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954RR first impressions

2K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Phukit 
#1 ·
Picked up my new bike last saturday, and was thinking about sharing my first impressions of it with you all (no need to post this in the other forums, yamaha and suzuki guys seem to spend more time in honda forum then their own...).
So, here it goes :
I AM IN LOVE !!! COMPLETLY AND UTTERLY ADDICTED. IT'S LIKE A DRUG !
Seriously, what I mean is ALL the spare time I have is directed to my new baby ! As you can see in my profile, I am a police officer (please, refrain yourselves...), and yesterday morning, when I was in court (cought someone driving with 3,54 alcohol ... the bastard could have killed someone!!!), I couldn't stop thinking about my new bike, and I couldn't care less if the guy was convicted or not, I just wanted to get the hell out of there and ride! When I did left, about 11H30 morning, I went straight to the garage to pick it up, and I just rode it ALL day, until 18H30 ! Didn't even get lunch ...
Just couldn't stop, it's that adictive.
So here are some informations and impressions:
Most of you probably don't know this, but the bike comes already broken in ! All it says in the manual is " during the first 300 miles avoid full-throttle starts and rapid acceleration". There's no limitation in the revs or speed, as long as it's not too rapid . Great, uh ?

The engine is fenomenal, lot's of low down torque, you can ride in town at 20/25 MPH in sixt ! HUGE improvment from 929, which I had already ridden before. Just using 1/4 throtlle, you will see 125 MPH !!! And the straights here are very short, and the bike has done just 200 miles !!!
Another major improvment was the handling, a CBR600 was a lot better in corners than a 929, wich felt a lot heavier and required more effort to turn, personal experience. Not with the 954, that feels as light as the 600, in fact, Honda claims that the 954 is actually 2 kilos (4,4 pounds) lighter than the F4i, at least here in Europe. It really is like ridding a 600, so I was very very happy with it, because I live in an Island, and it's bassically all twisties, and I can have the power of a liter bike and the handling of a 600! The best of both worlds, in just one bike.
The gear box is very smooth, light and precise. Wind protection is, for a sports bike, rather good.
Braking is awesome, and from what I have read, it's the best. Don't know if this is true, haven't ridden the others, but I can tell you that with just one finger you will get sore shoulders just trying to hang on to the bike, such is the desacelaration rate!
Comparing to the opposition, i believe the R1 will have 3 or 4 more ponnies, and the GSXR probably 7 or 8. But what I can tell you, this bike is, at least for a uncompromising sports bike, confortable, and the ridding position amazingly good, way better than the suzuki and better than the R1. This means you can ride it for a longer period of time ... He He !
What I think is, don't talk s**t about the 954 just because it has less top end horsepower, I bet you can hardly notice it, and if you really need lots of horsies, then get a zx-12 or hayabusa ! If you are going to buy a r1 or gixxer1, you will be doing an excellent choice, but do it because of brand loyalty, looks, etc. Put a Micron or Akrapovic full system in a )54, and you will probably have more power than the oposition, and an excellent ROAD bike ! Afterall, that's where 90% of us spend 90% of our ridding time. To the other 10%, I have to admit you will be better off with the r1 or the GSXR, wich are more track oriented, but not by much thought, just like the power, the difference is small.
Believe me, the 954 even turns too much ! It just falls into corners, it is truly amazing. It's like it's on auto pilot. It's very easy to ride just from the start, and also easy to ride fast, it does everything on it's own, just like the F4I. A friend of mine, who if an excelent rider, upgraded from a bandit 600 to a R6, and told me he had to learn to ride again... Another one, who went up from a hornet600 to a Gixxer1, said the same ... and added the bike was too unconfortable in town... think about it ...
Please don't bash this wonderful bike, or at least ride one, and then tell us your honest opinions...
All of today's sports bikes are truly amazing, and it doesn't matter wich one you get, you will not be disapointed.
Sorry for the long post, but I hope this helps people who are thinking about a liter bike, but don't know wich one.

From the 954RR owners manual :
"The motorcycle presents a challenge to master the machine, a challenge to adventure. You ride through the wind, linked to the road by a vehicle that responds to your commands as no other does. Unlike an automobile, there is no metal cage around you. Your reward is freedom ..."

Spend more time enjoying your "reward" and less arguing wich bike is better.
Wear your gear, ride safe and beware of the caged ones!
 
