well, i'm looking for my second bike...not anytime soon, but i'd like to get some opinions from the more experienced riders...would love firsthand experiences rather than "i've read..." or "i've heard..."
ideally i'd like to buy a new bike next spring, so i'm still gonna be sticking with the GS for the rest of this year...promised myself to hit at least 10,000 miles before i swap bikes...
from what i've gotten from the GS so far, i know what i would like ideally in my next one...
love the flickability and the fun in the twisties the GS provides, so my next bike has to do that too...
do NOT want a full on supersport 600...i'd like a bike capable of touring / commuting to take on weekend roadtrips...with a passenger...
not looking any bigger than 650 since insurance would kill me and i dont want an expensive-to-maintain bike...i will be a recent college grad by then and will not exactly have a disposable income...
so...i'd like positives and negatives about the sv650(s), honda 599 (hopefully there will be a japanese produced one for 2006), honda cbr600f4i, and the yamaha fz6...
these are just the bikes i've been mainly looking into so far...if there are any others that could fit my criteria let me know as well...thanks for reading all...
- alex
My best friend has Yamaha FZ6 and i had a chance to ride it more than once.It has nice riding position,like GS so it's good for long trips.It looks awesom.But you have to be aware that it has 100 hp and that it's able to reach 60 mph in 1st gear,it goes like 125 mph in under 10 secs.But that doesn't mean that you have to push it to the red line all the time.It has enough torque on low revs also.I think it's very good bike for commuting if you've overgrown you GS .I will keep mine for some time.
Ride safe.
Have you considered the Yamaha YZF-600R? I owned one of these a few years ago and still miss it. It may have been Yamaha's race bike back in the day, but now it's pretty tame compared to many of the race rep 600's out there.
Some +'s
Fully Adjustable suspension (front and rear)
Plenty of power, linear power band
Great gas mileage and range (I think I averaged 200 miles a tank)
Very comfortable for a sport bike
Rides "2 up" very well with nary a complaint from your passenger
Still looks good
Decent wind protection from fairing (can be improved more with an aftermarket windscreen)
Cheap!!!
Some - 's
Carbureted
I've ridden the F4I and, frankly, it's not much different than the newer 600's. It has mucho power and handles almost or equally as well. The new banana seat may be more comforatable than the split seat I'm used to.
I hope this helps!
JOE
If you plan on taking long trips with an SV650S, start doing your lower back exercises now.. you'll need them. I'm in above-average shape and I can do about 200-300 miles before I have to take a break.
The SV650S is fine in the twisties. Of course, it comes from the factory with rubber that is hard as a rock, and the front suspension leaves much to be desired (although it IS better than the GS). I find that the front end gets pretty twitchy when I lean her over. I'm considering trying out some new fork springs and heavier fork oil this year to improve contact up front.
Quote from: ShonMy best friend has Yamaha FZ6 and i had a chance to ride it more than once.It has nice riding position,like GS so it's good for long trips.It looks awesom.But you have to be aware that it has 100 hp and that it's able to reach 60 mph in 1st gear,it goes like 125 mph in under 10 secs.But that doesn't mean that you have to push it to the red line all the time.It has enough torque on low revs also.I think it's very good bike for commuting if you've overgrown you GS .I will keep mine for some time.
Ride safe.
good stuff...and yeah i am aware that it has 100hp, i do intend on still keeping the GS for another year or so...am just looking into some do-it all bikes that can handle twisties AND touring...do you have any idea how it is 2-up? because as much as i love the GS when i'm goin solo i just need something with more oomph for passengers...
- alex
Quote from: wraithR1Have you considered the Yamaha YZF-600R? I owned one of these a few years ago and still miss it. It may have been Yamaha's race bike back in the day, but now it's pretty tame compared to many of the race rep 600's out there.
Some - 's
Carbureted
I've ridden the F4I and, frankly, it's not much different than the newer 600's. It has mucho power and handles almost or equally as well. The new banana seat may be more comforatable than the split seat I'm used to.
I hope this helps!
JOE
thanks, joe...this also raises some other questions though...
what is the deal with the yzf-600r? i mean how is it different in relation to the FZ-6? cuz i love the naked look, the only bike on my list right now thats not naked is the f4i just because of its history of being a solid bike...
and second, how is being carbureted a negative?
thanks
- alex
Quote from: vtlionIf you plan on taking long trips with an SV650S, start doing your lower back exercises now.. you'll need them. I'm in above-average shape and I can do about 200-300 miles before I have to take a break.
The SV650S is fine in the twisties. Of course, it comes from the factory with rubber that is hard as a rock, and the front suspension leaves much to be desired (although it IS better than the GS). I find that the front end gets pretty twitchy when I lean her over. I'm considering trying out some new fork springs and heavier fork oil this year to improve contact up front.
hmm...how bout without the s? just the sv650...and does it also suffer from the same front suspension as the sv650s?
hows this new criteria...i would like a bike that is solid when STOCK...i just wouldnt be able to mod it until i've paid it off, etc etc...
- alex
I can't speak intelligently on the riding position of the SV650, but the suspension is the same as the SV650S. It is fairly soft, though not so soft that I'm constantly bottoming out like on the GS. Only the preload is adjustable (front and rear)
I had just picked up an F4 but i had a YZF600R last summer. Fantastic bike. If I owned a garage instead of a stopp with a big step I'd still have it.
1)Its absolutely stable going fast the fairing is superb. Weighs about 470 wet.
2)Its a fairly tall bike, good for tall people, but I also liked it cuz I didn't drag my feet. Looks darn good.
