[SnS_12]

Firstly, congratulations on your Ninja 1000 and for such a detailed and informative review on it.

When you read a ownership review, which doesn’t end on the first page is when you know that some serious writing and time has been spent on the assembly line.

To write in such detail with so many pictures is just commendable and I am sure it will help many future N1K buyers and even people buying their first big bike.

Some things that really caught my attention are the beautiful pictures clicked by deepfreak15, the Brilliant stock headlights and the list of protection gear you have invested in.

I had been to the Dainese store in Chennai and the prices quoted for the jackets were in the range of 60k a piece. Had no clue that they have an annual sale in India but as rightly mentioned, that is the best time to buy it or else get it from abroad where you have a wider range at a much cheaper pricing. But still a bill of close to 4 lac will give a reality check to many who maybe considering walking down this route.

P.s - What if the Suzuki guys had not treated the way they did and you had test ridden one back then. Could we have been reading a brilliant Busa ownership instead??

Congratulations once again and hope you and your wife have many more happy memories on the N1K in the years to come.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by audioholic

I started reading this review in the morning and finished it now Great write up Karthik and you have not left anything uncovered. Now when do we have that four wheeler upgrade coming which will make yours an enviable collection of vehicles at home. Happy touring saar and let this COVID mess get over soon so that we can get back on the road!

Thanks a lot audioholic sir., glad to know it took up your entire weekday Four wheeler needs to wait till the covid situation settles down. No point buying anything for a while now when travel and highways are shut off.

Originally Posted by AtheK

What is cooking here, which ducati is being sold now!!

Mihir back to his usual self I suppose, lol!

Originally Posted by KP56

Oh my god! What a fantastic review!
It is indeed a big leap from the karizma but then your heart always longed for it..
It was the same case with my dad, but he now regrets that he took a bit too long to materialize his big bike dream because his body isn’t coping well with his passion. And the bike is rather become a showpiece now than a mile muncher.

Thanks a lot for your kind words KP56! Interesting indeed to hear about your dad's story, what did he get and when? It is always inspiring too see seniors live their (enthusiast) dreams

Also,even though you opted for an regular registration number, it is as fancy as it could have been for me because it has my initials on it

Now that you mention it, if I had bought the bike 3-4 months earlier, I would have ended up with KK in the series which are my initials, lol!

Originally Posted by SnS_12

Firstly, congratulations on your Ninja 1000 and for such a detailed and informative review on it.

When you read a ownership review, which doesn’t end on the first page is when you know that some serious writing and time has been spent on the assembly line.

To write in such detail with so many pictures is just commendable and I am sure it will help many future N1K buyers and even people buying their first big bike.

Thank you for the kind words SnS_12

Some things that really caught my attention are the beautiful pictures clicked by deepfreak15

He is a wiz at clicking automobile pics. deepfreak15's pics of my thread are on the index page, the pros and cons page and the expenses page, and were all shot at a homestay in Chikmagalur which we had gone to along with our better halves in Feb this year. If you want to go through the complete set of pictures you can check out his thread below, I believe he has updated the rest of the trip pics somewhere there.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super...any-roads.html (My Silk White Ducati Multistrada 950 - One bike for many roads)

I had been to the Dainese store in Chennai and the prices quoted for the jackets were in the range of 60k a piece. Had no clue that they have an annual sale in India but as rightly mentioned, that is the best time to buy it or else get it from abroad where you have a wider range at a much cheaper pricing.

Yeah same with me. I had visited their outlet long ago casually and had got scared seeing the prices. Their year end sale is pretty nice, CrAzY dRiVeR told me about it because he also picked up some of his stuff during the year end sale there I believe. It was a coicidence that my purchase also happened around the same time so everything went well.

But still a bill of close to 4 lac will give a reality check to many who maybe considering walking down this route.

Yeah. The OE Panniers are 25% of that cost, but the rest of the stuff (I mean the items) is still something most riders will need to spend on, only the amount will vary depending on what brand they buy. I fondly refer to this big bike world as quicksand for the same reason

P.s - What if the Suzuki guys had not treated the way they did and you had test ridden one back then. Could we have been reading a brilliant Busa ownership instead??

Nice question, but maybe eventually I will have overlooked the busa for being dated in today's age

[Added_flavor]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Should you buy the Ninja 1000? Thought process and a logical breakdown of whom this bike might make sense to
....

Fantastic read and very well expressed thoughts Karthik saar! I completely agree and can relate to your thoughts on the sports-tourer segment in comparison with the Adv-tourers too! Like all your threads, this one's a stonker too! Makes for a wonderful read as well as adds value to a prospective big-bike buyer!

