Motorcycle safety, riding gear, and starting the Ninja 250

[BOLTofCalifornia]

"Wear proper riding gear, 'cuz you don't wanna die; Unless you do want to die, in which case, wear shorts." That's confusing. Riders don't die wearing "proper gear?" I know riders die wearing proper gear. Wearing shorts increases my chances of dying?

Not even the biased, cherry-picked-statistic pushing NHTSA would suggest that.

[PrayForBlueSkies]

Hey man, nice setup. Question: I saw you respond to someone and mention that you originally rode a ninja 500. I was just wondering why you made the decision to step "down" to a 250cc bike? I'm looking to buy a new bike, and this would be really helpful. Also, have you raced either of your 250s at all? Thanks, and again, please keep making videos!

[2cool0]

dude i its kinda douchebagy when someone wears all the same color and the bike the same color

[217Mark]

One click up would be 2nd, its half a click

[Spencerian]

Nice Job.  :)

[GSxxxRGirl]

I think this bike is NICE!

Considering the year you made this vid!

[roxese]

ohh man i thought u had the new ninja 250rr man ur riding gear is really cool but the bike is suxxx

[skyline44512]

Look at when this video was posted...this bike is an '06 and I got it in '07...it was almost new! And now I have a 2008 Ninja 650R that I bought new last June

[GSxxxRGirl]

Yeah roxese!

So, STEP OFF MAN!

[AreteXY]

Few comments.

Ninja 250s are enough bike for anyone who isn't planning on racing. I mean at least here in the DC Metro area you have many roads at 45mph, and our highways are 55-65mph(mostly 55mph) so when do you REALLY get a chance to open up with 600ccs?

Heres a nice idea: Either push a NInja 250 to its limit, or barely use any potential of a 600cc bike. Id rather push the limit.

[ermac4512]

lets chat im bored

[k4n3]

love the color of that bike and sweet jacket too

[MikSane]

great vid. i train mma too with my friend. ow does that mesh jacket compare with leather on road rash avoidance?

[skyline44512]

this jacket is just as good, because it has titanium woven fabric on contact points, like down the back, on the elbows, and on the shoulders. I LOVE IT! I haven't crashed either of my 250s or even dropped them (but I DID drop my first bike, a Ninja 500, then crashed it racing) if I had this jacket during that crash I wouldn't have any of the road rash on my shoulder or back :(

[jeenyus720]

is it worth wearing pants or boots when ur not on the track? i cant decide if i should buy them

[skyline44512]

definitely, you're very likely to get in an accident around town even if you're a great rider, mostly because cars may not see you and come over into your lane or force you off the road. better safe than sorry and nice gear looks great

[MrHardDancer]

Its not about dieng shit head its the aftermath of the accident,if your going to die in a crash your will die trust me. All that armor will do is protect you from breaking your shoulders elbows knees and skull. Also your spine so you wont be in a wheel cheer. And I rather DIE then be in a fucking wheel cheer.

[skyline44512]

Well asshole you're just another idiot that doesn't know what he's talking about (and needs to learn how to spell. take it from someone who has had a 140mph crash while racing (obviously not on a Ninja 250). Had I not been wearing riding gear I would have died. What the fuck are you talking about it protects you from breaking your shoulders? It you break your skull you're probably dead, but if you're wearing a helmet and DON'T break it you live. Dumbass

[ebedaemegeh]

so you werent speeding but you werent driving safely.

