Thoroughly disappointed with a CBR600RR

[DynaMight]

I have to agree with everyone else, theres no way a SV650 will be anywhere near a newish Sports 600 in acceleration, handling or anything except maybe comfort!

Having ridden a SV650 and compared it directly to a 99 ZX6R (which is crap compared to the latest 600's) I can safely say the SV650 was slow, gutless and handled like a dog. It felt pretty good pottering around but when pushed a little the budget suspension was nasty, i felt unsafe.

SV650s have all the power low to mid end and nothing at all top end, so you are used to changing gear early because of the crap topend.

I would guess the 'boringness' of the CBR was because it just did everything perfectly whereas the SV650 struggles to handle at speed when being pushed, this would allow you to push harder on the CBR than you ever would on the SV.

Simple way to ride an IL4 is like a 2 stroke, pin it until redline then chnge up, keep the revs above 10k rpm nd you are laughing.

[jason]

Id just say you are test riding the wrong sort of bike. test drive something more road/street riding biased and see how that does you.

the sharper a sportsbike gets the more sacrifices it tends to make for general, commuting, road and touring use.

I havent rode a 600 for a long time so cant even remember what they used to ride like let alone what a modern one is like but my bet is that the general consensus has it right.

[Ricky_t]

I have to agree with everyone else, theres no way a SV650 will be anywhere near a newish Sports 600 in acceleration, handling or anything except maybe comfort!

Having ridden a SV650 and compared it directly to a 99 ZX6R (which is crap compared to the latest 600's) I can safely say the SV650 was slow, gutless and handled like a dog. It felt pretty good pottering around but when pushed a little the budget suspension was nasty, i felt unsafe.

SV650s have all the power low to mid end and nothing at all top end, so you are used to changing gear early because of the crap topend.

I would guess the 'boringness' of the CBR was because it just did everything perfectly whereas the SV650 struggles to handle at speed when being pushed, this would allow you to push harder on the CBR than you ever would on the SV.

Simple way to ride an IL4 is like a 2 stroke, pin it until redline then chnge up, keep the revs above 10k rpm nd you are laughing.

Thank-you all for your replies. I guess I was not testing it correctly. It started raining 1/2 way through the test ride and I was riding it not to redline. I think next month I will take another one out for a test ride in dryer weather and try again and change up at a higher rpm.

The Honda may just do everything too well. I mean the power was smooth and progressive. Also, the SV makes a noise similar to old american V8 engines at tick over. Also, the SV "feels" faster than the CBR until you look at the speedo and see that it is not. On the road I think my license would be safer with the SV than the CBR. Isn't it better to have a bike that is "fun" rather than just "fast?"

I am more tempted in getting some suspension mods for the SV than getting a CBR but I'll decide that after the test ride again. The rear suspension is quite worn anyways and the front forks dive a lot. I couldn't remember any dive on the CBR.

[thelastsuperpower]

Ricky, are you sticking with a 600 or would you consider a larger capacity bike?

[Ricky_t]

Ricky, are you sticking with a 600 or would you consider a larger capacity bike?

I am not sure. I have found that a firestorm is about £50 more expensive to insure per annum than the SV so I could get a larger cc bike. Not a fireblade etc as they are ridiculously expensive to insure if are my age!

However, I didn't really want to get anything more than 600 because of it being too fast. That is why I am tempted in just upgrading the SV's suspension. I don't want a bike that I would be tempted to speed everywhere and lose my licence. The SV can hold a steady speed at low rpm quite happily and it is so bloody cheap to run.

[deej]

Ricky, are you sticking with a 600 or would you consider a larger capacity bike?

I am not sure. I have found that a firestorm is about £50 more expensive to insure per annum than the SV so I could get a larger cc bike. Not a fireblade etc as they are ridiculously expensive to insure if are my age!

However, I didn't really want to get anything more than 600 because of it being too fast. That is why I am tempted in just upgrading the SV's suspension. I don't want a bike that I would be tempted to speed everywhere and lose my licence. The SV can hold a steady speed at low rpm quite happily and it is so [Censored] cheap to run.

if thats what your worried about buy a HARLEY and be done with it,at least your licencse will be fine then. decide what you want out of a bike not what looks nice in the showrooms.

