[63085]

Hello all,

I need help deciding on which bike I would like to purchase. I like most sport bikes and have decided on the 600cc size. I would like to have some indight on picking one outside of only looks and price.

Currently I have looked at the: (in order of preference)

Suzuki GSX-r 600
Kawasaki ninja Zx-6r
Yamaha R6
Honda cbr

These bikes all seem very similar, how can i diferentiate them? Which would you choose?

 

[sachiwilson]

How long you been riding, boy? How old are you?

 

[63085]

im 22, been riding a few months

 

[longride]

The way you can tell them apart is by the name on the tank, and I wouldn't choose any of them.

 

[63085]

i know how to tell them apart... which would u chose?

 

[55028]

What it is that they are going to get to is that while it's a free country and you should feel free to exercise your freedom of choice, it is the collective, I could get in trouble for using that word, opinion of the respondents to this site that none of the mentioned bikes are a good choice for someone who has ridden a couple of[Excuse me few] months. Use the search feature to get some of the ideas put forth. There are a lot of very experienced rider here who have thoughtfully shared their opinions.

It is my own personal opinion that if one of these bikes were the best choice for you, you would know exactly which one it is, based on your past experiences, track days and riding style. Well listen to me on my high horse, I think I'll go counsel myself.

 

[newagetwotone]

Hello all,

I need help deciding on which bike I would like to purchase. I like most sport bikes and have decided on the 600cc size. I would like to have some indight on picking one outside of only looks and price.

Currently I have looked at the: (in order of preference)

Suzuki GSX-r 600
Kawasaki ninja Zx-6r
Yamaha R6
Honda cbr

These bikes all seem very similar, how can i diferentiate them? Which would you choose?

How about a Ninja 250 or 500. Either of those have enough power to get you to speeds you can kill yourself at. If you want to get something with a bigger engine look at a 650 thumper like a KLR or an older BMW F650. Not to mention you can save money to buy proper gear, armoured jacket, helmet, gauntlets and armoured pants.

I'll be 22 in two weeks and i've been riding off and on since i was a kid and I still ride off road, I've ridden a couple of times on our dead end road but I don't feel that I'm ready to hop on a CBR and kill myself. Slow down. 600s arn't what they were 10 years ago but then again i guess in a world where the boss hoss and Triumph Rocket III exsist....

 

[ejis]

I did something similar when I first started riding. I had a Yamaha Seca II (well used) as my first bike when I was about your age. After about 6 months of riding (just about every day, in any weather) I bought a (well used) Honda VFR. This bike was nowhere near the performance of the 600s you're looking at, but was a big, fast bike. I was just fine on it, but getting past my first year on that bike was due as much to luck as skill - of which I had very little.

If you've had some real training, ridden every day in your couple months, and are relatively mature - you could be fine on one of those bikes. But I wonder what it is you want it for? It seems like you don't really know anything about them, which may lead some here to assume that you're getting this because you want a "race" bike to pose on. If you want a different bike than you have now, (which is what, by the way?) than you really might want to consider something other than a homologated race bike with pricey tupperware. If a DS isn't your thing (as good as they are, it's not mine...), and I'm assuming you won't look at a 250 or "beginner" 500, you might want look at a mid-sized sporty standard. The SV650 (my current bike), the new Kawasaki 650s, Yamaha FZ6, Ducati Monster 695, etc. are all highly competent bikes that can more than handle track days or anything else you can possibly do. They are not slow, and because of the powerbands, can actually feel livelier than the high strung race bikes during normal street riding.

Of course, if all you're looking for is something to sit on and be seen on, then really, who cares.

 

[The_AirHawk]

You should buy the Biggest, Fastest, Quickest-Accelerating bike you can tap-yourself-out to finance. (I personally recommend the '08 ZX-10 - it's got Traction Control!)

Then, wearing a Wife-Beater, Oakley's, a backwards-ballcap and cutoffs when you go pick it up - absolutely WOW the staff with your Manly Handling of said-same machine. Just jump on it, rev it to like 14-grand, slam-down the gearshift-lever, then dump the clutch.

