re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

181 kgs of payload, thats good enough for me. now i will need to do some digging on the D390's touring capabilities, the major drawback that i see is the fuel tank capacity. I am off tomorrow, will visit the KTM showroom and get more details.

I read about your rain ride experience, I'd be interested to know if the thought of ABS ever striked you. how did Midori behave while riding from dry to wet roads, was the transition smooth or did you have to shift down and brake to slow down, how did the brakes act/react? how did the tyres act/react when they were wet? any changes with braking in wet conditions that you may have noticed - comparing it to braking during dry conditions.


Thanks & Cheers!!
Guru

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

Lucky You for riding with support vehicle
How many times did you scrape your exhaust when you were riding +1?

Please read this article -
This will surely help you answer your questions about Duke 390. The bike is a pocket rocket, the bike is gonna be in limelight but 2 up on D390 will not be the best idea. I would have rather picked up 2013 edition of CBR250R if I were to tour 2 up. It would be more comfortable than D390 in terms of space & comfort. Tank range as per the article is 225-240 kms in D390.

Regarding rain ride experience on N650, Bajaj should have given ABS at least as an option to prospect buyers. ABS would have been an added bonus definitely, no doubts in that. I have covered decent amount of distance in wet condition and I feel the bike is very stable when it comes to riding in straight roads. I can ride it without any trouble what so ever, one can move around, brake as and when required and the bike does not scare you. However as soon as I come in twisty sections I must admit I get a little scared that I might skid and slip so but obvious I am taking it very easy when it comes to twisty roads. Also because my tires have run almost 19K kms now so I do not want to ride hard in twisty section when on wet roads. Gear changes, braking & tires are as expected and they perform well in the wet conditions.

The only trouble of taking her out in monsoon is the after affects of the ride. It takes 2-3 hours to ensure it comes back to its normal form. Washing, cleaning, chain lubing, radiator cleaning takes a lot of effort so I only ride her in monsoon if the ride is a real long ride. For short rides, I tend to ride my ZMR now

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

@ Sachinnair bro one of my friend upgrading to Busa so he wants to sell off his 2013 2 months old 650R @ 4.5,is it a good deal ? or shall I go for new one whic may costaprox 5.79 OTR. Please help me regarding this.

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

Extremely good deal if you are getting it for 4.5L. It's a steal price if the bike is in mint condition considering the new one cost 1.3L more and also it comes with a waiting period of close to 120 days.

Second hand bike means you'll not get any finance option and would have to pay hard cash I suppose unless you have a way out. Few watch-outs before you venture would be to check the odometer how much exactly has the bike run, check if it has been serviced and maintained properly. Check for scratches & dents if the bike has been involved in any accidents.

All the Best!

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

the bike is in mint condition - Yes it's in mint condition or we can say more than that

hard cash- Yes I have to manage that,problem is changing the ownership,as you know all RTO works in same speed all over India.Insurance has to be converted in my name.This process alone will take 2 months for sure.And Kolkata PBK having 1 650R for spot sale,yes it will cost me 1.3L extra sure but bike will be in my name within a week after all ppr works.

check the odometer- 1750KM+ !st service done and PBK ppl saying there will be no problem with warranty etc.

Now I have to push my luck a bit I think with bargain

She saw day light after 3 weeks and boy what a wonderful weekend I had as a result. Did a short spin within city limits on Saturday evening followed by a Sunday morning stint to Charoti and back. Bike would go for 4th service sometime this week or next week. Some pics for restless Ninja lovers!

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

Awesome pictures also the midori.. [MENTION=31671]Sachinnair[/MENTION]

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

Hi [MENTION=31671]Sachinnair[/MENTION],
Yogesh here.Im currently riding a duke from last 1 n half year.And im eyeing ninja 650, say,by this year end.i would like your take on few queries.
1.Known issues with bike,issues you have faced.
2.Tyre & chain life, and costs of both.
3.Periodic service cost all inclusive of consumables.
4.Comfort level for two up touring, front and rear seat comfort, and provision for panniers/back box.
5.Tank range, mileage(city/highway)
6.Suspension(ride stiffness in city),and highway manners.
7.Ride and handling in city potholed roads, ground clearance.
8.Essential aftermarket additions.
I'll be going on ship for few months.any stuff which is not available here,please point out so that i can bring them from singapore.
Many thanks in advance.
And [MENTION=61028]whymail[/MENTION], your inputs will be appreciated too.and wheres your ownership thread?

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

@ynike99 : lol! prolly will never have an ownership thread of mine... have been too busy riding & getting to know her... every new ride, every passing day, is a new learning & a revelation. seems like the bike has turned my aging cycle in the reverse direction.
now w/o letting this being an off topic discussion, i will cut my crap & let @Sachinnair answer ur queries
best wishes for ur Kawanja purchase... get her soon... reclaim & regain ur youth, all over, yet again!

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

Gross ot, but im just 23 , and i have my duke to keep me in my teens.650 would be a growing up/ageing/next step in biking for me.

