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Forum Grand Opening!

Cameron Martel — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:57:00 +0000

Hello BeginnerMotorcyleReview.com readers!

We have opened our forum! Now you can share your thoughts, reviews, etc. with the BMR.com community! Since we just launched the forum it’s still quite small, but I encourage you to sign up and start posting!

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2009 Year in Review/Forum Survey!

2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R Review

Cameron Martel — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 01:47:18 +0000

Several months ago we wrote an article talking about how Kawasaki was doing something amazing – unfortunately, no they are not reviving the much loved Ninja 500R – and releasing a brand new motorcycle to the Canadian and Japanese markets (Kawasaki Gives Canada and Japan the Ninja 400R). We were excited for the Ninja 400R because it replaces a part of the lineup that the Ninja 500R filled so beautifully: that middle ground, where the 250cc is too small and 600cc or 650cc is too big.

Finally, after a fair bit of persistence and a random encounter with a rider on a 400R, we were able to hop on one and take it for a proper test ride.

Initial Impression of the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R

At 6’2″ and 227lbs, I am not a light person. In fact I always feel a little ridiculous when I review smaller motorcycles like the 400R. Aside from looking like someone who just stepped out of a clown car when riding one, I find that many smaller motorcycles struggle to actually keep a larger rider like myself moving. Accelerating a big person when you have a small motor is a challenge, so of course I’m somewhat apprehensive when I hop on a motorcycle with less than 500cc’s.

I am happy to say that the Ninja 400R, with all 399cc’s of parallel-twin goodness, moves me pretty well. It makes roughly 44 horsepower, which is very close to what the departed Ninja 500R made, and 27 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers, while certainly not encroaching on superbike territory, are more than enough to move the common person around. It did do a pretty good job of moving my “husky” rump, that’s for certain.

The fairings give it a real sporty look, very similar to what Kawasaki has done with both the Ninja 650R and the Ninja 250R. Some may find the aggressive appearance a little off-putting, but I didn’t. In fact, I’m a real fan of the boy racer look.

Riding the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R

The 400R has a great riding position if you’re a taller person; you sit upright, with a slight lean. If you have back problems, or just find super sports uncomfortable, the 400R might be right up your alley. If you are much taller than 6’2″ I don’t know how comfortable you’ll find the bike as the foot pegs may be a bit tight. Otherwise, as far as a smaller motorcycle goes, the 400R fares pretty well in the comfort arena.

The all-digital display lights up beautifully at night (as it was when I was riding it) and highlights the important information (RPM, speed) by drawing your attention to them quite effectively. If you’ve ever driven a Honda S2000 you may actually find the instrument panel quite similar: the speed is shown on top of a “swooping” rev meter. Very cool.

Given that’s fuel injected, the 400R starts right up and purrs wonderfully. Acceleration is brisk, though nothing that will cause you to pop your front tire off the ground (unless you’re really trying to do it). Like the 500R, the Ninja 400R has plenty of mid-range power; also like the 500R, the newest mid-range Ninja suffers down low and up top. This is perfect for city riding, where you’ll spend most of your time between 3,500 – 7,000 rpm, but may quickly become underwhelming if you’re used to the down-low torque of a larger v-twin or the up-top ridiculousness of 600cc+ sport bikes.

Personally, I loved it. Having ridden a Ninja 500R for a first bike, riding the 400R was as much nostalgia as it was invigorating. The 400R’s suspension is finely-tuned, and new riders (or anyone really) on the bike will quickly find themselves becoming more and more comfortable with throwing the little Ninja around. It’s light weight, combined with a somewhat-stiff suspension setup, really make this bike fun in the city. I can’t comment on highway riding as I was unable to take it to highway speeds for more than a few minutes.

Jam the brakes and you’ll find yourself coming to a stop rather quickly. My earlier comments about the light weight and fun in the twisties applies to braking: smaller, lighter motorcycles have less grunt to move around. When I lost most of my beer-belly I noticed it infinitely easier to run, climb, stop, and jump. Same concept, different vehicle

Our 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R Review’s Epic Conclusion

Do you want a motorcycle but are afraid to hop on a 600cc+ machine? Does the concept of riding a 125cc or 250cc sound outright boring? If you answered yes to either of those questions you may find exactly what you are looking for in the Ninja 400R.

It’s fun. It’s quick. It’s confident. And it’s just a blast to throw around.

If you aren’t planning on racing on the weekends or having looooong highway commutes, the 400R could be a great fit!

