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Ninja 500 vs Ninja 250

43K views 37 replies 24 participants last post by  adamjenkum 
#1 ·
I posted this in the 250 forums too but I'm posting it here to get other opinions on this. So my 93 250 project bike has more or less turned out to be a total nightmare so as much as I hate to admit "failure" on something I just dont want to pump money in a bike when it would cost less to straight up buy something that runs. So I'm looking at either an '07 250 or 500 mainly because they look a lot nicer when cut down to a naked sports bike. I wouldnt say I'm a new rider but this is my first bike. I used to have an old 200cc vespa scooter and messed around with atvs a few times. So Ninja 250 vs Ninja 500 and.... GO.
 
#2 ·
Well, as for looks I think the 250 wins hands down. But of course, the 500 has much more power. You might want to wait a bit though, since the word is the 500 is getting a major redesign (like the 250 did in 2008) in 2010. I rode a 250 once and I really liked it. It's a very fun bike.
 
#3 ·
I highlyt doubt the 500 gets a re-design. It would just be fighting for the same market as the 650 as said in another thread on this forum. I can google nothing of the sort in finding a concept 500, or redesign of the 500. IF someone has some rock solid info on a redesign, I would love to hear it. I believe nothing out of a dealers mouth, as they are compensated well for lying. jm2c
 
#5 ·
If you're talking old-style 250 vs. 500, go for the 500.

I had one (89 EX500... essentially the same bike as the Ninja 500... they did a very slight refresh of the bodywork when they renamed it). It was a good bike.

But if you're considering a new-generation 250 vs. the 500, I'd go for the 250. The 500 styling is very dated by comparison.

Now I've got a new-gen 250R and I LOVE IT!!!!! More comfortable than the 500 was (better seat, at least for me), just as much if not more fun, and way, way better looking. People routinely mistake it for a much larger bike.

The only thing the 500 has over the 250 is more power, but if you ride the 250 right (as in, keep those revs up), it's plenty fast enough to put a grin on your face.

It has a lot to do with your expectations. If you want a bike that'll get to 60 in four seconds, you don't want a 250. If you want a flickable canyon carver that's really fun to ride at realistic speeds, then you really do want a 250.

The truth is that it's way, WAY more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.

The 250R is a surprisingly capable machine if you shed preconceived notions about what it can actually do. I've already taken mine on a 2,600 mile tour... 11 states, 13 days and it did just fine.

A lot of people will tell you it doesn't have enough power, but it's fast enough to break the law easily, it's quicker than my car, it's an absolute hoot to ride, it's cheap to buy, cheap to run and cheap to insure. There isn't a single thing about it that I don't like.
 
#37 ·
" The truth is that it's way, WAY more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow. "

i just read down to this and wanted to say you're absolutely right. so...ride your fast bike fast and youre good. fast is fun. riding a fast bike fast is also more fun than riding a slow bike slow.
i take the interstate to work so my 500 is great getting to 70mph with no problem, so thats nice.
 
#7 ·
Haha lets not get too crazy here. The 250 is slow for a bike yes, but i would say it's faster than 80% of the cars out on the road (until you get above lets say 60mph) ... its similar to a Subaru WRX or a 350Z or something (200 to 250 hp car that isnt huge). I would say this is faster than all of the econo boxes/SUVs/Vans/Trucks/Luxury Tanks out there.
 
#9 ·
The "LOL" indicates joking guys! Any moron knows power to weight ratio means more than how much overall power a vehicle makes, and motorcycles, including the 250 ninja, have a very good power to weight ratio. :D
 
#10 ·
Posting on forums is very serious business:rolleyes:! Anyway another thing to consider is insurance. I don't know how old you are but my 250 is dirt cheap to insure and I'm 24. The 500 probably wont break the bank but at least at my insurance company (State Farm), they do all the rates solely based off displacement. At least that's what they tell me... it would be retarded to have to pay more to insure a 650r than a zx6r just because it has 50cc's more
 
#17 ·
I own a 250... girlfreind bought a 500 to show me up i thinks :) but hey... i really like the 250, i usually dont settle for less but frankly, the 250 isn't it picks up all the same as the 500 for the most part, beyond 80mph tho the 500 def would win...

But really on the roads these days who needs to do beyond 80 ?

plus the 250s a bit lighter, you can toss it around a little more...

Better mileage too :)
 
#20 ·
What you choose depends on a few things.

Given your scooter experience you'll be OK on a 500, and it has the extra power for highway use.

If you want to learn to ride a sportsbike really well, there's no argument. It has to be the 250. It has more than enough power for normal road use but - and this is why it's so good - it makes you work to access that power. Dpwnside is that while it's fine for regular short, or ocassional long, highway trips it's not a bike for regular long trips.

