Modern sportsbikes are crap

[slowpoke]

Okey dokey, I've just had a week home from work and I finally got to drape a leg over my "new" K7 GSXR1000SE....you know, the black 'n ginger thing with the extra carbon doo dads that look good but do bugger all.

The previous owner had kindly fucked orf most of what is very nearly the ugliest OEM exhaust system known to man (undisputed king of that contest has to be the Buell 1125R), replacing the cat 'n cans with some of Pop's finest hardware in the form of a single carbon can and link pipe. A PC111 and TRE tidy things up on the fuel and ignition fronts.

Doesn't sound half bad eh?

Only it's crap.

Why? I'll tell ya why:

1) Because it handles damn near intuitively. You'd best be concentrating on the road pal, 'cos the merest glance at that tidy MILF climbing outta her Porsche Cayenne has the bike following your subconcious and going over to say "How you doin?".

2) Luckily the brakes are perfectly modulated with the same two fingers you used to salute that dodgy lane changing mouthbreather drivin' from the back seat of his scooby.

3) And that engine, since when did Suzuki start making turbines? It's amazingly vibe free and feels totally unstressed, even at the kinda revs only dogs can hear. Ok, so I'm a lil' outta the loop coming from a 9 year old modified R1, but a 13750rpm redline on a thou' is….is…er, it's just LOTS, ok?! The old R1 had a bit more mid-range and made a genuine 160rwhp, but even with balanced and lightened internals it felt crude in comparison, and would be well shaded for top end by the gixxer which just revs for Africa without being heard across whole provinces. What hp the R1 would peak at, the gixxer would make over a fair rev range.

4) Compared to the "Satan with his balls caught on a barbed wire fence" howl when you got up my dear departed R1, the OEM headers/Yoshi setup is more civilised, and combined with the standard double bubble screen you just relax in a pocket of relative tranquility as you replicate the Millenium Falcon's jump into hyper space. Even allowing for the 1 tooth smaller front sprocket, looking down and seeing 2_ _kph when you expect to see 1_ _kph is a tad disconcerting.

I could go on but you get the picture, it's just a supremely capable machine with huge reserves of performance. The thing looks good, won't upset the neighbours starting up at 6am, handles with remarkable agility and goes like shit off a shovel….it's even comfortable for fucks sake.

And therein lies the problem: forget speeding tickets, you'll be standing next to the judge as he/she feeds your license into a shredder and warns of playing mummies and daddies in the Big House if you want to have any fun at all on public roads. Not to mention if something were to go awry whilst "having fun" at those speeds you've got 2 shows of walking anywhere, let alone home. I'm no Hillman Hunter driver, with "baby on board" and "Jesus loves YOU" stickers on the back window advocating an 80kph speed limit, it's just that riding this thing at anything remotely close to legal speeds has all the excitement of a Chrissy kiss from gran.

And that's why modern sportsbikes are crap.

I've already got an F1 race bike so this jigger is never gonna see the track, which means I've effectively ensured I'm either bored even more stupid than normal (yes, it is possible) or I'm waiting for a tap on the shoulder everytime I wheel it back into the shed. I mean, a bloke just shouldn't be thinkin' 'bout doing a ride by his own house to check the driveway after a Sunday ride, should he?

Maybe I'm just missing the intensity of track riding (thanks to work I missed Round 3) but if you've got a similar late model big bore honducasukiyamawaki (they're all within poofteenths of each other performance-wise) on the road and don't ever let it loose on the track, you've got broken biscuits for brains and/or spend too much time at the latte lounge looking for reflective surfaces in which to admire yourself. It's like having Phar Lap keeping down the grass on the front lawn and never letting the big fella out to stretch his legs.

Anyone wanna buy a K7 GSXR1000SE?



Oh yeah, I don't really care what you do with your honducasukiyamawaki 1600RR, if you're enjoying it good luck to ya.

[CookMySock]

And that's why modern sportsbikes are crap.I nearly bought one, but I kept my bumpy 650 vtwin because I think it's more fun.

Sure, it would great blasting around on a modern superbike, but, er, you can't really.. can you.. I want to enjoy my ride every day.

Steve

[98tls]

Nice read,thing is i guess that many who buy em couldnt give a rats about how quick they are nor the fact that the ability of the bike is way higher than there ability,its about looking like a knob.:laugh:

[Usarka]

Fun factor is directly proportional to amount of time spent at full throttle.