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

[MENTION=41871]ynike99[/MENTION] : 23 y.o.!!! thats almost double the age of what i am today
u r truly blessed to acquire her @ this age.
and before we hijack this topic to OT, lets go silent.
jai ho!

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

Hey Yogesh, Please find my inputs below.

1.Known issues with bike,issues you have faced.
Every bike on this planet has cons / shortcomings and N650 is no exception.
Known issues which you should be aware of are:
a) Low Ground Clearance: N650 2012 model onwards has a GC of 130mm. If you are not careful, you'll end up hitting the exhaust on every other speedbreaker.
b) Pathetic Headlight: N650 has possibly one of the worse headlights. It's as good as headlight is not swtich on. I changed the bulb within 2 weeks after purchasing the bike to Extreme Vision and that solved the headlight issue.
c) Brakes: Brakes that come in stock form are not good enough for the power this bike has to offer. They have a very soft and spongy feel and one has to start braking at least 20 feet before he actually should brake. I have upgraded to Hel Performance brake lines and EBC brake pads and that solved the braking issue.

2.Tyre & chain life, and costs of both.
Tyres: I have currently done 19,000+ on my stock tire. It can last another 2-3K kms I suppose and post that I would have to change it. So regarding tire life, you can do 15K kms easily on them.
New set of rubber would burn a hole in my pocket as it costs 25K.

Chain & Sprocket life: You won't believe if I said but I have not even adjusted the chain once from the time I have bought the bike. There is no chain slack till date and that's very impressive indeed.
But you do have to take very good care of your chain. It has to be cleaned and lube after almost every 600-700 kms. I have been using Motul chain lube and clean but that is not very cost effective and also tends to get dry soon. I will explore the option of trying out Wurtz now. Chain & Sprocket with proper care can last 25-30K i think depending on how you maintain. Cost of Chain & Sprocket set is 14K.

3.Periodic service cost all inclusive of consumables.

1st Service Bill Details below: (Odo:1000 kms)
Oil Filter - Rs.506.50
Motul 300V 10W 40 Oil - Rs.1970
Paid Service Ninja 650 - Rs.1140
Service Tax - Rs.143
Total - Rs.3760

2nd Service Bill Details below: (Odo: 7000 kms)
Oil Filter - Rs.450
Motul 300V 10W40 - Rs.1576
Kit Chain Spray - Rs.145
VAT - Rs.271
Paid Servicing - Rs.1140
Service Tax - Rs.136
Education Cess - Rs.4
Total Service Cost: Rs. 3725

3rd Service Bill Details below: (Odo:13000 kms)
Oil Filter - Rs.450
Motul 300V 10W40 - Rs.1576
Kit Chain Spray - Rs.145
VAT - Rs.271
Paid Servicing - Rs.1140
Service Tax - Rs.136
Education Cess - Rs.4
Total Service Cost: Rs. 3725

4.Comfort level for two up touring, front and rear seat comfort, and provision for panniers/back box.
I would not be able to comment on two up touring as I have not explored this much. I have done very limited pillion rides so I would rather not comment [check couple of pages back on this thread I had given some inputs]. But I can say you this, with pillion you have to be extremely careful of the bumps. Regarding provision for panniers / top box, you have various options like Givi, Shad who offer panniers but thats gonna cost a bomb in range anywhere between 40-80K depending on what you need.

5.Tank range, mileage(city/highway)
Mileage: 25kmpl
Tank Range: 275 - 325 kms realistically. I usually fill at 300 kms

6.Suspension(ride stiffness in city),and highway manners.
You can adjust the suspension based on your needs. Rear suspension is adjustable. Does the job well. It is not exceptional but in its league and price band it serves the purpose.

7.Ride and handling in city potholed roads, ground clearance.
I dont ride her in city. I have a better bike called Karizma which does those duties but I have still done some kms in city and I dont like the ride experience in city. No fun whatsoever. This bike is meant for highways and thats where I like it. It tends to get a little hot in city rides and it's better to ride your lesser capacity bike for city I feel. Few riders I know do use their N650 for city without any problems so its down to personal preference where you wanna ride her.

8.Essential aftermarket additions.
Essential aftermarket has to be better headlights (Switch to Extreme Vision or Osram Night breakers, or expensive options are HID or morimoto projectors), upgrade the bike's brake lines and brake pads for better braking prowess. Get frame sliders, tank pad, etc.
Apart from these you have a truck load of accessories you can get for the Ninja online.

Hope this helps

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

@Sachinnair: Cograts bro.....Very inspiring..

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

Excellent team there! Loved the lined up pictures of the ride. Out of curiosity, you guys teamed up after purchasing Ninja or vice versa ?

re: A Green Affair! Starring Kawasaki Ninja 650 Edit: Now Sold!

Thanks Shrey. Good to see you on Xbhp. Last time we met was in Aug'10 when we had gone to Lavasa I guess. Congrats to you too for new R15.

We have a Kawasaki India Ninja 650 Owner's group on Facebook where all the gupshup happens. Lot of knowledge sharing, discussions, ride plans, track days are organised for owners.