2013 Beginner Sportbike Shootout part 2: Kawasaki Ninja 300 vs. Honda CBR500R vs. Kawasaki Ninja 650
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- If we got a dime every time we were asked what to buy as a first bike, we could easily buy a Kawasaki Ninja 300, Honda CBR500R or Kawasaki Ninja 650, three bikes we feel are best suited to answer the query. The truth is, there isn't a simple answer anymore. Height, weight, natural ability, and of course wallet size all play important roles in determining which motorcycle you should start on.
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If you consider the CBR500R do it... go sit on it go test it... im required to be on a underpowered bike for a year and i plan to upgrade... but right now... after 5 months owning this bike... i can't think of a single complaint... enough power to enjoy the twisties... a good sound for a parallel twin. comfortable at freeway speed. looks amazing... doesn't cost an arm and a leg to service. good on fuel and much more.. its going to be a bitter sweet day when i upgrade to a gsxr 750 :P
As you mature, (if you survive) you'll realize the CBR500 isn't under powered. As you said, it's fast enough to be fun, but not so fast that you're always in trouble. Fast enough to cruise at 80 mph, but perfectly happy around town too.
For reference, I started with an SV650, worked up to a FJR1300, and back down to a 1st gen Ninja 250. Rode with my buddy, who had a GSX-R750 and we traded rides for a while. That Gixxer made a solid 30 more horsepower than the little SV, but everywhere except on the expressway, the SV was quicker. The Gixxer, by the time it got into the meaty part of its power band was speeding like a demon. You're going to have a hell of a time staying out of trouble on it.
Anyway, I went into that whole tangent to let you know that of all the 10 bikes I've had, the most fun ones were the SV650 and the Ninja 250. I could use their power all the time and not be in trouble, and they handled the twisties SO well! The gearbox on the Suzuki was the best. The Ninja 250 was the most fun on 35 mph twisty back roads, and amazingly, it could cruise at 75 mph. (although screaming away over 10k RPM while doing it) It wasn't buzzy, so it didn't matter.
OK, so I'm going to tell you what's wrong with this video, and then I'm going to tell you what I did from my experience. First off, these bikes are WAY too expensive to be buying for a first bike. Who wants to spend between 5k-8k on a first bike, that you MIGHT drop, and will DEFINITELY outgrow between a few months up to a year or so??? I'm 6'1 about 220lbs. My inital thought was to buy the Ninja 300 brand new. I sat on the bike, and my friend, the dealer and myself all said I looked too big for the bike. My friend and the salesman both said I'd get sick of the bike in a few months and want to upgrade to a bigger, better bike. I then decided to NOT drop around $6k ( total between bike and taxes ) and continued my search on Craigslist. I found a 2005 Ninja 250 with about 4,000 miles on it selling for $1,800. I chewed the guy down and bought it for $1,500. The bike was in PERFECT condition. I rode that for about 3 months and decided I wanted a bigger bike, something that suited me better. I went to the dealership and decided I wanted either the Suzuki GSX-R 750, or a Kawasaki Ninja 636. Both felt nice, but the Ninja just felt better. It also has an OUTSTANDING electronics package that no other 600 class bike has. It has 2 different power modes, 3 different levels of traction control AND I bought the optional ABS, and has an INCREDIBLE slipper clutch. ( Slipper Clutches are great when downshifting, as it prevents the back wheel from locking up if you don't rev match correctly. However, it is my opinion that you should learn on a bike without any electronic help, and without a slipper clutch, so that one can learn how to do everything properly before getting all the fancy options, which is why I purposely learned on an old 250r with none of these options) I went to a bunch of dealerships and continued haggling until they just wouldn't go down any further in the price. I traded in my Ninja 250 and got EXACTLY the same trade in value that I paid for the bike. It cost me NOTHING to learn on that bike!! Now I ride a 2013 Kawasaki Ninja ZX6-R 636 w/ ABS, by far THE BEST all-around 600 class bike out there! If I would have paid all that money for a learner's bike and still be riding around on a 300, I'd be MISERABLE. However, the one drawback to owning a 600 Supersport is that you can not use about 60% of the bike's capabilities LEGALLY on the streets here in NYC where I live. I LOVE my bike to no end, but in a way I wish