Big trip on a 250

[brian997]

What about the mountains. Going up is going to be slow. Little bikes are like transport trucks, you have to get a pretty good run going down hill in order to make it up the next hill at a decent speed. Long hills going up the mountains mean you'll be plugging along like a Winnibago and getting in everyone's way. That's an invitation for cars to pass you and many of them won't be giving you much room.
I have an SV650 and notice that there seem to be a lot of inexpensive used ones for sale. You may want to think about that.

Lol... wow....
Have you ever even been close to a 250?
They still accelerate faster than a porsche and reach top speed higher than 90% of most cars...

I rode a 10 day trip to the east coast with a guy who drove an SV650S and he had problems keeping up.. Its not the bike -- its the rider. You just have to know how to ride it, its more than capable.

[beemerrider]

Brian.

You are so full of crap....accelerate faster than a porsche? come on, get real!!!

[Draco'sWrath]

Brian.

You are so full of crap....accelerate faster than a porsche? come on, get real!!!

0-60 in just over 7...which roughly translates to "better than a Toyota Corolla"

But it feels faster 'cuz the winds hittin ya!

[dirtbag]

Thanks for the replies guys!!! Lots of info for the trip! My Dad didn't think I could do it on a 250, he thinks it's a baby bike:P I said it's not a baby bike because it doesn't go as fast, it's a great bike for trips as well as long as the maintenance is kept up! He said he's been to the Grand Canyon on his BMW 1200 and the crosswinds were really really bad for him and they'd wipe me out on a 250......Any thoughts on that?

Yeah. Quit listening to the old man.

Wind is wind and some times it blows. When it does you can lean into it a bit - no big deal but watch when you run behind shelter (big building or whatever) and the wind drops instantly.

Heed RG's advice and pack light.

Have a good trip.

[dirtbag]

Lol... wow....
Have you ever even been close to a 250?
They still accelerate faster than a porsche and reach top speed higher than 90% of most cars...

I rode a 10 day trip to the east coast with a guy who drove an SV650S and he had problems keeping up.. Its not the bike -- its the rider. You just have to know how to ride it, its more than capable.

Brian, pass the pipe along you've had enough.....

[inreb]

It's do-able. You just need the right additude and some grit. Don't expect Gold Wing luxury, but you know that already.
I read a great story about an old deaf Russian who rode a 350 Jawa around the world and then some. Your 250 is much more machine than his old smoker. Leave home with new chain and sprockets, tires.
Couple years ago my friend rode a 1971 500cc BMW to Vancouver Island. I betcha that thing wasn't making 30 hp on a good day.

[Gryph]

Brian.

You are so full of crap....accelerate faster than a porsche? come on, get real!!!

http://www.0-60times.com/porsche.asp
http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.c...nja-250-review

Porsche Boxster 0-60 - 6.1 seconds
Ninja 250 0-60 - 5.75 seconds.

And yah hill's won't be a problem, living around here I don't see many mountains, closest I can compare is going up the mountain on the 403 in hammer. Can easily maintain 140 in top gear there on mine (I'm at a school induced winter weight of 215 right now too lol).

[rattlesnakeross]

So I was wondering what all of your thoughts are on taking a Ninja 250 on a big bike trip. Do you think it can handle it or should the trip be put off until I get a bigger bike. The trip is about 28 days riding down to California and back to Hamilton, thoughts?

Do it. I can't see you having problems.
Crosswinds? You will get blown around a bit but nothing scarey. I road a Suzuki 650 dr enduro to California , its got a bigger engine but about the same power and it weighs the same as your 250. There are real windy days on the plains but you adapt to it pretty fast.

That bit about it being slow in the mountains, I can't see that. My bike never had to drop below the speed limit anywhere and the bike was loaded up and weighed 200 lb in those days

My one piece of advice is don't do Death Valley in July or August. I did it 3rd week in Sept and it hit 113 F. and locals said that wasn't bad compared to the summer.

Have a great trip!

[brian997]

http://www.0-60times.com/porsche.asp
http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.c...nja-250-review

Porsche Boxster 0-60 - 6.1 seconds
Ninja 250 0-60 - 5.75 seconds.

And yah hill's won't be a problem, living around here I don't see many mountains, closest I can compare is going up the mountain on the 403 in hammer. Can easily maintain 140 in top gear there on mine (I'm at a school induced winter weight of 215 right now too lol).

Thank you Gryph, those are the exact same numbers I was going off of...

[Flashmonkey]

http://www.0-60times.com/porsche.asp
http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.c...nja-250-review

Porsche Boxster 0-60 - 6.1 seconds
Ninja 250 0-60 - 5.75 seconds.

And yah hill's won't be a problem, living around here I don't see many mountains, closest I can compare is going up the mountain on the 403 in hammer. Can easily maintain 140 in top gear there on mine (I'm at a school induced winter weight of 215 right now too lol).

Pfftt...that's a boxster....boxster's don't count!

[El Zilcho]

They still accelerate faster than a porsche[...]

That's irrelevant.

[...]and reach top speed higher than 90% of most cars...

What does that mean? That the top speed of a 250 is higher than the 90% of the top speed of most cars? The 250 tops out at around 150km/h. That's 90% of approx. 167km/h...

I rode a 10 day trip to the east coast with a guy who drove an SV650S and he had problems keeping up.. Its not the bike -- its the rider. You just have to know how to ride it, its more than capable.

