Step-up bike - z1000, Bandit 1250?

[mtroskill]

....back on the list it goes then

[discotex]

1. the little ninja 250.
2. 27
3. Only 3.5k - i just dnt like revving the tits off the little thing on the open road.... it's my daily commuter to work

Hmm... Tough call. I'd say marginal depending on your level of self control.

Being 27 you'd probably be smart enough to control the throttle and not go crazy.

But on the other hand 3500km prolly isn't enough time in the saddle to handle that much torque (more the issue than the HP).

In my opinion a >600cc bike has the potential to bite you real bad when you make a mistake due to the torque at low RPM. Also you won't progress as much as a rider skipping straight to a big bike because you'll always be in fear of the power. Or you'll try to use the power and get yourself into shit before you can handle it.

A Z1000 is a hell of a bike. I've only ridden the Z750 would say that was a serious amount of grunt for someone stepping up from a 250 twin. Can't imagine the Bandit 1250 would be any less of a handful.

If I were you I'd go for an naked 600ish then trade up in a year if you really don't think you have enough power. I don't regret going 600 first. Best thing I ever did.

Get out there and test ride some 600's and see what you think. If it's still not enough for you go try the bigger bikes

[Timaa]

No matter the question, a GSX1400 is always the answer.

Q: So your mum was a good ride?

A: GSXR 1400

[mtroskill]

mmm...rather be safe than sorry...

will probably look harder at some 2004+ 600 sports bikes now and see if there is one that can accomodate my height.

Street triple heads back towards the top of the list too, and maybe the z750 (if z1000 is a little overkill)....these are the only nakeds that really do it for me.

[discotex]

If you're looking at sports bikes the 2006 or older ZX-6R 636 is fairly roomy.

K7 GSX-R600 has adjustable foot-pegs which might help give you more leg room.

Don't know what your budget is but these would be two of the most fun bikes out there from what I hear.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-200862887.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-169037067.htm

[jafar]

No matter the question, a GSX1400 is always the answer.

If GSX 1400 is the answer it was a silly question

[jafar]

250 to bandit? too much of a jump? heard the "it's all in the wrist" saying plenty of times before and if thats all it comes down to....

Chain of thought sort of went like this: > er6n a little plain > z750, not great value compared to z1000 (better suspension etc) > 1250 still up right and about 3k cheaper, with fairing.

I'm 6'4-6'5 btw too...so would be keen on a 600 sportsbike if not so cramped...

I'm still about 5 months away from full, but can't stop dreaming about my next bike!

No it's not all in the wrist, that is a crap saying. it is in the reading of the road & the conditions around you all the time , the 'wrist' is a small factor in the total equation.
ER6n is a big step up from a 250!! Unless your looking to do a LOT of two up touring it is more bike than you will need for a long time.
Don't try & jump straight up to the higher cc bikes thinking that the mid size ones are too slow , they aren't..... On a decent winding road there is not much that will stay with a well ridden 600.
Most 600's will top out over 200kph...... how fast do you want to go ?
Value for money, ease of use & better on fuel economy tyres & maintenance costs than any of the litre+ bikes out there.
Often you will find bigger is just heavier & slower once you get into the fun stuff, those 600's will be laughing @ you as they fly past

[mtroskill]

No it's not all in the wrist, that is a crap saying. it is in the reading of the road & the conditions around you all the time , the 'wrist' is a small factor in the total equation.
ER6n is a big step up from a 250!! Unless your looking to do a LOT of two up touring it is more bike than you will need for a long time.
Don't try & jump straight up to the higher cc bikes thinking that the mid size ones are too slow , they aren't..... On a decent winding road there is not much that will stay with a well ridden 600.
Most 600's will top out over 200kph...... how fast do you want to go ?
Value for money, ease of use & better on fuel economy tyres & maintenance costs than any of the litre+ bikes out there.
Often you will find bigger is just heavier & slower once you get into the fun stuff, those 600's will be laughing @ you as they fly past

Good advise.. cheers... top speed is not a biggy for me. Would much prefer some low down torque.

