I have to admit to a little lusting of the ninja 1000 so i went to a dealership today and took one for a spin, firstly i nearly bought the bike on looks alone it is simply stunning IMHO, honestly my heart skipped and that rarely happens.
It feels very light and nimble compared to the vfr the handle bar position is what i liked about the bike as i want more comfort or upright ride, but i think i had more leg room on the vfr im 6 4".
It has more torgue or power down low and seems quite powerful it goes through the speedo numbers quickly, its a bike that begs you to go fast.(im no mechanical person i just ride these things so everything is going to be how it felt to me rather than accurate knowledge sorry guys)
i only had the windsheild in the low position to me i dont think it would make much difference where it is, its pretty small and doesnt offer as much as the vfr, but hey its a bike how much protection do you want??
The upright ride is comfortable but when your use to a lower position it changes the whole feel of the ride and would take some time to get use to, i like it but at the same time it feels strange and i enjoy when i get back to the normal position which is more uncomfortable. what a dilemma lol.
but there was a real deal breaker for me it just put heat on my shins the whole 25min ride and just detracted from the enjoyment of the ride, i couldnt get my mind off oouch man my shins are burning here!!! how can they make such a fun bike without deflecting that heat. Mind you it was in traffic around speeds of 60-80 kilometers/hr and it was a very hot day 37 degrees Celsius, sorry guys you will have to convert i have no idea . But i rode 80kms to the dealers in same traffic on the vfr and NO HEAT not a whimper????
I wouldnt buy one for that reason alone, really disappointed about that, maybe it is a good thing it is $18,ooo on road here in aus compared to the VFR $13,900 for the price you would be mad to buy it over the vfr which is just as good a bike and maybe better in a lot of areas.
When i hopped back onto the vfr it FELT just so much better apart from looks and ergo's.... its ok she cant hear me ;)
my shins are still burning after 2 hrs since riding the bike doh!
Im sure it will be a hit its just a real shame about the heat issue, but i still think the vfr 800 is strong competion for this bike and honda wouldnt need to do much to make it better.... Yeah right like thats going to happen..
now all i have to do is make vtecy more comfortable. Any help with that problem would be great....
Thanks for the review. I haven't heard anything about the heat but it's good know none the less. You are very correct in price difference. While the VFR is a little dated you can't shrug off more than a $3000 difference between the two new in dealerships here in the States.
[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 27 January 2011 - 07:07 AM, said:
That is strange because I just read today that the fairings on the ninja were specifically designed to take heat away from the rider.
I saw that too, but I'm afraid it may only work for those with "shorter" shins. All of the shots I've seen of the bike have been with what appears to be an "average" size rider (sub 6'). Those of us with longer limbs have different experiences than the masses in most cases :ohmy:
I would be fine if Honda continued the VFR8 as it is, with just some minor tweaks to the suspension as it's delivered. That would be enough for me to keep buying them.
Do think height would make the difference i thought due to pegs being in same place it wouldnt matter how tall you were???? I would love to know if anyone else who rides experiences any heat because it was a killer for me... and yes i had full riding gear on..
I did prefer the vtec when i got back on ... i think the inline 4 may get boring after awhile.... but i do like the ergo,s i must invest in some heli's and lower the pegs.... ill be keeping the girl for awhile now you realise just what a great bike it is
The Ninja 1000 is a terrific looking bike and could be a candidate to eventually replace my '04 VFR. Looks like a viable sport-touring bike, at least for solo riding. Hope to get a test-ride on the new Ninja myself someday.
I have been reading everything I can about the Ninja 1000, but this is the first time I have heard anyone mention heat issues from the engine.
I am very interested in this bike based on the design and reviews. Have looked one over at the dealer, but it will be spring before I take one for a test ride. I am in no hurry to give up my VFR but the Ninja 1000 is the first bike to tempt me to do so. List price is $10,999 but I think one could be had for about $9,900.
[image: View Post]rapsidy, on 27 January 2011 - 09:17 AM, said:
Do think height would make the difference i thought due to pegs being in same place it wouldnt matter how tall you were???? I would love to know if anyone else who rides experiences any heat because it was a killer for me... and yes i had full riding gear on..
I did prefer the vtec when i got back on ... i think the inline 4 may get boring after awhile.... but i do like the ergo,s i must invest in some heli's and lower the pegs.... ill be keeping the girl for awhile now you realise just what a great bike it is
I really encourage you to get some peg lowering blocks and some more comfortable bars...your VFR is like brand new and an awesome bike! A couple of changes and I bet you would not think twice about keeping her a long, long time.
