Cbr 600F 2001

I've no idea where anyone gets the idea that the cbrf is a boring or uninvolving ride. They're a lovely bike, just got rid of mine, and if it SEEMS dull then your just not trying hard enough. All bikes have there limits and the 'character' only becomes apparent once you start to ride a bike as it was designed to be ridden. The cbrf is plenty for most road riding, though a bit more power never goes amiss. The cbrf IS a very forgiving bike, but don't mistake that with being dull, they can feedback really well about how well they're coping with what your asking it to do as long as your listening. But most of the time, it can take whatever your asking it to do without the pantomime bounce along that the SV provides by way of warning. A cbr750f would be a great bike though and I'd buy one if they made it! The cbr6rr has similar qualities, but not the comfort, and so far I still haven't been able to dial in the suspension on that to equal the ride quality of the 'F', no surprise there I s'pose, it makes a lovely track bike i'm sure, but the 'F' is just brilliant for the road imo. Save the 'F', it's a diminishing fleet of beautiful motorcycles (just make sure you get one with the decent suspenders) ALL HAIL THE 'F'
ps they make a brilliant next step from the SV.

Originally Posted by skidmarx

I've no idea where anyone gets the idea that the cbrf is a boring or uninvolving ride. They're a lovely bike, just got rid of mine, and if it SEEMS dull then your just not trying hard enough.

I think half the problem is those who think they are dull and boring haven't actually ridden one properly and mistake competent for boring. Get the revs up and start to use them in anger and you've got a wonderful very able bike that can take on far bigger bikes and win, if in the right hands. Some people mistake smooth for a lack of character, but smooth to me is a sign that they were designed and built properly in the first place.

Pootle about with the revs out of the power and you've got a smooth easy to ride bike that could be mistaken for boring, but that can also be a major bonus for someone who isn't experienced to gain some riding skills above what they could on another bike, such as a 500 or 650 twin.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Pootle about with the revs out of the power and you've got a smooth easy to ride bike that could be mistaken for boring, but that can also be a major bonus for someone who isn't experienced to gain some riding skills above what they could on another bike, such as a 500 or 650 twin.

What does a bike that lets you take liberties teach you?

I reckon SV taught me so much because of the comedy suspension, you have to be smooth otherwise it will pogo into a different county. Same with the engine braking, you don't need to be smooth with downshifts because those sort of bikes let you get away with it.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

What does a bike that lets you take liberties teach you?

I reckon SV taught me so much because of the comedy suspension, you have to be smooth otherwise it will pogo into a different county. Same with the engine braking, you don't need to be smooth with downshifts because those sort of bikes let you get away with it.

It's called raising your game.

Try really using the power on something bigger and more powerful than an SV and you'll understand what I mean. It's not just about smoothness - though that does count for alot - it's about knowing when to apply the power and by how much to make the bike really shift. An SV will only scare you when you put all the power on if you do it when it's cranked right over, the chances of it going sideways and spitting you off otherwise aren't that great because the v-twin power delivery acts as a crude form of traction control. Do the same on an IL4 and there's more chance as it fires every 90 degrees as opposed to every 180, which means there's no lapse in the firing order for the tyre to recover traction, albeit momentarily. Add in another 25 BHP and you're in a situation where you need to know how to control it more.

The same can be applied to braking hard for corners - the v-twin has so much engine braking whereas most IL4s will gradually work their way down the revs in comparisson. This makes them feel like they are pushing into the corner, so you have to know how to respond to it.

As others have said, the SV is a great bike for what it is and I really enjoyed mine, but there are other bikes that will take your riding skills higher and make you a better rider. The CBR600F is a great step upwards into the near 150mph territory with handling and brakes to match.

There's one great advantage to having a bike that will let you get away with taking the odd liberty... You won't become a statistic quite so easily and you'll learn just what not to do next time, because there will be a next time.