I would still have my 250 also, because you could use about 90% of the bike legally on city street, and its so much fun to really ring out the engine and make it scream! On my 636, I can do 65 mph in first gear, and still have 5 more gears to go LOL. So you can't really ring it out and go bananas on it like you can on a 250. For all those people that buy liter bikes, I laugh at them. There is absolutely NO NEED for a liter bike on city streets. So that is my advice to all you men and women out there looking for a bike to learn on. Find a really good used bike for cheap, as they ARE out there!! Ride that till YOU are comfortable. Don't put a time limit on it. Just because I only rode mine for 2 months doesn't mean you'll be ready that fast. It also doesn't mean you wont be ready earlier. What I am saying is DON'T rush it. Bike are dangerous, as are all those assholes in cars talking on their cell phones. You want to be able to have as much control over the bike as possible, which includes swerve maneuvers, downshifting, turning, etc. Practice slow speed maneuvers especially. Once you have all that down, you are ready to move up. Then you start the process all over again on the bigger bike, except this time it will all come much easier and faster to you because you already know the basics. I hope my experience helps whoever follows my steps. Ride safe!!!
I thought of getting a kawasaki 300 for a first bike but the sound it made and looks of me 5 9 225lbs made it look small. I thought of GSX-R 750 and finally went with a 2013 Kawasaki 636 for a first bike. This bike has plenty of power and looks good too :)
KrazyFace Thank you this helped me so much there is a used ninja 250 for only 4000 so i think i would get that the only problem i have is that it is not fuel injected so if i upgrade the exhaust i have to reject the carb which is alot of work i did this in my auto class in school.....The engine was hitting the red line lol so i don't know how to work on a carb properly XD
KrazyFace
There is absolutely NO NEED for a liter bike on city streets. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. There is absolutely NO NEED for a 636 on city streets. If you wanted to be practical you should have bought a station wagon.
Hans Zarkov hans you just said you ride a z1000 a liter bike and your complaining about his 636? He even said it himself that he can only use 60% of its power and im sure he is going to sell it soon for the fun factor and why a station wagon? If i get a motorcycle im going to have a car for winter but a station wagon is just harsh...
kiddeath921
I was not 'complaining' about a 636. I was mocking him for being overly dramatic.
I bought the Ninja 300 with ABS and added a nice alarm kit to it so far. I can't wait for summer.
What alarm kit to you have installed, if you don't mind Mr asking? I am looking for something for my 2013-Kawasaki 636 and not sure what yet.
I can't remember off hand (dealership installed it for when I bought it), and I can't find the manual for it. It's a very twitchy alarm by default, haven't messed around with the settings to make it less sensitive yet (the wind is enough to set it off). But I recently discovered that it was the alarm that was permanently killing my battery within a week of no use (went through 4 batteries before narrowing it down to that). I even kept it in the shed after each use so the alarm wouldn't go crazy. I don't know if the alarm is defective or if it's just the settings, but right now, I took the battery out for the winter and plan on figuring something out for next summer.
Next time I find the manual, I'll re-post in here and let you know which one to stay away from. I want to say it's made by Grizzly cuz that's the name I can remember, but I get the feeling it's not made by them.
turgsh01 damm dead battery that sucks definitely Not something I would like to go through. It's bad enough I added a a Yoshimura Rs4 exhaust, and a PCV. And after installing the PCV the bike hesitates to start when warm have to hold the throttle open. I'm working on getting it remapped again soon hopefully it will fix the problem.
Finally a well made, intelligent video about the different bikes and riders, Cheers
Next time you should have 1 guy try out all 3 bikes. User experience is already so subjective so when you switch the rider there's really no telling what's what anymore.
True. Or all three riders ride each bike. I have owned a dozen bikes in my life and some faster and racier than the ER-6 but overall it is a great bike for anyone. In some ways more fun than my Speed Triple, but of course I wouldn't trade "backwards," LOL.
Also why is the Gladius not in this comparo? Another superb bike.
