Hello,
I joined the site a while ago, when I was researching different bikes. I haven't posted until now because I wasn't sure what bike I wanted to get until recently. It seems like the Ninja 1000 is the way to go, so I figured I would introduce myself.
I started riding fairly recently, and am currently riding a Ninja 500 (my first bike). I went with the 500 over something like a Ninja 250 because I knew I would be doing a decent amount of highway riding, and apparently the 250 pushes pretty high rpms at that speed. The 500 seemed to be small enough to help me avoid getting in trouble, but large enough to be reasonable at highway speeds.
I'm happy with my choice for a first bike, but my dad has been planning a trip from California back to Indiana this September (on his Ducati Multistrada 1200 S), and I would really like to join him. So, I need to get a decent sports touring bike before then (and have enough time to get comfortable with it). After comparing bikes in the sports touring category, the Ninja 100 feels like the bike for me.
I was hoping to get a 2014 in green (the blue just doesn't look right to me for some reason), since I like it a little better than the 2015 colors, and I figured I would be able to get a better deal on it. However, the dealership was unable to locate a 2014 in green (and I only found one in a several hundred mile radius, which that place was still trying to sell for MSRP); so I've pretty much decided to go with a 2015 model. I'm currently in the process of getting the money together, and am planning to purchase a Ninja 1000 in the next week or so. I'm hoping the dealer will let me do a test ride before purchasing, just to make sure there aren't any unexpected dealbreakers, but I'm pretty much sold at this point.
I'm definitely planning to get the OEM bags, which seem significantly better than any of the other options in functionality and aesthetics (despite the excessive price tag). I'm planning to get a tail bag of some sort; the OEM one seems a little small, so I'll probably go with something else. I have a magnetic tank bag, but might end up going with the Kawasaki one as well, since it seems to fit the bike pretty well. There are also several other mods I'm thinking of doing soon after getting the bike. I would like to get some frame sliders, and I'm probably leaning towards the T-Rex set at this point (they have multiple attachment points without being too expensive, and come with front axle sliders as well). In general, I'm opposed to fender eliminators, but I think the Ninja 1000 has a particularly ugly fender, so I'll probably end up doing a fender eliminator and integrated tail light. And there are a few doodads I want, like a RAM mount, USB port, gear indicator, and BrakeAway throttle lock. Depending on how much I like the stock windshield, I'll be considering a replacement; maybe something like a dark smoke Puig windscreen with green bolts. From what I've heard, it sounds like I'll also need a seat replacement before a major trip; but I have no idea what to go with right now. My dad had some company redo his seat that allows airflow through the seat, and he loves it; I also really like the look of the Sargent seats.
Hopefully, once I get my new bike, I'll be a little more active, though I imagine I'll still be mostly a lurker.
I joined the site a while ago, when I was researching different bikes. I haven't posted until now because I wasn't sure what bike I wanted to get until recently. It seems like the Ninja 1000 is the way to go, so I figured I would introduce myself.
I started riding fairly recently, and am currently riding a Ninja 500 (my first bike). I went with the 500 over something like a Ninja 250 because I knew I would be doing a decent amount of highway riding, and apparently the 250 pushes pretty high rpms at that speed. The 500 seemed to be small enough to help me avoid getting in trouble, but large enough to be reasonable at highway speeds.
I'm happy with my choice for a first bike, but my dad has been planning a trip from California back to Indiana this September (on his Ducati Multistrada 1200 S), and I would really like to join him. So, I need to get a decent sports touring bike before then (and have enough time to get comfortable with it). After comparing bikes in the sports touring category, the Ninja 100 feels like the bike for me.
I was hoping to get a 2014 in green (the blue just doesn't look right to me for some reason), since I like it a little better than the 2015 colors, and I figured I would be able to get a better deal on it. However, the dealership was unable to locate a 2014 in green (and I only found one in a several hundred mile radius, which that place was still trying to sell for MSRP); so I've pretty much decided to go with a 2015 model. I'm currently in the process of getting the money together, and am planning to purchase a Ninja 1000 in the next week or so. I'm hoping the dealer will let me do a test ride before purchasing, just to make sure there aren't any unexpected dealbreakers, but I'm pretty much sold at this point.
I'm definitely planning to get the OEM bags, which seem significantly better than any of the other options in functionality and aesthetics (despite the excessive price tag). I'm planning to get a tail bag of some sort; the OEM one seems a little small, so I'll probably go with something else. I have a magnetic tank bag, but might end up going with the Kawasaki one as well, since it seems to fit the bike pretty well. There are also several other mods I'm thinking of doing soon after getting the bike. I would like to get some frame sliders, and I'm probably leaning towards the T-Rex set at this point (they have multiple attachment points without being too expensive, and come with front axle sliders as well). In general, I'm opposed to fender eliminators, but I think the Ninja 1000 has a particularly ugly fender, so I'll probably end up doing a fender eliminator and integrated tail light. And there are a few doodads I want, like a RAM mount, USB port, gear indicator, and BrakeAway throttle lock. Depending on how much I like the stock windshield, I'll be considering a replacement; maybe something like a dark smoke Puig windscreen with green bolts. From what I've heard, it sounds like I'll also need a seat replacement before a major trip; but I have no idea what to go with right now. My dad had some company redo his seat that allows airflow through the seat, and he loves it; I also really like the look of the Sargent seats.
Hopefully, once I get my new bike, I'll be a little more active, though I imagine I'll still be mostly a lurker.
, but I remembered when I got it home. So far I've added the RAM mount. I have the T-Rex sliders, but I need to get a copy of the service manual for the torque specs and such. Now to get through the break-in.
