Recommendations for first 600cc Supersport?

"valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option" (valsidalv) 10/12/2015 at 15:44 • Filed to: bikelopnik, twowheelsgood, twowheelsbad

0

11

So I’ve recently passed the one-year mark of being the owner of my Kawasaki Ninja 400R. It is my first bike and a pretty good one for a beginner. It’s quick but not too quick and comfortable to ride. However it is a sport tourer and as a result is a bit heavy and the almost-upright seating position makes it uncomfortable to tuck (which feels necessary when it’s windy). Also the engine leaves something to be desired: on the highway I’m in 6th gear doing 6 - 7k RPM, which is OK for short stints but gets a bit annoying when I need to be maintaining those speeds for a long time.

With the riding season almost over I think I’m better off parking my bike and also taking it off my insurance policy. I will attempt to sell it now but realistically that might not happen so I can wait until next spring. However that will leave me without a bike and I think it’s time I get my first supersport.

I was looking at the Suzuki GSX-R750 but after going on a very nice trip through some twisties this past weekend I realize I don’t need all the power that the 750 offers - 600 cc’s will be enough for me. Any 600 will more than double the current horsepower I have to work with.

I have found some comparison tests online but want to get some of Oppo’s opinions. I don’t plan on buying a brand new bike but I do want something “recent” and with low mileage because I plan to keep this one for a while. Traction control/ABS is a plus and I’d rather pay the extra money to get a bike with that system than without. The usual suspects - Honda CBR, Kawasaki ZX, Suzuki GSX, Triumph Daytona, Yamaha YZF - are all on the table but I’m open to suggestions if I missed a supersport. Bonus points if there’s an actual usable passenger seat or stock hooks/tie-downs for luggage.

Sam > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 10/12/2015 at 15:54

2

Daytona because triples are awesome.

Spaze > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 10/12/2015 at 16:06

1

Honestly, ride them all and pick the one you like the most. They are ALL amazing machines that are capable of so much more than most humans can do. But they all have their Niches:

Yamaha : The most race ready. Translation: your wrists are going to feel like they are on fire because of the seating position. And it has one of the tallest seat heights

Honda : all the mags say its the most comfortable, but that translated into the “slowest” 600. But for some people this bike really talks to them.

Suzuki : This bike has been honed over the years to be a great package. Other than the “GIXR Bro” stereotype surrounding it, they are often the most plentiful 600.

Kawi : The first real “600” into the computer game scene. With the latter gen’s having ABS and traction control. Past that its back with the extra 36cc’s making it nearly as powerful as some 750’s.

So ride them all and see!

Spaze > Spaze 10/12/2015 at 16:07

0

then buy the triumph, because its the most sexy..... and the most expensive... sadly.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 10/12/2015 at 16:08

0

Give a VFR800 a try, it’s a slightly larger/more sport touring style bike but at the same time it is very racy with its equipment and is designed to be ridden hard all day. It is only 80-90% of a CBR600RR but it’ll hold some bags and a passenger well and a single rider can do all day trips easily. It’s my plan for my next bike, anyways. It will probably be gentler than the supersports for a “next” bike.

Mmmmm > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 10/12/2015 at 16:20

0

From asking around:

-Triumphs are beautiful and triples sound nice. But they munch tranny’s or motors if you beat on them on the track too much.

-Kawi has the most motor, but the weakest frame (easiest to Crack or break) in a crash.

-Yamaha a lot of people race them and they seem to be generally considered the fastest if you want to build a race bike.

- GSXR weaker motor but forgiving and sweet chassis.

This is what I have heard, but I race so this might be completely irrelevant for street riding haha. I’ve owned a GSXR 750 and now my race bike is a Kawi ZX6R. I haven’t owned any of the others. Oh and basically I’ve heard to stay away from CBR’s but again they might be nice street bikes. All that said, I think Supersports are awful on the street. Uncomfortable, have to make them scream to get in the powerband, all this performance you never use...but if you have your heart set I won’t argue.

bob and john > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 10/12/2015 at 16:21

0

you shouldn’t be jumping to a 600cc race bike after only a year. you have BARELY broken into what riding is. get your ass to track day or something and hone your skills more before jumping on a race bike.

go to a 650 sports touring bike. they will offer everything you need and more, and in a much more user friendly package. or up to the 800s. but a supersports after only a year of riding? that like saying i’ve learned how to drive my moms corolla and drove it for a year, time to get a ferrari.

