Test riding in Auckland

[discotex]

Gotta give the boys at Mt Eden MC a shout. One the best in my experience, really understood that customers don't need to be hassled when doing the "next bike trials". Give 'em space, give 'em time and the customer will make the right decision.

Oh yeah forgot about them. Nice and close to work too

Spoilt for choice really. Really hope I can narrow down to a couple of bikes by the weekend so I can think about a purchase before I have to give obstacle his Hornet back.

[Renegade]

man i went to motorad in welly and said "i want to trade in the hyo, pretty keen on that er6f, can i test ride it", they said, "sure but only around the basin and back (10km) cos we dont have demos of them and we want to sell it as a new bike"

i thought fair enough, but i aint gunna buy something i cant try and then fall in love with.

its funny i had great service from TSS when i bought my first bike yet whenever ive been back or to any other shop in welly the service has been crap, some havnt even said hello.

Best service was the honda dealer in tauranga, totally nice people, even let my lil girl sit on a peewee 50, almost felt like a family buzz, made me want to buy from him on the spot.

[discotex]

Bring on lunchtime tomorrow when I try to find me an R6, 636 or gixxer 600 to take for a spin. Think I'm going to have to raid Holeshot tomorrow then Haldanes on the weekend

Just a quick(ish) update...

Friday lunchtime popped up to Holeshot to check out the gixxers. Had my rubber arm bent into taking the 600 and 750 back to back.

Was really interesting to compare the two side by side. The 750 really is the better bike I think. 99% the same handling wise but the power difference is more than 150cc would lead you to believe.

Was very impressed with ergonomics of both. I think I'd drop the rearsets for commuting and raise them for the track though.

One thing I found really unnerving was the amount of vibrations coming up through the handlbars. After finishing both test rides my palms were tingling.. Not sure I could endure that for hours at a time. Amazing stopping power. Best so far I think.


Today I dropped into Red Baron to check out the R6 and ZX-6 side by side.

First up was the ZX-6. Boy was I surprised to find the reviews are spot on. Low and mid RPM torque sucks (want to try a 636 to compare now). It's still a plenty quick bike but it doesn't get up and boogie as much. Has eaten all the pies hasn't it... Way wide at the tank and feeds vibes up through the seat in the same way the gixxer does with the handlebars (good for girls I guess).

I found the seat uncomfortable but loved the telepathic handling. With my riding style it feels like it corners better than the gixxer.


Then onto the R6. Almost shat myself with the difference in low end. Opened her up in 2nd getting on the motorway and was shocked by the difference. Felt almost the same as the GSX-R750!

Handling was equally telepathic although only when moving on the bike. The ZX-6 seems more forgiving of bad riding style.

What surprised me was the comfort. The riding position was similar to the ZX-6 but the seat was way better. No vibes in the hands or wrists. Everything just feels more classy and of all the bikes made me want to go faster. While down a bit on power to the gixxer 750 the R6 so much more streetable than the ZX-6. The gixxer 750 is in as a close second but for those damn vibrations...


So now I just got to find a CBR to take for a spin and maybe a 636. Triumph 675 should probably make it to the list too.


Holy shit buying a bike is fun Funny how the budget grows to meet the fun factor eh.....

[owner]

My 2c Yamies and Hondas have the best build quality
Definetly try the cbr

[owner]

Have you been to haldanes yet?
Ive been there 3 times and no one has spoken to me I guess I dont look like I could afford a new 1098
Interested to here how you go

[RantyDave]

Triumph 675 should probably make it to the list too.

If you're in to low end torque, you should totally ride the 675.

Dave

[discotex]

Have you been to haldanes yet?
Ive been there 3 times and no one has spoken to me I guess I dont look like I could afford a new 1098
Interested to here how you go

Yep went to Haldanes to take a gixxer for another spin but neither of theirs were demo. Same with the SV's.

Bit of a waste of a trip but they were helpful.

If you're in to low end torque, you should totally ride the 675.

Dave

Didn't quite make it to AMPS in the end. Ahh well.. Maybe next bike


So took the day off work yesterday to try get this nailed once and for all.

First up the 08 CBR600RR demo at Cyclespot.

The ergonomics are 95% perfect for me. As good as the R6. The pegs are a bit cramped (I'm 6') but nothing major. No wrist issues at all. Plenty of room to move around. Nice narrow tank like the R6.

My seat of the pants evaluation found it's got the brakes of the ZX-6, the handling of the R6, the comfort of the GSX-R plus the best power delivery of them all.


Next up is an '05 Z750 at Mt Eden

Was lamenting the lack of much to ride at Mt Eden other than the 636 and Obstacle suggests I should take a naked out just to be sure.

Well if I was buying more than one bike something like this would be in my garage. So much fun to ride around under 100km/h. Basically it's the perfect commuting bike.


Last for the day is an '06 636

What a fun bike. Would be better in the '07 ZX-6 chassis though. The '07 handles better and has far better brakes but the '06 motor is just soooo nice. Very similar power delivery to the 07/08 CBR actually. Maybe a little more down low.

