Which kind of sport bike should I get? Cbr250 or Ninja 300?

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WilsonFoShilson

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Feb 3, 2013
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I'm in a bind. I just picked up a second job, so I now have to power to finance a bike. This being said, no I'm not in the market for a used bike, I don't like used things, so don't recommend it. Thanks!

Anyway, I've never owned a bike before, but I have ridden them before and took the MSF course earlier in the year. I am a 20 year old college student that will be using the bike for daily commutes to class and also to carve through curvy backroads of Arkansas mountains. So for my purposes, these two bikes, the Honda CBR 250 and the Ninja 300, are perfect. The thing is, I'm stuck on which one is better for what I want to do. What I'm asking here is pretty much to find any pros and cons of each to help me weigh them out. I've made a list, but they are pretty even and I'm torn. This is what I will be doing most:

Riding to class
Becoming a weekend warrior on backroads
Highway riding (70mph)
Taking occasional trips that will run about 1-3 hours at interstate speed

Anything that you guys can do to help me out would be great. I'm looking for things like comfort, reliability, smoothness of clutch, degree of fun, ect. Thanks guys!
After reading some comments, this probably isn't the ideal site to have some kind of discussion, but this is what I'm seeing. The Honda is $4,199 MSRP and the Kawi is $4,799. Since I'm financing, the difference won't be deal-breaking (and please guys, don't turn this into a finance topic, I know what I'm doing) but this means I can't go any to any higher bikes, such as an Iron 883 or a Suzuki. BOTH bikes will do what I need them, so this is more of comes down to wants between them, or which one is more fun if you will. From forums, reviews, friends, I'm hearing that the baby Ninja has the edge over honda in overall enjoyment. I want practicality and awesomeness. The Ninja just seems to have more of the awesome, but the same practicality as the CBR. Plus the Ninja would have a little more "umph" at higher speeds on the interstate if I need to jump from 70 to 80 to avoid trouble. I appreciate the help guys, I'm leaning more towards the
 
Neither bike is made for the interstate although they are legal there, nuff said.
Sorta of toss but I believe the Ninjette is a bit better for your needs.

Stay on top of the maintenance on whichever bike you decide on, little engines need to work extra hard to keep you moving, especially at higher speeds.
 
I'd say hands down Ninja 300. Honda was having a few problems with the little Cbr. Mostly minor though. However the baby Ninja has been around since the 80's and Kawasaki has improved it many times through out the last..... 20 + years? They are very dependable and the 300 is just a beefed up version of the 250, which was an awesome beginner bike. The 300 seems to offer more to love. All that being said, a little food for thought. Look at a Sportster 883. In person not online. It comes in many flavors and will handle free way speeds like the ninja or cbr either one cant touch. I too live in Arkansas and ripping up the hill country on a loud V-Twin is absolutely infectious!!! When it comes time to accessorize... anything you can think of is available. Anything. If your heart is an entry level sportbike then that's what your going to buy. But there's not much to grow into or improve upon. Just my two cents worth. Good luck in your search and I'll see you on the road........
 
The first (then second and third) time you drop your new bike and crack the fairing, bend the bars, break the turn signal and dent the tank, you're going to kick yourself for not buying a nice used bike at 1/2 the price instead. After making payments for five months, once the newness of the bike gets old you're going to wish you had bought used. When you go to sell it and realize how much money you lost, you're going to wish you never bought your first bike new. BUT, if your hellbent on buying new, might as well get the Ninja 300, it's a brand new model and will make more power from first through sixth gear, will be better on the highway and it looks cool too. Be careful riding. I got in my first motorcycle accident in November, coming around a bend at night, wet roads, fog, and a deer in the middle of the road. I wasn't hurt bad, if there happened to be a car coming in the on-coming lane..I would have been hurt REAL bad. Just be safe and practice and always ALWAYS wear your gear.
 
If you want a 250, get a supermoto, even if you don't like them, they are just much more reliable than sport bikes with the same sized engine, and more lightweight than them also, but if them are the only choices, get the Ninja, my favorite of them 2.
Edit: Re-reading your question, ignore what I originally said, the Ninja would be better for your needs.
 
Opinons are arseholes -- everyone have one and they all stink. In my opinion, get the Honda.

I like Singles. The Honda is 20 pounds lighter than the Ninjette, thinner, easier on the streets. Don't know the 300, but against the 250 the Honda have considerably more torque and horsepower up to it's redline, after the twin finally catches over it.

Others tell you the 250 is too small -- that is their opinion. I was riding a Suzuki LS650 for the past 7 years -- top speed of just 85 mph, less than the 250R. I took it in the Interstates L.A. to OKC doing 65-70 mph getting 60-65 mpg. My new bike has a step-through frame, AKA "scooter" -- a lot easier on old knees. It's a Vespa 150, just 150.5cc, barely California freeway, but I am comfortable doing it 60-65 mph. If a 150cc scooter is good enough for 65mph on the freeways, a 250cc motorcycle will have *no* problem doing 75+.
 
Well if you want an awesome bike scratch your choices find an old unused 2 stroke theyre faster than a 4 stroke i ride bikes and dirt bikes and my 150 2 stroke can beat any 250 4 stroke so get an old kawi and you can mod it for a smoother ride and there only issue is you have to mix oil in the gas but that isnt hard
 
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