Is a litre bike too fast AND quick for the street?

[Insanity_rules]

Theres a too fast now? When did that happen, was I at lunch?

Seriously my last bike before legalising (and trading down)was a 94 cbr600 and I always thought that was pretty quick, not too many litre bikes could catch it on the twisties. But once you got a straight a litre bike would eat me alive in no time.

My buddy threw me the keys to his VTR 1000 not all that long ago and admittedly it was the first thou I've ever ridden, really opened my eyes!

I thought I had to have a well developed reign it in reflex on the CBR but the VTR was something else again. Not quite as corner friendly (Tyres maybe) but I could easily see how you could come to grief. Fun though, love the twin sound and power.

[onearmedbandit]

I haven't always ridden $hite old bike's you know :-) but the fact is I find the ease of getting up to silly speeds on my SOB or a modern 600 bad enough.

I wasn't really assuming anything, more provoking a response. Without a doubt a SOB or 600 is well and truely capable of getting up to silly speeds very easily, and obviously a thou will do it moreso. As we both agree, self control is the secret.

Completely and utterly $hite below about 90kmph.....no friggin way could I see the point in owning the thing in New Zealand.

Maybe it's the flexibility of the GSXR1000, but I can cruise at 70km/h for as long as I need on my bike if that is required. Smooth fueling, linear power delivery etc make it all easy.

You're basically saying that you tend to go above legal speeds on your litre bike (or are you being sarcastic). My basical point wasn't that litre bikes were dangerous. It was just that they're a waste of time on public roads ridden at legal speeds. For sure, they're not so much of a waste of time at > 100kmph.

I'm not admitting anything on a public forum!! However, my bike still goes around corners at the speed limit, still rides fine, so I'll argue that it is not a waste of time.

Quite agree on that last point. ........ Forget your self control on a litre bike for a few seconds and viola...you're doing 200kmph. Just look at the number of crashed "big bikes" in the breakers or read some of the "I've dropped my bike" threads on this forum.

To be perfectly honest, it takes more than just a few seconds to get to 200, it requires the will to do it as well. (ie, pinning the throttle.)

Ok then. I'll say 1 in 20 riders have got the self control, reflexes and "mental sharpness" you have (no sarcasm intended). I certainly don't. I guess the proof would be with a poll such as "have you ever found yourself overtaking a line of cars doing >150kmph on your 1 litre bike?".

Believe me, I am not the master of my thou. I'm the rider who realises the potential of what I'm riding and respect it. Sometimes it even catches me unaware, but like a 6th sense you know what's happening.

[Jantar]

.... I guess the proof would be with a poll such as "have you ever found yourself overtaking a line of cars doing >150kmph on your 1 litre bike?".

This is one reason I like the more powerful bikes. Less time on the wrong side of the road while overtaking.

[Gremlin]

You're basically saying that you tend to go above legal speeds on your litre bike (or are you being sarcastic).

not necessarily... a modern gix thou will sit at 110 ish, 6th gear, quite happily. Just gurgles along. However, watch your hand on the throttle... the slightest adjustment will see you doing 10-20 more in a blink.

Ok then. I'll say 1 in 20 riders have got the self control, reflexes and "mental sharpness" you have (no sarcasm intended). I certainly don't. I guess the proof would be with a poll such as "have you ever found yourself overtaking a line of cars doing >150kmph on your 1 litre bike?".

You don't even need a litre for that... even a 10 yo 7fiddy will do that, just takes a bit longer...

Around town, yes, a 1000cc modern sportsbike isn't exactly required, you could have a vtwin, or 600, or something. But most of us aren't lucky enough to have a bike for each use. You certainly don't want to have a sv650, and then ride it in the country (apologies to those that ride em, but soz, I personally found it crap).

The advantage of the thou, is that it is actually docile enough around town, indeed, I found it heaps easier than my 7. On the weekends, you can then suit up, and take it into the country. Its a do-all bike... besides trails

[sAsLEX]

This is one reason I like the more powerful bikes. Less time on the wrong side of the road while overtaking.

