Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX Tourer
Backinthe saddleafter total lockdown,Stuhasfalleninlovewith bikingall over again
Stu is still smitten with the bike. He just needs to ride more.
W::!:~ : ride after the lockdown restrictions were eased? The sense of freedom was overwhelming, and nothing heightens that sense more than a motorcycle especially one as good as Kawasaki's Ninja lOOOSX.
Since I don't currently need the luggage that comes with the Tourer version of the SX (there are no hotels open for a weekend away and I can't visit friends to stay over either) I ordered an official 20-litre Kawasaki tank bag (£165.95, www.kawasaki.co.uk) just to keep odds and sods in while on my little tours of the country lanes in Northamptonshire.
And, joy of joys, it's an old skool magnetic tank bag! Oh, how I have missed the simplicity of those, rather than having to fiddle with the ones that clip on to fuel tank rings that can often be so awkward to line up to clip into place.
Speaking of luggage, for me the best thing about the hard luggage system on the Ninja is that when you remove the panniers, there are no hideously ugly luggage rails to spoil the clean lines of the bike. Kawasaki's designers have done a fantastic job of integrating the attachment points for the luggage into the pillion grab rails so you simply wouldn't know they're there. Whip the panniers off and you have a sleek, unspoiled sportsbike in an instant. Pop 'em back on and you've got yourself a sport tourer. Best of both worlds.
TRANSOFRMING THE NINJA
The Touring version of the bike (which I have) comes with those hard panniers as well as heated grips and an adjustable screen for an additional £1000 over the standard version but, for me, it's money well spent as those three features transform the bike. The luggage means that me and the missus can have weekends away (well, once we're allowed to); the adjustable screen takes care of motorway wind blast on longer trips; and the heated grips greatly prolong my riding season. When you look at it that way, it's a bargain.
The bike has now had its 600-mile service with nothing untoward to report so I've got extra peace of mind on that front too, as I intend to ride and ride and ride after being cooped up for so long. I still haven't found a single thing on the lOOOSXthat I don't like - it just ticks every box for me - although changing the clock on the dash was a bit of a pain.
Yet another plus point of the Ninja is that it's far easier to clean than the adventure bikes I've had of late. All that bodywork makes it a far quicker job than having to get into endless nooks and crannies with a selection of brushes.
So the bike is spotless, the sun is out, the roads are dry and much quieter than usual. ..
Hang on, why am I sitting here writing this? I'm off out to ride!