[Vince]

Hi guys

It's my first post here that I've been looking up and doing some research for my first bike. I read all the used bike theory and all that but the nature of my job just simply have me working 6days a week(except Sunday) and getting a maintenance heavy used bike is just not a great option. So I basically narrowed it down to get a new R3 or the ninja 300 with ABS

I went to the shop and get on both bikes myself, with my height at around 5'5", 28" inseam and 115lbs. I could mount on the bike without issue. The rep would agree that with my height and size I can do either bike just fine.

However I sat on the bike myself and felt Ninja was leaning on my left really heavy while I tried to simulate "stopping on red light and put my left foot down and right foot on rear brake". It happened twiceto me(separate day, different occasion) while I do it couple times while R3 did not have that problem. I feel like I could drop the bike while standing on one food easily because of that. The rep just stated it could be just not accustomed to the bike etc but I feel a little overwhelmed. I did not have that problem with R3 though, is that showing I should be stay away from the Ninja and get the R3?

The quote I got from dealer makes both bike almost identical for my purchase. The body style, sound of the engine, the powerband(not a big fan of revving engine high to get any power, R3 is a lot more evenly distributed) and dashboard win over Ninja300 IMO and makes me lean towards R3. However missing ABS makes me feel insecure about the bike. With driving style I know that I am the conservative type that would leave a lot of space for braking, insist on training myself on driving comfort/skill even with a comfy sedan, etc. Which convincing myself that I should be still ok without the ABS. However my gut keeps telling me to have the ABS for a safety net(insecurity? )

Thanks for reading my late night nonsense writing, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Mushu]

Hi Vince,

I'm going to start by saying that I wasn't unsure between the Ninja 300 and the R3 when I started looking for my first bike aswell, also I'm not going to talk about aesthetics as that is purely subjective (I am gonna say that I like the R3 sound much more though )

As far as the weight goes, I too when sitting on them felt that the Ninja 300 was slightly heavier, not really because of the weight itself (It's a 5kg difference if I recall correctly) but because of how I "felt" the weight.
That said, looking back now that I have gained a little bit more experience on my bike, I'd say the the weight difference wouldn't be important enough difference to choose one bike over the other solely for that, and the feeling I had was mostly from inexperience. It is important to note that I live in EU though where the R3 has ABS and weights 169Kg compared to the 166Kg of the US non-abs version wich would make the weight difference go from 5Kg's to 9Kg's and I assume it could make an actual difference (can't say for sure as I have no way to test it myself).
Another note to make is that I'm taller at 5'9" and that could be one of the reasons that I don't notice much difference when "stopping on red light and put my left foot down and right foot on rear brake" as the bike is mostly straight up, although the first few days of practicing in my parking lot I almost laid down the bike in slow turns twice and managed to keep it up just by putting force on the foot that was laying on the ground as it is really light.

Now to the important part (imho), i test rode both of them before buying them, and I preferred the R3 in pretty much everything. More power, better powerband (I felt like to achieve the same amount of power I had to go higher on the Ninja 300), more agile and generally had more fun on it that the ninjette. The riding position is more comfortable (the Ninja 300 makes you lean slightly more forward, not to say it's not comfortable, just a little bit less), the passenger seat is pretty much the same (not so good as far as comfort for your passenger in both cases, but who cares anyway ) and as far as practical riding the only thing I liked more on the Ninja 300 was the bigger tank and the slipper clutch. I didn't really care much for the slipper clutch to be honest but I feel like if you plan on doing long rides the bigger tank could be usefull, especially on bikes like these where even 1 liter more takes you a long way, but are you willing to trade all the rest off for this? In my case I wasn't, i don't really mind stopping possibly one additional time (R3's still have very good mileage anyway) but enjoying my ride more.