3)Brakes are near best in class for all road bikes, same as the R6 and R1's
4)Not enough power to wheelie, but enough power to hit a hundred faster than you'd expect. Highway riding is a joy lotsa passing power in any gear so long as you keep the engine above 7K RPM
5)Lotsa midrange for an inline 4, wind the engine past 7-9K RPM and look out. Did I mention that?
6)Tame enough for city riding. Nice seat and ergos.
7)Suspension is plush and tuneable
8)Ergos are pretty good
No handlebar vibrations whatsoever. Pretty darn fast. Great for two up touring.
If this bike was fuel injected and was 60lbs lighter with an alum. frame I would say that it would be the perfect streetbike.
No centerstand which is a huge -1 though. = ) The YZF board are mostly a real nice bunch of guys.
4 years ago last month I gave my friend a 30-mile ride on my GS to pick up his new (used) YZF600R:
(http://www.bbburma.net/MiscFotos/DSCF1147_RomanLopez_YZF600R_3.jpg)
He offered to let me ride it around before we left for home, but I had been riding less than a year and there was no way I was going to risk dropping it.
Anyway, I still haven't ridden it. But we have gone on rides together with our wives. That machine sounds so smoooooth. This guy's wife used to fall asleep on the back on longer rides. But I can't chalk it up entirely to the smooth ride - I think it was largely due to some medication she was on at the time. Still - it was strange to be carving up canyons and then realize that she had gone to sleep again.... :?
Well i have about 80 kg and my friend has 95 kg,and there are no problems when we are both on the bike.It has a good rear shock and a lot of power so you don't even feel the extra weight.Rear tire is 180 wide,no problems on twisty roads.
Umm...thats kinda scary..
If she falls asleep, most likely she willl relax her grip? :o
Hmm...
Quote from: Kerry
Anyway, I still haven't ridden it. But we have gone on rides together with our wives. That machine sounds so smoooooth. This guy's wife used to fall asleep on the back on longer rides. But I can't chalk it up entirely to the smooth ride - I think it was largely due to some medication she was on at the time. Still - it was strange to be carving up canyons and then realize that she had gone to sleep again.... :?
:? :? :?
- alex
I've heard good things about the DLR650... I know you don't want to hear "I've heard," but maybe some more experienced riders here can speak about it. It certainly seems to be in the class of bikes you're talking about.
i've just recently been pointed in the direction of the triumph speed four...gotta tell you that is one gorgeous nekkid bike...anyone know anything of it? i plan to take a test ride of it soon...
and i'm thinking...the best time to buy a bike from a dealership is end of summer / fall, right? i mean when the dealers are most likely to cut you some deals...
- alex
If you like the naked look, then your search is over! Drool over this heavenly creation:
http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12076
Quote from: wraithR1If you like the naked look, then your search is over! Drool over this heavenly creation:
http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12076
yes cuz that's in my price range... :roll:
- alex
I actually sold my GS a couple weeks ago and moved up to a 2005 YZF600R. I was also looking at the FZ6 at the time. Anyway, IMHO the FZ6 is the winner in the originality dept, because you just don't see a lot of people riding them around here, not to mention the undertail exhaust and pipes are cool looking. It is comfortable but seems to be VERY upright in the seating. Strangely, I liked the crouch on my 600R a bit more. Also, the 600R just *looks* faster and sleeker, if looks are your thing. However, having ridden them both, the FZ6 has one hell of a kick, in fact I think it's a toned down R6 engine in it. It's got zip all right and throws you back more than the 600R. But I feel that the 600R is smoother and feels more metal and solid, and less plastic, if that makes sense, and I plan on taking it longer distances, so that's what sold me (and its appearance) As for cornering, so far so good, but it's not like my old GS in that dept. I think the FZ6 is a bit closer there.
Quote from: alexXxQuote from: wraithR1If you like the naked look, then your search is over! Drool over this heavenly creation:
http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12076
yes cuz that's in my price range... :roll:
- alex
Hey...you didn't mention price! HAHA! That bike appears to be the only affordable MV.
You also asked why carbureted is a disadvantage. Carbureted bikes, especially at this altitude, require much more hassle than FI bikes.
Here are some examples...
1.) Literally any engine performance mod you make requires a rejet. Finding the right jets (difficult for this altitude) and changing them is a PITA. That's if the jets work. It's great when you have new flat spot that didn't exist before.
2.) Choke...albeit not too inconvenient, but you don't choke anything on a FI bike.
3.) Altitude...Denver and its surrounding moutainous regions vary greatly in altitude. I can be at over 10,000 in less than an hour. FI rules at altitude.
I think the FI throttle response has been crisper than the carbureted bikes I've owned (or still own).
lol but i did think i mentioned price...see if i worry about insurance price, then i would DEFINITELY worry about bike price itself...haha at least in my head thats how it works out
gotta say tho that MV is freakin gorgeous...
and again i was wondering if anyone can chime in about buying a bike from a dealership and what was the best timing...
- alex
ps will be able to test ride a speed four in the next week (after i finish my finals) can we say stoked?
If you are looking for a "sports bike" there are plenty of 600's and the SV650. These are all good for short distances and for one up. If you are looking for something that you can sit on for 600 mile days the the DL650.
You have to be 6'0" or something close to it.
The thing just eats up the miles.
It's great that you understand the concept of putting on the 10.000 miles on the GS. Of all the decisons you will make about bikes, that is the most important one.
Ride safe and good luck in your selection.