Ninja 650R - Ownership Thread

[HarishK]

@ Safetyfirst:


I have only 2 things to ask to safetyfirst: Did you book the 2011 bike? And second, do you feel cheated?

@ Samarth 619

I have booked the the 2011 N650R and this Freaking(You know the Word) PBK Dealer is simply ignoring my inquiry on the 2012 N650R. He still says its a Speculation. :-(

[safetyfirst]

[B]@ Safetyfirst:

I have only 2 things to ask to safetyfirst: Did you book the 2011 bike? And second, do you feel cheated? If your answer is no, what's your concern with this?

thankyou for your interest in my query

1. I did not book 2011 model as i was not shown the bike at probiking at the place of my residence.
2. yes i feel i just escaped being cheated as i almost took the decision to book after my own effort to study the matter.
now as for my concern about the matter is as follows...

as i have stated here earlier as a existing customer of probiking (with 220)
went to probiking few months back as soon as Bajaj announced the release and asked them when they will get a ninja 650r for display and test ride?They were non committal on the issue and finally said no display bike will be brought at probiking mangalore.so there was gone my hopes of test ride.They said if i book by giving advance they will get the bike for me. Now That attiitude of Bajaj was not forgivable and I was not willing to book even without setting my eyes on the bike.
Then I went to Bangalore probiking at Indiranagar near Kfc and saw the bike there.Frankly I was not impressed by the looks.It was kept alongside Ninja 250 which looked more beautiful/handsome as ever even after having seen it on roads for quite some time..but no test ride there too.
Then I used all efforts to browse the net ,read xbhp thread on 650 (not much here i dare say)etc etc to weigh the pros and cons which will help me decide whether to put in 5 lakhs + on 650 or not.
Then comes the shocking news Bajaj has stopped the bookings and killed the model even before a few were on roads to prove its mettle.within a few days news filtered on net about new model and pictures and feature list were available which to me are better than old model(my personal opinion.)wether it is a fact or not is what i want to know from owners here.

also I ask the opinion of owners here whether they feel what bajaj did was right?would they have waited to get 2012 model and been happier getting the new model as a launch piece by Bajaj rather than being the owners of a once-upon-a-time model within 3 months of ownership?

now if this straightforward question ruffles a few feathers and hurts egos and moderators are called in by saying discussion on /query by non owner of 650 ninja model and its features questions about pre and post ownership experience is not ownership issue then I have got my answer already.

[KwokFist]

Did you go into details of the 2012 vs 2011 Ninja 650?

While the 2011 model might "look" old and outdated compared to 2012, the reality is not that easy to understand.

The 2012 model is environmentally tuned. Means lesser performance or mileage. In this case, it is claimed mileage that takes a hit by over 3 kmpl (17 vs 20.8 kmpl).

Plus, the 2011 bike had a character- those all digi MotoGP-like speedos, single seat, double headlights with pilot lamps, etc. Plus the lesser weight. The 2012 model has lost the character, and has just become a normal sports bike, like Fz6, CBF, etc.

@all: The ownership thread serves a purpose. Which is to document a owner's experience and help a potential buyer clear his doubts as well.

@Samarth: While I respect your opinion IMHO your comparison is subjective and doesn't reflect everybody's thoughts on the 2012 Ninja.

I have only 2 things to ask to safetyfirst: Did you book the 2011 bike? And second, do you feel cheated? If your answer is no, what's your concern with this?

As a potential owner spending lakhs of his money it is in my opinion that 'safetyfirst' has the right to fully understand the pros and cons of what he is getting into. Frankly some would be pissed off if they found out after booking and getting the bike that Bajaj is launching a newer model tomorrow and this was some sort of clearance sale for Kawasaki. But that is nature of the industry and older models get phased out eventually and has happened with all our bikes.

However, if you are okay to ride an older version and have a good time with it then its your call. But if you want to own the latest version, especially when you are buying a very expensive motorcycle (once in a lifetime) and don't want any compromises or regrets then there's no two ways about it.