[slowpoke]

Nice read,thing is i guess that many who buy em couldnt give a rats about how quick they are nor the fact that the ability of the bike is way higher than there ability,its about looking like a knob.:laugh:

Did someone say "look like a knob?" Now there's something I'm good at....


Fun factor is directly proportional to amount of time spent at full throttle.

I dunno mate, there's a bit of a balance there somwhere. Opening the throttle and waiting is just as boring as waiting to open the throttle.

[MSTRS]

Anyone wanna buy a K7 GSXR1000SE?


Give ya a shiny new dollar and relieve ya of that blancmange 'zuk....
Nice write up. I is jealous.

[Gremlin]

Yeup, great read, and yes, I've done the whole in-front-of-a-judge thing, and it was about the same time that I realised the law was >here< and I was over there > .. < in both that point in time, and worse, my view of "normal" was what got me in front of the judge in the first place :blink:

Bike's gone, replaced by a hornet and supermoto... naked, and I very seldom speed, barely feel the desire. Taken a few months of internal screaming to re-adjust, but its worth it!

[Big Dave]

Told you that 4 years ago. Track day enthusiasts are excused - otherwise modern sportsbikes sit at the bottom of my 'desirable for NZ road use' list.

Some beautiful things though.

[sinfull]

Awww you articulate bugger you !!! Really enjoyed reading that mate, even had a chuckle at places (which is no fun at the mo)
My opinion (which is worth didly but it's what i've seriously been considering, so here it is)
Buy a cruiser, Harley, Triumph, kwaka, honda, suzuki, whatever ! But you have your race bike, the need for speed is taken care of nicely !
You need something you and yr lady can jump on and do some sceenic stuff, nice sunny arvo ride, can still beat the traffic and Some of them are more fun to ride at lower speeds !!!

[boomer]

you're too old to appreciate speed...! nice write up.

You forget to mention that once around town, put the thing in 6th and ride the torque.. a twist of the wrist in 6th and you still have more get up and go than a 6 undie.


1st gear wheelies is what i liked most about mine, and the Growler which wasn't neighbour friendly. I wish i still had it.

[crazyhorse]

That's why I like the older GSXR.............. they're great :done:

[R1madness]

good post mate. Its almost the truth too. I left my GSXR in the garage and took a buell cyclone for a ride on sunday. What great fun carving up all the real sports bikes over the hills from kaikoria to Christchurch. The buell maxes out at 205km but it is awsome thru the tight twistys. Ownable? You bet. Sell the gsxr to buy it? hmmmmm.....? prob not.

[oldrider]

Okey dokey, I've just had a week home from work and I finally got to drape a leg over my "new" K7 GSXR1000SE....

Oh yeah, I don't really care what you do with your honducasukiyamawaki 1600RR, if you're enjoying it good luck to ya.

Put a set of knobblies on it and start a whole new sports/venture group! :shifty:

[YellowDog]

I think the GSXR is a remarkable bike and in my opinion makes you (me) feel like a better rider than you (I) actually are (am).

I too was surpised by the speedo readings, particularly tucking in around corners.

Buy a cruiser: Problem solved.

[Big Dave]

Part of it how much Oscar Wilde it is too.
'I can resist anything but temptation.'

100 ponies gets me out of Denver, hauls the old girl, and promotes no inner wrestling matches.

I don't actually know what class A drugs are like, but 200 horsepower sounds like like a good simile.

[Boob Johnson]

:laugh: fantastic write up :niceone:

[one fast tl1ooo]

I will stick with me old tl1ooo, just 4 the sound

[v8s&2wheels]

Okey dokey, I've just had a week home from work and I finally got to drape a leg over my "new" K7 GSXR1000SE....
Oh yeah, I don't really care what you do with your honducasukiyamawaki 1600RR, if you're enjoying it good luck to ya.

I had a 01 zx6r with 112hp, that was fast. Now ive got a k7 SE the same as you and it makes me smile a shitload more than the more than capable 600.

But good write up.

One question, does your bike show temp in farenheit or celsius?

[crazyhorse]

You either like them or you don't - kinda the same with harleys ........ :Punk:

[SlowHand]

I felt that with a mere K6 750...

Snore-fest unless you leave sensibility and license at home

[nsrpaul]

this is why nsr250s are the greatest bike in the world

[cowpoos]

I nearly bought one, but I kept my bumpy 650 vtwin because I think it's more fun.

Sure, it would great blasting around on a modern superbike, but, er, you can't really.. can you.. I want to enjoy my ride every day.

Steve
nah...its cos your a shit usless rider and your full of shit!! behonest now ya fuckin homo!!

