[deerhunter]

Originally Posted by aargee

By any chance, did you happen to take this stretch sir? It was totally mesmerizingly scary last time when we drove through where the houses were 25% flooded due to tide & people living there didn't batter an eyelid & it looked like an everyday routine for them with Arabian sea right at their backyard, which only resorts could afford

I was riding down from Palakkad. I didn't go beyond Varkala, towards Trivandrum. This is the route I took from Kollam.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by deerhunter

I was riding down from Palakkad. I didn't go beyond Varkala, towards Trivandrum. This is the route I took from Kollam.

Ok, no problem; I'm quite glad you visited, a not to miss place, Varkala Cliff, which is nearly similar to many landscape on MSH4. But Anjuthengu is a kind of unique experience that I wish you too had; perhaps next time

[bf1983]

Lovely write up ! Just wanted to ask you about the high speed stability with the Viaterra saddle bags. Do they hold up well at highway speeds and do they start to get loose after a while and need regular tightening ? I am having a hard time with a tail bag as the straps get lose often at highways speeds. Thanks

[diganta.gogoi]

Fantastic write-up and pics @Deerhunter. Wishing you a million happy miles and memories with your Ninja

[deerhunter]

Originally Posted by aargee

Ok, no problem; I'm quite glad you visited, a not to miss place, Varkala Cliff, which is nearly similar to many landscape on MSH4.

Maharashtra Konkan coast ride is in my bucket list. Will do it one day.

But Anjuthengu is a kind of unique experience that I wish you too had; perhaps next time

I had very limited time and didn't want to rush through Anchuthengu, Thumba etc. So next time.

Originally Posted by bf1983

Lovely write up ! Just wanted to ask you about the high speed stability with the Viaterra saddle bags. Do they hold up well at highway speeds and do they start to get loose after a while and need regular tightening ? I am having a hard time with a tail bag as the straps get lose often at highways speeds. Thanks

Thanks bf1983. Viattera saddle bags are pretty stable, and the straps don't come loose at any speeds.

Originally Posted by diganta.gogoi

Fantastic write-up and pics @Deerhunter. Wishing you a million happy miles and memories with your Ninja

Thank you diganta.gogoi.

[100Kmphormore]

Short and sweet writeup mate! Not too tiring but not too short either, since its single lane roads. Hope to have the Ninja soon myself!

[StarBoard]

Nice and short write-up! And the view from the hotel room is one to die for. Now Varkala is on my bucket list

[deerhunter]

Originally Posted by deerhunter

They didn’t have the brake lever in stock, but promised to mail me the same once it’s available. It’s been more than a year, and multiple visits and calls, and they have not made it available to me yet.

Finally, more than 2 years after they gave me the wrong brake lever, got a call from the Kawasaki service center that they have the correct brake lever in stock and asked me to drop by whenever I was free. So did a quick ride to Kochi from Palakkad on the first week of April and got it changed. One guy, who was in charge of the spares and was especially lackadaisical, left the place 6 months ago and the new guys are clearing the mess he left behind it seems. Few of the other guys have also left, and I can clearly see the change in attitude as well as the general enthusiasm in the new guys.

Other than that, April was a busy month for me, and could only do one short trip to Nelliyampathy(a hill station near Palakkad) which is only about an hour or so from my place. Stayed at a Place called Vanya, one of the few decent places to stay in Nelliyampathy.

The last couple of kms to the resort has no roads. There is an option to park the vehicle at the nearest town and take the resort jeep to cover the offroad, but I chose the hard way. Even though the ground clearance was not an issue, the loose rocks and the very sharp hairpin bends with steep banking were. Some of the hairpin bends were tighter than the turning circle of the Ninja, so had to do 3 point turns at places were the ground was not level and had big boulders.






There is a pool on the property. I think this is the only place with a pool in Nelliyampathy.


This was the hardest offroad challenge for the Ninja yet. Look at the tyre.


The property was clean and well maintained, and I will probably go back again.








Overall, a very different experience with the Ninja and I enjoyed it, but wont do this particular offroad patch with the Ninja ever again.

Thanks for reading.

[deerhunter]

I have been reading about motorcycle airbag systems for the better part of the last 3 months. Researched about almost all the available systems in the market and finally picked the Helite e-turtle 2 airbag vest and the optional fork sensor. Initial impressions are very good. Since an airbag system is more like an insurance, hope I will never be in a scenario where it deploys. I will pen down a more comprehensive review of this particular system and a comparison with all the other major systems after covering some more miles with this.

[Himalayan_Ice]

I got the bike in 2022 and have done (only) 6500kms on it till now. Didn't think this qualified for an ownership thread of its own, so putting up some images of the machine (and related) up. Along with are some observations.



A couple of hours ahead of Jaisalmer where the dunes truly start to take hold.



