Sport Bikes AKA coffin on wheels

boogenman · Feb 22, 2013

Buy a revolver and one round, take the rest of the cash and bet on red at a roulette table, win or lose play one round of Russian roulette after. Then reassess the situation. :think:

Pesqueeb · Feb 22, 2013

Don't listen to Mr. Grumpy pants up there. Crotch rockets aren't really my cup of tea, if that's really the way you want to go I can't honestly recommend a particular model. JimmyDean is probably the guy to talk to about that. How much money you got to spend?

LOOnatic · Feb 22, 2013

It may just be me but all the late model sport bikes have trended toward compactness and i cant even imagine commuting on one anymore. As such they are not comfortable unless your racing.
Lots of good choices on more up-right bikes these days i would expand your search if commuting is your primary use.
Look for a model with the clip ons above the top clamp for more comfort.
Dont let the haters kill your parade...get what you want.

eric strt6 · Feb 22, 2013

This can be had for cheap

jonKranked · Feb 22, 2013

mmmm squid

Toshi · Feb 22, 2013

LOOnatic said:
It may just be me but all the late model sport bikes have trended toward compactness and i cant even imagine commuting on one anymore. As such they are not comfortable unless your racing.
Lots of good choices on more up-right bikes these days i would expand your search if commuting is your primary use.
Look for a model with the clip ons above the top clamp for more comfort.
Dont let the haters kill your parade...get what you want.

This.

Westy · Feb 22, 2013

Pesqueeb said:
Don't listen to Mr. Grumpy pants up there. Crotch rockets aren't really my cup of tea, if that's really the way you want to go I can't honestly recommend a particular model. JimmyDean is probably the guy to talk to about that. How much money you got to spend?

My last bike was an SV650. I thought it was a great real world sporty bike.

JeffKill · Feb 22, 2013

I ride a Harley (I know I'll be crucified for that on here), but I've been looking into other bikes to get for a 2nd. The Suzuki V-Strom 650 looks like it would be a good bike for commuting (and all around riding).

Also like the look of the Suzuki GSX1250FA

Neither one is a crotch rocket, but both would be good for commuting and still fun to ride outside of that. Both sit you a little more upright and not in such an aggressive/uncomfortable riding position. I've seen a couple used ones for sale here in Charlotte.

boogenman · Feb 22, 2013

jonKranked said:
mmmm squid

Did someone say calamari? :drool:

4xBoy · Feb 22, 2013

I have a KTM 990 SMR if I was buying used and budget FZ1 FZ6 Bandit 1200 more then sport enough, comfortable and cheaper to insure then the R1 GSXR type bikes.

Big J · Feb 22, 2013

I too was looking for a cheap sport for the commute so I'm thinking about a lightly used Buell, lots of low end pull and cheap price tag....

Pesqueeb · Feb 22, 2013

JeffKill said:
I ride a Harley (I know I'll be crucified for that on here), but I've been looking into other bikes to get for a 2nd. The Suzuki V-Strom 650 looks like it would be a good bike for commuting (and all around riding).

V-stroms can be had cheap, are reliable, and have tons of aftermarket support. I would have looked harder at them when I bought the beemer but ABS was not available on them at the time. I believe this is no longer true.

eaterofdog · Feb 22, 2013

Bring out the Gimp.
There's nothing wrong with his legs.
Well, I guess you're gonna have to buy him a motorcycle now, won't you?

LOOnatic · Feb 22, 2013

I've ridden that bike and its nuts. Unless you know you got the skills i would look at something not as powerful. That thing is uber light, short wheel base and will yank the front wheel up to stunters delight.
Note: unless you pay cash the full coverage on a sportbike and especially a Ducati is absurd.
The Suzuki Sv 650 is practical but boring. Lots of hybrid style bikes coming to market now so keep looking.
Since your commute is short i would just get a late model suzuki DRZ 250 or 400 and pimp it out with good street rubber, exhaust etc.
Thats ='s a poor man hypermotard
I have a Duc and the impractibility of it is a love/hate thing...
It makes me do bad things.......

