Hi everyone, I hope your wealth of knowledge is be useful...

I have been looking at bikes for a few months. I didn't want to spend more than $5000. A guy at work was selling a newer bike but wanted more for it than I wanted to spend. I told him I was interested but wouldn't give him more than $6000 for it (that was already $1000 over my budget!) at first he said no, but a few month later he came back and said he would take it.

I just got a 2005 Ninja 636 (black) Vin #date was 10/05. Got it from a co-worker for $6000 and had 332 miles on the bike. (I think it was a pretty good deal, I figured it couldn't get a newer bike than thatfor the price), it also came with an Alpinestar jacket and a decent helmet. It was a package deal.

I have been riding dirtbikes (Honda XR400) for quite some time but have never had a street bike. Iam pretty confident on 2 wheels, I know they are similar, but they are still totally different beasts and 2 different styles of riding...

General info..........guy, about 25 years old, 6-02 tall, 170 pounds. I would assume this bike has the power to propel me to to more than safe speeds...

Anyways, in the last 2 days I have put about a hundred miles on the bike. It has about 450 miles on it now.

I am assuming it need its 1st oil change.

1. What is prefered- OEM Kawi oil filters or aftermarket?

2. What type of oil is prefered. OEM Kawi oil or is there better aftermarket oils out there and how many quarts are required?

3. What is the break-in miles for the bike? I have taken it up to 100 miles an hour but not more than about 11,000 RPM. The powerband really kicks in at 9000! Should I wait 500 miles, 1000 miles before I really get into it? Cant wait to see how it feels at 15,000 RPM's!!

I took the rear-end apart today. I wanted to remove the ugly license plate assembly. Dang was it a "pandoras box". I figured it would only be a few bolts. I ended up having the rear half of the bike disasembled. I ended up taking the rear lecense plate assembly, turn signals, and rear passenger foot pegsoff the bike. It looks pretty good.

I am getting the integrated Brake/turn signal assembly light next week...as well as the low profile front turn signals too.

The bike has the exhaust tucked under the rear-end of the bike. The license plate plastic assembly was bolted to the under side of the exhaust.

There is a metal extension welded to under the muffler with 4 bolts protruding from it where the license plate assmbly was attached.

4. Is there an aftermarket assembly offered to cover all the bolts or muffler? I could just take an angle grinder to the metal extension or bolts but I would rather just dress it up or cover up the bolts and metal bracket with aftermarket plastics. If I had to re-sell or have to have a DMV inspection I would like to be able to put the bike back to stock settings...

5. What is the benefit of aftermarket exhaust/ headers? Is there additional coast associated? I would assume there is ECU/gas reconvigeration requirements associated with the bike? How much is the additionalcost associated in relation to the look/performance gains? Worth the money or waste?

6. Wht is the consensus of frame sliders/ frame savers? Are they worth the money/hassle/looks? I would assume they would work if I accidently dropped the bike but how do they work/perform if the bike went down at speed? Do they just brake off or do they do they job they are designed to do?

7. What is the top speed (at stock settings) of my bike?

8. What is the milage (on average) for a tank of gas or the miles per gallon for my bike (what does Kawi say and what have you guys/gals figured you get on average?)

9. For the 1st time yesterday my gas light came on. I was only able to put 3.5 gallons in the tank. So there should have been a whole gallon of gas left in the tank. I was worried when I saw the warning light, but what is the average milage left (city/freeway) on the reserve end of the gas tank?

I do mostly city driving. I only live about 5 miles from work and it doesn't make sense to jump on the freeway and deal with stupid freeway drivers for my short commute. I start work at 3:00 pm (daytime driving) adn leave work at 1:00 AM (nighttime driving).

10. What is the general consensus for riding in relation to headlights? High beams all the time or only at night?

Thanks again in advance for your guys/gals info. It will be much appreciated.

I look forward to your responses...................................

