125 or 250?

[hoyster09]

Hi I'm new to riding so I could use the communities opinion. What do you think is a better bike to start on, CBR 125 or the Ninja 250? I'm about 6'1" and 200 pounds, but I don't think that will make a difference really. Just post your opinions as I am still deciding which way to go.

[Pocket Sprocket]

250

ps

[HunGJaI]

250 or 500

I'm around the same height but alittle ligther 180ish

I've been on a 125...unless your planning to only city drive where the limit is never above 80 then go ahead and get the 125...

Any thing more...your going to need at least a 250 or 500.

[Flashmonkey]

I'd also say 250, but I'd also suggest an EX500 depending on your inseam length.

[Brian P]

Both are good choices.

I'm the same height and I weigh more, and I can make a cbr125 move.

Ask yourself how much highway riding (boring) that you plan to do, and how much riding with a passenger that you plan to do. Keep in mind that both such actions aren't legal until you've gotten through some graduated-licensing restrictions. You CAN take a cbr125 on the highway, and you CAN carry a passenger with one, but neither are that bike's favorite things to do, and a 250 will be better at both. Around town, and on regular country roads, both bikes are fine.

On the other hand, the cbr125 is a lot less expensive, a fair bit lighter, and the parts likely to be damaged in a tip-over are less expensive.

[dahotboy]

At your height and weight you could ride a 125 and still take it to hwy speeds. But it will struggle to get there and hold especially with head wind.

Like Brian P says, 125r are super cheap 1 yr old for <1900$, parts, insurance and gas are much much cheaper than a 250.

[short stop]

At your age I'd check insurance prices first and see what you can afford.

[Flashmonkey]

Whoops...didn't see the age. Yea, I retract my recommendation for a 500 and say stick with a 125r for your first year or so. Insurance companies will crucify you on anything bigger than a 250...even the 250 may be pricey.

[tower_man]

i'd go with the 250 or 500

[evang]

250 for sure.

I'm 6'2" and 200 lbs. Breifly toyed with the idea of a 125 until i saw one in person. It looked like a bicyle.

can't go wrong with a ninja 250 as a first bike. it's more than capable for someone our size. I have no problem at highway speeds. have easily had it up to 150's. Ive heard it tops out around 180, though the spedometer goes to 200.

[DemonPig]

Top speed is rated at 176km/h. Of course a lot depends on rider's weight, tucking in/wind resistance and the surface angle. In real life probably around 170km/h.
I never rode my (older but more power ZZR) faster then 160km/h and it wasn't accelerating much at that point.

[Gryphon]

Whatta world! Things are so sad these days...
It's the bloody Insurance! That is the biggest difference to years gone by.
I got my motorcycle license at age 18, taking the test on my Honda 750-4.
I am 6'3" and about 210lbs (but was a bit less then, heheh) and wanted a real motorcycle.
I have seen Ninja 250s and they're pretty good, not overly tiny. Nice bike.
But a Honda 125 seems made for 140-pound 14-year-olds though... or what?
I just don't think that's a good way for you to go,
Regards

[adri]

In the past few months, my buddy has bought a ZZR-250 Ninja, my girlfriend a CBR-125R.

The girlfriend already rides around. She's taken her scooter to Hamilton and Wasaga from Toronto and had been on the back of my bike for well over 10k km before going for the 125R. Her reasons were the cheap price (we got the bike used with 12k km, certified and stored, for $1850). It's very small (so her mother wouldn't freak out too much), light. She's an extremely cautious rider who isn't concerned with acceleration, top speed, or image/appearance.

My buddy was a lot more hot-headed. He didn't even have an M1 when he bought the bike, and hadn't even gotten insurance quotes or looked at the cost of gear. He wanted a 250 Ninja because I talked him into it (originally he was looking at 750cc sportbikes from the 80s), saying he would save a lot on insurance and the bike was meek enough to not get him killed, but had enough power that he could hold onto for a while if he wanted to. Buddy is much more image/appearance oriented and likes going around telling people "I have a Ninja" even though he's only taken it out maybe 10x.

Remember, the difference between insuring the Ninja and insuring the 125R is only $10 or something insignificant, they're in the same insurance bracket. While my girlfriend did buy a bike that's sufficient for her, I kind of wish she had gone for the 250. I tried convincing her a bit, but ultimately this was her bike, and her decision, and it was best for me to let her choose whatever she feels safest and most comfortable on.

[evang]

actually, you should go with a YSR 50!

[dahotboy]

Remember, the difference between insuring the Ninja and insuring the 125R is only $10 or something insignificant, they're in the same insurance bracket. While my girlfriend did buy a bike that's sufficient for her, I kind of wish she had gone for the 250. I tried convincing her a bit, but ultimately this was her bike, and her decision, and it was best for me to let her choose whatever she feels safest and most comfortable on.

The diff for me on insurance is quite significant 790$/yr for 125r and 1400$/yr for 250r

[adri]

Who are you getting your quotes from?
I'm 90&#37; sure both Avi and Viffer have told me that the 125 and 250 are both in the same bracket. Are you sure you've gotten multiple quotes on each bike from different brokers/companies?

[calvin_chan]

The CBR is dirty cheap gas. If you're concerned over fuel economy.
It has enough push.
Wouldn't recommend it for intensive highway riding though.

The diff for me on insurance is quite significant 790$/yr for 125r and 1400$/yr for 250r

How is it possible the premium is doubled?
They're in the "same size" category in the insurance companies' eyes. Or bracket as adri said above.
I got quoted for around $2200 for the 125R and ~$2500 for the 250R I think.

[adri]

dahotboy my experience is similar to calvin_chan's.
My girlfriend recently received quotes on a 125R for $1199, vs another 250cc bike for $1207.
The difference is $8, not $600.

[elizabeth232]

with ur size, deffinatly the 250. the 125 might not look so small from far away, but the closer u get, the smaller it gets.
since ur so tall, if u have some riding experience and a little extra cash for insurence, maybe a 500? but i only suggest that if u do have lots of riding experience.

[americrack]

Go with a 250. I rode a 125 during my rider training and I got bored of it so fast. Maybe because the fastest we could go was 60-80km/h