or riding that I just want to get rid of it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Simply put, if you want to start on a 250, then the Ninja is the only way to go if you want something with sportbike styling. If you're starting out over 250, there's the GS500F, SV650, 650R, 500R, etc... way more options without venturing into supersport territory.

I'm definately not saying that the SV650 isn't more capable, I'm saying that from what I've seen as someone who's been looking at used bikes for about a year now the resale market on the 08+ Ninja 250 is as good as it gets.

That's important me. In a year I may find out I want an SV650, or that I want to move to a supersport 600, or hell, I may be so terrified or riding that I just want to get rid of it.

Well, I'm getting ready to sell mine soon so we'll see if I end up selling it outright or trading it in.

 

[Zap]

I'm saying that from what I've seen as someone who's been looking at used bikes for about a year now the resale market on the 08+ Ninja 250 is as good as it gets.

Yup. I casually looked at used motorcycles a couple years ago and the Ninja 250 were all selling quick and holding their value. In fact, if you can score a decent deal on a used one, you can probably ride it a year and then sell it for almost what you paid for it.

 

[Kroze]

Yup. I casually looked at used motorcycles a couple years ago and the Ninja 250 were all selling quick and holding their value. In fact, if you can score a decent deal on a used one, you can probably ride it a year and then sell it for almost what you paid for it.

I bought my 2009 Ninja 250R for $3k, practice & learned how to ride a motorcycle on it and put 1000 miles on it. I also dropped it twice.

I sold it for $3k :thumbsup: about a month later.

 

[DirthNader]

I actually found on on CL today that made me pull the trigger for the first time. 2010 w/ 2000 miles, had the owner talking about $2800 cash and they've stopped responding. I'm guessing that they had someone else come in with the $3000 they were asking for. This was listed just over 24 hours ago.

 

[Kroze]

I actually found on on CL today that made me pull the trigger for the first time. 2010 w/ 2000 miles, had the owner talking about $2800 cash and they've stopped responding. I'm guessing that they had someone else come in with the $3000 they were asking for. This was listed just over 24 hours ago.

That is a steal at $3k dude. These bikes cost over $5k when purchase new after delivery & tax.

 

[DirthNader]

I know $3K is a good price, but I see one listed every few weeks for $3000-$3500 with ~5K miles. I've been planning on holding off a few more months until I pay off my student loans, but figured if I could get that one for less than $3K I'd buy a little early.

EDIT: Heard back from the owner. Now, keep in mind that the CL post went up about 24 hours ago. They were asking $3K. I offered $2500, they came back w/ $2800. Said OK, just needed a couple of days to get the money transfered from my savings account. So now the owner tells me they sold it back to the dealer this afternoon. WTF.

 

[Kroze]

I know $3K is a good price, but I see one listed every few weeks for $3000-$3500 with ~5K miles. I've been planning on holding off a few more months until I pay off my student loans, but figured if I could get that one for less than $3K I'd buy a little early.

EDIT: Heard back from the owner. Now, keep in mind that the CL post went up about 24 hours ago. They were asking $3K. I offered $2500, they came back w/ $2800. Said OK, just needed a couple of days to get the money transfered from my savings account. So now the owner tells me they sold it back to the dealer this afternoon. WTF.

You snooze you lose. Cash is king.

When purchasing something from a private party, cash is king. And always have the money available so you don't run into the problem of "oh can you wait several days for me to transfer money from one account into another since I wasn't really serious about buying a vehicle up to now."

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Of me crashing? Don't have the video. :sneaky:

Of the supermotards? Sure! First video that Google pulled up was what I started with.

Thanks... googling torponracing and kept ending up on FB...

:thumbsup:

 

[DirthNader]

You snooze you lose. Cash is king.

When purchasing something from a private party, cash is king. And always have the money available so you don't run into the problem of "oh can you wait several days for me to transfer money from one account into another since I wasn't really serious about buying a vehicle up to now."

Turned out the husband and wife wanted to get rid of both the ZX-6R and 250R at the same time... they sold them to the dealer as a pair.

I agree w/ cash, and frankly I wasn't going to buy a bike until later in the year. Just saw this one and thought it was worth going after.

All this SV650 talk has me heading back that way though...

 

[JulesMaximus]

Turned out the husband and wife wanted to get rid of both the ZX-6R and 250R at the same time... they sold them to the dealer as a pair.

I agree w/ cash, and frankly I wasn't going to buy a bike until later in the year. Just saw this one and thought it was worth going after.

All this SV650 talk has me heading back that way though...

Too bad you're not in socal. I'd sell you mine.

 

[Kroze]

Too bad you're not in socal. I'd sell you mine.

And get what? I'm about to sell my 09 ZX6R and get a Honda CBR 250R.

Wayyy cheaper insurance
70mpg
and cheaper to fix.

 

[JulesMaximus]

And get what? I'm about to sell my 09 ZX6R and get a Honda CBR 250R.

Wayyy cheaper insurance
70mpg
and cheaper to fix.

Ducati Monster 1100 EVO

Insurance is about the same
MPG drops by about 10
More expensive to maintain
More power, better brakes, suspension, chassis
Same weight
Traction control & ABS standard

 

[rstrohkirch]

wr250x

 

[RedRooster]

Aaron Yates once said his supermoto accelerated harder than his Superbike.
You want an around-town demon? Get one.

 

[roguerower]

Ducati Monster 1100 EVO

Insurance is about the same
MPG drops by about 10
More expensive to maintain
More power, better brakes, suspension, chassis
Same weight
Traction control & ABS standard

If you get anything other than that Evo I will find you and hurt you.

I was at the dropzone this weekend and there was a guy on his BMW 1200 sport tourer. We were bored and he challenged me and my Street Triple to a 0-60 race...I hit the gas and the next time I looked back he was a good 100ft behind me

 

[JulesMaximus]

If you get anything other than that Evo I will find you and hurt you.

I was at the dropzone this weekend and there was a guy on his BMW 1200 sport tourer. We were bored and he challenged me and my Street Triple to a 0-60 race...I hit the gas and the next time I looked back he was a good 100ft behind me

Is it even broken in yet? I had some dipshit in Mitsu EVO try to race me when I had less than 200 miles on my bike. Needless to say, he lost and I went over the recommended rpm limit.

When I test rode the Monster 1100 S a couple years ago I pulled a wheelie on that bike taking off from a light and it had less than 100 miles on it.

 

[roguerower]

Yea, I've put probably around 800mi on it already. Driving to and from the dropzone every weekend is easily a 100mi trip.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yea, I've put probably around 800mi on it already. Driving to and from the dropzone every weekend is easily a 100mi trip.

Any wheelies yet?

 

[Fenixgoon]

Is it even broken in yet? I had some dipshit in Mitsu EVO try to race me when I had less than 200 miles on my bike. Needless to say, he lost and I went over the recommended rpm limit.

When I test rode the Monster 1100 S a couple years ago I pulled a wheelie on that bike taking off from a light and it had less than 100 miles on it.

dunno if suzuki's break-in is like yamaha's, but my manual said "avoid sustained operation over XXXX RPM"

oh, i never sustained RPM levels above what was recommended, but for damn sure i cranked the throttle more than a few times during break-in

 

[roguerower]

Any wheelies yet?

Of course not...