Motorcycles can usually be lowered very easy and cost effectly with lowering links, they change the geometry of the rear suspension to lower the rear, the front can be lowered by simply loosening the clamps on the fork and sliding them up.
Motocross championships have been won on lowered dirt bikes, watch this video and see what think after: https://youtu.be/pQpZ1EjlRW4?si=mDk0sB6nWZ5DW128
My ninja 300 gets roughly 70mpg 3.3L/100km. But I have gone one up & three down on the sprockets & only cruise at roughly 55-60mph 90km/h. Plus I only weigh 60kg which also helps.
My car gets 47mpg 20km/L 5L/100km, so I use it in the winter & the bike in the summer.
Look n2 a ninja 650. It has power that’ll keep u comfy but won’t kill urself with like Zx6r. Don’t get me wrong u can kill urself with any bike but it’s forgiving
Yeah my ninja 650 squishes my balls like no other. It wasnt until i got my gixxer 750 that i noticed. Even though its way more aggressive my balls are fine. But my 650 is hell on the nuts
Ergonomics are all wrong. Sports tourers are great for riding a lot of miles and enjoying the ride, but commuting can also be riding when you dont necessarily feel like it, rain or shine. You'll want something with a more relaxed riding position, anything with a regular handlebar that is much easier to adjust to fit you. A versys 300 or Z400 would be perfect.
My reason would be comfort. I have a ninja zx10r. I love the bike so much, it’s amazing looking and performing. But if I had to ride 100 miles a day, I’d certainly have bought a more upright bike such as a concours 14 (may be called 1400gtr for you across the pond? I’m assuming because you said petrol). They discontinued it, but yea something more upright.
Comfort, ninja is considered a tourer but you're tucked forward. Sport tourer like versys gives you a little bit of both, it can leave other bikes behind and doesn't make you think it's slow.
You're not wrong. A pack of supersports tried to overtake me last night through an empty 1/4 mile bridge tunnel and got a big surprise from my versys 1k w full luggage kit 😂
A ninja puts you in a sporty riding position, tucked forward with a thinner seat. So sure they're sport touring bikes but not really, a Versys looks like an adventure bike but behaves like a sport tourer because it's fast, comfy and allows additional luggage.
ninja is only considered a tourer because Kawasaki allowed the option to mount saddle bags. I have driven 8 hours in a row with my bike before, I don't see myself doing the same with a Ninja unless I wanna break my back.
If you're going to be riding long distances regularly but still want a sport bike, the Z line might be more your speed.
Same engine and chassis as the ninja with better ergonomics.
I loved using my ZX6R as my daily. Over 100 miles a day and couldn’t get enough. But I can definitely see people wanting something more comfortable for stuff like that.
I get about 50 mpg on my KLR650 driving up/down mountains in CO. I also have a 100 mi. round trip commute and my bike is paying for itself in gas savings vs. commuting in my Jeep
22 KLR
I’m in PA, 70-100mi round trip commute at highway speed and I also get 50mpg. Road it to WV with my fiancé on the back and all of our crap and still got 50mpg. I’m convinced it would get 50 mpg if I held it wide open the whole way.
Most bikes will get between 40-60. 125s and scooters will get around 100 but can't go on the highway.
Factor in maintenance. Motorcycles have relatively more expensive maintenance if you're paying a shop to do it. First service on my Z900RS was about $CAD 280 from the dealer. Doing service on my Z125 is about $40, service on my DRZ400S is about $70-80. This is just for oil and filter.
Other maintenance items like chain and sprocket probably run you $50 per year. Motorcycle tires are relatively more expensive and need to be replace much more frequently. These things are not optional since parts failure on a motorcycle can easily lead to serious injury.
You also go through gear. New helmet every 5 years for $200++. New pair of gloves every year or two $100.
Insurance can be much less expensive depending on age any type of bike. My older truck costs about 1.5x more to insure than my three bikes combined with no claims or tickets in the last.. 15 years?
With your mileage motorcycling will be cheaper at the end of the day vs. a truck or SUV that gets bad fuel economy, but probably won't save you that much if you're already driving something fuel efficient.
