Before i start i'm not saying go get yourself a CBR250/ZXR250, because truth is they are an old bike and i would be biast to go on and praise them when i am just pointing out the facts here and using the ZXR and CBR as a base reference point, seeing as i know a shitload more about ZXR's than i do CBR's i will mention the ZXR250 alot more throughout this.
I do also know my way around a CBR though, take from this what you will i will hopefully assist people out to buy a new bike in thier decision making.
What i have come down to is comparing the new 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250 up against the hyosung GT250R as in reality these are the only 2 new fairinged bikes on the market.
I am not going to sit here and run specifications off at you all day because fact is these are all over the net and who gives a toss about most of that info anyway, if ya do good on ya goto the website and get them.
The ZXR250/CBR250 etc are sportsbikes, they are a proper thrash on a racetrack and open road go balls to the wall sportsbike, just with a smaller engine than the big toys. clip on handle bars, twin floating brake discs etc etc.
The GPX/Ninja....(it's the same bike just with pretty panels and some changes,same suspension riding position high up bars instead of "clip-on's", just admit it)
- single disc brakes.....
- crappy forks...
I mean cmon...they arnt even upside down forks (USD's for short), the ZXR has the ZXR250, where as the origional CBR250 did not. and ive ridden a few CBR250's's and they are rubbish suspension wise in comparison to the ZXR250.
Yes i know blah blah ZXR250 and CBR250 are old blah blah i'm not saying go buy a ZXR250 or CBR250 if u want a new bike go hard it's up to you, a to be honest not quite up to scratch in my eyes. Hyosung GT250R is better than a GPX/Ninja 250 anyways.
where as the GT250R has....
USD forks, twin floating brake disc etc etc, has everything the zxr does just with shittier build quality and a gutless V-Twin powerplant. To be honest the build qulity is still not there though, they have a bit of a feeling of cheapness on these korean Hyosungs.
The Hyosung GT250R was infact origionally designed by Kawasaki but for some reason the plans were sold.
If you want proper power in a 4 stroke go the ZXR250 or the CBR250 (CBR handles like a shopping trolley though) this is if age of the bike is not an issue.
For many buyers it is, and i can respect that.
They would still be making the ZXR and CBR to this day, except new restrictions came into place in 1993 i believe, i am not sure why though i think to do with power restrictions for japanese learner riders but don't quote me on that, anyways they don't make em. Lets close that chapter and keep going.
Fact is the ZXR250 and CBR250 do hold thier value very well. and are actually still going up in value like crazy, but in this a problem arises of now they are getting very near in some cases matching or even above that of a brand new Hyosung GT250R or Ninja 250. the problem with this is eventually the shit is going to hit the fan.
People will stop buying the older 250's for silly money (this has become very apparent in the last year or so), many now opt for the new toy with warrenty where as in 2005/2006 the zxr's were cheap enough that people did not mind, also in this there was really nothing as a new 250 apart from the Suzuki GN250.
A bike that has been made since the 80's but now gets made in china. with fake chrome so shit, that they take them out of the box and they are already rusty.
Anyways so the release of the GT250R and re launch of the GPX250 made sales of zxr's and cbr's fall quicker than ya boner when ya find out the chick you brought home from the pub isn't a chick after all. (unless your a honda rider then this adds to the hardness)
and these values i think are really going to drop like a rock soon because people will simply stop buying the older zxr's etc.
but in saying this you put it up for sale, somebody will buy it eventually with more bank balance than brains.
If you want warrenty and new bike and ooo ahh pretty then go new bike,
I personally say go the Hyosung GT250R, it's the only fairinged "proper" 250cc sportsbike on the market.
If you want to simply pull girls that think because it says ninja it's really fast! and just north shore sure to score girls. then go the new ninja 250. fact is the new ninja 250 is a sports styled commuter.
It's the equivelent of a Suzuki GN250 with fairings...
Sorry i lie a Suzuki GN250 with moto-x bars actually corners better.
So in summary there are two main players on the market of new 250's.
# Theres the hyosung which is a proper sports bike. good for commuting, but can hold it's own on the open road also. and with the low profile tyres and so on you have alot more choice in the sticky stuff that keeps ya shiney side up.
# Then there is the better looking 2008 ninja 250, which is a sports styled commuting bike, which in reality on the open road is horrible ive ridden 2007 gpx's on the open road and riddens with friends who have them. they are just not an open road go fast get knee down bike. the tyres on them arn't even a low profile, which these days limits you alot. you are scared to hang off and try get knee down where as the Hyosung GT250R you can hang off and get knee down and so on, and the bike remains very stable.
Hope that helps in some new riders decision making.
skidMark.
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Originally Posted by Drider87
Lol Go test ride one! All i'm saying is don't judge the book by it's beautiful cover.....until i've managed to get a go on one or read some definitive ride reports by KB members or something then i will make up my mind.
The gpx is like this banana, bullet proof. It dance between criticisms easily. *okay now im being objective lol*
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