[IronWolf]

Brock. Thanks for sharing your buying experience.

I liked the reasoning behind going for the bike and waiting for the 650. 'When it comes it comes.'

Keep updating us with your experience and hope you can group with a band of other Ninjas. Looks like Aditya and gang are having a Blast.

OT Aditya - are your rides Ninja exclusive ?
Also, Why are you being stopped at the Toll ? If you had to pay that is outright racial discrimination just cause of your bikes looks.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by given2fly

@ n_aditya; Why were you guys stopped on a toll booth. For pay toll? Even for a bike???

Originally Posted by IronWolf

OT Aditya - are your rides Ninja exclusive ?
Also, Why are you being stopped at the Toll ?

This toll booth is on the NICE road stretch (we were returning from Tumkur towards Hosur). Bikes are also charged a toll fee on this stretch. Doesnt bother me much as i at least have a good stretch where i can ride WOT for a few kms.

Our rides are not limited to ninja's alone. Anyone is free to join as long as he/she has the necessary riding gear and rides responsibly.

[IronWolf]

Just kidding about the Ninja thing.

Okay did not know bikes pay Toll on that road. Then it makes sense.

[Brocklock]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

Order from Bachoo Motors. Speak to Zulfi, refer my name and you might get a discount. DSG quotes 6.5k + shipping for these sliders.

Hi Aditya,

DSG are quoting 5500 for the frame sliders, and 500 for a Puig windscreen. I'm quite sure that does not include shipping, though...

Originally Posted by IronWolf

Brock. Thanks for sharing your buying experience.

Keep updating us with your experience and hope you can group with a band of other Ninjas. Looks like Aditya and gang are having a Blast.

Will do, Ironwolf... Not too much action on the group riding scene where I'm based, but let's see, maybe we can get together a few guys...

Meanwhile, I rode to Dakpathar & back today in the afternoon, about a 100 kilometre run.

Some thoughts:

ODO READING: 497 km

* This 800 km run-in thing is killing me. I'm sticking by the book as much as possible, but man, is it a massive irritation to trundle along below 4000 rpm on this bike!

* My wrists are getting used to the strain of the new riding position, I think. It seems less strenuous running straight for 80-90 kilometres.

* Took my old 180 out for some errands and it feels like a moped. The worst bit is the cornering. There is just a world of difference between the way the Ninja corners, and the way most other bikes I've used corner. On the 180, I was suddenly missing the feeling the Ninja gives you in a corner - that you're nowhere close to exceeding your control envelope.

* The noise from the engine block of the Ninja is sometimes obtrusive. The exhaust note is sweet, but the engine block noise is somewhat on the higher side. The Probiking technician says that this level of noise is normal, so I guess that's the way it is until I can listen to another machine rev.

* The ride, as expected, is a bit on the harsher side. Pebbles on the road, bad road surfaces - these are not so much soaked up as passed on to me, but on the up-side, feedback is excellent. Just that a bunch of roads with not-so-great surfacing can give you a bit of a judder.

* People are nuts. I'm starting to think that the Ceat ad with the guy crossing the road with a pram and almost colliding with the biker is pretty accurate. On my way back today, I had 3 guys on one Hero Honda Hunk almost run into me as they tried to get a closer look at the bike.

Some pics from the Dakpathar trip:

[rrahul_2778]

I am a bit late in congratulating you for the kwacker. But sure following your thread. I think the looks of the black is growing on because seen too many greenies around! Keep updating your experiences..

[n_aditya]

Hey Brock, see the most recent pics on my ninja thread. I've taken pics of at least 3 different brands of frame sliders. Hope it helps.

[Brocklock]

Originally Posted by rrahul_2778

I am a bit late in congratulating you for the kwacker. But sure following your thread. I think the looks of the black is growing on because seen too many greenies around! Keep updating your experiences..

Thanks! Will do!

Originally Posted by n_aditya

Hey Brock, see the most recent pics on my ninja thread. I've taken pics of at least 3 different brands of frame sliders. Hope it helps.

Hey Aditya.. Thanks a ton! I ordered the Puigs a few days back, along with an Rjays Octane jacket and an Rjays Striker stealth helmet. Hoping to get hold of them soon.

Meanwhile, my odo's at 950!

[Brocklock]

Hi guys,

I'm a happy camper today. My odo reads 970 kms and I'm taking the bike in for it's first service tomorrow. My riding gear/ frame sliders consignment from Bachhoo and the Keiti tank pad and other stuff from DSG is coming in tomorrow as well.

