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Old 4th May 2013, 20:15   #496
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Had been to BTM Layour KTM store in bangalore today to see Ninja 300/650.
Ninja 300 looks beautiful but IMO overpriced when compared with its big bro 650.

There was one Ninja 650 parked in service centre which was damaged in an accident. It was 2013 model bike.
They confirmed to deliver in a month's time provided a booking amount of 1.18L is paid. I some how did not like looks of 2013 with black front mudguard and the dome(headlight area). When asked about getting it painted green(like 2012 model), service advisor quoted 8 to 9K.
On road in bangalore for N650 is 5.88L.

I am still not sure whether to buy N650 or wait for Street triple
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Old 4th May 2013, 21:36   #497
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by djay99 View Post
They confirmed to deliver in a month's time provided a booking amount of 1.18L is paid.
Strange. The booking amount is 40k and the waiting period is over 6 months in Chennai. I wonder if Bajaj sends the same number of bikes to each city irrespective of the demand.
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Old 15th May 2013, 15:49   #498
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Hey guys, got delivery of my K-650 last week, just a day before my Birthday Delivery in less than a month.

When I first saw the bike, was a little sceptical and terrified of the size and wondered how I would take the bike back home in peak hour traffic (6:30pm), but the moment I took her out everything felt so easy and smooth, never knew it would be so easy to ride her.

Just finished around 300kms on her, no long distances, just in and around the city, loving how much easier it is to ride than my R15.

Have just bought a new helmet SOL. Should get my frame sliders and spools soon.

Have to save up for a decent jacket and bike stand.

Overall love the bike and the wifey also loves it, all in all very happy
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Old 16th May 2013, 09:55   #499
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by xtremeshock View Post
Hey guys, got delivery of my K-650 last week, just a day before my Birthday Delivery in less than a month.

..
Congratulations. Deliery time less than one month is really good. Is it now standard waiting period for Ninja 650? Ride safe.
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Old 16th May 2013, 11:23   #500
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

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Originally Posted by the VTEC guy View Post
Congratulations. Deliery time less than one month is really good. Is it now standard waiting period for Ninja 650? Ride safe.
Thanks VTEC guy. No the standard delivery is still less than 6 months, but they had made a special request to Kawasaki distributer in India and they recieved 4 bikes in 1 go. Plus I had received some one else's bike since he was not in country and would only be arriving in 15 days from the date I took delivery, the showroom person Srini said 2 more bikes are expected and he would alot him from 1 of those bikes.

Also, my wife had been very pursuasive with the Showroom guy Srini and she somehow managed to help me get delivery just a day before my birthday. God love woman power
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Old 14th June 2013, 19:39   #501
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by xtremeshock View Post
got delivery of my K-650 last week
Congrats xtremeshock on the warrior. The 2013 model with a black face looks a little different from the all green 650 of 2012.

Few queries -

- What are your views on this change of face? Is it better or worse?
- What other changes do you feel/see from the 2012 bike?
- Has the braking and lights been improved from 2012 model? Are they adequate?

Do post a ownership review or at least some more better quality pictures as it seems your is the only 2013 model 650 on Team BHP with the black face.

Cheers...
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Old 14th June 2013, 20:39   #502
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Firstly, congrats xtremeshock! from a 2012 650 owner. Great you got delivery as soon as you did, super birthday gift indeed!

Dkaile, your q's may be targetted at xtremeshock, but I'm bored and want to answer them anyways.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dkaile View Post
- What are your views on this change of face? Is it better or worse?
This is very subjective, I like the 2012, don't dislike the 2013 though. See and decide for yourself. Parts of the 2012 and 2013 are interchangeable, so you could order the lower fairing and replace should you want to.

- What other changes do you feel/see from the 2012 bike?
Very minor changes. The swingarm in the 2012 is greyish, while 2013 is black.
Apart from that and the fairing color, no difference whatsoever.


