I could/should have bought a slower bike
Discussion
Just completed the first 1000km on the GSXR 750 this morning. Booked in for its first service next week.
Owing to the running in period I’ve been restricted to 7000 rpm...but to be honest I’ve not had to concentrate on keeping brow that as I’ve not needed more than 7000 rpm! 7000 rpm equates to about 150 kmh which is 50 kmh more than the speed limit here in NZ. Also, even using half throttle and up to around 7k revs the acceleration is more than enough for overtaking and on most of the roads I’ve been riding there are so many bends that high speeds are not possible even if I wanted to go mad. Hardly any point screaming away from a bend if the next one is only 100m-200m away. Upside is that with so many bends it is great fun to ride even if your average speed is low.
I am definitely going to check out the Aprilia RS660 when it comes out later this year as could be a good replacement for the Suzuki.
Owing to the running in period I’ve been restricted to 7000 rpm...but to be honest I’ve not had to concentrate on keeping brow that as I’ve not needed more than 7000 rpm! 7000 rpm equates to about 150 kmh which is 50 kmh more than the speed limit here in NZ. Also, even using half throttle and up to around 7k revs the acceleration is more than enough for overtaking and on most of the roads I’ve been riding there are so many bends that high speeds are not possible even if I wanted to go mad. Hardly any point screaming away from a bend if the next one is only 100m-200m away. Upside is that with so many bends it is great fun to ride even if your average speed is low.
I am definitely going to check out the Aprilia RS660 when it comes out later this year as could be a good replacement for the Suzuki.
I got out of biking about 10years ago after a big tumble on track - i was massively into track days (aprilkia rsvr) and a heavily modified fireblade for road duties.
I sold them both and told myself if i got into riding again then a slower bike would be better.
This year i purchased a tuned fireblade again, after the first few rides wondered what the hell i had done and how much of an idiot i was at it felt so fast.
More rides and i am comfortable on it, still thinking about a duke 390 or similar for slower fun
I sold them both and told myself if i got into riding again then a slower bike would be better.
This year i purchased a tuned fireblade again, after the first few rides wondered what the hell i had done and how much of an idiot i was at it felt so fast.
More rides and i am comfortable on it, still thinking about a duke 390 or similar for slower fun
Krikkit said:
Blakeatron said:
More rides and i am comfortable on it, still thinking about a duke 390 or similar for slower fun
Probably too far the other way! I reckon 80-100hp is plenty if you like being able to stretch its legs instead of short shifting while to keep it semi sensible.Esceptico said:
Just completed the first 1000km on the GSXR 750 this morning. Booked in for its first service next week.
Owing to the running in period I’ve been restricted to 7000 rpm...but to be honest I’ve not had to concentrate on keeping brow that as I’ve not needed more than 7000 rpm! 7000 rpm equates to about 150 kmh which is 50 kmh more than the speed limit here in NZ. Also, even using half throttle and up to around 7k revs the acceleration is more than enough for overtaking and on most of the roads I’ve been riding there are so many bends that high speeds are not possible even if I wanted to go mad. Hardly any point screaming away from a bend if the next one is only 100m-200m away. Upside is that with so many bends it is great fun to ride even if your average speed is low.
I am definitely going to check out the Aprilia RS660 when it comes out later this year as could be a good replacement for the Suzuki.
Any 600cc sportsbike of the last 20 (or even more) years is more than enough fast for the public roads. Owing to the running in period I’ve been restricted to 7000 rpm...but to be honest I’ve not had to concentrate on keeping brow that as I’ve not needed more than 7000 rpm! 7000 rpm equates to about 150 kmh which is 50 kmh more than the speed limit here in NZ. Also, even using half throttle and up to around 7k revs the acceleration is more than enough for overtaking and on most of the roads I’ve been riding there are so many bends that high speeds are not possible even if I wanted to go mad. Hardly any point screaming away from a bend if the next one is only 100m-200m away. Upside is that with so many bends it is great fun to ride even if your average speed is low.
I am definitely going to check out the Aprilia RS660 when it comes out later this year as could be a good replacement for the Suzuki.
Up to 7000 you do not even use the full power/torque of the engine.
I've had 2 gsxr 750s for track... You think it feels alright upto 7k, blimey wait until you pin it and hold it out past 11k upto the 14k/15k red line 
That new Aprilia 660 does look very nice. For a lot of road rides 100 brake is all you need to have fun. Problem is once you've had a big thou with character it's hard to go back
That new Aprilia 660 does look very nice. For a lot of road rides 100 brake is all you need to have fun. Problem is once you've had a big thou with character it's hard to go back
I went from a gsxr 750 to a sv650, approximately half the power.
I do ride very different roads now and when I’m on a ‘big’ road the sv can feel slow but overall I’m having more fun now and also riding more.
The gsxr felt quite serious to ride at times.
You should try a naked too. I expect a sports bike makes more sense on lightly trafficked NZ roads but a naked is much more fun.
I do ride very different roads now and when I’m on a ‘big’ road the sv can feel slow but overall I’m having more fun now and also riding more.
The gsxr felt quite serious to ride at times.
You should try a naked too. I expect a sports bike makes more sense on lightly trafficked NZ roads but a naked is much more fun.
I went out on the kid's Skyteam Ace 50 the other day... 4 stroke, 4 speed, 3 hp, throttle pinned everywhere and off the clocks (long straight, slightly down hill but then they only go to 60kph), it was hilarious and it made me really concentrate on keeping momentum everywhere, a big grin on my face at the end of it.