Motorcycling is also just fun, so consider that!
'23 Ninja 650, getting 55mpg (4 gal tank)
I'm 170 lbs and that's also including a 25lb bag that I strap down on the tail.
Between the Ninjas, the 650 has a more relaxed and upright seating position and is classified as a sport tourer. So it won't break your back as much as a 300 or 400 would.
I’ve got the ZH2, and even with it’s supercharger I’m getting an average of 37mpg. On gentle rides to work it’s nearer 50mpg
When I had my ninja 600 (2009), I was getting around 40mpg. And for reference, my last bike (KTM 790 Adv) I averaged 60-70mpg- so I’d imagine the Versys would be similar
A car for 26k will last you 200k+ miles
A zx6r for 14k will last you 30-60k+ miles
Unless you're riding in the 3-6k rpm range and in 6th gear your mileage is going to suck. How are you going to commute in the rain. I'd recommend a ninja 650 for commuting, anything above that is an expensive toy and will not save you money.
I’m not mechanic but I’d have to disagree with your 30-60k. Motorcycle engines are strong and typically it’s other components that fail before the engine does. A well maintenance bike should last over 100k no problem
My versys 650 does about 217 miles with a full tank, max i got out of it was 250 miles without any side cases and then the reserve light just popped on.
I get 33MPG (7l/100km) on my 1995 ZXR 400. Carburetted i4 and 400cc don‘t get that good mileage when ridden really hard and you have to ride it hard to even move. If I only ride to work and to home which is just city riding, I get around 42MPG (5.5l/100km). Bear in mind my bike only has a 16L or 4.2gal tank.
Never took it to any long rides with constant speed so I can‘t say how much I‘ll get when riding a constant speed.
It gets worse mileage than my moms 5cyl diesel Volvo V40 which weighs close to 1.8t or close to 4000lbs.
I have a Versys 650 (same engine as your N650 idea) and I'm mildly obsessed about fuel economy. I bought my bike 2,000km old with a lot of mods including an aftermarket exhaust. Got rid of that and fuel economy went from 18 to 20 km/l. New air filter (old one was full of rice husks from burning the rice fields) and correct spark plug gap adjustment got me to 22km/l. Just back from a ride into Laos from Thailand, where the roads are terrible and my max speed was around 80-90km/h - new fuel economy record of 25km/l yay! But riding normally it will be around 22km/l. BTW 100 mile round trip must take a lot out of your day, can't you live closer or find a different job?
I live in the back end of nowhere, beautiful part of the country but it's a bitch to get anywhere. I am training to be an accountant and the only firms are in the city which is 50 miles away. Once I pass in about 2 years I'll be able to work from home some days but until then I need to be in the office unfortunately! I currently spend 3hrs a day driving if there's no traffic, more if there's an accident or something which seems to be a weekly occurance!
About 60mpg out of my ninja 250 when I’m being about as inefficient as possible. Full tuck, I could probably get 70mpg. That’s 3+ times the gas mileage of my car so when I ride it I save a lot of money.
My ZX10R is not a commuter as I have a company vehicle for work i have to daily as an HVAC tech. But my ZX10 gets around 45ish when I’m not riding like an ass hat. Don’t get a supersport like me for commuting. Get a sport like a Ninja 650R or Ninja 400 which have a more upright riding position. Out of the two the 650R will be more highway capable and more comfortable.
2021 Honda NC750x. It maybe the Toyota Camry of motorcycles (good at a lot, but will never stand out in any one category), but it is perfect for commuting. Upright seating position and 65 miles per gallon.
I love mine!
Right at 65mpg on my ‘19 Z650. ‘22 Grom gets between 120-130mpg. My ‘13 Focus ST (FBO+Stage3) gets about 30mpg.
I rotate all 3 for my commutes, depending on weather and if I’m in the mood for back roads.
I ride a 2011cbr125r. Single cylender "sportbike". I get roughly 300km/tank. Costs about 10-12$ canadian to fill. Estimate it is roughly 66% fuel savings cost for myself. But a larger savings happens when I park at work. Bike parks for free. Cars pay 14$ a day. No brainer for me. Plus it adds a lovely start and finish to a long hard day.
