Thinking about downsizing....anyone done it?

[JayG]

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Hey guys,

I'm thinking about selling my FZ6 and getting a ninja300 for the street. Riding a 600cc bike is no fun when 2nd gear is really all you need for highway riding...it's boring and makes me want to go much faster. Then all I'm thinking about is getting pulled over once and having my entire life changed with a 200km/h speeding ticket.

Any downsides to a ninja 300? I could rev the crap out of it all day and still have a blast, I believe it's heavy enough for hwy and 2up is still ok, and i would save money on insurance. I only use my bike for joy rides on the weekends, a few hrs per day.

Thoughts?

 

[mmmnaked]

Upsize. 600s are crap precisely because they have no balls until you wind em out, and the gearing is so tall that when you DO wind it out, you're breaking most speed limits.

Liter bike. All the way. And get a twin if you can, even more fun for street riding.

 

[JayG]

Only way I would get a litre bike is for the track...I will have too strong of a urge to wind them out even more then my 600

Also insurance isn't friendly to you with bikes, let alone litres.

 

[Chasem]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking about selling my FZ6 and getting a ninja300 for the street. Riding a 600cc bike is no fun when 2nd gear is really all you need for highway riding...it's boring and makes me want to go much faster. Then all I'm thinking about is getting pulled over once and having my entire life changed with a 200km/h speeding ticket.

Any downsides to a ninja 300? I could rev the crap out of it all day and still have a blast, I believe it's heavy enough for hwy and 2up is still ok, and i would save money on insurance. I only use my bike for joy rides on the weekends, a few hrs per day.

Thoughts?

If you are worried about speed on a FZ6, I probably wouldn't get a litre bike..........

Have you thought about a super moto / dual sport? WR250R / DRZ400SM could be a lot of fun

 

[GreyGhost]

If you are worried about speed on a FZ6, I probably wouldn't get a litre bike..........

Have you thought about a super moto / dual sport? WR250R / DRZ400SM could be a lot of fun

Fun, but SM doesn't help in keeping your license. They just encourage hooligan riding.

 

[JayG]

this lol^^ i'd be trying to pull wheelies all day

 

[uncleduck]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking about selling my FZ6 and getting a ninja300 for the street. Riding a 600cc bike is no fun when 2nd gear is really all you need for highway riding...it's boring and makes me want to go much faster. Then all I'm thinking about is getting pulled over once and having my entire life changed with a 200km/h speeding ticket.

Any downsides to a ninja 300? I could rev the crap out of it all day and still have a blast, I believe it's heavy enough for hwy and 2up is still ok, and i would save money on insurance. I only use my bike for joy rides on the weekends, a few hrs per day.

Thoughts?

I doubt you would be content going to a smaller engine since logic is mostly to upgrade to larger engines..................sounds like your a cruiser bike candidate.............................


Harvey (next door neighbor of Elwood)

 

[Roomie]

You would be content if you chose wisely. It's not always about cc. Depends on riding style, interests etc. Nothing wrong with a ninja 300. Drz would be a lot of fun though and way more versatile

 

[JAMUS]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking about selling my FZ6 and getting a ninja300 for the street. Riding a 600cc bike is no fun when 2nd gear is really all you need for highway riding...it's boring and makes me want to go much faster. Then all I'm thinking about is getting pulled over once and having my entire life changed with a 200km/h speeding ticket.

Thoughts?

I was thinking the same thing. My buddy let me ride his Kawi 400R - It revved up to all the city limited quickly and no problem passing on the highway. It just requires a downshift and more of a twist on the throttle. It tops out around 200 but you have to push it a little to get there. 150 is easy.

 

[CafeRay]

I'm thinking the same way. I've been on several demo rides and have been vacillating between the Ninja 300 and the z1000. Both are fun bikes for very different reasons, both are excellent bikes. However, I would lose my licence on a z1000, and if I didn't, I'd be paying a higher price and big insurance for nothing but posing. At my age insuring a 300 is practically free and pays for the bike itself in 5 years.
The problem with demo rides is the bikes aren't setup for you. I rode a friend's 300 with proper suspension setup and better tires and it was miles better to throw around that bike.

 

[CafeRay]

Upsize. 600s are crap precisely because they have no balls until you wind em out, and the gearing is so tall that when you DO wind it out, you're breaking most speed limits.
.

You are referring to SS 600s like and R6, ZX6R, or CBR. There are many 600s that have actual torque and are rideable on the street: 696, ER6N, FZ07 etc.

SS600s are great for the track, but that's about it.

