Quote from: tt_four on January 18, 2011, 12:54:36 PM

The only downside to this is that you're going straight to a pretty biased group of people. They're all gonna tell you it's a great bike and you should buy it. There's also various opinions on whether something is light, heavy, top heavy, comfortable, pretty much anything because everyone expects something different from a bike. The nice thing about people writing on here is that it gives us a control because we all ride the same exact GS(minus a few random mods). It'll help people understand exactly what the differences are more than 'lighter and faster'.

Someone on here did buy a red 675, I remember seeing it. Maybe if you search the forum for 'daytona 675' you'll find a thread where he posted the picture of it then you could bug him to write up a description for us.

alright cool haha that's what I'll do then. Thanks

Some more copy and paste:

Quote from: twinlove04 on April 05, 2009, 02:25:49 PM

After nearly five years on my  2004 GS500f and 14,000 miles of mostly commuting, I decided to trade up.  My new ride is a 2008 Triumph Speed Triple, which I purchased used with 1200 miles on it and warranty intact.  I'd like to thank all of the patient members on this forum who helped me learn so much about motorcycles in general and the GS in particular.  The moderators are to be commended!  If you are thinking about a much bigger bike, perhaps my observations will assist you (or perhaps not).

What I (still) love about the GS:
Wind protection, especially with ZeroGravity Sport-touring shield.
Light weight.
Gas Mileage.
Looks.
Learnability, from riding technique to mechanics.
Upright riding position and comfy seat.
The handlebars turn the bike.
No one wants to steal a 500, even in Albuquerque (where tons of bikes are stolen).
DIY maintenance...many many dollar$ $aved.
This bike is worth how much after this long?  Not bad.
One can almost daydream on the GS, it's that easy.
The sound of the GS with the Vance & Hines exhaust is superb.  When I traded the GS in the techs at the dealership were dumbstruck, "That's a 500?"
Centerstands just make sense.
Low seat height is great.

What I've learned from the 1050cc bike thus far:
Doubling displacement was not as scary as many make it out to be, but it can be.
1050cc's can be ridden with civility.
The law is much harder to break on a GS.
Naked bikes suck on the highway.
'Torque-monster' is an accurate term.  'Undies-soiler' is, too.
Leaning is mandatory to turn bigger bikes.
The 180 rear tire feels easier to lean on, but the GS can corner just as well.
Double front breaks stop you really fast.
Pavement variations are hardly noticed when steering.  So this is what a suspension is...
No one will work on this bike but the $tealership.
I'm glad I didn't go with a sportbike due to semi-upright riding position.
I would absolutely have picked a different bike if the price hadn't been perfect.  Honda Interceptor, VStrom 1000, Triumph Tiger for example.

That's about it.  Take care,

Patrick

Yes, this is the dealer pic, but I haven't changed anything major to warrant a new pic.


The GS:

Quote from: gsagent005 on August 12, 2009, 07:22:15 PM

Well its been a while, but since i was last on i attended the ama vintage motorcycle days at mid-ohio sports car course. there were several dealers there offering test rides on the new 09 models. manufactures in attendance included:

can-am
bmw
triumph
ktm
kawasaki
yamaha
ducati
and some scooter company, oh well doesnt matter anyways right.

i had the opportunity to ride 4 bikes
   yamaha r6s
   kawasaki zx-6r
   triumph daytona 675
   ducati 848

all were great bikes and a blast to ride. the dealers had a 16 mile test ride laid out in the country roads around the track.

heres my first impressions:

yamaha r6s: i love this bike, it's what i've wanted to trade up into as my next bike. however, and it could have just been this demo bike in particular, i did not like the clutch engagement point, it was hard to get used to being that it was just about a 1/2 inch of pull would disengage clutch. like i said though, it could just be this one demo bike. as for performance the bike was very capable and easy to toss around, it seemed to rev forever and always took what i threw at it. riding position was very tolerable for a sport bike also.