Been running amok pretty much all over town these past few days since I completed the first 800 kms and got past that pesky 4000 rpm limit. I tell you, it feels like a completely different motorcycle once you're spooled up past 4000. Looks like I'll be running well past 1600 klicks (and the less pesky 6000 rpm limit by the end of the month). Got a few longer trips lined up!

My wife seems to have taken to the bike pretty well too. From the initial "there's no grab bar / the seat's really uncomfortable" to "Woo hoo" as we climb pretty quickly in the Mussoorie hills has been a short trip. Looks like I'm going to be shelling out another 25k on riding gear for her pretty soon too...

A few pics from some of our rides up into the hills are below.. Including a few riding pics for Visaster, who'd been asking for them (courtesy my perennially irritated friend on his Thunderbird - it's not my fault if you won't keep up, buddy )

**Don't stab me for improper riding gear yet - it's coming in tomorrow.. Yay!!

[Red Liner]

Hey mister,

post up pictures of your riding gear mate. Especially the octane!

[Brocklock]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Hey mister,

post up pictures of your riding gear mate. Especially the octane!

Hi!

Sorry I'm replying after ages. Was out for 3 months or so and all the stuff was here in India.

Here are the pics of some of my gear: Rjays Striker Stealth Gunmetal Helmet, Rjays Octane Jacket, Progrip gloves.

Rest later, when I get hold of the boots I want.

Meanwhile, I've got some stuff for the bike, like a Carbon Fibre Yoshimura full exhaust system, and some other things. Will be installing in a couple of days and then will put up pics, etc. Cheers!

[Brocklock]

Finally found the time to fit the Yoshimura CF exhaust and the Puig frame sliders (big thanks to Aditya & BP for the advice on the Puigs)

Some pictures below. I think the exhaust looks ok. Quite like the sound, and the performance boost, though.

[sids911]

Originally Posted by Brocklock

Some pictures below. I think the exhaust looks ok. Quite like the sound, and the performance boost, though.

Beautiful! The exhaust looks the part!

Hows the sound, muted, loud? And what kind of performance boost there?

[Skye1592]

Hi, this is about 4 or 5 months late but congratultions!
Could you please give us the cost break up? The insurance, registration amount and the ex-showroom price separately if you don't mind?

Great pictures and the Yoshimura exhaust looks amazing! And I must say, I prefer the black Ninja to the highly sought after green ones.

Congrats once again!

[Brocklock]

Originally Posted by sids911

Beautiful! The exhaust looks the part!

Hows the sound, muted, loud? And what kind of performance boost there?

Glad you like it.. The sound is louder than before, but no more than what an Enfield would make, for want of a better comparison. I'll be happy to put up a video if you want so that you can listen to it.

Performancewise, the low-end grunt seems to have improved quite a bit. The bike now pulls quite strongly from low revs. Haven't so far had the occasion to test at the top-end, but I dare say that there should be a reasonable improvement there as well.

The US (carburetted) model gains by about 3.3 BHP. I expect that the improvement on FI models should be similar, but Aditya says it could be as high as 4-5 BHP.

Having said all that, I think there is a substantial difference in the way the bike behaves - feels much more potent and the torque seems to be much better lower down in the rev band.

I will see if I can get a dyno test done after the K&N is installed so I can provide exact figures for torque & power.

Originally Posted by Skye1592

Hi, this is about 4 or 5 months late but congratultions!
Could you please give us the cost break up? The insurance, registration amount and the ex-showroom price separately if you don't mind?

Great pictures and the Yoshimura exhaust looks amazing! And I must say, I prefer the black Ninja to the highly sought after green ones.

Congrats once again!

Thank you. Glad you like it. Ya, I like the black one better because its understated. That said, the green one is an absolute attention magnet.

The cost break up for me was:

Basic sale price: 2,43,900
VAT (13.5%): 32,926
Registration: 1,900
Insurance: 4,981

Total: 2,83,708

Hope this helps!

[sids911]

Originally Posted by Brocklock

Glad you like it.. The sound is louder than before, but no more than what an Enfield would make, for want of a better comparison. I'll be happy to put up a video if you want so that you can listen to it.

The US (carburetted) model gains by about 3.3 BHP. I expect that the improvement on FI models should be similar, but Aditya says it could be as high as 4-5 BHP.

I will see if I can get a dyno test done after the K&N is installed so I can provide exact figures for torque & power.

Videos, pics all welcome of your wonderful ride brother!

Did you have to change ECU mapping or something after you install the new exhaust and/or the K&N? Or is it simply plug and play?