5th April 2020, 20:30
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| BHPian  Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Poona
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| My Pre-Owned Kawasaki Ninja 650 | EDIT: Sold and bought back A small history most people who know me and then some have always knows me to be a cruiser fan,especially for a Harley Davidson Fatboy. But most don't know that thats not the only bike I want in my garage. I have a dream,like most motorcycle nuts, to have multiple motorcycles in my garage, hopefully one from each segmant. The purchase of the Ninja 650 however was one of the most impulsive decisions I have made in my life up to now. I remember when the Ninja 250 came out, I was so smitten by it. I changed my route to work,travelling at least another 5 kms extra so I can pass by the Bajaj pro-biking showroom everyday to see the Ninja 250 in the display. And every time I saw one on the road, my head would turn 360 degrees like that chick from the exorcist. The green colour, the full fairing, the racy looks everything added up so well. After that when they launched the 650, I was properly mental. A 650,around 5 lacs, a Kawasaki, was a dream come true. There was however one little problem that time. I did not have 5 lacs  I was just starting my life that time, and I did not want to start off with a debt that time. Hence passed it off. Also the Harley fascination grew more and more as time passed and I had completely forgotten about the Ninja and Kawasaki.But somethings are meant to be Come 2018, a little bit settled in life, I started thinking about a new bike for myself. Although the Harley dream would still have to wait a while, as I wanted the Fatboy and just like few years earlier I did not have the funds for it just yet. Even pre owned ones were well out of budget, and I did not want the street750 or Iron. Was a bit stuck as I did not enough budget for my dream bike. That's when the brains of the house (my wife) suggested I think of something a little smaller and not a Harley Davidson. She knew I had liked the Ninja initially. She also told that touring etc looks beautiful in pics and I should start with something smaller to see if am actually ready for riding/touring. Also it made sense because I would be able to prepare myself for expenses, for maintenance and servicing costs, before I get a larger bike. Now a new Ninja 650 a was well within budget for me. However as the years passed on, the Ninja too had changed a lot since what I initially fell in love with. Gone was the big bulky sports tourer, and it had turned into a bigger 300. Absolutely hated the new looks, as I felt it had lost its identity in the Ninja family. Also from pure touring prospective the seating was not as upright as it used to be, neither was the pillion seat as comfortable as before. Was absolutely frustrated and thought this was just not my time to get a bike. But as said, somethings are meant to be. Most people when bored browse Facebook, Instagram and some lucky ones Tinder. But I, browse OLX for vehicles of my dream garage.  Keep checking for Harleys, Endeavours, Mustangs, Bmws etc etc. Out of the blue I checked for "Ninja 650 2015" Voila! A couple of options popped up, and one was particularly amazing. The bike had just done 3000kms!! and was virtually new! I was over the moon. I quickly called the number given in the listing, and spoke to guy. Seemed like a genuine person and immediately sent me pics. Oh she was perfect!! I immediately fixed up an appointment with him the next day once he got back from work. I spent the entire night restless, going over old video reviews on youtube and reading as much as I could on here from older posts of IronH4wk, Varun Narula and others to name a few.The next day I could barely work. After all the disappointments earlier, I was bracing myself for something to go wrong. The guy not being nice, something not being right with the bike, me not being able to ride it etc etc. Thankfully nothing like that happened. I visited the person, Praneel , (turned out he worked in the same office as one of my clients and was known to her well) he was a nice genuine guy. Said the only reason he was selling the bike was because he was not using it. 3000kms in 3 years! He would only use it to travel to his hometown in Aurangabad, and since his wife was expecting in a few months even that was off the table. I was really happy and told him to give me tonight and would confirm tomorrow. Although I knew there and then that I was going to be buying it. Immediately I called Praneel the next day and confirmed with him about the purchase. Since we knew each other through a common contact he started off with the transfer proceedings as well. Was kind of him to do so without receiving even a single penny for it. We decided to schedule the delivery for Friday, being an auspicious day for us. He took a couple of hours off from work and handed it over to me!Finally the big Mr Green was mine ! Love at first sight!  Pure Muscle!  Side profile  The Twin Headlamps. Classic Sportsbike Looks.  The side slung rear monoshock is a piece of Art!  