Looking for a sportbike recommendation. Help!

[EZdoesIt]

Hi All,

I thought it would be worthwhile to hear the thoughts of some of the riders here on prime. I'm ready to jump on two wheels again with the primary goal of using it for track days, moderate canyon riding, and the rare occasion where I take it to work on a random Friday. I'd also like to take it on long'ish out of town trips, say from LA to San Diego occassionally. I'm looking into anything from a naked bike to a street/race bike somewhere from 600cc-1100cc.

I use to own a 2002 YZF-R6 and a 1985 GS-500ES Suzuki. Both bikes were fun but admittedly I had a different mentality back then and both bikes were obvious with chicken strips (if you know what I mean). No more street riding for me really as i'd really like to get into more sport riding and some track days.

I've ridden a Brutale and a CBR600. Both really different bikes but both seem track/canyon worthy. I'm curious about the new CBR1000R and possibly the Duc Monster. I love the seating position of a naked bike but not sure if i'll outgrow it on the track. I don't need to drag knee but would like to be decently fast on one.

My budget is around $6-8k for a used bike.

Any thoughts?

 

[pgilliam1]

Can't go wrong with a CBR600. The new Ninja1000 is getting a lot of praise in the cycle mags. I ride a Triumph Speed Triple (1999 -955i). The stock suspension is completely adjustable, good brakes and a more comfortable sitting/riding position. If you haven't rode a Triumph lately - well - you haven't rode a Triumph. Lots of good bikes out there nowdays! BIKE magazine - Feb 11 rates the greatest superbikes of the 21st century. It's a good read.

 

[eyecandy]

If you're gonna be riding long distances, then I would say get a naked bike. I loved my gixxer 600, but was not comfy on long rides. If you're really just going to be doing track days and canyon carving, then I'd say go gixxer or cbr.

 

[EZdoesIt]

Unfortunately I can only keep one bike at this time. Otherwise i'd get a cruiser and a sport bike.

What do you guys think of the Triumph 675 and/or the older Monster 750s/800s? How about an older Ducati 916 or even an RC51?

They all seem to be in my price range. I'm familiar with the CBR and the R6. It's the ones above I really have no experience with.

 

[eyecandy]

I can't comment on the Duc or Triumph as ive never ridden them, but if I get into another bike, I want an RC51. They are beasts.

 

[EZdoesIt]

I can't comment on the Duc or Triumph as ive never ridden them, but if I get into another bike, I want an RC51. They are beasts.

I just started looking these up and the RC51 seems to be a legendary bike. Maybe a nice bike to have in your collection but some say it's big, heavy, and underpowered compared to it's modern equivalent. True?

 

[Ric]

True. The rc51 looks great but these days, it is slow and heavy compared to today's bikes.

I just started looking these up and the RC51 seems to be a legendary bike. Maybe a nice bike to have in your collection but some say it's big, heavy, and underpowered compared to it's modern equivalent. True?

 

[whiteNSXs]

Honda NSR250
I have a few and they are all California titled and registered. I am selling a 1994 MC28 with Tyga 300cc big bored engine.
Steve

 

[jonas1jp]

White Ducati 848. I love that bike.

 

[eyecandy]

The RC51 is kind of like the NSX... It was badass when it came out, and is still pretty badass, but not as badass as their modern counterparts.

 

[SUNEDAZ]

I just started looking these up and the RC51 seems to be a legendary bike. Maybe a nice bike to have in your collection but some say it's big, heavy, and underpowered compared to it's modern equivalent. True?

You are absolutely correct but so goes the NSX (under powered and legendary) It would make a nice pair of Hondas in the garage.

I road Suzuki's TL1000R, similar to RC51, for a couple of years and it was so slow compared to the GSXR1000 or CBR 954 that it was embarrassing. I live in the north Georgia mountains where straight line speed is not everything but I would have liked a little more HP to keep up with the other liter bikes.

Don't buy a Ducati unless you like overpaying for maintenance. You own an NSX so I would guess you are smart with money and don't need the "Italian" hype that goes with their bikes and cars.

maybe I gave $0.04. That's $0.02 too much! :biggrin:

 

[moprblms]

 

[EZdoesIt]

Thanks for the comments gentlemen!

Any opinions on the 4+yr old Triumph Daytona 675? The thin profile, good low end torque, and 3 cylinders intrigue me. Some also say it rides like no other Japanese bike (what does that mean?). I'm assuming that's favorable.

For some reason i'm hooked on that bike at the moment. Still early in the research process though...

 

[pgilliam1]

Thanks for the comments gentlemen!

Any opinions on the 4+yr old Triumph Daytona 675? The thin profile, good low end torque, and 3 cylinders intrigue me. Some also say it rides like no other Japanese bike (what does that mean?). I'm assuming that's favorable.

For some reason i'm hooked on that bike at the moment. Still early in the research process though...

Bike magazine gives it 4 stars (out of 5), they really like it overall. My Speed Triple has been my favorite overall as well. It's well sorted and I can ride it 200 miles without fatigue (I did add a Corbin seat - which helped a lot).

