Voted most helpful review
Reviewed on September 12, 2010
Pros: Everything. Cons: Nothing. I bought this bike 'new' in 2008 as a replacement for my 2007 Ninja 650. I couldn't be happier with the bike. I was pleasantly surprised with its performance the day I bought it and now, nearly 10,000 miles later, I'm still amazed each and every time I take...
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Pros: Everything. Cons: Nothing. I bought this bike 'new' in 2008 as a replacement for my 2007 Ninja 650. I couldn't be happier with the bike. I was pleasantly surprised with its performance the day I bought it and now, nearly 10,000 miles later, I'm still amazed each and every time I take it out of the garage. The power is phenomenal. The handling and brakes are absolutely superb (they'd better be, take a look at my upgrades). I track MPG at each fill and it's pretty consistent at 40-45 miles per gallon regardless of riding style. The best ever was 55 MPG (slow 130-mile poker run), the worst was about 39 averaging about 120 mph on the interstate (don't recommend that). As a canyon carver or commuter, this bike is about as perfect as it gets. It will not carry a passenger comfortably. It is loud so earplugs are recommended. While it's great for commuting and trips of about 50 miles or less (give or take), it is not for touring. The bike is more than capable but the operator may need to be in traction after a ride of over 200 miles. I did a 550-mile round trip on it once. Not a good idea. The bike was fine, I was hurting pretty bad. Reliability-wise it's pretty good too. I had a fork seal replaced under warranty and that's about it other than routine maintenance. You have to clean and adjust the chain every week or so and do the oil once or twice a year but that's about it. Swingarm spools and a rear stand are a must for maintenance.
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