2004 Suzuki Katana 600 – Review, Pics, and More!

Cameron Martel — Sat, 07 May 2011 20:44:49 +0000

The Suzuki Katana, or the “Can-A-Tuna” as it is sometimes called, is one of the most misunderstood motorcycles ever produced. Coming in 600cc and 750cc trims, with 80 hp and 92 hp respectively, the Katana was a capable sport/sport-tourer hybrid that is both welcoming for new riders and powerful enough to be entertaining.

Weighing in at 458lbs (600cc), the Katana is far from a light bike- that’s what makes the Katana such a great bike for new riders. With that much weight it feels planted on the highway, handling bumps and small potholes without fuss. Twist the throttle and the front end will stay planted, allowing you to enjoy maximum acceleration with minimum wheelie-time. For a new rider, that’s perfection.

The “Guts” of the 2004 Suzuki Katana 600

Powering the Katana 600 is a 600cc inline-4 based off of an older generation GSXR-750 motor. The engine has been modified and detuned to 600cc, creating approximately 80 horsepower, and a helluva good time. With “1 down and 5 up”, the transmission will feel perfect for just about anyone.

Other utilities loaded onto the Katana include electric start, dual headlights (hi/low), vented front and rear disc brakes, a fuel guage, and a digital clock. Thanks to the bulletproof motor, the Katana 600 will run through just about anything.

The Suzuki Katana is a bit of a “parts bin special” due to the fact that it was made from bits of pieces of other bikes. To save money, corners were cut in areas so that the bike would be a good overall performer and still be price competitive. As a result you get a bike that is good at a lot of things but fails to excel.

Riding the 2004 Suzuki Katana 600

If you’re used to the low-end torque provided by v-twins, or the crazy high-end power offered by supersports, the Katana may seem disappointing. The 600cc inline-4 lacks low-end toque, but by the time you hit 7,000rpm the Katana is ready to throw everything it’s got at you. The result is a bike that is easy to “ride slow”, while at the same time, can be a screamer up top if you want it to be. This means new riders can comfortably learn the limits of the bike without having to scare themselves senseless.

As mentioned previously, the Katana 600 weighs in at 458lbs. This bike is definitely not light, so don’t expect to be able to flick it around the corners in the same way you would with a smaller motorcycle (like a Ninja 500R, for example). Of course, this pays off when you’re making long trips- the weight lends stability and traction that it wouldn’t otherwise have. When we said that it was a sport/sport-tourer hybrid, we meant that in every sense you can imagine: it’s got the engine, transmission, and adjustable suspension of a sport bike along with the stability, riding position, and comfort of a sport-tourer. It also has a ton of storage (for a motorcycle)- more than most litre bikes.

Down low the Katana feels like a powerful V6 car. It moves with traffic and can certainly negotiate itself well. Up high, however, is where the V6 becomes a V8, packing lots of accessible power and sounding like a bat out of hell. For someone with limited riding experience the power may actually be a bit too much, but thankfully the bike gives you the option of choosing how it is going to be ridden.

Finding the Suzuki Katana 600 Used

Suzuki stopped production of the Katana in 2006. During its production run over over 15 years over 50,000 Katana’s were sold. This means that they are relatively easy to find, and their pricing is competitive. The yellow 2004 Katana we reviewed, for example, was purchased for $3,650 with just over 20,050km on the odometer.

For a bike that requires nearly no extraneous maintenance, looks great, and is lots of fun, the Suzuki Katana fails to disappoint and provides a riding experience that smaller motorcycles just can’t replicate. If you want a motorcycle that will easily last you 3 or 4 years, the Suzuki Katana 600 is an excellent choice.

Related Blogs

Related Blogs on Suzuki

The “Must Do’s” of Stopping on a Motorcycle

Devex — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 04:01:32 +0000

You’ve gotten past the part where stalling the motorcycle at lights is the norm, and you’ve eliminated the “coast to a stop” as your standard mode of deceleration. A certain degree of confidence is beginning to show itself, and that’s good. Now is the time to “up your game” a little bit, and start learning little tricks that can make your motorcycle riding career safer and smarter.

Plan an Escape Before You Stop!