Go with the 250 unless there's a really good reason not to.

Rob
 
#21 ·
So Ninja 250 vs Ninja 500 and.... GO.
Lots of people are saying 250. They probably have a lot more experience than me. But I just went through the same debate, as a totally new rider, so here's my $0.02.

There are tons of used 250s available. Tons. I considered them, strongly... but everyone who rode talked me out of it. They said I'd be bored in under a month. And I might not have been, actually. But I won't know, because I picked up a 500.

The main reason I got a 500 was because I plan on using it as a highway commuter, and here in Seattle, highway speeds regularly hit 70-80 mph. All my friends who cycle told me that I wouldn't be able to accelerate out of trouble in a 250 if I was already doing 80 mph. Staying alive is the reason I went with a 500. I figured it was as much power as I could handle without being totally insane. I still haven't had it above 6000 rpms (well, maybe once today), so I'm sure there's lots of high end power I'm not exploring yet, but I know it's there.

That said, the choice is ultimately yours, and based on how you plan to ride it. If you're looking for a canyon carver, for something lightweight for cutting through turns, then yeah, the 250 is probably your bag. If you want more power, especially more power when already at speed, go for the 500.
 
#22 ·
I have an 03 EX500 and a ZX7R. I love both of them. The 500 is great!! It's really comfortable to ride, great fuel economy, many cheap upgrades, great power, you can make it look great =)!! I rode a 250 before and I just taught it was a little weak. You can get a lot more use out of the 500 than the 250. You will enjoy the 500.
 
#23 ·
Like I said, it depends on what you want out of it.

As posted, the 500 gives you a bit more reserve on highways and you have the experience to be OK on that bike. It isn'r a sportsbike though, so if you want to learn to ride a sportsbike, go with the 250.

Don't go with a ZX-6r, as someone suggested. You won't develop sportsbike skills properly on that bike because there's too much readily available power. You'll learn how to ride it slow, which isn't the idea lol.

Rob
 
#24 ·
Like I said, it depends on what you want out of it.

As posted, the 500 gives you a bit more reserve on highways and you have the experience to be OK on that bike. It isn'r a sportsbike though, so if you want to learn to ride a sportsbike, go with the 250.

Don't go with a ZX-6r, as someone suggested. You won't develop sportsbike skills properly on that bike because there's too much readily available power. You'll learn how to ride it slow, which isn't the idea lol.

Rob

My first bike was an EX500. I have never ridden any sort of motorcycle before that (besides a little 5.5hp schooter thingy). I can say that it well prepared my for a sports bike. Now I ride a ZX7R no problem. I have also ridden GSXR600 and 750, with no problem. I believe it well prepared me for a sports bike.

Although the EX500 is more of a straight up bike than the other sport bikes, but you get used to the leaning fairly quick if you switch over to a nice sports bike. The turning on the EX500 is also easier than on an actual sports bike, but again it is easy to get used to the turning on other bikes as long as you have it down good on the 500. Other than that I don't see a whole lot of difference between an EX500 and a true sports bike besides the above listed things and the power difference.

I truely believe that an EX500 is a great beginner, intermediate bike, and even great for experts that wanna just sit up right and still be able to cruise around with a nice low end sports bike.

I myself still have my EX500 and I am debating on keeping it or selling it. I should sell it since I am a full time student, living on my own, and already have to many other expences, but I like it so much that I don't really wanna get rid of it. I went as far as telling my gf that I will teach her how to ride it just so I could keep it =) lol. But I am not sure if I would trust her riding since she can barely keep up something that has 4 wheels on it lol.
 
#25 ·
Good discussion here. I am debating the same thing now. My local dealer said they could get me a new 250r in 24-48 hours early last week. I still don't have one though. They do have an 09 500R brand new though and the sales guy said he can sell it cheapr than the 250R. I have had my heart set on the 250r because of its looks. I rode a 2001 ninja 250 back in the day and I know it has enough power to get me to work and save gas. I got bored of i when I was a kid and wanted to go faster but I am an old man now(32) I dont really need to go faster than the 250R BUT I might like to. I am just not sure I can get past the style of the 500.
 
#26 ·
Sure, the 500 has a dated style, but man is it just awesome to ride. Granted, I haven't ridden a Ninja 250 (rode a nighthawk 250 for the MSF), so I'm quite biased.

I'm 100% in csaba's boat. It's a fantastic second bike to keep around (especially if it's your first). At your young age of 32, I think you may like the 500 more. The 250 does fine on the highway, but the 500 will do it easier. I could go on and on about the 500, so if you have questions, just ask.
 
