07 YZF-R6 Tiring me out!

[Leyton]

Hiya!

Who owns a YZF-R6 and finds by about 250km of twistys they are fricken exhausted with knees that want to expload ?

Or is it just me ? hehe

[NZsarge]

Hiya!

Who owns a YZF-R6 and finds by about 250km of twistys they are fricken exhausted with knees that want to expload ?

Or is it just me ? hehe

It is a pretty extreme sports bike, what did you really expect?

[YellowDog]

Hiya!

Who owns a YZF-R6 and finds by about 250km of twistys they are fricken exhausted with knees that want to expload ?

Or is it just me ? hehe
It sounds like you have been enjoying yourself.

There may be several laws against that :Police:

[klyong82]

I am short and little riding a Fireblade; since my arms are short I find that when I am doing the coro-loops I have to lean or partially lean on every single bend to get the bike to turn into it. Now thats tiring both on my arms, knees and hands....

[Mom]

I have to lean or partially lean on every single bend to get the bike to turn into it.

Dude, I hate to break this to you but, ummmmmm

Leaning is pretty much how a bike corners with a bit of momentum.

I was going to tell him to harden up, but I am far too nice for that :D

Sometimes it is simply about getting fit for the purpose :yes:

[motorbyclist]

Hiya!

Who owns a YZF-R6 and finds by about 250km of twistys they are fricken exhausted with knees that want to expload ?

Or is it just me ? hehe

try some HTFU pills or buy a harley

[Leyton]

It is a pretty extreme sports bike, what did you really expect?

Glad to know its not just me then! hehe

And yeah, I am just going to have to suck it up and get fit for the purpose :(

Going to Piha from Hamilton and back down SH22 today was a mission! Could hardly apply preasure on my pegs for cornering my knees where that sore from taking all the bumps and cornering the bike!

[Leyton]

try some HTFU pills or buy a harley

LOL!!! I will take the pills thanks :) whats the side effects ? hehe

[motorbyclist]

i find it helps to get off every hour and have a 5 minute stretch to get the blood flowing again otherwise by the end of the day i've got cramps and sore legs all week

perhaps your knee armour isn't bending enough or the pants/leather doesn't have enough room?

[rosie631]

So sports bikes ARE as uncomfortable as they look then? Always wondered about that.

[enigma51]

So sports bikes ARE as uncomfortable as they look then? Always wondered about that.

Lika kamu sutra it looks uncomfortable but shit its alot of fun when you get it right.

[nallac]

So sports bikes ARE as uncomfortable as they look then? Always wondered about that.

yes they are,the other down side is they are as fast as they look...

[nallac]

Lika kamu sutra it looks uncomfortable but shits alot of fun when you get it right.

Ok,i'll take your word on that.:innocent:

[Leyton]

Lika kamu sutra it looks uncomfortable but shit its alot of fun when you get it right.

Lol thats quite accurate hehe

[Leyton]

i find it helps to get off every hour and have a 5 minute stretch to get the blood flowing again otherwise by the end of the day i've got cramps and sore legs all week

perhaps your knee armour isn't bending enough or the pants/leather doesn't have enough room?

Yeah we did not have tooo many stops today for a run around. I have wondered about my calve muscle + the leather pants not allowing my knee to freely bend thus giving me sore knee's hummm

nah don't think so. I am on my knee's throughout the whole day taking all the bumps, and on some really shite roads it get's ridden like a motorcross bike, bum raised and go for it! The bike jumps around alot in rough stuff and I end up having to use my legs as shocks..

[CookMySock]

So sports bikes ARE as uncomfortable as they look then? Always wondered about that.Yup, pretty much.

We've got two bikes with clip ons, and one with upright bars, and the upright bike is much easier to get around on, and I find it more fun.

250km is pretty serious continuous stint when you are pushing it though.

Steve

[Sidewinder]

yea my bum normly gets sore from the yamaha yzf arse sex

[Leyton]

Yup, pretty much.

We've got two bikes with clip ons, and one with upright bars, and the upright bike is much easier to get around on, and I find it more fun.



