[Chauncey1]

Hey all...first post on this site. Excellent job you guys are doing, by the way.

My question is this: I've been a cruiser guy my whole life (cheaper to insure, especially for a guy in his twenties), and I've been getting the itch for around 3 years now to buy a literbike. Is the 1000RR all it's cracked up to be in the magazine reviews? Or would my money be better spent on, say, a 600? I'm looking for something that won't scare me into never riding it again, and I do ride my bikes HARD, but not so weak that I feel I have to keep it spun around 7000 rpm or so to get decent results. I've heard nothing but glowing reviews for this beauty and I wanted to get some real-world advice from some people who actually live with this thing.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[firefighter81]

Well when you think about it, most bikes have a redline at 12k rpm's or higher (some as high as 15,500rpms. So to get into the "fun zone" you are gonna be at 7k rpms and higher anyways. I'd say get a 600, they are plenty fast, and are honestly more fun to ride "hard" (although depends what you mean by riding hard, are you saying you want to drag your knee in the twisties, or you want to do a 180mph?).

 

[Chauncey1]

Well, I don't think that doing a buck eighty on a literbike will be doing me any favors. I start to get a tad nervous around 160 or so, plus the lawdogs will be right there to say "hi" whenever I go above the speed limit. Draggin' knees and weekend rides through the twisties, plus track days will be about the extent of hard riding. Nothing stupid, mind you, just enough to remind me I'm alive...the last thing we need to hear even more about is how some guy (me) buys a furiously powered surface-to-surface missile, goes out with his buddies, decides to channel the spirit of Nicky Hayden or Rossi, then ends up being buried in an Altoids box, after his liquefied body is scraped off the pavement, whether it's his fault or some idiot cager yakkin' on his freakin' cell phone or doing her makeup (see that one often? I do!), you know?

You've got a great point, one that I overlooked, that being that most sportbikes have a redline somewhere above 10 g's or so...been riding cruisers too long, our redlines stop around 7000, just when you guys are beginning to have fun! Haha...it'll just take me a little while to get used to shifting at a higher rpm.

I think that the 600 will be a better buy, but stupid "macho" pride is bugging me to pick up a literbike. After riding cruisers my whole life (since I was 16 or 17, can't recall), I think a little something different is in order.

Thanks once again!!

P.S.-Anyone else got some input? Anyone?

 

[red2kcbr]

If this is a first sportbike, coming off of cruisers, you will not be disappointed with a 600, from a performance standpoint. Depending on your weight and size, you may or may not like a 600 for more than 100-200 miles at a time.

If you're set on a liter bike, I'd get the 1000RR. But I'm a Honda and Yamaha guy, so naturally, that's what I'd say. You won't go wrong with any of the new liter bikes. Hell, check out the GSXR750. Or a good condition 954 or 929. My son's 600RR screams, but I don't like it for more than a couple of hours.

 

[The Red Raider]

I don't know what kind of cruisers you've owned, but unless one of them was a V-ROD equivalent, you won't be disappointed with a "little" 600. Top speeds in the 150-160 range, low 11 second 1/4 mile times, 100hp to the reat wheel. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Chauncey1]

Thanks for the input guys, that's helped loads! I've narrowed it down to the 600RR and the GSX-R750. Methinks the Honda will be the ride of choice, I just think that the fit and finish are a whisper ahead of the Suzuki's, although I've ridden the Gixxer and came away stunned at such a complete package.

I dunno, I'm a few thousand bucks shy of gettin' one anyway. When it comes time (most likely around Christmas), I'll let you all know and try to post some pics. I just gotta figure out how to work this damned scanner is all.

Thanks again!