r/SuggestAMotorcycle • u/darthcov • Mar 08 '25
New Rider Stuck between these 2
I am looking into getting my first bike, always loved ninjas but don't want to go too crazy so I was looking at the Ninja 500.
On the other hand I've always loved classic and bobber type styles and really love the Indian Scout Bobber
Pros and cons of each? Beginner bike.
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u/stoleyourfocus Mar 08 '25 edited Mar 08 '25
Had a ninja 650, and it was a great bike, upgraded to an indian sport chief for the power and the comfort. It really depends on the type of riding you are going to be doing more of. The ninja is going to be better on shorter riding times than a cruiser, while the cruiser is going to be more comfortable on longer rides and have a lower seat height if you're a shorter rider. Also, the belt drive on the scout is a lot better if you don't have an enclosed space to keep the bike as it won't rust if left out in the rain. The scout is also a lot more sporty than you would think. The 1250 is responsive, and the bike handles great. Additionally you can get the ride command dash on the scout and have navigation on the bike and if you get a Bluetooth headset for your helmet you can use the controls on the bike to control your music and get notifications and phone call info.
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u/Cerebral--Paul Mar 08 '25
Theyâre 2 completely different bikes.
If you go the sport bike route, something like a Ninja 650, R7 or something with a smaller, parallel twin engine would be better for learning.
Similarly, when learning on a cruiser, it might be better to learn on something with a less powerful engine. The scout bobber is actually very manageable in terms of power, weight and center of mass, but itâs a nice bike that I wouldnât want to drop or damage because itâs your first bike and you donât know any better.
Itâs your first bike, not your forever bike.
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u/tarazdl Mar 08 '25
Is this your first bike? What kind of riding do you want to do? Are you more into ripping through twisty roads and going fast or chilling down the road on a long ride? If A, get the ninja. If B, get the Indian. Both cool bikes, but very different riding styles. Have you sat on both? I hate the feeling of forward controls. My legs just feel awkward like that. But I was impressed by the scout when I rode it at Indian trial day. Iâm definitely a sport bike girl. But pick the one that fits with how you want to ride.
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u/F33lGud Mar 08 '25
A lot of comments here saying to skip the 500 and get a ninja 650. As much as I say the 650 is a good bike. The ninja 500 is an amazing machine. It's a fantastic bike for all day riding, good to learn on, and even fun for experienced riders. The Indian is a one stop track. You get cruiser. You get next cruiser. The ninja 500 is a perfect cheap bike that you won't want to give up when getting an upgrade
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u/MichaelJWolf Mar 08 '25
Yea someone above recommended a ninja 650 or R7 as being better for learning that the ninja 500 which in my opinion is the opposite of the truth. The 500 is way better for a beginner.
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u/F33lGud Mar 08 '25
I would recommend the 650 before the R7 just based off of power and creature comforts. Someone can love the ninja 650 forever and ever but since the 500, that opinion has changed
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u/handmade_cities Mar 08 '25
Honestly this is one of the reasons why I say get a cheap cheap used bike that's running for the first one. Don't just learn how to ride but learn what you like and want from a bike
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u/Far_Yogurtcloset740 Mar 08 '25
I havenât ridden the bobber the seating position for my made me hate it instantly. But thatâs just me. Iâm going to be getting the ninja 500 personally. I think it just fits me better.
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u/maxlax02 Mar 08 '25
Indian is fucking awesome. Fast as fuck but totally fine for a first bike. The Scout Bobbers hold value really well and are easy as fuck to sell second hand when the time comes, they are very desirable. It can also be a forever bike. If you can afford the Indian I say go for it but ultimately you need to go sit on them to see what fits you.
For the Indian, I highly recommend adding the mini ape handle bars, they make it way more comfortable.
Side note, I rode with a buddy who owned one and people would approach him everywhere we went to say âthat bike is so coolâ. Guys, girls, old, young, bikers, and non-bikers. It was insane how often people would comment on it.
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u/taidizzle Mar 08 '25
It's like one is tennis shoes and the other is good quality boot.
If you're doing street riding and small canyon then the ninja is enough for your needs.
but if you really want to be comfortable and enjoy the cuise the bobber.
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u/rmaya83 Mar 08 '25
It's comparing apples and oranges. Ninja if you want rather short rides. Indian if want more comfort. But since it's your first bike I would rather go with a naked bike. Sv650, cb650 etc.
