[Sheel]

One advise, cut your teeth on either the Yamaha FZ or Suzuki Gixxer150.

6 months later, upgrade. Or buy a pre owned R15, FZ or CBR 250R with ABS or RTR 180 ABS and potter around. Upgrade when you exhaust their abilities.

On topic, I will pick the N 300. Reasons already mentioned above.

[HighAlpha]

Originally Posted by hsub

I have owned Duke 390 and now own Ninja 300. I have ridden RC 390 for about 500 kms as well. From that perspective my advise would be to go for Ninja 300 if you can afford it. It is miles ahead in terms of build quality and refinement. Another thing to consider is how long you are going to keep this bike - if the answer is 3 years or more then Ninja would surely age better.

RC 390 is fun bike to ride and feels faster than N300. But ergos are much more agressive and vibrations are also felt on butt, feet and hands. RC390 sounds much better than Duke 390 but the twin of N300 at higher RPMS gives better thrills.

I concur. Once your noob factor has blown over, you will thank yourself for buying Ninja. Trust me you'd never want to sell it. RC390 well, wont stand the test of time, sure it is fast as hell, will disintegrate with time if you don't sell it. Build quality and reliability of Ninja is top-notch. Bigger tank of Ninja will allow you to take longer trips with ease and even take you remote places.

Buy RC390 only for short lived fun factor. IMHO.

[e4gleeyez]

I am in a similar dilemma and just started riding 2-wheelers after a gap of 12 years. Suggest you invest in a Karizma, Pulsar 200NS and then upgrade after a couple of years if required/time permits 😀

[MaheshY1]

Might I suggest the ER6n. See if it has ABS. If yes, It makes for a value proposition—to some extent.
Comfort- Check (Because it's a street bike not a racing bike)
Exclusitivity- Check
Power- Check
Refinement- Check
Build Quality- Check
ABS- Consider it only if this is Checked
Exhaust Note- Check
Looks- Personal preference

Even I sometimes get confused between the two bikes (Ninja and 390) about what to recommend. Not one is a complete bike. Where they fall short:
Ninja
- Price
- ABS (NA)
- Power

390
- Refinement
- Exhaust Note
- Build Quality

Not one of those can be ignored.

If the ER doesn't have ABS, what I'd do is wait it out for
- more bikes to launch
OR
- my pockets to get deeper and go for Z800

Happy Hunting

[nishsingh]

Reminds me of the time I was learning to ride. Back in 2002, I was riding motorcylces for the first time on my brand new Pulsar 180 cc with front disc brakes (had no experience with disc brakes, my previous ride being a TVS Scooty). Had an emergency situation, braked hard, and the front wheel locked and twisted. I fell down on the highway with a bus just narrowly missing running over me.

My advice? Get a bike with ABS to prevent such situations.

[mantrig]

From the options mentioned, I would go with the N300 as it is a much better bike as compared to the RC 390 in terms of refinement, comfort, power & exclusivity.

Being a CBR 250 owner for almost 4 years, I would like you to consider ABS version of this baby which will fit in the budget range you mentioned and leave you with extra cash for riding gear, decent lid & some upgrades/mods.

In case you do not like the looks, you can give it a miss. However, this is good beginners bike which will keep manage to keep you happy for quite sometime and it meets almost all your requirements.

Originally Posted by stanjohn123

Here's what I'm looking for in a bike with my priorities stated first.

1) Good looks: 4/5 - Not extremely aggressive, but not bad either.

2) Very good power: 3.5/5 - Has enough power for a single cylinder and can cruise at triple digits all day without stress. Recently (June'14), I did a Mumbai-Ladakh-Jammu run and she performed beautifully with zero issues (even in the hills & through slush).

3) ABS: 5/5 - Yes & Exclusivity: 3/5 -Not really, especially with the CBR 150 around.

4) Comfort and good built quality: 5/5 - Sheel, Argee & Others can vouch for this one.
Did 1100kms (Udaipur-Golden Temple) in 18 hours with a couple of naps & decent amount of breaks without stress and still, was ready for next day which was fairly stressful given the terrain & weather change (500kms: Amritsar-Srinagar which was a 12 hour ride).

5) A proper Exhaust: 3/5 - Though the exhaust looks good, it sounds only as a single cylinder should. Sounds much better post rpms beyond 6.5K.

6) Easy and cheaper to service: 5/5 - Extremely easy & non-expensive to maintain. A piece of fairing (>1000/-) swap would cost you a lot lower than an indicator change on N300. Also, servicing would not cost you a bomb which is not the case with N300.

7) ABS (since I'm a beginner): 5/5 - ABS does it's job well and the brakes are of much better quality (Nissin) then Brembo which are on STD version.

8 ) Good resale( incase I decide to sell if this isn't my cup of tea ): No Comments, however it's not bad for sure. From personal experience, there are lot of factors which affect this (usage, accidental damage/history, how well it's maintained).

9 ) Refinement: 5/5 - The bike is a lot more refined as compared to D390 (not sure about refinement levels on RC 390), however would not match N300's refinement for obvious reasons.

10) Value for money: 5/5 - It is for sure.

