2005 Kawasaki Ninja 500R

For Christmas 2006, my friends and family pooled their gift money together towards enrolling me into a motorcycle riding course. I took the course at the end of summer in 2007 and successfully passed my Class 6 road test.

Originally I simply wanted to learn how to ride so that I'd have the knowledge of operating motorcycles as well as cars. This way anywhere I go, I can pick the best option since some places are better explored on two wheels. However, after taking the course and going on a few road rides, I was hooked. I loved the feeling of riding a motorcycle. After I got my full motorcycle license, I started reading up and learning more about bikes, and started looking at classified ads for motorcycles almost every week.

Fast forward a year and a bit, it is now September 2008. It's the end of another riding season, and me still without a motorcycle. An ad came up for a Blue 2005 Kawasaki Ninja 500R (a.k.a. EX500/GPZ500S), and I find out it's within 10 minutes of my place. I was originally looking for a fuel injected Ninja 650R, since it would be easier to start and less for the rider to work on. Plus when I asked about the 500R after finishing my riding course, my instructor said based on what he's seen, I'd outgrow the 500 within a year. However, I've been off a bike for over a year (except a test ride on a 2008 BMW F650GS once), the 500 doesn't sound too bad. Plus has been very hard to find a used 650R for a good price.

The bike looked good, with a fairing crack that's been epoxied as the only real flaw. (garage drop while the dad was trying to move the bike not realizing the bars were locked) So I bought the bike. Yes, I'm finally a bike owner. However, being the beginning of October, the riding season was effectively over. So I parked the bike, and went to the insurance company and put the bike into storage policy until next March.

I was a bit apprehensive once the season started again because I've not been on a bike for so long. But one ride and it all came back, and I remember why I wanted to buy a bike in the first place. I took lots of short rides on weekends when I had some alone time while the wife is at work. Took a few slightly longer rides to get used to being in the saddle for longer durations. Near the end of my first season, even worked up the courage to take the wife out a few times on my bike. I love it.

The bike was solid, and I got a chance to work on my own vehicle again. I did oil and filter changes at the end of every season, winterized it, adjusted and lubed the chain periodically, patched a puncture, cleaned the air filter, which required removing the tank on this bike.

Unfortunately, On April 30, 2011, after I had just cleaned the air filter and put the bike back together. I slipped on some gravel on the off ramp literally 1 minute from my house. They been doing construction near that offramp and there was gravel on the road. By the time I saw it, it was too late. I was already engaged in the turn. And even though I dropped the brake and tried to upright the bike as much as I could, if I had actually gone straight at that point, it would mean a head-on collision with the giant exit sign. Looking back, had this not been at the beginning of the season, and if I had more KMs under my belt, I probably would have been able to save it.

The damage wasn't significant, all cosmetic. Bent right clipon, bent rear brake lever, broken front fairing are the major damages. scratches to some other parts like rear fairing and muffler, front brake lever, etc. Frame/forks perfect. However, because of the low value of the bike, insurance decided it was a total loss, and write it off.

Now I'm without a bike. But I'm looking. I want to try something different this time. Been looking at either a new Triumph Bonneville, or a Harley Sportster. Hmm...