 

Plenty of power I am 6'1" 225 lbs and I had mine up to 172 mph.
ANSWERS
1. first oil change 600 miles.
2. It is all up to you. You can use full synth. once you get over 1000 miles.
3. First 600 miles keep under 4000rpm and 600-1000 miles keep under 6000 rpm.
4. No buy after market exhaust or cut them with your grinder.
5. If you do full exhaust you will gain hp. but make sure you install a POwer Commander. full exhaust system depending on brand can run you any from $750 and up. Plus the cost of the Power Commander $250and up.
6. I like them never had to use them as of yet. I have heard that the no cut style do have a tendency to break off.
7.around 170mph.
8. City around 40mpg and highway 48mpg.
9. Since you have a gallon left you have about 40 miles to get where you are going.
10. I use mine during the day and at night. If I am following behind some one at night I turn the high beams off.. There is a rider on the forum that makes a dual headlight conversion kit . He goes by speedracer138
http://www.autoforumuniverse.com/ads...umid_71/tt.htm. Have fun ride safe and welcome to the KF family.




[IMG]local://upfiles/3581/3B8D88FF227047BA80C5962118615DAD.jpg[/IMG]

 

More or less everything he said...everything more or less depends on your preferences. On the headlights: have you seen a your brights during the night? Probably pretty bright; be courteous to other drivers, you are most likely more vulnerable than they are. Make sure you are not overdriving your headlights either...Make sure you can see at least as much road ahead of you as it will take you to stop! Start off slow and work up to what you are comfortable with, you are on a mean, mean machine, treat it right and it will treat you right!Ride safe, have fun, good luck!

 

Oh, and welcome to KF!!!

 

Welcome to the forum. I'd change your oil asap and switch to Full Synthetic at around 3000 miles. I didn't follow the manufacturer break-in recommendations. I just varied the RPM's and tried not to keep it steady in one range. I also took it up to redline for very short burstsa few times within the first 1000 miles and my bike runs great. Almost 108 RWHP for an 03. All the other info is good. The Speedo is way off; approximately 10% slower than indicated.

As for the headlights, here you go: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...DME:B:AAQ:US:1

 

Welcome to the forums and good luck with your mods!!! I wouldn't worry about returning the bike into a "stock" state, its more marketable with the mods. I'm 200lbs and it has MORE than enough power to move my @$$!!! One more mod to think about would be to paint it blue....like mine

 

you know what I love...no offense to you JJ...but everyone asks if this bike (the 636) has enough power, I think I even asked that question. After riding this bike for a while, its funny to think that we questioned the power this bike has
Oh yeah, congrats on the bike, sounds like a GREAT deal, enjoy the hell outta it!!!

the only thing i question in Mike's response is the break in (and no, i dont want to argue here, its just my 2 cents), I rode it hard for the first 100-200 miles, changed the oil, then rode it normal. From what I read, it makes a better seal in the piston rings. But as EVERYONE on this site knows, Break in is probably the most controversial topic here....needless to say with 450 miles on, the rings are set. I think the more important thing is RIDER break in, getting yourself use to the bike, because you are not gonna out-perform this bike, thats the way they are made.

 

Depends on the market bro. Some like the goodies but will not spend the initial cost. But would be happy with just stock to get started with.

 

#1" +1
#2: I have noticed that K&N oil filters are cheaper that OEM.
#3: This is what it says in the owners manual.
#4: You can see what I did: Click me my pics are on page 2
#5: I can't remember who, but someone had the Shogun no-cut sliders, and they passed a function test. I have a friend who had the Vortex cut style on his R6 that failed the function test, and cost his 2500 in plastics.
#6: As above
#7: Same
#8: Word
#9: Fo-sho
#10: The last time I used my hi-beams I almost made a car wreck, so unless I am on an ill-lit street I use low-beams.

 

I was just giving the factory said requirements. I know everybody has there ouwn break in style.