I couldn't not Can't ignore facts when they appear, can we?



A couple of hours ahead of Shimla amidst apple orchards and Deodar forests. The bike is decent to take on semi-paved roads, but you have to be careful of the rear end giving up traction oa gravel, and of the turning radius if you decide that you need to turn around.

It's not a light machine, and if you are my height (170cms) or shorter, pulling it back on an incline on your tip-toes is an exercise in futility.



But it'll take you places. At least 95% of them. The rest? I'm looking for tyres that can take me on gravel, and I'll back.



When it rains, you put on rain gear, and keep riding. This Rev'it piece is amazing even when it's pouring buckets. Not a drop of moisture on the inside.



Also, if you're in the mountains during the monsoons, get corn-on-the-cob from roadside vendors for a snack, or a full meal. Highly recommend the taste, as well as the atmospherics.



Got a PUIG windshield extender because I felt a certain amount of buffeting on the helmet at speeds above a 100. Looks dorky but works well. Also got the windshield smoked.



Standing next to the neighbour (GS850). Looks really small in comparison. Actually the 850 is really BIG. I can't even get both toes on the ground at the same time!



Novel security mechanism since the bike does not have tracking. Kept it under the seat, but now deeper within, so it is kind of hard to remove.



We all have our favourite vices. Two wheels have been mine since forever.



Girls who like motorcycles are the best kind of girls.

The original panniers look great on the bike, but have proven themselves to be a HUGE mistake.



When in Rome...



The roads ahead of Pokhran towards Jaisalmer are a DREAM. If you enjoy riding motorcycles on roads made of butter and angel kisses, do NOT miss out on this area.



What epic contrast. I could do this every weekend. If I could.



And then there are these excuses for civilised beings. No turn signals, no care for side view mirrors and obviously, with no reason to be holding a driving license.



That would be my chest, if not for gear.



My shoulder.



My face.



And my hand.



Works as advertised.



Just in case you're not wearing gear and even topple a stationary bike on a broken surface, you will not get away lightly. Also, being top heavy, once this bike starts keeling over, there's no saving it.



Just because it looks SO cool!



Fully loaded and heading to the hills for its first summer migration.



Around lesser known roads in town.



I don't drink tea. Unless it's ginger tea in the mountains.



The ultimate dream.

Got the bike serviced in Chandigarh and the Kawasaki dealership there also served Indian Motorcycles.

Indian is SUCH a beautiful but unjustly served brand (in our country at least). If Harley can sell, Indian could have sold better. But the company doesn't give a damn obviously.



Look at those massive intakes!



And this is the second time the pannier dropped from the bike while on the move.
The first time was in Rajasthan.

• Both the times I did not come to know that it'd dropped (I wear ear plugs and my riding style is involved) till I reached the next stop.
• The first time I recovered it. Major miracle. Not so lucky the second time.
• Both times they were fastened properly and had done hundred kilometres plus before simply falling off.
• I have a video of the dealership staff being able to pry the pannier off while in the locked position.
• The first time Kawasaki replaced the pannier set. The second time they refused.
• You cannot buy a single pannier, you have to buy the set.
• The set costs INR 100,000+ so even if you drop the bike and it breaks, you're down by that amount.
• Panniers weren't covered by the warranty. Don't know if they can be. Don't want to buy them again anyway.
• If anyone has a spare, I'll willingly buy it off you and then hot-glue it to the bike.
• Also, the pannier shape is very weird (aesthetics over function) and my 15" laptop didn't fit in there.
• Would seriously suggest against buying these. I think GIVI has a solution under its own brandname which seems like a much more affordable and reliable option.



Always the preferred environment.



Here's looking to many more beautiful rides in the future!

[AKSO]

Wonderful pictures and you have hit the proverbial nail on the head with your experiences of the NK1. I trust the damages to yourself haven't been too bad? It just takes one idiot amongst the many that traverse our highways surviving on the goodwill of others to ruin someone else's joy. Tough luck, I say.

I look forward to your posts and till then, ride safe!

[deerhunter]

Originally Posted by himalyan_ice

I got the bike in 2022 and have done (only) 6500kms on it till now. Didn't think this qualified for an ownership thread of its own, so putting up some images of the machine (and related) up. Along with are some observations.

Fantastic pictures of a wonderful bike. Wishing you many many more happy miles on it.

Got a PUIG windshield extender because I felt a certain amount of buffeting on the helmet at speeds above a 100. Looks dorky but works well. Also got the windshield smoked.

Looks like you are keeping the windshield at its lowest position and then adding the extender on top of it. How effective is this setup compared to keeping the windshield at the highest position without the extender?

Works as advertised.

Did u have to change the fairing? And how much time did it take for the parts to arrive and the repair to be finished?

