First bike... Ninja 500, Ninja 650, or SV650. Any advice or input? | GTAMotorcycle.com

First bike... Ninja 500, Ninja 650, or SV650. Any advice or input?

Crom

Crom

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I am looking to buy my first bike, and was wondering if I could get some advice, from those who have owned them, on which one might be better for me at this point in time.

I am kind of torn between 3 bikes. So I guess the best way to go about this is to first decide between a 500 and a 650. Then I can choose the model after that.


Kawasaki Ninja 500

Pros:
- purchase price isn't too bad, though seems a bit on the high side for the age of the design
- insurance is cheaper than the 650's by about $25/month
- not overwhelming in the power department, so I should be able to push it a bit, but powerful enough for most applications (some people never get bored of the 500)
- appears to be a simpler bike that I might be able to do some of the maintenance on myself

Cons:
- it is a very old engine design
- looks a bit dated for what you pay (I do still like the look though)
- will I get bored of the power faster than I would on a 650?
- will I be able to keep up if I'm riding with someone on a 650 or larger?


Ninja 650/SV650 (naked)

Pros:
- modern technology/design (fuel injection, and underslung exhaust on Ninja, etc)
- has plenty of power when you need it (passing with ease on highway, riding 2up, keeping up with bigger bikes)

Cons:
- purchase price is higher than the 500 by about $1000
- insurance is $25/month more than a 500 (not a big deal really)
- is it more power than is safe for a new rider?
- is it more power than I really need?


I guess I will leave it at that for now. I am not a daredevil, but I also don't want to be bored of my bike after a year. I also don't really want to spend more than $4000 before HST. I know that is pushing it a bit for the 650r, but I was told come fall, they will start showing up for a decent price, since people will start offloading their old bikes as opposed to having to store them for another year. I've also already come across one 650r that's selling for $4000. So I think it's doable.

Thanks!
 
Any of those will have plenty of power for passing and keeping up with the bigger bikes while still in the sane speeds, I can't speak to the 2up part.

As to the getting bored part, there is no telling what will get to you first first but it probably won't be the power.
 
My friend got bored of the 500 after 2 months and bought an r6. He told me the get the 650.

I ran the 650 for a few yrs and still wish I had it.
 
SV650 is way more fun and the power delivery and overall feel is so much better than a Ninja 500. The SV is a fine newbie bike. Maybe it has a slightly steeper learning curve just because of the power delivery but you'll get used to it quickly.
 
Thanks for the input so far guys. For those of you who are recommending the SV650... does 1st generation vs 2nd generation have any bearing on your recommendation? I know that the first gens are carbureted, but don't know of any other significant differences, or if carb vs FI is even noticeable.

These naked SV's are such a pain to find. I have sat on both, and felt the S model would have caused way too much shoulder and upper back soreness. Shame really... as the S models are everywhere.
 
Ninja 650s come in the 4k range if you look. I got mine for 4k, flat.

It's a good bike. In all honesty, I have no idea what people talk about being
bored on a 250/500/650. Lack of power? Why do you even need that much
'power'. You're just asking to get pulled over and/or be a statistic.
I love my 650 and I plan to keep it for a very long time.

650s keep up fine. I rode with a CBR600 one time. Kept up no problem.
 
I don't see how I could EVER get bored of a 650. I have never ridden a 650 of course, but from from the videos I have seen, it's a wicked fast bike, more so than I would ever be able to use. If I did buy a 650, I would never go any bigger. The 500 I am not sure of. Some people say they get bored, some say their 500 is still their fun, go-to bike after owning nicer bikes. It's a bit confusing though, as the Ninja 500 is listed as having 59hp, versus the 65hp-72hp of the two 650s. Doesn't seem like much of a difference. More torque of course.

mmmnaked... can you explain what it was about the power delivery that makes you strongly recommend it over the 500? Unfortunately I don't think I'll have a chance to try either before I buy, as most people don't allow test drives.
 
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A lot of people like the SV650, I think it's one that will serve you well for many years to come. I only like the naked version, preferably 2003 onwards for the fuel injection. Sounds sexy with a LeoVince can. If you can't afford a Ducati...Hell I think the bike I move up to next is the SV650, unless I can get a deal on a VFR750F.
 
I've got a 12 year old 1st gen SV650S and it still runs smooth. Very linear powerband with more than enough power for 2-up riding at any legal speed and then some. Some people over at SVRider swear by the earlier models as they feel Suzuki was making stupid cost-cutting changes every year.

I wanted a naked, but got a sweet deal on the S and went with it. I would suggest an S if you can't get the N model. Unless you're going on lots of multi-day trips it wont bother you much.

GET AN AFTERMARKET SEAT!!!!1!!!!!11!!!one!!!eleven!!!11. I have a Corbin and the difference is absolutely "night and day".

I'll take you 2-up if you want to get a feel for it sometime.
 