I absolutely GUARANTEE you will be remembered for what kind of Man's Man you were as you left the Parking Lot, and make an impression on everyone in your path as to your Ridin' Skilz, Yo!

If you don't, you can't possibly be a Real Man.

 

[seruzawa]

Some of the guys come on strong here, but really they are all just trying to keep you from becoming a statistic. Those 600cc race replicas you mention are amongst the fastest motorcycles ever built. The powerbands are very peaky which means that the engine will accelerate poorly to a point at which it very suddenly will take off like a rocket... a very dangerous characteristic for a new rider. Then there's the terrible seating position which restricts your ability to turn your head. Plus the mirrors are largely useless giving you an excellent view of your elbows.

The suspensions on those bikes are extremely stiff, being designed for smooth track surfaces and very high cornering speeds. On real world roads the variety of rough road surfaces you run into can make the race replicas more dangerous to ride and actually slower than a more reasonably sprung road bike. You may just feel beaten to death by the suspension while friends on other bikes are riding along unconcernedly.

Then there's the brakes which are deigned for racing as well and can be extremely sensitive. Many people stoppie completely over in panic situations because of a lack of skill using these brakes.

Am I making these bikes sound dangerous? Yes. They are. This is why most here recommend a more reasonable mount while you are on the learning curve. It's your choice, so choose wisely.

If you must have a 600 class bike then you might consider the Suzi SV650 or the neat Duck 695. In any real world situation of 65mph speed limits and police radar/laser guns they will get you from point A to point B just as quickly and more comfortably than any of the above bikes you are considering.

 

[63085]

Some of the guys come on strong here, but really they are all just trying to keep you from becoming a statistic. Those 600cc race replicas you mention are amongst the fastest motorcycles ever built. The powerbands are very peaky which means that the engine will accelerate poorly to a point at which it very suddenly will take off like a rocket... a very dangerous characteristic for a new rider. Then there's the terrible seating position which restricts your ability to turn your head. Plus the mirrors are largely useless giving you an excellent view of your elbows.

The suspensions on those bikes are extremely stiff, being designed for smooth track surfaces and very high cornering speeds. On real world roads the variety of rough road surfaces you run into can make the race replicas more dangerous to ride and actually slower than a more reasonably sprung road bike. You may just feel beaten to death by the suspension while friends on other bikes are riding along unconcernedly.

Then there's the brakes which are deigned for racing as well and can be extremely sensitive. Many people stoppie completely over in panic situations because of a lack of skill using these brakes.

Am I making these bikes sound dangerous? Yes. They are. This is why most here recommend a more reasonable mount while you are on the learning curve. It's your choice, so choose wisely.

If you must have a 600 class bike then you might consider the Suzi SV650 or the neat Duck 695. In any real world situation of 65mph speed limits and police radar/laser guns they will get you from point A to point B just as quickly and more comfortably than any of the above bikes you are considering.

wow, thank you. it seems that everyone else did their best to insult me beginer status then to actually help me in my decision. thank you very much for your response.

 

[newagetwotone]

Wow, so because you don't want to hear the truth (that you can easily kill yourself on one of those bikes) you ignore the facts? If your in NEED of a bigger engine then buy an SV650 if you can deal with a smaller engine a Ninja 250 or 500 is the ticket.

Your a beginner, you dont belong on a CBR or a 'Busa but plenty of riders end up dead, maimed or disabled because of it. Went to High school with a kid who got a new $30k a year job, celibrated by going out and buying a BMW R1200R, bags, BMW jacket and helmet and had NO practice on something smaller. He had a truck stop in front of him and he squeezed the back brake, the bike didn't stop and he hit the rear bumper flipped up through the bed and through the back window.

He was in a coma for a week and still doesn't have full movement or feeling bellow his waist. He is down completely afraid of motorcycles, has limited movement of his legs and little to no feeling in his legs and manhood. I'd rather be riding a small bike with the use of everything below my waist than be him.

Its times like this that i wonder if tiered licensing would be a good thing. Stop people like this from getting the wrong bike. Hell even a Ninja 250 can get you killed.