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300cc for first motorcycle.

You'll probably want another bike in a few months whatever you get.

Among other things, you don't know what kind of riding you'll like.

I went with the "fuck it, I'm getting the (premium) bike that turns me on" approach when I got my first. I fucking hated that bike pretty quickly. I still haven't gotten around to selling it partially because it's hard to accept how much I'll lose on it.

I've been lusting after used ninja 300s in the $1-2.5k range on craig's list lately. If I did it all over that's what I'd get (or a dualsport).

Best of luck whatever you do. You're gonna have a blast!

Also, sorry for your wallet's loss.
 
250 or 300 is DEFINITELY NOT TOO SLOW for a first bike and in fact, is the smartest choice for a new rider, in my opinion.

Unless you get something older with a higher cc, I'd stick with a 250 or 300 for anything post 2010. That is just my opinion.

I see so many guys get hung up on the power and you have to remember, the throttle doesn't care how big and tough you are.

I think learning on a smaller displacement puts you at an advantage, actually. You really learn to ride the bike rather than it riding you.

I had a 250 for 2 years and never got bored. I know a guy who just got a used Ninja 300 as his first bike and he could run circles around some of the more experienced riders I know who started on bigger bikes.

SMART CHOICE, OP. I would just get a used bike rather than a new one! Depending on your cash roll... because first bikes tend to get dropped. :(
 
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If you have enough money to pay cash, go ahead and get a new 300. If not, buy used and ride that for six months, then you'll have a better idea of what you want.

If you want a 650 instead of a 300, get a used KLR 650, assuming you're tall enough. I've met several people, including one of my neighbors in Folsom, that started out on a KLR and it worked out well for them. The bike doesn't have enough power to quickly get you into trouble, but can still handle freeways, and they tend to hold up well to being dropped.

I'm not saying that you'll drop your new bike, but the odds are in favor of it happening in the first few months. It's a lot less "painful" to drop a bike that already has a few scratches.
 
LittleBigGirl said:
250 or 300 is DEFINITELY NOT TOO SLOW for a first bike and in fact, is the smartest choice for a new rider, in my opinion.

Unless you get something older with a higher cc, I'd stick with a 250 or 300 for anything post 2010. That is just my opinion.

I see so many guys get hung up on the power and you have to remember, the throttle doesn't care how big and tough you are.

I think learning on a smaller displacement puts you at an advantage, actually. You really learn to ride the bike rather than it riding you.

I had a 250 for 2 years and never got bored. I know a guy who just got a used Ninja 300 as his first bike and he could run circles around some of the more experienced riders I know who started on bigger bikes.

SMART CHOICE, OP. I would just get a used bike rather than a new one! Depending on your cash roll... because first bikes tend to get dropped. :(
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Get Some TJ! Absolutely great advice.:thumbup
I find smaller bikes ridden well are just as formidable as a bigger bikes.
Just for proof of concept.
I race cars wheel to wheel competitively.
I have no problems chasing down superior HP'd cars with my 1.6L Honda Civic.
It pisses them off that they cant shake my car off them and when I pass they never see me again.

If I had the room id go get me a smaller bike because they are so much fun.
250R ,300 something.:ride
 
mrzuzzo said:
I've owned the 650 and my wife rides a 300 now, which I borrow sometimes.

The 300 is a much better bike overall, feels better built, and more fun to ride. The only thing the 650 does better is straight line acceleration. I'd take the 300 over the 650 for any sort of spirited riding in twisties, and the 300 is completely fine on the freeway. Even touring on it is pretty easy.
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Previous owner of the above Ninja 300. Biggest problem I had with it was passing slow cars in the mountains. Needed a pretty big window to make a safe pass. Could be frustrating if you're riding with friends on more powerful bikes. Was fun in the mountains otherwise.

Also a bit anemic on faster freeways. But not too bad.

Really great around town.
 
I started riding in March, and currently have about 2,700 miles on my then brand new 2016 cb300f. I planned on buying a used bike, but quickly realized that I know fuck all about what to look out for in a used bike, and some issues are not readily visible from the curb. I also like that it came with a warranty, and didn't have any weird little quirks. I just want to worry about becoming a good rider, and not be distracted with other shit. I also got a very good deal on my bike. YMMV.