- Has the braking and lights been improved from 2012 model? Are they adequate?
In my opinion (after 9.5k kms of riding my 2012 650), the headlamps are pathetic. I have ordered Osram night racers for my 650, and they should be better than stock. The brake lines are not steel braided, and the stock brake pads, though HH, are not confidence inspiring at anything higher than city speeds. I believe steel braided lines and better brake pads are a mandatory upgrade. And there are no differences in kit between the 2012 and 2013 in this respect..
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Old 15th June 2013, 10:57   #503
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

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Originally Posted by dkaile View Post
Congrats xtremeshock on the warrior. The 2013 model with a black face looks a little different from the all green 650 of 2012.
Thanks dkaile, yes it does look different from the 2012 650. I would like to add that I would not be in a good position to answer your queries as I have had no experience with the 2012 and I took delivery without even taking a test-drive and have upgraded straight from an R15. Answered as below

Quote:
Originally Posted by dkaile View Post

Few queries -

- What are your views on this change of face? Is it better or worse? I personally prefer the all green 2012 650, and couple of people coming up to me and saying what modifications have you done with the fazer does not make me feel good
- What other changes do you feel/see from the 2012 bike? sorry not in a position to answer same, I guess Sriku has answered same.
- Has the braking and lights been improved from 2012 model? Are they adequate? Don't know about any improvements but I do feel if you are going to do any touring, lights have to upgraded

Do post a ownership review or at least some more better quality pictures as it seems your is the only 2013 model 650 on Team BHP with the black face.

Will post up one soon, just waiting to take some pics, have completed my first service

Cheers...
Quote:
Originally Posted by sriku View Post
Firstly, congrats xtremeshock! from a 2012 650 owner. Great you got delivery as soon as you did, super birthday gift indeed!
Thanks Sriku, have thouroughly read your ownership review before going ahead with the booking, and thanks for your support through PM's


Quote:
Originally Posted by sriku View Post
Dkaile, your q's may be targetted at xtremeshock, but I'm bored and want to answer them anyways.
Thanks for answering dkaile queries as I am sure you are in a better position to answer same
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Old 30th September 2013, 15:05   #504
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by sriku View Post
The brake lines are not steel braided, and the stock brake pads, though HH, are not confidence inspiring at anything higher than city speeds. I believe steel braided lines and better brake pads are a mandatory upgrade.
Can you pls explain meaning of brake lines not steel braided? Also how to go about it?
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Old 30th September 2013, 15:11   #505
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

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Can you pls explain meaning of brake lines not steel braided? Also how to go about it?
Hi Vasuki,
Regular brake lines are the brake cable enclosed within a rubber sheath or core. While steel braided lines are constructed differently.

From the wiki:
The difference in expansion characteristics between rubber and braided stainless steel brake lines is a result of differences in hose construction. Where rubber hoses typically consist of a rubber inner hose wrapped in a textile reinforcement braid then covered in an additional rubber outer sheath, braided stainless steel hoses typically consist of a Teflon® or generic PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) inner hose wrapped in a braid consisting of stainless steel wire. The stainless wire braid more effectively resists expansion due to pressure inside the hose core. This improves brake system effectiveness by more directly transferring operator input (hydraulic pressure) to brake friction surfaces. While available without a coating, the stainless braid is typically coated or covered with a clear or colored material such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) to protect the wire and inner hose from the elements and chemicals, to protect the vehicle or machine from abrasion, and for an improved appearance. Coated braided stainless steel hoses have the same essential construction as rubber hoses in terms of an inner hose wrapped in a braid followed by an outer layer, but the different materials in the braided stainless steel hoses offer substantially different and arguably better characteristics.

Longevity, better construction, better braking feel and noticeable improvement in braking are the benefits, at a reasonable cost. If you notice the Duke 200/390, they come with stainless steel braided lines from the factory itself, as against other regular bikes, and unfortunately all Ninja 650's, which come with regular un-braided lines.

There are a bunch of popular vendors offerring braided brake lines, most prolific among them being Galfer and HEL. Sniper auto (mumbai) stock HEL, and Performance Racing store (mumbai) may have some Galfer lines in stock. Am not aware of any stores/vendors in Alappuzha, but if you want, I could ask around.

Last edited by sriku : 30th September 2013 at 15:15. Reason: missed vendor links
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Old 30th September 2013, 15:25   #506
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by sriku View Post
Hi Vasuki,
Regular brake lines are the brake cable enclosed within a rubber sheath or core. While steel braided lines are constructed differently.

From the wiki:
Thanks for the quick reply. I can shop around at cochin if necessary where I believe these would be available.

I'm in the market and have short listed Duke 390 & Ninja 650 as of now. My head says Duke 390, but from child hood the heart always wanted a Kawasaki.

