Kawasaki Ninja 300 Forums banner

6'4, Long, Phat Legs and 260 pounds, am I legible?

918 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  IronWarrior
Hi, I am a 17 year old pondering on what type of bike I should get. The Kawasaki 300 has no doubt caught and captured my eye, but I am worried that I may be too big to ride a track motorcycle, even though they are most appealing. I haven't measured my inseam as I am scoping the market, but my question for taller and buffer fellas out there(6'4"+) is, how comfortable (if at all), is the Kawasaki 300? I do not have any dealerships that offer the Kawasaki for a sitting/probe, and I want to use it for general purpose as it is my first bike, I will be travelling across Europe as I will be studying at a university outside my current country, Is it good for longer rides, for dudes with longer and bigger legs?

Thanks in advance ;P
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I think you will want something larger - like a 650. Because of your size, traveling cross-country, carrying gear, and running at higher speeds is going to tax the little Ninja quite a bit. There isn't going to be much left, and you will be near wide-open a lot.

You are going to want more torque and a more moderate cruising RPM that the Ninja will provide.

I rarely suggest starting on a larger cycle, but in this case I think it will actually be a safer choice. You are large and tall enough to control the additional weight of a larger cycle.

Some amount of wind protection is nice to have on longer trips. Look at a Suzuki V-Strom or other 650s with a more upright riding position and some fairings.

I would search-out some type of riding course before venturing out. There's no time to learn as you go. You need to know the basics of handing a cycle, without thinking.
The 300 is too small for you in my opinion
Like the others said, I bit too small for want you're wanting to do with.

Ninja 650, has better ergonomics anyway.
In addition to my 300, I have a Honda NC700. I would recommend checking it out. They have since up-sized it to a 750, but I'll give some info on the 700 below.
The NC700 was my first bike, and it was certainly more than manageable for a beginner. As far as performance numbers, it's not much more powerful (46hp vs 39hp) but has much more torque, especially at lower revs (61 lbft @ 4750 RPM vs 20 lbft at 10000 RPM). The ergonomics work much better than the "sport" styled bikes for riding distances, and the fuel economy is actually better than the Ninja (3.6 L/100km vs 4.3 L/100km are my measured actuals). Also, since the fuel economy is so good, they locate the tank below the seats and the forward space where the tank "should" be is turned into a 20L storage compartment. It's a bit heavier than most small bikes (just under 500lb) but the low CofG lets it feel/handle like it's lighter than it actually is.
I have taken the NC700 2-up for some weekend trips, including 600km (7hrs riding) days. The bike handled the 2 people (combined weight over 280lb) plus weekend bags well, even up some steep inclines, though downshifts were necessary at times to hold speed on the steeper parts.
The one peculiar thing about the NC700 is the low redline at 6300 RPM or so. If you're used to "normal" bikes, you'll find the rev limiter somewhat often. Not a problem, just something to get used to.
The bike comes in two styles, a "naked" S model (which I have) and the "adventure-styled" X model. You also have your choice of a standard transmission (which I have) or an "automatic" dual clutch transmission.
I've had mine since the model was introduced in 2012 and in 10 years I have not had anything fail on me except needing a new battery about 2 years ago and one leaky fork seal that showed up maybe a year ago (not fixed yet, but I can get a seal kit for $30 or so).

Here's a link to an NC700 Forum if interested: Honda NC700 Forum (nc700-forum.com)
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