NEED ADVICE..So here is the deal, my buddy is 33 with a wife and 2goeorgeous, smart, and awesome little girls. We both have a lot in common play musical instruments, work together and into the same kind of stuff. So I just bought my 95 f3 and he now wants to ride after seeing me on mine and I guess wants to keep up with the jones'

he mentioned it to his wifeandgot into amoney arguement... selfishness on his partor whatever.... my question is if he gets abike it would have to be dirt cheap like 1200.00 or sohe is a small guy, short and skinny, with very no expierenceon bikes. he'll probably get a 250cc bike. I know this is a honda biased group, and understand,but how bad would a 250cc 2000-2005 ninja be? I see them for cheap like they do not hold value, being a 250 I guess. Are those bikes reliable?? Please hit this thread a bunch guys with all honesty and if you can tell me from your expierence having rode on, spit on or what ever. maybe you bought your wife one. I personally don't like the looks of them they are ugly but I really want my buddy to ride with me. there is no freakin way his wife would let him spend a lot. this is my only hope of being the wife pursuader.. thanks a bunch guys & girls

 

a 250 ninja isa perfect stater bike...make sure you tell your friend to take the MSF course and to gear up...

 

The ninja 250 would be nice for a starter bike. IMO, it's plenty of power for a beginner and it's cost effective. It also holds a good resell value.

To be honest, if he's having financial problems, it's probably best that he stay away from bikes for now especially since he has a family to take care of. I know that most of us in this forum have invested a lot of money in our bikes and our gear. However, the decision is entirely up to him and his family.

 

+1 with buying gear and any maintenence that would need to be done to the bike, he should expect to be paying more than just $1500.....

 

it isn't a finacial prob. she is just a bitch sometimes.and if he gets a bike she will want to blow a bunch of money on Disney World to be "even steven". she does not have any hobbies other thanbeing a momwhich is unhealthy. she doesn't comprehend "boys and their toys" like normal women. She is cool as hell , but she might get pissed off . Like I said I will probably have to be his support in the compromise with his wife I just need theskinny on a ninja 250cc cause that is about the only thing he would be able to swing. thanks

 

Sounds like a family issue that no one from the outside needs to be involved in. Sure it would be fun to have more friends to ride with but at the same time you don't want to screw up anyone's family dynamic because of it. My advice, let him and his wife figure it out.
If he does get a bike a nice used 250 or older 600 should be good to learn on.

 

Ninja 250 is a good bike and you should be able to pick it up used for around $2000 or under. They hold thier value quite well actually. I have a 94 Ninja 250 and it runs pretty well. I picked it up for under $1000 and the only things I had to change were the tires,brakes, and fork seals. The only problem with the Ninja 250 is its kind of slow (relativly).

 

If they can afford it, then I don't see the harm of them both spending a little money on themselves. I agree that it's not healthy not to have any hobbies or 'me time' away from job and family responsibilities. So maybe this will motivate her to develop her own interests. She might even decide she likes riding, and the 250 could end up being her bike.

But also consider that maybe she's feeling really burdened with the children and is afraid that once he has the bike, he'll want to spend all his time riding, and she'll have even less support at home. This was my wife's thing,but by now she knows that if I spend a few hours riding on Saturday morning, that the rest of the day I'm available for cleaning the house, working in the yard, taking the kids to the park, etc.

 

250 Ninja is a good bike. He is married so it ain't gonna change his sex life whether or not he rides a 250 Ninja or a Ducati 1098... As a matter of fact, if he buys a $6000 bike she is gonna 'close shop' for a while.

 

Actually my buddy just picked up an 01 ninja 250 the other day.
As I was riding it around the hood, I realized that even though its a 250...THEYRE FUN AS HELL!!!!