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3 week update on CBR1000RR

4K views 50 replies 28 participants last post by  andy13186 
#1 · (Edited)
Well I hate to admit it, but after all the slams I got on my first post here, I was gun shy, and let the new bike just sit in the garage for a week. That was a mistake that I remedied the following week end. I'd never ridden a SS before, but was in mad love within 5 minutes, and what a pleasure it is to ride. I've already put more miles on it in 2 weeks then I did on the DRZ in the last 6 months. I am so much more comfortable with it. Yes it is a beast, but so far I've been able to tame it fairly well with throttle control.
Things that have confused me. I was told that thios bike would be twitchy, and feel unstable, and that the brakes would soon send me flying over the bars? I found the opposite. My DRZ is much, much more twitchy, and unstable to the point that it feels unsafe at times, where as the CBR is like a rock in comparison? . The brakes on the DRZ also feel much harsher than the 1000, as grabbing a handful with instantly lock the wheel up! Perhaps the CBR brakes aren't working as well as they should?

Anyway, I find that rides on the new bike are general 3 times longer than they were previously on the other one. I want to just keep on going! The riding position thats new to me, and had me a little concerned turned out to be kinda cool. I do get a little sore after a while, but I'm digging that knee high tucked in feeling. I like it much more than I thought. I read too many posts about older guy's having to ride cruisers and that's it! Screw that!

Was this bike too much to learn twisties. Yeah, probably so, but I've been searching for some local twisties, and have yet to find any around here, so that may be moot unless I go to Jennings.

I had planned on keeping the DRZ for practice, and ease into the CBR, but at this point, I think the DRZ is just holding me back. It's way to tall for me, and frankly feels less safe than the 1000. The steering on that thing gets very shakey at 60+MPH.

All in all I'm very happy with the purchase. Yes it's a big powerful bike, but I'm still a little confused as to why I got beat up, and ridiculed on my first post? I just read a post were it was recommended that to a guy with 1 year experience to go for a 600. I had alot more than a years experience, but yes it was spread out over more years.

Oh well....
 
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#5 ·
32 years on and off is far different then, "I rode my buddy's liter, and i was fine."
 
#6 ·
Things that have confused me. I was told that thios bike would be twitchy, and feel unstable, and that the brakes would soon send me flying over the bars?

Was this bike too much to learn twisties. Yeah, probably so, but I've been searching for some local twisties, and have yet to find any around here, so that may be moot unless I go to Jennings.

I had planned on keeping the DRZ for practice, and ease into the CBR, but at this point, I think the DRZ is just holding me back.
The things you write show pretty clearly how little you know about riding. No one does highway miles on a drz, thats not what they're designed for.

You wont go over the bars until you need to make a panic stop, and you bought a race bike for doing touring miles on since theres no twisties?

When ridden the way they're designed for (ie playing in the twisties) these bikes dont hesitate to wag the front end or do all sorts of sketchy things that arent a big deal to an experienced rider.

Being able to ride a sportbike in a straight line without falling over doesn't make you a competent rider. You cant even begin to imagine all the things you dont know.
 
#7 ·
If you've been riding for 32 years on and off, I don't think this was way too much bike for you.

And I'm a year older than you, and a big guy, but I don't feel the need for a cruiser (hopefully ever)

Enjoy your new bike. Just treat it with respect and you wil probably be fine.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Come back in 2 years. After you've went through the full range of 'oh shit!' moments on that bike, assuming that you have by then. (Emergency stops, back wheel breaking loose, momentary target fixation, front end lifting up and more.) If you're still alive and well, as is the bike, then perhaps you've had the learning ability and reflexes to be fine all along...or you could just be lucky.

Doug is a little harsh; what else is new? By saying
you bought a race bike for doing touring miles on since theres no twisties?
I don't want to play devil's advocate, but are you really saying that no one in a flat state (Florida, Kansas, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Assachusets and more) should buy an RR bike unless they plan to go to the track?

Good luck...
 
#21 ·
but are you really saying that no one if a flat state (Florida, Kansas, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Assachusets and more) should buy an RR bike unless they plan to go to the track?

Good luck...
Am i suggesting that people wont? obviously not. But does it make a whole lot of sense to buy a race bike for doing sport touring miles? i dont think it's what i'd choose :cereal
 
#10 ·
Good to hear it's going well. I hit the gym even harder this winter to be in even better shape to ride, there are some side benefits to riding something demanding like a SS. I've only ridden a L bike once, and I found it to be very easy to ride due to the taller gear ratios, throttle action wasn't nearly as snappy as my 600RR.
 
#11 ·
It's my belief that a person that is more mechanically astute and in tune with a vehicle can handle it better initially.

Said person has a better feel for clutch engagement, braking lock points and modulation, etc...

I've seen this in friends and family learning to ride and believe it to be true.
 
#14 ·
Dammit thats a nice bike! I have a buddy with a DRZ 400 and I have ridden with a few of them, really interesting bikes! With your prior experience I dont think a literbike would that bad for you as you already have some of the more important basics down and with your,,,,,,,,,,being older than the major majority of people coming in asking about liter bikes, I think that has alot to do you being more mature and cautious.

