I havent had any issues so far *touchwood* in 3months and 5000 kms. You can use the bike in the city but there is no fun in it. The fun is on the highways. That said, it'll still pottle around in 6th at 50kmph with no knocking in the city.

all the best. and i'm guessing its gonna be green if you do go for it?

Not anytime soon!!
But looking at it...

Touring is effortless on the Ninja. Inside the city, even my RTR is more fun.
The only problem I see with touring on the Ninja is too much attention (applicable to the Green especially). This is really bothersome.
Just stop over a village for 2 mins and you will be surrounded by curious locals in no time.

This also happens in City bro.. But the city guys will start Photo Shoot.. While your Ninja starts Posing

I use my Ninja aka Green Dragon mainly for touring but even in between touring I will be passing thru city (long stretchs) traffic (very delayed). Frankly speaking, i have never had any issue till date. I make it point to go out on tour with my Green Dragon every weekend. It has been all comfy rides for me till date and the rides were a blast.

Like others were mentioning, the photo sessions and the crazy fans are the add-ons to owning a ninja. Trust me, on road there is nothing (apart frm the higher CC bikes) and i mean it when i say nothing that can out-run the ninja in India right now. The accelaration and the top notch is world class and totally out of the world when compared with other indian bikes and few cars too.

Speaking of the fans following while on tours, I enjoy it as long as somebody try something stupid over the craze. Like the other day, i countered a school going kid in a honda activa trying to take snaps of the ninja while i was driving 100+ mph and the too wit his mob cam chasing me. I noticed him in the rear view, I signaled the bike and slowed down for him to take the snap but i was seriously pissed off.

My advise is go for it bro. You would not regret the decision. It's a really Great ride for anybody who loves to ride fast and enjoy the ride.

*Only thing you shd be take note during touring is to take rest after few 100kms and to keep the riding posture correct.

Well have done touring, commuting on the Ninja in pretty much all conditions except snow and ice. (but rains, rains with strong winds, moderate offroad, ghats, windy highways) so much so that around 13000 kms was raked up in the initial 2-2.5 months.

The bike holds pretty well on smooth tarmacs, long distances. Even rode it non-stop for around 250 kms!! No problems at all. No sore wrists, no back pains. It is fune to ride it on twisties on mountains.

What the bike is not comfortable is bumps on the roads and bumpy roads. If you are travelling at 120+ and run the Ninja over a bump only god can save you from a tank slapper (ask me..I have had the noose on my neck thrice...)

On highways with good winds..the bike might get tossed around a lil due to tha lack of weight but its much better than other bikes of similar or lesser pedigree!

Mate, if you think you can out run anything ..try it with these common cars ...Hyundai verna, Skoda Octavia, even a Mitsubishi Lancer (ofcourse not the EVO)..You might take off faster than them but given an empty stretch of highway they would make you look like a sitting duck!!
But do agree with you on all other points..

really?! I never came face to such a situation maybe that is why I'm not aware of it. So far I was able to out-beat most of the cars who took their chance with my Ninja. Guess the others were mesmerised by the Green Dragon.

There is another catch, 'The riding skills'. I might be able to out-run a Hyundai verna, Skoda Octavia, even a Mitsubishi Lancer if I ride better than they drive. but one cannot anwser it, if not yet done!

Point agreed mate... Your ride thru the roads of kerala is also true to the core... the weekend before I rode from tvm to ekm which took me 3hrs (only bcos i rode early morning). It cud have taken an hr more or so if i had rode inbetween traffic... the ride back was much better than i expected though (thanks to the flood lights onboard the Ninja) Better visibility was an advantage...

Speaking of super highways outside kerala... aprt frm my get-away to ekm the weekend before, i normally ride towards TN express highways since 'ripping sessions' are best done outside kerala for a ninja...

as per your suggestion, i'll watch out for a skoda or verna and play decent wit them even if they invite me for a party..

To put things straight, I do not race with any 'TDH' who challenge me...
I race for fun and not to prove anything...

To requote something which I read in the link you had attached, "Somebody once told me it is more to see how fast your bike is than anything else". I agree with the statement... It's to exp how fast your ride flies rather than race with somebody... It's all abt the view, the adrenalin rush and the wind forcing against you...

number plate arrived

Diverting a bit from Car vs Bike and/or SBK vs sports bike.

Number plate from Utsav has arrived yesterday. Initially I thought the plate would be pre-drilled for the nut holes, but it is not. Now thinking of some jugaad where I can get it drilled.
That apart, the hologram has been put up right on the place where the hole should be (refer the attachment). Is it supposed to be this way?

Special thanks to aargee and n_aditya. guys, ur reviews prompted me to go for this.

I thought the ones you are getting from Utsav would have the hologram placed sensibly but i guess all the people manufacturing it are the same!!!

So yes it is like that only! Get it drilled while getting your bike serviced next time or from anyone and then after that it's a simple DIY!!!

Plates are not pre-drilled since bolt insertion position differs from bike to bike. Best is to keep the original plate over this new one, mark the areas for the holes and go to a number plate shop where you can pay someone to drill the holes for you.

Or borrow a drill machine from a friend if you can and DIY. If you do that, make sure you buy a new drill bit (Rs.20 or so) to fix in the machine.

Just changed front and rear brake pads at 8800 km. They cost Rs.2607 including labour.