And for the last question, ABS or non-ABS? I've test rode a variety of bikes and they all had ABS but I only had it kick in once when I was on a fast road with my R3 and a car turned without warning in front of me.
I think it could be usefull for a beginner like you or me, but proper braking technique will be just as effective if not more, but is it essential and/or more important than the other pros of the bike? Truth is I don't know, so you'll have to wait for someone more experienced than me to answer this

P.S, all I wrote is in my opinion/limited experience

 

[FredR3]

Welcome to the forum Vince!

I've only ridden the Ninja 300 a few times when my friend had it. Now he doesn't because he traded it in for a new bike but what I can remember from it was that both felt similar. Both would be great for commuting. The R3 definitely has more power. Honestly, IMO you can achieve comparable fuel economy as the ninja 300 if you ride the R3 conservatively. I almost always can achieve 70 mpg if I do all highway riding which is about what my friend got when he was commuting with his 300.

I believe it's difficult for you to drop the bike if it's just leaning to the left and you're using the left leg to support it. ABS is good to have but personally I started on a ninja 250 and that didn't have ABS. I'm also a conservative rider and I always leave enough room between myself and the car in front of me and I never have to use my brake hard enough to lock up the wheels so I think you should be fine. Just don't grab onto the brake lever or step on the level (rear brake) abruptly and you'll be fine. You could also use engine braking to augment your braking power. I have encountered a few situations where I had to brake hard and my front started to lock up; however, it wasn't bad. Just a little wiggling around. Just release and reapply the front brake and you will be fine. And remember, if you feel like you can't brake in time, try to swerve around it to avoid danger, if possible.

On another note, the brakes may feel weak to you at first (it did to me) but you just need to break it in and it'll get much better so don't feel that the brakes are weak. It just needs to be broken in.

I personally would go for the R3. It looks much better; it's faster; and it's just better hah. The clutch on the R3 is pretty light and slipper clutch is good to have but not necessary. Hope this helps!

 

[Aufitt]

Choose which colour ya like,

or go a blindfold -
Enie meanie miny Mo.

Test ride them all, buy the one that maintains the boner for longer yadda yadda.

 

[rallykid]

I was sold on the Ninja then changed my mind.

Cons for the Ninja:
At 6'2" with a 34" inseam it would need new rearsets before i could comfortably ride it

Power delivery
Dash not as nice

Cons for the R3

No ABS
Smaller tank

In the end it is splitting hairs if you fit both. At that point, flip a coin unless 1 of the cons is a deal breaker for you.

Edit: Maintenance appears to be higher on the Ninja as well since it needs valve adjustments much sooner.

 

[Vince]

Hi Vince,

I'm going to start by saying that I wasn't unsure between the Ninja 300 and the R3 when I started looking for my first bike aswell, also I'm not going to talk about aesthetics as that is purely subjective (I am gonna say that I like the R3 sound much more though )

As far as the weight goes, I too when sitting on them felt that the Ninja 300 was slightly heavier, not really because of the weight itself (It's a 5kg difference if I recall correctly) but because of how I "felt" the weight.
That said, looking back now that I have gained a little bit more experience on my bike, I'd say the the weight difference wouldn't be important enough difference to choose one bike over the other solely for that, and the feeling I had was mostly from inexperience. It is important to note that I live in EU though where the R3 has ABS and weights 169Kg compared to the 166Kg of the US non-abs version wich would make the weight difference go from 5Kg's to 9Kg's and I assume it could make an actual difference (can't say for sure as I have no way to test it myself).
Another note to make is that I'm taller at 5'9" and that could be one of the reasons that I don't notice much difference when "stopping on red light and put my left foot down and right foot on rear brake" as the bike is mostly straight up, although the first few days of practicing in my parking lot I almost laid down the bike in slow turns twice and managed to keep it up just by putting force on the foot that was laying on the ground as it is really light.