[cowpoos]

had

Kicking yourself buying the CBR thou now eh!! [you want me to say it??? hmmm do ya!!....what was Brons advice???]

[cowpatz]

I tried to own a sportsbike again after a string of adventure bikes...... Didn't even last a year. Bored me silly and seriously limited where I could go on it. Sold it and replaced it with a road legal 525. Now I can really go places!

Yeah but it cant do either well. Either get a road bike or a dirt bike, preferably both. I hate compromise.

[boomer]

nah...its cos your a shit usless rider and your full of shit!! behonest now ya fuckin homo!!


never a truer word spoken... kept ya 650 hyobag over a gixxer thou cos the hyobag is more fun.. fukin wake up call ya coont.

[slowpoke]

Told you that 4 years ago. Track day enthusiasts are excused - otherwise modern sportsbikes sit at the bottom of my 'desirable for NZ road use' list.

Some beautiful things though.

Yes....and no. They are desirable and definitely hold a certain allure, but are also an exercise in frustration. It's like being offerred someone's porn collection but having no place to bat off. You still wanna check out the celluloid lovelies but if you are smart you'll turn it down and reduce the frustration....and chances of being caught in a compromising position.


Awww you articulate bugger you !!! Really enjoyed reading that mate, even had a chuckle at places (which is no fun at the mo)
My opinion (which is worth didly but it's what i've seriously been considering, so here it is)
Buy a cruiser, Harley, Triumph, kwaka, honda, suzuki, whatever ! But you have your race bike, the need for speed is taken care of nicely !
You need something you and yr lady can jump on and do some sceenic stuff, nice sunny arvo ride, can still beat the traffic and Some of them are more fun to ride at lower speeds !!!

Yup, Tony said the same thing.......how'd you fullah's get so smart? It's the bourbon isn't it? (Note to self: stop and buy a bottle of "smarts" at bottle shop on way home.....)


you're too old to appreciate speed...! nice write up.

You forget to mention that once around town, put the thing in 6th and ride the torque.. a twist of the wrist in 6th and you still have more get up and go than a 6 undie.


1st gear wheelies is what i liked most about mine, and the Growler which wasn't neighbour friendly. I wish i still had it.

Nah, I still love speed, which is the problem. Well, more to the point I love the sensation of speed, but this thing (like all the late model stuff) is just too effortless to give anything back to you unless you go stupid. I'm still plenty capable of being stupid but I'm not keen on the inevitable consequences.

My old R1 was a better "set and forget" option for leaving it in top gear, but I know what you mean: torque rules.


That's why I like the older GSXR.............. they're great :done:

My good lady had one of them a few years back, they don't quite tickle my fancy in the looks department but what a magnificent engine, the damn thing could nearly tow a small country.


Put a set of knobblies on it and start a whole new sports/venture group! :shifty:

I'm thinking of ripping off the fairings, bolting on a set of renthal bars and doing some motard racing....bring on the street races!


I had a 01 zx6r with 112hp, that was fast. Now ive got a k7 SE the same as you and it makes me smile a shitload more than the more than capable 600.

But good write up.

One question, does your bike show temp in farenheit or celsius?

Fahrenheit


You either like them or you don't - kinda the same with harleys ........ :Punk:

Oh no, I still love 'em, but I'm not sure I want to live with 'em. It's kinda like having a fling with Kate Moss or Lindsay Lohan: it's gonna be great fun pushing the "how much can I party" envelope but sooner or later it's gonna end in a train wreck.


Kicking yourself buying the CBR thou now eh!! [you want me to say it??? hmmm do ya!!....what was Brons advice???]

Hahaha, kick a poof when he's down, why dontcha?! Nah, the CBR is still fuggin' good fun.

Bron's advice? Er, you talkin' about the actual bike or which of my orifices she said I should park it in?

[peasea]

Okey dokey, I've just had a week home from work and I finally got to drape a leg over my "new" K7 GSXR1000SE....you know, the black 'n ginger thing with the extra carbon doo dads that look good but do bugger all.

The previous owner had kindly fucked orf most of what is very nearly the ugliest OEM exhaust system known to man (undisputed king of that contest has to be the Buell 1125R), replacing the cat 'n cans with some of Pop's finest hardware in the form of a single carbon can and link pipe. A PC111 and TRE tidy things up on the fuel and ignition fronts.

Doesn't sound half bad eh?

Only it's crap.

