Looking for an economical, 600cc-and-under bike

[Icemaestro]

Hmm..So I'll be looking for a new bike when I get back after (hopefully) getting my full, I really miss the fuel economy of my old cbx250rs...but liked having a little more power...

I like sport and middle riding position bikes, I like the front fairings for motorway travel (I use the motorway every day to get to work), but my main focus is on fuel economy. Recommendations? looking at another cbx250rs, gb400 +-mkII, Also love the look of the kawasaki ER6n/f but don't want to pay the extra rego $$ for the added 50cc!

Any suggestions/recommendations?

[blackdog]

gsf600s bandit
http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Gallery%20%20A/Suzuki%20GSF%20600S%20Bandit%2000%20%201.jpg

or, gs500f (great value for money, twin so economical)
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Tourers/auction-276474571.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-276636302.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-273179985.htm plus 3 or 4 others on tardme
wont find anything later model/lower mileage than something like these for the money

[Maha]

Economical?

Aren't all bikes more economical than any other mode of powered transport?

[avgas]

How much coin you got to spend buddy? I recommend the GB400 from past experience. but if you have the money I am sure you could get something newer.

[phoenixgtr]

Buy my ZX-6R!! Ad here. (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/119299-1999-Kawasaki-ZX-6R)

I know what you're thinking..."that can't be economical". But since I got my CBR I've realised just how economical it is. I've gotten 340kms out of a tank and up to 22km/l. Can't sneeze at that. It's got a very relaxed and comfortable seating position for a sports bike (I've done 2,000km trips on it) and it looks and sounds awesome.

It's a pity you're at the other end of the country.

[blackdog]

Economical?

Aren't all bikes more economical than any other mode of powered transport?

nope. i get worse gas mileage on the bandit than i do in my corona. prob something to do with the style of operation tho ;)

[Oakie]

I average 18.5km/l out of my Bandit. Have hit 20 ... have also hit 15 but that was touring two up and loaded up on the West Coast.

[Ender EnZed]

Economical?

Aren't all bikes more economical than any other mode of powerful transport?

FIxed it for you.

My VFR uses more than any normalish 20 year old car under about 1.6L.

[ukusa]

Also love the look of the kawasaki ER6n/f but don't want to pay the extra rego $$ for the added 50cc!

yep, I fear the new ACC levies will kill off (or certainly harm new sales of) bikes like the ER6 range & the Triumph 675 range etc in NZ. Why buy a 650 or 675 & get lumped with a higher rego when a 600cc sportbike will be cheaper and do the same job? My guess is it will also be influetial on 2nd hand sales a bit as well.

[CookMySock]

Itsa pity they alienated all the mid-range 650 vtwins, they are ideal fuel-misers. Mine does about 300km on 14L.

Steve

[Icemaestro]

I had a cbr250rr and the fuel economy wasn't hugely good (17km/L compared with my 15km/L toyota corona), even when I rode like a nana :-) (to put it in perspective I once got 340km to 10L on my cbx!). I like the sound of that gs500.. one of the ads says 70mpg? which is pretty close to 30km/L, can anyone verify this? Does anyone know what kind of economy the gb400 gets? I just assume its good since its a single cylinder :-)

[Icemaestro]

Itsa pity they alienated all the mid-range 650 vtwins,

Yeah definately, I love the look of the er6n/f...the tail looks amazing! and the triumph street triple *drools*...

[blackdog]

I like the sound of that gsf.. one of the ads says 70mpg? which is pretty close to 30km/L, -)

do you mean the gsf600(bandit 4cyl) or the gs500f(twin)? its all about how you ride it. ur weight will make a difference, as will city/highway riding

suzuki reckon
bandit 600.......20km/litre
gs500f.............24km/litre

[slofox]

Itsa pity they alienated all the mid-range 650 vtwins, they are ideal fuel-misers. Mine does about 300km on 14L.

Steve

Wot 'e said. I get 350 - 370 km from a 17l tankful. Without running out either...

[Ender EnZed]

Itsa pity they alienated all the mid-range 650 vtwins, they are ideal fuel-misers.

And quite apart from any fuel usage point of view it's still retarded as (as far as I'm aware) there is not a single 650cc motorcycle on the market in NZ that is anywhere near as quick as the 600cc supersports. The CBR600RR, ZX6R, R6 or GSXR600 will all pay less ACC than a GT650(R), SV(F)650, ER6, F650, DR650, KLR650 or GSF650 while making far more power. If a line must be drawn somewhere it is utterly illogical to draw it at 600cc rather than 550cc or 650cc and shows just how out of touch the lawmakers are with the reality of motorcycling.

