When ever there is a discussion or arguement regarding 600 vs 1000, this one topic always comes up. People always say that the 1000 has more low end power. I am definetly not argueing against that. My question is this, is the low end power provided by todays modern age 600's not enough?
I have an 03 R6 and with 7-8 months of riding seat time it has close to 19k miles. The bike has been turned into a full time track bike now. I just now did a 520 conversion and have yet to ride it, so all those 19k miles have been on stock gearing.
I have also ridden R1's, 954s, SV650s, SV1000s, Honda Nighthawk 750s. With that being said, all of those had more "low end" power than my R6. However, my R6 has damn well enough low end power for anything I need it for. My bike has been through hell and back, all kinds of terrain, surfaces, traffic, weather, tracks, etc.
I have yet to experience a time when I thought to myself, holy shit, I could have used more low end power! I also here the arguement that well, you need to take the (insert 600) to the redline and be at the power band, stay in low gears, blah blah blah. On the track? Yea, I'll buy some of that. You def. want to be in the power band. However, on the street? I hear people saying they cruise around in 3rd and 4th gear to always have power... Power for what? Only time im in those low gears if im just taking off then I go right up to 6th for that ever so sweet mileage. Ya, if I'm hitting the twisties, obviously I'll be in the proper gear for those situations, but for going out cruising, highway, around town? I'm not keeping the bike in 3rd or 4th gear because I'll need the "extra low end power", all it does is waste gas, and create unwanted attention.
I have had people cut me off, merge into my lane, tail gate me, slam on their brakes infront of me, throw stuff at me, you name it. Not once have I not had enough power to accerlate out, or enough stopping power, or not be able to swerve out of the way of something.
I could list a whole page of examples and other thoughts on this, but I leave it open for discussion. Perhaps I am not looking at it the right way.
Again, I want to say I am not argueing that liter bikes have more low end power, or twins, etc. I damn well know they do. I also know about the "fun" factor, etc. I'm simply stating that from my experience, a modern day 600, an 03 R6 in my case, has more than enough low end power. Look at other countries around the world who have piss poor road conditions, piss poor traction, and they ride around on 250s, 400s, 500s, and a slew of scooters and other bikes with a lot lower low end, not to mention high end grunt...
So, is it more of an excuse to justify the want of a 1000? One day I'll have a 1000, and a V-twin. However, it won't be because I need more low end power. . .
I have an 03 R6 and with 7-8 months of riding seat time it has close to 19k miles. The bike has been turned into a full time track bike now. I just now did a 520 conversion and have yet to ride it, so all those 19k miles have been on stock gearing.
I have also ridden R1's, 954s, SV650s, SV1000s, Honda Nighthawk 750s. With that being said, all of those had more "low end" power than my R6. However, my R6 has damn well enough low end power for anything I need it for. My bike has been through hell and back, all kinds of terrain, surfaces, traffic, weather, tracks, etc.
I have yet to experience a time when I thought to myself, holy shit, I could have used more low end power! I also here the arguement that well, you need to take the (insert 600) to the redline and be at the power band, stay in low gears, blah blah blah. On the track? Yea, I'll buy some of that. You def. want to be in the power band. However, on the street? I hear people saying they cruise around in 3rd and 4th gear to always have power... Power for what? Only time im in those low gears if im just taking off then I go right up to 6th for that ever so sweet mileage. Ya, if I'm hitting the twisties, obviously I'll be in the proper gear for those situations, but for going out cruising, highway, around town? I'm not keeping the bike in 3rd or 4th gear because I'll need the "extra low end power", all it does is waste gas, and create unwanted attention.
I have had people cut me off, merge into my lane, tail gate me, slam on their brakes infront of me, throw stuff at me, you name it. Not once have I not had enough power to accerlate out, or enough stopping power, or not be able to swerve out of the way of something.
I could list a whole page of examples and other thoughts on this, but I leave it open for discussion. Perhaps I am not looking at it the right way.
Again, I want to say I am not argueing that liter bikes have more low end power, or twins, etc. I damn well know they do. I also know about the "fun" factor, etc. I'm simply stating that from my experience, a modern day 600, an 03 R6 in my case, has more than enough low end power. Look at other countries around the world who have piss poor road conditions, piss poor traction, and they ride around on 250s, 400s, 500s, and a slew of scooters and other bikes with a lot lower low end, not to mention high end grunt...
So, is it more of an excuse to justify the want of a 1000? One day I'll have a 1000, and a V-twin. However, it won't be because I need more low end power. . .