 

[Klayton]

[..]primary goal of using it for track days, moderate canyon riding, [..] take it to work on a random Friday. [..] take it on long'ish out of town trips, say from LA to San Diego [..]

You want a light racing bike for the track, a sportstourer for canyon riding, a heavy touring bike for long trips with baggage, a small bike for short trips to work.
What you're looking for is the swiss army knife of street bikes.

IMO, you either need 4 bikes or a compromise. A compromise will never be perfect for any of its purpose.

So your racing bike is always going to be too soft to compete with the S1000RRs and RSV4RR, your sportstourer will be too underpowered to hang with the K1300S, your touring bike will be too uncomfortable and will not have carrying cases and your city bike will be too heavy.

What you need to do is think about what the main purpose of the bike is going to be, so you can "adjust the compromise in the right direction", if that makes any sense.

My suggestion would be 2002+ VFR 800. I owned a 2004. It is the NSX of street bikes, great design that just starts to look a bit dated, great reliability, bulletproof engine, exotic technical design V4 VTEC, turns a lot of heads, not that common, underpowered and with a bit of aftermarket investment it sounds better than any of the new straight 4 engines. I never rode any bike that is that stable at 155mph+ and for only having a bit over 100hp it's capable to keep up with the likes of my avatar.

Random youtube soundclips with staintune slipon.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jnk7M5_4SKU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LXLRcvA7BQA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Have fun deciding. Lots of good bikes in your price range.

 

[EZdoesIt]

Bike magazine gives it 4 stars (out of 5), they really like it overall. My Speed Triple has been my favorite overall as well. It's well sorted and I can ride it 200 miles without fatigue (I did add a Corbin seat - which helped a lot).

The Speed Triple is high on my list right now. I just had to rule it out because I can't seem to find one within my price point. I want to save plenty of $$ for proper leathers, helmet, boots, etc so a good chunk of my budget will be going there.

Can I ask...how has the maintenance been on your Triumph? Parts availability, costs, and access to dealers and repair centers seem to be a concern.

You want a light racing bike for the track, a sportstourer for canyon riding, a heavy touring bike for long trips with baggage, a small bike for short trips to work.
What you're looking for is the swiss army knife of street bikes.

IMO, you either need 4 bikes or a compromise. A compromise will never be perfect for any of its purpose.

So your racing bike is always going to be too soft to compete with the S1000RRs and RSV4RR, your sportstourer will be too underpowered to hang with the K1300S, your touring bike will be too uncomfortable and will not have carrying cases and your city bike will be too heavy.

What you need to do is think about what the main purpose of the bike is going to be, so you can "adjust the compromise in the right direction", if that makes any sense.

My suggestion would be 2002+ VFR 800. I owned a 2004. It is the NSX of street bikes, great design that just starts to look a bit dated, great reliability, bulletproof engine, exotic technical design V4 VTEC, turns a lot of heads, not that common, underpowered and with a bit of aftermarket investment it sounds better than any of the new straight 4 engines. I never rode any bike that is that stable at 155mph+ and for only having a bit over 100hp it's capable to keep up with the likes of my avatar.

Have fun deciding. Lots of good bikes in your price range.

I know... you've basically laid it out and hence my difficulty. I basically want a modern day equivalent of the NSX of bikes. I can't be comfortable in a Lotus Exige. A Ferrari 430 Scuderia is too much from all angles. A Cadillac CTS-V or M5 is too big and bulky. The NSX is just right.

Interesting suggestion on the VFR. I will look into it! Learning a lot these past few days and it's all very exciting.

 

[eyecandy]

I want to save plenty of $$ for proper leathers, helmet, boots, etc so a good chunk of my budget will be going there.

Good man

 

[Big_D]

You want a light racing bike for the track, a sportstourer for canyon riding, a heavy touring bike for long trips with baggage, a small bike for short trips to work.
What you're looking for is the swiss army knife of street bikes.

IMO, you either need 4 bikes or a compromise. A compromise will never be perfect for any of its purpose.

So your racing bike is always going to be too soft to compete with the S1000RRs and RSV4RR, your sportstourer will be too underpowered to hang with the K1300S, your touring bike will be too uncomfortable and will not have carrying cases and your city bike will be too heavy.

What you need to do is think about what the main purpose of the bike is going to be, so you can "adjust the compromise in the right direction", if that makes any sense.

+1 You should prioritize your lists to determine which type of bike will meet your needs MOST of the time.

My Buddy recently got a FZ6 which was inexpensive and has a more upright seating position but still looks pretty sporty.

I want to save plenty of $$ for proper leathers, helmet, boots, etc so a good chunk of my budget will be going there.

Thats good to hear.

I would recommend getting a helmet that is Dot and Snell rated like a Shoei or Bell. Don't skimp out on your lid.