triumph daytona 675: this was a joy to ride, although i did not get to "thrash" this bike as much as the others it was something i will never forget. the sound of the triple was amazing. at low rpm it had a kinda whine to it, and once it was let loose it rev'd like a 4 cyl but sounded much more "pissed off" in a good way that is. this was a very easy bike to jump on and ride. i did notice that towards the end of the ride i could feel the heat from the undertail exhaust. but for this european beauty i'd deal with it. the riding position was more aggressive than the yamaha but still somewhat tolerable.

kawasaki zx-6r: i'll have to admit, this bike impressed me the most overall. i'd seen this bike in the showroom, sat on it, etc. and i decided i wanted nothing to do with it. it seemed uncomfortable, i was looking over and through the windscreen at the gauges... BUT after riding this little gem my heart has been swayed. this was by far the easiest one of the bunch to hop on and ride. the bike pulled impressively, cornered well, sounded good with stock exhaust. was just a fun ride. the riding position was good, felt better than all the others to me. this engine also rev'd high but it got there pretty quickly.

and lastly...

ducati 848: i was really looking forward to this ride. they had a white 848 with the exhaust, ecu, and airbox upgrades, and a few other goodies from ducati's accessory line-up. this bike was an absolute beast, by far the biggest cc bike of the day and it proved it. while the stock horsepower is 130 (then add the goodies) which wasn't that much more than the kawasaki at 126hp ish it had gobbs of torque thanks in part to the twin. it pumps out around 70-75 ft lbs of torque all the others were closer to upper 40's low 50's in that area. this bike has a fairly flat torque curve so it pulls amazingly smooth and hard all the way through the rev's. this was the only bike i bounced off the rev limiter several times accidentally of course. the engine never gets a flat spot before redline at around 12k rpm and with the termignoni exhaust you just wanted to hear MORE. it was alittle harder for me to lean in, but that could have been me not wanting to wreck a $17K bike also ($13K base plus another $4k in upgrades). but alas all the good talk about this bike ends for me with comfort. this was the least comfortable bike of the group for me. the position was very aggressive, and my hands, wrists, arms, upper body, and legs all let me know it too. while this italian babe can get any guy/gal wet with excitement i could not ride it every day.


the rides had a lead and tail rider from the manufacture to guide you and keep you inline. while they would not tolerate "horseplay," they would let you "test" the performance of the bike (at your own risk of  that is). the ducati i had up to abt 125mph (maybe 130 at most), the kawasaki and yamaha were upto 115mph, and the triumph (we had a couple slow riders) was only to abt 90mph.

and YES i had my gear on and did not ride outside my comfort level!!!

i'd still like to ride a suzuki gsxr600 and a honda cbr600rr, but they did not show up at the event. 

well there you have it, i hope you all enjoyed reading this. feel free to post up comments or your own test rides.

i think ill be getting a 650 dual sport in the spring and getting rid of the 89

Quote from: tt_four on January 18, 2011, 12:54:36 PM

Quote from: SAFE-T on January 18, 2011, 12:03:02 PM
By far the best way to find out what a bike is really like ? Check out a forum for people who own one.

http://www.triumph675.net/

The only downside to this is that you're going straight to a pretty biased group of people. They're all gonna tell you it's a great bike and you should buy it.

They may also tell you exactly what's wrong with it.

But not all forums are created equal, and the more 'squidly' a bike is, the less good information you are likely to get out of it's owners, in my experience. For instance, I've found most VFR owners to be polite professional types, while the CBR600RR owners are "my-bikes-fast-and-I-rule" internet idiots. 

Quote from: SAFE-T on January 18, 2011, 09:48:52 PM
while the CBR600RR owners are "my-bikes-fast-and-I-rule" internet idiots. 

The gixxer forums are exactly the same way. That's why I'm still here 

I would give a little write-up, but after about five lines I wouldn't be able to see what I'm typing anyway.

My first bike was the GS 500. I moved to Triumph Daytona 675 09.

Triumph Daytona 675.  Great move for me.  It was a bit intimidating at first when i got it as i was not used to so much power compared to a GS. I slowly grew to be comfortable with the Daytona power.

Lots of changes: Its a supersport so expect everything to change actually. 

The riding position is aggressive.  Expect your hands to actually hurt and be uncomfortable as it gets used to the new riding position. This lasted about 3-4 weeks. Now it no longer hurts or uncomfortable. 