Simple Rear section With Led Tailamp  Delivery was a standard affair. Reached Praneel’s place by 2 and he gave me all the documents , service records etc. He was kind enough to fill the tank up and also get the air topped and chain lubed. Was lucky to find him and glad I was taking the bike from such a nice guy  Finally mine  Blessings from parents  And last but not least the main architect of this purchase...my wife! The smile is not because of the purchase but more of relief that the torture has ended for a few years till the Harley Davidson shopping starts!  A note about buying pre owned Buying pre owned is always a risk. No matter how clean the vehicle looks and no matter what the paperwork says its always better to have the vehicle checked from an expert. Although my case was different as i was buying it from a known person. Buying pre owned has its own set of advantages. And its more apparent as you move higher up the ladder. First owners of luxury bikes and cars take the biggest hit in terms of depriciation, so if you lucky and score a deal you as a second owner stand to benifit the most. The Small, but Significant Details. Alternatives considered None. I was firm on my decision once i had zeroed in on this bike and was not looking at seeing anything else in this segment. On-road price & discounts - I paid 3 lacs for it, for a bike that had run 3000 kms, had a perfect service history, and not a single scratch on it. There was a very very tiny dent on the tank, caused by the owners jacket, and was easily out of sight once i fit the tank pad on it. Extended Warranties & Service Packages - None. The bike was our of warranty. Also I opt to get the bike serviced from an independent garage, many of you would be familiar with Slip Stream Performance (previously called Kunals Bike Workshop) in Pune. They are eye watering expensive but when the bike comes back it feels as though I have just bought it. Also I need to service it maybe once a year, as I use the bike only for touring and weekend rides. After 6000 kms in roughly a year (That's twice of what the previous owner did in 3 years here are some of my observations Pros + Classic Sports bike looks + Engine refinement + Cost of ownership comparatively less than the other bikes in its class + Build Quality Cons -No ABS and mediocre brakes. - Ground Clearance. -Lights. -Sound. -Tires A Short Ride Report based on my experience Design Ergonomics and Build Quality Design I absolutely am crazy for classic design lines and the Ninja 650 was no exception. The full fairing, the half digital half analogue dials (I would not have minded full analogue dials too) the twin headlamps,the simple tail section and alloys add up to a very pleasing looking sports bike. Sure looks are very subjective but I feel this is a design that wont be out of place,even a 5 to 10 years from now. Also with this design, I feel the Ninja 650 had an identity in the Kawasaki Line up. You could not mistaken it for anything else. Alas now everything from the Ninja 400 to the zx6 and everything in between have the same common face.The 2015 Ninja 650, in my opinion was the best variation of the bike from 2012 to 2016 that it was in production. The glossy green colour that dominated the bike, along with few black highlights really looked good. And the design highlight which for me works the best is that side slung green rear monoshock which I think looks absolutely amazing! Ergonomics Am a guy that is made for cruisers. Am healthy to say the least. So was presently surprised when I was instantly at home on the Ninja. I had never imagined being comfortable on a sports bike. Everything fell just in place, just within reach, very comfortable. Am a guy who likes riding long distances, without taking too many breaks in the middle at steady speeds. For IBW this year I rode from Poona to Belgaum virtually non stop and even after getting off there was not a hint of soreness or strain. The fairing really helps keeping the windblast off the body and the windscreen contributes to keeping the windblast off the helmet. Might opt for a touring windscreen before my next trip for additional comfort. In the city the bike does make its weight felt especially in stop go traffic. Its not unmanageable but its not nimble like the naked bikes out there. Its made for the open roads and it shows it. Build Quality Typically Japanese. Everything firmly put together, nothing has fallen off till date, everything works the way its supposed to and I hope it keeps going that way. I have only done one routine service till date where besides fluids nothing else was changed. Engine & Gearbox The 650 parallel twin motor is a gem. No wonder its used in as many as 4 motorcycles (of course built on the same platform) by Kawasaki. Quite (a bit too quite but will get to that) refined, vibe free , and very forgiving. You can be doing 40 in the city in the 5th (even 6th at times) picks up cleanly, or you can cruise at 120 on the highway without realising how fast you going. Heck some people have even had a blast with it on the tracks and come back with a grin plastered on their face. Such a versatile motor this is! Heat management too is excellent. While in traffic you can feel the heat on your legs but it disappears the minute you get moving.Only one complaint would be the exhaust note. Its a bit too silent, a bit too mechanical at times. Lacks the "Dhoom" effect so to speak. The Gearbox is a simple 6 speeder and like the engine, its refined, positive and slots in place everytime. Some places for improvement Brakes This is one sore