Been thinking long and hard about selling both my bikes to jump over to a s1000rr. I currently have a 2012 cbr1000rr and a 2007 gsxr600. Opinions/pros&cons? Feeling like having two track duty bikes is getting a bit expensive and want just one main one. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Unless you need the electronic nannies of the S1000RR, I'd just stick with the CBR. I don't think the beemer is enough of an improvement to make it work while. Tire expenses are probably less on the 600.
Zaph probably gave the most sane advice, although my heart agrees with JTRC51. The 600 is less likely to bite from an itchy throttle hand, less expensive to fix, and certainly cheaper on tires. That said, the new R1 looks freaking amazing.
I love my BMW s1000rr. It is a great bike and it is incredibly smooth. It inspires confidence unlike any bike I ridden on the track. If you are buying new you get a 3 year warranty which is great for the abuse the track puts on these bikes. Is it worth the upgrade over the CBR? IDK. depends on your goals and your wallet. Honestly ohlins suspension and more track time will help more than anything.
I stay on 600's for the very reason that I don't have the capability (yet!) to outride them and they are more forgiving, fun with the high corner speed and cheaper on tires
Well right now my ideal bike is my 675R. I've owned everything including literbikes, and the 675 has the perfect balance of torque, top end, light weight and great handling. Triumph made the right engine in 2006, made it better in 2009 and now makes IMHO the best middleweight engine from '13 and up. To me, normal 600 I4 bikes feel like gutless turds that are never in the right gear and only go fast when they get their necks wrung. (no offense to 600 riders, hahah) But on the other hand, the peaky power curve of a normal I4 liter bike goes from gutless to overpowered like a switch coming on. (also, no offense to liter bike riders, lol) So in summary, the correct number of cylinders is 3, and the correct size of engine is 675. But Triumph better watch out, rumor has it that Yamaha has something interesting replacing the R6 for 2016... I see way too many people on liter bikes that shouldn't be on them. Just remember that getting a fast bike doesn't make for a fast rider. In fact a lot of people develop a "point and shoot" skill set that is really annoying to other riders on the track. I don't know where the OP's skill set is, but it's something to keep in mind.
Agree with everything but resent the I4 600 comment. Lol. I too have had everything from a 125cc to 1000cc and just have so much fun on the 600s. Have yet to try a 675 but heard good things about them. I will say that your point of wringing the I4 necks is why they are so well suited to the track; thats where the higher rpm comes into play.
This is incredibly frustrating for me as well. Part of it is my fault because I A) am too big a wuss to just put passes on people and B) don't have the sense to just jump into hot pit to get a clear track. I can't tell you how many times I've been stuck behind R1s because my little 3 cylinder can't make up for the power deficit down a straightaway. Next turn, stuck again behind a rider on a parked R1. The same rider on a smaller engine would either be easier to pass, or simply learn to maintain higher corner speed. Either way, they'd cease to be a rolling road block.
So this liter bike bashing is not all liter bike riders... And remember the "point and shoot" is normally the best way to get a liter bike around the track... Get the bike to the corner as fast as possible, spend as little time laid over, and get that puppy stood back up so you can apply the gas... We can't just have all these super flowing lines through the corners and be rolling hard throttle as we're leaned over.. That'll get you a nasty high side. When ridden properly, a liter bike really shouldn't be in any smaller bike's way. Because the distance that is gapped on a straight due to power should be enough to keep the smaller bike from riding back up the liter bike's rear end.... Sincerely, 1000 cc rider
Liter bikes are great when ridden properly; problem is not many have that skill set and use that xtra pwr to make up for their slow corner speed and lack of skill. It takes skill to ride them bikes deep into a corner, slam it on its side, pick it up as quick as possible and pwr out (point and shoot). Many riders coming from smaller bikes find it difficult to make the transition at first. I love watching the big bikes being ridden properly
Good points, one and all! I didn't mean to come off as bashing all liter bikes. I've seen some ridden with amazing skill, to be sure. They just seem to be the most frustrating to pass with a more timid rider aboard since they have so much power down the straight. 600cc bikes, on the other hand, have a hard time matching the grunt of an I3 coming out of a corner
Well also take into consideration how manufacturers are taming the liter bikes to act more like 600s/750s into and out of corners so the whole point and shoot thing may be mute.