would you say a 600RR is quick

would you say a 600RR is quick

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YamR1V64motion

Original Poster:

5,725 posts

226 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
after my Fireblade getting written off last year i bought a 2007 CBR600RR, my thinking being that i want to do some track days this summer and it would be better for them, im very impressed with the current model, its got much more mid range than the older shape which i did own previously also, its very light and handles very well but i still find myself at times not been thrilled by the performance of it, is it just because i owned a 1000 before and was pretty comfortable and confident on that?. i test rode the new Fireblade recently to see what all the hype was about and although its not the best looked im seriously thinking about it, i also had the idea of buying 2 cheaper bikess in the form of a 954 Fireblade and a Ducati 748 or a Honda SP2 and an early Yamaha R1, the only reason ive noiced is with the weather getting better(excluding the last couple of days) ive started to ride my bike harder now than i did when i got it in the height of winter and am unsure wether to keep it or not.

John Laverick

1,992 posts

216 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
Of course its quick .... but is it as fast as a litre bike?

No.

YamR1V64motion

Original Poster:

5,725 posts

226 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
i knew that already, i guess im just admitting i made a mistake in buying one after owning various 1000s frown

y2blade

56,192 posts

217 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
YamR1V64motion said:
i knew that already, i guess im just admitting i made a mistake in buying one after owning various 1000s frown
frown sorry for you mate frown

i considered changing my blade for a K7 gsxr750 untill i rode one...sooo gutless and revvy, i dread to think what a 600 would feel like now im used to a big bike



Edited by y2blade on Tuesday 8th April 13:41

AndyDRZ

1,202 posts

238 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
Hello,

You could try different style of bike.

DRZ has 1/3rd of the power of my ZX7R but because of the low gearing, low down torque and soft suspension it can be more fun.

Also because it is so low on power, you can use most of the power most of the time with less fear for your license (Apart from the fact you're on the back wheel most of the time!)

What's more fun ? Massive acceleration for 2 seconds before having to back off again or keeping the throttle pinned through a series of twisties *

So try some other types of bikes, you're not talking Chalk and Cheese at the moment you're talking medium and mature chedder! (Can you tell I'm hungry?)

Cheers, Andy.

  • = Both are great fun which is why your idea of having 2 slightly older bikes is a good one!
Edited by AndyDRZ on Tuesday 8th April 13:42

dern

14,055 posts

281 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
YamR1V64motion said:
i knew that already, i guess im just admitting i made a mistake in buying one after owning various 1000s frown
I did exactly the same in buying my 748... they're great bikes and quick in their own right, loads of character etc... but I'd rather ride my blade.

Busamav

2,954 posts

210 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
These comments made me remember back to when we used to truly ride the arse of our Suzuki / Hondas 750,s , flat out or stop everywhere.

To a point where the frame was flexing , rear suspension bouncing , everything grounding out .

I actually miss those bikes from time to time , it certainly taught you to ride .

Then the top speeds would be a max 115 / 120 if conditions were great and you were flat on the tank , great times.

Nowadays the bikes and tyres are far beyond the likes of what i can do.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

207 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
John Laverick said:
Of course its quick .... but is it as fast as a litre bike?

No.
So very true.

The rest of the thread raises an interesting philosophical question. What is better, riding a bike on its limit, or just riding fast full stop?

The Falco is supremely fast and effortless, very capable and I'm getting used to riding it so improving each time I go out. It is such an excellent bike.

But... do I have as much pure fun riding it as I do my Hornet? I think at the moment the answer to that question is no. I'm not sure I will ever be pushing the Falco to its limit.

Wringing the neck out of a bike is a great feeling, needing your changes to be perfect to keep her on song and optimise the acceleration, being able to whack open the throttle mid corner at 8k rpm and knowing she won't spit you off because the main power doesn't arrive for 2 more thousand rpm... there is no way I can do that on the priller, I fear she'll have me off into the scenery.

Plus, crack the throttle wide on the priller for a few seconds and before you know it its stupid o'clock on the speedometer - very dangerous with the talivan seemingly waiting round every corner.

YamR1V64motion

Original Poster:

5,725 posts

226 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
dont get me wrong its not that i dont love my bike, i really do but recently there have been a few instances where ive missed having a 1000, im not all about straight line speed either-if i was i would never have bought a 600 again, i love throwing a bike through the corners, what made me think of the 954 again was reflecting back on it, its probably the best bike ive owned, it was light for a 1000(well nearly a 1000) and obviously had the extra power plus i still think its the best looking Fireblade model, the 748 ive been tempted by before, i rode a friends 1999 R1 the other day and you hear all the hype about how much bikes have come on but i thought that was very quick, it felt every bit as quick as the 2006 Fireblade i had although on paper it probably isnt.

