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General SportbikesThis area is made for sportbikes in general. Posts that dont really belong anywhere else besides here. Questions can be answered and addressed to fully understand certain aspects. If your question is Manufacturer specific please post it there.
Well it's 5 years (or maybe 6) since I got my then new CBR 600 F4. Now I read about the new 600s and 1000s in the magazines and I'm amazed at how much improvement has been made. Over 100hp for 600s, inverted forks, braced swing arms, very light weight, 3 way suspension, 17k RPM! ... I knew that these things would eventually come but I gave it 10 years.
My question is has anyone had the experience of riding an "older" bike (like 1995-2000) for a while and now is riding one of these 2005-2006 models? How much of a difference is it? My instincts tell me they are a helluva ride. Of course after 5-6 years my skills still are not good enough for my old F4. I'd still like to take one of those new 1000s for a spin though...
I've had a 98 FireBlade for 6 years now (1 year old when I bought it (the bike..not me ..doh!)) and I recently bought a 91 929rr which is just much sharper all round than the older bike.
My mate has a 2005 Gsxr1000 and I've ridden that a few times and it's like chalk and cheese, feels much 'sharper' and better handling, picks up better on the throttle and the brakes are a lot keener, and it's faster.
Development of these things moves quite quickly, differences between 1 year and the next might be small but over 5 years it amounts to a different bike.
Before the 98 Blade I had a Kwak ZZR600 and having recently ridden a 2004 ZX6R I'd have said they were different bikes entireley, rather than the ZX6 being a development of the ZZR.
5 years is a long time in a market as competitive as 600cc/1000cc motorcycles.
It's tempting to go and get one of these new ones. I just don't think I'd really use much of the new technology. I guess the better way to phrase that is I couldn't use it to its full potential. I heard they have 3 way suspension now. Rebound, compression, and some other dimension. I haven't touched my suspension aside from preload since I bought it. I don't plan on doing so anytime soon either. I bring my bike to the track too, both closed circuit and quarter mile. Maybe in another couple years. Maybe one of those 1000s too.... hmmm
I dunno but moving up from a 250 to 2005 ZX-636 was insane.. I don't know how people can start on these bikes.. I guess it just takes them a lot longer to get comfortable with them, instead of dragging knee after 2 weeks like me ;)
Moving from a Hayabusa which has been the same basic bike since its introduction in 1999, in other words 1998 technology....to a 2006 GSX-R1000 the leap was huge.
They are a different class bike but overall there is a still lots of basic little things that show just how far sportbikes have come. Throttle response, brakes, suspension engine smoothness, ergonomics and handling.
I heard they have 3 way suspension now. Rebound, compression, and some other dimension.
There's compression, rebound and preload. Now, some bikes ('06 R6 come to mind) that have both high and low speed adjustments.
We'll see how well they work.
Normally, you'd have to go to the aftermarket to get those features.
I started streetbikes on a 1996 CBR F3 and bought a 2001 F4i which was like a true race bike in comparison. Seeing and hearing the new 2006 R6 makes it seem like a race bike and mine more like sport tourer, lol... When I went from the F3 with say 86 HP to my slightly modded F4i with 100 HP at much less weight the different was pretty damn big. Now the 600's are reportedly above the 130 HP area... STOCK! That's a big damn leap, and I can't wait to get my hands on one to see how it works. But, I doubt I will find much of anything that can match the F4i for comfort, reliability, and speed.
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"Anyone can go fast in a straight line; It's the corners that make us men."
- sportrider's mantra
Yeah I have to say wes that as far as comfort and versatility these newer bikes are anything but. No one cares about that anymore. Everyone just wants speed, power, speed, and more power. I remember back when the new 99s came out versatility and comfort were still being rated seriously. I don't think this really matters anymore. Sitting on the newer bikes I feel they are dedicated race machines. People call my F4 a couch on wheels. Compared to the rides today, they're right.
The seat on my bike is great.. feels like gel, and theres like an inch or more of "Squish" to it. I can ride it for 5+ hours without getting any discomfort.
I'd have to say both YES and NO....I have had about a dozen bikes in the past decade...
It all depends on what you define as the "experience" of riding? Are the new breed of bikes much faster, smoother, higher powered and better proportioned? definitely YES!
In my experience and that of many others whom I ride with and talk to though, its about more than just the numbers and the science...That is, Any of the sportbikes of the past ten years is advanced enough to take on a personality that is more than the sum of its parts....
For instance, I used to have a 1997 ZX-11 a few years ago. And in the mean time I have had many faster and newer bikes, but none of them could replicate the FEELING of fear that that beast generated. The first night I rode it home after buying it, I spent an hour shivering (and it wasn't cold). I hven't had that experience in a long time.
So my thinking is, it really depends on the rider and the bike....sometimes the pair clicks and that's magic- the rest is just something that some journalist who gets paid to do it, had to write....
True Kcudden. The feel is something that just "is" with a bike and no amount of advancement can ever change that. I've ridden some older bikes. I rode an early 90s GSXR 750. Man that thing was great! It was heavy, but I liked the weight. It felt stable and made me want to cruise on it for a long time. I also rode my friends old YZF600 I think it's a '95. That thing was just as fun as my bike. Sure it wasn't as fast, but it was small and nimble and just felt fun. So I guess the thrill is in the eye of the beholder.
I was in this spot a little while ago. I had a 99 F4 for a few years and just didn't like any newer bikes enough to upgrade. When the 05 ZX6R came out I really liked it and decided to get one. The riding position is definitely a lot more aggressive and at first I wasn't sure if I would like it, but after a few weeks I got used to it and now it feels normal. Power and handling wise this thing blows my F4 away. There are times when it is a little less stable feeling. I would call it twitchy compared to the F4. I guess that's a trade off to it's agility. I'm still trying to get the suspension dialed in so maybe that will go away.
The best improvement for any bike is the rider. Not many can find the limits of their bike. How many times has an older less technically advanced bike gone streaming by you at the track or in the hills.
Still if you are an ok track rider I think a newer bike may get you a few seconds per lap just on acceleration and flickability.
5 Years of Advancement
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