[narula123]

Originally Posted by djay99

Other option is to try at mangalore pbk store. A tbhp member has purchased from them and will be registering in bangalore.

Its a nobrainer DJ. Get out of this lucky draw mess and go down to Mysore or M'lore and get the bike from there. I hope BAL reads this thread to see how much flak this stupid draw system is getting. Its an utterly disgraceful manner of doing business. Why not simply make it first-come-first-serve basis the way they did with the 220Fi in the initial two/three lots.

[reininchaos]

Originally Posted by narula123

Its a nobrainer DJ. Get out of this lucky draw mess and go down to Mysore or M'lore and get the bike from there. I hope BAL reads this thread to see how much flak this stupid draw system is getting. Its an utterly disgraceful manner of doing business. Why not simply make it first-come-first-serve basis the way they did with the 220Fi in the initial two/three lots.

I agree.Talk to Balaji Setty in PBK Mysore. He is very friendly and helpful

[djay99]

Originally Posted by reininchaos

I agree.Talk to Balaji Setty in PBK Mysore. He is very friendly and helpful

I don't see Mysore as an option on http://www.bajajauto.com/bajaj_dealer_locator.asp

[reininchaos]

Originally Posted by djay99

I don't see Mysore as an option on http://www.bajajauto.com/bajaj_dealer_locator.asp

Yeah - its a new one. Run by the same guys as the Bajaj dealer Popular Motors Bangalore. Call (0821)2333393 and speak to Balaji. I think you will have to wait till end of September in Mysore as well but you will for sure get it if you pay at least 50% of the amount upfront.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by bblost

The Kawasaki Ninja 650R has been launched in India at a price of Rs. 4.57 Lakhs (ex-Delhi).

Sorry bblost if this has been asked before but I wanted to inquire about the water wading capabilities of the 2012 Ninja 650R. As the under belly exhaust is quite low slung (like the KTM Duke 200), can it also wade through water like the KTM (test video of Bajaj shows the KTM and 200NS wading successfully through 16.5" of water)?

[reddream]

The Ninja 650 is fantastic. I got my bike delivered on Friday. It was a pleasure to have Vectorz with me for the delivery. The bike had done just 30 km when I started riding.

Impressions immediately after delivery :

The bike just responds off idle and it feels sweet, you dont have to get the revs high to remind yourself your riding a big bike.

When I braked (Use only the fronts), it was like wood and was riding at 20 kmph, I was very upset. But I consoled myself telling the brakes are brand new and no one has used it at all before me (was happy about that). Once I braked hard for two speedbreakers from moderate speeds, the brake had bed in a little. After that the brakes were very assuring.
I wanted to check it a bit (after all the flake about the 2011 brakes), tried hard stops (from speeds of 80) and boy I had some unintentional stoppies.

Was jittery to ride hard on new tires and was generally keeping all the senses high when I was taking some fast corners, but nothing, no drama and was very assuring.

I was also impressed that the bike ran for a lot of km for the fuel i had put in (guess was averaging 25 kmpl).


Sunday Ride :

By Sunday, I had done a few heat cycles and was ready for giving the bike a proper run. Had a chance to ride with Born Riders (great bunch of bikes in varying bikes with all the enthusiasm for riding).

What a joy to ride this bike. Earlier, I was crazy about a fast inline 4. This was until I rode a few bikes like CBR600RR, CB1300, GSX-750. These mentioned bikes are great, when you consider the brakes (CB600RR), the acceleration (GSX-750) and the pulling power of the CB1300. But all these bikes did not complete my search, all of them had something missing which I found in the Ninja 650.

The first is that you don't need to be in such aggressive riding position, the Ninja is so super comfortable, the seat is just painless after riding for 2 hours in a stretch. The next thing is there is absolutely no heat (the CBR600 and CB1300 burnt my legs so many times). You forget you are riding a big bike because there is no weight to worry about in slow speed / parking etc.

The engine is just fantastic, just responds to whatever you want and in such a pleasurable way. It is most happy when cruising at 120. And at that speed all you have to do is just open the throttle and it flies, I am not too crazy for top speed. So, it is plenty fast in an relaxed manner. Above all, at 120 the fuel efficiency on the multi info meter shows 28 - 30 kmpl. Can you beat that.