[Icemaestro]

do you mean the gsf600(bandit 4cyl) or the gs500f(twin)? its all about how you ride it. ur weight will make a difference, as will city/highway riding

suzuki reckon
bandit 600.......20km/litre
gs500f.............24km/litre

Thanks, i was meaning the gs500 :-) I'm 64kg, I don't throttle it tooo much...well, not when commuting (motorway + streets every day), which is what the majority of it's km's will be.

Anyone know the fuel figures for the gb400?

[blackdog]

Thanks, i was meaning the gs500 :-) I'm 64kg, I don't throttle it tooo much...well, not when commuting (motorway + streets every day), which is what the majority of it's km's will be.

Anyone know the fuel figures for the gb400?

at 64kg you might get dam close to that 30 km/litre mark

a gb400 certainly wont be any cheaper on gas, and older bike=increased maintenance costs. unless u REALLY have to have the look of the gb, its a no brainer for me

[Thani-B]

Also love the look of the kawasaki ER6n/f but don't want to pay the extra rego $$ for the added 50cc!


That's something I thought about, and then decided "nah screw it" and got the bike I wanted anyway. With my commuting lately I've been getting 25km/L. Normally I'll get around 21-23km/L on it. And it's a lovely bike to ride.

[Silage]

Does anyone know what kind of economy the gb400 gets?

I sold my GB400 last year with 80,000k+ and it was getting around 70mpg and did for all the time I had it (20yrs). In the last few years most of that was around town.

[Icemaestro]

Yeah, my mate has the er6n, ridden it a few times, it's nice :-) don't really have that kind of cash though, not keen to spend over about 4500 or so...hence why the gb seems so attractive, plus my first bike was a honda single :-D but I will definately check out the gs500! I didn't overly enjoy the forward riding position on the cbr when I was commuting on it, so not terribly keen on the cbr's despite their looks and speed

[SMOKEU]

Economical?

Aren't all bikes more economical than any other mode of powered transport?

Not if you buy an economical diesel car and wind back the odometer on that so you don't pay RUCs.

[ukusa]

And quite apart from any fuel usage point of view it's still retarded as (as far as I'm aware) there is not a single 650cc motorcycle on the market in NZ that is anywhere near as quick as the 600cc supersports. The CBR600RR, ZX6R, R6 or GSXR600 will all pay less ACC than a GT650(R), SV(F)650, ER6, F650, DR650, KLR650 or GSF650 while making far more power. If a line must be drawn somewhere it is utterly illogical to draw it at 600cc rather than 550cc or 650cc and shows just how out of touch the lawmakers are with the reality of motorcycling.

Damn right. And those 600cc supersports will also cream my 1600cc cruiser!

btw, 1 up on the highway I can get 20km/litre from by Thunderbird. Bloody economical for a 1600.

[The Pastor]

Forget the fuel ecomoy, get the gb400 (or if u can the gb500, or a bored out one to 600) simply amazing bieks!

[vifferman]

Forget the fuel ecomoy, get the gb400 (or if u can the gb500, or a bored out one to 600) simply amazing bieks!
Really?
I test-rode one before I bought my VF500, back in 1994.
Was I amazed? No, not at all.

[blackdog]

Really?
I test-rode one before I bought my VF500, back in 1994.
Was I amazed? No, not at all.

imo, they are great looking retros. more likely to spend a lot of the time in the shed and the shop now'days instead of on the rd commuting. keeping 20+ year old bikes going can be a labour of love.....

[Urano]

uhm...
are so much more taxes on 650 than on 600?
what's this "acc" you are talkin about? i've googled it and it seems to me something like a mandatory insurance... is it so penalising?

consider also that a twin is cheaper to mantain than a four: less oil, less sparks, less mech time to pay...
with my er6f i can confirm Thani-B averages: 20-25 km/l, and not "sleeping" on it :D
more than that, a 4 that is less than 600 has maybe more "power" as sheet data, but remember WHERE this power is: it's a boring way of driving, unless you are always on a track.
the new diversion has a 4 600cc, and it's pretty good at low rpm (that means that from 5000 is fair four a 4 and from 7000 becomes alive), but the er6 start pushing at 3000 and goes up to 10.000...

[Quasievil]

Now for something completely different. Why not great commuters and a awesome road touring machine, not to mention a good trackday weapon
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=271380336

[ckai]

Now for something completely different. Why not great commuters and a awesome road touring machine, not to mention a good trackday weapon
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=271380336

not getting out on it as much as you wanted ah? Stop spending so much time with the missus then ;)

[The Pastor]

Now for something completely different. Why not great commuters and a awesome road touring machine, not to mention a good trackday weapon
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=271380336

was it raced?

[Quasievil]

was it raced?

Not this one, I raced a ktm525smr

[Quasievil]

not getting out on it as much as you wanted ah? Stop spending so much time with the missus then ;)

Yeah I go out on it, but not in groups thats all