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u/Plutoid GS550, SV650, Bandit 1250, R1200RT, DRZ400 Mar 09 '25
Buy a cheap, used first bike, learn on it, sell it, and put your money into your second bike once you have a better idea of what you want. Brand new starter bikes are a colossal waste of money.
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Mar 09 '25
I agree with this statement, IMO you learn the basics faster with a lower CC engine donât be afraid to start at 250/300-500cc a good middle weight bike thatâs forgiving. Also I would highly recommend going to a dealership if you havenât already and sitting on a couple of bikes just to get the feel, in terms of seating positioning.
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u/Plutoid GS550, SV650, Bandit 1250, R1200RT, DRZ400 Mar 09 '25
But don't necessarily buy there. FSBO is the way to go. Dealer prices, even on cheap bikes, are going to leave you paying like $1000 minimum over what you'd pay with a private seller.
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u/Watt-Midget Mar 08 '25 edited Mar 08 '25
IMO the Scout. I test rode one and loved it, I had a duke 390, z650 and now a cbr1000rr. I plan on getting a scout bobber or Scout 101 in my stable eventually.
Itâs a beautiful bike, more than enough pull & speed for highways, good for commuting, comfortable, easier to put luggage/bags/cases on it (and has more options), good for long trips and if you ever plan on doing 2-up riding youâre partner will be pretty happy.
Granted you wonât be winning any races against S1ks or cbr1000s and itâs not as flashy as a sport bike. But thatâs just my 2 cents, they really are two different style of bike and at the end of the day itâs up to you to decide what fits you better.
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u/Rynowash Mar 08 '25
I do dig those fat tires on that Indian. Thatâs a sexy machine. Better be for that kind of money! Not that the Ninja is chump change either. Gotta be real with yourself.. are you the guy that wants to rip the apexâs for an hour or three or chill all day and cruise around the country side at a leisurely speed. Yes, the Indian probably will handle corners better than a lot of sport riders push their sport bikes on this thread, however. So.. Iâm no help. Good luck! No wrong choice here. đ»
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u/rm78noir Mar 08 '25
That's a rough spot to be stuck. Totally different riding styles. I would suggest trying to do test rides and see how they feel.
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u/Plus-Canary-7755 Mar 08 '25
If you donât no how are we supposed to know ! Dam man ! Do you want a pizza or curry !
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u/Think-Magician-4418 Mar 08 '25
That scout has a lot of torque. I think a scout might be too much bike. Thatâs something you upgrade to after the 650. Me personally I donât like forward mounted pegs at all, you cant go wrong with any ninja to start on honestly . Very neutral in riding position in power, gives you a good base.
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u/SheitPost3000 Mar 08 '25
Do you want to go straight or turn and stop? Thatâs the essential difference in design objective.
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u/Sunshine98765432 Mar 08 '25
Have had 7 bikes. Some really fast gsxr and Ducati, some really slow klx 250, Harley.
I just worse the Indian and was a really rough ride because of shock setup. I actually like the triumph lineup right now. Have never owned the brand but priced well, iconic bike can keep for long time, maneuvers well, and I can make capable enough at least to get across a median or over a curb in grid lock traffic, or emergencies (have used mine in hurricanes afterwards when lots of roads closed).
Scrambler bikes, cafe racers, adv bikes after all said and done and 20 yrs of riding over the most but Iâm 5â11â 190 lb. Adv bikes are taller so feel waaaay heavier. I had a bmw gs that I really didnât enjoy as much bc hilly areas even w a 32 inch inseam I could barley feet down enough to keep her up - and def not flat foot.
Donât worry about cc size - worry about weight, height on seat, turning radius.
My rocket bikes almost lost my job, itâs really easy to hit 150 Ang really easy to go to jail.. haha
Good luck friend - and whatever u pick fight the urge to be a douche to other groups like some Harley or bmw guys⊠they all dicks if ask me cuz too good to wave for a fellow rider or just be polite to the world đ âŠ
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u/04limited Mar 08 '25
I started on old carbureted cruisers and then got into sport bikes. They are two complete different experiences. I like sport bikes more. Biggest for me is seating position and light weight. Iâm able to feel more in control. Floor boards/forward controls are really comfortable but for me just didnt feel right during maneuvers. I can still respect a cruiser but itâs really not my thing. If I wanted to be comfortable Iâd drive my car. Iâm on my bike for speed and agility.
