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Hi all, I've been reading this forum for quite a while now but have never felt I had the knowledge/experience etc to post on it but that's all about to change!
I've come to biking a bit later than most do (I've just turned 34) and I passed my mod 2 yesterday so it meant I could get the Hornet 600 that I bought in January out of the garage and give it a run and all I can say is wow!!!
I rode a brand new mt07 for my mod 1 and 2 which I believe is a 650 twin? I was expecting the Hornet to ride pretty much the same but how wrong was I? I can't believe how insane a 600cc bike can be, how the hell do people ride litre bikes?
When accelerating enthusiastically, I feel like I am holding on for dear life.....its fantastic but scary at the same time. Does this feeling ever subside? How is something this powerful even legal!
I've come to biking a bit later than most do (I've just turned 34) and I passed my mod 2 yesterday so it meant I could get the Hornet 600 that I bought in January out of the garage and give it a run and all I can say is wow!!!
I rode a brand new mt07 for my mod 1 and 2 which I believe is a 650 twin? I was expecting the Hornet to ride pretty much the same but how wrong was I? I can't believe how insane a 600cc bike can be, how the hell do people ride litre bikes?
When accelerating enthusiastically, I feel like I am holding on for dear life.....its fantastic but scary at the same time. Does this feeling ever subside? How is something this powerful even legal!
Hello 
Don't want to burst your bubble but hornets are girls bikes
real men don't ride anything less than 1000cc and at least 150bhp 

In all seriousness they do feel a lot faster than they are because they are quite peaky but they are great bikes, you will get used to the power (probably), a mate has a hornet and he swears it's too fast for him (it is, he's not a great rider but enjoying it) another local bloke I know tells me all the time how his 600cc bandit is *insane* and he can't hold on to it, its all relative, they are all very fast compared to most average cars.

Don't want to burst your bubble but hornets are girls bikes
real men don't ride anything less than 1000cc and at least 150bhp 

