Slightly older sports bikes

[MSTRS:Me]

Hi,

The time has come to upgrade ... an R1 or GSXR 1000 ...
Words of wisdom welcome

(I have ridden various liter+ bikes, so I don't need the "buy a smaller bike first" lecture thanks )

Been thinking about this, no lecture, but I'm asking myself why you want to jump from a light, albeit quite responsive 2 smoker, to a high-HP rocket? What sort of riding do you do that would necessitate this sort of jump?

[javawocky]

First: madbikeboy Thanks for the great insite - sounds like the kind of person I want bike hunting with..

madbikeboy: Well, now, take a seat, get a cup of coffee and I will tell you a tail...

When pops had enough cash to pay for the deposit on an MX bike, we went off racing. I remember my first ride on the Suzuki RM80 like it was yesterday. It still had some Methanol in the tank before we converted it to petrol (80's fuel shortage in South Africa). Wish I had a picture of my face the first time it hit powerband and I held on for dear life - blown away.

Raced for a few years till the family ran into hard finances and the bike (KX125 then) was sold. Had a Kawasaki AE50 for a few months during high school which eventually blew a big end.

Fast forward many years to me living in NZ and literally dreaming of my MX days. So I decided to get my bike license when a got a little money together for a bike.

As a kid I always wanted an RG50. The full faring the race bread performance - ahh, but it was way too expensive, so when looking around for a learner bike saw the RG150 and was sold.

Still got it today and love riding it. Excellent handling nimble as, and enough power to be fun - and its a 2-smoker

Few months after I started riding a work mate let me take his Bandit 1200 loan bike for a test ride. Woah, torque torque torque. Like on my first MX bike I was blown away - I could hardly hold on to the bars it pulled so hard. After the ride I said to the guy - "You bugger! You have now ruened me for smaller bikes!"

Leter I test road a ZXR900 which wasn't as torquey but still was a rocket - a bit of a pain in the turning circle though.

Another work mate gave me a ride on his zzr1100 which he was selling. What a wonderful ride that was. Smooth - ultra powerful and was the fast colour red. Wish I had the cash then to buy it...

More recently I tested a k7 GSXR600 - I am not tall but I immidiatly felt uncomfortable as my head protruded too far forward. The bike felt too short. I took the bike out on the motorway and started to soften to it. It handled extreamly well, felt like it was stuck to the road and was more than fast enough, but it lacks that rocket effect that liter bikes have availible at the slightest rist twist in any gear.

My concultion on the 600 front was - seriously good ride, would be spectacular for the track, but the high reving would annoy on longer rides.

Later that day I took a K4 GSXR1000 for a test. As soon as I sat on the bike I though - now that's more like it! The bars well spaced and I felt like I had a bit of room. Took the bike out - stalled it at the first set of lights and felt like an idiot - Turned onto the motorway on ramp which had two lanes - right lane had about 4 cars on it, left lane was seamed clear. Gently twisted on the gas flying past two cars then saw the rest of the lane was open so pushed it a little more (plenty of room I promise :P ) and entered the motorway shouting "Woo hooo!" in my helmet.

Reluctantly gave the bike back to the dealer with a big smile on my face.

Right, back to the question at hand - I haven't completly rulled out the 600 sports bike category yet, I might still be tempted. I am sure I will also be happy as with one as well, but having riden a 1000 its hard to go back.

The insaine part is that 98% of the time I will be riding it to work and back which is a 7km ride through North Shore traffic - unless I get up earlier. The 600 would be more than fine for this, but I like the option of just twisting my right hand just a little to get past, and when I do go for the weekend ride I want to be able to crues without feeling the bike working too hard.

That's my story and I am sticking to it

[madbikeboy]

Okay, some thoughts.

If you're using the bike to commute, even part time, I'd suggest the 600. Now, for the same year, the cockpit of a GSXR6/750/1000 is pretty similar, as the years go by, they get smaller, with less fairing etc. Now, the reason I'd suggest the 600 is that you'll get 8,000k's out of a rear tire. I get anywhere between 800-1800 k's per rear. Or a trackday. I have had a worst of 400 with a Pirelli Diablo that ended up delaminating. The fuel consumption of the 1000 is about that of thirsty elephant.

The 600 is easier to point in traffic, it turns better in the wet, and the insurance is going to be significantly cheaper (seriously, try getting insurance for a thou with years of perfect ownership, and it's expensive). You'll also enjoy the bike more for rides, and for trackdays.

Honestly, it's a big jump from a ZZR11, big bandit, or whatever to a GSXR1000/R1/Blade?ZX10R. The difference isn't in the HP, it's in how much less time you have to do the absolute correct thing when shit happens or when the torque turns from grip to squirm.

The 600 is 40% of the running costs, 110% of the fun, 900% of the learning experience - all for about 95% of the performance.