Wishing you many more wonderful miles on this beauty!

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

Fantastic read and very well expressed thoughts Karthik saar!
Like all your threads, this one's a stonker too! Makes for a wonderful read as well as adds value to a prospective big-bike buyer!

Wishing you many more wonderful miles on this beauty!

Thanks a lot Suhas! Glad you liked going through it

I completely agree and can relate to your thoughts on the sports-tourer segment in comparison with the Adv-tourers too!

Cheers to our sports-tourer brigade

[SnS_12]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Nice question, but maybe eventually I will have overlooked the busa for being dated in today's age

Yes, the Busa was lagging behind both in the looks department and the electronic gizmos package, when it came to comparing it with the other offerings in the market.

Looks is subjective and I personally never found it to be attractive, but the way it looks is distinctive and it has grown on me.

On the electronic gizmos, the last model only had three power modes and ABS to offer. But, if you look at it now, this is one of the few motorcycles that you could buy recently, which gives you pure unadulterated riding pleasure and its your right wrist which decides what the bike does rather than the electronics. Something similar was felt by many current generation sports car owners, who were longing for the pure driving pleasure, which ultimately resulted in the prices of the 15 year old Porsche Carrera GT (well maintained ones) to go over US$ 1 million in the used car market.


Finally, in terms of power and comfort (both rider and pillion) only the ZX 14R could better it slightly and both unfortunately have been discontinued globally now.

[//M]

Thanks for sharing such an incredible comprehensive review of the Ninja 1000.

I personally love the black paintshade on the N1 and the smoked Puig screen makes it look all the more stealth. Great choice of accessories and riding gears as well.

The N1 has always been a wonderful package in the league of sports-tourers. The new 2020 Ninja 1000SX would be even better I am guessing as it seems to have lost a lot of weight and now packs in a lot more riding aids too.

Wishing you many happy miles, ride safe.

[Prakritij]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

This is going to be one heck of a long and comprehensive review thread.

It really was long and comprehensive. Really appreciate your effort in putting those feelings into words. Through midway, I realised that only someone who loves his/her ride from the bottom of the heart would put so much effort in compiling such a long and all-encompassing review.
You made me drool over the N1000 with your pictures and the details in your write-up and my heart wants one now.
Ride Safe

[KP56]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Thanks a lot for your kind words KP56! Interesting indeed to hear about your dad's story, what did he get and when? It is always inspiring too see seniors live their (enthusiast) dreams

My dad was a big time cruiser fan. So he ended up buying a denim black H-D iron 883 back in 2016 for his 47th birthday . It was a pre-worshipped one with 3k kms on the odo. After 4 years now the odo reading reached the 8k mark, 95% of which were Sunday rides. I hope to do justice to the bike with a lot of road trips , once I gain good experience and rapport with it.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by SnS_12

Yes, the Busa was lagging behind both in the looks department and the electronic gizmos package, when it came to comparing it with the other offerings in the market.

Looks is subjective and I personally never found it to be attractive, but the way it looks is distinctive and it has grown on me.

On the electronic gizmos, the last model only had three power modes and ABS to offer. But, if you look at it now, this is one of the few motorcycles that you could buy recently, which gives you pure unadulterated riding pleasure and its your right wrist which decides what the bike does rather than the electronics. Something similar was felt by many current generation sports car owners, who were longing for the pure driving pleasure, which ultimately resulted in the prices of the 15 year old Porsche Carrera GT (well maintained ones) to go over US$ 1 million in the used car market.


Finally, in terms of power and comfort (both rider and pillion) only the ZX 14R could better it slightly and both unfortunately have been discontinued globally now.

Good write-up there on the legacy of that machine, I didn't know much about it and learnt a few things from that. Thank you

Originally Posted by //M

Thanks for sharing such an incredible comprehensive review of the Ninja 1000.

I personally love the black paintshade on the N1 and the smoked Puig screen makes it look all the more stealth. Great choice of accessories and riding gears as well.

Thank you for the kind words //M . I'm still going through your ultra long review thread as we speak now

The N1 has always been a wonderful package in the league of sports-tourers. The new 2020 Ninja 1000SX would be even better I am guessing as it seems to have lost a lot of weight and now packs in a lot more riding aids too.