Just in case you're not wearing gear and even topple a stationary bike on a broken surface, you will not get away lightly. Also, being top heavy, once this bike starts keeling over, there's no saving it.

Thanks for sharing this, and it's a lesson for me to learn from. I do have a pair of tall sport riding boots, but since most of my rides include a lot of walking at the destination, I consciously avoid the sport boots and use my casual sneakers. Time to invest in a good pair of short riding boots.

And this is the second time the pannier dropped from the bike while on the move.
The first time was in Rajasthan.

• Both the times I did not come to know that it'd dropped (I wear ear plugs and my riding style is involved) till I reached the next stop.
• The first time I recovered it. Major miracle. Not so lucky the second time.
• Both times they were fastened properly and had done hundred kilometres plus before simply falling off.
• I have a video of the dealership staff being able to pry the pannier off while in the locked position.
• The first time Kawasaki replaced the pannier set. The second time they refused.
• Would seriously suggest against buying these. I think GIVI has a solution under its own brandname which seems like a much more affordable and reliable option.

Was it the same pannier that came off both times?

I remember seeing a Revzilla video where one of the panniers fell off during a speed run, but they later concluded that the pannier was incorrectly installed. I was seriously thinking about getting the pannier set a few months back, but decided against it. Seems like a good decision. Might as well invest that money in better gear.

Here's looking to many more beautiful rides in the future!

Interesting horn location. Is it a dual horn setup? And why this location?

[Himalayan_Ice]

Originally Posted by deerhunter

Fantastic pictures of a wonderful bike. Wishing you many many more happy miles on it.

Thank you! This summer seems like an unlikely candidate for it, but hopefully next year will be better off.

Originally Posted by deerhunter

Looks like you are keeping the windshield at its lowest position and then adding the extender on top of it. How effective is this setup compared to keeping the windshield at the highest position without the extender?

The extender is not spring clamp based. So taking it off means L-key and re-adjustment etc. So I just leave it on. I put the windshield at the highest level during fast highway runs, where it performs pretty well. During shorter runs, I feel it channels more air towards me at its lowest position (may be psychological) which only helps.

Originally Posted by deerhunter

Did u have to change the fairing? And how much time did it take for the parts to arrive and the repair to be finished?

Two months man. It did get done in a shorter time, but the insurance thing was a pain.

Originally Posted by deerhunter

Thanks for sharing this, and it's a lesson for me to learn from. I do have a pair of tall sport riding boots, but since most of my rides include a lot of walking at the destination, I consciously avoid the sport boots and use my casual sneakers. Time to invest in a good pair of short riding boots.

Alpinestars. CR-X Drystar. Very VERY highly recommend. I've been riding, driving and trekking with them. Absolutely would buy them again. If it gets to that.

Originally Posted by deerhunter

Was it the same pannier that came off both times?

Same side, different pannier (it was replaced by Kawasaki).

Originally Posted by deerhunter

I remember seeing a Revzilla video where one of the panniers fell off during a speed run, but they later concluded that the pannier was incorrectly installed. I was seriously thinking about getting the pannier set a few months back, but decided against it. Seems like a good decision. Might as well invest that money in better gear.

I can swear up and down that it was correctly installed. The clamp was shut, and it didn't fall for hundreds of kms without being taken off. So. Maybe it's a design fault where the clamp shuts securely even when the pannier isn't firmly in place.

Originally Posted by deerhunter

Interesting horn location. Is it a dual horn setup? And why this location?

Yes. Two horns. The original was tinny and I got a pair of hellas. I'm in the NCR and out here, loud horns save lives. Location is completely courtesy the mech who installed it. I don't mind it being OUT THERE. I'd have a truck horn installed given the number of people on phones while driving, and their dislike for using side view mirrors.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by Himalayan_Ice

I got the bike in 2022 and have done (only) 6500kms on it till now. Didn't think this qualified for an ownership thread of its own, so putting up some images of the machine (and related) up. Along with are some observations.
...
Here's looking to many more beautiful rides in the future!

Thanks for those amazing pictures and narration, walking us through your ownership and travel journeys with the bike. You really should write more often .

And this is the second time the pannier dropped from the bike while on the move.
The first time was in Rajasthan.

• Both the times I did not come to know that it'd dropped (I wear ear plugs and my riding style is involved) till I reached the next stop.
• The first time I recovered it. Major miracle. Not so lucky the second time.
• Both times they were fastened properly and had done hundred kilometres plus before simply falling off.

Very unlucky to have this happen over a ride. I have been a happy owner of these panniers and have done around 5 years and 23,000 km of touring with these OE Panniers as of now, covering maybe 50+ different roadtrips. They have been very reliable and have withstood the tests of time and extremes of weather. I have also had to undergo some fair bit of bumpy rough roads during my travels, and they have held up very well. This is a fairly common accessory for Kawasaki riders for the N1000 / N1000SX / Versys / H2SX even in other countries, and in general there are very few complaints against them.

