Tried a GSXR.

Originally Posted by Fizzy Fish

haha, nice one! after my trackday on the gixxer at Silverstone on Monday I can honestly say you are not going to regret that decision!!

I quite fancy that, just a bit scared of binning it though! A mate here has just got some race fairings for his (1 month old) GSX-R600... £200 or so I think he said, which sounds good. He's actually doing it because he's off to Spain for a 3-day trackday (lucky sod!) where his bike gets shipped over, he tracks it for 3 days, and then it gets shipped back!

But, if they're easy to put on, I could do it for normal track days presumably (on the day??).

Hi Muffles mate, did you consider any other bikes or did you definitely know you wanted the gixxer? I guess I'm just thinking about whether the latest 600's are too focussed and I'd be better off with something else. I will have to have test rides as I've only ever ridden 3 SV's (two pointy's one curvy) and a Bandit!

I love the look of the gixxer and am very drawn to it, but I'm looking mainly for an upgrade on handling and fun factors rather than outright top speed. The gixxer could be for me but for £6k there are lots of other options that could fit me just as well / better! Hmmm, decisions decisions. (Nice decision to hve to make mind!)

In all honesty i was only looking at the main 4 ss600s. The GSX-R won due to the deal on the insurance (it's pedantic, but I don't really want to pay too much for insurance - I'll pay loads on other bits, but not insurance) plus I do really like the look of it compared to the other 3 (i.e., ZX-6R looks fatty, R6 the exhaust sticks out way too oddly for me, CBR600RR - not bad actually but not a fan of the way they've done the lighting on the back).

So really, quite flimsy reasons but I was quite sure that whichever of the 4 I picked it would be a big difference from the SV, and my abilities are not such that I will be able to pick out the details. Plus the size of the GSX-R is very good, it's lower than my SV, and I'm only 5'8"!

Sounds like good enough reasons to me mate In reality the insurance offer does take about a grand off the price for someone of my age - it really is a brilliant offer to anyone eligible for it. But as the mrs points out (well she would wouldn't she!) I've still got to spend £6k to save £1k - I'm trying to gloss over that one!

Did you test ride any of the other SS600's muffles? As I said I haven't done test rides, mainly due to time constraints and I'm still convincing myself I need a new bike I am seriously thinking about going for it but I've got to take into account everything, like next year my premium could go up to a grand again which wouldn't be great, it's only £300 on the SV. Also, I've currently got only 4 months to go til 2 yrs ncb but Express insurance would only carry forward the complete year, meaning I would only have 2 yrs ncb when coming to renew next year.

Also, anybody know what the build quality is like on the latest GSX-R's? I also really like the red / white colours of the new GSX-R but I think it would not have such as good resale value as a black one (and it wouldn't go with my kit as well!)

Actually I haven't test ridden any of them! (that'll get a few people talking )

Few reasons for that - as mentioned, I don't think I'll see the difference between any of the ss600s with my experience. I also haven't had the time (and I'm not really near any good roads for a test ride either) due to other commitments. The other main factor was that a guy here has taken a very similar path to me - starting on a K5 SVS, and has just moved to a GSX-R600. He did this without a test ride as well, and while it had a bigger chance of not working out for him, it equally reduced the risk for me!

Don't get me wrong, if I'd had the time to go for a test ride I'd have done it, I just haven't.

The only thing I was concerned about was how much more focussed a riding position it would be - but I've checked the bike over thoroughly in the show rooms and as above, my friend here has been invaluable.

So no real help to you I'm afraid

You did test ride the GSX-R though didn't you?!

I'm off to the Suzi dealer soon and hopefully I'll arrange a test ride on one (I'm not sure but I'm guessing they'll ask me to come back after my 25th next week!)

I would definitely get a test ride on anything I was going to pay that much for though! It wouldn't be good to find out it kills your back or something five minutes after taking it out the showroom! I'm sure it will be fine but you never know! Let us know your thoughts once you've picked it up mate

Cheers,
Matt

Nope, no test ride! I was a bit apprehensive about it until my friend told me how similar it was to the SV, body-position wise. Apparently the bars are a tiny bit lower - but not much, and the seat's a bit harder.

However, those were always things I'd be willing to sacrifice for a sports bike, haha. So in reality a test ride, even if it found those things, would never put me off.

My mate is almost exactly the same size as me, so the lack of time to do a test ride didn't bother me that much. I think you also have to be quite intent on getting that bike to be able to do this though - in your position where you seem a lot more open to other bikes it's probably a better idea to do a test ride, mine it was always going to be a ss600.

Btw I would expect the dealer would be fine with a test ride - you're allowed to buy a GSX-R before you're 25 so the test ride shouldn't be a problem!

Oh, forgot to say - I did check out the position on the bike in the shop. It's just I didn't do a test ride, so other things that people look at - engine, handling, etc - were the things I wouldn't know first-hand. Again though, these are things that coming from an SV are all going to be so different that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the different ss600s.

Its not something you'll regret thats for sure! the 600 is a great bike to have - fun and the handling is something you'll only believe once you've ridden it. I plan to pick up my replacement gixer 600 K6 this weekend!!!

What one are you getting kate? You had silver/black iirc - but that's not available any more, is it?