When you stop at a light, or behind a car, DON’T put the motorcycle in neutral and take your hands off the bars. Always keep your motorcycle in gear, clutch pulled in and a finger or two on the front brake. Maybe when the guy behind you stopped he gave you some space, but there’s no guarantee the guy behind HIM isn’t too busy yelling into his cell phone to notice everyone in front of him is already stopped! People often don’t do well at judging how far away they are from motorcycles, especially coming up from behind. You’ll find that cars will often get UNREASONABLY close to you and you should be ready to MOVE at any moment; a “fender bender” in a vehicle is a trip to the hospital for a biker.

Watch For Oil or Other “Car Blood” On The Road

Some guy had a bad vehicular day, and his transmission spit fluids everywhere. He didn’t have a good day – and you can have a worse one if you stop in a puddle of oil or other shiny gunk. Oil and bike tires are a bad match. When a motorcycle tire is coated in slick oil or other “vehicle blood”, even the slightest twist of the throttle can break the rear tire loose. Cool if you’re in the D1 Drift Circuit, not cool if you’re on a motorbike! Sand can also cause a graceful stop to become a floundering one. Being road aware at all time, not just when you stop, can prevent you from becoming part of the asphalt.

Stay Visible In Your Lane

Keeping yourself in the exact centre of the lane feels like a good thing, and while you’re moving, it can be. When coming to a stop on a motorcycle, drift a bit to the left as you aim your front wheel past the vehicle in front of you. When people are driving they tend to focus on what’s directly in front of and directly behind them. Since the steering wheel is on the left side of the car here (the CORRECT side), drivers are naturally going to be more aware of whats going on in that plane of vision. By stopping your motorcycle in the left side of the lane, you can be sure that you’re getting the attention of drivers both in front of and behind you. Any attention you can draw to yourself on a bike, outside of making rude hand gestures, is good attention.

The Space Question

We’re beating this to death, but it’s extremely important to keep your options open for a split second escape when stopped. “How much space do I leave?” you ask. Leaving more than a couple of bike lengths between your motorcycle and the next car, encourages dummies to try and turn into the “vacant” space and not leaving enough can mean that you get put in a bad spot, should you need to escape in a hurry. There is no “correct” amount of stopping distance from the car in front of you but a fairly reliable yardstick is two motorcycle lengths. There’s nothing that will fill your pants faster (with you know what) on a bike than seeing a car in your mirror coming up fast behind you and having nowhere to go! You can’t fix the other drivers, but you can be ready for them.

The Mirror Trick

One final suggestion: while you’re stopped on your motorcycle – clutch in, first gear selected – is to tilt your handlebars a bit and rock the bike to the side so you can see a few cars behind you in your mirror. If one of them doesn’t seem to be slowing fast enough, or suddenly locks up all four and starts sliding, you have a couple of seconds warning – and for a bike, that’s usually enough time to get out of the way. Now go home and change your pants!

Riding a bike has incomparable moments of joy; but leathers, brains and reflexes are your only defences if someone else screws up – planning escape routes before you stop and being aware of oil and debris on the road at all times can prevent a good ride from turning into a bad ride. If you’re checking out the babe in the next car, who is also checking out you and your bike, don’t forget to notice when the light changes… Blaring horns totally ruin the moment!

Let Us Know If There Is Something We’ve Missed!

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Tips and Tricks for Beginner Motorcycle Riders

Cameron Martel — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:39:01 +0000

Thinking about buying your first motorcycle, or perhaps hopping on one for some joy riding? Want to enjoy the most addictive mode of transportation around, but not too sure of how or where to begin? Keep reading.

The key to successful (and safe) riding is patience. There are some things about motorcycles that will always ring true, just by virtue of the fact that a motorcycle is effectively an engine with wheels… and that’s it. 99.95% of the time your motorcycle will be faster than a car; you will encounter drivers who don’t see you when they are turning, merging, or are otherwise trying to steal your spot in traffic; you will bite off more than you can chew when you mash the throttle. These are realities that every motorcycle rider, regardless of experience, has to face.

That doesn’t mean that riding a motorcycle is hazardous to your health (despite what many people would have you believe). Rather, it means that as a new rider it is your responsibility to ensure that you are adequately prepared to handle the task with confidence. In order to be confident you need to be confident in four key areas: safety, training/skill, licensing, and your motorcycle selection.

Motorcycle Safety

This is the most important aspect of riding a bike that you’re going to have to get down pat. Unlike a car, there is no steel cage protecting you. If you get into an accident there is very little between you and the pavement. For that reason along it is crucial that you are as safe as possible.

Have all of the right gear - You will have seen this several times on this website by now, and here it is again: always ride ATGATT.