The power/torque is there on all gears.  So if you are on first gear at 5K rpm and you twist the throttle fast then you will feel yourself take off.
This will happen the same in second gear and so forth all the way up to 6th.  This makes this bike a good second bike coming from the GS because the power wont surprise you as you get used to the bike. Its consistent on all gears.

Its very light and flickable.  Just like the GS with the right suspension, my GS was light and flickable.

If you plan to move up from a GS to a Triumph Daytona just know that you are moving UP to an Agressive Supersport bike.  There is no sitting up position.  I am absolutely in love with the Triumph and will probably never go back to a GS 500 and will go to a Street triple if i want a more upright riding position.   I am bless the i chose the GS 500 as my first bike though.

The triumph is a great second bike to go to if you want a supersport upgrade.  You wont regret it.   I think the key to making it a good transition bike is the consitent power the Triumph gives you . It makes it easy to respect the bikes power. 

Thanks blue, I've been wanting to test ride one forever now...too bad no dealership will let me.

See if you can find any locals that have one. If you can find any at a bike night or on local forums and go for a few rides with them. I'm sure after a few rides together I'm sure he'll let you take it for a spin. I'm pretty protective of my bike, but if I've ridden with someone a few times I'll let them try my bike.

I just need to find someone around here that has one then. I'll keep my eye open for one.

Honda Hornet 900 aka CB900F aka Honda 919 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CB900F

This bike has had two bites at the cherry. First, from 1979 to 1983. Then again from 2002 to 2007. The Second Generation bikes were known as Hornet 900 in Europe but seeing as Chrysler owned the word Hornet it had to be the 919 in the USA - 919 being the cc's of the bike's engine, which is a retuned CBR900RR engine. The reason the bike ceased to be made was because it could not meet the ever tightening European Emisssions Standards. A fate which has now befallen the GS500.

Details:

     GS                                     919
Wgt    174.0 kg (383.6 lbs)               194.1 kg (428.0 lbs) (dry weight)
Wlb    1,405 mm (55.3")                   1,461 mm (57.5")
Tnk    20.00 litres (5.28 gal)            19 litres (5.00 gallons) - some specs quote 19.5 litres with 3.5 litre res
Sth    790 mm (31.1")                     795 mm (31.3")
Pwr                                       96hp - 110hp (depending on who tested it)
Top                                       230kph (143.7mph)

Size: Lookng at the specs of Hight and Width is really kinda useless unless you know Where the width is measured and Where the height is measured. So as this is a "Compared to the GS500" topic, that's what the reference point will be...

First two things you notice about the handlebars is, they feel closer to you and closer together as well. Getting out the tape measure the GS bars are 81cm wide (31.5") while the 919's are 73cm wide (28.75" - bar end to bar end.) and the distance from the middle of the grip to the end of the tank on the GS is 64cm (25") and 60cm (23.5") on the 919. Of course, they could feel closer cause they are closer together, cause the headbearing is the same distance from the tank on both bikes.

What this means is, hopping on the 919 is like hopping on the GS500 but with closer-together handlebars. The seat is a tad higher which you notice when at a set of lights or whatever, and the tank feels wider between the legs. But otherwise, the ergonomics feel quite close to the GS500. And there is a touch more leg room on the 919 then the GS500 in terms of distance from pegs to seat - measuring with a tape the "top of peg to low point of seat" distance on the GS is 44cm (17.3") while the 919 is 49cm (19.3") an extra 2" of leg room on the 919.

Power: Obviously with almost double the engine size compared to the GS500, the 919 is going to have a stack more power. But it's where that power is that either makes it usable for the everyday guy or only usable on the track. And I'm pleased to say, the 919's power is very usable for the everyday rider. You can ride it sedately, just cruising around enjoying the scenery - or - twist the throttle a bit and enjoy the road more {wink wink}. Either way, the bike takes it in its stride and you never feel the bike will launch out from under you unexpectedly. And if you need to pass another vehicle in a hurry, boy can the 919 fly - even riding in 6th gear at 62mph you can twist the throttle and Very Quickly find yourself at a 100mph and you still ain't anywhere near redline. Like I said, this baby can fly. And with ease.