Pros: It's light as fuck. Only like 340lbs wet, making it very easy to handle. I can also flat foot it, no problem. It also has a narrow profile, which makes filtering a breeze. It is unbelievably flickable. I swear to god I feel like I'm flying a magic carpet three feet off the ground when I'm on that thing. On a fun road like Mines, it really shines though. Stupid, stupid fun.
Cons: Freeway. It does fine on the freeway, but just that, fine. With that lightweight, naked styling, I feel every gust of wind and every little funky pot hole and seam on our rough ass freeways. 75 mph is a breeze, but at 85 mph at about 8,500 rpms, it's a buzzy little bastard, and it takes a little while to get there. It does not have "fuck you" speed. It actually bothered me more earlier on, because I felt that I had to just jam out of every dicey situation with speed. Not having that option has made read the freeway more effectively, and proactively, so now any lack of acceleration it might have really does not bother me. I want to do more adventure touring type riding, so the 300 falls a little short in that department. But the thought of trading in my bike makes me sad (we've just gotten to know each other!), so I'm making due for the time being. Anyways, that's my two cents, newb to newb! :thumbup
 
been on the 300 almost everyday (i have no car) for almost a year now as a new rider. it can do freeway speeds up to 90mph pretty reliably, but there's little acceleration after 80mph. after 80mph is not fun anyways, nor would it be on the 650, because of the wind.

but straight line performance aside, i've done skyline, la honda, hwy 9, sierra all multiple times now (and page mill but definitely wasnt ready for that), and in each instance, as a relatively new rider, it's not more power that i'm wishing for, but to be able to flick the bike and lean/turn at the right times & right angles, and for that a lightweight 300 has been great. as i work my way up to mt hamilton and beyond, where the turns make you go even slower than the above roads, i don't think it will change much.

tl;dr depends whether your riding will be mostly straight or mostly twisty
 
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Will..... Situational awareness.
If you see something that is going to need some umph, drop some gears, and get those revs up.
That bike has some umph make it give it to you.
:ride
 
I started from 400cc many years ago and would recommend to start from 600cc which is good enough. Just don't forget to use your brakes.
 
250/300cc for starter bike is fine. You can "rent" these off the used market for a year (sell it for what you paid, drops included) then get whatever you want, and until you start riding you won't really know what you want anyway.

The 650cc bikes are bigger, heavier and more powerful and thus not ideal for a first bike but (in my judgement) for two exceptions; you intend to commute on the freeway right away (you'll need the HP) or you are really tall (6'3+?) and a small bike would fit like one of those clown bikes with your knees in your face. The rider is an integral element to the dynamics of the bike and if you don't fit a smaller bike learning to ride is difficult and comfort is important too.
 
If you really want to wheelie just get a drz400 or a wr250. Either supermoto or dual sport. Then you get a "beginner" bike you can drop all day and not care, wheelies, and you can ride with the helmet less byke lyfe crew.

Downside: freeway is not so much fun but imo totally doable.
 
Lots of bad advice in this thread.

The Ninja 300 is a fantastic bike, OP. You'll become a better rider much faster on a smaller displacement bike.
 
quicksparks said:
Yeah, you'll probably get bored of it. 30 horsepower on a 400 lb bike is anemic.
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FYI, it's 39bhp and 379lbs. With the right upgrades the power can go up a bit and the weight down a bit.

OP, a 300cc sprotbile is a great choice as first motorbike. But get an used one with upgrades and farkles. As pointed, you'll drop it and you don't want to drop a new motorbike.
 
Kestrel said:
Lots of bad advice in this thread.

The Ninja 300 is a fantastic bike, OP. You'll become a better rider much faster on a smaller displacement bike.
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Yeah! ^^ What he said! ^^ And what @Whammy said, too. Seriously perfect first bike! And a real looker, too! I love the Ninja 300s. No need to listen to anyone else. :ride:thumbup
 
Kestrel said:
Lots of bad advice in this thread .The Ninja 300 is a fantastic bike, OP. You'll become a better rider much faster on a smaller displacement bike.
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I've owned and raced over 50 motorcycles, I still ride my Ninja 250, about 10 HP less than the 300. If you think they are too slow and you will outgrow it, that is because you didn't learn how to ride it in the first place and need a more powerful bike to cover your mistakes. Yes a 300 has a limit, somewhere around a 90mph average.
 
You, literally, couldn't pay me to ride a 250 or 300cc bike. If I were the OP, I'd be looking for a used Suzuki SV650, Kawasaki Ninja 650 or Yamaha FZ-07. They're all phenomenally better beginner bikes than the Ninja 250/300, IMHO...
 
People in this thread are splitting hairs over power to weight ratio. Until you get to true sportbike territory it is not the main contributing factor to what makes a good beginner bike bike. Resale value and ergonomics are much more important.

As far as making dumb mistakes, you can kill yourself equally well on both a 250/300 and a 650. The difference is one will actually be fun to ride and the other will hold up traffic on 101.
 
My guess is 39 braking horsepower will be closer to 30 rwhp, and 379 pounds wet weight, manufacturer-claimed, will be pretty close to 400 lbs in the real world. Great for taking a snatchy throttle out of the equation while learning. Not so great for getting out of the way of Tesla bros.
 
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