ok, here's my point as a rider who have owned 150, 250 & 650.

If you have the budget, go for 650. skip the 250. No replacement for displacement.

Skip the Blade. go for an er6n/f. no doubt torque is not as good as blade but in terms of maintenance and parts longevity, japanese DEFINITELY outlasts korean. plus er6n/f bersepah on the road, so parts availability is not an issue, and also priced reasonably cheap. also Blade 650 is relatively heavy and a chore to maneuver in city traffic. although one can get used to it after some riding time, but still having a slimmer/lighter bike (comparatively) from the onset is better.

as to why skip 250, i say it because the ownership and running cost is about the same, and you lose out on the available power. you want to cruise 140 comfortably without stressing the engine, 650 it is. on a 250 you'd be running close to red line.

Based on my past ownership of ZZR250 and Versys650, yea almost same.

Engine oil - 2 botol for both
Oil filter RM30 for 250 RM50 for 650
Petrol 1 tankful about rm26 (given same fuel price) gives me same mileage of 300km, mixed city and hiway riding.
O-ring Chain & sprocket set same for both about rm300+
Tyres 1 set - about RM800 for my 250 and close to rm1k for the 650
basically that's where the similarity in terms of upkeep and running.
it is no brainer for me to pay the same running cost but doesnt get the same enjoyment. so i chose to upgrade.

roadtax is RM50 for 250 and RM250 for 650

power wise 250 is a high revving engine, gotta really throttle it to enjoy the speed - just like kapchais. stock standard condition - u wana go 120 on meter the rpm is already 8k, redline at 12k. u get about 160 tops, 170 maybe in rare occasion. On the 650 going 120 engine rpm only 6k+. squeeze it up to 9k, u get 160 on meter. redline at 11k and u get about 180... on the Er6 where the tuning is slightly different, u can touch 200 at 12k... u run the engine (both 250 & 650) at high rpm for long term, wear and tear is faster - eventually u need to do valve clearance and top overhaul much sooner. so might as well get a bigger one and running the engine un-stressed at 120-140 so u can ride it long term without much issue.

plus, bigger engine can carry load better than a small engine could and at the same time relatively economical. just an example, back then in 2009 when i was riding to Betong with a friend, both of us carry pillion. he is fatter and heavier than me. i ride zzr 250 while he rides a zx9r. we both fillup full tank in Rawang and rides at the same speed of 120kmh together. when we reach tapah, i have to fillup RM15 for full tank, and he only needs to fillup RM9. simply because for his engine, he is riding at mid-low rpm while i am riding at 8.5k (considered high) rpm.

but then again, for work commute and if your gaji ciput like me, 150cc below is the perfect bike in terms of running and maintenance. everything is cheaper by a large margin compared to 250cc and up, just that on the speed department need to adjust expectations lah. 150cc can run 110-120 but again at high rpm. keep it 80-100 then basically it will be trouble free and safer to boot.

naik basikal kalau eksiden pun mati jugak

RIP nicky hayden. bawak moto GP 320kmh crash tak mati, naik basikal 32kmh crash mati.

Yes,

When we talk about 250 vs 650 (assuming both inline twin) definitely go for 650 since you only need to pay very slightly more in terms of upkeep and running.

no issue lah. when i first bought my Versys i rode it to work every day for 6 months. my opis is in KL Golden Triangle.

If TZM depan can lepas, my versys also definitely can lepas. so if versys can, er6 lagi la tak payah cerita.

p.s. in the end change back to kapchai because FC save half.

RIP Simoncelli

just this model i am referring to - Versys/er6n/f because this is what i experienced.

manual states 1.7litre for just oil change and 1.9litre inclusive of Oil filter change.

However here in msia most ppl would use about 2.3 -2.6 litre depending on their mechanic's recommendation to avoid "valve problem"

what i did was - at shop 2 litres. i have an extra bottle keep at home to topup if not enuf. regularly check oil levels and if got kurang mah kasi topup lor, tak susah.

Oil filter outside price range from RM40-RM50. if shop/service centre they usually charge official RRP which is RM55.

if got kawan who can do or sendiri DIY, u then u can save abit by buying outside... as long as got place for you to properly throw away the old oil la.

alternatively u just find a very kamcheng shop and let them earn abit to build relationship.

true, it is never enuf. key is knowing your own skills and limits and ride within that boundary.
just because someone else can handle 250kmh doesnt mean you can too.

fren of mine said too bloody light, if on hiway top speed the front is twitchy.

i test rode the ninja650r instead, demn syiok, size like 250 but power 650. keep on open throttle saja.

ala... jangan la burst the bubble.

Blade is heavy all right. plus the huge tank shape made it all the more bulky. but if you can ride a Blade competently , ER6n/f would be much easier to handle.

When i took my B-full, i did my lessons and training on a Blade. then during test day i was given an ER6n (old model)


bloody hell what a different world it made. passed my B-full in one sitting without issue.

This post has been edited by andrewhtf: May 24 2017, 05:22 PM

did mine long time ago, RM490. nowadays maybe still can get this price but must be in group package and also not many place doing it.