My First Bike - Ninja

[PanTh3r]

Im only 17 and I didn't want anything to expensive for my first bike because I know at some point before Im 18 or at least until I get a better job for a new bike, I will lay it down or something stupid will happen. After weeks of browsing I finally found one for a good price that I like. Its a 1987 Kawasaki Ninja 600r. I paid $1000 for it, and there really is nothing at all wrong with it. All maintenance was just done, Runs strong, etc. Has some pretty good power for a 600, and sounds like a 750(I think baffles were taken out). 14k miles.



I know I'm only 17. I realize how cautious I have to be as one small thing can end your life or even cripple you. I really don't want to hear anymore of it, but any kind of tips are always welcome.

[DHaughton27]

Wow, nice pickup! I don't know too much about bikes, but it looks like a good starter bike. I'm 17 as well and I'm hoping that when I graduate next year my parents can get me a nice cheap bike like this to take to college!

Be safe

[GTEclipse17]

I've been wanting a bike for a while now, mainly so I can ride with the father because he knows all the back roads that are fun and scenic. Unfortunately, I keep putting more money into the eclipse.

[00GTisME]

Cool man, I want a bike too but I know how unsafe I am right now so ill wait for the later years in life lol but be safe and have fun!

[PanTh3r]

Thanks. Yea for $1000 it sure does the job. Its a 600cc engine but sounds like a 750 or 1000. I don't do any stunting or crazy stuff like that. For one I am no where near good enough or experienced to do this(minor experience on a 100cc honda dirtbike and about 2 months on a 2009 Kawasaki KLR650). Another reason is because I value my life.

Just as I was coming home from the drag strip today, some kid I didn't recognize who graduated a couple years was stunting around and his friend blew him away, so he was all pissed off. At the 4 year, I let him go first, and he felt like being a hard ass and opened the throttle all the way, and almost lost his ass end into my car, I would have been super pissed. He somehow caught it, the tire screeched, and he then wound it out all the way down the road.

None-the-less, thanks for all the compliments everyone. I am going to soon be putting flush mount turn signals on it and get new mirrors, and possible paint it a different color as I could get all the plastics for it for around 200 bucks. If I did paint it, I would hopefully get to do a Blue(where red is) and White or Grey(where the grey is) color scheme.

[martin m]

Nice pickup, I'd like a bike and seeing as in i'm 17 my parents are strongly against it, maybe later though.

[Pearl01Strat]

Looks pretty clean for an '87. That thing has super low miles for that year, so it either sat for a few years, or was babied My 05 Ninja ZX6R is almost at 15k. Kawis seem to have a bit deeper sound to them.

Have fun with it, be safe, and try to find a meetup group or buddies to ride with, because its 10 times more fun.

[evazquezcu]

I will love to get the new ninja, but the way that people drive here in miami I will just get kill . The wife told me that I better buy a life insurance if i want a bike cause there is no way that she is gonna let me drive one You need to leave down here to understand what i telling you. The city have the highest percent of accidents per habitant in the country, that’s why car insurance is ridiculous expensive

[XwP1ayawX]

My 07 R6 is at 20k right now, but buddy's 07 zx6r is at 30k. Keep her tuned up, make sure the valves have been adjusted, and she'll treat you good.

[Carlito]

hey man nice pickup, myself being 19 also wanting a bike but i just take my fathers bike out ahha (zx-14) although i dont ride it as much as i want to due to the fact the bike is to heavy for me.

just keep it safe on the road. my thoughts when im on the road when a nice car comes by i think to myself "i know im faster and i can cut better then him, no need to show him".

also do remember theres are specific places to go speed on your bike such as a track, im pretty sure you can find one within 1-2 hours away from you to really to enjoy your bike correctly while being responsible for yourself and others.

for you to be able to race on your bike is having a clear visor, bike visor, and all your lights covered and have 60% + tired thread.

enjoy it!