Was not really pushing it aye, at the start of the ride a little yeah but what killed me was Lone Kari loop off Piha road hehe, skinny road, downhill most the way, blind, gritty, mossy. After that 1st/2nd gear roll down the hill I was just wrecked hehe, very sore wrists.

Humm clipons for the R6, I would seriously have to wonder what effect that will have on the safety of the bike on the road altering it that much. It is such a fussy machine ie.. if you do not weight the outside peg in a corner you can basicly kiss your ass highside and it likes atleast a small amount of weight shift on the seat for a slow curve and fully hanging off/knee down for tighter bends. Clipons might turn it into a FZ6 :)

[Pussy]

You're just being a wuss

[Harvd]

Humm clipons for the R6, I would seriously have to wonder what effect that will have on the safety of the bike on the road altering it that much. It is such a fussy machine ie.. if you do not weight the outside peg in a corner you can basicly kiss your ass highside and it likes atleast a small amount of weight shift on the seat for a slow curve and fully hanging off/knee down for tighter bends. Clipons might turn it into a FZ6 :)

i feel some education is required here

"Clip-ons are popular on sport bikes, in which two separate short handles are attached directly to the fork tubes, as opposed to a standard one-piece handlebar attached to the top of the triple tree. " -Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_handlebar#Types_of_handlebar (http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_handlebar#Types_of_handlebar)

[Warr]

More time on that push bike is best exercise for knees and could be that a velcro knee support is required in the short term. Used to get knee issues from dancing .. doing spins used to work them pretty hard too :)

[Leyton]

i feel some education is required here

"Clip-ons are popular on sport bikes, in which two separate short handles are attached directly to the fork tubes, as opposed to a standard one-piece handlebar attached to the top of the triple tree. " -Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_handlebar#Types_of_handlebar (http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_handlebar#Types_of_handlebar)

I know what they are, but the R6 is such a focused bike, I do not think it would go nicely with this type of mod. I will investigate dude :) because if it means my bike feels like a completely different bike afterwards and easy on the road then I might have to look into this a little more seriously :)

Then comes the pack rack.. and the cook streight ferry pass :)

[Leyton]

More time on that push bike is best exercise for knees and could be that a velcro knee support is required in the short term. Used to get knee issues from dancing .. doing spins used to work them pretty hard too :)

Hehe

My left knee has bad allignment issues aswell :) So push biking kinda swells it!! and it hurts the bad one, but yeah.. more excercise will help :) Perhaps my push bike ride from Nawton to Te Rapa was tooOO much!

[Sidewinder]

Hehe

My left knee has bad allignment issues aswell :) So push biking kinda swells it!! and it hurts the bad one, but yeah.. more excercise will help :) Perhaps my push bike ride from Nawton to Te Rapa was tooOO much!

yea all the cartlegde in my right knee and reason why i cant lean off that side

[Odakyu-sen]

I have a 2001 YZF-R6 and it makes an excellent sport tourer.
- Built-in clock and fuel reserve odometer (comes on when you hit reserve)
- Wide, relatively comfy stock seat
- Not too sporty riding position
- Will pull from 70 km/h in 6th (I'm always hunting for 7th gear, it's so torquey)
- Runs on 91 gas, 245 km to reserve in tour mode

I bought some Gen-Mar bar risers from the US for about $110 a couple of years ago. They gave 19 mm of lift. Great for tours longer than a couple of days.

The Ohlins suspension adds a lot to the comfort (go for the softer spring). Will easily do 500 km in a day. No back or knee pain, but will give your thighs a good work-out.

Oh, and my other bike is a '92 900SS, which is why I find the R6 so comfy :shifty:

[Leyton]

I have a 2001 YZF-R6 and it makes an excellent sport tourer.

Oh wow!! A pracical example! :) Have you got any photos ? maybe this is something I am going to have to pursue.

[BMWST?]

Oh wow!! A pracical example! :) Have you got any photos ? maybe this is something I am going to have to pursue.

how long have you had the bike....you may find you will get used to it.Cycling shouldnt hurt the knees,raise the seat and use lower gears...

