I'm having a huge dilemma. I'm trying to decide what bike I want to upgrade to.  I'm pretty much open to all sprotbikes right now (probably a 600 though).  

Can anyone give me some good suggestions based around Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki?

Most people on the forum are probably pretty biased towards Suzuki and not getting anything bigger than the GS500 but I'm really looking for some help here.

Any feedback is appreciated, thanks.  :mrgreen:

honda 599...droooooooooooooool...


- alex

Ninja 636 or 600RR

gixxer 750

I hope to get one myself next year.

Haha, thanks for the replies, and I am considering all of those bikes but I need some reasons not just names lol. So far, I'm probably looking at one of the following: R6, CBR600F4i, GSXR750, ZX6R, and I am up for other suggestions.  

Go to Yamaha. You'll like them the best. Great chassis. Solid engine.

if u want madd power off a small bike, The Kawasaki ZX6R, is really strong (dang cheating 630cc.)  Something not too heavy, when I rode an '04 GSX-R600, it wasn't as heavy as say a ZX6R or an '03 R6 (from personal experience.)  If u want huge power, but don't wanna take up a liter bike, the last 750 left would be the Gixxer 750.  Honda's new 600RR's are so sweet though (I think better than F4i), And rides as reliably as any bike could.  I don't know much about yamahas (no one in my group rides one.)

Make sure you check insurance before you buy.  I was looking at getting a 95 CBR 600 F3 and my company wouldnt even give me a quote, they said I could go somewhere else but it would be close to $1,500 a year for insurance.

all 600's are very close bikes......the only difference is the looks and how your ass fits in the seat.....so decide which one looks best in your opinion and go sit on it....if it doesn't feel good sitting on it then you shouldn't buy it...get the one you feel comfortable on

i hate kawasaki
the new sv is awesome and insurance is cheaper cause it it not a 'sport bike'
that is probably true with the 599 too.
any R is gonna kill you in insurance
i really like honda alot
so am either gonna go cbr or sv for my next bike for sure
although r6's are really cool too....ill wait and get one of those later on.  The frames are brittle on those bikes and little mistakes can total it easy

I like the cbr600rr. In your list you have the 600F41 which isnt really in the same class as the R6, gsxr6, etc, but the 600rr is.

The 600rr is smaller lengthwise, feeling like its 7/8th scale bike. Narrow too. Probably the heaviest of teh bunch but one of the most stable in a corner. Wont wheelie without you trying. Sexy styling.

The R6 has nervous handling until you swap out the front 110 tire for a 120 (common first change on that bike). Otherwise its s f.cking great bike. Wheelies easily, too easily. Fast. Good looking bike. Personally I wouldnt buy one until it looks like the R1 (DAMN SEXY BIKE).

The gixxer 6 is a great track bike but a bit twitchy on the road. [edit: bike isnt twitchy, the throttle is sensitive making it more difficult than the others to ride in day to day traffic. its still a great track and canyon bike]. Totally doable  though. The 750 is a better road/all around bike.

The zx6r is alsoa good bike with extra midrange (thanks to the extra cc's). 05 model has better styling, and they went with an underseat exhaust. Dont be seduced by the underseat exhaust though-you'll miss the underseat storage you give up (I do).

Also dont discount the Triumph Daytona 600. Just as good a handling bike as the 600rr. Wide tank and long reach, like the old gixxer. Too big for me. Really stable in the corners.


Try them on-they're all good. Check insurance. Mine does their primiums based on engine size so it didnt go up much from the gs500 actually. I pay about $520/yr for full coverage in Los Angeles.

The new Suzuki 650 Bandit is on its way have a look at it here http://www.mcnews.com.au/ I cant link to the page its on but on the right hand side you will see a link to it have a look very nice if you dont want an out and out sports bike  

If you consider English bikes. Try a speed 4 600 supersport power but not the $$$. Agood buy.

Quote from: Lukewarm WilsonThe new Suzuki 650 Bandit is on its way have a look at it here http://www.mcnews.com.au/ I cant link to the page its on but on the right hand side you will see a link to it have a look very nice if you dont want an out and out sports bike  

I like the neked one, looks really sweet!!   drooling

Personal observation suggests that the R6 is the chic  sportbike of choice.  Lightweight, narrow-waisted, pretty....figures.    Not much between any of them, really.  Hang around the showrooms.  Find out which one makes the heart thump the loudest.  Buy for love, and don't settle for less.

Triumph added 50cc to their Daytone 600.  So now its the Daytone 650. They also added more Hp to try to stay with the Japanese bikes.  It now has 112 Hp and only weighs 2lbs more than the 600rr. Check it out

I think if i had to do it all over again and had a bit more money, I would get the sv650s, cause its gonna be cheaper in insurance than supersports.

Me=24, married, clean record
GS ins=900/year full coverage
GSXR600 or 750=2000/year full
SV650=1650/year full
My new TL1000s=1100/year full
Lesson= Shopping around for bikes you originally did not originally consider and confirming actual insurance costs will make your life easier.  You will be surprised by how much these costs vary by bike, ins. carrier, and your age/record.

I don't think you could go wrong with any of the current supersports, the SV, or Bandits.  Really its about taste, cost, preference, and need.  Best of luck in the search.

Personally I wouldn't limit myself to the 600 supersports unless you want to mainly limit your riding to trackdays and weekend scratching.  My options would be(in no order):

Suzi GSXR750 - damn fast and the extra few ccs makes it a more street rideable bike with the extra midrange over a 600.

Suzi SV1000s - nothing sounds better than a V-twin IMHO, and there is a full fairing kit available   If it had a larger tank I would also choose the Honda VTR.

BMW1100/1150/1200GS - the presentation doesn't set the heart racing, but what a great bike for riding on public roads and in the twisty stuff just watch a sportbike try get away from you.

Honda VFR - what I ride at the moment, good for 2up, long tours and the weekend strap.

My two bobs worth

If you're looking for a used bike, here's a great article comparing 2001 600cc bikes.  It might be a bit dated if you're looking at the new 600's though :

http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mccompare/01600/

Summary :

4th Place : Ducati 748S

3rd Place : GSX-R600

2nd Place : CBR600F4i

1st Place : Yamaha YZF-R6

Remember, the above rankings are based on the opinions of four test riders, and the main criteria is "real-world riding", not track performance.  

Here are two more, and I believe they're more track performance related :

(same bikes as above, plus the ZX-R6, which incidentally takes first place -- all other standings are like those in the above article)
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mccompare/00_600s.html

(TT600, R6 and ZX-6R)
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mccompare/01600/016002.motml


Personally, I'm a big fan of the CBR600RR and YZF-R6, simply because I think they're the best looking out of the bunch.  Well, that's not entirely true.. I think the Ducati 748S (and the new 749/S/R) are the best looking, but they're not exactly in the same price range.