 

[EZdoesIt]

I may end up with a CBR600RR from the way things are going. Its where I was at before I started this whole thing :redface:

My time on this bike will be spent 70% (track/canyon) and the rest on streets. From all that i've read the CBR is good at everything but not great at any one thing when compared to other 600s & 750s.

I'm still on the fence on a naked bike though. There are great bikes like the Speed Triple, Duc Monster, and Z1000, and hell.. I could probably be happy in a 1000R also. A big part of me wants to get a naked bike simply because I will log more miles on one but I'm not convinced i'll have more fun on one. I know being stuck in C group all day long would eventually get quite boring and I rarely ever see naked bikes in the B or A groups which I'd like to aspire to one day.

I know this is either here nor there for you guys and possibly even annoying to read. Just airing out my thought process. I do appreciate all the suggestions and comments!

I think it's time to go out there and test ride a few.

 

[EZdoesIt]

+1 You should prioritize your lists to determine which type of bike will meet your needs MOST of the time.

My Buddy recently got a FZ6 which was inexpensive and has a more upright seating position but still looks pretty sporty.

Thats good to hear.

I would recommend getting a helmet that is Dot and Snell rated like a Shoei or Bell. Don't skimp out on your lid.

I had forgotten about the FZ6! So many choices. This is great

 

[Big_D]

I may end up with a CBR600RR from the way things are going. Its where I was at before I started this whole thing :redface:

My time on this bike will be spent 70% (track/canyon) and the rest on streets. From all that i've read the CBR is good at everything but not great at any one thing when compared to other 600s & 750s.

I'm still on the fence on a naked bike though. There are great bikes like the Speed Triple, Duc Monster, and Z1000, and hell.. I could probably be happy in a 1000R also. A big part of me wants to get a naked bike simply because I will log more miles on one but I'm not convinced i'll have more fun on one. I know being stuck in C group all day long would eventually get quite boring and I rarely ever see naked bikes in the B or A groups which I'd like to aspire to one day.

I know this is either here nor there for you guys and possibly even annoying to read. Just airing out my thought process. I do appreciate all the suggestions and comments!

I think it's time to go out there and test ride a few.

Maybe check out a Gixxer 750 like I have then. I think its a great bike. I was like you and couldn't decide what I wanted. Looked and test rode a few. I will eventually track mine, but I mostly ride for pleasure on the weekends on the back roads and occasionally ride to work on a Friday. I like the aggressive riding position, but its not for everyone.

 

[sahtt]

I ride an 04 RC51 currently (heavily modified ~155hp). I've had sportbikes from every japanese manufacturer. From 2008 and on, Honda has the best 600cc and 1000cc sportbike available (07 for the 600). That isn't fanboism; it's reality.

You will never "outgrow" either of these machines. Put Q2's on them and your limits may be tested, but not the bike's.

If you want more character, check out the RC51 (getting pricey these days), a duc, or an aprilia. I'd take an RSV1000R over an 848 or 1098 personally. 1198's are way too expensive for a trackday machine.

The 08+ CBR1000RR is astonishingly good. I do not prefer liter bikes for the track; they eat tires, chain, sprockets, etc., like it is going out of style when you beat the $hit out of them. 600's are better for refining skill.

The best all around bike IMO is the zx14. It's comfortable, handles very well, fairly lightweight, mind blowing acceleration, exceedingly reliable, great electronic features, the list goes on. I did 11k miles on one in one month so this isn't speculation.

 

[pgilliam1]

The Speed Triple is high on my list right now. I just had to rule it out because I can't seem to find one within my price point. I want to save plenty of $$ for proper leathers, helmet, boots, etc so a good chunk of my budget will be going there.

Can I ask...how has the maintenance been on your Triumph? Parts availability, costs, and access to dealers and repair centers seem to be a concern.

Kudos for getting the safety gear first!

We have 2 Triumph dealers here in ST. Louis so the maintenance (what I don't do) is not a problem. The availability and costs for parts is something else I like about the bike. Triumph sold a lot of these machines so used and aftermarket parts are abundant and reasonable. The maintenance schedule is like the Jap bikes, easy on the wallet :smile:. The riding position sold me on the Speed Triple. My back can't handle the agressive lean forward found on most of the performance machines.

 

[Hasdrubal]

Buy the most comfortable helmet you can find, not the most expensive one. In many cases, this will be the same, but not always.

The DOT and Snell standards require the shell to be of a certain strength for impact and puncture resistance. If they are too weak, the shell will break and not protect you. If they are too strong, the shell will not allow any deformation and the energy of the fall will be transferred into your head. Much like crumple zones on a car chassis.

The result is that the expensive helmets using better materials like fiberglass, kevlar, and carbon, end up having thinner and lighter shells for the same strength. The foam liner is pretty much the same across brands, but remember that as polystyrene outgasses over time, it becomes brittle and loses its protective properties.

You should hope that you have a cheap shaped head, and then buy a new comfortable helmet every three to five years even if you don't crash.

 

[EZdoesIt]

this is really fantastic info gents. more than i expected. a have a lot to ponder on here. thank you