My little 675 test ride - Best bike for the money?

I test rode this today. I've been meaning to take the opportunity all summer but something always went awry and I had to cancel a couple of times.

I can't pretend to have a really informed opinion based on long term riding experience, but this a flaming good bike and half isn't it?!

The engine is just phenominal. 1st gear is soooo long and smooth, I thought I was in 2nd and 3rd driving around town. The 2nd and 3rd gears are ridiculously fast I got genuinely gobsmacked. I looked down at 88 in 2nd and 112 in 3rd and it wasn't even near the 15,000 redline.

I only had just under an hour and mixed it up with small towns, country lanes and a fast A road (A3), and I only got into 5th and 6th when I was poodling back to the shop, I just wanted to make sure they were there!

The quickshifter was a revelation to me, how good is that piece of kit, smooth and accurate, although I did manage to get it into neutral going from 1st to 2nd inadvertently because I was being a bit soft with it.

I loved the engine breaking which reminded me of the SV although it's not as quite as strong as the twin.

The brakes coupled with the engine breaking were outstanding to me, if you ride this bike you've got to get stomp grips unless you want to leave imprints of your manhood or ladyhood in the base of the tank.

You could commute on this thing if you wanted, the steering is perfect and although the gears are long it's also really torquey and you don't have to worry about keeping the revs up or anything like that, it's super flexible.

I liked the riding position for the road but I felt it would take a while for me to get used to, for a track-bike. For me it was perched high and I felt like I was too far forward and too close to the bars and if anything I wanted the bars lower. I sat on a GSXR 600 when I got off the 675 and that was much better for me. A bit lower and sitting more in the bike, than on it.

The chassis? I didn't have a hope of really finding out how good it was, even if I was a good enough rider. I was too worried about dropping it to go even moderately fast on roundabouts or bends.

Keep on working, keep on dreaming. I couldn't justify spending £8.5k or £10k to buy the R version to buy a new one but but is there a better bike out there for the money?

Good report and almost echos my thoughts. My brother has a 2006 model that I ride occasionally and the amount of oomph it has never ceases to amaze me! However I get as much of a buzz from riding my SV650 . Guess I am in a lucky position

If I had the money, it would be the next bike. Good review btw - what did it sound like through the Hindhead tunnel?

I test rode the very same bike and pretty much mirror your thoughts. (Apart from the riding position, i thought it was great for me). Am seriously considering getting one.

The 675 is a beautiful bike to look at and ride but for the money is go for a gsxr 750 k5. 85 in 1st and 112 in second ain't bad not as hard on the wallet for insurance and petrol as a thou either

It was between this and the GSXR 750 when I was buying nearly a year ago. I ended up going for the 750, still incredibly fast but more comfortable and easier to live with that the 675 I think. They both handle brilliantly.

[QUOTE=DJFridge;2628973 what did it sound like through the Hindhead tunnel?[/QUOTE]
I didn't get down that far, I backed off and turned round at Milford, I was getting a bit too excited

Originally Posted by ravingdavis

I ended up going for the 750, still incredibly fast but more comfortable and easier to live with that the 675 I think. They both handle brilliantly.

I was wondering about the GSXR 600, they class the 675 with the 600's on the track, I guess it's less flexible than the GSXR750.

This range of bikes is so competitive, I'm not sure you can buy a bad one, just goT to get the one that feels right, I guess. (and I miss my SV)

[Balky001]

The 675 engine is sweet. I didn't like the riding position next to my gsxr the time. Look pretty though and brakes were decent. surprised you thought bars were high

Speak to Ed.

Not ridden it, just sat on it in the dealership, bit too tight and focussed a riding position for a 6ft chunky monkey like me to use for any distance, but it did strike me how narrow and lightweight it was. It felt like a missile even though it wasn't moving, and you could imagine the precision it would carve through corners with, just from the geometry. If I was in the market for a mid sized sports bike as a toy, I think it'd be top of the test ride list, though a Ducati 848 would have to be on that list too.

[carelesschucca]

If you like the Daytona but find it a little cramped give the Street R a go the high bars give it much more room, maybe I'm getting old but I found the new race reps too focused and cramped once I'd tried the nice high wide bars.

The engine is a tuned down a little and the gear box is slightly shorter, being a naked bike you won't be wanting the stupid top speeds. Its a peach of a bike to ride on the road the big wide bars mean its very flickable. It was mainly the engine that won me over on the Street it has so much more low down grunt than my old gixer, but now I've been riding it for a while I'm really impressed with the handling its sharp and turns in beautifully but doesn't get too flappy when your pushing on and the fronts lifting as you come out of corners, all in its a sweet bike.

Oh it does sound nice with the Arrow cans on it too!!!

I might have to get myself a test ride on the Daytona when I've got the street in for a service in April next year...