Ensure that you are as prepared as possible before you ride - We highly recommend you read a motorcycle training guide (Get Ready to Pass has our top recommendation) as they break down, in detail, everything you’re going to need to know to learn how to ride a motorcycle.

Do not ride with passengers until you have a lot of riding time under your belt - Many new riders don’t realize just how much a passenger changes the way a motorcycle behaves. Are you ready for a passenger?

As always, stay within the posted speed limits and don’t override your comfort zone. If you’re riding in a group and the group is moving at a pace that you aren’t 100% comfortable with slow down and stay safe.

Motorcycle Training/Skill

You weren’t a perfect driver the first time you got in a car, and you aren’t going to be a perfect rider the first time you hop on a motorcycle. Expect to spend some time learning how to control your bike, as well as discovering where your limits are.

Read a motorcycle training guide - We hammer this point to death, but the fact still remains that motorcycle training guides are the best way to acclimate yourself to a motorcycle before you get on and ride. We recommend Get Ready to Pass ($27 w/videos) or MotoLearn ($15 without videos). Both will save you time spent searching the net for information, not to mention that they will help you feel more comfortable when you first decide to go for a ride.

Practice in a safe environment - Hopping on the freeway for your first ride is not a great idea. Practice in a parking lot until you are comfortable with the basics. Once you’re comfortable with slow-speed riding, move from a parking lot to residential side roads that are infrequently used. Hit the highway once you are comfortable with the bike overall.

Take a motorcycle safety course - This is part and parcel with reading a training guide, and we recommend that you do both. Most motorcycle safety courses cost a few hundred dollars and they will walk you through all the basics. Not only that, but most include accident evasion- in our opinion, a lifesaver of a course.

Motorcycle Licensing

Never ride your motorcycle on public roadways without having the appropriate license and insurance. Just don’t do it.

Motorcycle Selection

If you’re reading Beginner Motorcycle Reviews you probably already know the recommendation that we are going to make. Do yourself a favor and start small. Check out the top 10 motorcycles for new riders and see our recommendations.

Don’t buy a crotch rocket - Should your first car have 600 horsepower? No. Should your first bike have 120 horsepower? Absolutely not. Buy a rocket after you’ve had a year or two of riding experience.

Don’t buy a heavy hog - The heavier the bike the harder it is to control. Cruisers are sweet (we love the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom), but the bigger they are the harder they (potentially) fall.

Related Blogs

Review: Get Ready To Pass Instructional Videos

Cameron Martel — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:33:37 +0000

Price: $27
Comments: Excellent instructional video, images, and reading materials. A comprehensive, well put together package.
Click here to visit their website.

A couple of weeks ago we reviewed MotoLearn.com, an excellent online training guide for new motorcycle riders or prospective motorcycle riders. MotoLearn.com is a well written guide that any new rider, especially considering its skimpy $16 price tag, should read.

“Get Ready To Pass” is, by all accounts, a much better product. Along with pictures and reading material, it presents incredibly high quality videos on every aspect of riding. Not only that, but the material presented is applicable for both cars and motorcycles. While most people will already have their car licence before getting their motorcycle license, having that information present is a bonus if you don’t have either license.

What We Like About “Get Ready To Pass”

The main page for “Get Ready To Pass” features a video that outlines all of the features of this exceptional product. The first half is all about cars, but what really shines is the second half of the video that features some examples of what you’ll find inside for prospective motorcycle riders. Needless to say, it is a comprehensive package.

To be completely honest, we are so impressed with “Get Ready to Pass” that we don’t quite know where to begin. It is truly a polished motorcycle leaning guide, and anyone (and we mean anyone) could learn to ride a motorcycle with little more than the desire to do so and this guide as their mentor.

We especially liked:

The crystal-clear videos - Each video is clear and well presented. The actions being demonstrated are easy to see, and all important information is presented on screen in a way that is easy to comprehend. Everything from lane changing to collision avoidance is demonstrated on video.

Easy to follow instructions - The video narrative is articulate and easy to understand. Every element of the action they are demonstrating in the video is explained and emphasized. There is absolutely little doubt regarding each session. After watching the video you will have seen exactly what to do in that specific situation.

Motorcycle riders test walk-through, tips, and pointers - May new prospective riders are worried about taking their lisence test. As soon as most people learn to ride a motorcycle they become quite comfortable with the mechanics of the motorcycle, but come time for the test they would get nervous and doubt their experience and abilities. This guide explains every aspect of the motorcycle riders test, leaving nothing for a prospective rider who’s just learned how to ride a motorcycle to question.

