Advice from a guy who has a 250 in the garage.
As you can see....mine is plenty fast enough to take on the highway.
buy a scratched up used one.....the frames are really tough and new plastic is just a couple hundred bucks on ebay.
If you really want to know how to ride...take that 250 to the track and do a few trackdays....you will have a blast...and learn how to ride at the same time
oh yeah.....a properly modded 250...like mine will smoke a stock ninja 300 and a R3....
Raced em both.