I rode my first SS last night going up some local canyons last night after bikenight. A friend wanted to play on the SV so I hopped on his F4I and off we went. Holy shit, getting to play with that entire Tach was amazing and had a few Oh Shit Momentsm riding a bike hard that I wasn't used too, but they were good Oh shit moments :)

I cant imagine the torque and the howl of a literbike,,,,,,don't think I'm gonna need one soon lol
Enjoy it, thats a great bike!
 
#23 ·
The first sport bike i rode after a long time without riding was a 06 zx10r....It was a beast of a bike....but i rode with no problems ...never laid it down or crashed ti, BUT i never pushed the limits, that;s where the difference lies....whenever and if you push the envelop the cbr will bite and your lack of experience will put you in trouble. going from your previous bike to the cbr is like going from a honda civic to a 600hp dodge viper....yeah you can cruise in the viper with no problem but if you start pushing it, you will bite the dust. My advice since you already bought it, is take it slow and NEVER>>>NEVER get confortable or overconfident...the moment you think you got it is the moment it will own your ass....ride safe and enjoy my friend...
Pat
 
#30 ·
not to nuthug or leghump the guy, but don't knock Usernamedoug too hard for telling it like it is.

Guy has helped me a fair bit lately, and it's been nice to just get told what's what, no bullshit.
 
#31 · (Edited)
LoL i can just imagine all the tangents the thread could go on after that comment. I'm quite aware that i can come across as blunt, and extremely crass when i think someone is full of it, but it doesn't hurt my feelings any if people want to take it personally. As a matter of fact i can think of twice where someone basically was a total dick to me in the way he was saying something, but instead of caring about his opinion of me i put my ego aside and asked him what i was doing wrong as i know he's a skilled rider. Learned something extremely valuable from both situations.

Amazing how much you can learn when you have a sense of humor about life and dont let every little comment offend your delicate sensibilities. Akumu's comment about is doug saying something offensive really a surprise?! actually made me giggle a little :horse
 
#41 ·
Nice bike, not that I'm prejudiced or anything. Sounds like you've got some experience so you aren't likely to make the noob mistakes that get you bouncing around off parked cars. That bike has a TON of pull and it just keeps pulling way past the start of triple digits. Heck, it's just getting warmed up when you cross 100! Things to remember - light touch, smooth control inputs, don't panic. Mess up any of those things and the liter bike will show you why so many are afraid of it.



That made me laugh because I hear that exact comment all the time and at 50 years old I'm actually hoping to hear it for a lot longer.
 
#39 ·
oh snap... boy do I have my pop culture mixed up... damnit- sorry too much collide lately and not enough mainstream media!

:bowdown in apologies!
 
#43 ·
Sigh... Why do so many people have to be flatout hateful because he made a decision?

It should be your duty to dissuade people from making decisions you deem to be poor. But if they've already made their choice, standing there yelling "BLAH BLAH BLAH YOU'RE STUPID BLAH BLAH BLAH YOU'LL CRASH BLAH BLAH BLAH I HOPE YOU DIE JUST TO PROVE ME RIGHT" makes you about 12 years old and petty.

Here's what I have to say OP: Buying a liter with little/no experience on a sport is a bad idea. I've never done it (never ridden one period), but I know people who started on 1ks and they seriously regret it. However, you are an adult, you made your choice, and I doubt you're going to garage it and/or sell it now, so just be careful and listen to any good advice you can find. Ignore the screaming here, and as someone who's been here a couple years, I can tell you the moment someone says they want to start/did start on an SS bike, they will jump down your throat. A lot of it is well intended, but I think they fall into traditional rhetoric more than anything.

I'll give you a real world example. There have been studies with monkeys, where they would leave a bowl out and spray them with water when they tried to eat from it. Then, they added a second set of monkeys, but when the second set of monkeys went near the bowl, the first set stopped them. Lastly, the scientists removed the first set and added a third set. When the third set approached the bowl, the second set stopped them from eating out of it. Even though the second set of monkeys had no idea what would happen if they ate from the bowl, they were taught it was bad, and prevented others from doing it.

Basically a lot of people here are monkeys. Don't let it get to you. However, this makes the advice no less valid. If a blind hobo walked up to you and said "Sarah Jessica Parker is the ugliest humanoid to ever walk the earth", does that make it any less true?

Bottom line: Be careful.
 
#44 ·
I'll give you a real world example. There have been studies with monkeys, where they would leave a bowl out and spray them with water when they tried to eat from it. Then, they added a second set of monkeys, but when the second set of monkeys went near the bowl, the first set stopped them. Lastly, the scientists removed the first set and added a third set. When the third set approached the bowl, the second set stopped them from eating out of it. Even though the second set of monkeys had no idea what would happen if they ate from the bowl, they were taught it was bad, and prevented others from doing it.

The origin of company policy. :lol

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana.

As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with ice cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result - all the other monkeys are sprayed with ice cold water. Pretty soon, when any other monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm!

Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, and then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not?

Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here ... and that is how company policy begins.
 
#50 ·
Nice bike take it easy it shouldn't be too bad at all seeing you've been riding. Just don't get hot headed that's all. A lot of people on here are quick to be negative, but what you should be getting from it is to be safe and take your time getting used to it.
 
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