My new middle-weight sport-tourer

[nomagnashn]

My new 2015 Ninja 1000.

I actually got it home last Friday but wanted to wait to take pictures. I got the luggage installed but the dealer forgot about the painted panels. I just got those yesterday. These pictures are taken with the bike sitting next to my other favorite vehicle, 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.  

I've already got a list of farkles I want to install that's totaling about $1000.  
Topcase rack, windscreen, quick release side racks, Mondomoto lights, fuse block, RAM mount, etc.....

[Sport-Touring]

[cyjo]

Congrats on the new ride. It sure looks great in black.

[maddjack]

My new 2015 Ninja 1000.

I actually got it home last Friday but wanted to wait to take pictures. I got the luggage installed but the dealer forgot about the painted panels. I just got those yesterday. These pictures are taken with the bike sitting next to my other favorite vehicle, 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.  

I've already got a list of farkles I want to install that's totaling about $1000.  
Topcase rack, windscreen, quick release side racks, Mondomoto lights, fuse block, RAM mount, etc.....

very nice.

[MidLifeMike]

I sure like the top lines on that bike. The passenger seat looks like it wasn't a total after thought. Nice fairings. If I had the dough, that would be a righteous replacement for my ancient Yamaha FJ1100.

[Volfy]

Even though I love those GIVI V35s on my VFR1200, I'm surprised you didn't go with Kawi's new panniers for this bike.

[squeezer]

Now that's a pretty bike. Congrats!

[motrhead]

 Nice bike, and great choice for putting the sport in Sport-tourer...but I have a hard time calling a 1000cc bike a middleweight. I know everyone has their own definition, but I can't call a bike over about 850cc anything but big.  A "literbike" is a full size bike, no matter how low the weight. It's a heavy hitter...

[Oxblood]

Very nice looking ride! Both of them.

[Blunder]

A 1,000cc motorcycle is a middleweight?  

Nice bike.

[dietDrThunder]

Very nice!

Pro Tip: flip the chain adj. eccentrics so that they're on the bottom to gain some ride height, gaining available lean angle and quickening steering.

[chilipeppernorm]

Very nice new ride, congratulations!!!

[Volfy]

A 1,000cc motorcycle is a middleweight?  

Nice bike.

500 lbs makes it middleweight, when most "heavyweights" are 650-700 lbs, or more.

And it is "weight" we are talking about, yes?  Not middle-engine-displacement.

[HipGnosis]

500 lbs makes it middleweight, when most "heavyweights" are 650-700 lbs, or more.

And it is "weight" we are talking about, yes?  Not middle-engine-displacement.

[mica]

Um.... no. In fact the term does refer to displacement.

Sent from mica's Note 3

[Blunder]

500 lbs makes it middleweight, when most "heavyweights" are 650-700 lbs, or more.

And it is "weight" we are talking about, yes?  Not middle-engine-displacement.

Sorry.  Just getting old.

[Volfy]

Um.... no. In fact the term does refer to displacement.

Not to be argumentative, but what the term "middleweight" describes has been steadily increasing in engine displacement over the decades.  Back when I first got interested in motorcycles, 750cc was considered heavyweight, and middleweight typically described 350-500cc.  Then in the 80's and early 90's, 600-750cc became the middleweight, and 1000+ the new heavyweight.  This was the definition that stuck in most riders' minds - including my own - because this period was the "golden age of motorcycling", when Japanese motorcycles ruled supreme.

Then somewhere in the 15yrs I quit riding, that definition changed entirely.  I got back to riding in '10 and was dumbfounded by the fact that the Suzuki S83 (same as the old Intruder 1400 sold before my hiatus) was referred to as a "middleweight".  See here:

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/honda-vtx1300c-star-v-star-1300-and-suzuki-boulevard-s83-rise-middle-class

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/middleweight-motorcycles-four-10000

Personally, I really could care less how many cc's is between my legs.  I go by how lightweight and agile a particular bike feels to me.  When I ride the likes of TuonoV4R, Speed Triple, FZ1, SV1000, N1K, I have a really hard time calling them "heavyweights"... not when I just got off a C14, FJR or ST1300.

Besides, if you go strictly by CC's, what are you gonna call all these blown engines fixing to come out?  A supercharged or turbo'ed 600cc that puts out 220HP and weights 450lbs...  

[mica]

I would say there is debate about what Is a middleweight but that debate, as you linked, is displacement based. I think those guys at that mag are smoking their lunch too, calling a 1400cc bike a heavy middleweight. My post was refering to displacement vs actual weight of the bike. Cycle World 'bumped up" their definition to 900cc in 2012. As based on displacement not the weight of the bike. I am an old guy too, I remember when the 750s were considered beast's. Heck i just wanted a CB400.

Sent from mica's Note 3

[barrypz]

I'm pretty sure my CB500/4 was middleweight when I got it in the early '70s.  I was more shocked when my SV650 seemed to be "light" rather than middle.
All academic anyway, we ride what we like.

[DeansZG]

   
     Nice looking bike & setup BTW....

     Are there exhaust heat deflection panels under the bags?  I'd wonder if the bottom of the bags would start melting when you're stuck in stop-n-go traffic on a 95+ degree day?

[Dan K]

Given the crazy size of engines these days, I definitely go by actual weight, as in lbs. when wet and ready to ride. That Ninja 1000 is (unbelievably) a middleweight sport tourer, when you consider the curb weight of the FJR/Connie 14 etc. vs. the weight of bikes like the FJ-09 and BMW 800GT

Regardless, great bike, very refined and agile. I test rode one before I bought the VFR and I expect Kawi has solved the minor issues I had with the older 2012 non-abs model...

Enjoy! Really looks good in black.

 -Dan