Thanks for the write up. I sat on one in the dealer the other day. Fits my 5'7" frame pretty good although I can't flat foot it. I've just gotten acustomed to stopping with only one leg down on my VFR.
Heat? Have you ever ridden a third gen VFR? I haven't ridden mine in over 6 years, and still have no hair on my ankles. All burned off.
My only other comment is: 18000 BUCKS? Shipping to Aus must be a b!@#h !
Thanks for the review. I have been waiting for a camparo/shootout/review on the bike, or at least some info from an owner. All the articles I've read just seem to repeat the factory press release.
I sat on it at the motorcycle show in Long Beach in December. I was surprised how small it was, which I liked. The seating position didn't seem so upright to me when I sat on it.
I am surprised it doesn't come with ABS here in the states. It seems the sport touring bikes typically come with a bit more sophisticated technology. Maybe the price point precludes.
You can't deny that Honda really crams a ton of new technology in their bikes. I am not smitten with the new VFR, but I think Honda's design is remarkably sophisticated for what you pay for. I think its fair to compare the 6th gen with the Ninja, as it might be a natural progression to try out a larger displacement engine without shelling out a ton more money, but the 7th gen is a wholly different animal. Less of a "toy." I doubt anyone buys a 7th gen on a whim. They know what they want, they know what they're buying.
As much as I like the bike I think it may not sell too well. We shall see what people are paying for them.
I read at least one review, and maybe a Letter to the Editor, in one of the mags that talked about excess vibration with both the Ninja 1000 and Z1000. Any issue with vibration that you noticed?
I'm attracted to the idea of the Ninja 1000, but I don't see that I'd get much more out of that $$ than I have with my '98 VFR, and I'd lose the centerstand, which I like.
I have almost sold my VFR 5 times in the past month for another bike. And everytime I start it up to go to a dealer to possibly do the deed... the ride alone changes my mind hehe. I will have my VFR for life!!!!
I had a very similar experience test riding a 1050 Triumph Sprint ST... great bike, powerful, comfy, but too much heat.... and when I got back on the VFR (fifth gen), it felt fantastic!
I stopped at a large local Big 4 dealer shop tonight, hoping to check out the Ninja 1000 again in person, but they didn't have one. Salesman did say, however, that they've gotten and sold 3 already. If that's the case at an Akron area dealer, Kaw. may have a hit on their hands.
BTW, they had a new Yamaha FZ8 on the floor. Nice looking bike, but couldn't Yam. have at least put adjustable forks on it? :sad:
[Spud- no have never ridden a full on sport bike and yes it was a bit tighter not much but felt it.
as far as vibration the reviews say it comes at around the 8k rpm the max speed i got up to was about 110km/hr and no vibration felt then, i dont think it would be to bad. Like i say if it wasnt for the heat and price it would be a great little bike.
time will tell is uppose if others experience the heat, ill wait until its cooler and have another go, just for scientific purposes :comp13:
but i had the same experience once i got back on the vfr i wouldnt be gaining anything much and how much i enjoyed the ride home... so the girl is staying ill just mod her :fing02: :fing02:
i had a sit on one in dec at the motor show,felt very nice,the colours !a test ride is the clincher,the bike is available in feb for test ride.a bit alarming the heat issue you encounterd! :mellow:
[quote name='RED RUNNER' timestamp='1296152780' post='757327'] the 7th gen is a wholly different animal. Less of a "toy." I doubt anyone buys a 7th gen on a whim. They know what they want, they know what they're buying.
I had a Ninja 650R before I bought my 06' VFR. I loved that bike and for what I used it for it was great. The 650 just lacked the power I was looking for. I always said if Kawasaki made a 1000 version I would buy it. The VFR is great out on the open road, but for commuting in Houston it hasn't worked out that well. I have done everything to make it as comfortable as possible but I still get pain in my wrists and numb hands. The 1000 will be my next bike. Obviously I need to test drive it, but from what I see it fits the bill. The 650 was an awesome commuter and it had enough power for fun on the weekends. The seat sucked but that can be changed. Right now I would take a numb butt over the hands and wrists. I think the Ninja would have plenty of power as well. I just need to get back to an upright seating position and I think for the money the ninja will do. Thanks for the info
Saw one at the local dealer the other day. It's a sexy-looking bike for sure, but doesn't really fit me. I couldn't comfortably get my legs under the flares on the tank, and my knees were way too tight. It also felt a bit chinsy just sitting there, but maybe I confuse 'light' with 'cheap'. Anywho, I was a bit disappointed in it, especially when I slid off it and onto the Veefalo sitting right next to it. As much as I don't like the idea of a bigger bike, that thing just fits me too well not to be in my garage.
Some day......
Mike
End of thread · 25 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 27 Jan 2013