I’m asking this question to any of the motorcycle people like Johnny LA or anyone else who might know. I’ve been looking at a lot of motorcycles on ebay lately, and I can’t help but notice that almost all the Ninja 250s are very cheap, hardly any of them more than 2000, and most of them about 1500 even after all the bidding. Why is this? Is there something inherently low-quality about these motorcycles? Are these kind of bikes typically run into the ground by inexperienced riders?
It’s 250cc japanese motorcycle how much do you expect it to cost? Oh and it’s pretty ugly to boot, which is why the Honda Rebel 250cc is a little more expensive on average (oh and it’s a cruiser).
As groman said, they’re only 250cc. How much are they new? $4,995 or so? Maybe less?
In addition, I think it helps brand loyalty. Back in the day, airplane companies built basic, relatively affordable aircraft. The idea (as I heard it) was that if you learned to fly in a Cessna 150, you might buy a 172. After buying a 172, you might upgrade to a 182 and then maybe a 210. Piper had the Cherokee 140, and Beechcraft had the basic Musketeer to start people off. Get them used to the brand, and they may be more likely to upgrade within the brand.
The first proper motorcycle I rode was a well-used 1964 Yamaha 80 that dad had. When I got my own motorcycle, I got a Yamaha 100. Then a Yamaha 250. (Then a Honda CX500, but at $1 I couldn’t pass it up.) Then a Yamaha XJ600 Seca II. Then a Yamaha YZF-R1. I rode a couple of Suzukis that belonged to friends, and I rode a couple of Hondas dad bought. But I was used to Yamaha.
Most people will outgrow a 250cc motorcycle rather quickly. Get a person started on your brand, and s/he’s likely to stay within the brand. So a low-cost, entry-level bike makes sense from a business standpoint.
This makes sense. Thanks guys.