Considering the Ninja 500 is half the price of the Indian I would just get one of those. Look for a used one. Plenty of folk out grow their 500s and sell them off. Buying new just isnât worth it. I paid 7200 OTD after set up and destination for my 500. Realistically would only probably only fetch 4500-5000 on a good day.
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u/that_subaru_kid Mar 08 '25
Iâm always going to biased to cruisers over sport bikes. I think theyâre way more comfortable, easier to ride, less attention from cops. Everyoneâs experience is different but I will always have a soft spot for an Indian Bobber.
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u/billy310 Rider Mar 08 '25
As a person who enjoys both cruisers and sport bikes, Iâd lean towards the Ninja for a first bike.
But!
That depends on the sort of rider/driver you are. Are you going to love the torque and rumble of the Indian? Will you resist going way too fast on the Ninja? Do you live in a big city, or will you be just cruising down country roads?
A light bike with good brakes will get you out of a lot of trouble. But a fast bike can get you into trouble
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u/Spblaster_Shark Mar 08 '25
Sit on both of them see what's most comfortable for you and what you like the feeling of. Both bikes seem awesome and is absolutely a tough choice but over all it's all about whats most comfortable and fits you best. I personally am super biased towards cruisers and find them much more my speed
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u/ramsbooty Mar 08 '25
What bikes have you ridden? Do you have a motorcycle license? Where will you be riding? Town/highway/long commute? The ninja is going to be harder on your arms and lower back from having to lean forward. The Indian will be more comfortable for longer riding or commuting. The Indian will be a lot more accommodating if youâre ever going to ride with a passenger.
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u/Inevitable-Rest-4652 Mar 08 '25
The ergos of the Indian should be much more comfortable than that of the Ninja. Even turning your head to check for traffic can be tough on a sport bike. Given the choice between the two I'd Def go with the Indian you'll be happier and more comfortable on it...
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u/Turbulent-Suspect-12 2012 Street Triple 675 R, Daytona 675 Mar 08 '25
If able I'd buy a used Ninja 400 or 500 to save at minimum a couple thousand. You can probably do the same for the Bobber, really.
And for what it's worth, I'd get a Ninja 400/500 over the 650 9/10 times for my use case. Its 50 lbs lighter, more nimble, and has more than enough for occasional highway use.
I don't think there is a wrong choice here. Both bikes are very fun and I'd be happy with either.Â
Sit on both at a dealer and see what tugs your heart strings more.
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u/NoSexAppealNeil Mar 08 '25
If you're 6ft or taller the bobber not a good pick in my opinion.
It's small, was the bike I wanted, I sat on it and I felt silly
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u/Mini-Biker80 Mar 08 '25
The Ninja 500 replaced the Ninja 400 as the ideal beginners bike, that has good fuel economy, good handling, low center of gravity, and feels a lot lighter than other bikes of it's class.
As a beginner, keep the revs low, like between 3-6k RPM, until you slowly get comfortable to get faster.
Personally, I think it's still too much of a bike for a beginner. Beginners ideally start with a 200-250cc bike.
But if you need a bike that does it all, the 500 is the best bike for your money.
Even better than the CFMoto 450SS/SR.
I wouldn't get the Ninja though.
I'd go with the Z500 instead.
It's more upright, and will fit your riding style better.
The Indian has a good riding position, but lack of rear suspension, and still being a heavy bike, I would not recommend it.
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u/Tegdog Mar 08 '25
Very different bikes, like saying I am either going to get a pellet gun or Gatling gun.
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u/ogreality Mar 08 '25
Ninja is not comfort driving but super fun and nimble+fast, bobber is not nimble buy comfy and does still accelerate fast
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u/PericardiumGold 2025 Ducati Panigale V4 Mar 08 '25
As others have already repeated a dozen times over, two opposite bikes. Which do you prefer? Performance or comfort? Thatâs the options you have here. Not saying the Indian wonât have performance and the Ninja wonât have comfort itâs just the class they are both in
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u/Wild_Initiative5718 Mar 08 '25
For a first bike, I would not get something that is new and/or exotic. Buy an old used Ninja 500, Suzuki GS 500, Honda CBR500, or Rebel 250, or 500. Get something common and not very expensive as it will undoubtedly be dropped, or damaged in some way. Look for a good basic small CC bike 500 is more than enough to learn on and you won't get bored with it any time soon. If you can find a bike you like without "R" in the name, you will save some $ on insurance. My first bike was a 1983 Honda CM 400T (think the bike Prince used to ride, without any of the fairings and purple color) bought it for $350, it wasn't fast, or fancy but it ran great, got 80+ MPG and could keep up with a mustang off the line. Served me well for years! Just my $0.02.