Suspension: On the road the 919 feels more grounded than the GS500. I haven't put my finger on it if it's the extra weight, the larger tires, the slight extra bulkiness the bike seems to have when you sit on it or the suspension. Whatever it is, the ride is quite comfortable even with all suspension bits left as factory settings. And cornering you never feel like the bike is working at all. For instance, one particular bend on a set of twisties I know, you feel the GS is close to the limit at 50kph (31mph) as you're leaned right over, but the same bend on the 919 at the same speed and you feel the bike could easily take it at 60kph (37mph) and still have room up its sleeve.

The older models had no adjustable suspension The new model - well, at least 2007 anyway - has completely adjustable suspension. Forks can be set with preload and damping individually.

Finish/Cosmetic: This is, or can be, subjective. But I'd say the 919 feels like it uses better parts. It has a less plastic feel to it. And thus the little bits and pieces have a sense of robustness about them.

Handling: If you can ride the GS500 you can ride this. The switch over to taking corners, bends, sweepers, everything, is almost the same. Getting back on the GS after riding the 919 for a while you do notice the GS really likes to dive into corners more than the 919. Going the other way - GS to 919 - you don't feel like the 919 is reluctent to take corners at all. It feels natural. Nothing new to get used to regarding the rider inputs to get the bike to do what you want it to do. About the only thing would be the throttle control - with a fuel injected retuned CBR929RR engine, the throttle can be quite eager, not crazy, just more instant than the GS500 throttle inputs.

It's got two disc rotors up front and it can stop pretty darn quick. Even with its extra weight it stops in a jiffy. And unlike the GS with it's "lack of feel" rear brakes, the 919 rear brake has a lot of feel to it.

Comfort: First, I am one of those people who find the GS500 quite comfortable. I'm 6'2 with a 34" inseam and on the GS I'll easily do a 2 hour stint and be fine. I might start to be a bit edgey the more we leave an hour and a half and get closer to the two hours mark, maybe move the feet around on the pegs and so on. But otherwise, fine. The 919 is even more comfy than this! I rode 300 miles one day and 250 miles the next and never once even felt the need to move my feet from toe to arch to heel and do small feet/calf exercises - which I would have done on the GS500. And my butt was not stinging, yelling for me to give it a rest.

With the handlebars being closer, the position is slightly more upright than the GS500. But my back is fine riding the 919. Even with those two long consecutive rides my back was fine. So for mine, the 919 is more comfortable.

Overall: I think for an easy transition from GS500 to something bigger, the Honda 919 fits the bill perfectly. I tend to think of the 919 as just a more powerful, slightly bigger version of the GS500. A bike that isn't really the best at any one thing, but bloody good at everything. And like the GS, an underated bike the rest of the biking community doesn't really know about.







Michael

Are the bars on your GS still stock? I know I talked about how much closer the bars on the XB were, and even though they would still be stock to stock, I had replaced the gs bars when I got it so they're not nearly as pulled back anymore. Sounds like some renthals on the 919 would feel just about the same as stock bars on the GS.

Also sounds like this is probably the smoothest transition from the gs to a bigger bike so far. 

Quote from: tt_four on January 23, 2011, 09:56:08 AM
Are the bars on your GS still stock? I know I talked about how much closer the bars on the XB were, and even though they would still be stock to stock, I had replaced the gs bars when I got it so they're not nearly as pulled back anymore. Sounds like some renthals on the 919 would feel just about the same as stock bars on the GS.

Also sounds like this is probably the smoothest transition from the gs to a bigger bike so far. 

The bars on my GS are stock. Though I do notice the orientation of the bars within the clamps can either make the grips closer to you or further away.

One small thing about the 919 as pictured... when riding with one hand a small handlebar shimmer is evident. The strange thing is, it's only the handlebars and not the rest of the bike. The tires track straight, the bike stays smooth. And after speaking with another 919 owner who also experiences this - and who also has a small screen - I put it down to the screen. Being attached to the headlight bracket any wind force on it will come through. But a light steadying touch of both hands and it is not there. So I'll be removing the screen.

Otherwise, I would say it is definitely the Smoothest Transition from the GS to a Bigger bike.