Now to the important part (imho), i test rode both of them before buying them, and I preferred the R3 in pretty much everything. More power, better powerband (I felt like to achieve the same amount of power I had to go higher on the Ninja 300), more agile and generally had more fun on it that the ninjette. The riding position is more comfortable (the Ninja 300 makes you lean slightly more forward, not to say it's not comfortable, just a little bit less), the passenger seat is pretty much the same (not so good as far as comfort for your passenger in both cases, but who cares anyway ) and as far as practical riding the only thing I liked more on the Ninja 300 was the bigger tank and the slipper clutch. I didn't really care much for the slipper clutch to be honest but I feel like if you plan on doing long rides the bigger tank could be usefull, especially on bikes like these where even 1 liter more takes you a long way, but are you willing to trade all the rest off for this? In my case I wasn't, i don't really mind stopping possibly one additional time (R3's still have very good mileage anyway) but enjoying my ride more.

And for the last question, ABS or non-ABS? I've test rode a variety of bikes and they all had ABS but I only had it kick in once when I was on a fast road with my R3 and a car turned without warning in front of me.
I think it could be usefull for a beginner like you or me, but proper braking technique will be just as effective if not more, but is it essential and/or more important than the other pros of the bike? Truth is I don't know, so you'll have to wait for someone more experienced than me to answer this

P.S, all I wrote is in my opinion/limited experience

Thanks Mushu for detailed reply!
Just similar to what you felt, with Ninja I did not really feel I would collapse but I did feel a lot of weight leaned against compared to standing upright. And that might cause me drop the bike if I cannot hold it properly by red light in a random occasion. Without ABS 10kg/22lbs won't make a huge difference IMO but the design that caused that(I had no problem while taking MSF course on a heavier cruiser, given lower seats though). Having that to me twice made me feel insecure about it.
I definitely love the sound a lot more on Yamaha too and able to stay low rpm to get power unlike Ninja(I do not get the thrill from revving engine high, except tell the cops looking at you I prefer to stay under the radar for that)

If it was a car I am pretty confident that I would not even get anywhere close to brake limit to get ABS activated, but the inexperience in bike that makes me wonder if it is valid point to take ABS as "must have"

 

[Vince]

Welcome to the forum Vince!

I've only ridden the Ninja 300 a few times when my friend had it. Now he doesn't because he traded it in for a new bike but what I can remember from it was that both felt similar. Both would be great for commuting. The R3 definitely has more power. Honestly, IMO you can achieve comparable fuel economy as the ninja 300 if you ride the R3 conservatively. I almost always can achieve 70 mpg if I do all highway riding which is about what my friend got when he was commuting with his 300.

I believe it's difficult for you to drop the bike if it's just leaning to the left and you're using the left leg to support it. ABS is good to have but personally I started on a ninja 250 and that didn't have ABS. I'm also a conservative rider and I always leave enough room between myself and the car in front of me and I never have to use my brake hard enough to lock up the wheels so I think you should be fine. Just don't grab onto the brake lever or step on the level (rear brake) abruptly and you'll be fine. You could also use engine braking to augment your braking power. I have encountered a few situations where I had to brake hard and my front started to lock up; however, it wasn't bad. Just a little wiggling around. Just release and reapply the front brake and you will be fine. And remember, if you feel like you can't brake in time, try to swerve around it to avoid danger, if possible.

On another note, the brakes may feel weak to you at first (it did to me) but you just need to break it in and it'll get much better so don't feel that the brakes are weak. It just needs to be broken in.

I personally would go for the R3. It looks much better; it's faster; and it's just better hah. The clutch on the R3 is pretty light and slipper clutch is good to have but not necessary. Hope this helps!

Thank you Fred,

That's one thing from Ninja300 that turns me down too, a lot of people would have it for a year or two then move away from it and I prefer to keep something longer(even resale value is high, just a hassle)

With slipper clutch I somewhat feel it is downside for me, I would want to get my motorcycle skills on properly downshift than having slipper clutch or all other technologies to "help" me until I learn the proper technique

 

[Vince]

Choose which colour ya like,

or go a blindfold -
Enie meanie miny Mo.