The 1000SX as they call it in 2020 has a stiffer front, a TFT display and they added a quickshifter and cruise control. Heated grips are available as accessories. The weight remains the same - 235 kg. There is no difference in riding aids as such. The tech remains the same - KCMF with KTRC and KIBS coupled with that 6-axis IMU. In the pre-2020 models the rider had to choose a riding mode and a KTRC setting manually depending on the terrain. Now the 2020 1000SX version offers some presets for the combinations. For eg, in heavy rains, I would use riding mode L (low power) and KTRC level 3. And in fair weather and expressways one would probably choose F and KTRC 1. In the 1000SX, L-3 combo preset is called Rain, and F-1 is called Sport, things like these. Handy shortcuts to the same old things underneath, just more accessible through a TFT and easier for the rider not to goof up.

Originally Posted by Prakritij

It really was long and comprehensive. Really appreciate your effort in putting those feelings into words. Through midway, I realised that only someone who loves his/her ride from the bottom of the heart would put so much effort in compiling such a long and all-encompassing review.
You made me drool over the N1000 with your pictures and the details in your write-up and my heart wants one now.
Ride Safe

Really kind words from you Prakritij, glad to know you enjoyed going through it just as much as I enjoyed penning it. Perhaps you should visit that showroom and give it a look *wink*

Originally Posted by KP56

My dad was a big time cruiser fan. So he ended up buying a denim black H-D iron 883 back in 2016 for his 47th birthday . It was a pre-worshipped one with 3k kms on the odo. After 4 years now the odo reading reached the 8k mark, 95% of which were Sunday rides. I hope to do justice to the bike with a lot of road trips , once I gain good experience and rapport with it.

Wow that is really inspiring to hear. I hope you and your dad do add on many more miles on the Iron 883, and do share those stories with us.

[Fan@Automotive]

KarthikK, kudos to your script. Your patience to meticulously record all the details has given way to a brilliant write up. Read it over 2 post lunch sessions, started yesterday and finished today.

I have been inspired by a lot motorbike threads on this forum. This is the best "bike ownership experience thread" I have read in the recent times.

It has rekindled the urge in me to venture into the big bike world. Hopefully, year 2021 will be safe for riding and will make venturing into the big bike world a reality for me.

Wishing you many more happy miles!

[nkrishnap]

Congrats Karthik.

You got the goal achieved with picking up the litre-class motorcycle and the nice set of accessories you got there. Happy and safe riding. Keep the travelogues and your exploration of nature/resorts coming.

[mulls]

Excellent thread Karthik!
Nothing like reading a long detailed review, when I am looking to buy one.
Your review will help me, in my purchase (2020 Ninja)
Working in London, I am planning to get all the possible accessories. Hoping to get some suggestions from you

Thanks for sharing . Especially for the exhaustive list of accessories & costs

[Aakash]

It took me 2 days to completely finish off this review but boy, I am glad I read the whole review. And personally, I am a big fan of the blacked out Ninja 1000 because it gives out a stealthy look to those who see this beauty!

Thank you for taking out your time to pen this wonderful review.

[camitesh]

Wow what an ownership thread Karthik. Simply one of the most comprehensive, informative, entertaining and inspiring ownership thread I've read. I for one was hoping it never ends and there are more posts to go through. Please continue bringing in comprehensive updates when you can.

I thought I knew Ninja 1000 well but some of the details like the upside down rear brake calipers, turning radius, locking mirrors, amazing LED throw etc. were interesting.

Further, the cost break-up, especially for the different type of accessories and gears was really informative. Excellent set of quality safety gear for both of you. I believe its a worthy investment considering the touring you already do or plan to to.

Knew the OE panniers cost a lot but didn't knew they cost as much. They look really premium and spacious. But 5 kgs limit per pannier seems surprisingly low especially when you are touring with pillion. How do you manage to squeeze in everything within the weight limit? Although I've never weighed my saddle bags when full but I can easily assume they would be over 15 kgs even when I tour solo. And add another 18L tank bag for electronics and other valuables. I guess I really need to start working on travelling light.

PS: I didn't know about the Sena remote and it looks very helpful as I also hate keeping one hand off the handlebar to play around the music options. Looking at the historic price in your cost break-up, I thought of picking it up right away but the current prices on Amazon are discouraging. Is it a worthy accessory especially considering the risk of it getting stolen on one of those numerous highway stops?

[Hells Bells]

This is that kind of a review which may turn fence sitters into cheque-bearing customers Never been a huge bike person but have always had an itch to buy one to enjoy the freedom that never comes with a car. This thread has just reignited that desire. It is a good thing I dont have a million or two sitting idle which would tempt me to take the plunge.