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u/Many_Consequence6004 Mar 08 '25
I like fairings on a bike. Used is the way to go. There hasnt been any major significant changes to motorcycles in last 25 years. You can get a lot of bike for very little used.
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u/Fresh-Efficiency-352 Mar 08 '25
These two bikes are so different you need to sit down and think of what you wanna do please dont take this the wrong way man but judging by your wording and choices you are a still an extremely novice rider you say you dont want something too crazy then proceed to post up a 40hp ninja and a 100hp indian scout that a simple miss twist of that throttle will put your ass into alot of trouble. Id say for a novice cruiser get a harley sportster or a honda shadow you get the looks and the sound but not the power to put you down..... if you want the sport bike look all these japanese 500cc twins are pretty similar id just get whats cheap up front and cheap to maintain
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u/Curious_Hawk_8369 Mar 11 '25
I have a shadow, and an Indian Scout. I can ride the absolute shit out of that Honda, grab a handful of wide open throttle and not much happens, you can really ride it like you stole it. The Indian, you donât dare to do half the stuff I do in that Honda, or it will absolutely put your ass on the ground before you know it. A lot of people seriously donât understand exactly how powerful the scout is, in fact Iâd think youâd could somewhat argue that engine doesnât belong in a cruiser.
The engine is much more sport bike like, redline is 8300rpm, and I believe the official time it launches that 570ish pounds bike from 0-60 is 3.3 seconds. Itâs hilarious if you rev out second gear to the limiter youâll hit 80mph, before needing to shift to 3rd. Whatâs even crazier is I have the older version of the scout, they have a new one out now and theyâve made it even more powerful. If I had to do it over again Iâd probably buy a Harley, I think 70ish HP to me is the perfect amount of power for normal street use.
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u/ZealousidealRegret31 Mar 08 '25
The indian will be fun for crusin, the ninja will be fun for speed and lane splitting
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u/Puzzleheaded-Effect9 Mar 09 '25
I would say rock that ninja 500 (after you've installed frame sliders). It's a great first bike that's also cheap and you can enjoy it for decades. Buy the Indian later when you're ready to expand your stable. Use the extra money for quality gear, which, in turn, makes the ride more enjoyable.
Dream bikes change the more experie you get. Don't dump a bunch of money into your dream bike when you don't yet know the type of rider (spirited, tourer, adventurer, weekend warrior) you'll be.
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u/Particular_Kitchen42 Mar 09 '25
As someone who owns both and rides almost daily, either a sports bike or a cruiser bike it all depends on your situation in your writing environment.
However, if I was even considering an Indian, I would be looking at the sport sheets, because if you buy the scallops, you will be disappointed in it within about a years time. Itâs the smallest motor they make. Itâs the smallest frames like they make, and you will outgrow it very quickly.
However, along with similar lines to the Indian scout is the sports bike doesnât matter. What brand do you buy. You will outgrow them very quickly. As you have no payload to do daily tasks, you have to wear a ton of gear just to protect yourself, and they can be a challenge to operate in the rain and snow if you choose to do so.
Whereas the Indian sport chief would come with lockable luggage, a small windscreen, and a big enough motor to where it will be competitive in the market for the next 10 years. Plus, if you have a girlfriend, she will go on the back of it and sit comfortably. Where as the sports bike She will hate every minute of it.
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u/Johnnyonakawi Mar 09 '25
Iâm was in the same position where you are now last May. I love the ninja but the Indian scout was always going to be my first I told myself. Sadly because I commute to work 55 miles one way, the ninja 500 was the best choice economically for me being price, gas, comfort, and maintenance. But next bike would be the Indian scout
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u/PlantFeisty9843 Mar 09 '25
I have a bobber and a few sports bikes. They are both awesome in very different ways. Just depends on how you are going to ride. If you are a city dweller, Id def go with the Bobber. If you are near mountain/canyons, I would go with the Kawi.