In all seriousness they do feel a lot faster than they are because they are quite peaky but they are great bikes, you will get used to the power (probably), a mate has a hornet and he swears it's too fast for him (it is, he's not a great rider but enjoying it) another local bloke I know tells me all the time how his 600cc bandit is *insane* and he can't hold on to it, its all relative, they are all very fast compared to most average cars.
TaxiDave said:
When accelerating enthusiastically, I feel like I am holding on for dear life.....its fantastic but scary at the same time. Does this feeling ever subside?
Yes, that's when you buy a bigger bike!Edited by Jazoli on Wednesday 28th March 18:17
TaxiDave said:
Hi all, I've been reading this forum for quite a while now but have never felt I had the knowledge/experience etc to post on it but that's all about to change!
I've come to biking a bit later than most do (I've just turned 34) and I passed my mod 2 yesterday so it meant I could get the Hornet 600 that I bought in January out of the garage and give it a run and all I can say is wow!!!
I rode a brand new mt07 for my mod 1 and 2 which I believe is a 650 twin? I was expecting the Hornet to ride pretty much the same but how wrong was I? I can't believe how insane a 600cc bike can be, how the hell do people ride litre bikes?
When accelerating enthusiastically, I feel like I am holding on for dear life.....its fantastic but scary at the same time. Does this feeling ever subside? How is something this powerful even legal!
I could have written the same post in November when I passed and then rode my 600 hornet for the 1st time. I've now sold it and moved onto a 750 v twin. Not much quicker top end but lots more grunt down low.I've come to biking a bit later than most do (I've just turned 34) and I passed my mod 2 yesterday so it meant I could get the Hornet 600 that I bought in January out of the garage and give it a run and all I can say is wow!!!
I rode a brand new mt07 for my mod 1 and 2 which I believe is a 650 twin? I was expecting the Hornet to ride pretty much the same but how wrong was I? I can't believe how insane a 600cc bike can be, how the hell do people ride litre bikes?
When accelerating enthusiastically, I feel like I am holding on for dear life.....its fantastic but scary at the same time. Does this feeling ever subside? How is something this powerful even legal!
Next bike will be a 1000cc plus but I want to work my way up as hopefully I have plenty of time..
The first time I rode my current bike I giggled like a lunatic when I could get on the gas. Once it was run in and I was able to use the full rev range I giggled again. After a while you get used to it and it's not such a big deal, but mine still makes me laugh when I get the chance to push on a bit.
Congratulations, mate! I was in the same boat and the same age last August. Only got a bike and started riding in December and have loved every minute so far. You'll get used to the bike. I took my time for a good while, just riding around my area and practicing slow stuff. Now I'm flying up and down motorways no bother. Enjoy!
Berty3000 said:
Congratulations, mate! I was in the same boat and the same age last August. Only got a bike and started riding in December and have loved every minute so far. You'll get used to the bike. I took my time for a good while, just riding around my area and practicing slow stuff. Now I'm flying up and down motorways no bother. Enjoy!
Well I decided to have a quick run on the motorway today, felt like the wind was trying to remove my helmet once I was in lane 3, it's funny because it makes sense that it would happen at high speeds but it's not something I had thought of before. Justatwist said:
Berty3000 said:
Congratulations, mate! I was in the same boat and the same age last August. Only got a bike and started riding in December and have loved every minute so far. You'll get used to the bike. I took my time for a good while, just riding around my area and practicing slow stuff. Now I'm flying up and down motorways no bother. Enjoy!
Well I decided to have a quick run on the motorway today, felt like the wind was trying to remove my helmet once I was in lane 3, it's funny because it makes sense that it would happen at high speeds but it's not something I had thought of before. Justatwist said:
Well I decided to have a quick run on the motorway today, felt like the wind was trying to remove my helmet once I was in lane 3, it's funny because it makes sense that it would happen at high speeds but it's not something I had thought of before.
Just get a big f*ck-off screen, stick it on cruise, turn up the music and enjoy 
...in fairness you're probably 25 years too young to contemplate that as a solution...but one tried you'll wonder why you ever put up with all that getting blown-about malarkey.
TaxiDave said:
When accelerating enthusiastically, I feel like I am holding on for dear life.....its fantastic but scary at the same time. Does this feeling ever subside? How is something this powerful even legal!
Haha your me a few months ago! Unfortunately it subsides quite quickly but still awesome fun. I went from test on an ER6 to a Hornet, it’s the kick at 10k that came as a shock! Also feels easier cruising at 70+ after a few months too. I love the Hornet, I keep looking at other bikes but going to wait as long as possible and improve my riding before moving up to a 1000.That initial feeling when you open the taps properly is great, when you find yourself quite often on the throttle stop in 2nd gear - which will be less than a year away
then you'll want something bigger 
I went from a 400cc 4 cylinder, thought that was fast above 7k, then I was pinning it in 1st, 2nd, 3rd... so naturally I bought at 1000cc v-twin with 140bhp
Only done a few thousand miles on it and I can honestly say I've been full throttle less that 3 or 4 times, and those were in 4th/5th/6th at low revs...
You don't know fast until you've experienced the sheer grunt of a litre bike
I do have an 800cc 100bhp bike too, it's gets a move on but vs the 1000cc bike it's not even close.
then you'll want something bigger 
I went from a 400cc 4 cylinder, thought that was fast above 7k, then I was pinning it in 1st, 2nd, 3rd... so naturally I bought at 1000cc v-twin with 140bhp

Only done a few thousand miles on it and I can honestly say I've been full throttle less that 3 or 4 times, and those were in 4th/5th/6th at low revs...

You don't know fast until you've experienced the sheer grunt of a litre bike

I do have an 800cc 100bhp bike too, it's gets a move on but vs the 1000cc bike it's not even close.
The power creep is real.
6 months after flogging my hornet every days and lots of twisty roads I was hammering it and wishing it got out of the corner faster.
Next was the tuono v4 which I thought I'd never be opening up the taps on. That's joined by a zzr1400 which at the moment still feels ballistic mainly because you need so much space to rev it out it's a rare treat.
6 months after flogging my hornet every days and lots of twisty roads I was hammering it and wishing it got out of the corner faster.
Next was the tuono v4 which I thought I'd never be opening up the taps on. That's joined by a zzr1400 which at the moment still feels ballistic mainly because you need so much space to rev it out it's a rare treat.
mak said:
TaxiDave said:
I can't believe how insane a 600cc bike can be, how the hell do people ride litre bikes
That takes me back to my initial thoughts after ragging my cbr 600 down the bypass after picking the thing up from the dealers, this was back in 1996 so stick with it 
ks until I test rode an R1. I'll never forget that feeling of winding open your first litre bike throttle Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff



