[895]

First post! ha ha Shame I don't have any worthwhile comment to make. Have an excellent Christmas everyone. Remember - be good, and if you can't be goos, be careful.

 

[4940]

Don't worry Grum, I'm goos most of the time. VWW

 

[obandoj]

Sean, most likely you have been very goos, look at all the fun you are having, keep it up.

 

[mile_eater]

helluva a write up. Good on ya boy. I'm one of the ones who's thrilled to see a non-racer-boy color scheme.



Here I was dead set on the 636, and ya go and write up something like this.



You're just tryin' to make my life difficult ain't ya?

 

[48152]

it's going to be a MO Christmas!

WOOHOO! six different bike tests and shootouts!!!!

 

[4940]

Sean I have great respect for your analytical abilities when it comes to differentiating the subtle differences between last years model and this new offering. I would however find it interesting for you or Doug Toland to ride these two back to back, so some sort of quantitative measurement could be made on the advances offered in this new model. It would be even more interesting if you could ride the 2005 and see if you could best Toland on the 04.VWW

 

[SeanAlexander]

Just wait till you read my 636cc ZX-6R review..... hehehehehehehehehe. Here's a hint: The Honda handles slightly better and the ZX-6R is way faster (Kawasaki claims a +9Hp increase for 2005, if the claim is accurate, it'd make a total of 117 AT THE TIRE) All-in-all they are both superb choices, if you ride a lot of twisties or participate in trackdays. -Sean

 

[SeanAlexander]

"I would however find it interesting for you or Doug Toland to ride these two back to back, so some sort of quantitative measurement could be made on the advances offered in this new model. "



That's exactly what I did. I swapped back-n-forth between the two and found that the most notable changes are a stronger pull from mid-rpms and a nicer turn-in when trail-braking. Other than that, the 2004 and 2005 are both quite stable and loads of fun to flog around a racetrack. -Sean

 

[4940]

I guess what I was looking for was the difference in either your or Toland's lap times when riding the 04 and then the 05. VWW

 

[34763]

What was that about the ZX-6R?

+9 HP ... ?

* jaw drops, glazed look crosses face *

* walks over to the garage and kicks "slow" '03 636 *

* checks bank balance on Quicken *

* cries like a schoolgirl *

* apologizes, hugs '03 636 *

* puts Mother and Dog up for sale on eBay *

 

[SeanAlexander]

Re: What was that about the ZX-6R?

Tis true

 

[mile_eater]

I live in West By God Virginia. The bridges here are even curved. I think the longest straight stretch in the state is 3/4 of a mile...



I wonder... is it a breech of protocol to call it the 636? I know that zx-6r is the prefered nomenclature... but 636 sounds better to me... plus... the Dragon has 318 curves... making the 636... The Double Dragon!



HA!

 

[SeanAlexander]

Honda was smart enough not to time any laps. Posting times tends to encourage bike damage when the Journalists GP starts. So... they try to keep the competitve quotient to a minimum at Press Intros. (sometimes it works....sometimes it doesn't -Sean

 

[mile_eater]

Picker of nits!

 

[mile_eater]

"117 AT THE TIRE"



You giggled like a little girl when you wrote that didn't you. Don't lie.



It's ok. I've read 19 times since you wrote it and I still have the sh$t-eatin' grin on my face.

 

[4940]

Good thing that sideways stripies arn't part of the "competitive quotient." VWW

 

[4940]

If there were indeed only quantitative nits to pick, it might be of interest to the owner of and 04 who was comtemplating an upgrade. VWW

 

[SeanAlexander]

Lighter, with more power, better handling and better tires. If pure performance is your thing and Honda is your brand, then yes the 2005 is a worthy upgrade from the 03/04 model. -Sean

 

[4940]

Unfortunatly for me Sean I probably wouldn't be any faster on the new 05 600 than the old 600 Huricane. VWW

 

[20874]

+9 hp?

When is the last time a manufacturer claimed an increase like that in the ol' 600 class? They had better post great numbers! Did it really feel like 9 hp?