[skyline44512]

yeah, i was riding safely. I've got over 10k miles on sport bikes and only one accident, which doesn't really count because it was during a race. accelerating rapidly up to the speed limit on pavement isn't unsafe

[skyline44512]

correction, DRY pavement

[ebedaemegeh]

a video on safety and he guns it out of the driveway in the subdivision. SAFE

[skyline44512]

didn't exceed the speed limit

[hobitcy]

hey i got the yamaha r1 as a first bike which is 998cc and it wasnt all too bad to learn....just go slow in the beggining and you will slowly get used to the bike and the power

[skyline44512]

it is POSSIBLE to start out on a big bike but it isn't recommended for many reasons, like safety, cost, and the probability of a crash of drop. Personally I don't want a 1000cc bike I ride partially because the gas mileage, and I don't race anymore. But congrats it's good that you learned to ride just fine on a big bike, my first was a Ninja 500, then I actually went down to the 250

[LifeIsGood269]

Seconds: 15-19

Where proper riding gear. Unless you want to die; then wear shorts.

Lol!! Good advice.

[kawasakigreen650r]

Nice vid on gear!

[XxBeforeTheFallxX]

haha i guess its not cool to wear gear? (Plan on getting my 250 this sumemr). I always thought motorcycle gear looked badass. I can't wait.

[redhotcustoms]

so, thinking about buying a new 250 this summer, but im a pretty big guy, like, 220 lbs big. so, would i still be okay on the 250, or should i get something bigger?

[ridingbright]

bigger at least a 500cc

[redhotcustoms]

thanks.

[skyline44512]

no the 250 has plenty of power for your weight, you only weigh 20lbs more than I do. I would get a 250. The 08s are the best looking bikes kawasaki has, I like it better than any of the others, so check out the 08 250 it's amazing

[brianrparker]

dont get a 250. get atleast a 600

[lawr0155]

I'm 6ft 200lbs and the ninja 250 is fine. Plenty of acceleration, easy in town and on the freeway. If you haven't been riding much, I wouldn't hesitate on getting a 250. Yes a 250 will never be as fast as a 500+, but you don't need that much unless you like to race/sprint.

[quadfin1234]

were the same size -physically that is, do you walk around like you can kick anyones arse? i do

[skyline44512]

no i don't lol, but i do train MMA. still i don't start fights, and i prefer not to come off to confident because it just encourages jerks to want to fight you

[RomeoEskobar]

WTF dude, an American wearing proper gear? You have restored my faith in Motorcycling America!

[skyline44512]

you make a very good point and its sad that so many motorcyclists here dont even wear helmets

[JooKed]

I feel like a nerd when I ride my Ninja 250 with all my gear on. I see guys on Hayabusas wearing nothing more than sun glasses, a hankerchief, and and shorts/sneakers.

I still wear it though.

[skyline44512]

good call to wear it anyway :)

[stinkfart]

250cc would have been a pretty decent sized bike to the outlaw riders of the late 1940's.

Kids these days...

[bartc34316]

great video, nice bike and gear! im sure you've seen the 08 ninja 250r.. its so sexy. im getting it this summer, can't wait!

[skyline44512]

Yup I am considering buying one myself this spring.

[JooKed]

I have a 2007 Ninja 250, I wonder if they'll let me trade it for a little more :p

[tritonio]

my personal opinon is that 250 is a little thinner to my type of body, a feel more in control in my ninja 900 and finally de extra power is really nice to get away of trouble

[siksauce]

i ride a ninja250 its kool..........its also my first bike. been ridin for about 6 months...now its time to upgrade to a 600....but if i did it ova i would still get a 250.....helped me honed my skills as a rider....fo shizzle

[skyline44512]

I don't understand why everyone has to get a 600...They aren't fast enough to impress anyone, and 250s are faster than anyone NEEDS anyway. If I wanted a big bike, it would be 1000cc, but theres no need, so even after years of riding, I'm staying with the 250. The Ninja 650R is nice though, and still not too bad on gas or uncomfortable like a lotta 600 crotch rocket

[siksauce]

true true....but imma inch my way up to the 1000's sooner or later plus i like how a lot of the 600's and bigger bikes look....fo shizzle

[tsaxx444]

That Micheal Myers JR dude sounds like he's got some serious social issues, ha "I want a bike that impresses girls and a bike that can completely blow away a modern 5 second sports car, so I can ridicule him." You need to grow up and find a way to get out of this serious confidence issue.