Fire99

9,844 posts

231 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
YamR1V64motion said:
dont get me wrong its not that i dont love my bike, i really do but recently there have been a few instances where ive missed having a 1000, im not all about straight line speed either-if i was i would never have bought a 600 again, i love throwing a bike through the corners, what made me think of the 954 again was reflecting back on it, its probably the best bike ive owned, it was light for a 1000(well nearly a 1000) and obviously had the extra power plus i still think its the best looking Fireblade model, the 748 ive been tempted by before, i rode a friends 1999 R1 the other day and you hear all the hype about how much bikes have come on but i thought that was very quick, it felt every bit as quick as the 2006 Fireblade i had although on paper it probably isnt.
Well i hear the 98 & 99 R1's are the most 'brutal' in the very low gears of all the R1's. I think Yamaha tamed the initial power delivery a little on later ones so i wouldn't be surpised.

The current 600's are really fast bikes in their own right but even the ones with 'better' mid-range will have the bulk of their power at the stratospheric end of the rev counter and by their very nature will lack torque compared to the 1000cc bikes. There is no substitute for 'cubes' as they say.

If you are used to a user friendly litre bike like the blade then i think anything slower will feel a bit of an anti-climax.

A bigger contrast is that i have a tuned TL and an old GPZ500s. Now i love wringing the life out of the GPZ and 'riding it like i stole it' but i'm glad to get back on the TL for just the sheer grunt when i need it and when i want to ride fast but not to the point where i arrive knackered.. if you get my point.

y2blade

56,192 posts

217 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
YamR1V64motion said:
dont get me wrong its not that i dont love my bike, i really do but recently there have been a few instances where ive missed having a 1000, im not all about straight line speed either-if i was i would never have bought a 600 again, i love throwing a bike through the corners, what made me think of the 954 again was reflecting back on it, its probably the best bike ive owned, it was light for a 1000(well nearly a 1000) and obviously had the extra power plus i still think its the best looking Fireblade model, the 748 ive been tempted by before, i rode a friends 1999 R1 the other day and you hear all the hype about how much bikes have come on but i thought that was very quick, it felt every bit as quick as the 2006 Fireblade i had although on paper it probably isnt.
you are right about the differance between 1999/2000 litre bikes and the latest liter class missile's.....

.........not alot on the road

my 929RRY will keep up with the latest stuff no problem

its only on eht etrack when shaving 10th's off that you will realy notice it


YamR1V64motion

Original Poster:

5,725 posts

226 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
the thing ive found with Fireblades is that thier very confidence inspiring, some people have said dull but i dont think so in any way, i just like the feel of them out of the crate, maybe thier suspension works for me better i dont know but i feel i can get used to the handling on them within a few minutes of riding one if that makes sense-same with the 600s, i love the early R1s and have enjoyed riding them at various times although ive never owned one, i had a 2004 R1 when they were new and i didnt get on at all well with it, but it got written off-someone pulled out but luckily i was ok, i just didnt get on with the handling at all.ive never ridden a GSXR thou of any age so i cant really say, in a way i would kind of like to upgrade to a 1098 but im not sure about it-i think i would be too worried about dropping it all the time etc.

Edited by YamR1V64motion on Tuesday 8th April 16:23

Rubin215

2,084 posts

198 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
Busamav said:
These comments made me remember back to when we used to truly ride the arse of our Suzuki / Hondas 750,s , flat out or stop everywhere.

To a point where the frame was flexing , rear suspension bouncing , everything grounding out .

I actually miss those bikes from time to time , it certainly taught you to ride .

Then the top speeds would be a max 115 / 120 if conditions were great and you were flat on the tank , great times.

Nowadays the bikes and tyres are far beyond the likes of what i can do.
I agree soooo much.

I grew up riding a succesion of shyyyte bikes, and frequently kept up with "experienced" guys on new stuff.
By the time I could afford the bikes they were on they had degenerated to the shyyyte stage as well, yet still I was keeping up with new stuff.

Then, all of a sudden, I could afford the new stuff (1998, TL1000s); oh jings michty, what a surprise; the sudden realisation that I had been on the limit for so long that when I had a bike with (effectively) no limit I was going to end up dead, quick...



Every now and then, I buy a new or nearly new, just to remind myself of that "startled rabbit" feeling, then six months later sell it and buy something more sensible again.

It's not about how good the bike is; it's about how good you are.

And I'm just not that good anymore.