Included bonuses - While the bonuses aren’t anything spectacular, they’re still nice to have. Some self improved eBooks are included with the guide as well as some nifty audio files.

MotoLearn.com goes into great detail regarding the mechanics of riding a motorcycle, and when we reviewed it we really liked how the instruction was provided. ”Get Ready To Pass” goes beyond that, clearly showing you the mechanics behind each action. If you are a visual learner, you will greatly appreciate the clarity of the videos and how they are presented.

What We DON’T Like About “Get Ready To Pass”

Some people may find the price ($27) a little steep for a motorcycle training guide, but if your goal is to learn to ride a motorcyle then this guide may very well be the best and most comprehensive option available to you. As well, some people may find the included material for automobiles to be unecessary.

Overall

It is a rarity that you will find a resource that is so clear and concise when it comes to learning to ride a motorcycle. ”Get Ready To Pass” will explain the mechanics behind riding a motorcycle, as well as demonstrating every manouvre that you will encounter. Stressful situations, such as collission avoidance, are explained and demonstrated ensuring that you will know what to do when you encounter a similar situation.

This is a MUST BUY for a new or experienced rider.

Click here to visit “Get Ready to Pass”

As always, post your comments/reviews/experiences with “Get Ready To Pass” below!

Review: MotoLearn.com Motorcycle Training Guide

Cameron Martel — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:10:39 +0000

Price: $16.50 USD
Comments: Highly recommended, easy to read. A+
Click here to visit their website.

Many people will ask an experienced rider the same old question: “How do I ride a motorcycle?” The answer, of course, is quite complex. Most riders start off with the “oh, well you just do this yabba yabba yabba…”. Good luck trying to explain it, because to be honest, it’s the feel of riding a motorcycle that a new rider needs to experience.

Naturally, because of this, we tend to find the “how to” guides to be a little off the mark. Some do a good job of explaining the mechanics of riding a motorcycle, and others do an excellent job of describing the feeling that comes with riding a motorcycle. None of them, it seemed, were able to do both.

Until MotoLearn.com.

What We Like About MotoLearn.com

We came across MotoLearn.com a few weeks ago when one of our visitors e-mailed us asking about it. Curious (as always) we ponied up the $14 (it is normally $16.50 but appeared to be on sale) and purchased a copy of the eBook. It comes as a downloadable PDF file, and you get immediate access- there is no waiting for shipping or processing.

MotoLearn.com follows a very similar mantra to us, and for that reason alone we like it. However, we specifically liked a few sections:

The section on riding gear and how to choose the right riding gear was very well written - Many new riders overlook their equipment, regardless of how crucial it is, and purchase equipment they don’t need. MotoLearn.com addresses this section very well.

The motorcycle riding mechanics were explained clearly and concisely - Step by step instructions will help you do everything, from starting the motorcycle to engaging first gear. Very well explained and very easy to understand.

Tips and tricks that advanced riders learn over time are explained right away - The mentality that keeps an experienced rider safe on the road is drilled into your mind over and over again. Very, very important.

It tells you riding test tips and tricks - For many, the license test is the real challenge. MotoLearn does a great job explaining some tricks that will give you a bit of an edge when taking the test.

To be honest, we were surprised at how well the whole PDF is put together. There is so much information to take in when learning to ride a motorcycle that it can be hard to comprehend, but MotoLearn.com does an excellent job at breaking it all down into manageable chunks. You won’t find yourself frying to brain to take all of this in.

What We DON’T Like About MotoLearn.com

Despite all of the positives, MotoLearn isn’t perfect. While it is an excellent guide for a novice rider, or someone who’s thinking about learning to ride, it doesn’t replace the feeling that comes with hands-on experience with a motorcycle. As well, some of the information that it presents is pretty obvious and sometimes a little useless (why 5’7″ is the perfect height for new riders, for example).

Overall

Despite the fact that it’s an eBook, we recommend MotoLearn.com to anyone who wants to learn to ride a motorcycle and doesn’t mind spending $16.50 (or $14.00 if it’s on sale) for a good, valuable resource that will help them come to a better understanding of how to ride, how to shop for a motorcycle, and potentially save them a lot of headache when it comes time to take their test.

Click here to visit MotoLearn’s Website

As always, post your comments/reviews/experiences with MotoLearn.com below!