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Another noob

2K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  Muhammad Zahid 
#1 · (Edited)
Howdy folks! I've been lurking around here for a little while and finally decided to join. I got my endorsement back in 2013, and owned an 08 Ninja 250 for a little under 3 years before I sold it. I'm in college in Ohio and it was getting to be a pain in the butt to move around as the seasons and semesters changed. I wanted to jump up to a 'bigger' bike next time around, but it's been so long, I decided to hop back on one of the smaller bikes. Not to mention, I wasn't displeased with the power of my 250. The bump up in HP may just be perfect for me long term.

Fast forward to today, and I'm looking to get back onto two wheels. I've been looking at the 300-400 class and pretty much decided on a R3 or Ninja 400. The 400 seems to be running for an extra $1000 and I like the looks of the R3 better, so that's what I'm looking for. I just can't decide if I want the new gen or old gen. I like the blue 2019, but I've seen some older ones for around $2500, which is about $1000 less than what I'm seeing for the 19.

I'm going to play around here for a bit and see if I can decide whether to save the money and get a older one or bite the bullet for the 19! Looks like you guys have some great info on here! Hopefully I'll be in the R3 club fairly soon as the weather is getting nice!
 
#2 ·
Welcome to the Forum. The R3 has been out since 2015, with only a few cosmetic changes. IMO, the inverted front shocks weren't a big improvement... just a change. There have been some Yamaha Safety Recalls, so be sure to check for those after your purchase. Easily done on Yamaha's website by plugging in the bike's VIN. But overall the R3 has been fairly bulletproof. Enjoy.
 
#3 ·
I would 100% either get a 2019+ or buy a different bike, personally (and in fact I just bought a new '19). There were multiple design flaws, quality control issues, and recalls with the older ones. Yamaha seems to have gotten its collective **** together since. That's not to say that you can't have a good experience with an older model, but I would say your chances of that are much better with a '19+. Oh and personally, I wouldn't buy the NInja: it is known for clutch issues, and I'd say the overall build quality and fit and finish are just better on the R3.
 
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