But I'm still better than you...wink


y2blade

56,192 posts

217 months

Wednesday 9th April 2008
quotequote all
Rubin215 said:
Busamav said:
These comments made me remember back to when we used to truly ride the arse of our Suzuki / Hondas 750,s , flat out or stop everywhere.

To a point where the frame was flexing , rear suspension bouncing , everything grounding out .

I actually miss those bikes from time to time , it certainly taught you to ride .

Then the top speeds would be a max 115 / 120 if conditions were great and you were flat on the tank , great times.

Nowadays the bikes and tyres are far beyond the likes of what i can do.
I agree soooo much.

I grew up riding a succesion of shyyyte bikes, and frequently kept up with "experienced" guys on new stuff.
By the time I could afford the bikes they were on they had degenerated to the shyyyte stage as well, yet still I was keeping up with new stuff.

Then, all of a sudden, I could afford the new stuff (1998, TL1000s); oh jings michty, what a surprise; the sudden realisation that I had been on the limit for so long that when I had a bike with (effectively) no limit I was going to end up dead, quick...



Every now and then, I buy a new or nearly new, just to remind myself of that "startled rabbit" feeling, then six months later sell it and buy something more sensible again.

It's not about how good the bike is; it's about how good you are.

And I'm just not that good anymore.







But I'm still better than you...wink
biggrin

great post

biggrin

Beemer-5

7,897 posts

216 months

Wednesday 9th April 2008
quotequote all
Bikes have been so fast, for so long now, that rider skill/weight has long been more important, than the 1% quicker new model Yamasukawa, or whatever.
A good friend in America weighs 9 stones, yet his 2005 GSXR750 is virtually never passed on 'Angeles Crest Highway', the incredible biker's paradise.
Nope, not even by the tuned R1s and ZX10Rs which just about live there.

Beemer-5

7,897 posts

216 months

Wednesday 9th April 2008
quotequote all
Anyway, save your money and keep the 2007 CBR600RR. That model Honda 600 is a brilliant bike and, ridden well, will be more than enough on Britain's public highways!

Beemer-5

7,897 posts

216 months

Wednesday 9th April 2008
quotequote all
[quote=AndyDRZ]Hello,

You could try different style of bike.

DRZ has 1/3rd of the power of my ZX7R but because of the low gearing, low down torque and soft suspension it can be more fun.

Also because it is so low on power, you can use most of the power most of the time with less fear for your license (Apart from the fact you're on the back wheel most of the time!)

What's more fun ? Massive acceleration for 2 seconds before having to back off again or keeping the throttle pinned through a series of twisties *

Cheers, Andy.



I agree. I was very rarely passed by any bike last year on the Husky Supermoto.
That only had 67 bhp, but the 115 kgs weight meant that it would drive up the inside and outbrake 1000s for fun, all day long.
Motorways were pointless, but scratchy roads brilliant!
biggrin

black-k1

12,012 posts

231 months

Wednesday 9th April 2008
quotequote all
No one can realistically ride any of the current sports 600's anywhere near the bikes limits on the road, and as for the litre bikes, well ......

What that means is, unlike the (now getting distant) past, where new bikes would have been bought to get that extra bit of usable performance, bikes should now be bought for the way they deliver their performance and the other ‘features and characteristics’ they offer. Big engines with big power make acceleration and going fast very easy and big torque makes it relaxing but that may be seen as boring. Smaller engines might require a little more rider involvement to maintain the same pace but that may be seen as ‘just too much effort’.

I know exactly what you mean about riding a 600 after a larger engined bike. The 600RR is a superb capable machine but is just ‘too frantic’ for me which is why my choice of bike is heavily influenced by the engines torque, and how that is produced.

It sounds to me like you need to do some more test rides, especially of larger engined bikes, to see which ones ‘float your boat’.

dern

14,055 posts

281 months

Wednesday 9th April 2008
quotequote all
All that matter is that you find something you like... doesn't matter what the capacity is. If you like a bike (like I do with my blade) keep it until it falls to bits and if you don't like a bike move it on. Simple really, all this stuff about A is better than B is nonsense, it all just comes down to personal taste. I don't care if I don't ride my bike to its limits and I don't care if someone else believes that it's a stupid bike to have because of that. I don't care if someone comes past me on a puch maxi, I love my bike and that's all that matters to me.

Edited by dern on Wednesday 9th April 10:14

black-k1

12,012 posts

231 months

Wednesday 9th April 2008
quotequote all
dern said:
All that matter is that you find something you like... doesn't matter what the capacity is. If you like a bike (like I do with my blade) keep it until it falls to bits and if you don't like a bike move it on. Simple really, all this stuff about A is better than B is nonsense, it all just comes down to personal taste.
yes