Michael

Hey,

I had a look through all the posts but didnt see any on the Kawasaki Z1000 or the Z750.

Z1000


Z750


Has anyone had anything to do with these?

Oh and sorry about the big pictures

I suggest you have a closer look on the previous page http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=52805.msg619586#msg619586

Also know, as we discussed elsewhere, the Z750 is a resleeved Z1000 motor. So the Z750 is about 10 lbs heavier cause it has a few cheaper heavier parts and a larger gas tank, than the Z1000. But over the quarter the thou only wins by a tenth of a second. Meaning, out on the street where you do your riding, most people will not notice any difference between the two. And cause it's an engine designed for a thou but only has the stresses of a 750, in the 750 version the engine should last ages.

A took a Z750 for a half hour ride through some twisties. And that seat is just hard as. It's the only real thing other people say about it too. It's about the same HP as the 919. I've ridden three Z750s (2010, 2008, 2004) and they all felt they had a small reluctance to tip into corners Compared To the GS (the 2008 much less so for some reason). But they also felt they had the same engine performance. *I* would pick the Z750 over the thou cause they are virtually the same bike but the 750s are cheaper. And with the same engine performance over the range of 750s I rode, the only difference really is how many clicks are on the bike. Cause there is no perceived/felt difference between them (2010 models have a few minor tweaks - suspension, engine somewhere - but not that noticeable to the rider. And they remained pretty well unchanged from 2004 to 2007 with the 2008 model the first to have a small tweak from Kwaka). So there is no advantage to buying a 2010 over an 06, for example except knowing there's a small difference "under the hood" but you don't notice it while riding.

I would say, for an upgrade from the GS, the Z750 would be quite alright - take one for a spin if you get a chance, you'll be smiling. They don't sell 6,000 of them a year in Europe cause they're crap bikes. 

Michael

Quote from: mister on January 24, 2011, 11:27:58 AM
I suggest you have a closer look on the previous page http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=52805.msg619586#msg619586

I'll learn how to read one day lol.

Everyone seems to say the same thing about the 750, "for street use, its probably the better option of the two"

I, uh, just bought a Hyosung 250 naked comet.

Its a move down the ladder, but I wanted the challenge of only 25-30hp again. Almost always had a 250 in the garage for 20 years now. 

Next winter I think to buy an older Monster. They are really good looking and fun. Impractical so they cant be the only bike.

And a Bandit 600s is on the short list.

These are all used, for cheap. No loans.   

Those 250s are great looking bike. I used to have an ex250 and it was a super fun bike. Gotten to ride it enough to do a writeup for us?

250 with a V-twin, USD forks, and a decent looking tail looks like a great setup 

Rode a speed triple today!

The Good:

sound
torque
speed
Turning
Suspension

The Bad:

I've been spoiled by my double bubble windscreen. The Speed Triple needs something.

A little taller than my GS, but my seat is shaved down. I didn't really notice once I got going, but it was disconcerting at first, not being able to flat foot both sides.

Conclusion:

Definitely, something to consider if you want something different. 

Both of the bikes reviewed below were ridden as part of a Demo Day. The dealer listed the bikes they had available and you had to Book a timeslot to take it for a spin. You were out on the road with 20 other bikes and followed the ride leader along the chosen route (seen here - http://tinyurl.com/3eknjat). The route itself is a nice open road route with highspeed sweepers and tighter twists as well as straight rural open road. The downside is, if you got stuck behind a slow rider through the bends you could not put the bke through the paces as you would like - unless you could manage to pass said rider beforehand.

Honda VT750s - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_WTLJhAodQ



Sitting on the bike you notice a few things - small fuel tank (10.7 liters / 2.6 gallons), pegs are not forward controls so the legs do not stretch out in front of you, gear selector feels good and the handlebars are positioned just right (for me - I'm 6'2).

Initial slow riding the bike feels quite manageable. Slow tight turns are fine (such as a Uturn), handlebars do Not make contact with my legs and the bike feels responsive.

