Love of big bikes vs handling of smaller?

[rocketman1]

I note that NZ'rs seems to have preference for 1000cc + bikes compared to Europe where 600cc seems to be preferred.
There is no doubt that smaller bikes handle better than larger, yet where do all NZ bikers prefer to ride on the twisty winding roads. This is where the smaller bikes with narrower tyres rule, my 750 beats the 1000 through this type of road, and is more enjoyable to ride in these situations.
I image if I had a CBR600 or a GSXR600 it would be faster again.
Just wondering if many KBrs have gone from 1000+ to 600's, for this and other reasons?

I know what bike I would rather ride around the coro loop.

[beyond]

I just absolutely love riding the GSX1400 on twisty roads and the twistier the better. The Coro loop is my favourite playground for the 14. It thrives on it and so do I :)

[Pussy]

I went from a K6 GSX-R1000 to a K6 sem fiddy.... best of both worlds

[Headbanger]

I love riding my HD through the twisties, I hunt them out on every ride.

Don't give a damn what speed others getting through them at.

[boomer]

The 990 kills the thous and the 600's.. it's a sports bike killer..before its had breakfast

[Hitcher]

If you're having fun and riding within your limits, it shouldn't matter what bike you're riding. So what if the guys on the sports thous are on their second coffee by the time you arrive at the next scheduled stop? You've had the longer ride, and that's what's more important.

[boomer]

If you're having fun and riding within your limits, it shouldn't matter what bike you're riding. So what if the guys on the sports thous are on their second coffee by the time you arrive at the next scheduled stop? You've had the longer ride, and that's what's more important.

typical hog rider :bleh:

[AllanB]

I note that NZ'rs seems to have preference for 1000cc + bikes compared to Europe where 600cc seems to be preferred.

I've had a few biker shops express their frustration with the Kiwi attitude of 'if it's not 1000cc is not a real bike'.

A lot of it comes to pricing too - if the litre bike is only another 1-1.5 k over the 650-750 the majority get the bigger one.

Plus we do not have any discrimination regarding cc with rego or insurances as they do overseas.

Would I be 'quicker' on a 600cc Hornet riding to Akaroa than my 900? Possibly but the leather on my gear shifting boot will last a lot longer on the 900 :clap:

[Subike]

I just love the lazy tourque of my 1100.
Ridden a few smaller bikes, yes easy as to toss around,
yes quicker in the hills ,
yes to all the performance things,
but my 1100 will pull in top gear from 30kph to 230kph
And the sound.......
well 1100 cc IL4 at 7000+rpm out of a Harris megaphone!!
Totally Illegal!

[NighthawkNZ]

Plus we do not have any discrimination regarding cc with rego or insurances as they do overseas.

Correct on Rego but debatable insurance ... depends on your insurance company i guess... it would have been cheaper for me on insurance was I to buy the 900 I use also looking at when I got the Firestorm.

I ask why and they said it was because it was a 1000cc when I ask what was the cover for the 900 there was a good difference, yet we know they can both do the same damage

[short-circuit]

I note that NZ'rs seems to have preference for 1000cc + bikes compared to Europe where 600cc seems to be preferred.
There is no doubt that smaller bikes handle better than larger, yet where do all NZ bikers prefer to ride on the twisty winding roads. This is where the smaller bikes with narrower tyres rule, my 750 beats the 1000 through this type of road, and is more enjoyable to ride in these situations.
I image if I had a CBR600 or a GSXR600 it would be faster again.
Just wondering if many KBrs have gone from 1000+ to 600's, for this and other reasons?

I know what bike I would rather ride around the coro loop.


Yep yep yep

[DarkLord]

I've found the thou sports bikes to be a bit ridiculous on the road. Awesome nonetheless but it feels as if there is a lot of power that's just unusable. I reckon a 600 would give you all the grunt you need as well as a bit less weight, plus hopefully a little less cash hungry (tyres, petrol etc).

[MIXONE]

I think it is part of the "mine's bigger then yours" attitude of many kiwi males.
The fact that they don't know how to use the extra cubes is totally irrevalent.

[hayd3n]

600 plenty of power to enjoy 1 up 2 up no drama for my old girl

[YellowDog]

My view is that the bigger bikes provide a more relaxing and enjoyable ride (which is what I like).

600+ V-twins are great however need a bit more work to ride.

It's easier to ride a big bike slowly. It is also easier to zip from 120Kph to 200Kph down a long straight.

I moved from a 650cc to a 1050cc and have no regrets at all.

Whatever floats you boat.....................:)

[rocketman1]

What I forgot to mention but is very important to the equation is when riding on the 1000 you can be following a car through the twisties and see a small gap to pass, turn the throttle and your safely passed in an instant, no matter what gear you are in. You do not have to change gear, or get the motor up to speed to get the power to pass. On the smaller bike if you are not all revved to go it can take a change down a cog or two to really get going. On the 1000 V twin there is none of that, turn and go, and go you do...lots of wheel standing fun and I guess "lazy fun" if you like.