The suspension is a pleasure, very soft and planted in all situations. We went up Nandi hills and I am crazy about the corners. I had the feeling the tires were new, but since it never showed any signs of slip, I just went up the hill like a 16 year old. The bike was fantastic, no shakes and no squeals. No Drama. In some corners I felt I was a little too fast, had to turn with the brakes and was expecting a slight under steer (sorry, I am more a car person), no nothing at all. Just listens to you and mocks you by saying is that all you got. Then started getting more confident and started giving full throttle at the corner exits (no oversteer again), but I was not able to pull it inside my lane because of the strong power delivery. Brakes don't have the over servo like bite, but stops confidently. I like this more, because in one emergency braking I had, if it was sharp bite I could have locked the wheel and lost control. Overall had a blast.

With all this riding, my meter reported an average kmpl of 21.5 after 200km of riding.

Now coming to the negatives, you need to set your expectations correctly. This is not an inline 4 to get the fast / wild top end rush feeling (though its there a little).

Other than that, the mirrors vibrate and cant use it much. The headlights are always on when you switch off the bike using the kill switch. So, you need to switch off the key and on it back in every signal.


Thanks for the patience to read the long post.

[ebonho]

Bro that side mounted gate (saree guard) looks very likely to get snagged in a passing vehicle or fixed object leading to a nasty tumble. Not to mention how it looks. Please remove asap!

[sag_kv]

Guys any news of the lot at bangalore pbk. When i called they said bookings closed as of now. What strategy is bajaj planning on;-) sell the 2012 version in 13.

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by sag_kv

Guys any news of the lot at bangalore pbk. When i called they said bookings closed as of now. What strategy is bajaj planning on;-) sell the 2012 version in 13.

I was at the Indiranagar showroom a week back and they had 4 brand new bikes standing in the parking for delivery to some super lucky folks. The guy told me that they had so far gotten only 6 of the 2012 bikes and that the expected delivery lead time for bookings done now would be post June 2013.

[sag_kv]

Booked my ninja at indiranagar Bangalore, minimum waiting period 2 months. Hopefully I,ll get my bike in the first quarter of 2013 or if lucky within this year. I prefer to get it in 2013 because the registration will be in the new year

[dinyaar]

Originally Posted by sag_kv

Booked my ninja at indiranagar Bangalore, minimum waiting period 2 months. Hopefully I,ll get my bike in the first quarter of 2013 or if lucky within this year. I prefer to get it in 2013 because the registration will be in the new year

Congratulations!!!
I am from Mumbai so have no clue of the scene down south but in my opinion u will get the machine in early Dec of this year and my advice is to take it & not wait for 2013. I know you will get a bike reg of 2013 if u skip your booking but its too much of a gamble in what seems a 'scarce commodity'. What if they jack up the price by say 20/25K for whatever reason as they are seeing superb demand from all over the country.
Anyway thats just an opinion from an impatient guy!!
Rgds

[cosmopolitan]

Had been to Calicut Pro biking showroom. One Ninja 650 is readily available there.
They informed me that they can arrange me another vehicle in 15 days time. Showroom in charge is a young enthusiastic chap who was there only because of his passion for bikes. Any one who is interested in Ninja can contact Jithu Sabastien : 9567636822

No test drive is available.

[sag_kv]

Originally Posted by dinyaar

Congratulations!!!
I am from Mumbai so have no clue of the scene down south but in my opinion u will get the machine in early Dec of this year and my advice is to take it & not wait for 2013. I know you will get a bike reg of 2013 if u skip your booking but its too much of a gamble in what seems a 'scarce commodity'. What if they jack up the price by say 20/25K for whatever reason as they are seeing superb demand from all over the country.
Anyway thats just an opinion from an impatient guy!!
Rgds

Yes your right dinyaar, i would do that and will be very happy if i got the bike early. Lets see if they can get 8 bikes within these two months

[sag_kv]

Anybody else here booked the ninja from at the bangalore showroom. Please keep this thread updated if you get your bikes early, waiting eagerly.

[lionell]

Took the N650 out for short spin on Saturday.













The low end torque is great, resulting in great city riding. But it does get really hot in Gujarat's climatic conditions. Have done around 680kms and the first service is at 100kms.

Like other owners have mentioned the brakes lack outright bite, especially the rear ones.
*The number's a temp so haven't blacked it out.