what do you rekon 5 to 6k for a 15yo 250 or 7k for a new ninja 250

[JimO]

hmmmmmmm is it worth paying a extra grand or 2 for a new bike one of the local dealers has a 92/3 FZR yam 254 with 19000ks for 6k that caught my eye the other day http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-142999670.htm

[Livvy]

It's definitely worth buying the newer for a bit extra.

Don't make my mistake!

[Coyote]

Don't make my mistake!

What's wrong with the GPX?

The new GPX's have 20+ year old technology, and the latest 250 Ninja has only got new cosmetics. The FZR is slightly newer than that despite it being older

That FZR is at a dealer with fairly low k's. It's a safe bet. Best to make your mind up by riding them since they do have different engines.

[gav]

Depends if you're going to crash them I guess?

[homer]

somewhere was doing new ninja 250s for $5995
someone maybe able to recall where this was , motor cycle trader?

[James Deuce]

You're looking at it from the wrong perspective.

15-20 year old 250: If it's spent that long in NZ, then it has been passed from one brutal uncaring smacktard to another after an ownership period of no more than 12 months. So it's had at least 15-20 "owners" who should be more properly labeled, " torturers of inanimate objects."

Tutsi crack whores living in Hutu compounds get treated better than 250cc motorcycles in NZ.

Brand new Ninja (either 2007 GPX250 or 2008 Ninja 250R): You get to start the process of decay and abuse yourself, without anyone else's input to shift the blame to. Think of the opportunities!

[JimO]

the one in my first post is a fresh import but has been painted because it was a purple colour that wasnt to nice but who knows???

[Mikkel]

Depends on what you want really.

As has been stated, the new 250 ccm sportsbikes are hardly sports - in any meaning of the word (crappy suspension and low performance engines (for a 250 ccm).

There's a reason why the older IL4 250 ccm bikes sell at the price they do - and that is that there isn't that many off them and they outperform any 250 ccm 4-stroke made since '93.

Besides, buying a faster - but slightly rough - bike means you can have more fun with less worry. You're more likely to be worried about scratching a brand new bike.

[Dave-]

tbh providing you take the time to check out a few 18th hand 250s and get it looked at by a mechanic or someone with alot of mechanical knowledge then there should be no problem with buying a bike for its actual value (plus the costs to make it acceptable) or a bike that is genuinly good from the start.

it is possible for 14 people to destroy a bike then 1 pay for the new pistons....just make sure it's the guy before you.

[TOTO]

buy the new one. less trouble...

[Mikkel]

buy the new one. less trouble...

No, buy the one you like more... You'll be happier for it - and happiness is important no matter what anyone might wanna try and tell you!

[James Deuce]

I think those old second hand "race replicas" need to be gathered up and destroyed.

Parts supply is appalling leading to dangerous bodges, manufacturer service schedules get thrown out the window because no one can read the Japanese manual. This leads to a range of hardware failures from cam chain tensioners to wheel bearings to cam faces, and they get binned so regularly that you'd be hard pressed to find one that didn't have something bent on it. Fairings are invariably a spider's web of plastic welds with a perfect paintjob over the top for the ones that go through dealers, and private sale race rep 250s get described as mint, and yet they'll have one headlight missing, mismatched indicators, and fairing panels (or parts of fairing panels) blow off in the wind. Engine covers tend to be made more of amateurishly shaped knead it repairs than the original factory alloy. Beware the Tyga festooned 250 race rep. It's probably cartwheeled at low speed 18 times thanks to failed stoppies.

Yet people still pimp them and claim that something, should it be subject to a leak down test, with all the compression of a needle-less syringe will be faster than a brand new Ninja 250R (God, I feel dirty and immature typing that name out) or Hyosung 250R. They might well be, and sometimes they may even last an entire tank of gas without something going wrong, but your learners period is about learning as much as you can and you can't do that on a bike that constantly craps out. The biggest piece of misinformation I hear is the comments about "cheap suspension" on the new bikes. The old 250s had cheap suspension too. Not only was it cheap, it was cheap 15 to 20 years ago, and knowing how much stead n00bs put in decently maintained, well tuned suspension (you know, NONE), I don't see how that claim stacks up. They might well be USD forks on that ZXR, but they are fuxxored USD forks people. Probably either mildly bent or totally lacking fork oil, or running the original sludge the bike was sold with. Don't get me started on rear shocks with no damping and a spring suitable for a 45kg rider, oval mounting and linkage holes, or those delightful hardtail models with the seized rear linkages.

Yes, I know not all of them are like that, just most, but they all need new fluids, new suspension components and new bearings. Any dealer who tells you he has done that on a bike he is selling to a n00b for five or six grand is being economical with the truth.

At those prices, buy new. If we buy enough of them the 250 market may start diversifying again.

[CookMySock]

As has been stated, the new 250 ccm sportsbikes are hardly sports - in any meaning of the word (crappy suspension and low performance engines (for a 250 ccm).

Not exactly, some of the 250's LOOK like big badass sportsbikes, and for many people that is enough. My learner wife has never used more than half throttle on her 250 - more performance is not important to her. The vtwin spread of power is very very easy to manipulate, and its' delicate rumble is a delight. Her girlfriends squeal and her aunties are horrified, and the uncles frown - and THAT is EXACTLY what she wants.

Yes, it would be nice if the rear shock was softer. The bikes' cornering ability is easily a hundred times her cornering ability, even taking into account its limitations.

Depends on what you want really.

Agreed.

DB

[Wally Simmonds]

If you're going to get your full in 9 months anyway, then I'd go for a 2nd hand Hyosung or the like - wait till you've got your full and get a decent sports bike. I wouldn't pay 6-7k for some of the newer 250's, and the 'sports' 250's you can get for 3-4k seem to be in pretty average condition. I was quite rough with my two, and like Jim said, I'm pretty sure most learner owners in the same boat would be quite similar.

[Kittyhawk]

How often will you ride? commuting, or just weekend pleasure?

Whats the purpose of having it? can you justify to yourself pros and cons for both older vs newer etc.

How far away are you from getting your full, seems everyone these days upgrades because they have their full

Whats your knowledge in maintaining a bike? cleaning servicng etc.

How much experience have you had in riding bikes before you get this one?

Do you know how to respect bikes?? Alot of riders dont see it the same as a car..its pride and joy, has alot more meaning.

I have seen one rider spend serious cash on a brand new 250cc its over 12 months old now, it has rust developing, scratches and is oxidising. Its a serious waste. The rider dosent know how to look after it, and to me I see that as such a waste of a bike.

Another biker who bought a 250 ignored the fact I told him he got ripped off for what it was worth. I took one listen to the bike and advised him to go get the noises checked out....I think it cost him close to a grand to get the engine sorted. Even though the bike was done up in pretty colours, and looked shiny and new, he slid the thing down the road ...to which I pointed and laughed then said "told ya so" as he thought he was the bees knees with a better looking bike than mine.

At the end of the day its your money buy what you want, make sure you're happy with it and it serves the right purpose for you..