Based on my inputs above (purely, personal views), I would rate the CBRs ABS version at 4/5 going by your requirements. I feel, you should test ride one as it is one of the proven bikes available today. If you are up for a pre-worshiped bike, then lot of good examples can be found around.

I might not keep mine for long, not that there are any issues but I have outgrown the bike and I feel, now I can graduate to a bigger mill.

Some of the options in consideration are: Er6N, N650 & Triumph's Bonneville. If Honda launches the CBR 650F anytime soon (before/by July 2015), then above mentioned would be chalked off my list provided they price the bike competitively (5-6.5 Lacs Ex. Showroom).

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by stanjohn123

this is the first time I'm dipping my foot into the Motorbike world

This statment alone should mean that whatever you choose is relatively cheap to maintain. As a newbie, your propensity to drop the bike is much higher

Originally Posted by stanjohn123

Here's what I'm looking for in a bike with my priorities stated first.

1) Good looks.
2) Very good power.
3) ABS and Exclusivity.
4) Comfort and good built quality.
5) A proper Exhaust.
6) Easy and cheaper to service.
7) ABS (since I'm a beginner).
8 ) Good resale( incase I decide to sell if this isn't my cup of tea )
9 ) Refinement.
10) Value for money.

1) Subjective. I have seen the RC on the road. Looks great but Ninja definitely is prettier
2) Both bikes are plenty powerful for any type of riding you may have in mind
3) Both are exclusive enough. Only RC has the ABS though. Brakes however are not confidence inspiring on the KTMs and feel spongy. Ninja I hear has awesome brakes
4) Ninja has much better build quality and will definitely be more comfortable of the two. RC has a lot more committed stance and is not meant for everyone. Ninja is better for everyday riding
5) (Your explaination did not help) ???
6) Hands down RC
7) Same as point 3
8) Ninja will hold its value better in the short term. Long term, there should not be too much difference
9) Hands down Ninja
10) You decide that one

I would recommend the RC if you are fit enough. RC is not a bike that accomodates full bellies well. You can check out the Duke as well if you are looking for versatility.

Otherwise, Ninja is more forgiving and usable as a daily ride between the 2 choices

[deepfreak15]

#4 Makes the RC a moot point
#8 Makes both bikes a moot point

You might want to take a test ride of the Duke 390. Because unless you live near a track you will not be able to ride the RC twins the way they are supposed to be ridden IMHO

[stanjohn123]

Originally Posted by Sheel

One advise, cut your teeth on either the Yamaha FZ or Suzuki Gixxer150.

6 months later, upgrade. Or buy a pre owned R15, FZ or CBR 250R with ABS or RTR 180 ABS and potter around. Upgrade when you exhaust their abilities.

On topic, I will pick the N 300. Reasons already mentioned above.

Thanks but I'm not looking at lower segments although I'm a newbie.

Originally Posted by HighAlpha

I concur. Once your noob factor has blown over, you will thank yourself for buying Ninja. Trust me you'd never want to sell it. RC390 well, wont stand the test of time, sure it is fast as hell, will disintegrate with time if you don't sell it. Build quality and reliability of Ninja is top-notch. Bigger tank of Ninja will allow you to take longer trips with ease and even take you remote places.

Buy RC390 only for short lived fun factor. IMHO.

I think I missed telling a very important thing in my thread earlier which is , If a bike is able to make me grin and make me happy , I'm never going to sell it. Same thing with my Cars , I don't like selling things I'm emotionally attached to.

So this is why the main confusion between the 2 bikes , although many feel that the RC 390 is built poorly and is very poor on refinement , so far ownership threads seem to be telling a very different story. Also even if something does break , it's much easier to fix.

The Ninja 300 can never be a keeper mainly because it's difficult to get parts if broken and I'm sure I will drop the bike one day. Although my main mode of transport will still be cars , the bike will be used only occasionally on weekends but still thinking about not being able to get spares is horrifying.

Originally Posted by e4gleeyez

I am in a similar dilemma and just started riding 2-wheelers after a gap of 12 years. Suggest you invest in a Karizma, Pulsar 200NS and then upgrade after a couple of years if required/time permits 😀

Nope not interested in lower segment than this.

Originally Posted by MaheshY1

Might I suggest the ER6n. See if it has ABS. If yes, It makes for a value proposition—to some extent.
Comfort- Check (Because it's a street bike not a racing bike)
Exclusitivity- Check
Power- Check
Refinement- Check
Build Quality- Check
ABS- Consider it only if this is Checked
Exhaust Note- Check
Looks- Personal preference

Even I sometimes get confused between the two bikes (Ninja and 390) about what to recommend. Not one is a complete bike. Where they fall short:
Ninja
- Price
- ABS (NA)
- Power

390
- Refinement
- Exhaust Note
- Build Quality

Not one of those can be ignored.

If the ER doesn't have ABS, what I'd do is wait it out for
- more bikes to launch
OR
- my pockets to get deeper and go for Z800

Happy Hunting

Thanks for the recommendation, but ER6n goes over my budget and I much prefer full faired bikes.