Test ride them all, buy the one that maintains the boner for longer yadda yadda.

That sounds hurtful on a bike lol

I was sold on the Ninja then changed my mind.

Cons for the Ninja:
At 6'2" with a 34" inseam it would need new rearsets before i could comfortably ride it

Power delivery
Dash not as nice

Cons for the R3

No ABS
Smaller tank

In the end it is splitting hairs if you fit both. At that point, flip a coin unless 1 of the cons is a deal breaker for you.

Edit: Maintenance appears to be higher on the Ninja as well since it needs valve adjustments much sooner.

I read about the maintenance schedule and R3 does have an edge over Ninja too, 26000 valve replacement is just simply impressive. Smaller tank is not really an issue for me that my work place is next to a gas station and so is my apartment

 

[Torchsport]

That's one of the reasons I've always loved and owned many Yamahas. The 26,000 mile valve checks.

 

[TheRealJoker31]

That's one of the reasons I've always loved and owned many Yamahas. The 26,000 mile valve checks.

What ist the 26.000mile VALVE check?

 

[Torchsport]

What ist the 26.000mile VALVE check?

It's to check the valve clearances.

 

[WilmNCR3]

I owned a CBR 250r for 10k miles, ridden my R3 for almost 1800 miles and sat on a Ninja 300 a few times. The Ninja felt slightly wider and a little bit taller get in the saddle (I'm also 5'5). I also didn't like how the weight "felt" on the Ninja as previously mentioned nor did I care for the dash and, completely subjective but I don't care either way for the styling on the N300.

The R3 is better looking to me, has slightly more power than the N300, LOVE the blue/matte silver color scheme, and was a nice upgrade from my prev. CBR and a perfect 2nd bike for me. I had also heard the Ninja's handling is slightly sub par and the R3's KYB suspension is a solid brand. The only con in my book is the smaller gas tank. I mainly use the bike for pleasure with an occasional ride to work/school but at the end of an all-day ride around the area I need to top off the tank if I'm riding again the following day. The maintainance intervals are also a great bonus on the R3, plus it is the newest ~300cc bike to the market.

Edit: The option to get ABS may be a deciding factor as well. On my CBR I only locked up the rear twice. Once on my first day riding trying to stop at a light I should have went through. The second time was well into my ownership while setting up to take a corner in a more aggressive manner. I saw a LEO at the intersection and braked a bit too heavily on the rear and locked the rear briefly. Both times the bike stayed very controllable and well composed, serving as a reminder to think before you slam on the brakes.

 

[Vince]

Thanks everyone for comment/advice! After all the consideration I decide to go with the R3 over the ninja
The ninja did have a better deal(especially 2014, over 500 lower than the r3 even with ABS) but I wouldn't want to get something that I am just ok with rather than something I really like

I will pick my bike up in a few days after preparing all the insurance and logistically ready for the bike! Getting in a little distant location(30miles away) but I would do with better service and being informative on dealer(even almost the same price).
I will probably just practice a couple hours before going on that 30miles freeway to bring it home

 

[Jen]

We are the same size. Well, I'm 5'5", 117 lbs, and have a 29 1/2 inseam.

I would not get the R3 as a first bike or any new bike as a first bike. Chances are you are going to drop the thing and with full fairings, you are looking at a costly mistake. Go for something used, get a used CBR250 if you really want a sport bike, but I would get a 250 cc cruiser as a first bike. The way these bikes handle compared to cruisers makes the learning curve a little more annoying.

Take MSF if you haven't done that yet.

 

[ericbk02]

Hi guys

It's my first post here that I've been looking up and doing some research for my first bike. I read all the used bike theory and all that but the nature of my job just simply have me working 6days a week(except Sunday) and getting a maintenance heavy used bike is just not a great option. So I basically narrowed it down to get a new R3 or the ninja 300 with ABS

I went to the shop and get on both bikes myself, with my height at around 5'5", 28" inseam and 115lbs. I could mount on the bike without issue. The rep would agree that with my height and size I can do either bike just fine.

