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-   -   The Green Assassin - My 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 650 (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/superbikes-imports/126273-green-assassin-my-2012-kawasaki-ninja-650-a-23.html)

The biggest advantage of the Ninja 650 to my mind is its almost bullet-proof reliability. All it takes is a regular service and replacement of wear-tear parts to keep her running. The engine is extremely tractable and reliable and you normally wont have to run to the service station other than for regular check-up. The power on the bike is quite manageable even for born-again-bikers like yourself and the only thing you need to upgrade (if needed) are the brake line and brake pads.

I would also look at the non-fairing version - ER6N if I was you. Its mechanically the same exact bike as the Ninja 650 and will cost you relatively lesser to buy.

Check this one - https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sbkc...6919434994794/

Been a while since I updated this thread. Also with the fear that who would want to read about a 7 year old machine which now is almost 2 generations old.

However, with almost 40,000 kms on the odo and no major asks beyond the regular service & maintenance, the 650 continues to reinforce my decision of keeping in her with me.

Went recently for a ride from Mumbai to Goa for the KNOG annual get-together and despite the temptation of borrowing a friend's Himalayan after hearing horror stories about the road conditions, I put my faith in my trusted work-horse and took the 650 along.

She might be old but she still works like a swiss watch. Picked up her skirts and ran on the good parts of the highway and managed to go through absolutely horrifying road patches with equal finesse. At some level I enjoy her old-school, no-electronic net, motorcycling feel and she feels like an old friend who is as welcoming and smiling as she was 7 years ago.

She continues to remain relevant to my riding even today despite the industry having moved to better tech and cycle parts. Don't think we'll be parting ways anytime soon. :)

@Narula123 : Did you ever get around the Scorpion exhaust 'fix'? Or was it not worth it?

Nope. Was not worth the money involved in repairing it. The muffler was basically a write-off and I was anyways shifting this bike to full-time touring duties. Hence, stock exhaust was put back in place.

I was curious to know because I am/was toying around with the idea of a Scorpion exhaust for my Z650 (full system version only) - purely from a ground clearance 'gain' point of view. I wanted to ask you:

1. How much of a difference did it make in real-road conditions as compared to stock? The stock scrapes speed-breakers 100% with pillion (unless at slow cycling speed).
2. Weight loss is immense. Does it make it easier then to manoeuver in city?
3. Since I'm use the Z for touring (non-Ladakh geography) and city commuting, would the presence of the exhaust help relieve some of the anxiety when I see bad roads/bumps, etc?

Thanks in advance!

PS: Sorry for making you take a trip down memory lane for this! :D

Hi,

1. Ground clearance does benefit a lot from the full system. When I had the Scorpion on I never scraped it against any speed humps no matter how attrocious they may be. Stock exhaust suffers massively from this issue.

2. There is a very noticeable weight loss with a shift to a full system. The bike becomes a lot more nimble and agile. The stock system weighs a ton and then some.

3. You will definitely praise your investment into a full system with respect to ground clearance gains. But be warned that cops in some cities dont take too kindly to loud pipes, though I can vouch that our amazing traffic does tend to notice you more when you have a loud pipe which makes riding a lot safer.

The 650 twin motor does not sound nice no matter which exhaust you put. It will continue to sound like a twin albeit louder with the Scorpion. Some people who tour extensively on their 650s do tend to hate the loud exhaust note but personally for me it wasnt something ear-plugs couldnt handle.

You will have to invest in a piggy back controller like a Power Commander once you shift to a full system otherwise you risk running the bike leaner and consequently hotter. Scorpion will tell you that you dont need one but I dont believe that marketing spiel.

With the baffle in, some exhausts are pretty manageable from a sound perspective.

Oh man, this would mean yet another investment along with the exhaust and not to mention the added stress of 'maps and tunes' etc. which I'm a newbie to. I guess I'll just be more alert and careful while riding over bad patches -might help me later when I do upgrade to an ADV in the near future.

Thank you for your inputs :)

Since the last update, the 650 has undergone another pampered service at Kawasaki Mumbai with a new chain & sprocket set going on it. The DID chain and JT sprockets were courtesy the good folks at Motousher who were prompt in their service and competitive in their pricing.
Due to the lockdown, havent been riding her around much but now with the monsoons approaching the 650 will see more action than the 10.

The motousher chaps also hooked me up with a Cyclops LED bulb for the high beam (low beam already has an HID). This should make night rides/highway runs easier. Have also shifted back to the stock levers after years of using the thai-made Biker Bitz levers and I am so happy with the feedback on the stock ones. Should have done this sooner.

On a side note, the Li Ion battery from Shido has been wonderful. It refuses to lose charge despite long periods of low/no usage.
The only thing that needs attention now is the 'one-way' on the starter.
Shes been running like clockwork despite her age and this is a testimony to the fact that this bike is a benchmark on reliability.

Looking forward to some extensive runs with her once lockdown lifts completely and the corona risk settles down a bit.

Hello everyone,
I purchased a z650 just before the lockdown. Got a good deal on bs4 version. I am from Pune. I am not too happy with the sound of the bike. I would prefer a louder sound and looking at changing the exhaust.
Please recommend me a good exhaust system for my bike and wksp to get it done.
How is Akroporvic compared to SC and Arrow.
Showroom in Pune suggested i go with SC or Arrow.

In my opinion, the aftermarket exhaust for Z650/Ninja 650 sounds terrible. So before you decide on the one, please make an attempt to hear how the aftermarket ones sound. To get a fair idea, look at the YouTube videos. Best is to hear it directly. Of course there is no doubt that the aftermarket ones are louder than the stock.

If you are on Facebook, I recommend you to join KNOG group for more assistance and help.

Hi Architkarpe,

I agree with what ned told you. Please listen to the exhausts in person if possible before making a decision. Akra, SC, Arrow, Scorpion, Yoshi are all good brands and will differ slightly in how they sound. But no exhaust will make a parallel twin sound even remotely close to an i3 or an i4.

Also remember, if you de-cat the bike you should invest in a fuel-controller like Power Commander or Bazzaz to compensate for the change in AFR. So factor that cost in when you pull the trigger on the exhaust of your choice.

Completely agree with what Shan_ned and Narula123 have mentioned above. The sound won't be 'beautiful' and 'will be loud'. But if you still want to go ahead (won't judge you, we've all been through this) - I want to ask the budget you've kept aside.

The Akrapovic is the better 'sounding' exhaust from all the ones but the most expensive. The showroom would suggest SC/Arrow because they might have a tie-in with the dealer. If Akrapovic is out of the budget, then go for Scorpion. It's the next best sounding exhaust (louder if you remove the baffle). Then there's Two Brother, Yoshimura - both are loud but sound almost identical (blame the parallel twin config of the 650). The most budget friendly would be the MIVV exhausts - the MK3 will help you with better ground clearance also. But the least pleasant sounding from the above brands.

You'd also want to invest in some great ear plugs :D

If you want budget but with a good build quality, I would also recommend the IXIL.

But like Narula mentioned, a PC V is needed. And if you are getting the PC V, then you might as well add the filter also to maximise the investment.