I need to slow down.

[Harry the Barstard]

You need to figure out what is important to you. Is giving your sportsbike a good caning the bee all & end all or is their more to bikes than that?
Don't make the assumption that sportstourers or cruisers are slow, they are not.They are very different to ride than the full on sportsbike & have more usable power for road work & carrying a pillion than a sports model,usually have a better seating position as well. They are designed for the road whereas a sports model is designed for the track & road riding is secondary to their main purpose.
Horses for courses as they say.

Fair call. I think when i get my licence back in 22 days (not that im counting) ill have to go and test ride a few different styles. I was on a ride to okoririe a few months back and a guy was on a vtr and he was bloody moving. I know they (sports tourers) arnt slow but i think maybe they are better at going slow (100kph) if you know what i mean.

[canarlee]

but i think maybe they are better at going slow (100kph) if you know what i mean.

wrong!

they are better at going faster for longer distances than sports bikes! more comfortable, generally less windblast, etc.

try a naked bike!

[Harry the Barstard]

wrong!

they are better at going faster for longer distances than sports bikes! more comfortable, generally less windblast, etc.

try a naked bike!

Bugger, thats it settled then. Im gunna have to get out and test ride heaps of different bikes. Cheers for comments, its always good to get different angles on things. You never know all i may need is a louder pipe to make me think im going faster, and to keep out of top gear.

Cheers anyways

[jafar]

Bugger, thats it settled then. Im gunna have to get out and test ride heaps of different bikes. Cheers for comments, its always good to get different angles on things. You never know all i may need is a louder pipe to make me think im going faster, and to keep out of top gear.

Cheers anyways

While you have the time have a GOOD think about what you want in a bike.
A naked has a certain appeal & is a practical option for distance riding & a sane(ish) pace. A cruiser may suit you better especially if you intend on taking your lady with you.
Or you could end up with both

[Gremlin]

Look at nakeds... it doesn't exactly solve the problem, but trust me, you'll get more jollies out of less speed, and still a blast in the corners. CB900 is good like that...

sportsbikes make mincemeat out of 200+. at 200, I had the cb900 weaving around, and the front light, like it was trying to take off... the most exciting 200 I have done

Cruisers caaan do your back in, depending how the seating position is, you'll have to try them all to find out (I'm sorry for inflicting this punishment on you )

[Grub]

ive had a one off fine of $600. .

Agreed, but that's only *this* fine. In your own words, this is not a one-off because of the way you want to ride.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Look at nakeds...

I look at naked females all the time... oh you mean bikes...

[DMNTD:Me]

Look at nakeds... it doesn't exactly solve the problem, but trust me, you'll get more jollies out of less speed, and still a blast in the corners...

100% truth right there!

After getting pinged at a horrific speed on my ZX10 I decided to get something that was still fun but something that could do 100kmph "easier".
I decided on the KTM Superduke and hell,no regrets!!
I liked it so much that now I'm trying to sell my '07 ZX10R SE so I can buy the new Superduke R!

Now then...open roads the KTM is quite happy to pootle along at 100-120kmph and you know how fast you're going as opposed to "pootling" on the ZX10 where 200 odd kmph seems like walking. Oh don't get me wrong,it will grunt out to 240+ however it's not as effortless as a big inline 4.
In the corners it's actually faster (if wanted) than the ZX10....I was shocked TBH!
Long distance...divine! No cramps...can see everything especially when there's some lane splitting to be done.

I've been converted to the upright nekkids and I had always been a yeee haa inline 4 rider.

[ceebie13]

I've been converted to the upright nekkids and I had always been a yeee haa inline 4 rider.

What he said. Couldn't agree more. After three ZX9's the CB gives me just as much fun (not that I was a hoon on the nine in the first place). In fact it gives me more confidence too. It's heavier for sure but once on the move it's as nimble as a Rod Stewart at a debutante's ball!

Touring and local commutes are second nature too, so big nakeds seem perfect all-rounders. Yes, it will effortlessly propel you at illegal speeds, but this genre of bike isn't about breaking the land speed record..or your neck for that matter! This class of machine is proving more and more popular too apparently.

Pose value is pretty good too with many riders doing double takes... almost as if big muscle bikes had been forgotten about in a sea of sports machines. Blingability is another fun factor. Just make sure you have a deep wallet.

Talking of wallets...new CB is about $14750. (or was when I got mine a year ago) A lot of bike for not a lot of money some would say. Second-hand would be an even better bargain.

[kiwifruit]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-116297696.htm

etc

[Ocean1]

I've never owned a big 4 cyl sprotbike so you can take my opinion accordingly. However, it's obvious to me that regardless of class some bikes do legal speeds better than others and I simply don't see the point in owning something that's only fun at insane velocities. Couple of suggestions already, the superduke in either of it's incarnations is fun, I suspect any of the hyper-motards would fill the same role. I can add the Aprillia SXV550 to that list and as I suggested earlier the Buell XB12S.

None of these will do the outright top speed of say an R1 or GSXR although they'll still lose your licence with 120K to spare. The point is that they're at least as fast in the tighter stuff, (just as much fun in the twisties and often quicker), and they don't behave like a psychotic maniac that's forgoten it's ritalin at legal highway speeds. The two things that contribute to this are typically a V twin emphisis on torque rather than hp and the geometry of a 250 GP bike. The style and riding position seems secondary, you can choose whatever suits your intended use.

The superduke and Buell are expensive and the Aprillia relatively new. I have tried a VTR but not enough to get a good feel, it certainly didn't "demand" to be ridden at more than 120 though. You really do need to review the budget and do a bit of test riding dude.

[Harry the Barstard]

well i suppose my budget is 10k ish as my bikes only done 5000kms, has a power comander, white power front folks, brand new pilots and is in mint condition. So pretty much what i can get for the 6 will be my spending money. You guys have given me alot to look at so ill be chasing it up.

Cheers

[imdying]

You want to swap with my avatar pic? My ZX6R wasn't much different ultimately to my SV1000 as far as how fast you can peddle it, but the 6R was a whole heap more fun to ride. I know where you're coming from though, the SV is a whole heap more fun when just plonking along, lazily rubbing out some great corners, the 6R took a whole heap more dedication and rewarded you duly.

/edit: And twins sound cooler when you're going slow, unlike a four going droooooonnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Solarwind]

If you seriously think that buying a less "sporty" bike will make you ride slower... I have a Kawasaki ER-5 (unfaired "retro" bike) and I still can't resist caning it at 160kph on SH1 when I think the cops aren't looking Maybe you should buy a scooter? My point is, it's your wrist that makes you speed, not your bike

[Solarwind]

My point was that a nekkid bike makes it easier to ride slower.

If that's true, then I'd better stick with my ER-5 and not buy that Hayabusa

Caning at 160kmph? My ZX10 does that in first and does it FAST.

Yeah, but this is an ER-5 I'm talking about. It has a drum brake on the rear, fergawdsake.

My Superduke is bloody quick however it's EASY to ride it at 100kmph

Maybe I'm just addicted to speed. Don't worry, I'm sure an instant-loss-of-license will cure me of that one day.