However I sat on the bike myself and felt Ninja was leaning on my left really heavy while I tried to simulate "stopping on red light and put my left foot down and right foot on rear brake". It happened twiceto me(separate day, different occasion) while I do it couple times while R3 did not have that problem. I feel like I could drop the bike while standing on one food easily because of that. The rep just stated it could be just not accustomed to the bike etc but I feel a little overwhelmed. I did not have that problem with R3 though, is that showing I should be stay away from the Ninja and get the R3?

The quote I got from dealer makes both bike almost identical for my purchase. The body style, sound of the engine, the powerband(not a big fan of revving engine high to get any power, R3 is a lot more evenly distributed) and dashboard win over Ninja300 IMO and makes me lean towards R3. However missing ABS makes me feel insecure about the bike. With driving style I know that I am the conservative type that would leave a lot of space for braking, insist on training myself on driving comfort/skill even with a comfy sedan, etc. Which convincing myself that I should be still ok without the ABS. However my gut keeps telling me to have the ABS for a safety net(insecurity? )

Thanks for reading my late night nonsense writing, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Okay... as an oldtimer with 100's of thousands of miles on 2 wheels, I have an opinion you may not like, but is probably the safest and most logical way to get into motorcycling - and living to tell about it.
I would advise a Ninja 250 (old style) or Rebel 250 for the following reasons:
First, I would advise a bike you can touch both feet on the ground at a stop. These bikes are low. Believe me, most new riders cannot believe how fast they can lose balance. This is evident by the number of scraped up older bikes that "fell backing out of the garage".
Second, both these bikes can achieve lethal speeds - and can break any speed limit.
Third, I would approach learning to be a safe responsible rider with a plan - buy one of these bikes cheap, give it your scrapes, and pass it on without much expenditure.
Then go back and and take the experience and lessons you have learned to pick your "real" bike.....

 

[Vince]

We are the same size. Well, I'm 5'5", 117 lbs, and have a 29 1/2 inseam.

I would not get the R3 as a first bike or any new bike as a first bike. Chances are you are going to drop the thing and with full fairings, you are looking at a costly mistake. Go for something used, get a used CBR250 if you really want a sport bike, but I would get a 250 cc cruiser as a first bike. The way these bikes handle compared to cruisers makes the learning curve a little more annoying.

Take MSF if you haven't done that yet.

Dropping it does not bother me(from a guy who grew up in Brooklyn, my car's pretty beaten up after parking in street in a month lol)
It was the maintenance schedule that turns me down from going used(not to mention going to DMV). Almost no shops open by Sunday(gotta work other days, or I just lose more than half a grand from taking a day off, not worth it) and I have tough time getting it maintained that way

And leaping from bike to bike is common among but again time gets the limitation for me to be able to look around, going to DMV to switch ownership etc. Time is money there

 

[Vince]

Okay... as an oldtimer with 100's of thousands of miles on 2 wheels, I have an opinion you may not like, but is probably the safest and most logical way to get into motorcycling - and living to tell about it.
I would advise a Ninja 250 (old style) or Rebel 250 for the following reasons:
First, I would advise a bike you can touch both feet on the ground at a stop. These bikes are low. Believe me, most new riders cannot believe how fast they can lose balance. This is evident by the number of scraped up older bikes that "fell backing out of the garage".
Second, both these bikes can achieve lethal speeds - and can break any speed limit.
Third, I would approach learning to be a safe responsible rider with a plan - buy one of these bikes cheap, give it your scrapes, and pass it on without much expenditure.
Then go back and and take the experience and lessons you have learned to pick your "real" bike.....