[pirate69hate]

that's why there is natural selection

[skyline44512]

loo true

[tuberrifico]

Nice bike,nice gear,safe riding.

[Filo011]

just wandering wat size helmet are you wearing? looked like a medium? & how does the bike handle sitting on 100km's/h? i test rode one & i hated the bike, looked like crap & just wasn't worth the cash, if anything you should have bought the hyosung, it's 100 times better looking bike

dude why did you buy the gpx :(, your only feeding that faggets at kawa to keep building these peaces of shit, btw did you just ride away with the choke on?

[skyline44512]

whoa what country do you live in? this isnt a gpx its a ninja ex250 or 250r in the US. it handles very well up to 150km/hr and still does ok up to 170km/h, which is the top speed

[skyline44512]

oh and its a large helmet :)

[Filo011]

ahh you make it look good :D, i live in australia, melbourne, i'm currently riding a cbr250rr :D 1992, if you ever come down i'll give you a little ride :D, show you how a sports 250 is ment to handle

btw sorry if i came across like a douche it's just i hate the new kawas :(, they fell so far back from there zxr's

[boysinblack]

i wanna DIE!

[aruseb]

why spend all that money on a bike then, buy a rope, donate the money! joking, dont die.

[MichaelMyersJR]

that would be a perfect bike, but the DRZ hit me pretty hard, I used to liek sport bikes, but the DRZ400sm looks kinda better

[heresatissue]

Im 17 and I dont want a 250r even the 2007 because when you're on the highway and someone is trying to move lanes or merge you cant speed up to 90 and you have to slow down, which is obviously bad, thats why I got a 636. 636 looks way cooler than a 250 and maxes around 150mph.

[MichaelMyersJR]

Hey dude what do you think about the new Hyosung GT250r?...or maybe the United Motors V2s-250r?...they look 100 times better than the Ninja 250r...do you think its safe to buy em?

[skyline44512]

never heard of united motors, but Hyosung is total shit, remember you get what you pay for.

[MichaelMyersJR]

Really?...cause like if you look at hyosungs motorcycles and united motors motorcycles they are totally the same I heard its the same company with different names>....why is it shit?

[acraze21]

I have that bike now!! the blue one. Around the 3rd day I bought the bike I rode a 600cc, omg Ive wanted a 600 ever since, but Im still in my break in period and I dont want to go over 7k too long

[MichaelMyersJR]

Exactly what I was trying to say

[MichaelMyersJR]

I want a bike that I can show off to girls and crap, I want a bike that would beat guys in sport cars so I can yell Cars suck and Motorcycles rule, and I want a bike that has a high pitch sound

[skyline44512]

hah well good luck with insurance. if you want all that you better get a zx6r at the least. and doing the things you want to do, a crash is almost certain, so wear gear and hope it isnt fatal

[MichaelMyersJR]

Nah dude Im thinking of getting a Kat 600, they are cheap here where I live and sounds cool with a 300 dollar slip on, but if anything happens the ninja 250r is my second choice of bike

[skyline44512]

Just wanted to say, tonight riding around I found a kid on a Suzuki 600, and burned him from light to light with my Ninja 250. He was a total noob, didnt know when to shift and seemed afraid to get the bike rolling. Just more evidence supporting the idea that its the rider not the bike that counts

[MichaelMyersJR]

Yeah dude I know that, but what if the guy in the Gixxer was an expert who can ride?...or maybe what if it was a mustang cobra with 4 hot chicks in there trying to race you?

[dalejr802]

its the rider that counts dummy......