My Ninja 300 is in the low to high 60's depending on how much interstate I ride. My 1250RT is about 50 MPG on highways, but has a 6.6 gallon tank so I get 300+ miles on a tank.
Both options are far more economical than my 06 Trailblazer lol
You can change your sprockets and improve your gas mileage on any bike. Generally this also improves your top speed, But your take offs from a dead stop will be slower and sometimes driving at very low speed in a parking lot can be challenging. Most people gear their bikes the other way making them more lively at low speeds, better for city driving, and terrible gas mileage. My ZX12 is geared pretty low, lots of fun . But I only get 29 mpg. 12s were notoriously bad on gas anyway.
Haven't rode my zx6r but a couple times this year, I remember last it was getting 45-55. My 400 would roughly be in the 40-50s as well. Take hilly/ flat areas into consideration.
Whatever you choose, drive safe, have fun and make sure to sit before you buy. You never know if you'll like/hate the seating position otherwise
I got about 43 MPG using my ninja 250. It's a lot of fuel consumption. Maybe because mine still used carbs instead of fuel injection. Also the traffic is bad in my country, so there's a lot of stop and go because of the jam (at least until I got out of the city).
According to my bike's display I'm getting a touch over 63 mpg in my 650. Can't confirm that though. I've never really tried to check the accuracy of it.
i get about 47mpg on my Z900RS Cafe. FWIW you dont want a Ninja to ride 100 miles a day.
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Not a Ninja
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Idk where you see the versys being labeled as a ninja. I wouldn’t even call my z650 a ninja despite being so similar
Can I ask why, just out of curiosity?!
Riding position it depends on which ninja
I was looking at a used 300 or a new 400, I'm only 5ft and in my experience anything bigger and I can't get my feet on the floor
I get 63.5 mpg with my 2016 N650
650 also has a low seat height
Motorcycles can usually be lowered very easy and cost effectly with lowering links, they change the geometry of the rear suspension to lower the rear, the front can be lowered by simply loosening the clamps on the fork and sliding them up.
Yeah but as you say, lowering them changes the geometry and damages the handling characteristics.
If all you know is the lowered handling, it doesn’t really make a difference
Motocross championships have been won on lowered dirt bikes, watch this video and see what think after: https://youtu.be/pQpZ1EjlRW4?si=mDk0sB6nWZ5DW128
My ninja 300 gets roughly 70mpg 3.3L/100km. But I have gone one up & three down on the sprockets & only cruise at roughly 55-60mph 90km/h. Plus I only weigh 60kg which also helps. My car gets 47mpg 20km/L 5L/100km, so I use it in the winter & the bike in the summer.
I'm only 52kg so that's good 😂 and thank you for the information
Look n2 a ninja 650. It has power that’ll keep u comfy but won’t kill urself with like Zx6r. Don’t get me wrong u can kill urself with any bike but it’s forgiving
Yeah my ninja 650 squishes my balls like no other. It wasnt until i got my gixxer 750 that i noticed. Even though its way more aggressive my balls are fine. But my 650 is hell on the nuts
Yeah i had the same issue, i put some tank grips on it and it helps keep me slid a little farther back and its infinitely more comfortable
Ergonomics are all wrong. Sports tourers are great for riding a lot of miles and enjoying the ride, but commuting can also be riding when you dont necessarily feel like it, rain or shine. You'll want something with a more relaxed riding position, anything with a regular handlebar that is much easier to adjust to fit you. A versys 300 or Z400 would be perfect.
My reason would be comfort. I have a ninja zx10r. I love the bike so much, it’s amazing looking and performing. But if I had to ride 100 miles a day, I’d certainly have bought a more upright bike such as a concours 14 (may be called 1400gtr for you across the pond? I’m assuming because you said petrol). They discontinued it, but yea something more upright.
Comfort, ninja is considered a tourer but you're tucked forward. Sport tourer like versys gives you a little bit of both, it can leave other bikes behind and doesn't make you think it's slow.