[wysper]

Don't give a damn what speed others getting through them at.

+1 Thats it in a nutshell really, and so eloquently put.

[boman]

I rode a loaner Kwaki Z750. Alot of fun, Quick turn in, very chuckable. But you had to work it to pass other road users, I found, unlike the Sv thou, where you just aimed and put the power on and it was done.

[DEATH_INC.]

Even tho I just bought a thou, I'd have just as happily got a 600. They're actually more fun I reckon, they scream their nuts off and ya can chuck 'em around much easier. In fact, I reckon my mrs older '00 R6 handles better than my '05 ZX10....
The only reason I got the 10 was it was a good deal, cheaper than most of the same year 600's...

[doc]

when riding on the 1000 you can be following a car through the twisties and see a small gap to pass, turn the throttle and your safely passed. On the smaller bike if you are not all revved to go it can take a change down a cog or two to really get going.

It's the same with the 883 compared to the 1200 sporty. Its all about torque.

[BMWST?]

also,until fairly recently most big bikes wera actually larger bikes...so if you are well over six feet tall you dont feel like a pumpkin on a pimple

[v8s&2wheels]

I had an 01 zx6r and have just come upto a k7 gsxr1000. Dry weight my 'thou' is actually 1kg lighter than the 600. I find it easier to chuck the 1000 around than the 600. Advances in technology may have something to do with it. But if they were the same year i would expect you cant really get a 600cc or bigger bike to weigh less than 172kgs dry.

For some people its just knowing you have all that power just sitting there. Thats a good feeling. I could use all the power on the 600, but with the 1000 its awesome just knowing how much more powers there if you want it.

[Big Dave]

It's mainly financial. 600s are significantly cheaper to put on the road in yoorup.

[AD345]

yeah those little wee 1000cc bikes always seem like they would lack a bit of power and torque.

[Timber020]

The "big" bikes for so little more money are less work to ride, require less hard clutching to get moving (and less gearchanges in general) and your puting less strain on the engine in general. And at higher cruising speed the bigger ones use less gas.

I used to ride an rg50 and rgv250 to work alot and my flatmates heard complaints by neighbours about how fast I rode. Got a GSXR750, required less gearchanges to get to the end of my street (But going MUCH faster) and they thought I was riding slower!
Smaller bikes sound like they are going faster than bigger ones. Bad if your approaching a cop "guessing" your speed.

[dipshit]

This is where the smaller bikes with narrower tyres rule, my 750 beats the 1000 through this type of road, and is more enjoyable to ride in these situations.
I image if I had a CBR600 or a GSXR600 it would be faster again.


It doesn't need to be about what is faster. On the road, who cares..?

But what is more fun and rewarding to ride! In fact a bike that gives its kicks at slower speeds is probably a better street bike in some ways.

[Hitcher]

A few months ago I gave up 550cc and 43 brake. Am I missing that? No. Am I having loads of shits and giggles? Absolutely.

[greenman]

I too gave up 50 odd bhp and haven't missed it at all.
Besides, it's way more fun to use 100% of 80bhp than 25% of 160bhp.
You just have to rationalise your requirements a bit better. How many 1000's get used to their full potential, I would guess oh.... about none. It's just a lot of willie waving.

[dipshit]

.. on the 1000 you can be following a car through the twisties and see a small gap to pass, turn the throttle and your safely passed in an instant, no matter what gear you are in. You do not have to change gear, or get the motor up to speed to get the power to pass.

I actually got bored with my SV1000 for this reason. There just wasn't that much challenge to it and i found myself constantly passing other traffic. Twist and go, twist and go... ho hum ho hum. :yawn:

Traded in on a K8 GSXR 600. Was a bit worried that the 600 was going to feel gutless. However i was very surprised how well it sings along! Overtaking does require a bit more planning and/or room, but i feel the challenge has added to the fun/adventure factor of a ride.

It's a bit like a feeling of quality over quantity going to a nice handling 600.

[EJK]

I never rode a big bike nor a fast bike :(

[Pussy]

I actually got bored with my SV1000 for this reason. There just wasn't that much challenge to it and i found myself constantly passing other traffic. Twist and go, twist and go... ho hum ho hum. :yawn:

Traded in on a K8 GSXR 600. Was a bit worried that the 600 was going to feel gutless. However i was very surprised how well it sings along! Overtaking does require a bit more planning and/or room, but i feel the challenge has added to the fun/adventure factor of a ride.

It's a bit like a feeling of quality over quantity going to a nice handling 600.

... and it's not as though Suzuki gearboxes aren't very nice to use, too!

