single cylinder sports bikes

[eggbod]

i was out for a ride on my xt660 today, which is great fun even on greasy roads, i was loving the punchy single, which got me thinking, is there a 600cc+ single cylinder sportsbike made by a big manufacturer out there? the ktm duke 690 is unfaired as is the mt03, and the szr660 isn't being build any more, so what's available ?

[steve954]

Don't know of new bike etc but I have ridden a kr1s which had a 600 ish engine from a trails bike, I'm sure the owner said it was built to was in a super mono class or something.

[Farrant]

Any excuse to post this

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Custom%20Bi...

[steve954]

Farrant said:

Any excuse to post this

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Custom%20Bi...

Oh my lord!

[the_lone_wolf]

Farrant said:

[srob]

eggbod said:

i was out for a ride on my xt660 today, which is great fun even on greasy roads, i was loving the punchy single, which got me thinking, is there a 600cc+ single cylinder sportsbike made by a big manufacturer out there? the ktm duke 690 is unfaired as is the mt03, and the szr660 isn't being build any more, so what's available ?

I'm with you, I love big single cylinder bikes. There's actually a brand new SZR on biketrader at the moment.

I'd love a Bimota BB1, I looked at one when I had my Elise a few years ago, seemed like the bike equivelant. Wish I'd bought it now!

[SAS Tom]

I've got a DR650 and can't see the attraction of a sports bike with the same engine. The whole point of a sports bike is that there is loads of power at the top end where the singles have run out of breath.

Suits an off road/supermoto very well but I think it'd be a crap sports bike!

[RemyMartin]

Farrant said:

Any excuse to post this

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Custom%20Bi...

In all seriousness, why the hell isn't that or something like that made.

Massive levels of want for that KTM.

[SteveSteveson]

Farrant said:

Any excuse to post this

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Custom%20Bi...

Want. Want so bad. I love thumpers. If anyone has one unfortunately my Grandmother is no longer alive so I can't sell her, but I do have a kidney I can spare.

[Jimbo.]

SAS Tom said:

I've got a DR650 and can't see the attraction of a sports bike with the same engine. The whole point of a sports bike is that there is loads of power at the top end where the singles have run out of breath.

Suits an off road/supermoto very well but I think it'd be a crap sports bike!

The whole point of a "sports bike" is to be, as the name suggests, sporty. Same as a "sports car". Said "sportiness" can be achieved through (lack of) weight, abundance of power, anything. Think Caterham vs. 911 Turbo. A single-cylinder sports bike would be ace: light, simple, lots of noise and enough of an engine to make you smile.

As for making "crap sports bikes", the Supermono and Moto3 bikes aren't too shabby.

If you want loads of power, get a V-Max.

[srob]

SAS Tom said:

I've got a DR650 and can't see the attraction of a sports bike with the same engine. The whole point of a sports bike is that there is loads of power at the top end where the singles have run out of breath.

Suits an off road/supermoto very well but I think it'd be a crap sports bike!

Try telling any of the BSB/WSB riders who race a Manx Norton at Goodwood and fall in love with them

[SAS Tom]

I'm not saying you need more power, rather you want power in a different place in the rev range.

I just don't think it makes sense as once you are at the top of the rev range it feels a bit underwhelming.

[SteveSteveson]

srob said:

I'm with you, I love big single cylinder bikes. There's actually a brand new SZR on biketrader at the moment.

I'd love a Bimota BB1, I looked at one when I had my Elise a few years ago, seemed like the bike equivelant. Wish I'd bought it now!

I love the Bimota, but apparently they never managed to get the engine balancing quite right, which is odd given that Aprilia and BMW managed it. They somehow screwed it up. Although that could just be reviewers expecting too much of a single compared to IL4 bikes.

[Farrant]

RemyMartin said:

Farrant said:

Any excuse to post this

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Custom%20Bi...

In all seriousness, why the hell isn't that or something like that made.

Massive levels of want for that KTM.

Closest thing there is is this;



A faired version of the Duke 390, but THAT FRONT END!

Hopefully if/when KTM do make a faired 690 it looks more like the Mototech than that piece of turd.

[SteveSteveson]

Hopefully, but I'd still buy one if it looked like that. I am seriously thinking about the 390 as my next bike, along side the CRF 250. Both singles At the moment I'm drawn to the CFR as a style works better with lower power, but a 690...

[SteveSteveson]

SAS Tom said:

I'm not saying you need more power, rather you want power in a different place in the rev range.

I just don't think it makes sense as once you are at the top of the rev range it feels a bit underwhelming.

You might want, but I love the power delivery of a single. Not everyone likes high rev power delivery of sports bikes.

[Jimbo.]

SAS Tom said:

I'm not saying you need more power, rather you want power in a different place in the rev range.

I just don't think it makes sense as once you are at the top of the rev range it feels a bit underwhelming.

Then either use the midrange, or tweak the engine to make more top-end. IIRC the Ducati Supermono (and out-and-out race bike I'll admit, but the principle's the same) made 70bhp at 10,000 rpm...

EDIT: I remember being at Brands when these were running. The noise was biblical!

[RemyMartin]

Farrant said:

Closest thing there is is this;



A faired version of the Duke 390, but THAT FRONT END!

Hopefully if/when KTM do make a faired 690 it looks more like the Mototech than that piece of turd.

Front end is Suzuki Katana-esque....might just be my eyes.

Katana = cool.

[SteveSteveson]

http://www.bikeexif.com/ducati-supermono

On the lotto win list.

[MK3 Dan]

Aprilia do the RRV450 track bike, single cylinder in 'sportsbike' chassis. Awesome little bike!