[skyline44512]

thank you! this kid who doesnt even have a bike is trying to argue. hes not even a noob yet lol

[skyline44512]

myersjr ur dad needs to grow up racing bikes on the highway. honestly - i dont even do shit like that im not even 20 yet. unless ur story is just BS

[MichaelMyersJR]

the story is true dude, we never intended to race but he was the one reving trying in the stop light, we never reached 100 only about 85 or 90, but he was behind our back, thats the first time I saw a ninja 250r and to tell you frankly I didnt like how it looked man, it looked kind of small for a sportbike

[skyline44512]

no, i used to ride bigger bikes i like my 250 better. i kept up with a hayabusa today for 40 miles of winding highway he couldnt get away until the road straightened out, then he rocketed away easily. i like the gas mileage and the decreased chance of death. ive been riding for 3 years i know what im doing and im sticking to the small bike.

[MichealMyerss]

how fast can that piece of shit bike go in first gear

[MichaelMyersJR]

Sweet another Michael Myers but he is kinda meaner lol...I like the ninja 250r except for its riding position...I think its too upright....is there a way to replace to bars and make it in a more hunch down racing position?

[hin6487]

those 2cyl ninjas can do 0-100 in high 5's, my zxr250 ninja can do it in low 5s on a nice cold day, even the 2 cyl will go harder than ur moms shopping trolley which u probably drive, so dun hate, appreciate

[MichaelMyersJR]

Honestly though I talked to some sport bike riders in my area, and they told me not to get a 250r because anyone can outgrow it in 4 months or so, some of em told me to get used sport bikes or the SV's...just saying

[hin6487]

250 ninjas r a gd 50kgs lighter than the 600cc-1L sports bikes, heaps ezr in turns, low speed manuevering, etc, n plenty of pace 2 keep up interested until u learn how 2 ride properly

[hin6487]

, sure, if u have the cash, go all out n get a K7 gixxer 4 all i care, n stack it in the 1st decreasing radius turn u get to, the 250 is just the most suitable option for most new riders, n as 4 ur bikey mates saying they outgrew a ninja from not knowing how 2 ride in 4 months, thats a bit of ego stroking going there

[MichaelMyersJR]

Well if you think about it for a new rider a new ninja 250r would cost about $3400 plus tax and everthing, with a top speed of 105 and 0-60 in 6 sec,

there are alot of used bikes for sale here where I live for about $4000 and that is a Katana 600, I even saw a 2005 SV650 with only like 2000 miles upforsale for $4600....and plus if its your first bike you will drop it sometime...its better to drop something used than something new...

[skyline44512]

u can get a used 250 for $2000. the 0-60 is under 5 seconds if you can double clutch and know when to shift

[MichaelMyersJR]

yeah man, I will never get a ninja 250r, earlier today there was a guy on a highway wanted to race with my dad's GTI, from the stop light he was revving his engine I thought we were gonna lose but I was wrong, he wont in the acceleration to about 65 and he lost when we reached about 100 we stopped and he just speeded away, I want a bike that can beat cars

[skyline44512]

ive never been beat by a car but i dont race on the freeway. a new rider over 100mph is almost sure to crash. i made the same mistake you are going to make, but at least i learned from it. my first bike was a ninja 500 w/ racing pipes, intake, and shit removed to make it lighter. It mustve had a diff sized sprocket too cuz it topped over 140mph with a quarter mile run @ 12.7

[skyline44512]

you might not drop your first bike. i dropped my first one a couple times just sitting still getting off lol but not everybody drops one. I also crashed that bike at 140mph around a decreasing radius freeway turn. i was such a noob back then lol but it was 2 years ago

[skyline44512]

it is impossible to outgrow this bike. because you get stupid and want to ride over 100 doesnt mean you outgrew the bike, it just means you're a typical sportbike rider. Ninja 250 is a sport bike by the way. I used to ride bigger faster bikes and I love my 250.