DHScherocha Take the fairing off the er6f or "Ninja 650" (it's not a Ninja... it just isn't) and you have the er6n, which is a naked commuter, too. IMO the er6f isn't really that "sporty", it's a budget middleweight wearing a sportsbike frock.
As an introduction to sportbikes goes I think they're all missing the boat. The engine configuration is something you'll never find in today's sports bikes, which're all IL4's, and the characteristics are way different, from the outputs they produce to the way they produce them.
Aside from the riding position and fact they're faired none of these are really a good indication of what a sportbike is, what one does, or how it feels. Not to say they're bad bikes, because they're not... But I don't get why they'd put a parallel twin engine in them :\
Perhaps the Gladius' predecessor, the SV650, would've been a better suggestion? The faired version has a very sporty riding position (clipons to the naked's upright bars), uncomfortable I've heard, though. The v-twin engine still isn't what you find in most modern sports bikes, but at least it has some character. They've had their own race series, and race at the TT alongside the er6f's... suppose that's some credit to them.
I can't tag Christopher King for some reason, but I'd never trade a Street Triple in for any of those bikes. They're all budget bikes, whereas the Triple really isn't. It's probably the best bike in it's category.
They all tried each of the bikes. That's why it took them all day.
I have the 500R, still sometimes during city riding wish I went for the Ninja 300. However on long trips the 500 rocks. No perfect purchase.
Planning to buy a 500 to learn on, then buy something larger when I want to upgrade and keep the 500 as a commuter bike.
I recently picked up the CBR 500r. I'm not an expirenced rider what so ever but I enjoy it a lot. plus you couldn't beat the deal I got on it
What did you pay? Congrats btw
+Danny Menary it's a 2013 with Only 5k miles, for $2500. And thanks!
How much did u pay?
I'm guessing $2500...just a guess.
That's actually a pretty killer deal!
That CBR500r looks like the best to me. It's sorta the gray area between the two sort of sorting out the positives and negatives of the two ninja. Though, that 300 looks friggen sexy and, imo , looks the best. I would go with the Honda though. Perfect for your average rider.
God i hate i hate digital tachometers, i dont mind digital speedometers but there is something god awful about not seeing a needle counting your revs
Have you tried one on YOUR bike yet? I was against them in theory, but then I got the Honda shown here, and it is great. So much more compact, but no less legible than a classical analog tach.
Just bought a brand new Ninja 300. It has the perfect combination of sportiness, power, and user-friendliness imo. The CBR500r would be my next choice, but I prefer the sharp racing look of the Ninja over the more practical look of the CBR. As for people saying buying brand new bikes for beginners is dumb, remember, for you to buy a used bike, someone else at some point had to buy that bike new. I can afford it, so I'm going to do it. Now not only do I get the novelty of riding a brand new bike, but when I sell it in the future someone else who cannot afford the brand new one will be able to buy mine at a good price. Win/win for me and the riding community.
I tell my friends to buy used beginner bikes cause you will get over it fast. I've traded in 4 bikes in a year and a half losing 200-500 bucks every trade. Had I went and got a new bike every time I'd lose 2-3k every trade for no reason
ak15567 Well, in my case even if I want to buy a bigger bike, I can't because of insurance costs for at least another 3 years. So I suppose I'm not in the same position as you.
I bought my first bike to be the Honda CBR500R. Man I love that bike. Yeah, it's doesn't have the ergonomics of a big super bike like others but it's so much fun. I can't talk about the clutch/brakes on the Ninja but I can say how much easier it is to handle the clutch of my bike over my parents(who are Harley people). A lot easier to learn how to start, stop, and start up hills which in my case my house is on the bottom of a hill.
I ride a Z1000 and I would not call the Ninja 650 a beginner's bike. Guys who have been riding for a while tend to be really out of touch with what horrible riders newbies are, and the noobs believe they are much better than they are because they haven't killed themselves yet.
Hans Zarkov im a newbie always looking to learn, how should I go about getting better?
For the love of the money
If you can, I recommend buying a motocross bike and riding the heck out of it. You will learn a lot about thing like; how quickly a bike can get away from you, balance, and how to wipe out with grace and walk away from it. And you can learn these things without worrying about being run over by a 4,000 lb missile or ground to pulp by asphalt.
