SuzukiSavage.com - Guess What I Got Today???

RaleighGuy Full Member Offline It's as easy as 3.14159265358979 Posts: 132 Raleigh, NC Gender:	Re: Guess What I Got Today??? Reply #15 - 08/22/16 at 04:35:36 That's a nice looking bike, bud. I hope you have a blast running it around!! I've never been on a sport bike before but I'd sure like to try it sometime. And yeah, I agree with jcstokes..... don't worry about cool. Just enjoy the differences between the two bikes and have fun.
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Dave

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Re: Guess What I Got Today???
Reply #16 - 08/22/16 at 04:44:45

RaleighGuy wrote on 08/22/16 at 04:35:36:

I've never been on a sport bike before but I'd sure like to try it sometime.

By the current standards....the early Ninja 250 and 500 are not sport bikes. The seating position, peg and handlebar location are not nearly as aggressive as the modern sport bikes.....and they are really pretty comfortable for us smaller riders. You sit a lot more upright on these older bikes......you don't lean nearly as far over the fuel tank as you would on a modern sport bike.

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RaleighGuy

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Re: Guess What I Got Today???
Reply #17 - 08/22/16 at 04:52:08

RaleighGuy wrote on 08/22/16 at 04:35:36:

You sit a lot more upright on these older bikes......you don't lean nearly as far over the fuel tank as you would on a modern sport bike.

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Oh, ok. Thanks Dave. Didn't know that. In that case, I'll definitely have to try one out. I thought most all of those Ninjas were considered "sport" but that's the main reason I haven't considered one before. I didn't think my back could take the constant leaning for an hour or more but I'm 5'6" just like Stew so maybe it wouldn't be too terrible.

Is the design significantly different on the newer models? I noticed that SteveH mentioned the body style changed quite a lot after 2007.

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2012 S40 Boulevard (White and Silver) - small changes so far like windshield, sissy bar, saddlebags... but mostly stock.

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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18099 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: Guess What I Got Today??? Reply #18 - 08/22/16 at 05:06:00 Early 250 Ninja: (Note handlebars are higher than the top of the fuel tank). Later 250 Ninja: (Note handlebars are below the top of the fuel tank).
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RaleighGuy Full Member Offline It's as easy as 3.14159265358979 Posts: 132 Raleigh, NC Gender:	Re: Guess What I Got Today??? Reply #19 - 08/22/16 at 05:10:40 Wow, that seat did a major dive and dipped down, didn't it? And the tank sticks WAAAAY up in the air in later years. Sorry Stew, didn't mean to hijack your topic. But no wonder you choose an '07 model.
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Art Webb Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 3007 columbus, Texas Gender:	Re: Guess What I Got Today??? Reply #20 - 08/22/16 at 07:20:17 I always refered to my 500 Ninja as a sport-ee commuter bike, rather than a sport bike, although the insurance guys say otherwise
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stewmills

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Re: Guess What I Got Today???
Reply #21 - 08/22/16 at 07:32:18

Yep...I have one of those nets on my Savage and he also threw one in with the Ninja.

I intend to leave it just as is unless I need to make any sensible modifications for better running and/or longevity. Other than that, I went ahead and spent a bit more than I originally planned (was looking for a cheap fixer upper) for a clean running bike versus a fixer upper so I could enjoy it and not be in the shop wrenching on it all the time...and making my wife mad Angry

She'd rather me have this bike that works.

Bike cleaned up real good. Only notable blemish (that I knew about before buying) is the one you see on the faring under the handlebar, which I may source an auto paint pen that matches as close as I can find and at least cover the exposed area to prevent any chipping on the raw paint edge. Looked for matching paint online and it seems hard to find, and I can't see paying $60...just seems a bit much.

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Re: Guess What I Got Today???
Reply #22 - 08/22/16 at 07:35:16

RaleighGuy wrote on 08/22/16 at 05:10:40:

Sorry Stew, didn't mean to hijack your topic. But no wonder you choose an '07 model.

No worries! Bring it on...we're all learning some good stuff here. I'm new to the Ninja talk too Wink

Yes, I do agree that the sitting position is comfy. I haven't tried one, but I don't think I would be as happy with a newer one that requires you to be in a more aggressive forward leaning position. I don't want that.

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springman Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2217 Spring, Texas Gender:	Re: Guess What I Got Today??? Reply #23 - 08/22/16 at 10:32:23 Way to go Stew. Enjoy it.
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Re: Guess What I Got Today???
Reply #24 - 08/22/16 at 10:59:35

I guess the SavageForum needs to have a Ninja 250 gathering at the Dragon.....Summer 2017?

And......we can go 300+ miles between stops for fuel!

(And....it is not appropriate for the Savage Faithful to refer to us as "whiners".....the little engine just needs to be wound up a bit before it will do anything. Just when the 650 Thumper is running out of steam.....the little Ninja motor is starting to make some power on the way up to 14,000 rpm where the 30 Horsies are corralled).

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Oldfeller--FSO Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline Hobby is now "concentrated neuropany" Posts: 12673 Fayetteville, NC Gender:	Re: Guess What I Got Today??? Reply #25 - 08/22/16 at 11:59:03 I never said you whined -- I said your little engine did, but it did keep ahead and up front and that is all that counts. I may get me a Vulcan S with the same RPM redline number, just to have me a tonal harmony ability.
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Re: Guess What I Got Today???
Reply #26 - 08/22/16 at 12:15:48

Just stay away form the fresh tar snakes....the little Ninja's don't like them!

Last month when we were riding through GA, we were on the same road with those nasty tar snakes that made the Ninja jump sideways, and my Savage Cafe' bike didn't even care and was stable as can be. I mentioned that to the fellow who rides down there all the time, and he blamed it on the little 16" rims/tires on the Ninjette. That is the only time the little bike has surprised me so far.........

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stewmills Serious Thumper Offline Imagination is more important than knowledge Posts: 2641 Auburn, AL Gender:	Re: Guess What I Got Today??? Reply #27 - 08/22/16 at 12:55:45 So is there a solution for the tar snakes such as a fork brace for stability, or is it just something in the way the Ninjette is different and it is what it is?
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Re: Guess What I Got Today???
Reply #28 - 08/22/16 at 13:49:55

stewmills wrote on 08/22/16 at 12:55:45:

So is there a solution for the tar snakes such as a fork brace for stability, or is it just something in the way the Ninjette is different and it is what it is?

I am not sure there is on the Ninjette.....I think the tiny little front tire has a small footprint, and the tar snakes can take up a lot of that area. I only ever noticed a problem once, in Georgia on 76 going into Haiwassee....the tar snakes appeared to be very fresh and they where squishy and a bit "proud" of the surface....and I just had to stay off them when cornering or the bike would just jump sideways until the tires were on the pavement again. It might have just been a fluke related to those fresh snakes......I have never noticed it being a problem anywhere else - but I rode them 2 days in a row and it behaved the same way both days.

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stewmills Serious Thumper Offline Imagination is more important than knowledge Posts: 2641 Auburn, AL Gender:	Re: Guess What I Got Today??? Reply #29 - 08/22/16 at 14:07:36 Cool. I'll try to pay attention when I stumble upon some of them and see if I can tell anything. At minimum I know now to be cautious.
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