Actually when it comes to the cons of both these bikes , I think the RC390 is much easier to live with mainly because the built quality and refinement is not as bad as what many think when you actually browse through the ownership reviews. Only problem is the exhaust sound and that can be easily fixed with akrapovic exhaust although it's a bit expensive.

[stanjohn123]

Originally Posted by nishsingh

Had an emergency situation, braked hard, and the front wheel locked and twisted. I fell down on the highway with a bus just narrowly missing running over me.

My advice? Get a bike with ABS to prevent such situations.

I agree 100% with you. ABS is very important and is one very important feature missing on the Ninja 300.

Originally Posted by mantrig

From the options mentioned, I would go with the N300 as it is a much better bike as compared to the RC 390 in terms of refinement, comfort, power & exclusivity.

Refinement and comfort yes , but not on power. Exclusivity also is not by a big margin.

Originally Posted by mantrig

Being a CBR 250 owner for almost 4 years, I would like you to consider ABS version of this baby which will fit in the budget range you mentioned and leave you with extra cash for riding gear, decent lid & some upgrades/mods.

Thanks a lot for your recommendation but I didn't quite like the fact that it is way down on power compared to these 2 and I didn't like the looks much either as well.

Originally Posted by mantrig

I might not keep mine for long, not that there are any issues but I have outgrown the bike and I feel, now I can graduate to a bigger mill.

Good luck finding your new machine as well.

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

3) Both are exclusive enough. Only RC has the ABS though. Brakes however are not confidence inspiring on the KTMs and feel spongy. Ninja I hear has awesome brakes

5) (Your explaination did not help) ???


8) Ninja will hold its value better in the short term. Long term, there should not be too much difference


I would recommend the RC if you are fit enough. RC is not a bike that accomodates full bellies well. You can check out the Duke as well if you are looking for versatility.

Otherwise, Ninja is more forgiving and usable as a daily ride between the 2 choices

No matter how good Ninjas brakes are , no ABS is a big minus for it.

Yeah I believe I'm fit with no pot belly yet, thankfully.

Resale value becomes a problem only if I decide to sell the bike and that's if the bike can't make me happy or I just keep dropping it at places.

By Exhaust I mean something that looks and sounds good like the Ninjas where the exhaust is neatly integrated in the design. It looks and sounds good and I guess it helps in power a bit as well.

Unfortunately not looking at nakeds.

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

#4 Makes the RC a moot point
#8 Makes both bikes a moot point

You might want to take a test ride of the Duke 390. Because unless you live near a track you will not be able to ride the RC twins the way they are supposed to be ridden IMHO

I may never track these bikes just like most super car owners never take theirs to a track, but it's good to know that the bike has that ability.

[stanjohn123]

Originally Posted by HyperRetard

This means your engine "breathes" better, so spent fuel and air exit the combustion chambers faster. That means more fuel and air can be burned to create more power.

So indirectly an efficient exhaust helps in boosting power right ?

[sammyboy]

Hey stanjohn123, i read the last few posts and your replies and it's quite clear that you are smitten . Just go and get the 390, you know you want it bad.

[hsub]

Originally Posted by stanjohn123

The Ninja 300 can never be a keeper mainly because it's difficult to get parts if broken and I'm sure I will drop the bike one day. Although my main mode of transport will still be cars , the bike will be used only occasionally on weekends but still thinking about not being able to get spares is horrifying.

I am sorry I don't know why you think it is difficult to get parts for N300. I have never heard anyone running pillar to post to source parts for any of kawasaki's bikes even for the bigger ones. There might be a delay of few days but they will get you the parts and perform repairs whatever it may be. In my riding group we had couple of guys crash their N300s and they were supported just fine.

If you get a chance ride both bikes back to back. You will know how different they are and can make a better choice.

[Anand3553]

As you are a newbie, I think you should first get used to riding in a less powerful bike. IMO, this kind of brute power would require good handling skills which would take a few months of riding to achieve. Please do not take as an advice, just my opinion. Whichever bike you zero-in on, ride safe. Cheers.

[stanjohn123]

Originally Posted by sammyboy

Hey stanjohn123, i read the last few posts and your replies and it's quite clear that you are smitten . Just go and get the 390, you know you want it bad.

The RC 390 is a very special bike as it is compared to iconic bikes such as the RD350 in some reviews.

If I go by the pros both the RC and Ninja are very good and its very difficult to choose between the 2 ,but when it comes to the cons I feel RC is easier to live with since there are a lot of advantages in it being made in India.

Originally Posted by hsub

I am sorry I don't know why you think it is difficult to get parts for N300. I have never heard anyone running pillar to post to source parts for any of kawasaki's bikes even for the bigger ones. There might be a delay of few days but they will get you the parts and perform repairs whatever it may be. In my riding group we had couple of guys crash their N300s and they were supported just fine.

If you get a chance ride both bikes back to back. You will know how different they are and can make a better choice.

I've read Ninja ownership reviews where some owners have sold their N300's since they were not able to source parts from their dealerships and have now bought RC's.

Yes I will definitely be doing a test ride of both the bikes before my purchase ( but that's after I get my 2 wheeler license first).