Only problem is the ergonomics. By the time I got 5km down the motorway I knew I couldn't buy this bike. The angle of the clipons just doesn't work with my wrists. The tank is just too wide for my thighs. Still after doing riverhead/coatsville I was starting to get bummed I just could get used to it. It's a bike that loves high speed sweeping corners.

So that's the following bikes tested since this time last week:
'05 SV1000S
'07 GSX-R600
'07 GSX-R750
'07 ZX-6R
'07 YZF-R6
'08 CBR600RR
'05 Z750
'06 ZX-6R (636)

So what wins? The CBR in the end.

If I was on a very tight budget the SV was a heap of bike for $12,500 with Yoshi's. If my body fitted the 636 that'd be a contender for the best $$ value for fun.

If I was on a slightly less tight budget I'd be extremely happy with the GSX-R600. The vibrations drove me nuts but if they can be sorted with weighted bar ends it's a super all rounder. A 2nd hand '06 could edge out the 636 for value for fun too.

The '07 ZX-6R is out. Too much money for not enough bike when you stack it up next to the R6 and CBR.

So it's down to the CBR and R6. If I was buying on looks it'd be the R6 for sure. But I'm buying on performance. They're so damn close but the CBR has all of the good of the R6 with better brakes and mid range power.

A pure track tool the R6 might win out with it's higher peak HP but it's clutch is a bitch on the street and the power isn't as usable under 100km/h. It was going to win until I got offered a CBR for the same price.

[HungusMaximist]

So far I'm impressed with how much bike you get for the money with the SV and I was on a K5 model not the K7 with Yoshi deal that Colemans have put together.

Bring on lunchtime tomorrow when I try to find me an R6, 636 or gixxer 600 to take for a spin. Think I'm going to have to raid Holeshot tomorrow then Haldanes on the weekend

It's a great bike, and everything seems so much slower when you have 1000cc of twin power under ya.

And the thing about getting around town, it should be O.K but time will tell and it all depends on how much you ride in town.If it's a quick/long blat to work in one direction and back then it should be fine.

Trust me, not getting the SV over 3-4 thousand revs is not FUN.

[HungusMaximist]

So that's the following bikes tested since this time last week:
'05 SV1000S
'07 GSX-R600
'07 GSX-R750
'07 ZX-6R
'07 YZF-R6
'08 CBR600RR
'05 Z750
'06 ZX-6R (636)

Man, good on yah bro, I have a lot of respect for people who test ride bikes relentlessly to make sure you get the right one. Anyway, it's also balls of FUN!

Hope to see you soon with your new ride!

[owner]

honda wins
AGAIN

[Jinx3d]

Reckon they are good?

I am looking at RSVR to replace the TL, couldnt get anyone to talk to me. Wasnt until I was walking out the shop that I get a few minutes, he says, I'll grab some brochures for you and disappears, I wait around a bit, then see him blagging to someone else.

Fuck that. Went down to look at the new buell instead.

[discotex]

Reckon they are good?

I am looking at RSVR to replace the TL, couldnt get anyone to talk to me. Wasnt until I was walking out the shop that I get a few minutes, he says, I'll grab some brochures for you and disappears, I wait around a bit, then see him blagging to someone else.

Fuck that. Went down to look at the new buell instead.

Actually yeah they are a bit like that but Selby is cool. He talked me into taking the 636 up riverhead-coatsville and back when I'd have been happy on a shorter ride.

Most dealers I've found they don't approach you. I used to think it was them being slack but I also think it's partly a guy thing. I hate being hassled by shop staff so it's kinda refreshing to be able to hang out in a bike dealer without them hassling you for a sale.

[obstacle]

Reckon they are good?

I am looking at RSVR to replace the TL, couldnt get anyone to talk to me. Wasnt until I was walking out the shop that I get a few minutes, he says, I'll grab some brochures for you and disappears, I wait around a bit, then see him blagging to someone else.

Fuck that. Went down to look at the new buell instead.

Hijacking DT's thread, I've been with him most times he's been to Mt Eden and they're all a bit standoffish but there's one guy that's always helpful - maori guy perhaps? - and he's great. Always keen for you to take a bike out to test.

But I know where you're coming from, they're pretty hard to even get them to say hi. But then, they do get a shit load of people just coming to look at bikes because they're there, close to town and good for browsing at lunch time.

Ultimately I say don't write them off, they hae a great range of bikes new and used and it would be silly to shop for a bike without dropping in to see them, unless you know they don't have the bike you want.

[YellowDog]

I think you have the right idea there. You need to know how it handles around bends. How easy it is to ride slowly and manouver. Then finally, blasting up the motorway. Comfort is also a big issue on long rides and may be 15-20k isn't enough to establish how comfortable it will be.

With nay bike I have considered, I have found the Kiwibiker write ups to be a very good starting point.

[owner]

nay bikes or new bikes?