I am far happier on my 750 compared to my previous 1000

[Squid]

see thats why I ride a sem fiddy. (try to) Use all of its power on the strights and on track. Not to mention the sound of the thing at full noise.... Mmmmm..... :drool:
and yeah the neighbors dont mind much at all :msn-wink:

[crash harry]

I really enjoyed riding a 600 in the UK (couldn't insure anything bigger), and when I came home I went to get another one just like it - and only eneded up testriding 1000cc + bikes. Partly to do with what's around when you're looking, but there's something in the brain that goes "ooh - shiny!" when I see something with real grunt. Managed to stop myself buying a ZX12 as a commuting vehicle, but only just...

[MaxCannon]

My 10 year old 600 has never had a problem keeping up with much newer and more powerful bikes on the road.
At the track it's a different story but modern supersports are within a couple of seconds with the thousands.

A friend with a 1000cc superbike collects points on his license all too frequently.

I don't know what my next bike will be but I do hope I don't have any roadside talks with the plod about it.

[mynameis]

I love riding my scooter up and down my driveway :love:

[Winston001]

My view is that the bigger bikes provide a more relaxing and enjoyable ride.

It's easier to ride a big bike slowly. It is also easier to zip from 120Kph to 200Kph down a long straight

Whatever floats you boat.....................:)


What I forgot to mention but is very important to the equation is when riding on the 1000 you can be following a car through the twisties and see a small gap to pass, turn the throttle and you're safely past in an instant....

The roads in Western Europe play a part too. They are much better than NZ, provide passing lanes and margins, gentle gradients, and generally have features which make riding a 600 easy. Or instead they link towns and villages and anything big is impracticable.

NZ roads are rough, we have lots of blind and reduced-speed corners, passing lanes are never where you need them, and hills are steep. The result is the average motorist on a trip spends an appreciable amount of time patiently following lorries, campervans, etc at slow speeds waiting to pass.

On a motorcycle we are able to react and deal with restrictions which slow down cars. That is something I particularly enjoy. Yes, a 600cc bike can do this. And yes, a 1000cc can do it better IMHO. :msn-wink:

So I agree with Yellowdog and Rocketman. Relaxed riding. Torque. Having ridden a underpowered bike for many years it's a positive relief to pass when I want to and not lose speed on hills.

[MaxB]

One reason why you might want to ride a ZX6 in the UK instead of a ZX10 is my mate who pays approx $2.5k per year on insurance premiums. The ZX6 is less than half that. To be fair now he has a years no claims and has moved out of the city his premium is expected to drop, but it is a lot of $$$.

Back on topic, once you take your ego out of it you can make a decision based on your actual type of riding. If you are a weekend racer wannabe there is a lot of fun to be had on a race rep 600. Or an SV650 for that matter.

I used to ride a race rep and it was great but now I tend to ride longer distances between stops so for me high speed comfort becomes more important than racetrack handling. The ability to overtake quickly and safely is important to me. Sometimes I have a pillion, so 2 up handling becomes a factor too.

So for mine I need a physically big bike and mostly they happen to have large engines. A lot of people buy Busas and big Ninjas so I guess I'm not alone in my thinking.

[ducatilover]

I have a loud, slow 250. I have no neighbors, I have lots of good roads. I have far to much fun within a reasonable speed. I can throw it around like crazy, it will pull just over 170 on the flat last time I tried, it passes people fine, I love to keep it revving anyway. No power, no torque, lots of revs and a sexual noise = most fun I have ever had. I think my tricked little spada is more fun than my bros650. Safer too :bleh:

[JayRacer37]

I would have a thousand by choice. Speed is exiting. The ability to have speed quickly is satisfying. And when you nail a thousand, it's much more thrilling. After racing a 600 for a few years, it's all a bit ho-hum without 160RWHP. Thats what it takes to get me going, and that's what I want out of a bike. Hoping to trade up to a nice mental thou (04 ZX-10R) soonish. :)

Oh - also, on a 600 on the road I find myself going faster, as you have to thrash it to get it moving, and that turns into a bit of a frenzy when you know where you are going on a road.

[WuZards-Eugene]

BIG IS GOOD

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[Bren]

BIG IS GOOD

Thats what my wife said, man was she dissapointed:Pokey:

[WuZards-Eugene]

Don't you hate it when she rubs it, and ya pass out, its soo dam frustrating :lol:

[Bren]

Don't you hate it when she rubs it, and ya pass out, its soo dam frustrating :lol:

Passing out through sheer embarrisment?

[Subike]

I too gave up 50 odd bhp and haven't missed it at all.
Besides, it's way more fun to use 100% of 80bhp than 25% of 160bhp.
You just have to rationalise your requirements a bit better. How many 1000's get used to their full potential, I would guess oh.... about none. It's just a lot of willie waving.

