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  • #1

    Looking for my new baby

    Hi All,

    Hope everyone is coping well with the COVID-19 situation!

    Need your inputs regarding my next purchase. But first a bit about me.

    Was active here around 2011ish I think! But I moved to Australia and got busy with Uni and part times jobs(mostly to save up for my bike), got back just before the COVID lockdown(lucky me) and intend to stay for 3-4 years.

    The timeline of the bikes that I have owned goes something like this.

    Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTSI 2009-2013 India (Bought New and ridden about 70k)
    No riding for about 6-7 months when first moved overseas.
    Yamaha R125 2014-2015 Australia (Bought used and ridden about 20k)
    Honda CBR300R 2015-2017 Australia (Bought New and ridden around 35k)
    Honda CB500F 2017-2018 Australia (Bought used and ridden around 15k, realised I dont like naked bikes due to windblast, etc)
    Yamaha MT-09 2019 Australia (Friend left it to me to take care of while he was overseas, ridden around 6k before he came back, this was a proper beast but not practical especially here in India)

    Arrived back in Feb 2020, so its been about 7 months since I have owned a bike, have ridden a few owned by friends, also family owns a Suzuki Access 125 which I ride around when I am bored, its fun but certainly nothing fun or special.

    Itching to get back on the saddle as soon as possible, been researching the current Indian market since lockdown happened. I like Japanese bikes since I have owned a few and I like the engineering, robustness, reliability of the Japanese.

    Also, I would like to get a new bike, I trust no one to treat their bike as I would

    Had shortlisted a few
    Ninja 400 (BS6 not launched)
    TVS Apache (Not available for TR, no one know when it will be available)
    Yamaha R3(Don't know if and when it will come back to India)

    Also, a few other thing that might be help narrowing things down.
    Budget - 7 lakhs max
    Age - 28
    Height - 5'8"
    Intended usage - Office commute, Touring, Highway use mostly
    Fuel Efficiency requirement - not a priority
    City & Highway percentage usage - City - 40%, Highway 60%
    Approximate Daily / Monthly running - approx 1500kms a month
    City (so we can evaluate road conditions / traffic / terrain / altitude / OTR pricing) - Delhi/NCR
    Brand / Bike type preference (if any) - Brands with good reliability & manageable Service Costs
    Bike style - Faired / Semi- faired

    Recently, walked in at the Kawa Showroom to check if they had any N400 or N300 for sale but ended up test riding a 2019 N650 and absolutely loved it.

    Also, is this a good time to buy or wait for more new launches?

    In any case thank you for reading through this long ass post.

    ATGAT and Ride safe!
    You can call me lost - I call it FREEDOM
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Looking for my new baby

    Thread approved.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Looking for my new baby

      Originally posted by fahim154 View Post
      Also, a few other thing that might be help narrowing things down.
      Budget - 7 lakhs max
      Age - 28
      Height - 5'8"
      Intended usage - Office commute, Touring, Highway use mostly
      Fuel Efficiency requirement - not a priority
      City & Highway percentage usage - City - 40%, Highway 60%
      Approximate Daily / Monthly running - approx 1500kms a month
      City (so we can evaluate road conditions / traffic / terrain / altitude / OTR pricing) - Delhi/NCR
      Brand / Bike type preference (if any) - Brands with good reliability & manageable Service Costs
      Bike style - Faired / Semi- faired

      Recently, walked in at the Kawa Showroom to check if they had any N400 or N300 for sale but ended up test riding a 2019 N650 and absolutely loved it.
      Hey there!

      In this situation, I would pick up the Ninja 400 over the N650 or Z650 even though the pricing is pretty close. I think with 40% of city riding, a 300-400 will be slightly happy in traffic than a 650. And also it's much lighter to maneuver in traffic. N400 is super nimble and comfortable. And on highways even a 300 cc engine is enough. I think the 400 has more than enough power for our highways.

      I do an average of 1500kms/month on my R3 with the same 40:60 ratio like yours and I'm extremely happy with the bike.

      Get a BS6 version.

      Cheers!
      Instagram highway.to.hill
      YouTube Highway To Hill

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Looking for my new baby

        Originally posted by fahim154 View Post
        Hi All,

        City (so we can evaluate road conditions / traffic / terrain / altitude / OTR pricing) - Delhi/NCR
        Brand / Bike type preference (if any) - Brands with good reliability & manageable Service Costs
        Bike style - Faired / Semi- faired

        Recently, walked in at the Kawa Showroom to check if they had any N400 or N300 for sale but ended up test riding a 2019 N650 and absolutely loved it.

        Also, is this a good time to buy or wait for more new launches?

        In any case thank you for reading through this long ass post.

        ATGAT and Ride safe!
        You're lucky you live in Delhi NCR. Automobiles and bike are way cheaper up there than down south. I'd suggest you look for a pre owned 650. There are lots of them on the market, many are barely used and you can get a good deal. If this doesn't work, then I'd look at a pre owned N300/400, again for the same reasons.

        The reason I'm suggesting pre owned is because the N400 and the current 650s along with the Z900RS are pretty much the only products that Kawasaki has screwed up on pricing.

        If you must buy new, I'd do a N650/Vstrom and call it a day. I wouldn't bother waiting. Most bikes that will come will only be early next year. The Europeans have given quite a bit of time for Euro 5 updates.