Thanks for the tip, always figured there was a trick to wiping out all the pros seem to do so in the same fashion.
My first bike was the ninja 650. But I consider myself above average in the hand eye coordination area.
I have to agree with you there. I had my ninja 300 for 3 weeks before I did a wheelie and totaled. I messed up badly. But lesson learned for sure.
engine sound would have been better than the music
I'm a stone cold learner on a Ninja 300. Absolutely love it, would call it the perfect bike for a learner. Characterful engine loves a rev, chassis inspires confidence during performance riding, very frugal.
Vices?
-Short reach to grips so if you tuck in you'll feel a bit cramped
-OEM screen doesn't offer much wind protection (easily fixed with an aftermarket double bubble)
One of the main things first timer will ask about is power: You'll want more, but you sure as hell won't need it.
I started riding on a Kawasaki ER6N at driving school and continued after passing my licence with an 2012 ER6F (Ninja 650) and never have regret it yet.
More power than you actually need, top speed of >200km/h way enough to me and I also did an 8hours trip countryside with short break for launch (15Mins) and two tank stops with good comfort.
Price might be lot higher than on a 300 or 500 but you won't feel the need to upgrade for quite some time if ever.
I'd love to own a ninja 300
saving up for one right now. can't wait.
Check out the new Yamaha R3, looks awesome and has a bit more power
They're all nice bikes
Well the reviewers have effectively said nothing useful about any of these bikes or the character of the engines. What is it with these lame ass reviews for cars and bikes? I must be spoiled on U.K. Top Gear
Test ridden the 300 Ninja last year. I didn't get much seat time, only about 40 min, but I would say it reminded me a lot of my old bike, 90' FZR 400. Very nimble, yet a solid feel. Corner speed is where it's at. Fun, fun, and fun.
I really love that orange helmet with the (looks like) fixed face shield. However, I live in Arizona and constantly crack the visor because it is almost a million degrees here.
This is SO GREAT I saw a guy (a rider) on a 300 on my way in to work this morning and he flicked that bike into a 90 degree turn like it was nothing he looked as if he were a Moto 3 rider on a closed course cup race in my city. It was bugged out how well the bike turned. I ride an ol' school big body 750 and I dont think I could have tossed my bike that way when I first started riding so good for him (or her) and 300 riders everywhere!!!!
If it was still available in the states, I would of picked the suzuki SV650s.... Again... Still got mine after 4+ years of riding and still love it.
Seeing this video in 2023 looking back it’s great to see how far beginner bikes have come with bikes like Ninja 400 Royal Enfield 650 , Kawasaki WR800 , on second thought skip those get the Kawasaki 650
I bought a 2012 ninja 650 great bike. Surprisingly its fairly easy to flick around.
I just bought a 650 in the Philippines. I was driving the speed limit and when I came over a hill there was trash from a garbage truck all over the road. I wiped out big time. I was wearing shorts and the shirt, my arm got all ate up. The bike only has 125 miles on it, so brand new. So it is at the shop getting fixed. I think the handlebars might be a touch bent, which means I will need to buy more. It sucks sliding on concrete lol
I never cease to be amazed at what is considered a beginner's bike nowadays. Not that long ago, a 750 with ~70 hp was about as big a bike as you could get. Midrange bikes were 350 to 500 with ~42 hp and beginner bikes were 250 or smaller with less than ~25 hp.
Even with those specs, many beginners found themselves over their heads quickly. I don't believe people are being born with more inherent skill today so I suspect the narrow profit margin on small bikes is a factor here.
I bought the CBR, and I'm not a beginner. I found out that smaller bikes are more fun everywhere except on the super slab. Was thinking about the Ninja 300, but decided the extra torque in the Honda's power curve would make it more fun. Also thought about the CBR300R, but they're buzzy at highway speed; a single cylinder was a poor choice; definitely a cost-saving move by Honda. 650s are starting to get big and heavy again. (my first bike was an SV650) Also expensive. 8 grand for a budget-built Kawasaki? Yikes. I'd rather have an old Honda CBR F4i and save a few grand in the process.
