Which of these should I buy?

[Chilli]

Ruttager said:

This. I tried to put into words why I wouldn't get a GSXR but couldn't. You have summed up what I was trying to say perfectly.

Now now, come on gents...I'd rave about the GSXR 750 all day long, it is a quality machine that ticks all the boxes, it's just the OP was wanting a litre bike!

[308mate]

Chilli said:

Now now, come on gents...I'd rave about the GSXR 750 all day long, it is a quality machine that ticks all the boxes, it's just the OP was wanting a litre bike!

Exactly. That would be a separate debate entirely.

[julian64]

Ruttager said:

308mate said:

I just associate riding the latest Gixer with someone who probably subscribes to 3 different Bike Mags and has untouched sliders on his £1200 Crescent rep one piece leathers which he wears for going to get a loaf of bread (present PH company excepted, of course).

This. I tried to put into words why I wouldn't get a GSXR but couldn't. You have summed up what I was trying to say perfectly.

If untouched sliders were good enough for bary sheene, they're good enough for me.

[trickywoo]

Thanks chaps. Some really good thoughts there.

I suspect it may come down to which I see a good example of first but 308's red R1

[spareparts]

308mate said:

The K5 is possibly the best bike to come from Japan since the original R1 and before that the original Fireblade, thats the company its keeps. Mega fast but very well mannered and easy to ride fast or slow. Feels like a 600 to sit on, the bars are low and close together, there is MASSIVE torque from low down (things start to happen at about 5000rpm), very easy to chuck and very easy to correct if youre in a corner but not really on the right line. Ive spent a lot of time on one. Even sem-comfortable for a pillion.

...

I love the K5. It blows my mind whenever I ride one for how much easier it is to ride stupid fast than the R1. I'm ste at wheelies yet Ive hoisted the K5 at 100mph with gay abandon (I cant scrape up the front of the R1 at that speed at all and attempting to results in an embarrassing clutch torture moment).

^^ Well said that man!

[308mate]

spareparts said:

308mate said:

The K5 is possibly the best bike to come from Japan since the original R1 and before that the original Fireblade, thats the company its keeps. Mega fast but very well mannered and easy to ride fast or slow. Feels like a 600 to sit on, the bars are low and close together, there is MASSIVE torque from low down (things start to happen at about 5000rpm), very easy to chuck and very easy to correct if youre in a corner but not really on the right line. Ive spent a lot of time on one. Even sem-comfortable for a pillion.

...

I love the K5. It blows my mind whenever I ride one for how much easier it is to ride stupid fast than the R1. I'm ste at wheelies yet Ive hoisted the K5 at 100mph with gay abandon (I cant scrape up the front of the R1 at that speed at all and attempting to results in an embarrassing clutch torture moment).

^^ Well said that man!

I suppose what your cut and shut quote demonstrates is that really, since about 2004/5, there havent been any litre class sports bikes that have been that bad. Just pick the one you like best.

[R1 Loon]

Chilli said:

R1 Loon said:

R1 in Lava Red.

OP, LISTEN TO THIS MAN.

Seriously have a look at a good'un, and try and tell me it's not gorgeous. Don't forget you get 6000 muile service intervals (4 on the GSXR)and an arguably better build quality. Underseat pipes have always given me an errection, nice and tidy.

However I do like the indicators in the the mirrors that the GSXR has!

Recognition at last

This was mine, until I parked it in a Peugoet. BN managed to make them rarer too

[Castrol Craig]

nice paving.

[rsv gone!]

I think the R1 is the best looking of the three. Here's mine whilst touring in the Pyrenees;




I always fancied a 2004-5 blade in Repsol colours.

But to ride, by all accounts the GSXR1000 K5/6. I may try to get hold of one this year.

[308mate]

For balance, here is the R1 with the all-black K5 1000 behind it. To be honest, I think the K5 photographs better. Pictures of mine sometimes look odd because it has a carbon front mudguard, which can get lost with the tyre and wheel. But in the flesh I definitely prefer the "beak" on the R1.




ETA: those tyres look st too. I can only assume they spec a different profile in the US (mine is a US import from new).

[Biker's Nemesis]

308mate said:

For balance, here is the R1 with the all-black K5 1000 behind it. To be honest, I think the K5 photographs better. Pictures of mine sometimes look odd because it has a carbon front mudguard, which can get lost with the tyre and wheel. But in the flesh I definitely prefer the "beak" on the R1.




ETA: those tyres look st too. I can only assume they spec a different profile in the US (mine is a US import from new).

That could be a photo of me and my mate who do the TDs, we went to Germany in 2006 and 2007 with another lad on his 04 Fireblade.

I was on my lava Red 05 R1, Aky on his Black K5 and Daren on his Red 04 Fireblade.

[308mate]

Important point - the R1 is much easier to wash (the plastics on the K5 are quite complex and hold water) and strap luggage to without scuffing the paint, than the K5. The matt black around the pillion seat onthe K5 is prone to scuffing very easily and if you google Suzuki Tank paint scuffing, you will see that the paint is really poor and will scuff badly in a short space of time. Made much worse by the gloss balck colour scheme, as it really shows.

However the R1 has much less room under the seat. Also, if you go for the R1, check to see if it requires a throttle position sensor recall and whether its been done. You can do this easily by ringing Yamaha UK and quoting the reg and VIN. It wont cost you to get it done if it hasnt but its ag that you dont need.

If you have a confined space for parking and are prone to hoisting the bike on its side-stand to spin it around, its nigh-on impossible with the K5 as its weight is concentrated along way forward of the stand. The R1 spins round quite easily.

The R1 gets hot in traffic quicker and blows hot air straight onto your right shin particularly. The thermo-fans will cut in after only a mile of stop start, though the fan does a very good job of bringing the temp down. In traffic in the summer, its very hot on your shins, even in jeans. In trafic in the winter, its lovely.

Im not sure what Im proving here....

[308mate]

Biker's Nemesis said:

That could be a photo of me and my mate who do the TDs, we went to Germany in 2006 and 2007 with another lad on his 04 Fireblade.

I was on my lava Red 05 R1, Aky on his Black K5 and Daren on his Red 04 Fireblade.

That one was taken in '05 in the Pyrenees. We had an SV1000 with us who rode the absolute tits off the thing with poorly fitting panniers flapping either side. Thirsty bugger it was too.

[308mate]

Bring on the summer and The Horton Inn on a warm evening:



Ok, I think Ive done enough here.

[robstvr]

I'm find myself wanting an R1, or Repsol Fireblade

Please stop this, all of you, I can't afford it, and it makes me sad.

[rsv gone!]

robstvr said:

I'm find myself wanting an R1, or Repsol Fireblade

Please stop this, all of you, I can't afford it, and it makes me sad.

I'm sure we could work out terms....

[308mate]

robstvr said:

I'm find myself wanting an R1, or Repsol Fireblade

Please stop this, all of you, I can't afford it, and it makes me sad.

Yeah, fair enough.

[robstvr]

...I saw the Repsol 'Blade and I

...jizzed-in-my-pants.

I opened the window, an R1 went by and I

...jizzed-in-my-pants.

[robstvr]

WTF?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2102679.htm

[AndyDRZ]

R1 Loon said:

R1 in Lava Red.

Correct choice! Next question