It was so much fun that it got me thinking about getting something tiny (50-125 2 stroke) with sticky tyres and sorted suspension to play with but I've got no where to store it and I'm not selling my S2r (another relatively low powered bike with sorted suspension and sticky tyres..!) so it'll have to wait
It was so much fun that it got me thinking about getting something tiny (50-125 2 stroke) with sticky tyres and sorted suspension to play with but I've got no where to store it and I'm not selling my S2r (another relatively low powered bike with sorted suspension and sticky tyres..!) so it'll have to wait
Birky_41 said:
I've had 2 gsxr 750s for track... You think it feels alright upto 7k, blimey wait until you pin it and hold it out past 11k upto the 14k/15k red line
That new Aprilia 660 does look very nice. For a lot of road rides 100 brake is all you need to have fun. Problem is once you've had a big thou with character it's hard to go back
Maybe I am exception to the rule, maybe my skill does not allow me to enjoy 1000cc more on the street, but I have my 2002 CBR600F4i since 2014, I rode it year-round since then and covered 70k kilometers on it (just on that bike, I have had 3 to 6 others at the same time in these 6 years, including 2 GSXR1000 and 954RR and I rode all of them at least into the 10 thousands each) and I still very much enjoy my 600 and it is my bike of choice for the roads.That new Aprilia 660 does look very nice. For a lot of road rides 100 brake is all you need to have fun. Problem is once you've had a big thou with character it's hard to go back
I am around 105kg suited-up and I live 400m above sea level so it is not even full power, but the only time I feel it is lacking a bit is when I am 2000m+ in the Alps.
Would I be able to live without 1000cc? Absolutely. I choose to have a 1000cc bike but if I did not have it I would not miss it (now that I have tried it, of course). I can understand someone would buy a liter bike because it looks better, that is a valid point, but as I quite like the looks of my beaten-up and scratched 600cc again I could live without a beautiful 1000cc sportsbike.
Now I am talking about sportsbikes (whether these are at all appropriate for public road riding I leave aside, personally I like to ride sportsbikes on the public roads) and maybe nakeds.
As I see it, these 1000cc is mostly useless (=it is a luxury choice) on the road unless you break speed limits continuously, the extra power in mid-upper-rpm is not used and the extra torque is not that important on the roads (unless high up in the mountains or riding two-up), in fact the higher torque makes the progress less enjoyable because you need more control to stay within speed limit and the acceleration to speed limit happens so fast and so effortless that you don't even enjoy it much. On a naked you also get a lot of wind blast at higher speed so again that extra power goes mostly unutilized.
Anyway, this is an old topic beaten up to death.
As a new rider, I was planning to by a husky 401, essentially a ktm 390 in a daft punk outfit. I wanted, or thought I wanted, something light and blattable which I could also use on desert trails.
I rode a duke 390 and a monster 797 over Xmas and the 390 was immediately out, as was any thought about trails. The 390 wouldn’t cope on my commute (10miles of 8lane highway with a few miles of fun bits either end) and was nowhere near as grin inducing as the monster.
I’ve ridden an m796 and m821 since and believe I’ll end up with either the m796 or m1100 evo. Yet to ride the latter but I’m expecting something between the 821 and 796. More torque and power than the latter but with less intense power delivery of the former. Better specced and similar weight to the 796 to boot.
I rode a duke 390 and a monster 797 over Xmas and the 390 was immediately out, as was any thought about trails. The 390 wouldn’t cope on my commute (10miles of 8lane highway with a few miles of fun bits either end) and was nowhere near as grin inducing as the monster.
I’ve ridden an m796 and m821 since and believe I’ll end up with either the m796 or m1100 evo. Yet to ride the latter but I’m expecting something between the 821 and 796. More torque and power than the latter but with less intense power delivery of the former. Better specced and similar weight to the 796 to boot.
Edited by shirt on Sunday 12th January 16:52
MrGman said:
I’m back on a 2016 street triple r after a year on a 2016 R1, the street is a really fun bike and plenty fast enough for the road but god I miss having the R1 - so yes I’d agree with the above, 100hp is more than enough unless you’ve experienced a lot more.
This is the truth. As wonderful as a smaller bike can be on the right day nothing but nothing beats the hit of a superbike.I gave up on sports bikes in NZ about 10 years ago when I went from bike to car trackdays.
Since I have intermittently had road bikes but Monsters, Hypermotards and now a KTM 690SMCR which I think is awesome for NZ roads.
OK my twice weekly 125km each way commute by highway would be better on something else but I know I wont lose my licence (although tickets are always possibilities) and a blast round the Coromandel or out to Kawhia for fish and chips couldn't be more fun on it.
I keep meaning to get it on the track but something always comes up, soon .
Since I have intermittently had road bikes but Monsters, Hypermotards and now a KTM 690SMCR which I think is awesome for NZ roads.
OK my twice weekly 125km each way commute by highway would be better on something else but I know I wont lose my licence (although tickets are always possibilities) and a blast round the Coromandel or out to Kawhia for fish and chips couldn't be more fun on it.
I keep meaning to get it on the track but something always comes up, soon .
black-k1 said:
If you think the only way to enjoy a bike is with its throttle pinned then:
A. You're missing out on a huge amount.
B. You really should restrict your riding to the track.
You can have fun with 100bhp but 170+bhp is hard to step back from.
If you think the only way to enjoy a bike is telling your mates it’s got 170+ bhpA. You're missing out on a huge amount.
B. You really should restrict your riding to the track.
You can have fun with 100bhp but 170+bhp is hard to step back from.
A. Your Mrs is probably a pain in the arse
B. You should get some new mates or simply don’t bother about willy waving and just enjoy yourself without spending money unnecessarily.
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