250 vs bigger bike. In case you wondered.

**Maki** · 6th June 2009, 19:28

I know a lot of 250 riders out there wonder what a bigger bike feels like. Many of you think that pootling around on a 250 for a year is some kind of torture and can't wait to ditch your bike for something big and grunty. I have news for you, riding a 250 is not all bad. If for example you like riding sportsbikes in twisties, then the right 250 may give you some things that a bigger bike can't. A 250 has a lightness and flickability that heavier bikes with bigger tyres can not match. I used to ride a Kawaski 250 and now I ride a R6. Let me discuss the relative merits.

Coolness factor. That is obvious so I won't even go into it.

Power. You will never ever find yourself riding with the throttle pinned for any significant length of time on the R6, while on a 250 you could sit there for ages with everything wide open. The extra power is nice but it can kill you if you are not very careful. Having to give it everything, revving to the limit and using the gears effectively on the 250 can be fun. Scaring yourself on the 600 can also be fun.

Handling. Once cornering the 600 feels more stable, planted and it feels like it could corner faster. Turn in and transition between corners is easier and faster on a 250 than a 600. The 600 has a lot more engine braking so you have to watch your downshifts, or the rear will get very twitchy. Same goes for accelarating out of corners, the more powerful bike may bite you if the surface is not perfect. So, ultimate cornering speed may be faster on a 600 but the 250 is nimbler and more forgiving.

General riding feeling. The 600 feels like it is rock solid and it feels like it is going slower at any given speed. What stands out most is that feeling of solidity, the 250 just feels more like it is made of many pieces bolted together and free to move a bit relative to each other while the 600 feels like one solid piece.

Brakes. The brakes on the 600 are way better, and they have to be for obvious reasons.

In summary the 600 is not better than the 250 in every way and you can have plenty of fun riding on the 250. It is a different and less dangerous type of fun than the one commonly had on a 600.

So, when you get your full license, should you be in a huge hurry to ditch your 250? I think not, take your time and consider carefully if you want a change and what you want to change to.

**Fumph** · 6th June 2009, 20:10

Thanks for that good advice, I'm listening...............

**SixPackBack** · 6th June 2009, 20:14

Originally Posted by Fumph

Thanks for that good advice, I'm listening...............

'Tis true dude a GN250 is superior in so many ways compared to my K6 thou

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

**Kickaha** · 6th June 2009, 20:57

Originally Posted by SixPackBack

'Tis true dude a GN250 is superior in so many ways compared to my K6 thou

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

With the right rider on it probably faster as well

**Maki** · 6th June 2009, 21:28

Originally Posted by SixPackBack

'Tis true dude a GN250 is superior in so many ways compared to my K6 thou

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

LoL. It does not chew through fuel, sprockets and chains at the same rate, does it?

**Laxi** · 6th June 2009, 21:33

I love my 250 most off the time, keeps up on the hills around wellington, just wish it didnt have to rev so hard on the motorway

**wbks** · 6th June 2009, 21:50

Biggest noticeable changes for me: No longer do you need to drop down a gear on the highway for a fast overtake and pretty much no working the gears if you aren't really trying hard... If you are easy on the throttle, and aren't worrying about speed, you can easily 6th gear cruise through town, then open it up onto the highway and speed straight up. No bogging, no huge lag in power untill the revs. Can definately see why people in the states buy these thinking they are good to learn on (obviously only compared to liter bikes) and end up mess on the ground... It's so easy to go fast! Feels solid, but actually more nimble than the 250... But yea, I remember (and no I'm not trying to say I'm a fast rider etc, just observation) around taupo on the 250 holding it wide open full revs through plenty of gears fine most of the way through every corner and no worries of traction. Just because of low power, and how docile the throttle was. Open it up and it was quite a delayed reaction, but with the 6 it is instant translation to the wheels, and feels to me like more than enough power to lose grip

**SixPackBack** · 6th June 2009, 21:51

Originally Posted by Kickaha

With the right rider on it probably faster as well

Uhhu....Ben Spies would have no problem winning SBK on a gn250?

Originally Posted by Maki

LoL. It does not chew through fuel, sprockets and chains at the same rate, does it?

.........nor the kilometers?

Face it guys the average 250 couldn't pull a rapist off yer sister!

**The Pastor** · 6th June 2009, 21:57

250s are awesome

**cowboyz** · 6th June 2009, 22:07

The weight issue.
When you get into some bigger touring bikes or older sportbikes the extra weight can be noticeable but the way bikes are built these days they are so well balanced that the extra weight is really not noticeable, and in some cases the newer bigger bikes actually weigh less than older 250s anyway.

coolness factor
a nice looking 250 is way cooler than a scraped up 600 or 1000. Dispite public opinion, most bins doesnt win and showing up on a damaged bike makes you look like a noob, especially if there are chicks around to impress.

power
while you dont need to pin the throttle on a bigger bike, the advantage comes where you can enter corners way slower and carry fuck all corner speed and still power up to reasonable speeds exiting the corners with very little effort. This helps if you cant ride and the bike will do all the work for you. Apart from that, it is nice to criuse along at 110 and having the bike just ticking over.

handling.
this totally depends on the bike. A well setup big bike will out-handle a shit 250 anyday. In general I think my 9 is way better handling than my old gsx600F. Mainly because it is a way better bike but also cause its newer and not fucked.

brakes.
again, bike specific.

overall, if you are on a 250 and enjoying it then fine. If the bike isnt doing the job that you want it to then upgrade. If you simply want more speed then find your friendly local racetrack

**cowboyz** · 6th June 2009, 22:10

Originally Posted by SixPackBack

Uhhu....Ben Spies would have no problem winning SBK on a gn250?

after salt lake city, it wouldnt fucking surprise me.

**SixPackBack** · 6th June 2009, 22:40

..........................Fook me its the twilight zone

**ducatilover** · 6th June 2009, 22:45

I've stepped down form the 650 to my current bitch which happens to be a 250. I've had it for 3 years and two or three months. Nuff said methinks

**wbks** · 6th June 2009, 22:50

Only thing I would worry about is becoming a point and shoot rider. Without the need to hold good corner speed to go fast I guess it could happen easily, but it probably just feels like you're cornering slower on the big big anyway, considering how slow everything else feels

**ducatilover** · 6th June 2009, 23:20

Originally Posted by wbks

Only thing I would worry about is becoming a point and shoot rider. Without the need to hold good corner speed to go fast I guess it could happen easily, but it probably just feels like you're cornering slower on the big big anyway, considering how slow everything else feels

I ride for the corners, nothing beats bending a bike further than a whore and doing the best job you can, smooth and fast costs you less