Cbr 600F 2001

Originally Posted by Sosha

If the R6 hadn't popped up in an unrefusable manner - I'd have had one. It's what I was mainly looking at. Not sure if that's a recommendation or not.

Had a couple of friends who took a Steal framed version endurance racing for a season without problem. (Well apart from dinging the wheels on a curb but that wasn't the bike's fault)

My CBR is going endurance racing next year

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Anyone who says the CBR600 isn't fun to ride or is 'anodyne' has obviously never really ridden one in anger or can't ride a feckin' rocking horse to save their life, or could quite possibly be so blinkered that they can only see one bike as ever filling their and everyone else's needs or wants.

Try some groundbait at this time of year

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Try some groundbait at this time of year

Try taking the blinkers off and then maybe riding some different bikes with an open mind.

Do you know why I bought an SV650, because after suffering a stroke I needed to slow down and ride something that wasn't too exciting - harsh but true. Just prior to my SVs I'd owned a Daytona 955i and a GSXR1000 with a scabby old Bandit 600S as a second bike - before that I'd owned in excess of 100 bikes from all manner of manufacturers and ridden countless others. I have an inexcusable love of Yamaha RD400s, but in real terms they are slow and unreliable heaps of junk that don't go, stop or handle anywhere near as well as I remembered them doing when I was a lad.

I bought the CBR to use primarily as a trackbike because it ticked all the boxes for that useage; fun, cheap, plentiful spares, race proven, plenty of race parts available, handles well, decent brakes, quick yet easy to ride, reliable, easy to maintain.

I like SVs alot, I think they are a great first bike for someone who's recently passed their test and needs something easy to ride with low insurance. They make a good commuter bike, a reasonable touring bike and with a few modifications they even make a passable race bike; they have their place in motorcycling, but there are far better bikes out there for the more experienced rider who is willing to try something other than a middleweight V-Twin.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Try taking the blinkers off and then maybe riding some different bikes with an open mind.

Or just straight in with the bait

Who says I am blinkered?

I've got a GSXR SRAD in the garage that compared to the CBR has a pretty snatchy throttle and suspension thats nowhere near as good on a bumpy road, the engine vibrates a little bit more and the power is nowhere near as linearly useable.

But that bike puts a smile on my face despite being a "worse" bike. Same with the SV. Same with the oil cooled gixxer I rode other day that had me giggling my tits off all the way up the road. Some bikes have something about them that makes you want to rag them... others are just "meh" despite being superior in every way.

Whose opinion is more valid? The guy who's coming off an SV having ridden 2 or 3 crap bikes in their very short career? Or your superior opinion based on riding every bike ever made around the world sideways? Who's putting their hand in their pocket?

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Whose opinion is more valid? The guy who's coming off an SV having ridden 2 or 3 crap bikes in their very short career? Or your superior opinion based on riding every bike ever made around the world sideways? Who's putting their hand in their pocket?

I'd listen to the bloke who's put his hand in his pocket, owned and ridden the most bikes of all configuratins and can give an unbiased opinion on each.

[yorkie_chris]

Rather than test ride it yourself and see whether it pushes your buttons for you?

Your unbiased opinion will not be what other people are looking for, coming off an SV you will expect something completely different from you coming from some mad GSXR1000

One of the main differences that jumped out at me when I got mine, after my K7 GSX-R600 was stolen, was the power delivery. It was so flat and linear, just accelerated smoothly, whereas the GSX-R had a distinct difference between the lower and upper halves of the range, it would give a kick and take off once it hit 8k.

I think people who experience that difference might be tempted to label the CBR boring...I don't think it's boring as such, but it isn't quite as exciting as my GSX-R was. It's not as nimble either, but I don't think an SV is any more nimble than the CBR.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

but there are far better bikes out there for the more experienced rider who is willing to try something other than a middleweight V-Twin.

I'm inclined to agree with this. I'd also chuck up there that theres probably better or just as good 1st bike bikes out there to.

As for opinion I'd take the opinon of somebody who had owned a bike I was looking at rather than the opinino of some people off this forum who seem to slate everything that isnt SV despite having zero experience of ownership of everything else.

Dont get me wrong I througly enjoyed my SV ownership. It is a great bike for what it is and its price range. But for some people to suggest it is the latest thing in biking Nirvana well sorry but I dont agree there.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Rather than test ride it yourself and see whether it pushes your buttons for you?

Your unbiased opinion will not be what other people are looking for, coming off an SV you will expect something completely different from you coming from some mad GSXR1000

There's been more than one poster here who's been put off even trying a bike because of the opinions he's read of certain bikes and plenty who can give opinions having never even ridden the bikes they are happy to critique...

Originally Posted by Mej

i have heard the same thing, they are a bit too good at what they do, so it actually makes them a bit boring.

i have heard people say the same thing for the 600rr.

The operative word being "Heard", no mention of having tried the bikes himself, but still feels qualified to make his opinion known.

Currently riding a hornet, which has the same engine as the carbed CBR-F3 but with smaller carbs, apparently. The engine's plenty fun as it is, mostly linear power with nice little kicks at 6k and 9k.

Also rode about 500 miles on an 03 CBR600RR. Fantastic brakes and excellent engine, but although it handled well I didn't think it was anywhere near as flickable as the SV. Could be a confidence issue with having ridden ~30k miles on an SV and only a few hundred on the CBR, though.

CBR-F should fall somewhere between the two, I'd imagine, and I think it'd be great. At some point in the future I'm probably going to find a decent condition CBR-600FS and switch to that...but the hornet's too much fun to chop in at the moment.