I think you should have the Kawasaki folks look at the locking and securing mechanism inside the Grab rail slots (on the bike), and see if something is not right there, rather than the boxes themselves. Since you mentioned you had properly secured them in place before this happened, maybe have the folks replace that grab rail pannier securing section too if something there is faulty.

I ride a MY2019 model Ninja 1000 though, not the 1000SX model. Just wondering if there was some design change in the grab rails and panniers securing mechanism on the SX models, which might have caused some issue - like maybe - your dealer was unaware that 2017-19 model Panniers should not be used with the 2020+ SX model bikes or some such incompatibility, and they sold old stocks of panniers to you? I don't know clearly about this - just guessing.

You might be aware of this but mentioning anyway for readers - when the panniers are fitted on the bike, the speed limit guideline listed on the box is around 125 kmph and weight limit is 5kg payload per pannier. Exceeding these speeds/weights with the boxes mounted can increase likelihood of excessive wind drag or overloading causing them to break off.

• I have a video of the dealership staff being able to pry the pannier off while in the locked position.

The locking mechanism latches are not made of metal but of some hard bakelite type material, and can be quite brittle if something breaks or gives way on rough handling. Doing this prying business itself might have damaged something inside. Why did you allow them to try doing this at all? It might only have worsened the problem if any.

• The first time Kawasaki replaced the pannier set. The second time they refused.
• You cannot buy a single pannier, you have to buy the set.
• The set costs INR 100,000+ so even if you drop the bike and it breaks, you're down by that amount.
• Panniers weren't covered by the warranty. Don't know if they can be. Don't want to buy them again anyway.
• If anyone has a spare, I'll willingly buy it off you and then hot-glue it to the bike.
• Also, the pannier shape is very weird (aesthetics over function) and my 15" laptop didn't fit in there.

The costs are definitely bonkers, no second thoughts. In fact as we speak, the current costs of this set is 1,37,000 INR, lol! Very true on the thoughts concerning warranty and damage costs too. There is however a way to list the panniers as OE Accessories to the bike's insurance policy and include those under the insurance coverage amount. There is a marginal increase in premium but it is worth it in case one has to replace the Panniers set in the event of a fall or crash.

• Would seriously suggest against buying these. I think GIVI has a solution under its own brandname which seems like a much more affordable and reliable option.

Givi does sell similarly shaped panniers themselves. However, they require a permanent fixture of their PLX series Pannier stay rails to the rear end of the frame which will totally ruin the Ninja's sportbike aesthetics. Also, those Givi boxes cannot be paired with the bike's ignition key, so no single-key-for-everything solution . The main USPs of these OE panniers are the single-key solution, and the clean aesthetics because of the way the boxes are mounted on an almost-invisible weight bearing protrusion above the pillion footpeg, rather than requiring ugly pannier stay rails on a sportbike.

Originally Posted by deerhunter

I remember seeing a Revzilla video where one of the panniers fell off during a speed run, but they later concluded that the pannier was incorrectly installed. I was seriously thinking about getting the pannier set a few months back, but decided against it. Seems like a good decision. Might as well invest that money in better gear.

Actually the mechanism works in such a way that the rider has to secure the pannier into the grab rail slots, and the bike key (also used for panniers locking) will not be removable until the pannier is properly fitted in place.

From what I've read, sometimes the rider is in a hurry and tries to force the key out even if the mechanism is say 90% in and not a 100% in, and this basically means the securing process wasn't completed. The random falling usually happens in such cases.

I usually double check my securing process every time I remove and refit them, and if there is some hesitancy in the key getting released or coming out, I redo the process (hardly takes a few seconds more) to be sure it is properly in place. Fingers crossed to see how many more years I can use my set, lol!

[Himalayan_Ice]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Thanks for those amazing pictures and narration, walking us through your ownership and travel journeys with the bike. You really should write more often .

...

Thank you and I do hope I get to!

I feel there was some bad juju with my pannier situation. I can get that the company would have tested the product quite thoroughly. Also, having dropped a pannier once, I also would have taken extra care to make sure that they were locked properly going forth.
The dealership told me the rail was changed even. But I wasn't there when it was done... so.

Just cannot risk INR 100,000+ again. It's a hell lot of money to spend on a pannier set, and honestly I'd rather have something that's held together with nuts and bolts instead of a plastic fastener if I do spend on a product like that.

Also, it's not just about the panniers. I had lenses worth stupid amounts the first time the pannier dropped. Thankfully it was recovered. Shudder to imagine if the pannier wasn't empty the second time over.

++ the heartbreak of it all. No overcoming that for sure.

Am going to bust out the soft claw bag if and when I do tour now.