Shit..the more I think about it the harder it gets..Might throw the er6f and sv650 back into the mix too then...fairing is handy to have... and these would be tuned more towards around town riding than the sports 600s...

[jafar]

Good advise.. cheers... top speed is not a biggy for me. Would much prefer some low down torque.

Shit..the more I think about it the harder it gets..Might throw the er6f and sv650 back into the mix too then...fairing is handy to have... and these would be tuned more towards around town riding than the sports 600s...

I'm guessing that you have not ridden that many bikes & have become baffled by the bullshit that is spouted about them & probably over analysing the problem.
First you need to stop & think about what you need the bike to do, then factor in what you would like it to do.
Your own size & weight need to be put in there somewhere too.

You won't get a lot of low down torque from a sports bike, they are made for revs, cruisers have low down torque, V twins especially. You havn't listed cruisers in your wish list.

BTW you don't need fairings, they are just for catching bugs.

[discotex]

You won't get a lot of low down torque from a sports bike

It's all relative.

An inline 4 600 (Say GSX-R600 or Hornet 600 for example) still produces a fair whack of torque down low for the weight. It'd be a *very* noticeable increase in torque over a 250 twin like the Ninja 250. It's just not as much as a 650 twin like the SV650 or SV650s. And a big lazy 1200cc cruiser twin is going to eat either for torque.

[Aa7]

i just dnt like revving the tits off the little thing on the open road.... it's my daily commuter to work

if you dont like revving it hard then why are you looking at inline fours? take a few v-twins for a spin instead but dont neglect the inline fours either (i'm biased and love inline fours) but ride em both and see the differences between the bikes and go from there, take a triple out also since you like the street triple. the more bikes you ride the more you will be able to tell what suits YOU

[short-circuit]

take a triple out also since you like the street triple.

Well he'd better ride the others first otherwise they won't even get a look in.


But be aware that comparing it with a 650 twin is not apples and apples - your looking at a lighter bike with 35 more HP.

[MaxCannon]

If you intend to commute on it my advice would be a mid size all around bike

An SV650 - Excellent all rounder. Easy to handle around town.
Fast enough on the track.

Kawasaki ER6 / Ninja 650. Excellent easy to ride bike. Like an SV650 but different.

Bandit 600 / 650. Cheaper, older design but there isn't anything a Bandit can't do.
Did a 720km round trip to Taupo, around the track and back home a few weeks back. Everything you need and nothing you don't.

The torque and engine response on the regular 600s is probably just about right when coming off a 250.
The Z1000 and Bandit 1250 will be a lot more sensitive to throttle inputs.

One thing is to price up is insurance. Over 750cc and you'll start paying substantially more.
Also - no matter how careful you are you'll probably drop a big bike after coming off a 250. The weight differential between a Ninja 250 and a Bandit 1250 is pretty big.

I'd look for a tidy mid size bike, keep it for 12 months and then look to upgrade again.

[Hitcher]

One thing is to price up is insurance. Over 750cc and you'll start paying substantially more.

Not necessarily. It's the cost of the bike or its parentage that are the major determinants of insurance premiums, not the engine capacity.

[DarkLord]

I currently ride a Hyo 250, I am on my R's (going for full next Thursday) and I've been riding since December '07. Done at least 30,000 k's in that time period. I had one crash in May last year and wrote my bike off, a low speed crash where thankfully no one was hurt.

Last weekend my mate from Auckland came down on his '03 Bandit 1200 and we went and did the Taupo loop together, a 160 k round trip around Lake Taupo. I rode the Bandit and he rode the Hyo. I had no problems handling it at all even though it is substantially heavier than the Hyo, got it round corners easy enough and felt very confident on it.

I can't afford to upgrade right now but once I can I would consider a bandit as my next bike.