point of the bike. The braking is strictly adequate for someone like me who does not ride very fast. But for those who do, an upgrade to better quality brake pads and steel braided lines is a must. Also the lack of abs on a machine that can do 100kms in around 4 seconds is a big miss. Although now its offered as standard it should have been at least offered as an option back then. Lights Although again ok for city riding, for touring they should have been a lot better. Am not someone who rides in the night too often but many of my rides have begun well before sunrise. Maybe an upgrade to LED bulbs or AUX lights would solve it. Tires The Dunlop sports max tires the bike comes with are not at all confidence inspiring, especially in the wet. Have had a couple of hairy moments because of them. I did recently upgrade to Pirelli Angel GT2 tires and will give my opinion about them soon. Although the short time i did ride on them it has already made a world of difference. Ground Clearance Honestly this is really irritating. It scrapes on even the smallest bumps and if you with a pillion there is no saving it. The huge catcon the bike comes with is to blame. Final Thoughts The Ninja 650 has and will always be a VFM in Kawasaki's lineup. The later models have now got most features that were missing in my bike, and should certainly be considered by someone who is thinking of getting an everyday sports bike. Its pretty capable of taking you daily to office, can be your companion on weekends and you can even have some fun with it on the track! Its probably a jack of all, but does not mean it cant be a master of what you want it to be. To top it all its pretty ok to maintain compared to some of the Italians out there and is perfect for your first step into the big bike world. I for one am never selling it! Last edited by GTO : 10th April 2020 at 08:25. Reason: Small edit :). Thanks for sharing! |
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6th April 2020, 14:08
| #2 |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Poona
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| re: My Pre-Owned Kawasaki Ninja 650 | EDIT: Sold and bought back Accessories Installed The Ninja is not a bike that needs a lot of accessories to begin with. But the previous owner had not fit a single thing on it. I mean not a single thing. So in the following weeks I started ordering/purchasing a few things for it. 3m ppf As with most of my vehicles the first thing I did was drop the bike for an entire ppf covering. The full bike was done and it ensures keeping the bike shiny and new.The flim needs to be trimmed around the edges once after 15 days of application and then once again after 2 3 months. The application can be a whole day or even a day and a half. Also the flim hates curves! So more curvy the bike is the more hard work it is and the more cuts that are needed. As per 3m the flim lasts for 2 to 3 years after which it may need to be redone. A lot of factors depend on it like if the bike is parked in open or close ,expose to sun rain etc.   Engine Guard Frame sliders are important for any bike. If the bike ever tips over the entire weight comes on the slider and hence protects the bike. I was shocked to hear the prices for the sliders and was wondering if they were made of gold! But they proved their worth on one of the rides when because of wet grass and a slight slope the bike tipped over. Luckily thanks to the sliders not even a single scratch on the bike. The only problem I faced was getting the slider for my bike. A quick post on facebook and I managed to source someone in Bangalore having them.   Ram Mount Placed the RAM mount under the speedo so it is just in line of sight and I don't need to really take my eyes off the road while navigating.  A keychain from Ali Express Paid 125/- for it.  Tank Pad I ordered the tank pad even before I got the bike. The small dent I mentioned earlier was easily hidden. I bought this from Lazy Ass Bikers for 2200/-   Not an accessory but I got rid of the ugly number plate holder bracket.  Side Stand Extender I was always nervous about parking the bike anywhere and the support for the stand seemed really small for the size of the bike. Picked up this again from Ali Express  Bike Cover Picked up a simple bike cover from a local Accessories shop. Its a thick cover and holds its own against wind etc. Paid 600/- for it  Riding Gear On a relatively big bike which is capable of doing some crazy speeds, and also when you want to tour and travel the length of this country, its best to have proper riding gear. I looked around and picked up whatever that fit in my budget at that point of time. MT helmet 10500/- Tarmac Jacket 7500/- Tarmac Gloves 2000/- and Tarmac Riding boots 7000/- I realise this is basic riding gear and I will upgrade as and when I can. Last edited by Hamza123 : 6th April 2020 at 14:38. |
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6th April 2020, 14:34
| #3 |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Poona