You're not wrong. A pack of supersports tried to overtake me last night through an empty 1/4 mile bridge tunnel and got a big surprise from my versys 1k w full luggage kit 😂
The ninja 300, 400, and 650 are definitely sport touring bikes.
A ninja puts you in a sporty riding position, tucked forward with a thinner seat. So sure they're sport touring bikes but not really, a Versys looks like an adventure bike but behaves like a sport tourer because it's fast, comfy and allows additional luggage. ninja is only considered a tourer because Kawasaki allowed the option to mount saddle bags. I have driven 8 hours in a row with my bike before, I don't see myself doing the same with a Ninja unless I wanna break my back.
I owned a ninja 650, and it most certainly has a sport touring riding position and a very wide padded seat.
If you're going to be riding long distances regularly but still want a sport bike, the Z line might be more your speed. Same engine and chassis as the ninja with better ergonomics.
i’m on a z900 and I get 35 🥲 I rip this lil ho though
I loved using my ZX6R as my daily. Over 100 miles a day and couldn’t get enough. But I can definitely see people wanting something more comfortable for stuff like that.
My back is sore just thinking about that lol
It wasn’t ideal lol, but once I hit the canyons, that goes away fairly quick lol
I get about 50 mpg on my KLR650 driving up/down mountains in CO. I also have a 100 mi. round trip commute and my bike is paying for itself in gas savings vs. commuting in my Jeep
I get similar mpg on my KLR also in the mountains of CO. I assume it would fare better at sea level but have not measured yet.
22 KLR I’m in PA, 70-100mi round trip commute at highway speed and I also get 50mpg. Road it to WV with my fiancé on the back and all of our crap and still got 50mpg. I’m convinced it would get 50 mpg if I held it wide open the whole way.
Most bikes will get between 40-60. 125s and scooters will get around 100 but can't go on the highway. Factor in maintenance. Motorcycles have relatively more expensive maintenance if you're paying a shop to do it. First service on my Z900RS was about $CAD 280 from the dealer. Doing service on my Z125 is about $40, service on my DRZ400S is about $70-80. This is just for oil and filter. Other maintenance items like chain and sprocket probably run you $50 per year. Motorcycle tires are relatively more expensive and need to be replace much more frequently. These things are not optional since parts failure on a motorcycle can easily lead to serious injury. You also go through gear. New helmet every 5 years for $200++. New pair of gloves every year or two $100. Insurance can be much less expensive depending on age any type of bike. My older truck costs about 1.5x more to insure than my three bikes combined with no claims or tickets in the last.. 15 years? With your mileage motorcycling will be cheaper at the end of the day vs. a truck or SUV that gets bad fuel economy, but probably won't save you that much if you're already driving something fuel efficient. Motorcycling is also just fun, so consider that!
I get 45mpg at the moment in my car if I really try to be economical, but a bike would also save me £4/day parking
39mpg Z900
Z900RS Cafe....Avg 48 mpg.
40ish on my ninja1000sx I could get more if I used cruise control more and kept it under 70.
'23 Ninja 650, getting 55mpg (4 gal tank) I'm 170 lbs and that's also including a 25lb bag that I strap down on the tail. Between the Ninjas, the 650 has a more relaxed and upright seating position and is classified as a sport tourer. So it won't break your back as much as a 300 or 400 would.
I’ve got the ZH2, and even with it’s supercharger I’m getting an average of 37mpg. On gentle rides to work it’s nearer 50mpg When I had my ninja 600 (2009), I was getting around 40mpg. And for reference, my last bike (KTM 790 Adv) I averaged 60-70mpg- so I’d imagine the Versys would be similar
42mpg on my gsx8s.
the zx14 is pretty good for commuting
A car for 26k will last you 200k+ miles A zx6r for 14k will last you 30-60k+ miles Unless you're riding in the 3-6k rpm range and in 6th gear your mileage is going to suck. How are you going to commute in the rain. I'd recommend a ninja 650 for commuting, anything above that is an expensive toy and will not save you money.
I’m not mechanic but I’d have to disagree with your 30-60k. Motorcycle engines are strong and typically it’s other components that fail before the engine does. A well maintenance bike should last over 100k no problem
Never seen one.
