The best 250cc street bike: Difference between revisions

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A good Classic Ninja specimen is a phenomenal bike. I've had mine five years now, and I bought it new. It replaced a flaky GS500E I was tired of trying to sort out.

Ninjas are the best 250cc all-street motorcycles, period. If you're looking for an economical bike, or a beginner bike, well, you can deny it if you like, but someday you will want to ride fast highways, perhaps to meet friends or family two states away, and these bikes can do it. By contrast, all the Japanese 250cc cruisers are at their limit on 70 mph highways, assuming they can get up to that speed ~~(actual, not just indicated)~~. The Honda CB250 Nighthawk is basically the Honda Rebel cruiser in standard drag, and while it is a more comfortable size and seating position, it not only has that same low top speed but has a drum front brake for more exciting stops (plus it was discontinued). The Yamaha Virago--sorry, V-Star 250--has more oomph, but is more expensive and yet comes with a standard (non O-ring) chain, and is still a bit on the slow side. The Taiwanese KYMCO Venox can do highways a little better than the non-Kawasaki Japanese 250 streetbikes, and is very comfy, but build quality is suspect. Also, you can't cruise all day in top gear because it's too high-geared, so you need to go down a gear for much of the ride down the highway, which you can do all day in fact, but it makes you wonder. The Korean 250s can ride those speeds, but their engines have a reputation for self-destructing when ridden hard, which you sometimes have to do because, well, they're air/oil-cooled 250s.

Ninjas are the best 250cc all-street motorcycles, period. If you're looking for an economical bike, or a beginner bike, well, you can deny it if you like, but someday you will want to ride fast highways, perhaps to meet friends or family two states away, and these bikes can do it. By contrast, all the Japanese 250cc cruisers are at their limit on 70 mph highways, assuming they can actually get up to that speed. The Honda CB250 Nighthawk is basically the Honda Rebel cruiser in standard drag, and while it is a more comfortable size and seating position, it not only has that same low top speed but has a drum front brake for more exciting stops (plus it was discontinued). The Yamaha Virago--sorry, V-Star 250--has more oomph, but is more expensive and yet comes with a standard (non O-ring) chain, and is still a bit on the slow side. The Taiwanese KYMCO Venox can do highways a little better than the non-Kawasaki Japanese 250 streetbikes, and is very comfy, but build quality is suspect. Also, you can't cruise all day in top gear because it's too high-geared, so you need to go down a gear for much of the ride down the highway, which you can do all day in fact, but it makes you wonder. The Korean 250s can ride those speeds, but their engines have a reputation for self-destructing when ridden hard, which you sometimes have to do because, well, they're air/oil-cooled 250s.

There has been some life shown by some of the dual-sport 250-and-unders, but that's another story. If you want a pure streetbike, the Ninja's the one to beat, and it hasn't been yet.

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 A good Classic Ninja specimen is a phenomenal bike. I've had mine five years now, and I bought it new. It replaced a flaky GS500E I was tired of trying to sort out.
-Ninjas are the best 250cc all-street motorcycles, period. If you're looking for an economical bike, or a beginner bike, well, you can deny it if you like, but someday you will want to ride fast highways, perhaps to meet friends or family two states away, and these bikes can do it. By contrast, all the Japanese 250cc cruisers are at their limit on 70 mph highways, assuming they can get up to that speed (actual, not just indicated). The Honda CB250 Nighthawk is basically the Honda Rebel cruiser in standard drag, and while it is a more comfortable size and seating position, it not only has that same low top speed but has a drum front brake for more exciting stops (plus it was discontinued). The Yamaha Virago--sorry, V-Star 250--has more oomph, but is more expensive and yet comes with a standard (non O-ring) chain, and is still a bit on the slow side. The Taiwanese KYMCO Venox can do highways a little better than the non-Kawasaki Japanese 250 streetbikes, and is very comfy, but build quality is suspect. Also, you can't cruise all day in top gear because it's too high-geared, so you need to go down a gear for much of the ride down the highway, which you can do all day in fact, but it makes you wonder. The Korean 250s can ride those speeds, but their engines have a reputation for self-destructing when ridden hard, which you sometimes have to do because, well, they're air/oil-cooled 250s.
+Ninjas are the best 250cc all-street motorcycles, period. If you're looking for an economical bike, or a beginner bike, well, you can deny it if you like, but someday you will want to ride fast highways, perhaps to meet friends or family two states away, and these bikes can do it. By contrast, all the Japanese 250cc cruisers are at their limit on 70 mph highways, assuming they can actually get up to that speed. The Honda CB250 Nighthawk is basically the Honda Rebel cruiser in standard drag, and while it is a more comfortable size and seating position, it not only has that same low top speed but has a drum front brake for more exciting stops (plus it was discontinued). The Yamaha Virago--sorry, V-Star 250--has more oomph, but is more expensive and yet comes with a standard (non O-ring) chain, and is still a bit on the slow side. The Taiwanese KYMCO Venox can do highways a little better than the non-Kawasaki Japanese 250 streetbikes, and is very comfy, but build quality is suspect. Also, you can't cruise all day in top gear because it's too high-geared, so you need to go down a gear for much of the ride down the highway, which you can do all day in fact, but it makes you wonder. The Korean 250s can ride those speeds, but their engines have a reputation for self-destructing when ridden hard, which you sometimes have to do because, well, they're air/oil-cooled 250s.
 There has been some life shown by some of the dual-sport 250-and-unders, but that's another story. If you want a pure streetbike, the Ninja's the one to beat, and it hasn't been yet.