my wife's got a ninja 250 so I got the efficient and reliable covered. it's like the Honda civic of motorcycles. uninteresting but very capable. it also spanks the pants off the rebel, it's surprisingly powerful.
I have alot of respect for those little ninjas. They truly beat the pants off my Honda Nighthawk. Im sure alot of it has to do with the 2 carbs compared to hondas single carb.
But seriously speaking, with as basic as the nighthawk 250 (and rebel) is wouldnt it be cool to ride a couple of those across the country with buddies? Ive debated turning mine into a semi-enduro. Bash gaurds, enduro style tires, maybe a bit better rear shock, some ammo cans for gear, etc... I could handle my nighthawk on some mild trails.