[Sidewinder]

More time on that push bike is best exercise for knees and could be that a velcro knee support is required in the short term. Used to get knee issues from dancing .. doing spins used to work them pretty hard too :)

yup pysio is always on about pushbiking lol
walkings good aswell. as for running, i feel it the next day.
bugger will i ever get back to the RFL startards again

[Leyton]

how long have you had the bike....you may find you will get used to it.Cycling shouldnt hurt the knees,raise the seat and use lower gears...

Nah its just me unfit body hehe. I have had the bike erm humm 4000km ago now :)

[Sidewinder]

Nah its just me unfit body hehe. I have had the bike erm humm 4000km ago now :)

swats and lunges are also good

[Leyton]

yup pysio is always on about pushbiking lol
walkings good aswell. as for running, i feel it the next day.
bugger will i ever get back to the RFL startards again

I have missed out on two roars because of a crap left knee, and maybe a hunt next weekend at Tarawera, normaly sail across the lake, park up and bush wack.

Bung cartledge sucks!

[Leyton]

swats and lunges are also good

Wribbet, Wribbet :P

[Sidewinder]

Wribbet, Wribbet :P

yea have to make the muscles stronger so the can take more stress off the joint

[Gremlin]

Were you carrying the pillion re your other thread? Carrying them does make riding more physical. Also, you mention the road conditions, possibly you were holding on too tight, too focussed, etc.

Remember, riding a motorbike is way more physical than driving a car, that goes without saying. It also depends how you usually ride (lots of country rides, or just commuting), and this relates to riding fitness.

End of last summer, a 1000km day trip to Reinga and back, or something like that wasn't a sweat. Roll on winter, busy at work, bike in shop for a couple of months getting work done. Do a full coromandel loop in an afternoon shortly after having the bike back, only 550km ish, with fuel stops only.

Get home, after half an hour or so, I'm falling asleep, knackered etc, completely un-used to distances (ffs, now I have to build it up again). I ride daily for work, doing 15,000km ish a year, and its nowhere near enough for being fit for long country rides etc.

Its a good thing to be aware of, make sure you take breaks if you aren't used to long distances etc.

[Maki]

Hiya!

Who owns a YZF-R6 and finds by about 250km of twistys they are fricken exhausted with knees that want to expload ?

Or is it just me ? hehe

It's supposed to tire you out, it's a track focused machine. Regarding the knees, you may be too tall for the bike, you may need to lose a little weight or you may need some stints on a pushbike.

[wbks]

Was not really pushing it aye, at the start of the ride a little yeah but what killed me was Lone Kari loop off Piha road hehe, skinny road, downhill most the way, blind, gritty, mossy. After that 1st/2nd gear roll down the hill I was just wrecked hehe, very sore wrists.

Humm clipons for the R6, I would seriously have to wonder what effect that will have on the safety of the bike on the road altering it that much. It is such a fussy machine ie.. if you do not weight the outside peg in a corner you can basicly kiss your ass highside and it likes atleast a small amount of weight shift on the seat for a slow curve and fully hanging off/knee down for tighter bends. Sounds just a tad dramatic...

[Odakyu-sen]

I think fitness and regular riding has a lot to do with it.

If I was 30 kg overweight and with bad knees, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my bike nearly so much. Since I wore glasses at school and couldn't play rugby, I have good knees and no back pain, so I can continue to enjoy pain-free biking in my late forties ;-)

I've being biking since 16. (My R6 has 84,000 km on it, and I bought it from new back in December 2001.) Riding every week really keeps you in tune with the bike.

[wbks]

What does weight have to do with knees while riding? I mean, so long as you're not 120kg+ I can't really imagine your knees buckling from leaning off a little

[Odakyu-sen]

Oh wow!! A pracical example! :) Have you got any photos ? maybe this is something I am going to have to pursue.

Let's see....

This was taken at Tolaga Bay a few months ago. I didn't fit the bar risers as we were only out for two nights. The screen is a Visual Pastics one (made in Hamilton). The best $150 I ever spent for touring comfort. It raises the wind blast by 15 cm further up my chest and makes all the difference.