Groagun > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 10/12/2015 at 16:41

0

Lots of choices but really only 2 or 3 fit your bill. I’m assuming you’re American so the links reflect that:

Choice One Honda CBR650F

Choice Two Honda CBR600RR

Choice Three Yamaha FZ/MT 09

Yes I know these are new bikes, you can find many older Honda’s and a handful of Fz 09’s on the market now and there will be more come spring.

Some of the other bikes you are looking at tend to be very sport focused and can be a pain, literally, when used for long distance and commuting: which you seem to do.

The exotics, The Italians, may be a great or fun choice. It depends on where you live and whether or not a dealer is close to you: how intend you are on the ‘sport’ side of the ledger: whether or not you plan to do track days and a whole host of other variables you should consider before putting down your hard earned cash.

There really aren’t any bad choices, you just have to figure what you want, what you need, what you will need and want in the future and don’t tie yourself down to any one bike or manufacturer. Variety is the spice of life!

Good luck.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > Mmmmm 10/12/2015 at 17:49

0

Thanks for the tips. The most uncomfortable thing I find about my current bike is the riding position. More upright than I am on my mountain bike and I guess I'm just used to [ human powered ] bikes.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > bob and john 10/13/2015 at 20:01

0

At least give me some credit for not jumping on a Hayabusa right after getting my M1.

On a more serious note... I don’t want a sports tourer. Going from a 400 to a 650 won’t be a huge difference, plus I am totally not a fan of the riding position - I ride higher on my Ninja than I do on my mountain bike.

I’d love to do a track day but I’ve had very experienced riders tell me that track skills do not directly translate to street skills. Sure, you get a better handle of your bike but you’re not doing track speeds or scraping knees on the street.

Lastly I'd hardly compare my bike to a Corolla and a 600 to a Ferrari. Cute but hardly accurate. Maybe a 3 series and a M6? Either way the right person can wrap a Corolla around a pole as quickly as a Ferrari. Know your limit, play within it. I took a quick spin on my friend's 600 and I'm still here to write this post...

bob and john > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 10/13/2015 at 20:18

0

asking for credit for not starting on a haybusa is like asking for a participation ribbon...

potion: change the bars. the position on my SV650 (which, TECHNICALLY) is a sports touring is more aggressive then the CBRs tht I ride with.

it doesnt translate? thats like saying if you have better control and understanding of your car you wont be a better driver over all. horseshit.

also, i’m a motorcycle instructor. the amount of people who ‘have take a quick spin on a 600 and are still here’ co-relates VERY closely to
A) who are the squids
B) who bought the bike to pose and cant actually ride
C) guys who upgrade because they can now go full throttle in a straight line. I can take my grand mother and given a long enough stretch, get her to max out w/e bike you care to speak of with in the hour. The cornering and braking is where you will find the actual skilled riders.

and you do not have the time to get those skill with in a year.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > bob and john 10/13/2015 at 22:36

0

I agree I didn’t learn every single skill there is to learn in one year but I’ve learned enough about handling myself on a bike and I want to continue learning on another bike.

I’ve considered changing the bars but decided against that. The bike is a sports tourer and it’s a 400 and I’m gonna move on from it sooner or later. Why ruin that by putting aggressive handlebars on? I thought it’d be overkill and ruin any resale value.

You misunderstood my point about track vs street riding. On the track you don’t worry about cars and trucks, potholes, lights, etc. Yes, you can go to the track and become great at cornering and you’ll have better control of your ride but if you are riding on the street as though you are on the track then that’s pretty dumb. I took an advanced BMW driver training course where we learned about under/oversteer on a skidpad. No, I don’t purposely do donuts on the street when I drive just because I’ve had instruction on how to recover from a drift. They taught us emergency braking/collision avoidance but no, I don’t purposely wait until the last second to get on my brakes.

I asked my friends who’ve been riding for way longer than I and they say that a 600 isn’t a deathwish if you ride sensibly. TBH that’s why the Gixxer, with different modes that can reduce power, intrigued me the most.