Did the Rebel 250 on MSF, I thought about getting that as my "practice bike" too but after doing some research the cruiser style makes it tough to do turns stopped me there.
I had an eye on Ninja before this, the seat was the same as R3 but wider. Same issue with the Ninja300 that the bike just leaned against my whole left leg at stop(used and only 1k less than the Ninja 300 WITH ABS brand new, pretty pointless to go there).

Half of my week's commute includes stop and go/light traffic, I would stalled couple times in embarrassing ways but not feeling bike would tip over like the ninja would do

With the R3 I just got last night I'm stuck at 65(speed limit in freeway) for 7k rpm(break in period). Except the cost is there any other reason for going to a 250?

 

[Yamaha-R3]

Hi,
You may see this video. This is just to show the height of the person reviewing the bike, rides it fine. I think, with practice it will come easy and natural. So you may go with what your heart says(or revs ).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaUU1dmEmmc

 

[ericbk02]

Did the Rebel 250 on MSF, I thought about getting that as my "practice bike" too but after doing some research the cruiser style makes it tough to do turns stopped me there.
I had an eye on Ninja before this, the seat was the same as R3 but wider. Same issue with the Ninja300 that the bike just leaned against my whole left leg at stop(used and only 1k less than the Ninja 300 WITH ABS brand new, pretty pointless to go there).

Half of my week's commute includes stop and go/light traffic, I would stalled couple times in embarrassing ways but not feeling bike would tip over like the ninja would do

With the R3 I just got last night I'm stuck at 65(speed limit in freeway) for 7k rpm(break in period). Except the cost is there any other reason for going to a 250?

Well, it's done now.... but the rebel is just as easy to turn, only has a different feel. I can ride one at a walk speed with steering lock to lock.....My main point was only to get a "temporary" used bike for the first year - drops are common. And the R-3 can get you into trouble real fast. There is a false sense of security as the bike seems to be capable of anything. But lack of experience in an emergency situation often results in a wreck. I just recommend a really tame bike as the first one. I sometimes think that if the USA had the graduated license as Europe does, there would be less accidents - with resulting lowering of insurance rates. Really - is there any justification for a "street" bike weighing 500 pounds or so with 175 or more HP?

 

[Vince]

Well, it's done now.... but the rebel is just as easy to turn, only has a different feel. I can ride one at a walk speed with steering lock to lock.....My main point was only to get a "temporary" used bike for the first year - drops are common. And the R-3 can get you into trouble real fast. There is a false sense of security as the bike seems to be capable of anything. But lack of experience in an emergency situation often results in a wreck. I just recommend a really tame bike as the first one. I sometimes think that if the USA had the graduated license as Europe does, there would be less accidents - with resulting lowering of insurance rates. Really - is there any justification for a "street" bike weighing 500 pounds or so with 175 or more HP?

after dropping my bike in first 10minutes of having it, I did not feel bad if ever dropping it again(sorry for those who baby their bike :crying: ).
With having the bike for a week and ride it on interstate half of the time, not having enough power while limited at 7k rpm/65mph(still under 600mi) scares me even more for now. It is easy to go fast especially on cars(not feeling wind, ground difference that much, or your car has a lot of horsepower/torque, know the car well, came from aggressive city driving to suburb environment etc). I never realized that the danger to stay slow while I could just go fast and stay away from all the danger drivers on the road

Not having the luxury of passing/avoiding big trucks passing me on left side is my biggest fear right now. My only strategy right now is either stop on the side to let them pass if someone tailgates or slow quite a bit on my (right) lane just to piss them off to wait for them to get around me. My conservative personality just keeps me from going too fast or be angry with them. Even a truck is behind me I would just shift lane and let them go first unless they are like 15seconds behind(side mirror works on my tiny body)

but yea lots of reckless riders definitely raise a lot of insurance issue. I live by a college and all the kids are riding like 600+cc bike, R6 and I even saw a R1 parked there. And they just wear shorts/sneakers/tee to ride them. They should be limited or requires progressive licensing to know what they are jumping into IMO.