[Leyton]

Let's see....

This was taken at Tolaga Bay a few months ago. I didn't fit the bar risers as we were only out for two nights. The screen is a Visual Pastics one (made in Hamilton). The best $150 I ever spent for touring comfort. It raises the wind blast by 15 cm further up my chest and makes all the difference.

Ahhh IC, You have the older R6, I think they are a little kinder on the road then the new wizbang track bikes from 05 onwards

[Cajun]

Ahhh IC, You have the older R6, I think they are a little kinder on the road then the new wizbang track bikes from 05 onwards

you can still get bar rises for your gen r6, that will move body position up a bit and might make you a bit more comfortable.

[James Deuce]

Helibars.

Or the local version

http://rapidartnz.com/catagories.htm#highrise

They won't change how the bike works in any way.

You need to put the bike on a race stand, sit on it, and then hold yourself in a normal riding position without putting any weight on the bars.

The bits that are now hurting are the bits you need to work on. It will most likely be abs, quads, and erector spinae that you need to strengthen.

If I were you I'd sell it and buy something more comfortable. Riding is supposed to be fun.

I had an 04 R6 and because of damage to my Longissimus thoracis muscles when I broke my back I couldn't ride the bike in town. Felt like someone had stabbed me in the back after 20 minutes of motorway at legal speeds. 140 kph would fix the issue but for some reason you attract a bit of attention at that speed.

[Leyton]

Sounds just a tad dramatic...

its how it is :(

[Leyton]

Helibars.

Or the local version

http://rapidartnz.com/catagories.htm#highrise

They won't change how the bike works in any way.



Cheers :) I am going to look into the pricing etc.., I will first have my bike setup on the track for me, if I am still not happy. Selling is not really an option just yet, but the high risers look like they could change things.

I do really like the bike, it is flaming quick but you have to pay for it. And yeah, I think I might look into a gym membership hehe

[motorbyclist]

The bike jumps around alot in rough stuff and I end up having to use my legs as shocks..

now i know it's a sprotbike and all but perhaps you need to look at your rear preload/rebound settings - give robert taylor a PM


Was not really pushing it aye, at the start of the ride a little yeah but what killed me was Lone Kari loop off Piha road hehe, skinny road, downhill most the way, blind, gritty, mossy. After that 1st/2nd gear roll down the hill I was just wrecked hehe, very sore wrists.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHNAHAaaaa *wheeze*

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHa

Dude, props for taking your r6 down that rally stage, but you have seriously overtooled for that sort of riding

an NC30/35 would clean you up in there simply because they're built for it - your r6 is not, - a motard would really be perfect - and your r6 is going to be much easier and more expensive to crash especially when you get to the gravel driveway wash across the corners at the western end.

many an r6 rider has complained to me (upon catching up) that those roads (including the main piha road) are too tight - we just tell them their bike is too big

though the nc30 is even more compact than the r6, we don't have all the finnicky handling issues you're speaking of - the power is less than half, but the r6 has more tit than traction anyway and still cant make the same speed in the tight corners - and getting risers on your bars would defeat the purpose of having the r6 and shift your weight a bit backwards; not ideal for your type of riding




So, maybe you should consider an investment in a motard, or hit roads that the r6 is designed for.... and get a radar detector.

I have a 2003 r6 for sale :blip: fuel injected and a fair bit more roomy

[Leyton]

LOL @ motorbyclist

After all the experienced reviews I have gotten from people over the last 24hrs, including chatting to Greg at Waikato Yamuma. It is not a sports bike, it is a track bike! And its fairly much either find better roads.. or find a track and it will blitz other sports bikes that are more orientated for the road hehe

Horse's for courses being the consensus vote.

Oh on Piha road I managed to slip out by about a foot, nearly lost the front going in almost a straight line over a tar strip!, must have had diesel on it as well. That road is ARSE!, Scenic drive is no better :P Got the back out a bit going over some grit.. was not even trying.. . Hehe our Waikato roads are much better!