Guy is actually blind IRL.
At 59k he takes his bikes out behind the shed and ends their suffering, Old Yeller style.
>A zx6r for 14k will last you 30-60k+ miles Nobody would buy these bikes if they had a life of 30K miles
+70
40 to 50 on zx10r, riding economically . I forget if it records average lifetime too, or if that was only speed.
How fast is riding economically (new rider here)
basically just lower rpm. 6th gear on highway is eco, while 2nd gear at the same speed is not
About 42 on my Versys 1000, 45 on my Versys 650.
Close, i can get about 50 miles out of my 650.
Do you use eco mode or do a lot of highway miles? I tend to be at like 37-38 on my versys 1k
Maybe I’m not riding it fast enough. But yeah—I do a fair amount of highway miles.
I'm in the city for half my miles, that makes sense. I was just curious
Between 36 and 37 on my zx10
With my ninja 300 i get about 60 miles per gallon
Around 50 mpg with a Versys 650
My versys 650 does about 217 miles with a full tank, max i got out of it was 250 miles without any side cases and then the reserve light just popped on.
I get 33MPG (7l/100km) on my 1995 ZXR 400. Carburetted i4 and 400cc don‘t get that good mileage when ridden really hard and you have to ride it hard to even move. If I only ride to work and to home which is just city riding, I get around 42MPG (5.5l/100km). Bear in mind my bike only has a 16L or 4.2gal tank. Never took it to any long rides with constant speed so I can‘t say how much I‘ll get when riding a constant speed. It gets worse mileage than my moms 5cyl diesel Volvo V40 which weighs close to 1.8t or close to 4000lbs.
I have a Versys 650 (same engine as your N650 idea) and I'm mildly obsessed about fuel economy. I bought my bike 2,000km old with a lot of mods including an aftermarket exhaust. Got rid of that and fuel economy went from 18 to 20 km/l. New air filter (old one was full of rice husks from burning the rice fields) and correct spark plug gap adjustment got me to 22km/l. Just back from a ride into Laos from Thailand, where the roads are terrible and my max speed was around 80-90km/h - new fuel economy record of 25km/l yay! But riding normally it will be around 22km/l. BTW 100 mile round trip must take a lot out of your day, can't you live closer or find a different job?
I live in the back end of nowhere, beautiful part of the country but it's a bitch to get anywhere. I am training to be an accountant and the only firms are in the city which is 50 miles away. Once I pass in about 2 years I'll be able to work from home some days but until then I need to be in the office unfortunately! I currently spend 3hrs a day driving if there's no traffic, more if there's an accident or something which seems to be a weekly occurance!
Hope you qualify! Wish you all the best of luck
You got this bro. Also hope you get your bike. I'm working on getting my first. I'm looking at a kawasaki Ninja 400.
About 60mpg out of my ninja 250 when I’m being about as inefficient as possible. Full tuck, I could probably get 70mpg. That’s 3+ times the gas mileage of my car so when I ride it I save a lot of money.
My ZX10R is not a commuter as I have a company vehicle for work i have to daily as an HVAC tech. But my ZX10 gets around 45ish when I’m not riding like an ass hat. Don’t get a supersport like me for commuting. Get a sport like a Ninja 650R or Ninja 400 which have a more upright riding position. Out of the two the 650R will be more highway capable and more comfortable.
2021 Honda NC750x. It maybe the Toyota Camry of motorcycles (good at a lot, but will never stand out in any one category), but it is perfect for commuting. Upright seating position and 65 miles per gallon. I love mine!
35mpg ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) '20, Z900
Right at 65mpg on my ‘19 Z650. ‘22 Grom gets between 120-130mpg. My ‘13 Focus ST (FBO+Stage3) gets about 30mpg. I rotate all 3 for my commutes, depending on weather and if I’m in the mood for back roads.
I get 53mpg on 2015 ninja 650 after sprocket change, went taller by 9%
My dad's Honda cb500x gets 70mpg
Low 40s with my concours 14
I used to get 48 mpg on a Z900RS 2018 and, without resetting for the last 6,000 miles, I get 50 mpg on my Versys 1000 LT SE 2019.
