i am thinking about getting this as a first bike, since i am new to riding and all. its a 97 ninja 250r, with about 17k miles, i think it was wrecked or something, but i have pics, he wants only 500 for it. is this a good deal? also, what is missing on the bike besides the front plastic and mirrors? and where could i get these cheap? thanks!

It was wrecked? How bad was the damage? Does it have a clean title? You can buy most of the replacement parts on Ebay.

Have someone with knowledge of bikes ride the bike and see how it handles and if it tracks in a strait line or does it pull to one side. This plus an inpection of the bike will tell him if the frame has been bent from a wreck. If all looks good with the frame and if the engine sounds good then I think that $500 is a good price for a first time fixer-up bike. Like Vtec44 said you can get very good deals on ebay for replacement parts. All parts are interchangeable for years 1988 thru 2007.

It would be a great bike, if it's mechanically sound.

As stated, have someone with some motorcycle experience go with you to check it out. If possible, have the owner keep the bike cold so you can see how hard it is to start when cold. Your experienced companion should be able to check for the obvious problems and give you the verdict. You can also take it to a trusted mechanic if you know one.

If it's in good mechanical shape, I think it's a great starting bike, and you don't really need to worry about replacing fairings and all that, because it's likely you will drop it while learning, which is normal. If it's likely to give you more trouble (breakdowns, and maintenace, since it's a bit old) than riding pleasure, I suggest you keep looking.

Keep us posted.

I am sorry but I have to disagree with the above statement that it is likely you will drop the bike while learning. This is all depndent on you going to an MSF or similar class and then practicing what you have learned. Above all never ride beyond your means. Take it slow and gradual at first and you will be riding for a long time.
keep us posted on your new bike and any other questions you may have.

No worries, everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, going to the MSF course, and even practicing what you learned there, is no guarantee that you are not going to drop the bike. Of course, not taking an MSF course is not a guarantee that you will drop the bike when learning.

But, like it or not, there are a lot of differences to riding a bike than a 4-wheel vehicle, and us novices are likely to get overwhelmed by the differences. Another thing to consider is that knowing what your skills and limits are takes time and practice. You are wise to say "never ride beyond your means", and I absolutely agree with that, but most times novices find out the hard way what their means are.

Furthermore, there are stupid little things like forgetting to put the sidestand down, or making sure it went all the way down, before leaning the bike, sometimes realizing too late that the bike will fall. Another one is parking on gravel, when the rider loses traction (on their boots) and drop the bike, or they fall with it. Another one is forgetting to grab the brake lever when mounting or dismounting. Another one is evasive maneuvers. And so on and so on.

Most of those require time to become second nature, and just because you haven't dropped any bike, it doesn't mean most people learn that way (or that fast). There are a lot of little things that can make you slip up and drop the bike, and it's all part of the learning process.

Don't take this the wrong way. I'm not trying to start an argument, but it is important to comment this so new riders know what to expect. With all this in mind, they can make their own, informed, decisions.

Thank you for the clarification. Hopefuly 91satanslegend and other newbie riders will take this discusion as a heads up to be careful and expect the unexpected.

Thank you for the clarification. Hopefuly 91satanslegend and other newbie riders will take this discusion as a heads up to be careful and expect the unexpected.

Precisely. :2drunk