Recommended next bike

[crash harry]

I agree with clint640 - don't get too fixated on 600s. I spent some time riding a FZR400 while I was still riding my 250 (which incedentally will be up for sale in about a month's time when I've passed my test...) They can friggin go for their size! The EXUP valve helps them pull from lower revs too which makes them feel like a bigger engine. And the thing with the FZR400 as opposed to a lot of the other 400s is that they are like a full size bike, not scaled down.

Having said all that, I didn't ride it THAT much, and I went from a 250 to a ZX9 (and I haven't actually passed my test yet...) so I can't really talk about restraint now can I?

[madboy]

I had an 90 FZR400 too to learn on, nice bike, good condition, went fairly well for a 400. The step up to the 636 was like night and day. Not entirely sure how you're going to manage buying a fast bike and not speeding, that's something that's a little foreign to me. Each to their own though I guess...

If you want to be a poser and buy a sportsbike then ride it slowly, buy an SV or TL - they sound really cool. Can't beat a twin for noise. At least you'll be going slow enough for people to appreciate the noise too

If the RG150 is all you're used to, I'd love to watch you when you crack open the throttle on a modern 600... one of two things will happen - brown trousers, or your attitude to speed will suddenly change.

Good luck with whatever you get, no doubt we'll meet on a ride sometime.

[jimdaworm]

Somthing else, someone told me that 400s were only imports there were no newzealand new ones and that I would get bored of it after a while... I dont want to have to keep changing my bike toooo often :spudflip:

So who has a CBR 600 I can borrow... for a test drive to open her up??

I guess I do want to be a poser but also I would like somthing thats nice to ride and that corners well.

I like cornering... I have been over the Rumatakas a few times now and I am sure I get more cautious each time... could this be?? Especially with all the stories I hear about people comming off up there

[sels1]

Hi,
The bikes you mentioned are all of the sports tourer category. Have you thought about any of the other styles?

I would recommend you have a look at a mid-sized dual purpose bike (650ccish)
For your first post-learner bike you should not make too big a jump.
I've had an F650 for about 5 years (100,000km's) and found it just about the easiest bike ever to ride, especially on NZ's bumpy roads.

Found it perfect for commuting (easy access over wellingtons footpaths)
Trips up the takas (The wide bars make the twisties a breeze)
Touring no worries (3* 1000milers, 1* southern cross and heaps of weeks / weekends camping)
Gravel roads (with a pair of TKC 80's there is a whole new world out there)
Off road (a bit heavy but will get you to the end of red rocks)

Performance it will leave most cars, and the top speed is fast enough to wave bye bye to your licence.
Handling, it will probably out handle you for a number of years.

I have one of these bikes and endorse everthing said above. There are more of these types of bikes coming on the market now and apparently they are becoming quite the fashion thing in Europe (see UK import thread). Suggest you test ride a couple before discounting them.

[jimdaworm]

I will add that to my list of bikes to ride

[XP@]

I have one of these bikes and endorse everthing said above. There are more of these types of bikes coming on the market now and apparently they are becoming quite the fashion thing in Europe (see UK import thread). Suggest you test ride a couple before discounting them.

Thanks for the endorsement!

I forgot to mention before how well they fall over. A silly cow knocked me and my son off yesterday on the way to school. She decided that she had room to pass on my left and whacked my bars outa my hand with her wing mirror / door pillar. We were only doing 1-2 kph. I picked up the bike a couple of scratches to the engine bars, that was it. Her car was minus a wing mirror, a dent in the door pillar and a scrape / dent down the door. So far, my total this year is Bike 4 busses 0 cars 0 :-)