My 30 year old 1100, with only 86BHP at the rear wheel , quite often sings the 9000rpm song.
It depends upon where you live.
If you knew the roads around my home, the traffic volume, the condition of said roads, you would be there as well.
You only have to visit the reigon once and the inland road to Kaikora, the Leader road and the Scargill valley road all become etched in your memory as places you can, if you dare, stretch your legs.
this is an area where the 1000cc+ machines leave the smaller ones far behind.
This is my back yard, and its a 2hr ride around my block from my front gate back to my front gate. Anything smaller than a 1000cc would be boaring

[Big Dave]

Get it right. BIG DAVE IS GOOD.

[pritch]

You only have to visit the reigon once and the inland road to Kaikora,

I rode that once, I prefered the coast road. I'd only use that inland road if I was on the way to Hanmer Springs and the West Coast. (Hopefully next summer?)

[Big Dave]

I rode that once, I prefered the coast road. I'd only use that inland road if I was on the way to Hanmer Springs and the West Coast. (Hopefully next summer?)

It's great road.

Disagree about the 1000cc thing though. It would be great fun on a motard too. In fact if it's in the same condition as when I went through on the Boulevard Rally a few months ago - a large motard would be about the optimum bike for it.

[Mr Merde]

I note that NZ'rs seems to have preference for 1000cc + bikes compared to Europe where 600cc seems to be preferred.
There is no doubt that smaller bikes handle better than larger, yet where do all NZ bikers prefer to ride on the twisty winding roads. This is where the smaller bikes with narrower tyres rule, my 750 beats the 1000 through this type of road, and is more enjoyable to ride in these situations.
I image if I had a CBR600 or a GSXR600 it would be faster again.
Just wondering if many KBrs have gone from 1000+ to 600's, for this and other reasons?

I know what bike I would rather ride around the coro loop.

Small dick, big bike.

I ride a 1200

[mister.koz]

Horses for riders really, i had a track'd 600 and now have a mostly stock 1000

The 1000 is a couple of years newer and i can throw it around better than the 600 either because of all the handling improvements or maybe it just feels better for me.

On the 600 i had to push myself a bit to ride quickly (not light speed) but on the 1000 i just ride, its got allot more than i need and more than i could ever use but the parallel benefits aren't quite as measurable as BHP, weight distribution, fuel economy or any of the other paper comparisons.

Surprisingly enough since i got the 1000 i care a whole lot less about everyone else's bike, speed and what they think of my wheels, i am not on the road for anyone but me.

It all comes down to what you get out of riding, not what the dude next to you thinks of your cylinder size - :whocares:

[Goblin]

Small dick, big bike.

I ride a 1200Ah ha! So that's why harley riders love those big blocks so much. :shit:

Then there's the other end of the spectrum where guys ride little wee 125s cos they have huge dicks...and act like them. :mellow:

I ride a 900 so must be average. :innocent:

[Winston001]

I rode that once, I prefered the coast road. I'd only use that Kaikoura inland road if I was on the way to Hanmer Springs and the West Coast.

The inland route is good but you need to know it. I've been over it a few times and found it unnerving - very tight, shaded corners, plus grit on some corners. Still, with practise it would be fun.

My mate on his 650 Vstrom left me way behind on this road.




Surprisingly enough since i got the 1000 i care a whole lot less about everyone else's bike, speed and what they think of my wheels, i am not on the road for anyone but me.


Interesting observation - that's my feeling too.

[pritch]

The inland route is good but you need to know it.

I thought the guys who put the recommended speed signs on that road had a sense of humour. Or a nasty streak?

There you are making good progress and suddenly a real tight bend. Just as you recover from that, another. The third one is the first one with a warning sign.

[Okey Dokey]

I love my 750 and it is a great ride for me. Feels really good on the roads i ride- mostly highway. I've never wanted anything bigger, but different strokes for different folks.

I really like the whole history of the Suzuki 750 and the continuity of the development of this cc over the years. That is part of the appeal, too.

[Big Dave]

>>Horses for riders really<<

Darren says to me 'We'll get you out on the new GSXR600 at Hampton Downs.'

'Do you have one for the other buttock?' I enquired.

[rocketman1]

I love my 750 and it is a great ride for me. Feels really good on the roads i ride- mostly highway. I've never wanted anything bigger, but different strokes for different folks.

I really like the whole history of the Suzuki 750 and the continuity of the development of this cc over the years. That is part of the appeal, too.

Hey got to agree, just reading a Superbike Mag, which reckons apart from the Honda90 Cub, which is really a scooter that the 86 GSXR 750 was the BEST bike ever, I dont doubt what you say, Suzuki have said they will ALWAYS make a 750 because they have heritage and history. Hey the 86 is not the best bike ever but for its time it was the bike that changed everything.
lightweight, ali frame, full fairing, graphics, handled etc etc. actually the 85 model started it, the 86 model was just more sorted...and improved from there.