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| re: My Pre-Owned Kawasaki Ninja 650 | EDIT: Sold and bought back The next thing i wanted to do was of course start riding! Got in touch with Kawasaki Pune who have their own riding group and also joined another group called RNMC. Sharing a few pictures of some of the rides i have done so far. Its really amazing and by midweek am already planning the sunday ride! Helps me get through the week faster knowing the Ninja is waiting for me on the weekend clap Attaching some pics of her from various rides that I have done over the past one year. Some have been solo and some have been group rides. Most places in and around have been covered and now we looking for some longer ones in the days to come.             Last edited by Hamza123 : 8th April 2020 at 12:31. |
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9th April 2020, 08:29
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| Team-BHP Support   | re: My Pre-Owned Kawasaki Ninja 650 | EDIT: Sold and bought back Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Big Bikes Section. Thanks for sharing! Going to the homepage very shortly  . |
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9th April 2020, 08:55
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9th April 2020, 10:17
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| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Poona
Posts: 208
Thanked: 1,166 Times
| re: My Pre-Owned Kawasaki Ninja 650 | EDIT: Sold and bought back Quote:
 if you read through you would see that my garage is being inspired by yours Ps- what does ATGATT mean | |
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9th April 2020, 10:36
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| BHPian Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: UP78/UP16
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9th April 2020, 12:44
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| BHPian  Join Date: May 2014 Location: Coimbatore
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9th April 2020, 13:17
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| BHPian  Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Kolkata - Pune
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| re: My Pre-Owned Kawasaki Ninja 650 | EDIT: Sold and bought back Wow you got a steal deal given the bike condition ! Lovely pics of your ride, wishing you many more happy miles with the green mean machine  |
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9th April 2020, 14:15
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| BHPian  Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Pune
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9th April 2020, 16:27
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| Senior - BHPian  Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: NSEW
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9th April 2020, 17:01
| #12 | ||||
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Poona
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| re: My Pre-Owned Kawasaki Ninja 650 | EDIT: Sold and bought back Quote:
The waterfall picture was of Malsej Ghat. It was my most memorable ride till date and probably also the longest single day ride. Nearly 330 kms round trip if my memory serves me right. We were drenched to the bone but it was well worth it. It’s also the place where the bike tipped over and if you see closely in one of the pictures you can see mud on the frame slider. Quote:
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Ground clearance is mainly an issue because the huge cat con! No wonder it sounds like a mouse. But I don’t mind the trade off while touring. You get used to the peaceful hum | ||||
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9th April 2020, 17:55
| #13 |
| BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Mumbai
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| re: My Pre-Owned Kawasaki Ninja 650 | EDIT: Sold and bought back Congrats on your bike! Lovely write up! The Ninja 650 was a bike on my list for over a year but unfortunately my friends scared me off buying one since I had no idea how to buy a used high performance bike and lastly the bad brakes without ABS. But looks like you got a killer deal with no complications at a superb price! And don't let anyone tell you that the ground clearance is not low. I face the same issues given we both are very err healthy and I have started looking at speedbreakers more than I look at women these days  |
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9th April 2020, 18:10
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| Senior - BHPian  Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Stickn' Around
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9th April 2020, 21:22
| #15 | ||
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Poona
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| re: My Pre-Owned Kawasaki Ninja 650 | EDIT: Sold and bought back Quote:
yes the absence of Abs was a bit of a concern. But after speaking to a lot of people who know my riding style, and listening more to my heart than my head for once I decided to take the plunge. I honestly don’t like to gun the bike, am more of a 80-90km an hour cruiser no matter how open the roads are. Although I know that’s not an excuse. But something I have to live with. Which bike did you land up buying? Quote:
Yes it’s pretty economical to maintain. An average service costs around 7000 once a year. I’am planning at some point to fit an additional engine guard as well should I find something nice. | ||
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