If anyone from Jaipur wants to get his 2011 Ninja 650R booking transferred, I've said it a zillion times now on Xbhp, transfer it to me.
But nobody is actually transferring it. That's how excellent yet under-stated this 2011 bike is. 0-60 kmph in 2.2 seconds. And yet such humble presence. I love this bike.

I'm curious to know why you didn't book the bike when the booking was open or go elsewhere and book the bike instead of waiting for someone to transfer theirs to you? Let me tell you, a good friend from here was a little too late to decide to buy it in M'lore so he flew to Bangalore, then to Delhi hoping to buy it but came back empty handed and is waiting for the 2012 model now.

I have booked the the 2011 N650R and this Freaking(You know the Word) PBK Dealer is simply ignoring my inquiry on the 2012 N650R. He still says its a Speculation. :-(

The word is that Bajaj was clearing their limited stocks of the 2011 Ninja to make way for the 2012 N650R.

[kiranghag]

as an owner, i was sure pissed off for a moment when i saw new pics. More cause pics were out just a day after i got delivery.But this was an emotional reaction.
After comparing details, i was happy about the current model. The sharper looks are good on side but not great from front. This is personal opinion. I liked new console too.
However i am not keen about new model since it has reduced performance and mileage. And it also costs more. In international market it costs more. I wouldn be willing to pay that much more for reduced mileage, since i would be using it daily 60km to work. And by the attention that i am getting wit current model, i defn wont say that it hasn't got looks.
There were tons of reviews on international forums, sites and youtube.even 1000 pages of kawasaki service manual was available. With this it was easy to decide purchase and test ride was not deal breaker since i knew what i am putting my money on.
Finally, i dont feel clearance sale cause i booked in 2011 and got 2011 model. I would suggest you compare 2009 model with 2011 model also.2012 is 3 months away and the new model is not going to be in india on 1st jan in any case. Going by my current usage, i would have clocked atleast 10k on odo and months of ownership pride, So i dont feel cheated. I would always get better models by waiting more so i am not going to worry about it.

This is an my, as an owner response in answer to your query and not a response to your hypothetical feather plucking same has been given before in earlier posts. I do not represent all owners and there could be others who feel cheated.

[THOMAS JOSEPH]

I think we are going all over the place about the 2012 model...lets see when it comes to India.
We all know that newer models and more brands will keep coming into India at competitive prices, all that i can say is that i waited for too long in my life to get any thing decent above 350 cc and i am super thrilled with my ninja 650. I got my delivery with the first lot and i am not complaining. what complaining, i cant stop grinning since then .

[trustvishwas]

I think we are going all over the place about the 2012 model...lets see when it comes to India.
We all know that newer models and more brands will keep coming into India at competitive prices, all that i can say is that i waited for too long in my life to get any thing decent above 350 cc

Well said.

[speedemon]

Completed 500kms over 8 days with my 2011 Ninja 650R, the festive season was truly festive for me this year, if you bikers know what I mean. I have got so much from xbhp and its members, so I am doing my bit and returning some of my experiences to the community. Hopefully this is useful!

Since I have upgraded from an R15, my views and opinions might slightly differ from the more seasoned and senior riders. I had never ridden anything more powerful than a 350cc bike before I got the N650R. Hence, I was truly overwhelmed by the initial ride and ownership. Below is a short write-up of my 8-day experience.

(1) Look and feel - Pictures don't do justice to this bike, in the lime green colour, it attracts a lot of attention, much to my dislike. I have been trying hard to lay low and avoid getting noticed, but been unsuccessful. The bike attracts children, idiot riders, cars, BEST buses and occasionally some animals. Women only notice when prompted that its a "Ninja", followed by a nice Wow, lol. Usual question I get from the fairer sex after I say its a Ninja is - Is it a Yamaha? The feel of the bike is quite good, oozes quality from everywhere. A bit heavy at +200kgs for my 5ft 6in frame, but with the same saddle height as my R15, and my Alpinestars boots, it is not tough to manouvre this beast in tight spaces.

