want to buy ninja 500 5'3" and 120 lbs.

[Lucent23]

Small build male with passion for bikes. I have taken the course and all that for riding motorcycles. Now i want to buy a used or maybe new ninja 500. Now my question is will i be able to handle it. Weight wise and parking it and just coming to a stop, both my feet hit the ground but only half way as in, im not flat footed on both sides but half footed on both sides. I know its a starter bike and all that ive been researching for 1 1/2 years. I have sat on it and it feels kind of big like i think i wont be able to control it but i guess that is how it feels the first time. i have ridden a 250ninja but i want something that i can ride for 2-3 years. ive done a bunch of research on forums, went to local dealers, talked to people who are experienced in these bikes. they tell me it will become second nature. but any kind of info would help. thank you.

[cudaosix]

If you feel more confident on a 250, then go for that...you can ride that for a couple of year's then move up to a 500. Nothing wrong with doing that. I dont think the differance is all that much ....250 is a small bike but from what I'v read here, it should keep you happy for a good long time. I would personaly go for something bigger but, thats just me....If you dont feel right on it then leave it for your next bike.

[Lucent23]

i dont feel right on it because its my first time on it. i think because its a new thing to me. feels weird even on the 250. but i feel like i have a little more control on the 250 and then again it is because it is smaller. the smaller the thing the more control you feel like you have. so i dont think that is playing much of a role.

[cudaosix]

A 250 can hurt you just as bad as a 500....You'll learn to handle the 500 with practice, just dont go too far beyond your abilities, practice in empty parking lots at first and like I mentioned before, Its not all that much bigger. Did the course you took give you at least 10 hours on a range riding their 250's? If not, I strongly suggest you find a course that will do so. Makes a huge differance.

[Lucent23]

yes i did get 10 hours on a honda rebel 250.

[cudaosix]

Did you walk away from the course feeling confident that you could handle those 250 cruisers? If so...Mabey its the slight lean forward the ninja's have that make you feel uneasy on them. I think asking your instuctor his/her opinion is a good idea, They watched you ride and know what your capable of at the moment. You might need some more time on the 250 cruisers before you move onto a sportier bike...theres nothing wrong with that at all.

[Lucent23]

i think that i just need to get used to it. my question was that does everyone feel like they cant handle the bike when they just sit on it?

[cudaosix]

Originally Posted by Lucent23

i think that i just need to get used to it. my question was that does everyone feel like they cant handle the bike when they just sit on it?

Oh..ok, mabey I went into it more then I should have.
If when your sitting on the bike you can hold its weight while leaning it side to side, then yes, you can handle it. If your struggeling with the weight, then you cant handle it. Thats basicly it.

[windrider18]

You're probably not going to like my answer to your question, but you asked, so...

Originally Posted by Lucent23

my question was that does everyone feel like they cant handle the bike when they just sit on it?

Answer: Yes. And that meant the bike was too big and/or powerful. If the bike scares you, you aren't going to want to ride it and it will take you longer to build your skills to ride well. You said yourself you felt better on the 250 because you felt you had more control. That is a GOOD thing. You are supposed to control the bike, not the other way around.

250s get a bad rap because you always hear stuff like "you'll outgrow it in 3 months" or "you'll be bored quickly", etc. I say bull-poopie. I've known people who upgraded from a 250 to a 750 or larger after 300 miles. Then they complained that their new bike was so much harder to ride, had problems cornering, was heavy, etc. Well, DUH, they didn't build their skills enough to be able to handle the bigger bike. I've heard of people riding for *years* who went out and bought a 250 just because the bike was so darn much fun to ride. (And it is too, but I'm biased )

There is no shame in starting smaller. I passed up a 500 with only 900 miles on it for a 250 because I felt the 500 was too powerful for me yet. I don't regret that decision. I've had several occasions that had I had a more powerful bike, I would have gone down. With the 250, I was able to recover and more importantly, I was able to *learn* what I did wrong for next time (or to prevent "next time"). The bigger bikes aren't going anywhere. They'll still be around when you're ready for them.

The choice is still ultimately up to you...it is possible to overcome your uneasyness to ride the 500, but it may take you a while, maybe several months or more.

[Mr_Lycos]

My 4'11" woman came closer to ridability with the Ninja 500 than the Ninja 250 (better shocks?).

Just wear a pair of boots with some sole and you should be alright. (I just read a Motorcyclist article where they dragraced some bikes and their pro "ringer" was 5' even and rode a ZX-10R as a daily ride).

[Lucent23]

the thing is that i dont want to go out and buy a 250 then go and buy a 500 later. i want to buy something that i can have fun with for like 2 years.

[Lucent23]

Your women is 4' 11" and rides a ninja 500r. Wow thats really good that she can ride that. i thought i wouldnt be able to ride that since im 5' 3". Thumbs up for her. thanx for the info.

[Lucent23]

where did you read that article on the net or in a magazine. if you read it in a magazine can you please let me know what magazine and what issue. If it was on the internet can you please tell me the website. thanx.

[moab1]

hey lucent 23,
i am about 5'5" and 130lbs....i bought a new 04' 250EX...i just decided to learn with this bike first and once i get better maybe move up to the 500 or 600.....i talked to some friends and surfed the internet to find out what bike is best and i went with the 250EX....being a new rider and all its a good bike got the bike to 80mph on the straighaways but i had to slow down because of the wind thats the first thing i had to get used to well i am still learning but a its a great and fun bike!!!! cant wait to move up to a bigger bike!!!....well that just my 2 cents....

[Mr_Lycos]

Your women is 4' 11" and rides a ninja 500r.

No, I said she fit a 500r. She's actually looking to get a Boulevard S40/Savage650 do to insurance costs of the 500r.

[Mr_Lycos]

Motorcyclist Magazine. sometime 2004. Article on 10-second streetbikes.

[ultraspank]

If the only thing your worried about is size then you can fit a 500. I'm 5'10'' and i can easily flat foot my 500. You being a few inches shorter can like someone said, wear a nice set of boots, and also you can lower the bike a bit, and even cut the seat.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by Lucent23

the thing is that i dont want to go out and buy a 250 then go and buy a 500 later. i want to buy something that i can have fun with for like 2 years.

You can always look into the option of having the 500 lowered a bit. Like mentioned in another post, wearing boots with a decent sole on them should help a lot.

The real question, what makes you feel more comfortable on the 250 vs. the 500?:

- The height?
- The weight?
- The seat/handlebar comfort level?
- The mental idea that a smaller engine is more easy to control?

If it's just the height and you really want the 500, that's fixable as mentioned above. If it's a weight issue, that can only be solved by building up body strength to the point the bike doesn't feel too heavy. If it's the overall seat/handlebar/ride postion, the 500 and the 250 are nearly identical in that respect once you are up on the pegs. Finally, if it's just a mental thing, you have to either change your thinking or go with the smaller bike. Out on the road, you can't be afraid of the bike. It's okay to be nervous when you're learning, but fear of the size/weight/power of the bike doesn't allow you to concentrate on keeping the bike on the road and upright. You should always respect the size/weight/power of the bike, not fear it.

[Lucent23]

what exactly do they do when they lower the bike? except shaving the seat.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by Lucent23

what exactly do they do when they lower the bike? except shaving the seat.

Usually it's a suspension or related adjustment. That only goes so far, though, before the ride and handling suffer.