Noobies, please don't go into it thinking you'll need to upgrade. Just stay away from your friends on the 4 cylinder 600+ bikes and actually learn how to ride. I recommend two books: "A Twist of the Wrist II" by Keith Code, and "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough. Do that and put it into practice, and you'll not only survive, but you'll leave your buddies behind when the road turns twisty.
500cc below bikes are not just for beginners, they are also for riders who are experienced enuf. so much experienced that they realize cc is not the measure of how good u are
It is a 2 cylinder, and it has wide bars. It is just for bigger beginners, it's throttle response is fairly forgiving (especially if you get a new one and follow break in restrictions). I passed my license test on an '08, and ride a '12 now. The 12 feels a bit more torquey and the stock exhaust sounds better. The 12 and 13 have a much better seat as well... He is right about the pegs, they could be a bit lower, but not terrible.
I agree it may be pushing it a little. The article in the description of the video expounds on the reason why they included the 650 in their comparison. You should check it out! It's a quick read.
Nice review! I am a beginner rider myself. I own a Ninja 300 and I love it. It drives and looks great, good engine, clutch, weight distribution. It has more than enough power for beginners, after 3 month of riding this bike it still can scare me a bit at full throttle. The only thing that I don't quite like about it is exaust sound, but it's fixable :)
Great video! Trying to decide on my first bike, and this comparison was great.
I agree completely, i cant believe that recommending a 600 to a novice is deemed reasonable by these people
There are plenty of Americans who don't buy 1000cc, wear helmets, and leathers... and there are no laws forcing us to do so. For example, my first bike was a suzuki gs500f. I only wish these bikes were out back in '04 what a pos, carbureted, and budget parts all over
the ninja 650r might have higher cc, but its riding position is like a sports-tour. That was my first bike and it's great for freeway commutes, canyon rides, and track days. the 125 150 and 250's are not freeway friendly because of the winds, and they can overheat over the summer. The 650r also has a lower insurance rate.
i test ride 3 of them... and i chose cbr500r.. for my suit style and purpose..
Some people are just stupid why they so negative about if you a beginner riding your first bike you gonna drop it so what if you have motorcycle insurance full coverage they pay to get it fix some people don't have money to waste on getting A 250cc I say get what you want and have self control take your time
I like the beefy sound ofthe 650 exhaust note
I've come from many performance cars and now at 40 got a bike. A '10 650r /ER-6f in my market with ABS. Happy with it and will no doubt keep it for another year or so to get more experience but in spite of decent power, it could still have quite a bit more when you want it. I have eyes set on a Z1000sx already. The 300 and 500... they just wouldn't have enough power to keep me happy for long. You would get better duel economy though, mine isn't great.
for me Yamaha xj6 naked is a beautiful bike ,very easy to ride and very torque as well !
I wouldn't buy a bike where only one of the headlights is on. "Hey buddy you got a burnt out light" gets tiring after the 13th time.
Just leave your high beams on during the day - safer anyway.
never heard that one either on my 250
Rycast no. dont do that. fuck you for doing that
Do you have logic to support your opinion (or your avatar)?
theyre bright as fuck and hurt other drivers eyes.
sitting/leaning on the right side of the bike in the beginning....who's the beginner?
Keeping it real, I have a cbr500r, good bike, fun, but i wish i had gotten a ninja 300 or R3....simply because they are so light and easy to flick around, and you can rev them to the moon, and they have all the power up top, which is FUN!!!!!!!
I like to rev up bikes high, and flick them around
The new CBR650F is sexy and affordable but damn 87 horses it produced clearly is for the extra fun but you know I just got started so 500 is perfect for daily commuting and fuel economy.
4 cylinder is sure going to sip a lot more than a P-twin that's for sure.
650 is like for someone who wants to move up from 500 and already had few back up bikes and I didn't have single one so no regret going with a 500.
I went from a 06 GSXR600 to a 13 CBR500R and no regrets. The powerband is so much better for the street. The GSXR600 was not that fun unless its flying like a bat of of hell.
