The new Ninja 1000 is quite a package. It manages to be a real sport bike (great power, smooth transmission), a sport tourer (decent sized gas tank – easily went 160+ miles before the low-fuel indicator light came on) and a daily commuter bike (upright seating position, great gas mileage) all wrapped up into one sexy package!  Talk about versatile, what more could you want?

I am a long-time sport bike rider who loves riding a good quick pace all day long, and more often than not, my wife is on the pillion seat. As we baby boomers get “grayer” we naturally want more comfort but don't want to sacrifice performance.  We want it all, and the Ninja 1000 delivers.  It has gobs of power everywhere and decent ergonomics!  This bike is darn near perfect for the street, but can still hold its own on the occasional track day (if so inclined).  The motor is spot on, and the power delivery is strong throughout the rpm range, making 2-up riding a dream.  I am totally impressed with the transmission; smooth as a baby’s butt!  Following a spirited two-day ride through central California, my sharpest critic (and lovely wife) said, “you didn’t miss any gear shifts this weekend, dear.”  No, I Didn’t!

The suspension is softer than a hardcore sport bike, creating more ‘real world’ street comfort.  After all the rain we've had, the back roads are full of pot holes, though this bike ate them right up.  Still, it has all the adjustments for dialing-in the ride you desire.  The seating & clip-on placement are designed for an ‘upright’ riding position. The seat itself is not the shape I like (too sharp an edge on the sides), but replacement with a custom seat can take care of that, and is not a big deal for such a good all-around machine.  At 5'6" I am a “vertically challenged” rider who will often change the seat and clip-on placement to fit my particular needs, and I would do both if I owned this bike.  I also would see what type of aftermarket exhaust systems may come later, hopefully not too loud but less obtrusive.

The instrument panel is good but it is missing a gear indicator. I think it is needed because the bike has overlapping power in every gear and I forget what gear I'm in!  Several times I was not in the optimum gear because it still had plenty of torque. My only other complaint might be that this bike may be a little buzzy and not have the visceral feel of an exotic twin or triple -- but I say the bike is a "monster do-it-all bargain", deal with it! :)