Time to trade my Kawa Ninja… for what???

[paulurmston]

Hi there everyone,

So I have decided that after 18 months, my trusty Kawa 250r ninja is just a little too small, a little too painful on my wrists and back, and a little underpowered for me now.

I have loved every moment riding on this thing, even when I rode a 9 hour run from the city into the north of the country.

But I now want something a little more to my needs.

I am looking around a 600…

I am 6’3″ with a 35″ leg.

I have checked out the Kawa Versys, the Triumph Street Triple, Kawa ER-6n and a few others…

Now, taking my height into consideration, I am looking for a bike that I can use daily from my place, to the office (I live in a capital city with a lot of traffic) and then on the weekends 2-3 hour drives to the beach, mountains.

I am leaning towards the Versys or ER-6n (although there is quite a difference in price between the two (the ER-6n comes in at almost $1.500 USD cheaper than the Versys).

So, hit me.. what do you think.

Thanks

[stu]

the er6n is just ninja650, does the riding position change from ninaj250 to er6n?

you want an sv650

[madjak30]

the Ninja 650R is the ER-6f in Europe, “f” for faring…”n” for naked…the SV650 is taller than those bikes, but not as tall as the Versys…as long as you don’t get the SV650S, the riding postion is upright. The “S” has clip-ons and is more sporty like a gixxer (not as bad, but getting there)

If you are looking used, I would check the ZR7S…they are taller bikes with a half faring, similar to the Versys, but with a 750cc inline four. They are not a high powered bike, but have decent power and comfort. You could also look into the Bandit 650S, again a little older, but they had the same adjustable seat as the current Bandit 1250S…so they should accomodate your longer legs…you could also check the V-Strom DL650, they have the taller saddle and more comfortable seating position…but I think it is more than the Versys…??…but they have been on the market for a few years now, so you should be able to get a deal on a used one.

I don’t know if this was helpful or not, but…

Later.

[briderdt]

I’ve seen picks… I like.

[paulurmston]

Thanks for the hints… and yes, for the cost of the Versys there are certainly more choices out there.

But I think I just struck gold. I called Kawasaki here in my hometown, and guess what. The chief Mechanic is selling his old bike. It’s a Yamaha Fazer 600 (2007) and it is going for half the price of the Versys.

Here are some picks..

Has anyone drove one of these, what are they like/feel?

[madjak30]

Nice second bike…has the motor from the previous gen R6 supersport with a heavier crank and different cams to move the torque and Hp lower in the rpm range…good find…they are a standard riding style bike with a half faring for wind protection, nice upright position and decent leg room. You will still need to sit on it to get a feel for whether or not it will work for you. Is he willing to let you take it for a test ride?

I’m a firm believer in used market bikes…let someone else pay the depreciation…looks like it is in great shape (not really that old…)

Good luck!!

Later.

[Eddiepowerfm]

looks like a nice move up from the Ninja, hopefully a mechanic owner took good care of it.

Good luck.

[paulurmston]

Well, you would think the mechanic of Kawasaki knew his stuff when it comes to bike maintenance.

Yeah, I took it for a spin. It does feel much more upright, less stress on my lower spine/wrists…

.. the gears are SOOOO different to a Ninja, guess it is a “get used to” kinda thing.

So yeah, should be buying this coming Monday, will post up pics when I have it in my hands. (was going to say between my legs… but somehow didn’t sound right in my head)

Seeya and thanks for the tips!

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