Ninja 650R owners....how many of you really tour with it?

[Mr.G21]

I own one.  Love it.  Have not pushed it beyond local boundaries.

Any owners tour with one?  Care to share your set up/bags/etc?

Saw one monster ride report with one of the bikes being a 650R (and having some field problems...ugh).  I trust my bike and baby it.  Just curious from the Kawi owners on this forum.  THX

[Scratch33]

My friend Rue has an '09 that she's ridden to Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and cross-country.  Mods/accessories include a Spencer seat, Givi cases, mirror extenders, & MRA Vario.  Her only complaint about the bike is the heat it throws onto her legs during the summer months.

[Mr.G21]

THX for the pics and Givi info!!  Found the gear and whew....nice....very very nice but pricey.  Definitely a point of consideration.  

Anyone have any experience/pics of some soft luggage??

I did see pics of some cool additional lights attached to the frt fender on some research I did.

[wibornz]

Look here,

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,72620.0.html

My son rode his around the US with me.

[Mr.G21]

Look here,

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,72620.0.html

My son rode his around the US with me.

I had read that one.............awesome trip, great pics and good thread man!    Inspired me too via your son's bike.

[Fourstring]

Paging Jadzia to the white courtesy phone...



The Givi setup is a really good one; it's worth the dosh.  Jad finds that it's really comfy for long haul stuff and the gas mileage is good enough that her smaller tank is ready to stop about the same time I am anyway.

[Mr.G21]

Thx man....yep...Givi is NICE.  Just pricey.  Very nice set up!

I am thinking I am going the soft bag route for now just due to cost and my penchant for dual sport touring (sharing cost....the bikes fight in the garage, it's embarassing)

The other thing is that I may go for a true sport touring ride at some point.  I don't have that much invested in the 07 650R.....givi's would be like a 25% surcharge when I add the mounts, etc.

I think the ergo's of the 650R would hold up to reasonable long rides/miles.

[Fourstring]

To be honest, we've switched up mounts for all day rides and the 650 never feels strained to me at 80 on the highway for several hours.  As long as you're not touring with the kitchen sink, it's all you need.

If you go the softbag route, I'm a fan of Bags Connection, especially their locking ring tankbags.

[Davy F.]

I always wonder why people think that a 650 twin isn't a capable motorcycle able for long touring duties.   It wasn't so very long ago that a 650 twin was considered to be a 'big' bike (think Triumph Bonneville). My versys is just as capable doing long distances as my 1200GS was.

[DogBoy]

I always wonder why people think that a 650 twin isn't a capable motorcycle able for long touring duties.   It wasn't so very long ago that a 650 twin was considered to be a 'big' bike (think Triumph Bonneville). My versys is just as capable doing long distances as my 1200GS was.

I don't know. North America and Europe were physically much smaller in the 1970s and 1980s. The Rocky mountains were only about 500 feet high then. With the greater distances and much taller mountain ranges of today, the extra displacement is absolutely necessary.

[jp]

Have not been on any long tours with mine, but day long rides are no problem (although I wouldn't mind a better seat).



I also find it is fine for back road riding...



Am I allowed to do this? I think you are breaking the rules if you ride for more than an hour on less than a 750cc bike, right?
If you don't have 20 inches of ground clearance and big square 'adventure' bags hanging off the sides, it is patently illegal to take a bike on a gravel road.

I feel like such a criminal...

[ruthness]

I camp toured with my ER-6N (same as the ninja 650 without the fairings) in August through California, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah. Total mileage of about 3000 miles over 2 weeks.  Max mileage that was done in one day was 500 miles.

I used a medium motofizz seat bag to hold my clothing and camp gear.

 It was a great setup and handled the twisty back roads really well.  The bike was easy to handle and pull into small camp sites.  I had no comfort issues during the long stretches. I would totally recommend it.  You don't need a big bike for touring!

[stromgal]

North America and Europe were physically much smaller in the 1970s and 1980s. The Rocky mountains were only about 500 feet high then.

  So that's how I was able to die an RD350 to Denver!!!  Thanks!  

[Nodaclu]

North America and Europe were physically much smaller in the 1970s and 1980s. The Rocky mountains were only about 500 feet high then. With the greater distances and much taller mountain ranges of today, the extra displacement is absolutely necessary.

 

Out.

[McRider]

A year ago I rode my 06 Ninja 650 across the country and back on this route:



I did have fuel pump problems during the ride and had to replace it, but the bike had 71,000 miles when I started the ride.  I'm the guy with the 90K mile 650 post in the general sport touring section.  

The Ninja is perfectly capable of touring anywhere, especailly if you are less than 200 lbs and 6 ft tall.  

[Grainbelt]

25k miles in four short Saskatchewan seasons, including down to Salt Lake City, a separate trip to the kootenays, and a 913 mile run to Minneapolis one day.

Yeah, it'll tour.  

Now, for the shameful bit... this is most of what I took on one trip.  





That same Givi luggage is now on my FZ6, which is an even better touring bike, but less fun in the city and the twisties.