Motorcycle.com Good one, thanks guys. Honda CBR650F is just out, it'd be great to see a middleweight shootout with that and the Yamaha FZ-09 in particular. Yamaha seems to have more for the money but I'd love to see it. Throw in some other models as well!
Ninja 650 is really kind of heavy for a beginning rider and can go 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds. It know it rips from demoing it at Kawa days. I have the CBR500R and it is a lot of fun once the motor breaks in and the rather stiff tire breaks in as well. I did test the Ninja 300 once and its a lot of work to get it going.
Couldn't help but lol when they advocated the CBR and one of the headlights were out.
I am getting my motorcycle endorsement in the spring. At 6'0 and 200 lbs I'm thinking of sitting on the Ninja 300 or the CBR300/500. The 500 seems like it'll keep me interested for a season or two longer than a 300 would, but I don't want longevity to be the deciding factor. I love the green Ninjas, but I also love the better gauges on the Hondas. Tough choice here.
GT6SuzukaTimeTrials Ninja 300 IMO. If you throw the money difference into a full exhaust system, a new k&n air filter and a power commander you could gain around 8 horsepower, putting you on par with the CBR500 in what I believe to be a much better bike.
I got my Ninja650 with abs for 6k. Not a bad bike at all. Very comfortable and lots of power for a 600 size bike. The only thing I have a hard time with is taking sharp turns, getting it to stick is kinda hard.
I disagree. I'm a beginner and started on a 2012 Ninja 650 and doing just fine. Took me around 100 miles before I got completely comfortable riding it everywhere, now I can't stop riding. You really have to be asking for trouble to get in trouble. Yes it's capable of accelerating very fast, but very unlikely to mistakenly do so as the gears are shorter and throttle not as sensitive as most supersport bikes.
4:50 THREE bikes through THAT corner and NOT ONE crash? Didn't see that in a while!
You watch too many crash compilations with people who don't know how to ride.
my fz6r was 67hp and a great first bike, only lasted a season and went to a 675 daytona though, but a great learners bike
Kawasaki ninja 300 ABSis the best bike you could ride for a beginner. Very light = sharp handling... and since my parents won't buy me an expensive bike, my choice is the 300 ABS.
I started on a Honda CBF125 then Suzuki GSF 650 now saving for a Honda VFR800
With a flash tune and full exhaust and aftermarket air filter, the 300 Ninja is less than 2 hp away from the CBR 500. So I would still take the lightest bike of the group.
Nicely balanced reviews boys
I have a 300 its a great beginner and fun bike. Ive taught a 16 yr old the basics and he can ride
If your still young go for the naked versions.....ER6n, Cb500r and 390duke. Saves lots of money on insurance.
That car looks so nice!
The biggest thing for me is I'm 18, 5'11 180 lbs and have been dirt bikes and quads all my life and im looking to buy a sports bike and my biggest thing is finding one that will fit me best but also will allow me to become a better rider on a sports bike so if anyone has any pointers or bikes they think would be best for someone like me it would be very helpful
Yamaha fz6r is a great option
First of all that was great review guys, thanks a lot, this will really help a lot of buyers in choosing their first bikes. I personally loved all the 3 bikes, I think it'd just be unfair to compare them all as each bike has its own qualities & its suited for different riders. Overall, a great review again, thank you :)
Orange retro-styled space helmet is super cool and weird
I don't think buying a first bike brand new is dumb. I'm going to buy a new 2014 cbr500r this winter for about $5,600 ODT (I'm going to ask for $4,500 OTD first to low ball the dealer) and i am gonna treat it as if it was a baby. I am also planning to install the best frame sliders I can find, bar ends and rear spools. The reason to buying the bike brand new is that I'm most likely gonna keep it for 7 years maybe even more. Even when I turn 25 (18 now) I will probably get a cbr600r and most likely still keep my cbr500r (mostly for commuting because of the great mpg). Then I will ride my 600 on the highway and 500 for the city. Not sure how it will workout trying to manage two bikes. Any suggestions or comments or experience about this please let me know by replying to this comment (who knows... You might help out other people too)
Learned on a 2007 ninja 250 and upgraded to a 2009 Versys. I actually miss my 250 because it did feel like a toy and the handling was better. My Versys feels more top heavy making u turns unpleasant. But because I'm 6 foot 285 pounds the Versys fits my body more.