Let me put this in perspective, I've been riding a week or two, I own three large displacement bikes, I've owned all sorts of stuff. I've got a k5 GSXR600 for track days/racing - it's easier to ride on the limit, and I enjoy it more. The thou is less fun. Try riding one in the wet, on shagged tires (which you will unless you can afford a new one every 8 weeks). The California SuperBike School use 600's. The lap record at the Nurburgring is 7.17, held by a GSXR600. That's about 10 seconds faster than a thou...

So, look for a k4/5 600 or 750, still a bit larger physically - and they're cheap as cheaps, so you'll get a good one for your money.


Edit: My thou gives me a rush that I can't find anywhere else. But you know what, I'm parking it up more and more lately, and I'm digging my CBX out instead. I know I've pushed my luck too far.

[javawocky]

madbikeboy you are starting to bring some sanity

[MSTRS:Me]

madbikeboy you are starting to bring some sanity

Good. On another note, if it's performance coupled with torque you are after, why not a 750. With about 140hp available, waaaay more torque than a 600, but without the mad, tyre-eating craziness of a thou...a 750 is the perfect 'compromise'. Well set-up and ridden smoothly, they are a lovely weapon and not too hard on the wallet. I'm not a maniac or complete nana, but I just got 18,000kms!!! from a set of PilotRoad2s.

[vgcspares]

just a small point but 40,000kms is only 25,000 miles in real money

UK dispatcher Andy Utting's 1992 Trident did 250,000 miles with no major engine work (just discs, pads, tires, chains etc) AND REGULAR OIL CHANGES

[MSTRS:Me]

just a small point but 40,000kms is only 25,000 miles in real money

Mileage total is often irrelevant...I'd always look more favourably at a high-mileage compared to low mileage (depending on age of course). 6 or 7 kms twice a day will kill an engine quicker than 500kms every w/e. If you can be sure that is how the miles were added, of course.

[vgcspares]

funnily enough bikes with 500kms done on sunny Sundays don't tend to last as long given the owners' more limited riding skills ... but I suppose that's not the bike's fault eh ?

[BMWST?]

its not about the power,its the torque....
th thou has 80 ft lbs at 9500 rpm(2005 model)
the 750 ONLY has 55 at 12000(2006 model)

which one is gonna be the instant hit at ANY revs,,,,

[MSTRS:Me]

Geez...don't encourage him...we were just starting to make headway too

[javawocky]

torque torque Muahahah!

No seriously I am going to test some other 600's and perhaps 750's if they are in the price range.

The cost of tyres is kind of cooling more of the 1000's for the moment.

The other factor I failed to mention however is that I will occasionally be putting the wife on the back. A 1000 will be happier than a 600 and so will the wife if its a bigger older model - saw the recent post about pillion's on sports bikes.

[nallac]

The cost of tyres is kind of cooling more of the 1000's for the moment.
all depends on how you ride and what tyres.
for me its the economy thats a killer

The other factor I failed to mention however is that I will occasionally be putting the wife on the back. A 1000 will be happier than a 600 and so will the wife if its a bigger older model - saw the recent post about pillion's on sports bikes.
even the older bikes such as my 99R1 aren't really that pillon friendly(says the wifey)

[caseye]

I'd been away from riding for 15 yrs, I came back about 18 months ago, I bought an old (1981) XV jam jar.
Shes the bees knees, lazy on the throttle but pulls all day.Takes a load and doesn't grumble, is used for going to and from work most days and weekend jaunts almost every chance.
I'm nowhere as quick as the big boys but I arrive everytime and only minutes behind them, my new tires went on about 3 months ago and they're showing no signs of wear yet, I've done about 5000 K in that time.
Maintenance, well i regularly have her serviced and anything that needs doing is done, never misses a beat, sounds great, ride well, perhaps this is another option for you.
I put in 19.8 Litres of juice and I get over 300K's, long as I use reserve and stop at a gasy before I've travelled another 50 or so K's.
Listen to the old hands, they really are trying to help.

[dilz]

my k4 is mint,i hav had no problems with it,i brought it with around 38000 on the clock and i just cant stop riding it so it up over 47 now damit!
i change the oil all the time,always warm her up before reving it past 4000 and i love it to pieces! i could tel the two previous owners loved it too because of the condition of the bike with that amount of k's on it.just check it over well as ya can and you should be sweet as mate,plenty of good cheapish thous out there...go the gsxr ha ha ahhhh

[MSTRS:Me]

The other factor I failed to mention however is that I will occasionally be putting the wife on the back. A 1000 will be happier than a 600 and so will the wife if its a bigger older model - saw the recent post about pillion's on sports bikes.

Don't let your wife read that...
Seriously though, if your wife needs a modicum of comfort, then no modern Sprotbike will do. You need either a SportTourer, or a much older Sprotbike - pre-mid 90s.