It's always the rider, isn't it? Skilled rider on a 250 vs. unskilled rider on a ZX-10R... etc, etc. In reality sometimes it actually IS the bike. The 250 is perfectly capable of touring, but riding in the mountains will, in all likelihood, be different than riding on a flat terrain. It won't get stuck uphill, but I bet the difference will be noticeable.

[El Zilcho]

Pfftt...that's a boxster....boxster's don't count!

Besides, it was a 1999 Boxster... :P

[El Zilcho]

So I was wondering what all of your thoughts are on taking a Ninja 250 on a big bike trip. Do you think it can handle it or should the trip be put off until I get a bigger bike. The trip is about 28 days riding down to California and back to Hamilton, thoughts?

Go for it. Then, when you get a bigger bike, do it again!

Seriously. I see no reason why you couldn't. If someone tells you that you may encounter wind that can be dangerous for you on 250, then such a wind will likely be at least unpleasant on any other bike. So, it's not really a good argument against 250.

What matters is really whether you can feel comfortable sitting on the bike for long periods of time.

Get things that help, like heated grips (may come in handy even in the summer, especially when it's chilly and wet). Make sure you don't feel any vibration in your handlebars or foot pegs. It will make your hands/feet go numb. Don't forget rain gear.
And don't pack your bags full on the way out. You'll likely be buying stuff on the way... :P

I wouldn't worry about technical capabilities of the bike at all. I'd focus on making sure about my own comfort. Even little discomforts can become bigger after 12 hours in the saddle.

[Gryph]

Go for it. Then, when you get a bigger bike, do it again!

Seriously. I see no reason why you couldn't. If someone tells you that you may encounter wind that can be dangerous for you on 250, then such a wind will likely be at least unpleasant on any other bike. So, it's not really a good argument against 250.

What matters is really whether you can feel comfortable sitting on the bike for long periods of time.

Get things that help, like heated grips (may come in handy even in the summer, especially when it's chilly and wet). Make sure you don't feel any vibration in your handlebars or foot pegs. It will make your hands/feet go numb. Don't forget rain gear.
And don't pack your bags full on the way out. You'll likely be buying stuff on the way... :P

I wouldn't worry about technical capabilities of the bike at all. I'd focus on making sure about my own comfort. Even little discomforts can become bigger after 12 hours in the saddle.

Totally agree with this, comfort is the one big knock against my bike, but I'm 6'1" so it's a bit different than the OP.

Put heated grips on last summer and boy do I love them, true about using them in the rain... my throttle side seems to have crapped out so I have to check the connections, anyways.

[Flashmonkey]

Besides, it was a 1999 Boxster... :P

Hah that's even worse. Everyone has those nowadays...it's the civic of the Porsche community!!

[omnivore]

One of the best threads I have ever read was by a group of 4 hi school grads. Their last hurrah before college. Each bought a bike costing $600 or less. They went from CT to LA and back. Took over a month if I recall. they camped, stayed at friend's palces. They shhopped at grocery stores and cooked over open fires. Ran into tornadoes in the prairies, bike problems all along the way cold and hot nights and days. It is the stuff great memories are made of. These 4 guys had more adventure than a hundred guys on $25,000 BMW GS's with the best suits and GPS's and luggage systems in the world.
Go have an adventure-you'll never regret it!

[Aminal]

Do it or regret it......
On any trip of that length, weather will be less than perfect, terrain will change...ect. That's why it's an adventure!
Only advice is plan ahead and leave time for unexpected delays, in my experience.... having a great day and pushing further just to find theres no place to stop for the night and ending up ridin 19 hours will hurt your back the next morning!
Get a butt-buffer gel pad for your seat and hit the road!
Cheers
Aminal

[V-Tom]

http://www.0-60times.com/porsche.asp
http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.c...nja-250-review

Porsche Boxster 0-60 - 6.1 seconds
Ninja 250 0-60 - 5.75 seconds.
...

1999 Porsche Boxster Manufacturer specs were 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. That is with 80% of load capacity and driven normally. Under six seconds was reality.

Keep in mind that a 1999 Boxster was 201 horsepower. Today's basic Boxster is 355 horsepower.

Having said all that there is no reason a Ninja 250 wouldn't take almost any car from stoplight to stoplight.

..Tom

[beemerrider]

Yeah. Quit listening to the old man.

Wind is wind and some times it blows. When it does you can lean into it a bit - no big deal but watch when you run behind shelter (big building or whatever) and the wind drops instantly.

Heed RG's advice and pack light.

Have a good trip.

I am the old man....been riding for 30 years, was a m/c instr. for 7 years at humber college. Been all over the states and Canada....experience counts for something no? Long distance touring/riding is a lot of fun when you are on the proper bike. I just cannot see doing a big trip like that on a 250. Heck we used those bikes to train students, so yeah, it is a baby/beginner bike. It's all about comfort when doing distance riding and a 250, IMHO is just not comfortable. I have a BMW K1200LT with over 112,000 km's on it. The smallest bike I have ever had was a 750. Don't get me wrong, I am very proud and happy that my daughter rides, but I just cannot see her doing such a big trip on such a small bike. Safety also comes to mind when doing a big ride and I just do not think that a 250cc bike is big or safe enough to do such a trip.
Rant off!

[Pasofol]

Take a trip to ottawa/montreal and see how comfortable it is.
I did ottawa on a 250 but that position was tiring and uncomfortable at the end.
Kept shifting on the seat trying to find a better position but I did have a backpack which weight a little so maybe that was the cause.