Time exposed to danger.

Yip I keep it small as that's the safest option.

Cops don't agree and to try and pass within the realms of the law most passing lanes and straight sections of road become irrelavent as they are not long enough to go past the prick who has been sitting on 80 for the last hour and just sped up to 98 on the passing lane!

[Swoop]

Never purchase/ride a bike that will take you to a corner that your brain has not already reached 2 seconds before...
For some of us a Honda cub is suitable, for others a 1000cc bike is just fine.

[Jantar]

Its a do-all bike... besides trails

So why can't I do this with my litre bike?

[The Big J]

isn't that second one just your driveway?

[Jantar]

isn't that second one just your driveway?

Haha, Close, but not quite. The first one is on the north side of the Dunstan Range at around 3500 ft and above the old Bendigo gold fields. The second one is on the edge of my irrigation pond, my driveway is in the background. However, to get there does require riding across a grass paddock and up the bank of the dam, so does qualify as trail riding to some extent.

[Shadows]

What about young hoons in 250BHP Subarus etc? Should these cars be taken off the road along with all Ferraris and Porches?

I totally agree that they should be.
Before you know it there will be deck chairs, pot plants, BBQs, patio heaters, man, all kinds of stuff all over the place on blind corners and shit if those idiots who keep building goddamned porches on the road aren't kept in check.

[Edbear]

Never purchase/ride a bike that will take you to a corner that your brain has not already reached 2 seconds before...
For some of us a Honda cub is suitable, for others a 1000cc bike is just fine.

Sums it up nicely! Most posts here are right on the money! My 600 gave me a "moment" as a returning biker, it has twice the power, but fortunately twice the handling and brakes of my old T500 way back in the '70's! I found myself overcooking a corner as I wasn't prepared for the rapid acceleration while chasing a Porsche over the Waiwera hill and came to the top about 20km/h too hot. Braked hard while leant over and the bike made it around! Lesson learned!

The modern thou's would, of course, make my old 'F' look like a slug, but I concur with most here, it's experience and a controlled right wrist that make the difference. I'd love a ride on the GSX1000R, but without that experience I find the 600F ideal for the road and for my skill level. 80hp is enough for me and the bike is comfortable for long distances. I'd probably find the grunt of 150hp+ to be rather addictive, though, were I fortunate enough to have a go on one...

[aaron01]

My only experience on a litre bike has been a mates 86 k100, although not a modern bike I find it a lot easier to ride then my VT250, ON the K I'm never in the wrong gear going through twisties, on the Vt I'm having to change gears all to often and find myself in the wrong gear often.
Overtaking is a breeze on the K, always plenty of power when you need it.
overall I think I'm alot safer riding the bigger bike except for the fact I'm quite short and have to tiptoe when stationary on it

[boomer]

of course its too much... only 'cos i don't have one

[The_Dover]

if any of you fags are unable to ride a GSXR1000K6 in a controlled manner and within the speed limit then you've either got parkinsons disease or are just plain fucking retarded.

the throttle isn't that twitchy, it's not hard to control and you don't need a lot of skill to ride it within legal limits.

to ride it hard is a different matter but it requires no more restraint or any less awareness than a 250.

i just wouldn't recommend one for michael j fox.

[scracha]

if any of you fags are unable to ride a GSXR1000K6 in a controlled manner and within the speed limit then you've either got parkinsons disease or are just plain fucking retarded.

Well pretty much everyone on a GSXR1000K5/6 [*1] is a retarded fag then.

the throttle isn't that twitchy, it's not hard to control and you don't need a lot of skill to ride it within legal limits.

Read the fuggin thread. The whole point is that they're usually not ridden within legal limits.


[1] And what sort of pedantic gaylord quotes model numbers like this. It's a gixer thou innit?