[thelastsuperpower]

I didn't really want to get anything more than 600 because of it being too fast.

It'll only be fast if you want it to be...
Most larger capacity sportsbikes are comfortable and docile enough at low/mid revs not to worry about breaking the limit everytime you turn the throttle.

Id definately recommend test riding a 900/1000cc sportsbike,if you havent already,so you can experience it yourself...see what you might be missing

And also because theyre are sooooo much fun

[julian]

Id just say you are test riding the wrong sort of bike. test drive something more road/street riding biased and see how that does you.

the sharper a sportsbike gets the more sacrifices it tends to make for general, commuting, road and touring use.

I havent rode a 600 for a long time so cant even remember what they used to ride like let alone what a modern one is like but my bet is that the general consensus has it right.

I think Jason has hit the nail on the head. To the best out of a 600 it needs to be thrashed, which to do on the road on a regular basis would be ‘asking for it ‘. you might even find your safer on a thou, bearing in mind how much respect you’d have to give it. or just go for something practical

Blimey told me numerous times to get the rr on a track and it would ‘come alive’. I did, and it did!!

As to what bike to get, it really doesn’t matter. Get something you like the look of. There all great, even the Harleys

As for smaller capacity bikes are safer. Two of my friends died on 50cc bikes so never lull yourself into a false sense of security.

[Johnnyb]

Got to agree with the bigger bike suggestion, i allways have had 1000cc plus bikes from GS1000's to GSXR1100's and now my Daytona 955i and its so relaxed to ride, i can short shift through the gears getting good torque at any speed in pretty much any gear but i also have the option to hold onto the gear a bit longer and open it up a bit harder and even though its 8 yrs old now it flies, big bikes all the way for me.........

[mattr6]

Having had both a 1000 (03 R1) and a 600 (07 R6- current), I have to say I prefer the R6. But it depends on the type of riding you do. My bikes a weekend/ dry weather toy so I don't mind revving the t*ts off it. The problem I had with the R1 was, as has been said, it can be very docile but looking at the speedo you can quite easily find yourself well into 3 figure speeds without realising it. With a 600, everythings a lot more manic and you know your shifting.

Saying all of that, if I was commuting/ doing longer trips I'd be looking at a thou.

[Milky]

i wouldnt complain

[jason]

Having had both a 1000 (03 R1) and a 600 (07 R6- current), I have to say I prefer the R6. But it depends on the type of riding you do. My bikes a weekend/ dry weather toy so I don't mind revving the t*ts off it. The problem I had with the R1 was, as has been said, it can be very docile but looking at the speedo you can quite easily find yourself well into 3 figure speeds without realising it. With a 600, everythings a lot more manic and you know your shifting.

Saying all of that, if I was commuting/ doing longer trips I'd be looking at a thou.

the thing with that is its the age of the bike more than the cc which gives the difference - sportsbikes have come on a serious amount in recent times so a 2003 bike is almost always gonna feel worse than any 2007 bike

the great thing about litre sportsbikes these days is that they weigh almost the same as a 600 and to put the age of bikes making a difference into perspective....a K7/k8 gsxr1000 even in stock trim is a couple kgs lighter than an old GSXR 600 SRAD throw the cat out and run it on a single pipe and the 1000 is about 12Kg lighter than an SRAD 600 which is a big difference.

the thing with 2005 onwards litre sportsbikes is that they are starting to get very focused and much less road friendly than they where back in the early 2000's - a genuine 170bhp at the back wheel in something that weighs less than a vfr400r (and has infinately sharper handling ) is not the bike for commuting on. I think the reality is these days as far as sportsbikes go most people would be better off on 600's on the road for almost everything from thrashing to commuting - modern litre
bikes just want to go warp speed all of the time.

for a track though personally I reckon new litre bikes all day long though as gone are the days when a 6 or 750 had enough cornering capability advantage to make up for their lack of speed out of corners and up the straights.

[graham22]

Reading through this, surely a SV1000 (faired or unfaired) is your obvious answer??

[webster]

Reading through this, surely a SV1000 (faired or unfaired) is your obvious answer??

i was about to suggest the same thing

[Funky]

Reading through this, surely a SV1000 (faired or unfaired) is your obvious answer??

i was about to suggest the same thing

Me too, anyone else?