So coming back, do you think by changing to steel braided brake lines, the braking power would improve? Also from what I've read from this thread and others all are complaining about braking. Is it that pathetic?
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Old 30th September 2013, 16:49   #507
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

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Originally Posted by Vasuki View Post
So coming back, do you think by changing to steel braided brake lines, the braking power would improve? Also from what I've read from this thread and others all are complaining about braking. Is it that pathetic?
Vasuki,
The 650 is capable of immense acceleration, and high speeds in a straight line. The brakes, in my and many other 650 riders opinion are not good enough to ensure precise and good stopping power. There have been some of us who have only upgraded to the braided lines, and report adequate improvement in brake feel. However the majority of us have upgraded the brake pads as well to fully sintered EBC Extreme Pro pads. The combination of lines and pads make a world of difference to the braking performance from stock. I would strongly recommend you upgrade both the lines and the pads. After all, when at triple digit speeds, you don't want to be in a situation where urgent braking is necessary, but not possible, simply because of the stock braking setup.

Sriku

Last edited by sriku : 30th September 2013 at 16:50.
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Old 15th October 2013, 22:34   #508
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Posting with permission from gopzdoc since he is busy.

The write up is his which he mailed me when I asked about the ownership experience.

Quote:


It has always been my desire to own a big capacity Motorcycle at least once in my life. As the age advanced I started to realize that I was fast losing the window for the ownership. As I turned 40 this year I decided to gift myself a motorcycle as a final gesture of thumbing my nose at the relentless advancing age.

The buying decision

I had tentatively finalized buying the Kawi during the middle of 2012 as the new 2012 model was being launched by BAL. The only fly in the ointment was that there was no dealership in Cochin at that point of time. The dealership opened in October 2012, but I had just bought a Fortuner in August 2012 so financial constraints prevented me from going for the Kawi at that point of time.

I had read enough reviews on the net to consider the Kawi as a perfect beginner’s superbike, but as there were supply constraints from BAL, there were hardly any bikes in Cochin for me to eyeball, let alone testdrive. I approached the showroom at the beginning of 2013 to request them to atleast arrange a ` look and touch’ session for me when a bike is ready for delivery for me to convince myself to pay the booking amount as I had never seen the bike in the flesh. Even though the showroom people readily agreed to the same, there was no contact from them for the next 4 months! Annoyed at their attitude, I began to research other bikes in the market at the same price point.

One single most important feature that pointed me towards the Kawi was the moderately upright riding posture, which does not put much strain on the wrists, elbows and shoulders. Having owned a R15 till June 2012, I was well aware that a dedicated racing posture was hell on the anatomy mentioned earlier in a mildly over weight person (me!). So based on my requirements the bikes that were available for purchase in Cochin were-
a) Harley Davidson Superlow
b) Hyosung Aquila Pro and
c) Kawasaki Ninja 650 (of course)
The Ducati Monster 795 also falls to this price bracket, since there is no dealership in Cochin, it was not considered.
a) Harley Davidson Superlow:

Pros: 1) Brand Name, Brand name and Brand Name!!
2) Availability and Test drives

Cons: 1) Expensive to maintain
2) Low ground clearance
3) American `Bullet’ (Iconic but niggles will crop up)
4) Slightly on the expensive side
5) Not a fan of `cruiserish’ bikes


b) Hyosung Aquila Pro

Pros: 1) Amazing road presence
2) Fantastic performance for 650cc a cruiser. Almost as fast as the GT650, a track machine.
3) Low slung seat, giving confidence to new superbike owners
4) Availability

Cons: 1) Brand Name, Brand Name and Brand Name!!
2) Question mark over service
3) Whether built to last?
4) Not a fan of cruisers.


Harley was out in the first round as having shelled out a lot of moolah for the bike (by my standards, of course!); I was not willing to spend too much on the maintenance. The brand name was a temptation, but finally the head won the battle over the heart!

The looks of the Hyosung is amazing! Pictures or videos do not do justice to the bike. I saw the bike in Black, which really was superb looking. The sales executive was really persuasive, and I nearly plonked my advance down then and there. The sales exec promised me a TD as I was not sure of controlling the bike through the really forwardly placed foot pegs. As luck would have it, the TD plans were nixed by his superior which really left a bad taste in the mouth. A promise should be a promise. Moreover the service area was very dingy with an unused look; strange considering they told they have already sold 65+ machines. All’s well that ends well ; a Hyosung motors Ad appeared in all leading newspapers towards the end of May stating that Aditya’s superbikes, the Hyosung dealer in Cochin has been blacklisted and that the warranty of the bikes sold by them will not be honored by Hyosung (this is second hand information relayed to me by my friend). I would have been left holding a huge lemon in my hand, had I purchased the Aquila!