#27 ·
Glad you searched before posting a question but this thread is about '07 Ninja 250r vs. 500r. If you've already settled on being ok with the dated style like the OP is than I would go with the 500r (they're both pretty ugly, IMHO)

Now if you're like me and looking for the best fuel economy and want a forgiving bike to learn on that has to be a 250r. Then if it has to be something you wouldn't mind be seen riding on, it has to be the 08+ ones. Although if you can get a better deal on a 07 or older 250r, or a 500r you should really consider it.

How long do you plan on keeping the bike? Most people only keep their bikes for 2 years or so at the most, so looking at what bike you would rather have long term doesn't really matter. In 2 years if you're like most people, you'll be riding something different anyway.
 
#28 ·
This is the same position I was in, except it was with the new 250r style.

Me and some guys from work went to a bike shop in the local area to check out a 2010 250r they had listed on their website. They got there before I did so they looked around a little bit and found a brand new 500 for about $300 more than the 250. They told me it might be a better bike for me since I'm a bigger dude and I'll end up wanting to upgrade anyways shortly after riding the 250.

After looking and sitting on both bikes, I can tell you that believe it or not, even with me being a bigger guy, the 250 felt a lot more comfortable than the 500. Also, the 500 kind of turned me off as far as the looks go.

I ended up going with the 250 and haven't regretted my decision.
 
#30 ·
id say 250r all day, looks WAY better. Handles WAY better. Better gas mileage.

And be realistic guys, the 500 probably only has 6 or 7 more HP then the 250r. And really for a 250, the Kawi is VERY strong. Mine will excel from 80 EASILY fast enough to stay out of trouble, because its up in its power band. The 250r loves to go 70-80mph, it feels at home there. Ive put 800 miles on my brand new 250r in 3 weeks and i am NO WHERE near bored with it, every time i hit some twisties i fall in love more and more!

I may be biased but, I did drive a 500 before i got my 250r and the power difference is very MINOR. All things considered--Looks,Price,MPG,Insurance,and Overall performance I'd say the 250r is the clear winner.
 
#31 ·
Not to rain on your 250 parade, but if you're going to make claims with numbers, use real numbers.
250: 26.4 hp @ 11,000 rpm
500: 59.1 HP @ 9500 RPM

59.1 - 26.4 = 32.7
32.7 != 6 ~ 7

Anyway, enjoy your 250. :)
 
#34 ·
^ you to lol
That's wikipedia with exhaust configuration for the 500 listed as a 2 -1 for ya.

The 250 is almost 80 something pounds lighter than the 500, stock.

As for the GS, it's weak, yeah, but a reliable bike. Good friend of mine racked up a ton of miles on his, brand new. Although he never lubed the chain until ~11k miles, it was a dream to ride. The ex500 is just a plain tank. It won't stop.
 
#36 ·
I have owned both, My suggestion is to skip the 250. They are underpowered for Insterstate driving unless you are a small person. and they are hard to sale because they are everywhere,

I think the 500 is a fine bike and I prefer it's styling over the 650 but if you like the 650 styling Go for a Fuel Injected bike, they run much better and are less maintenance which means they will save you money in a long run, plus the 650 will hold it's resale value better than the 500.
 
#38 ·
both bikes are cheap the 250 gets fuel economy of a moped with a 100mph top speed depending on how much u ate for breakfast, and the 500 is only slightly less with double the power. they are great bikes and very cheap to keep running. I am on my 3rd 250 and just got a ex500. I broke a rocker on the 250 but fixed it the next day with my spares, I really outgrew the 250's performance. Also both bikes have minor flaws like they get wobbles at certain speeds when you let off the throttle, new tires help but do not get rid of wobbles. after 20+ years you thing kawi would put a steering dampener on the bike!, the engine is parallel twin so it can make your body go numb. they ain't no luxury bike but they are still fun to ride and reliable. I have never ridden a 650r or a zx6 but both the zx6 and 650r have the thing the ex250 and ex500 lack the most Good brakes, they really should have put dual disk on the 500 the brakes feel like the same units on a 250 and the bike is twice as fast and if i was less experienced i would probably crash it.

both the ex250 and 500 have steel frames so they can take some real abuse and the frames do not crumble.

good brakes and good tires are really the most important thing on the 250 the 500 and bigger kawasaki ninjas the 250's rear wheel overbrakes very easily. especially if it is cold out. the 500 seems to lack braking in the front but don't go too fast and you will survive.

I would keep my 250 if i lived someplace twisty roads, otherwise the 500 is the best bet no matter what. you go full throttle on the 250 it gets around 60mpg or you go 1/4 throttle on the 500 the 500 is cheaper and has sum umph left when the 250 is wound out. of course a used zx6r or 636 in great shape is around 3000usd or less if its older and will be better performing in every way besides fuel economy.
 
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