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Looking for my new baby

          Originally posted by fahim154 View Post
          Had shortlisted a few
          Ninja 400 (BS6 not launched)
          TVS Apache (Not available for TR, no one know when it will be available)
          Yamaha R3(Don't know if and when it will come back to India)

          Also, is this a good time to buy or wait for more new launches?

          In any case thank you for reading through this long ass post.

          ATGAT and Ride safe!
          I'm not sure forgive me first, if I'm even eligible to suggest a bike to someone who has already and ridden covered all segments of bikes
          But going by your ride history, I'd say pick a twin cylinder, a single will out grow very soon coming from a big bike. You'll get a itch to upgrade to a smoother twin/triple/four

          Upcoming Launches and my picks
          1) CBR650R fits the bill perfectly, yet to launch in its BS6 avatar, delayed due to COVID(but sadly a lakh expensive than you budget). Wait for it though
          2) Same with R3/N400, launch unknown.
          3) RR310, looks like TVS have the same old pathetic sales attitude, the bike was not available to test ride to me 3 years back( I chased showroom for 3months just for test ride!!), still the same story even now.
          4) If you are set on the N650 better to wait out couple of months and will to spend extra 60-70K, get the Versys 650! You wont regret your choice in the long run
          5) You a need a bike immediately and cant wait get the Interceptor650/GT650 as a stop gap(Ignoring the Faired/Semi-Faired thing and not Japanese)! You wont regret either

          Overall say it's bad time to buy good middle weight bike, so many bikes missing out there due BS6 and waiting to be re-launched. I'd say wait it out!
          Bajaj SuperFE 150 - Forever in my heart
          Bajaj Discover 135 DTSi Sports - 2009 to Current
          KTM RC390 - 2015 to Curr​ent
          TVS Jupiter - 2016 to Current

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Looking for my new baby

            Originally posted by kiran2508 View Post


            4) If you are set on the N650 better to wait out couple of months and will to spend extra 60-70K, get the Versys 650! You wont regret your choice in the long run

            5) You a need a bike immediately and cant wait get the Interceptor650/GT650 as a stop gap(Ignoring the Faired/Semi-Faired thing and not Japanese)! You wont regret either

            Overall say it's bad time to buy good middle weight bike, so many bikes missing out there due BS6 and waiting to be re-launched. I'd say wait it out!
            Hey man, hope you don't mind but I have some observations I'd like to make

            4) A new Versys 650 is a terrible buy right now. It's an aged and obsolete product that is in dire need of an upgrade. Their BS6 update is lazy and indicated an all new model is around the corner. If OP goes this route, I'd highly recommend pre owned, but the Ninja 650 is better suited to his requirements

            5) Absolutely agree, a RE twin would be a great stop gap, as would a 390 ADV or a pre owned Bonneville.

            Finally, I'm not sure what 700 cc capacity mid range tourers are going to make an entry. Yamaha seem to have given up on the Indian markets, Honda and Suzuki will launch whatever upspec A2 license 600-700 cc they have in the west, those are going to be really anemic bikes and don't hold a candle to the 390 or Ninja 650 fun factor. OPs budget allows for a new Ninja 650 with a bit of stretch and I'd definitely do that. No point waiting, there's nothing with his requirements on the horizon.

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Looking for my new baby

              Originally posted by theEntreriCode View Post
              4) A new Versys 650 is a terrible buy right now. It's an aged and obsolete product that is in dire need of an upgrade. Their BS6 update is lazy and indicated an all new model is around the corner. If OP goes this route, I'd highly recommend pre owned, but the Ninja 650 is better suited to his requirements
              2020 Versys has also lost 3 HP of power and 3 NM of torque.
              Instagram highway.to.hill
              YouTube Highway To Hill

              Comment

              • #8
                Hi All,
                Just an update bought the Ninja 650 a week after the original post. Though all of you have valid and fair points I just couldn’t wait any longer to ride. And I absolutely love it. Did test a few but finally took the plunge. Anyways since then I have done about 5k lost a couple of months due to Monsoons and other personal issues. Posting a few pictures for y’all to ogle.
                3 Photos
                You can call me lost - I call it FREEDOM

                Comment

                • #9
                  Originally posted by fahim154 View Post
                  Hi All,
                  Just an update bought the Ninja 650 a week after the original post. Though all of you have valid and fair points I just couldn’t wait any longer to ride. And I absolutely love it. Did test a few but finally took the plunge. Anyways since then I have done about 5k lost a couple of months due to Monsoons and other personal issues. Posting a few pictures for y’all to ogle.
                  Hey, I was reading the thread top to bottom, and I was itching to post my reply. I was going to strongly suggest you to buy Ninja 650 and then I saw your last post and felt instantly relieved!

                  All those who were suggesting N400 or R3 don't know about the HUGE difference of torque between those options and N650. N650 is just effortless on all road conditions because of its immense YET linear torque output. Whereas N400 or R3 are high-revving engines and have poor low end torque.

                  And boy oh boy, whoever suggested you a Royal Enfield is living in a fictional world where it's acceptable to suggest RE crap to someone who specifically asked for "Japanese finesse and reliability"! I won't buy an RE even if it was the only available motorcycle in India, I would ride a bicycle which is more reliable and balanced than any RE.
                  • Likes 2

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