[wiritochi]

ninja 250 Doesnt suck . if you see my videos i've ridden from chico to LA back and forth many times thats 500+ miles each trip .you can go 90 on the freeway safely and thats enough. it is your choice if you want a bigger bike. i ride a 600 becase i like the speed, but i loved my ninja 250 which i just sold. :(

[Monoxide2K1]

hey i am thinking about buying a ninja 250, but i was wondering...does anybody kno if it is good with passengers? me myself im 5'8 160lbs and my girl is the only one ima carry round shes 5'4 120lbs... so i was wondering ninja 250 or 500? hit me back thankz

[skyline44512]

i have owned both bikes and ridden with passengers on both. my girlfriend is the exact same size/weight as yours, but i'm 6'1" 185lbs and the 250 rides great with both of us. I had the 500 up to 120 with a 140lb passenger, but I have not taken the 250 on the freeway with a passenger but im confident it will be fine. local roads it accelerated to 45mph (the limit) normally and handled great. the max load is 350lbs. id go with the 250, its much cheaper and gets better gas mileage

[farrfromtheordinary]

120 with a passenger? im not one for safety... but still, that dont sound to smart

[skyline44512]

its not bad if the passenger knows how to stay still and you only do it where there isnt any traffic on a straight road

[DJSnipa]

Stupid move dude! You never have the choke on while riding! It does very harmful engine damage.

[skyline44512]

yeah i dont normally ride with it on, i just didnt want to run out of record time on my digital camera before i took off. i didnt know it hurt the engine though, thanks i wont do it again.

[DJSnipa]

BTW Dropping into gear with throttle messes up your transmission.

[wiritochi]

nice bike . i have one myself on red. bought it 7 months ago put 7000 miles on it and i bought a ZZR600 a week ago. love the mpg on the 250 , my ZZR wastes gas like a car. check out my videos of both ninja 250 and ZZR600

[MichealMyerss]

OMG ninja 250r you must be kidding me...thats a freakin scooter go get yourself a zzr600 500 and below are just to weak...a van can even beat a ninja 250r in the long run....you dont really need gear for the 250r because it cant go that fast

[redbeast2]

The ninja 250 has a top speed of 105 mph unmodified. Scooters top out at 45 mph and falling off at 105 mph does indeed require gear... you're not very knowledgeable about bikes are you?

[skyline44512]

yeah listen to redbeast. if you havent noticed theres nowhere in the US where the speed limit is 105, so its still faster then i ever need to go. i used to ride bigger bikes, but i like the 250 because i cant go 160mph on the freeway like a jackass and die. no temptation. I run a 13.9 quarter and 0-60 in just under 5 seconds, and thats plenty fast. ill take my 80mpg over death or medical bills. grow up

[tiger507]

lol yup!!! dats why! wow man ur good thinker why take the risk of dying just to show ur fast!! i mean we all know they r fast so dumb people think they impress people by risking their lives!! Fnck dat! and im only 18!! lol fnck speed just for the gas and to look cool!

[tiger507]

hell yea u need gear the 250 is still a motorcycle u dumbass!! its like for beginners but u still need to practice safety!!! cant wait to get mine pretty soon!!

[afireinside200]

you sure like to talk shit dont you? judging by whats on your page this is NOT the first time either.  get a life and stop annoying people on youtube. its just stupid, dude.

[ridnkawi]

Gear doesn't prevent you from dying it prevents you from getting road rash and serious injuries.

[skyline44512]

what are you talking about? serious injurious can kill you. Guess what, a helmet will prevent you from dying, a helmet is riding gear. Who honestly thinks a helmet won't prevent you from dying?

[ridnkawi]

Yes serious injuries can kill also. Gear or no gear if the accident is serious enough you can still die. So what's your point?

[skyline44512]

my point is people should wear gear if they want to live, most motorcycle fatalities could have been prevented had the rider been wearing proper gear. just lookin out for my fellow bikers

[ridnkawi]

I agree with you 100%. If you're gonna ride you should have full gear.

[redbeast2]

ridnkawi... if you fall off and bang your head against the pavement, how does a helmet not save your life? if you fall off and fall on your back, how does gear not protect your spine from breaking and paralyzing you from the neck down?