Out on the open road the bike takes corners and bends with ease. Readily leaning in and staying down as the corner progresses. However, if you are going straight and need to make a Quick Evasive, such as to miss a pothole, forget about it. The bike would rather go straight. Same if you have a few quick flick bends. Top gear also feels useless and gutless for anything other than a flat road and looking at the specs the 4th gear ratio is not much different than the top 5th gear ratio. Slight hills and you need to drop down to a low gear. So it's not so torquey as the Triumph America which can take the same hill in top gear.

Being a Vtwin yes there are vibes that can be felt. And as you accelerate and get into the upper reaches of an individual gear, the vibes increase too. However, they were not high-pitched annoying vibes but quite manageable.

There is no feel of power as you accelerate. It just goes quicker. Maybe time would be needed to get to know the bike more and what each gear is capable of, but I felt this was a bike you would need to correctly time any overtaking manuevers. It is what it is, a cruiser designed for steadily cruising the blacktop.

Comfort wise, after almost 30 minutes my back did NOT have any twinges (cannot say the same about Any Yamaha cruiser I've ridden) nor did I feel the need to adjust my seating position. And I don't know if it was just me, my knowledge of the road, or a lack of familiarity of the other riders and their rides, but I was passing sport bikes through the dual lane bends as we were going up hill. Actuallly felt kind of good to do so.

The only annoying thing was Something sticking into my right calf/shin. I've had a look at pictures of other riders on the bike and it turns out it was the right side engine cover. Wasn't too bad on my short ride and it's possibly something you could get used to, but it might not be able to be gotten used to and it might be real irksome after a day spent riding.

In summary: a comfy enough cruiser with adequate handling but not able to roam far due to the small gas tank and really a single seater only.

W800 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM49-q5kSZ4 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCBcfIoDBsY



This is Kawasaki's answer to the Triumph Bonneville. Kwaka used to sell a W650 years ago but it didn't sell well. Ironically, after they stopped selling it interest in that bike took off and 2nd hand models now fetch a good price. But this is the newer version, with fuel injection that looks like old fashioned carbs. But how was it on the road?

Sitting on this bike the leg position and handlebar position mean a pretty comfy ride for me (remember, I'm 6'2). Twisting the throttle does not see the bike take off from under you, but the acceleration is quite good. Don't expect it to be a sport bike cause it isn't. The handling through the bends was excellent. And I passed quite a few riders through a prolonged set of twists with an overtaking lane. Along the straight stretch I let it sit between 100 and 130 (with an occasional stint into the 140 relm) and it did so effortlessly - not once did the engine feel labored. A fellow testing the mettle on a CB400 passed me doing well over the 130 I was on at the time, only to slow up at the next bends and hold me up - I filled his mirrors. When we stopped he kept looking at this retro bike puzzled how it was able to keep up with him through the bends.

The rear brake is an old fashioned drum brake. And at first this is kind of off putting. But the engine braking is bloody awesome and it all but negates the use of the back brake anyway. Slight rear brake depression with the engine braking and front braking and it pulls up Very well.

The only negative I have for this bike on my brief time was the slight vibration in the mirrors around 90kph. It didn't stop you seeing behind, you could, just not clearly is all (instead of another bike's headlight looking like a small ball of fuzz due to vibes, it looked like a small line). Below this speed and above that speed were fine, just around that speed. Apart from that only negative, this bike was a gem to ride. And at a few thou cheaper than the Triumph, I think Kawasaki is onto a winner. [edit: I just did a quick price check and it seems Triumph have now lowered the price of their entry level Triumph Bonneville a few thousand to compete with the W800's price point.]

In Summary: A good comfy bike with an upright riding position that could be used as a commuter and a weekend ride. It's not a sport bike and doesn't try to be one, so accept it for what it is and this bike will bring a smile to your dial.

Of the two, the W800 would be a good upgrade/crossgrade from a GS500. In fact, it feels somewhat similar in terms of performance but does everything with less effort - 100kph at below 4k rpm, for instance, and 48hp (though have heard figures of 70hp, maybe EU learner regs for lower HP?) compared with the GS500s 47hp but 60nm of torque compared to the GS500s 40nm of torque (note the Triumph Bonneville has 67hp a full 20hp above the w800 but torque that's close to the W800). And dimension-wise, it's Very close to the GS500 even the seat height is the same 790mm.

Michael