(2) Ride comfort - Quite good for my weight (68kgs) and a pillion (my wife-58kgs). Suspension setting is at mid-range, and it absorbs much of the bad roads Mumbai has to offer. Ride comfort is not as great as the legendary Bullet, but comes close. The seat needs a little padding though, and is not comfortable for +100km rides. This is again relative to my relatively smaller bike experience, my R15's seat is more comfy, but equally bad at long distances. A lot has been said about the heating issues in traffic. Yes it does heat up like the R15 in stop-go traffic, but with my jeans and Alpinestars riding boots, it wasn't really a bother. I don't ride anywhere without my riding boots, so can't comment otherwise. Bottom line, more comfortable than my P180UG3 and my R15!

(3) Performance & handling- Kept the bike below 4k rpm due to the initial break-in, but the engine is sweet and very responsive! Very very easy to ride in traffic, wring the throttle and it responds instantaneously, at the same time you can cruise in traffic at low speeds in 3rd and even 4th gear! In 3rd gear, one can almost ride it like a bike with automatic transmission. Not much to report here on top speed etc, though I did cross the ton mark a couple of times for kicks. Handling - definitely not as flickable and sharp as the R15, but you can sacrifice that for the power on tap from the engine!

(4) Brakes - This is one area of disappointment, my R15 brakes bite better. But I have been told that these improve over time, as one needs to break-in the breakpads as well. Will update once I complete a few more kms, also looking to upgrade brakepads and brakelines after a few more months of riding.

(5) Fuel consumption - for some of us who like numbers, i got an average of 21.5kmpl, with ~60% highway riding, ~40% city riding. Average speeds between 70-80kmph on the highway, 30-40kmph in the city. Fuel efficiency keeps improving with every tankful.

I ride this bike to work everyday, and intend to do so till I can afford to, or till I have a job! My dream bike is a supersports like the R1 and the Ducati1098, but I bought this machine since I want to enjoy the motorcycle everyday and not only on the weekends. Also since I am more a tourer, this is the only good choice available at sub 5lakhs. An awesome machine which puts a smile on my face everyday, except for some small niggles (seat and brakes) which can be easily rectified / upgraded. Thank-you Bajaj!

[Sachinnair]

Congrats Speedemon and waiting for some pics

[speedemon]

Congrats Speedemon and waiting for some pics

Thanks Sachin! For pics, please Ctrl C + Crtl V the link below -

xBhp.com : The Global Indian Biking Community - speedemon's Album: My Ninja650R

[sauravalwaysurs]

nice succint review "speed-demon" sir.. i had been waiting for such kind of review since this thread started..
and congo for new bike..!!

[3kings]

I think we are going all over the place about the 2012 model...lets see when it comes to India.
We all know that newer models and more brands will keep coming into India at competitive prices, all that i can say is that i waited for too long in my life to get any thing decent above 350 cc and i am super thrilled with my ninja 650. I got my delivery with the first lot and i am not complaining. what complaining, i cant stop grinning since then .

hell yeah!

[speedemon]

nice succint review "speed-demon" sir.. i had been waiting for such kind of review since this thread started..
and congo for new bike..!!

Thanks Saurav, glad this was useful to you. Here are some more pics - some small upgrades, more functional than cosmetic.
(1) Harri's tank protector, to protect against surface scratches from my jacket and pant zippers.
(2) Harri's handlebar grips - removed the factory fitted ones as they were not comfortable for +100km runs. Have to test these ones out before I can pass any comment. For now, they feel softer and more comfortable, and transmit almost no vibrations to my palms. (Previous ones were good as well, but these feel a ad better.)
(3) Cosmetic changes - removed the saree guard and fitted new license plates.

More upgrades later!

[vinbex]

@speedemon,
How much did the tankpad cost you and from where?

[satyenpoojary]

@speedemon,
How much did the tankpad cost you and from where?

They are from performance racing store and costs some 1200 (tankpad), you can see the price on thier website as well.

How do I know -

[vinbex]

OMG..you are everywhere...awesome bro!
Il check out the website...