Moving up to first Superbike - Advice/Views please!
Discussion
Returned to biking this year after so many years away that you might as well read that as 'started biking this year'. Spent this summer wobbling around on a new Hornet and starting to plan next year. I'd like to move up to a decent superbike but am aware that I'm still - at best - a (VERY) average rider. I'd love a Ducati but freely admit that that's just a looks/style thing and may not be the right choice. What I need is the most user friendly superbike I guess. I'm going to attend some of the racing schools and track days hopefully as a way of uprating my bike handling skills (or lack of) too to so it needs to be suitable those too. Any thoughts guys?
Hornet`s are equipped with CBR600 engines which are tuned for midrange...I`m sure it has more than enough potential to do all you need....truthfully...do a few trackdays on it next year....your riding will improve massively & you will be in a better position to exploit the extra speed & power of the bigger stuff...
_Dave_ said:
Just buy whatever floats your boat, be it either a 600/7500/1000/1300......etc, they are all essentially the same, 2 wheels and an engine, best to ignore others advice and just be sure you buy what you want 
HTH
It worked for me and most other people on here
Yarp. You don't have to ride them at 10/10ths if you don't want to (and I'm an authority). A 2000/2001 blade is a *very* easy bike to ride.HTH
It worked for me and most other people on here
[/quote]Yarp. You don't have to ride them at 10/10ths if you don't want to (and I'm an authority). A 2000/2001 blade is a *very* easy bike to ride.
[/quote]
I've owned a couple of Fireblades (2001 & 2005) and I'd advise caution. Yes they are a pussycat to ride but are capable of vast speeds. If be very careful jumping up to a big bike so soon. You may find yourself very quickly facing a situation your not experienced to deal with.
I'd stick with the Hornet for a little longer.
Edited by Flipatron on Friday 9th November 23:05
dern said:
_Dave_ said:
Just buy whatever floats your boat, be it either a 600/7500/1000/1300......etc, they are all essentially the same, 2 wheels and an engine, best to ignore others advice and just be sure you buy what you want
HTH
It worked for me and most other people on here
Yarp. You don't have to ride them at 10/10ths if you don't want to (and I'm an authority). A 2000/2001 blade is a *very* easy bike to ride.HTH
It worked for me and most other people on here
Hi there, I spent a year or two riding a hornet 600 after passing my test and this summer chopped it in for an R1. In many ways i'm not sure It was the right decision the new bike is more powerful, better looking, just as easy to ride (except in the wet where it's a bit scary) etc etc but there's something about being able to thrash the arse off a bike that was really satisfying with the Hornet. I guess what I'm saying is take your time and certainly try out some sport 600 before setting your heart on a blade, gsxr1000 or the like.
I agree with a lot of the sentiments, take another year on the hornet, check out the California Superbike School, a bit pricey but you will find you are a different rider after the training (that's coming from somebody who did level 1 and 2 this year and has been riding for 30 years, it was a revelation!)
Thanks for the thoughts and advice guys. Hard to argue with any of it tbo. Although at least one person may have taken my use of the word 'wobble' a bit too seriously!
I've been driving and racing cars a long time now and have always believed, as some on here have said, that the throttle works both ways. BUT the difference here is that if I arrive at a corner at an 'optimistic' speed in the Fezza or Radical I know what to do - and more importantly will do it instinctively. At the moment I feel if I arrive at a corner too fast on a bike (probably too fast for my abilities rather than the bikes) I may well just freeze and head straight to the scene of the accident. Consequently after much scratching of head and talking to people - including California Bike School - I'm going to stick with the Hornet for at least the early part of next year, and a couple of sessions at the school. My view is I'd rather be the guy riding a Hornet fast and well than the slow poser on a Superbike!
See you out there.
Pugs.
I've been driving and racing cars a long time now and have always believed, as some on here have said, that the throttle works both ways. BUT the difference here is that if I arrive at a corner at an 'optimistic' speed in the Fezza or Radical I know what to do - and more importantly will do it instinctively. At the moment I feel if I arrive at a corner too fast on a bike (probably too fast for my abilities rather than the bikes) I may well just freeze and head straight to the scene of the accident. Consequently after much scratching of head and talking to people - including California Bike School - I'm going to stick with the Hornet for at least the early part of next year, and a couple of sessions at the school. My view is I'd rather be the guy riding a Hornet fast and well than the slow poser on a Superbike!
See you out there.
Pugs.
I've recently got back into biking, never really had anything bigger than a 125cc before now, but did my direct access and bought myself a GSXR600V. It's a 1997 model as I wanted to avoid splashing out too much in case I dropped it. The bike is very quick and easy to get carried away on, but I would definately reccomend it. At the end of the day it will only go as quick as you ask it to so just get to know your own limits before you start exploring the bikes.
The only thing that might lead me to change my mind about sticking with the Hornet is that I would guess that something like a 600 sports bike - CBR600 for instance - will probably have a riding position and general set up which might make learning the type of riding skills I want to learn a bit easier?
Edited by Pugsey on Sunday 11th November 16:23
Pugsey said:
Thanks for the thoughts and advice guys. Hard to argue with any of it tbo. Although at least one person may have taken my use of the word 'wobble' a bit too seriously!
I've been driving and racing cars a long time now and have always believed, as some on here have said, that the throttle works both ways. BUT the difference here is that if I arrive at a corner at an 'optimistic' speed in the Fezza or Radical I know what to do - and more importantly will do it instinctively. At the moment I feel if I arrive at a corner too fast on a bike (probably too fast for my abilities rather than the bikes) I may well just freeze and head straight to the scene of the accident. Consequently after much scratching of head and talking to people - including California Bike School - I'm going to stick with the Hornet for at least the early part of next year, and a couple of sessions at the school. My view is I'd rather be the guy riding a Hornet fast and well than the slow poser on a Superbike!
See you out there.
Pugs.
Very wise and you'll probably have a lot more fun like that too ! I got a ZX6R in August, almost my first bike, it's not so much the power on a 600 but the way it responds and the feedback you get, you need to be quite confident and experienced to get the best from it or even make it go quick. After 6000 miles I'm just starting to feel comfortable with it, should have got a Fazer/Hornet etc and stuck with that for at least a year.I've been driving and racing cars a long time now and have always believed, as some on here have said, that the throttle works both ways. BUT the difference here is that if I arrive at a corner at an 'optimistic' speed in the Fezza or Radical I know what to do - and more importantly will do it instinctively. At the moment I feel if I arrive at a corner too fast on a bike (probably too fast for my abilities rather than the bikes) I may well just freeze and head straight to the scene of the accident. Consequently after much scratching of head and talking to people - including California Bike School - I'm going to stick with the Hornet for at least the early part of next year, and a couple of sessions at the school. My view is I'd rather be the guy riding a Hornet fast and well than the slow poser on a Superbike!
See you out there.
Pugs.
I'm still much faster in a car than on the bike, despite the fact the bike is a bit mental
black-k1 said:
dern said:
_Dave_ said:
Just buy whatever floats your boat, be it either a 600/7500/1000/1300......etc, they are all essentially the same, 2 wheels and an engine, best to ignore others advice and just be sure you buy what you want
HTH
It worked for me and most other people on here
Yarp. You don't have to ride them at 10/10ths if you don't want to (and I'm an authority). A 2000/2001 blade is a *very* easy bike to ride.HTH
It worked for me and most other people on here
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