If I was between 190 to 210 pounds I would go for the ninja 300. It would make a great city bike. Highway riding I would use a bigger bike.
NSR250,RS250,CBR400
1990s - ZX2R,250RR,GSX250
The best beginner SPORTBIKES.
The ninja 300, ER6f ("ninja"...except it's not)
And cbr500r are as far away from SPORTBIKES as you can get.
All single or twin cylinders, all 100% upright seating position.
Get a used 90s cbr250 RR.
As quick as the ER6F, and sounds much sweeter to boot, with a true leaned sports bike like seating position.
All bikes featured on this video are great beginner bikes, but I you want to get into sport bikes, get something that I've listed...
Neither the ninja 300 not the "ninja" 650 are sport bikes.
The "ninja" 650 is an ER6N with a fairing thrown on...
A.k.a ER6F. (F stands for faired while N stand for naked. It was renamed ninja to potentionally increase sales)
I had an R3. test ride CBR 500 and Suzuki Gladius 650. the CBR felt like a top heavy slow to lean for turns compared to R3 and not much quicker. it felt slow sluggish and gut less compared to SFV 650. so I went with Suzuki. the low positioning of the Vtwin makes the extra 50 lbs over the R3 barely noticeable. the 650 feels more planted in tighter corners than the lighter R3. so skip the CBR and go 650 Vtwin or parallel try them all!
I completely disagree on the ninja 650. Having the higher rear sets give you that better lean in angle but the higher bars save your back if you have problems or can't retain the hunched over position. CBR needs some juice. HP is very lower considering the KTM 390 is pushing close to that with just 1 cylinder and less displacement. Ninja 300. Honestly I think it would be a blast to race around. Gets me vote for best bike for the money.
+Tay CBR is set to 35kw due to international A2 licensing restriction demanding maximum of 35kw/48hp engine power. Also note that it is in reality 471cc. In general the CBR500R's larger engine pushes more towards reliability and much better fuel efficiency than the RC390 (CBR runs 27 km/l compared to 22km/l of the KTM). In this class power really isn't everything :)
+Daniel Kemnitz ah, being an American we don't have these licensing limitations. makes sense and I guess I did have it wrong considering Honda pushes that limit of the a2 license. thx for informing me
+Tay No problem! It is a rather new class, the 35kw class, so that's why Honda invested hard in the CBR500R and it probably seems more justified from a European point of view :D still, the better mileage and low end torque still makes it very competitive against the 300-400cc bikes imo :)
You're looking too much on the paper specs. The CBR has a nearly perfect engine. Only tiny complaint is that it makes no torque at VERY low RPM, so 1st gear is really short; only good for about 15 mph. After that, it takes off like a little rocket. It has a huge midrange, and pulls harder than you'd think it would.
I have a ninja 300 and ride 1199 pani. The ninja is still fun and i still havnt exceeded the limit of the 300 yet
Deciding on what to get for my first bike, the only thing i know for sure is that i dont want a 250 and i dont want a 600. But i cabt decide between the 300 or 500!!
So i think these bikes are NO beginner bikes. Here in Germany you can get a motorcycle driving license with 16 years. That said you can only drive a 125ccm bike. With 18 years you can choose to make a shorted driving test for the higher license. If you do it this way then i would recommend one of these bikes. But for a an absolut beginner, its not recommended.
You just need to add a aftermarket slip on exhaust to it, the stock pipes hides way too much of the nice Ptwin sound.
to be honest I think people should start out on a used bike and sell it in a year or so. The value that the bike will lose is going to be less then a new bike. If you know you will outgrow it in year and sell it, is it worth spending roughly extra $1000 dollars in depreciating value over a year? Meaning would you pay a $1000 ore just so you can ride a brand new shiny motorcycle? As a new rider you should learn how the bike works how to replace oil, brake fluid, pads. The little stuff so you can save up some money, in the long run and that will help you once you move on to the big bikes.