[PanTh3r]

Originally Posted by Carlito

hey man nice pickup, myself being 19 also wanting a bike but i just take my fathers bike out ahha (zx-14) although i dont ride it as much as i want to due to the fact the bike is to heavy for me.

just keep it safe on the road. my thoughts when im on the road when a nice car comes by i think to myself "i know im faster and i can cut better then him, no need to show him".

also do remember theres are specific places to go speed on your bike such as a track, im pretty sure you can find one within 1-2 hours away from you to really to enjoy your bike correctly while being responsible for yourself and others.

for you to be able to race on your bike is having a clear visor, bike visor, and all your lights covered and have 60% + tired thread.

enjoy it!

Yea, I don't even race my car on the street let alone a bike. I'm am so against that stuff. There is a track that is 30min away from me I go to all the time. I keep getting 4th(out of 30-40 cars) everytime during the bracket racing tournaments.

As for newer bikes and riding with others. I ride with my one friend who has an 07 R6 and his dad sometimes who has a 2009 KTM 990(I think?). Next year I plan on getting a GSXR 1000 though. This bike can keep up with the R6 fairly well.

As far as saftey too, I almost got hit the other day. I was cruising to school and this old f*** pulled out of a pizza shop and kinda just sat there as I was almost next to him(there was also a car right behind me so regardless if he saw me or not pulling out shows this guy has one foot on the grave and another on a banana peel). After I went around him I turned around a looked at him, and thought about doing this, with no smile . That was the closest I've come to getting hit though

[Rocky2]

Panther, I'm just gonna say this now: the way you tell stories is quite possibly the most incomprehensible way I've ever seen lol.

But I like your ninja. I've got a Buell Blast, which is buell's entry level bike.

[Black_out]

Never been a fan of ninja's really, but nice pick up. I got my first bike at the beginning of this summer. 95 suzuki katana 750. Bought it with 18k on it for $1200. It was bigger than I wanted and it weighs WAY more than I wanted (500lbs with a full tank). Be careful with them, I've dropped mine 3 times since I bought it because of how heavy and unbalanced the thing is. Fun to ride though until you can afford something bigger. I'm in the market for a gixxer 1000

[PanTh3r]

Originally Posted by Rocky2

Panther, I'm just gonna say this now: the way you tell stories is quite possibly the most incomprehensible way I've ever seen lol.

But I like your ninja. I've got a Buell Blast, which is buell's entry level bike.

If you are referring to each individual paragraph type-of-thing, I just do that so it can kinda be more clear to each post I was talking to, but I guess not . Thanks for the comment though man, for $1000 and as a beginner bike, got the job done. I would not be able to fit on a buell though, they look way too small for a 6'2 kid to fit on haha.

Originally Posted by Black_out

Never been a fan of ninja's really, but nice pick up. I got my first bike at the beginning of this summer. 95 suzuki katana 750. Bought it with 18k on it for $1200. It was bigger than I wanted and it weighs WAY more than I wanted (500lbs with a full tank). Be careful with them, I've dropped mine 3 times since I bought it because of how heavy and unbalanced the thing is. Fun to ride though until you can afford something bigger. I'm in the market for a gixxer 1000

Yea man, I really like Suzuki and Hondas, and not too big of a fan of the Katana though, but for $1200 and being a 750, I would take it, my bike was originally $1200 but I got him to drop the price because of a small crack that you can't even see unless I point it out to you. Mine is about the same weight, too, and I've dropped mine once, but the passenger pegs are some ghetto full-block-of-steel things that don't move up or down, and they caught a shelf or something and stopped it from slammed, but not stopping something from scratching my leg a little. And I am too in the Market for a Gixxer 1000, I can't wait. Although if in my search a 1000 or something close CBR for cheap flew under my eye, I'd probably have to grab that as Honda makes great quality bikes, but the GSXR is my favorite bike.

EDIT: I am not a fan of Ninja's/Kawasaki(My dad is because he has a built up KZ900, but its taken apart so he can't ride it), I just got it basically because its hard to find a bike that looks as decent as it does with low mileage for $1000 that actually RUNS