On June 27th, I received a call from KTM saying that a 650 was ready for delivery to a customer and whether I could come and see it. I finalized the `look & touch’ session for the 28th and reached the showroom. The first impression was very good. The bike is massive! Maybe not as much as an Aquila, but quite large. It has a sobered down look, except for the paint scheme. It is really well made and seems built to last. The cheque was made out for Rs. 50000 and I was promised delivery within 3 months. Since Kerala was experiencing the strongest monsoon in 30 years, 3 months sounded good!

The Delivery

As I began the long wait of 3 months, I received a call from the dealership on July 1st stating that there was a 650 in transit and I could have it if the financial aspect was ok. After a lot of thought (because of the rains), I said yes.

I began to scout for 2 wheeler loans from a nationalized bank, suddenly realizing that most banks have an upper cap on the amount they can disburse as 2 wheeler loan. The majority of banks have the cap at Rs. 100000. I finally decided on the loan from Vijaya bank and the delivery date was set for July 9th.

As the delivery date approached, my initial enthusiasm began to wane. As mentioned earlier the last bike that I owned was the Yamaha R15, which was disposed in June 2012. For the last one year the only 2 wheeler that I have ridden was my wife’s HH Pleasure. The responsibility of riding a big, heavy bike (weighing 213kgs) began to really get me down. It was in no way helped by the attitude of the showroom and service people who were amazed that I was graduating to the 650 from a HH Pleasure.

Finally the July 9th dawned, raining as usual and I was a nervous wreck. Some semblance of normalcy was achieved after a call to a fellow Orthodontist from Blore, Chetak who owns a FZ1. It was he who calmed my fears by saying that these bikes are as docile as a 150cc commuter as long you are careful with the throttle control. He also gave some practical advice of not riding above 60kmph in city limits and not to exceed 100kmph on the highways till you get used to the power delivery and weight. He also send me Keith Code’s `Twist of the Wrist’ to follow some basic principles while riding a big bike. Thanks Chetak!

The Kawi was delivered at around 7 pm, and I began the 5km ride home.
First Impressions

The bike is pretty heavy and it is quite difficult to maneuver from stand still. Once it starts rolling though, the bike is light on her feet and is quite easy to make direction changes. The first ride home was through peak hour traffic and I did not at feel that I was riding a 72hp machine. It is as docile as a baby when driven slow. I have driven just over 400km to date and these are my impressions-

Pros: 1) Very steady on the highways because of the weight.
2) Good presence on the road
3) Very good pick up and handling. It is quite confidence inspiring to lean over on this bike.
4) Wind screen is a boon. Deflects majority of the wind blast
5) Ergonomics and riding posture are spot on. No aches and strains even after nonstop 100+ km rides

Cons: 1) Braking is adequate at best. The rear brake lacks bite
2) Lights are not very illuminating. The low beam is the right side lamp and the high beam is the left. It should have been the other way round for Indian driving conditions.

The bike gives around 21-23 kmpl for highway riding. I have not taken her above 4k rpm for running in reasons. The gear shifts are precise but slightly tighten up when the bike heats up. The chain also acted up around 300km, but a small dab of cleaner and Lube did the trick.

Not getting enough time to ride her due to the rains. Hope to update this thread on a regular basis as km piles up.


Attached Thumbnails
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Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review-dsc_0016-large.jpg  

Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review-dsc_0018-large.jpg  

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Old 16th October 2013, 10:28   #509
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

Thank you JK for the post. The bike has just crossed 2000km yesterday and the exhaust note too has bassed up especially above the 7k mark. Getting an average FE of 27kmpl which is outstanding!
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Old 2nd November 2013, 08:41   #510
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Re: Kawasaki Ninja 650R : Test Ride & Review

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Originally Posted by sriku View Post
Depending on the type of lube used, the frequency of lubing is different.
I use Wurth HHS Dry lube, which lasts about 400-450 kms. It has the benefit of not getting flicked off as easily as regular chain sprays.
3M make an excellent chain lube.
Motul has good products as well.
I would recommend visual inspection of the chain every week, followed by lubing every 2-300 kms as necessary.

Sriku
What to look out for in visual inspection? Does it vary in monsoon? How do you apply it in case of Wurth?
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