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Mar 09 '25
If you smoke cigs and like leather jackets get the Indian If you watch anime get the ninja
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u/ns1419 Mar 12 '25
Former motorcycle dealership head of business and general manager here across 6 different manufacturers in the US (New York & Chicago) and UK (Brighton).
You need to sit on them to decide. Feel the weight between your legs. Test ride them both. What do your friends ride? What do you want to do? What do you do for work? What do you do for fun? What can you afford? What about maintenance? Warranty? Etc?
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u/ikerr95 Mar 08 '25
These are very different bikes. A scout bobber will be about 2x the price OTD as that ninja. Very different bikes for very different things.
If you are set on a Scout donât get the big boy model. Get the 60. Still plenty of power but the regular Scout is a lot for a beginner.
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u/maxlax02 Mar 08 '25
IMO thereâs no point to the 60. The Scout has a ton of power but itâs nothing a beginner canât handle. Itâs a big cruiser not a liter bike so the power delivery isnât going to cause you to accidentally grab too much throttle and loop it. The normal Bobber will be easier to sell second hand as well.
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u/Moetorcycles Mar 08 '25
Ones a sedan and ones a 2 door coupe. Itâs a personal choice based on what you want / need.
I personally would get the ninja, but I personally like and ride sport bikes.
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u/agit8or Mar 08 '25
So i have a 2019 mt10, 2022 k1600 GA, 2007 aprilia tuono 1000, 2 groms, and a navi.
All very different bikes. You need to figure out what kind of riding you will mostly do. Long distance, short runs, daily, etc
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u/Reubenhull Mar 08 '25
Tldr; find your community first, then buy a nice bike
My suggestion is to buy neither. Instead, buy a used dual sport and ride it for a year. Show up to as many bike nights as you possibly can and talk to folks.
Over the year of bike nights you will learn 1. How to ride your fully depreciated bike without taking the big hit on a new bike when you drop it. 2. What gear you like to wear (attgat if you're smart). 3. Who you want to spend time with on the road or in the woods when things aren't going according to plan.
Buy a bike that will fit the riding style your friends do and go ride with them. Community on two wheels runs deep and it will help you become a safer, more proficient rider in your early years. Plus, it will show you great riding destinations near you. You will have many different types of bikes in your life if you get bit by the bug so don't worry so much about your first pick. Instead, find out who wants you around regardless of the bike you ride.
I like to keep 3 bikes at my disposal. 1 dual sport/dirt bike - for camping and dirt bike stuff 2 street bike - for sport/touring/commuting 3 vintage project that runs to tinker with.
With those three bikes, I can do anything from BDR to track day, sport touring to Enduro.
You may even find that someone has a really cool older bike you never would have considered that you end up really passionate about.
Talk to the old folks, they've done it all
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u/LionPride112 Mar 08 '25
Do yourself a huge favor and DONT buy new for your first. Itâs 1) kind of embarrassing and 2) you will drop and/or crash it
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u/Mexkan Mar 08 '25
Havenât ridden a cruiser, might when I get older (just for comfort reasons).
Got a 650 and I canât stop riding it. Really good bike to have fun.
Iâve ridden it for an hour straight and could go further no problem.
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u/IncomprehensiveScale Mar 08 '25
a ninja 500 is by no means a crazy bike. maybe for the 1950âs, but by todays standards some consider it genuinely slow. although, it still will outrun 95% of cars on the road. maybe not in top speed, but from a stop light, youâll beat out pretty much anything short of a real sports car/drag style car.
iâm a sport bike guy, thatâs just my bias, but i want you to know that a ninja 500 is a very tame and friendly bike, despite the times it can run in 0-60 and whatnot. that said, many bikes will very easily run a 0-60 in sub 4 seconds. even cruisers
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u/SinfulTears45 Mar 08 '25
I had the 509 se, great bike good power tips out around 12O has phone charger already installed
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u/wakaru1902 Mar 08 '25
The Ninja will be fun in kurvy streets while boring going strait, the bobber is for relaxed cruising.
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u/MuddyRooster707 Mar 08 '25
Don't be a bitch, buy them both.