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#2 ·
congrats dude, thinkin about a new bike next season...or steppin up.....choices pretty much narrowed to gix 750, or cbr 900,929,954, depending on how much cash i have at the time....and if i can find a bike to match my gear hehe.... glad to hear that you love the bike, numbers are numbers, but enjoying it on the street is what it's all about, like my neighbor said 99 9r fulla kra, "yeah, i've already run a couple of noobs on r1s and gix 1ks, it's all int he rider and the comfort level ont he bik,e if you feeel comfortable hangin it out, ti's that much easier.. doesn't matter what the numbers say, just enjoy your ride."

willie
 
#5 ·
I'm in no way bashing the 954 at all, but I was just at my local dealership today and asked if they had any 954's in cuz I wanted to sit on one. He said "take your pick, they're all over there, I haven't sold one yet, but all the gixxer1k's and R1's are all sold already. Plus we still have some 929's left for dirt cheap so why buy the more expensive 954 if you want a Honda". I said you got to be kidding me, what's up with that, you guys usually sell Honda's like they're going out of style. He says to me..."bottom line, most people don't want to shell out more money for less HP". Now I have a Suzuki, and I will defend it all the time, but I still thinks it's pretty fookin' lame that most people buy a bike for that reason and that reason only. I've ridden the 929 so I know for a fact that it's a sweet bike regardless of the lesser HP, and i'm guessing that the 954 is just an up-grade from that. It's clear to me that they're WAY more riders like that then there is like most of us on esport. It's pretty sad when you think about it.

Let other people be right sometimes...it soothes them for being nothing else!
 
#6 ·
if i was goin to buy one of them, i would go with the 954....cbr 900 was my dream bike, this is the same bike with more power and less weight, i want real world fun, numbers don't impress me that much, honestly i would probably pick up a leftover 929 if i was there...i'd use the left over money for mods and the bike would be bumping....oh well, i just love honda, that's all

willie
 
#7 ·
Well Honda sold more 929s than Suzuki sold GSX-R1000s last year, and it all comes down to the fact that Honda has WAY more dealers than Suzuki and will outsell them 3 to 1 on the 954.

The 954 seems to be a pretty significant upgrade from the 929 from what I've read, and it looks fookin awesome too. Too bad people are so wrapped up with spec charts they can't appreciate a bike for what it is....sigh.
 
#10 ·
FatboyR6, sorry, i got so carried away discribing the 954 I forgot to mention the color scheme: it's red and black. Here in Europe we have two more: yellow/blue and white/blue.
I didn't want to get the red/black one because there are a lot of F4i's around here, and they are all of that colour, but it's the best looking by far ... at least for me.
A silver one would be sweet thought ...
Dispite you guys having way higher wages than we do in Portugal (you earn more part time than we do full time ... it's sad, really ...), as insurance is conserned ... 3.000 US ???
Damn that's high ! I pay 150 Euros for the Blade, wich should be something like 170/180 US dolars.
Jmoney, let me congratulate on your choice (I assume it's the gixxer1), and I understand when you say "I will defend it all the time", you have all the right to do so, it's an awesome machine, and it will give much pleasure year after year. I wasn't saying the blade is the best of all, I was just trying to let all of you know what I felt and Thought of the bike, so it could help someone who was/is not sure wich one to get. As for the R1/GSXR1000 selling tons and blades getting stuck at the dealers, well, maybe in America, because here in Europe the 929 outsold them both last year. Check MotorcycleNews.com if you don't believe.
If you think the 929 was a sweet bike, try the 954... it's not an upgrade, it's a f**k**g quantum leap! Way better than last year's model. You should try to take some corners on that bike... it has to be seen to be believed, has I said, it's really like a 600. Don't know about the new R1, thought. Should be pretty good at cornering too.

I hope you guys got my message. They are all excellent bikes, and will make their owners very happy. In fact, I found out that ridding my new bike is the best way to relief the stress from my job.
Just enjoy your bikes, and treat them well and with respect.
 
#11 ·
I forgot to mention the blade's (the 954 name in Europe, in case you don't know) downsides. Afterall, perfection can only be found in God.
Mirrors suck !!! Bigtime ! You can have a car behind you, and still not be able to see it, wich is, at the very least irritating and dangerous. You have to move your head left or right to see what's directly behind you.
And the gearbox, despite being very smooth and precise, is very, very noisy... Do you know that familiar Honda "clonck" when you engage first gear? Honda managed to make it even louder on this bike. Maybe they think it's an improvement ... (not!).
If I find any more I will keep you all informed.
 
#13 ·
Got mine a few weeks ago, new to the board. The 954 was the best choice for me, I've had many bikes but none have handled like this one and it has more than enough HP for the street, 155 HP at the crank is more than some cars. For me it was the aggresive looks, like it's pissed off at you. I've noticed more cars get out of my way when I come up behind them with low beams on, high would blind them.
Pros:
Power
Weight
Handling
Looks

Cons:
Brick of a seat
Looks (cop bait)


HP is a poor substitute for experience and ability.
 
#14 ·
Hey there Fraga, I live in San Sebastian-Basque Country-North Spain, and I pay 700 euro insurance for my CBR 600 F4.
All-risk insurance in Spain is simply not possible for sportbikes !
These m-f insurance-companies are robbing us !

Congrats with yr bike anyway.....
 
#16 ·
Phukit, I totally agree with you on the seat. I just forgot to mention it. Hark as rock !!! In fact, it feels like no seat at all !
Gixxers seats are way better.
I believe Honda made them that way so you can feel what's going on bellow you. Well, they achieved their purpose...
 
#17 ·
I'm also not a heavy person, not sure if less weight pushing down on the seat matters though. Your right about the input with a harder seat, same applies to the grips, and foot pegs.

HP is a poor substitute for experience and ability.
 
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