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Originally posted by BlackNGold:
I used a Ninja 250 for commuting for almost a year...It was great fun!...

It's a slimmer bike so, lane splitting is easier than a Harley...It was heavy for a small bike, but lighter than a 600, so it was easier to maneuver..I could out ride quite a few 600's on Mines road ...Top speed 110 once, for some reason I could only hit 104-5 after that, lol (messed up carb?(wasn't my bike))...More power is better right?...But my point with the top speed is everyone says to get a bigger faster bike, well I think a stock 250 is good for mid 14's in the 1/4, how fast do you plan on goin in traffic???...Remember if you make a mistake on a faster bike, your crash will be faster too...I ride a 2011 GSX-R 750 now, and in traffic it is a waste of a sport bike...I think comfort should be more of an importance when choosing your first bike, especially on a longer commute...

On the down side, if you plan on commuting over the Altamont, then forget a 250...It will blow all over the place and you'll need more torque on the up hills...On a side note, one day the brake pads on the 250 wore low and came out and got stuck in the forks...Luckly I was just down the street from my house when it happened...It could have been all BAD!...

I think it depends on your skill level, but for a first bike I don't see that much wrong with a 250...
just my .02

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