[ballstix]

Hey all, first things first just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Holidays. Well im getting rid of the F4 this month and will be looking for another bike within the next year. I have been riding the F4 for about 3 years and rode a 250 Ninja before that. I want to move up to a Gixxer 1k or Busa but dont know if that will be to big of a jump, so I wanted to ask you all your advise.

Thanks

 

[TravellinJones]

It depends on what you mean by "move up", what you consider to be inadequate about your current bike, and what you want from your new bike.

 

[ballstix]

Well the F4 is ok but it just feels tired and its at 16k miles. I dont want to put any money into rebuilding the suspension and doing the cam chain and other little things it needs. Also I do some drag racing and will hopefully be doing more track days. Basically I want the higher HP from the bigger bikes.

 

[TravellinJones]

'Busa for drag, GSX-R for track. You're gonna need two bikes. :smirk:

 

[ballstix]

LOL, thats no good I can only afford one hehe. But that would make sense I wish I could ride both though thats what makes it hard for me to decide.

 

[alanheng]

I vote for the GSX-R 750. It will have more power than your currant bike, but not so much more so that you'll have to re-learn how to ride in the twisties.

That, and riding a 750 now will give you something to look forward to in another few years.

 

[ballstix]

Ahh thanks for the advice, what difference as far as hp do you think their is bettween my current bike and the 750? Also the feel should it feel similar to a 600 in the twisties?

 

[scotteq]

[ QUOTE ]
ballstix said:
Ahh thanks for the advice, what difference as far as hp do you think their is bettween my current bike and the 750? Also the feel should it feel similar to a 600 in the twisties?

[/ QUOTE ]


It'll be about 25% more powerful, and will handle awesomely.

Scott :smile:

 

[simme001]

Plus the insurance on the 750 will be nowhere near as expensive as you'll pay for the Gixxer 1000 or the 'Busa. If you decide that you HAVE to have one or the other, then I vote for the Gixxer 1000, since they're stinky fast on the strip, but you can ride them at a track day too. But like the others have said, my vote is for the Suzuki 750 if you're wanting to stick with an inline four.

 

[klwheat]

+1 on the 750. Plus they look SHARP!

 

[Mike1eye]

CBR600RR. IMHO, you won't need more than that.

 

[ballstix]

600rr? What differences are there between the 600rr and the 750 besides hp?

 

[alanheng]

The difference to the mere mortal? Looks and comfort, mostly.

I've heard of top-level AMA racers making comments that they like riding the liter bikes because the frames are stiffer, and thus have better handling characterstics... but I've never been able to stress a modern frame on the street or track.

But 600 cc sportbikes have advanced somewhat since the year your Honda F4 was made. 600 cc bikes today generally have better handling characteristics, weigh about 20 pounds less, and make about 10 more horsepower. Those factors combined would make any new 600 cc sportbike a step up from what you ride.

 

[KeithU]

[ QUOTE ]
ballstix said:
Well the F4 is ok but it just feels tired and its at 16k miles.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm glad I didn't buy a Honda! My Triumph still looks and feels almost new at 24k miles... even the OEM suspension still works great. :bird:

But seriously... if you can afford the insurance on a GSXR1000 or 'busa then it sounds to me like you have sufficient experience. If you like to do drag racing it seems to me that an open-class bike will be more fun than a 750, and I say this as someone who has been riding sportbikes for 15 years and still prefers a 600.

 

[ballstix]

Wow all this input makes me start to think again about all of my choices.. id love to go to a liter bike, but the 750 sounds tempting. Ok then how about this between the 600rr 750 and 1000, wich one of the three is larger one of my other problems I forgot to mention is that I feel somewhat cramped on the F4 and im not shure as to wich is larger. I would guess the 1000 but after looking at the 750 and 1k they look about the same size.

 

[zxniner]

[ QUOTE ]
ballstix said:
Wow all this input makes me start to think again about all of my choices.. id love to go to a liter bike, but the 750 sounds tempting. Ok then how about this between the 600rr 750 and 1000, wich one of the three is larger one of my other problems I forgot to mention is that I feel somewhat cramped on the F4 and im not shure as to wich is larger. I would guess the 1000 but after looking at the 750 and 1k they look about the same size.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've never owned the 750, but based on what I've ridden and comparing that to what I've heard about the 750...If I liked the looks of the Suzukis, I would have bought it instead of my R1.

I'm sure on 90% of the roads around my house (very curvy and mountainous), I would be faster on the 750 than the 1000 (I'm faster on my wife's stock R6 across "the mountain" than I am on my suspension modded ZX-9R). The 750 would make you LOOK like a better rider than the 1000 would in this arena I think. It's the best balance of handling and performance of ALL bikes produced...but this is based on where the comparison is made.

If you are riding on sharply curved mountain roads, the 750 would be better than the 1000 (actually a newer 600 would be better than both, but that's not in the picture now). If you are riding on roads with large fast sweepers, either would work, but if you're looking at point and shoot acceleration, the 1000 is the way to go.

I'd say the 1000 and 750 are probably about the same size (for comfort purposes).

The 750 would definitely be a step up in performance, but if you actually can ride your current 600 WELL, I would go with whatever bike "turns you on". All of the bikes 750 and up are so close in performance and handling that it comes down to who can really ride to determine who's fastest. :809028-ridin:

 

[LabRodent]

actually I think that the 750 uses the same frame as the 600. Has the handling of the 600's but with more power. It's tempting to get a 750 because it is unique. I have an old 91, 750 (Honda VFR). And getting a new race 600 is a step up for me. They handle better, have more power than my 750 (10 to 20hp), & are lighter (approx 100lbs). But the next bike I get prolly' wont be a 600. I am tall and think that the 600 frame is to small. But there is one exception, the Suzuki (I am talking about all the 2004 models when comparing). The GSXR 600 is small, but didnt feel to small. But height may not be an issue for you. You could get a 600 and prolly' never take it to its limits in the curvy roads. But when you get on the freeway you may be wishing you had a 1000, but maby not. A 600 flew by me on the freeway, and I was doing approx 135mph, just after I had passed it. So the 600 has alot of power. Just FYI

 

[roadracer98]

I sold my 1K to buy a new 04 750.... The 1K was a handfull for me at the track, my 750 is the better of the two in my case. 600cc chassis with a serious punch. :grin:

 

[ballstix]

Wow, the 750 sounds like the way for me to go. I love the way a 600 feels in the twisties. The only other thing I have had to compare to is riding a 02 ZX9 and that thing felt like a tank. It was fast as *ell in the straights but I could out ride my friend with my six through the twisties. I guess I would want to keep the 600 characteristics.

 

[Crudmop]

The new pack of 600s are pretty close to the power output of a 750.

I can't imagine how your bike is tired with only 16k miles on it. It's an infant in its existence. If you are feeling bored with a bike you've been riding a while, that's an understandable quandry :smile:

I will follow TJ's response - what are you looking to do? I mean, do you really feel like you have ridden a 600 to its limit and now need a bigger bike because you are lacking in power? I don't say that in an insulting way, I am honestly curious.

These posts pop up often - and I think it's just the gut reaction for riders to immediately say "well, I've bene riding x years, I need to move up" without asking what they really want from a bike.

I'd take a look at the new 600s that are rolling out - they are light, powerful, yet not so much at the rear wheel that you will have to relearn throttle control while trying to manage 170hp liter bike from tossing you into the woods. I'm a pretty firm supporter of the 600 class as it really delivers so much for the buck, and nothing beats running a day at the track and having a bunch of guys riding twins and liters "inspecting" your bike for mods because they can't understand how the hell you keep lapping them with a 600.