The number of cylinders matter... The bikes in the video have parallel twins, not inline fours. The Ninja 650 makes only 65 horsepower. Any 600cc inline four Japanese supersport would make just over 100 horsepower. That's quite the difference.
Any of these bikes for a 1st bike is a NICE way to get into the sport. Its not like its a crap bike from CL that runs every other day.
All 3 have the one headlight out look.
650 isn't part of the 600 super sport. It's more of a sport-tour due to its v-twin. For you it's a good starter bike. Like they said; it has good garage life.
I had the Ninja 650 as my first bike big bike, but I had experience on smaller scooters before. Tt's too much torque down low for most beginners and I wouldn't recommend it as a first bike. Also, the rear shock on mine sucked (2007 model). The CBR is probably the best choice here.
CBR 300 announced now!
CBR500RA is SUPERB ! I know because I OWN one and I LOVE IT !!!
It would have been nice to see the Yamaha fz6 in this review. Great job though, loved it!
Nice video, but I'd like to see more comparable "beginner sportbike" over 600cc like FZ6R vs Ninja 650 vs sv650s vs gsx650f. For me, a bike under 600cc isn't even valuable due to over taking abilities that is a huge factor for me...
horsepower doesn't count? So you're saying the z1000, or fz1 are beginner bikes? Ninja 650 is the BIGGEST I would recommend as a starter bike. And for some people it's pushing it.
I hear other people saying that, but my insurer doesn't care about anything except displacement.
I'll take one of each!
If you really want to to learn how to ride a bike instead of learning how to survive it, then the 300 or 500 is the perfect motorcycle.
Sucks they dont mention the Ducati Monster 696, a way more newb friendly bike than the kawi 650.
If I don't find out the name of the into song I'm going to get the biggest headache and I used to listen to that song and now I can't remember it!
That's about half of what a 600cc I4 puts out. So yeah I'd say it's better for a beginner. I'd still steer a smaller rider towards a 250/300 tough.
I just got a CRF250l, and its a great bike, but the stock taillights are so freaking ugly. I didn't realize they also used the exact same taillight on the cbr 500!!!
I test rode the 12 Kawa 650 and its a fast bike, on the street its barely slower than a 600ss.
How come they never just pick the winner on video? Always gotta go to their website and read about the winner lol. Great video though and I much rather have the 300. Only bad thing I see about that bike is the price. That bike should've been 3 grand
That's fine, if you can learn quicker then others, but that's not the general rule of thumb, and to suggest other wise, or recommend, is irresponsible, you train people to control the ride first, so when they do have a faster bike, they can get use to the speed, without also having to get used to just riding in the first place; you wouldn't do a car test in a sports car would you?
they did a review of the cbr250r vs the 300 and hyosung. It's on their channel and no the ninja 300 is outselling the cbr250r :)
Ninja 300 is a great bike especially for beginners and abs is $300 so get it cuz abs on any other bike is over $1k. Its light weight flickable comfy easy to ride and forgiving. 7k rpm + is where the power is. Below that its tame for just riding around almost too tame.
Problem... the bike stalls during deceleration. There is a recall so get it fixed. Not a good feeling to have the bike die on you all of a sudden. Dont take dealerships word that its bad gas or water in the fuel lines or any of that crap. Check & recheck. My local dealer always tries to pin the problem on the rider or the buyer its never their fault.
Turns out theres a recall. I go an hour away to another dealer bcuz its worth it. Tired of the crappy service & their bs. Great bike though. GET ONE! You cant beat the price either.
Awesome thanks for the information, subscribing
I hate to sound nit-picky here, but none of these are entry bikes. Chances are, you'll drop your first bike within the first two years of owning it. There's no shame in that; it's just a part of life. $4000+ is just not reasonable.
Guys... wait: an 650cc for a first bike? I've always heard that beginners should start with little engines (125, 150, 250). I'm considering purchasing my first bike... and would Luke to start with a BMW 650GS or a HD 883 iron (I know... Different styles, but I love both). What you guys think about it?
500 wins it for me.
If you check the review at their website they mention for taller riders the cbr500r was better.
they always only have one light one all the time until you change to full beam then both come on