spending 3 lakhs for ninja is worth the money for sure because i am owning one for more than 2 years, also its a Japanese marquee the quality is top notch for sure,if u are getting gt650 for 5.50 lakhs then u should surely wait for new ninja 650r looking really good n one should not worry the ninja engine n its quality,yes Korean's are good ex hyundai,samsung etc but to me personally they are way behind in biking in my opinion no offence here !

I think we are getting very valid and very important inputs from the members here. You must consider all these factors while making the decision.

My opinion (very humble only ) on how to evaluate according to these factors:

• Top notch "quality". Extremely crucial, especially if you have a sense of what are your quality requirements. Ninja is universally accepted to have superior quality than the Hyosungs. However for most people quality is not a binary parameter. There are varying grades of quality ranging from very poor to bulletproof. Everybody has differing requirements in terms of quality, which is why people buy the Indica, they buy Skodas, they buy Mercedes, and they buy Honda as well. You should not choose the GT650 if it does not meet YOUR quality criteria, and in the same vein you should not reject the GT650 because it does not meet OTHERS' quality criteria.
• Sportbike Riding: The Ninja is again universally renowned for having fantastic dynamics and a lot of great riders have vouched for the handling of the bike and how it offers a great way for newbies to get to learn the basics of sportbike riding. And my limited exposure to Keith Code's "Twist of the wrist" video has convinced me that it takes a coach and a lot of track time to actually learn sportbike riding. Im sure that nobody would argue that just because you BUY a Ninja you will suddenly transform into technically proficient rider. If I'm not mistaken, most of the people on CSS programs already own much bigger and better bikes than the Ninja250, but they still need to put in time and effort to learn and improve. Ask yourself, do you foresee yourself going over to CSS and keep hitting the tracks with a coach? If yes, then probably the Ninja 250 is the right bike for you. As for me, I'm still not successful in moving my thin @$$ across the seat for turns

My view is that if one is better than the other in a certain aspect, that does not mean that the other is completely lacking in that aspect. For example, the Ninja corners better, sure, but does that mean you have to get off your GT650 and push it everytime a corner or a turn comes up? NO! Similarly the GT650 has better power, but will you need to get down and push the Ninja everytime the light turns green? NO! The Ninja has better quality, so does that mean that GT650s fall apart and dissolve into dust the moment they are rolled out of the showroom? No again.

The post by forty6 highlights this perspective that both have their areas of strengths and weaknesses, you should choose between the two based on YOUR needs.

Frankly, both the bikes offer so so much more in so many ways than the usual bikes we are used to riding, that I can't imagine anyone being "disappointed" after purchase of either. But still they are really different, so try them both and see which one plasters a bigger grin on your face. However, like forty6 said, do the grinning from inside the helmet. And either buy some nice riding gear or borrow BlueVolt's Dainese and Sidi

Thanks Crusoe GTN for your valuable inputs . Keep up the good work .



You have put the thread starter in a much more bigger dillema than he was before.

^^
No qualms about the multiple post to the ownership thread, but only if you promise to post some pics as well. Else, it is not a fair deal.

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@Thread starter - There's sufficient info and first hand exp from some of the community's best, which should hopefully help you come to a conclusion.
Regardless of whichever you choose, have loads of fun and ride safe while you're at it!

Hi Nashrider,

Thank you for your comments. I had not realized that I might actually be confusing the OP more than helping him decide

But then I thought that through this thread while talking of relative strengths of the bikes, a lot of the inputs might have been of of the "all or nothing" variety, thereby misinforming somebody's decision. Just because the Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, doesn't mean you can just stroll over to the top of the Kanchenjunga

Here is a video of somebody riding the heck off a Gt650 on track. Now given the power and top whack difference I doubt if any Ninja 250 can even keep this guy in sight forget about challenging him. And is it struggling on the corners? NO!
Hyosung GT650 Trackday Bridgestone BT003RS Test - YouTube

If I were to weigh in on the choices for the OP I'd say this: Take a test ride of both bikes. Im confident that the initial impression will favor the ride of the GT650. Go with the GT given the bigger engine, the bigger size (you're 6'). However remember that the GT will invariably come with niggles and quality issues. Most of them if not all will get sorted out in the run-in period.

Go with the Ninja if you think you can exploit the additional 5% or 10% extra cornering capability it offers on track. Also go with the Ninja if reliability is non-negotiable for you.

I loved the rush of the GT so much that I was willing to undergo the frustration that quality issues will surely bring. Besides Im fine if I get stranded somewhere alone. Im not fine with quality issues in a car now that I have a wife and daughter who I ferry around in the car, so I'll choose a Japanese car when my 5 year old Palio comes up for replacement.

So instead of going with majority view or what the more respected and better experienced riders here say, I'd suggest you list out what features and capabilities are important to you and after a test ride and research see which one is the most satisfying compromise. "Compromise" because no bike has everything, and if some hypothetical bike will have everything, then it will be priced so high that you will have to compromise with every other aspect of your life paying those EMIs


Brat:

Im a photographer of pretty decent standards so I will be setting up a shoot soon as I want the initial pics to be really special. I guess I'll put up my ownership review and the pics when I get that done.

new ninja 650r booking starts from April !

Hello. Am 6 ft 2 inches and the Ninja 250 suits me just fine (both form and function). Booked one last Sunday. It's already in the showroom today! Taking delivery Wednesday post all the formalities. End of the day, it almost was unanimous in my mind since there was literally no other bike - if the cost was affordable at its price point - that came close to being unanimously lauded by everyone. Thus far, I have had a wonderful experience at Probiking, Chennai. Thank you all for helping me make up my mind.

Great choice bro!! I had the 250 r last year and still miss the intoxicating sound of the high revving parallel twin motor.

Congrats. Its the best bike.

Wonder what'll pre-worshipped Ninja cost me? Surat,Gujarat!

Bro ,i sold mine after 8 months and 3000 kms on the odo for 1.8L.Guess could sell it for more.