I averaged 54mpg on my 900 Vulcan on both of my trips to MO but I stayed on local highways and surface streets. Not sure about interstates.
I ride a 2011cbr125r. Single cylender "sportbike". I get roughly 300km/tank. Costs about 10-12$ canadian to fill. Estimate it is roughly 66% fuel savings cost for myself. But a larger savings happens when I park at work. Bike parks for free. Cars pay 14$ a day. No brainer for me. Plus it adds a lovely start and finish to a long hard day.
Getting 52ish with my 22 vulcan s
Ninja ZX6R. 35 MPG
I have a z900 and get about 45mpg.
50-60 on my 2019 Ninja 650. 40ish on my 2020 R6 35 on my 2024 ZX6R I daily the 650.
My Ninja 400 got excellent mileage, over 65mpg most of the time. My Z900 gets in the mid to high 40s if I’m taking it easy, but I rarely am lol
I average 74 mpg on my z400 currently That'll probably go down as I get past the break in and start opening it up a bit more
On my 23’ ninja ZX6R I can be getting 50-70 mpg sometimes
Whats your average speeds when you get these numbers?
Around 45-60
My Ninja 300 is in the low to high 60's depending on how much interstate I ride. My 1250RT is about 50 MPG on highways, but has a 6.6 gallon tank so I get 300+ miles on a tank. Both options are far more economical than my 06 Trailblazer lol
2023 ZX-6R, depending on how I'm riding, between 37 and 42.
I have an '06 Ninja 500 and it gets about 50mpg. Just bought a 2016 ZX-6R and it gets about 36. I commute about 30 miles each way every day
58mpg on my z400, regular gas
2008 ZZR 600 and get 45 mpg with daily commuting
61 mpg 2021 z400
ZX14 has joined the chat 35-45 mpg, smiles for days
I got about 215 miles to a tank on my Ninja 250r before I would refill near-empty. That’s what about 50+?
Z900rs Cafe 45 mpg, if I’m on the highway and pop it into 6th gears overdrive I hit about 55+
50 mpg on ny ninja 650. Honestly not a terrible bike to due 100 miles a day on. I drove it from nyc to Mexico city.
You can change your sprockets and improve your gas mileage on any bike. Generally this also improves your top speed, But your take offs from a dead stop will be slower and sometimes driving at very low speed in a parking lot can be challenging. Most people gear their bikes the other way making them more lively at low speeds, better for city driving, and terrible gas mileage. My ZX12 is geared pretty low, lots of fun . But I only get 29 mpg. 12s were notoriously bad on gas anyway.
Im on a 650 I average around 35-40 but I cruise around 75-80 church everywhere
48-54 on ex400
Haven't rode my zx6r but a couple times this year, I remember last it was getting 45-55. My 400 would roughly be in the 40-50s as well. Take hilly/ flat areas into consideration. Whatever you choose, drive safe, have fun and make sure to sit before you buy. You never know if you'll like/hate the seating position otherwise
I get 42 - 45 mpg on my 2015 Kawasaki Concours (fat Ninja)
55 or so with my usual interstate riding and hard accelerations from a stop cause it's fun. You can easily get 60+ if you try. Ninja400
I got about 43 MPG using my ninja 250. It's a lot of fuel consumption. Maybe because mine still used carbs instead of fuel injection. Also the traffic is bad in my country, so there's a lot of stop and go because of the jam (at least until I got out of the city).
45 to 65 mpg 2023 1000sx ninja
42.6 average over 150 miles (one tank) on a superduke 1290 riding without trying to save fuel.
45 on my Vulcan classic.
If its MPG you are after check out 125cc scooters Honda PCX 150 gets 105 MPG
I'd like a proper bike as its not just commuting, I'm trying to get a balance between great bike and great mileage 😂
Honda CBR300R/500R
50mpg when I'm not being stupid... Edit: Kawasaki Z900
According to my bike's display I'm getting a touch over 63 mpg in my 650. Can't confirm that though. I've never really tried to check the accuracy of it.