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one question to ask is what type of riding you will be doing for the most part. If its mostly around town, then any of them wont bore you. If you think you'll be doing lots of riding on highways [posted 80], all 3 will be fine but if you'll be riding 2 up then might want to think about the extra ccs of the 650s. If you see the 401 etc as a route often used then i think you definitely want the weight. I rode my old GS500 everywhere and it had plenty of speed for the 401, but it didnt have the weight so it was a pretty skittish ride at times when you get buffetted by transports... Boredom is all relative to the person riding anyway... some will say lots of shifting and working to keep the bike in the powerband is what you need so the ride isnt boring [a good arguement in the case of smaller cc bikes] Personally, i like the gobs of torque my SV gives me and on some super-winding roads I can almost ride it like an automatic by keeping her in 3rd, honking on it out of corners up to redline then letting engine braking slow me somewhat till the next corner. Maybe the older I get, the lazier I am!
 
Yeah depends on your riding. I have a XR650L for Enduro riding and a Katana 600 for the street. I've never used even close to all the power of the 650 in the dirt but the road it maxes out because of wind resistance. But remember its an enduro not a street bike. My Katana however keeps up perfectly to the 750s if i ride it right. Obviously if the 750 wanted to, it could be gone faster than my 600. I'd vote the 650, just because the acceleration is great with the higher cc. But i've never ridden a 500 so i wouldn't be able to compare. For a 16YO 5'5 girl, my XR650L and Katana 600 are perfect for me. Choose according to how your gonna ride, and your riding skills. Good luck in the search.
 
I have an 05 SV650S and it's a hoot. Plenty of power to carry a passenger, I do it all the time with my gf (the fact that she's a perfect passenger allows me to keep up with gixxers in the twisty roads).
A buddy of mine has a Ninja 650r and one night we traded bikes since we're always neck-and-neck everytime we ride.
First thing I noticed is that the bike is much narrower when squeezing with my legs, and it has a more "upright" seating position compared to my SV.
As far as power delivery, it felt very similar to my SV and I felt that if I were to have the bike for a couple days, I would probably end up riding it as comfortably as I do my SV. They are different in their ways, but fundamentally the same. The SV has a 90 degree V-Twin and the Ninja 650r has a parallel twin.
They are basically each other's competitor in my opinion. My buddy and I always accelerate at the same rate everytime we WOT and our top speed achieved is pretty much the same as well.

I can't speak for the 500 as I have yet to try one, but at least I was able to chime in on 2-out-of-3. Not bad. :D
 
Ninja 650 or SV650, newer/better technology. Plenty of SVs going for below 4k and it's a proven platform and an all-round good bike.

Don't fret over the "I'm worried I'll get bored of ___cc" mantra. The 500 is more than enough bike to scoot you around and have plenty of fun in the twisties. The 650s will do some things like highway more comfortably (specifically regarding the amount of power available and the layout of the powerband).
 
Ive had my 2010 650r about a year now and I LOVE this bike!

Great value for money, does just about everything well, has the look of a super sport to a lay person but is comfortable enough that ive ridden it for 10 hours straight or more, hwy, 2up, no problem.
 
Crom said:
I don't see how I could EVER get bored of a 650. I have never ridden a 650 of course, but from from the videos I have seen, it's a wicked fast bike, more so than I would ever be able to use. If I did buy a 650, I would never go any bigger. The 500 I am not sure of. Some people say they get bored, some say their 500 is still their fun, go to back after owning nicer bikes. It's a bit confusing though, as the Ninja 500 is listed as having 59hp, versus the 65hp-72hp of the two 650s. Doesn't seem like much of a difference. More torque of course.

mmmnaked... can you explain what it was about the power delivery that makes you strongly recommend it over the 500? Unfortunately I don't think I'll have a chance to try either before I buy, as most people don't allow test drives.
Click to expand...

A Ninja 500 puts down 50hp and 30ft-lbs at the rear wheel whereas an SV650S puts down 70hp and around 45ft-lbs of torque. That's a substantial difference. The Ninja is also peaky in its power delivery; those 30ft-lbs of torque are produced all the way up at 8000rpm, whereas the Suzuki already puts out 30ft-lbs by 4000rpm and then peaks to ~45 by about 7000.

That's what I meant when I said the power delivery is better... you get more power sooner in the revs, it makes the bike feel a whole world faster than a 500; which it is.
 
The weight of the 500 is actually the same within a few pounds of the Ninja 650. So I don't think wind will make a difference. This decision is a huge pain in the *** not being able to try either the 500 or the 650s.

What is the general consensus on importing a bike from the USA. Is it too much of a headache for what you would save on a bike in my price range?

For example, I just found this one:

ht tp://www.weaverfever.com/new_vehicle_detail.asp?sid=03710291X7K20K2011J10I10I45JAMQ3099R0&veh=59092&pov=2236167

The other two Canadian bikes I was looking at were these:

ht tp://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-sport-bikes-2006-Kawasaki-Ninja-500-W0QQAdIdZ296873253#

ht tp://www.autotrader.ca/a/Kawasaki/Ninja/TORONTO/Ontario/19_4129777_/?ms=motorcycles_atvs

The only problem with the two Canadian bikes is that the tires are original, and I have been told by a number of people on other forums, that after a few years the tires should be tossed regardless of wear.
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