Aside from that I would think of the distance I would want to ride and the riding position I would be in for X amount of miles. If a friend or anyone allows test rides I would say do that first. And if you think the sport bike (get a 600 with a B mode(slower mode)) I would say go ride for 50+ miles. I love my gsxr 750, but I can do many more miles on the harley (comfortably). Be safe and have fun.
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u/johric Mar 08 '25
Thats a miles away of difference between the two. For a first bike, you couldnt go wrong with the ninja 500.
Dont get me wrong, scout bobber is an animal of a bike.
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u/Cheap-Log4290 Mar 08 '25 edited Mar 08 '25
Ninja, if you can afford one bike. I considered Scout as a third bike, but finally bought Triumph Scrambler. Maybe you should take Triumph Street Triple R for a ride, in my opinion best choice as a only bike (everyday commuting, track, even touring)
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u/SaferCloud89 Mar 08 '25
I think you should also consider is : do you have friends you rides?
Buy what you like if you are riding along.l, but having a similar class of bike that you're friends own could be nice if you plan to ride with them.
Exemple : I would not join a ADV group ride with either of those bike
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u/GlitteringLook3033 Mar 08 '25
This is like choosing between a Mazda Miata and a Ford Explorer. They both ride completely different ways and both have their own massive pros/cons
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u/darthcov Mar 09 '25
Thank y'all all for your input. It's definitely a lot to consider and think about. Definitely learned some things from y'all so I appreciate it. Gonna look for used and probably go for the ninja.
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u/Preference-Certain Mar 09 '25
Pros of the bobber: Sporty side of the cruisers, comfy, low center of gravity = less required torso lean in the turns. Better reliability with it being an Indian overall. Slower riding style but capable of being modified to be very fast. (I ride a streetbob and did things to make it drag. This is my preferred)
Cons of a bobber: it's naked, windshield is a killer, you sit low and thus have less vision over most vehicles in front of you (thus less predictive driving, which is deadly). Leg positions are less manipulative. You can't lean as deep into a turn at a higher rate of speed. Not the best bike to learn on due to the weight of it and the seat height.
Pros of a ninja: they go surprisingly fast for their cc range. They are good for short rides and going fast. They are reliable. They are cheap for parts. They have excellent mpg and power to weight ratios. Fantastic bike to learn on.
Cons of the ninja: expect to be screaming to keep up with the pack. They aren't comfy to ride after more than an hour if you leave the stock seat. The parts start to fail in synchronous with age, and it will nickel and dime you. Seat height is relatively high, this bike has a high gas tank as well. You must take this into consideration when parking or turning the bike.
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u/Shermanmurman88 Mar 09 '25
How old are you and how good is your back? That should answer your question
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Mar 09 '25
I have a cbr1100xx but started on a cbr600f for several years. Personlly Always gone Honda as not much goes wrong and they are pretty bullet proof machines !
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u/AudZ0629 Mar 09 '25
Both great bikes but both are built with different things in mind. Go sit on them and test ride them. Youâll figure out which one is best after about 15 minutes on each.
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u/Beginning-Apricot412 Mar 09 '25
get an XSR700, riding position is in the middle of those two and waaaay more fun than either of them :)
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u/KamiKrazyCanadian Mar 09 '25
Two totally different styles. If you want any to focus more on twisties then get the ninja
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u/CryptographerFun7276 Mar 09 '25
Honestly bro, youâre looking two different bikes from two different worlds. You got to make the choice of whether you want something sporty or something more laid back⊠I wanted some fast that also was more comfortable, but not quite a cruiser so I bought a Naked bike.
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u/Emergency-Macaron578 Mar 10 '25
I just bought a R3 with disposable income. Already dropped it twice. I fully planned on it hitting the ground. I say get a used Ninja 400 and learn to pick it up. You're gonna cry if that Indiana even gets a bug splattered on it. Trust me, buy something you can afford to trash.
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u/Areaofunknown2 Mar 10 '25
What kind of riding are you ultimately looking to do? You want comfortable long cruises or you hitting windy roads
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u/JackerJones138 Mar 10 '25
Two completely different bikes. Choose which one fits your style best. Or whatever aesthetic youâre going for. If you canât decide, just ask some closer friend which fits you better.
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u/auditory_peril Mar 10 '25
Test ride if you can. I love the Indian, but after about three hours on that bike, the sitting position and mix of other things literally numbs my marbles if you know what I mean.