 

[Riceburner]

When I bought my CBX250, I had a GSXR750 and a V45 Sabre(750) in the garage. Each had it's own merits and fun factor. The 250 was the most fun around town and in the city....where everything is closer.

 

[CafeRay]

I was thinking the same thing. My buddy let me ride his Kawi 400R - It revved up to all the city limited quickly and no problem passing on the highway. It just requires a downshift and more of a twist on the throttle. It tops out around 200 but you have to push it a little to get there. 150 is easy.

They are more than fast enough, they just need more attention on shifting, but you can get 172'd on a 300 easy. With the Yoshi pipe and a tunnel, sounds like an F1 engine @12,000.

These bikes all need gear indicators. Easy to do aftermarket.

I'm curious to see the new Yamaha R3, the 300 version of the R25 in Asia.

 

[ptfire]

I had an R1 for many years and now own a GSXR600. I don't miss the R1, the GSXR is fast, light, comfortable and cheap to insure. I also bought a CBR250R for my wife who is a new rider, it's the one I ride when I riding with my Harley Davidson friends.

 

[moarmoto]

I went from cbr600rr to Ninja300 this year. I'm very satisfied with the decision.
With the price difference from selling and buying used, I'm covered for insurance for the next 4 years.

It's a very capable bike and does what 600ss can do if you're riding in legal limits +/-40.

I do miss it though sometimes such as that inline 4 sound, fast acceleration, appearing to have a bigger d1ck.
But then those things don't really matter because i do enjoy the bike a lot.

One thing i couldn't get over was the upright stock handle bar but i got clipons.

 

[jcbarnar]

300's are nice bikes for sure, but test ride one before you make a decision, and go on the highway if you can.
On spirited rides I loved reving out my 250, it was plenty quick enough for most back roads, but on a daily basis it was annoying going through so many gears, and almost every single time I jumped on the highway I went for 7th :S On the highway bigger bikes really are better, it's not just about speed but stability, wind protection (you may not notice a difference from your FZ6), ease of riding, passengers etc.

IMO you are comparing two extremes, one bike where you CAN'T redline all the gears, and another bike where you HAVE to redline every gear. I think that someplace in the middle would be better.
I can't comment on litre bikes but I think if you are worried about speeding that none of them would be the best option even if you have all that fun midrange.

 

[d00dz]

Don't go supermoto. I've climbed more stairs, U-turned down highway ditches, rocketed across fields than I can count after being caught by the popo when just ****ing around.

 

[JayG]

I think I am sold on this 300ninja idea. I would much rather be shifting and high revving the bike around the countryside / twists then going mach 8 in a straight line (although that is fun). When I want to go that fast i'll rent a track bike and do a track day, you can't lose your license that way.

Moarmoto, how is the 300 for hwy and 2up? is it still joyful or is it squirrly and slow? Also, when does the bike slow down in acceleration? the 130 mark?

 

[JayG]

300's are nice bikes for sure, but test ride one before you make a decision, and go on the highway if you can.
On spirited rides I loved reving out my 250, it was plenty quick enough for most back roads, but on a daily basis it was annoying going through so many gears, and almost every single time I jumped on the highway I went for 7th :S On the highway bigger bikes really are better, it's not just about speed but stability, wind protection (you may not notice a difference from your FZ6), ease of riding, passengers etc.

IMO you are comparing two extremes, one bike where you CAN'T redline all the gears, and another bike where you HAVE to redline every gear. I think that someplace in the middle would be better.
I can't comment on litre bikes but I think if you are worried about speeding that none of them would be the best option even if you have all that fun midrange.

Fair enough, I don't use my bike to commute its only a weekend warrior. 9/10 times I only go on the hwy to pickup my GF if she wants to come with, all my riding is back country roads and nothing in the city.

 

[CafeRay]

300's are nice bikes for sure, but test ride one before you make a decision, and go on the highway if you can.
On spirited rides I loved reving out my 250, it was plenty quick enough for most back roads, but on a daily basis it was annoying going through so many gears, and almost every single time I jumped on the highway I went for 7th :S On the highway bigger bikes really are better, it's not just about speed but stability, wind protection (you may not notice a difference from your FZ6), ease of riding, passengers etc.
.

a CBR250 is not a Ninja 300, there is almost 50% power difference.

Also, a Kawa dealer mechanic I talked to says the 300 first gear is purposely lower for new riders (it's ridiculously low), and he's been changing out sprockets to change the final drive for better highway use. I larger on the front, one smaller on the rear. You can certainly out-accelerate most traffic without redlining.

Litre bikes have enough grunt to really not pay attention at all to gearing, but they can suck fuel at a huge rate if you don't run in the right gear.

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