Why? I'll tell ya why:

1) Because it handles damn near intuitively. You'd best be concentrating on the road pal, 'cos the merest glance at that tidy MILF climbing outta her Porsche Cayenne has the bike following your subconcious and going over to say "How you doin?".

2) Luckily the brakes are perfectly modulated with the same two fingers you used to salute that dodgy lane changing mouthbreather drivin' from the back seat of his scooby.

3) And that engine, since when did Suzuki start making turbines? It's amazingly vibe free and feels totally unstressed, even at the kinda revs only dogs can hear. Ok, so I'm a lil' outta the loop coming from a 9 year old modified R1, but a 13750rpm redline on a thou' is….is…er, it's just LOTS, ok?! The old R1 had a bit more mid-range and made a genuine 160rwhp, but even with balanced and lightened internals it felt crude in comparison, and would be well shaded for top end by the gixxer which just revs for Africa without being heard across whole provinces. What hp the R1 would peak at, the gixxer would make over a fair rev range.

4) Compared to the "Satan with his balls caught on a barbed wire fence" howl when you got up my dear departed R1, the OEM headers/Yoshi setup is more civilised, and combined with the standard double bubble screen you just relax in a pocket of relative tranquility as you replicate the Millenium Falcon's jump into hyper space. Even allowing for the 1 tooth smaller front sprocket, looking down and seeing 2_ _kph when you expect to see 1_ _kph is a tad disconcerting.

I could go on but you get the picture, it's just a supremely capable machine with huge reserves of performance. The thing looks good, won't upset the neighbours starting up at 6am, handles with remarkable agility and goes like shit off a shovel….it's even comfortable for fucks sake.

And therein lies the problem: forget speeding tickets, you'll be standing next to the judge as he/she feeds your license into a shredder and warns of playing mummies and daddies in the Big House if you want to have any fun at all on public roads. Not to mention if something were to go awry whilst "having fun" at those speeds you've got 2 shows of walking anywhere, let alone home. I'm no Hillman Hunter driver, with "baby on board" and "Jesus loves YOU" stickers on the back window advocating an 80kph speed limit, it's just that riding this thing at anything remotely close to legal speeds has all the excitement of a Chrissy kiss from gran.

And that's why modern sportsbikes are crap.

I've already got an F1 race bike so this jigger is never gonna see the track, which means I've effectively ensured I'm either bored even more stupid than normal (yes, it is possible) or I'm waiting for a tap on the shoulder everytime I wheel it back into the shed. I mean, a bloke just shouldn't be thinkin' 'bout doing a ride by his own house to check the driveway after a Sunday ride, should he?

Maybe I'm just missing the intensity of track riding (thanks to work I missed Round 3) but if you've got a similar late model big bore honducasukiyamawaki (they're all within poofteenths of each other performance-wise) on the road and don't ever let it loose on the track, you've got broken biscuits for brains and/or spend too much time at the latte lounge looking for reflective surfaces in which to admire yourself. It's like having Phar Lap keeping down the grass on the front lawn and never letting the big fella out to stretch his legs.

Anyone wanna buy a K7 GSXR1000SE?



Oh yeah, I don't really care what you do with your honducasukiyamawaki 1600RR, if you're enjoying it good luck to ya.

All I can read is;

Blah, blah, blah, blah, bleh, bleh, bleh, bleh, blah, blah, blah, SPORTSBIKES ARE CRAP blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, bleh, bleh, bleh, bleh, blah, blah, blah.

...followed by; "good luck to ya".

Can't argue with that.

[Bardman]

You either like them or you don't - kinda the same with harleys ........ :Punk:

What he said:2thumbsup

[Sparky Bills]

All I hear is WAAAAAAAAA! I bought a shitty Spew-Zuki... :stupid:

Trade it in on a Duc mate. That will give you some excitment. :done:

[slowpoke]

All I hear is WAAAAAAAAA! I bought a shitty Spew-Zuki... :stupid:

Trade it in on a Duc mate. That will give you some excitment. :done:

Funny you should mention that.........a 998 or 999 Duc was my first thought, along with doin' some BEARS racing, but my missus and budget said otherwise. I made a few enquiries but just couldn't pull something together within my budget. Aprilia's seem bloody good value and I nearly went that way but then I saw this thing.....D'OH!

Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Ducati etc doesn't matter I reckon, if it's new-ish then it's just gonna be boring at close to legal road speeds 'cos they're all pretty fuggin' amazing bikes.

That's not say I'd turn down a test ride or two......1198 or 1198S....decisions, decisions......