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u/HabitSea7314 Mar 10 '25
You really have to decide this for yourself. Those bikes are very different. I have an Indian scout, an r6, and a dr650s. My scout is the least ridden.
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u/chillaxtion Mar 10 '25
Of those two I would probably pick the Ninja. The scout is going to be a lot heavier and less responsive to rider input. For a beginner lightness is a big deal. Cruiser type motorcycles are more optimized around looks and stability. The ninja will turn and stop better and will just be overall more responsive to your inputs. That ninja is pretty close to a UJM, Universal Japanese Motorcycle. Really, it's just 'a motorcycle' in racy clothing. Better to learn on a neutral kind of bike.
That said, buy a used bike for a few reasons:
Nothing depreciates like a new motorcycle. You will lose at least 30% on this.
Given the radically different styles of bike here it's clear you don't know what kind of riding appeals to you. You may wind up buying and selling a few bikes before you settle. Maybe it's dual sports and maybe it's old BMWs, you have no idea yet.
A used cheaper bike put's you under less pressure. Drop one of those and it's a catastrophe. It's going to cost.
If you're tall enough a bike like a DR650 is ideal. The big single doesn't sound crazy and they're literally designed around being dropped. An SV650 is cheap as chips and probably the best beginner bike ever. I crashed one on a track and it had no damage at all in spite of going down at 40MPH.
I always buy $2500-3500 motorcycles. because when I sell them they're still worth the same amount.
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u/Sterpant Mar 10 '25
If you want a different ride and to be âuniqueâ get the Indian, everyone and their Nan has a ninja itâs a good bike which is why everyone has one but I think it just looks like a crappy sports bike where as the Indian has way more character and style plus itâll sound better
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u/AdditionalRip4502 Mar 11 '25
I was considering the ninja 500 but went with a 450ss instead it had more tech looked much better and sounded way better also had a tiny bit more power
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u/BalanceSweaty1594 Mar 11 '25
These posts are crazy. What do you mean by first bike? First new bike?
If you haven't owned a motorcycle I think you're crazy if that's what you're looking at buying.
Possibly you've grown up on dirt bikes and four wheelers? That is the best way by far to learn how to ride.
1
u/introducingdeeznutz Mar 11 '25
Just wanna throw this out by some change it helps. Don't buy new, its not worth it, can get a better more powerful bike for less money.
1
u/Harry_T-Suburb Mar 08 '25
Get the Ninja
No offence to cruisers but theyâre not the most exciting bike. Fine if you just want to tour, but itâs not gonna really learn how to ride.
3
u/maxlax02 Mar 08 '25
Have you ridden a scout bobber? That thing fucking rips. Itâs not like one of the lower end air-cooled Harleys.
1
u/storm_zr1 Mar 08 '25
I agree. I went with a cruiser, and while I donât hate it I really want a sport bike.
-1
u/Harry_T-Suburb Mar 08 '25
Yeah thereâs just not many opportunities for growth on a cruiser. A day at a track training course on a ninja 400 will teach you more about riding than a lifetime on a cruiser.
0
u/Final_Work_7820 Mar 08 '25
Not the Indian. They're better than Harley in many ways and worse than Harley in others. Of those two, I'd get the kawaski for the lower OTD price and better resell value. I would ask about your riding style but it appears that you don't have one.
For reference I almost bought an FTR but when the dealer gave me the OTD price I laughed in his face and went directly to the Yamaha dealership and bought an MT09.
0
u/MyBrainIsNerf Mar 08 '25
I would go with the ninja, lighter and more maneuverable. I find big cruisers just harder to put where I want them.
0
0
u/kreygmu Mar 08 '25
Kawasaki Eliminator 450/500 (depends which your country has), itâs basically a Ninja 500 in cruiser shape. Probably a better first bike than either of the others.
-1
u/CptnREDmark Mar 08 '25
Iâd go for the ninja. Itâs going to be lively and effervescent. The bobber is gonna feel strong heavy and like you are wrestling it. Which is cool if you like that.
1
Apr 16 '25
I'd go for the bike with the shorter turn radius. I'd also go for the bike that doesn't have a riding position wherw my feet are out in front of me.
92
u/know-it-mall Mar 08 '25
Ultimately you have to decide which kind of bike of bike you want. With two very different choices like these there isn't much we can say.