[PirateJafa]

After all the experienced reviews I have gotten from people over the last 24hrs, including chatting to Greg at Waikato Yamuma. It is not a sports bike, it is a track bike! And its fairly much either find better roads.. or find a track and it will blitz other sports bikes that are more orientated for the road hehe

Oh on Piha road I managed to slip out by about a foot, nearly lost the front going in almost a straight line over a tar strip!, must have had diesel on it as well. That road is ARSE!, Scenic drive is no better :P Got the back out a bit going over some grit.. was not even trying.. . Hehe our Waikato roads are much better!

Nah, it's just a sports bike that is more "orientated" for straight lines.

Me'n Motorbyclist will stick to the twisty stuff like Piha, and you can take your leviathan on SH1, where it's at home. :Pokey:

[Odakyu-sen]

Ahhh IC, You have the older R6, I think they are a little kinder on the road then the new wizbang track bikes from 05 onwards

Yep. The older ones have a seat height that is about 2 cm lower than the 2007 (a real "head down, bum up" riding position).

Back in 2001, I read reports about how "radical" the R6, but with hindsight it has been a really good tourer. (Probably not really suitable for 2-up, though). Sure, it lacks the fat mid-range of any over-900cc bike and you need to drop down to 3rd for overtaking on hilly roads, but it handles like a fly and its lightness means you can throw it around on roads like SH67 from Westport to Karamea while the heavy-tourer boys are going "shit, shit, f&@$#*k!" on the decreasing-radius corners in the wet.

[Leyton]

Nah, it's just a sports bike that is more "orientated" for straight lines.

Are you comparing my R6 to a harley, How dear you!<_< lol

[Leyton]

Yep. The older ones have a seat height that is about 2 cm lower than the 2007 (a real "head down, bum up" riding position).


I was close to getting a 2002 R6 :), And yeah sounds like the bike to have over the 05+ models for the road.

[Odakyu-sen]

I was close to getting a 2002 R6 :), And yeah sounds like the bike to have over the 05+ models for the road.

The 2001 (1st one with the LED taillight) runs a 120/60 front tire, but I have found it steers better with a 120/70 (there's still about 5 mm clearance between the tire and the front mudguard). I compensated for the taller front tire by lengthening the rear (aftermarket Ohlins) shock by about 3 mm. It made all the difference in the world.
The 120/60 tire would make the bike feel like it was going to fall over on its side in the hairpins, but the 120/70 gives a much nicer "neutral" feel. I run a Metzler M3 sport (2.2 bar) on the front, and a Metzler Z6 sport-touring (2.7 bar) on the rear. There's no cupping of the tires, so I know I'm not under-inflating them (although I wouldn't want to run them any lower). The combination of sport on the front and sport-touring on the rear means that both the front and rear wear out after the same distance (10,000 km) and I can replace them as a set. I'm on my third set.

The original suspension on the 2001 model is crap, and the bike needs a steering dampener really badly. I had the front forks revalved, fitted an Ohlins rear (with a 7.0 Nmm spring) and an Ohlins steering dampener. Engine and exhaust are stock.

I personally prefer the styling of the '01-'03 models with their "flowing" lines. IMHO the '07 model is over-styled, so it will date really quickly. It looks like something out of "Transformers" and has too many sharp edges.

[James Deuce]

I was close to getting a 2002 R6 :), And yeah sounds like the bike to have over the 05+ models for the road.

06+. The 05 was the 03/04 model with upside down forks and a 120/70x17 front tyre.

[James Deuce]

I personally prefer the styling of the '01-'03 models with their "flowing" lines. IMHO the '07 model is over-styled, so it will date really quickly. It looks like something out of "Transformers" and has too many sharp edges.

It's a sportsbike. It's outdated the moment the next model comes along.

[Odakyu-sen]

It's a sportsbike. It's outdated the moment the next model comes along.

<_< Yeah, you're right -- but some styles look better for longer than others. The Ducati 916 has some beautiful lines, even after all these years.