OGRipper · Feb 22, 2013

That hyper is also on my dream bike list. I love my DRZ SM and agree with some of the comments about an upright position. Aside from being more comfortable you also get a higher vantage point and thus a better view, which is great for getting through traffic (especially here in California, where lane sharing is allowed). But keep in mind that for open highway riding you'll probably want at least a low fairing.

V-Strom's are pretty sweet, a couple buddies of mine have them as second bikes for longer cruises and when they want to carry a passenger or camping gear (or both). Not the most sexy or nimble and so not the first that comes to mind for a mid-life crisis bike, but pretty versatile.

BUFFALO · Feb 22, 2013

I'm 6'1" and have nearly 50k miles on an R6. It can be uncomfortable after a few hundred, long, boring highway miles. Just don't do that!
The newer sport bikes all are pretty compact as mentioned. If you don't have bad knees, or problems with your hands like carpal tunnel, you'll be fine.

LOOnatic · Feb 22, 2013

BUFFALO said:
I'm 6'1" and have nearly 50k miles on an R6. It can be uncomfortable after a few hundred, long, boring highway miles. Just don't do that!
The newer sport bikes all are pretty compact as mentioned. If you don't have bad knees, or problems with your hands like carpal tunnel, you'll be fine.

Dam thats some serious hauling my friend. The R6 is a great bike im just not sure if RainGauge has ridden that genre of compact-fast machine. If you can live with the ergonomics then its no big deal. Some people cant last 30 minutes !

BUFFALO · Feb 22, 2013

LOOnatic said:
Dam thats some serious hauling my friend. The R6 is a great bike im just not sure if RainGauge has ridden that genre of compact-fast machine. If you can live with the ergonomics then its no big deal. Some people cant last 30 minutes !

I know what you are saying. One of my buddies currently has a ZX10 and has hand problems. After about an hour, he can't feel them!!

LOOnatic · Feb 22, 2013

Raingauge said:
My last street bike was a GSXR; it didn't seem to bad to me. I think it was a 95.

If you handled that bike then my best advice is to look for a clean Kawi 636 in you budget range.
Might even find one with some nice bolt on bits...
Resist the Duc, way more $$ to maintain than Jap bikes.

LOOnatic · Feb 22, 2013

BUFFALO said:
I know what you are saying. One of my buddies currently has a ZX10 and has hand problems. After about an hour, he can't feel them!!

My 900ss V-twin is bad about hand vibration after an hour or so as well. I end up riding one handed to rest sometimes.

kazlx · Feb 24, 2013

I prefer an R6 or GSXR600. Haters gonna hate. If you've already ridden you should be fine. If your last bike was a 95, the newer 600s will blow you away. They are fast and agile. You should be able to get something nice in your budget or even less and have some cash left over. I definitely miss having one. Although I like the Yami and Suzi, you really can't go wrong with any of the modern 600 jap bikes. They are all pretty reliable, easy to work on and fast and fun. I think the Yamaha and Hondas have the most comfortable riding position. I never had a problem on my gixxers. It's all personal preference. I never had any issues doing multiple hour rides on sport bikes.

blackohio · Feb 24, 2013

For 5-6K You should be able to find a few KTM 625 SMC's with dirt and SM wheelsets. They make with a tune and exhaust north of 50whp and are an absolute blast. You could probably find a 525 or 690 as well.

The 690 Duke is a monster and fun as hell. It's whoop the **** outta most 600cc sport bikes anywhere but the straights and highway.

Pesqueeb · Feb 25, 2013

Raingauge said:
There are very few SM's up here. How are the big single cylinders on the highway?

My f650 is a single, and at highway speeds (70mph+) it's pretty buzzy. It's livable, but if your on it for a long time at those speeds your nether regions are going to go numb.

VTApe · Feb 25, 2013

Suprised no one's mentioned a VFR800 - you can pick one up used for cheap, they are available with ABS, VTEC means slow and efficient or arm extender depending on RPM, and a riding position that's more upright and comfortable than a R6/CBR/GSXR

jimmydean · Feb 25, 2013

From this:

to this:

I could do 400+ miles without issue, I had done 800+ in a day more than once, but less than ideal. With a lowered peg, I had leg room for my 6'4" frame, risers put me near upright. The best part is I could still hang with or pass any crotch rocket in the twisites but outride them distance wise due to my comfort level.

I started with an FZ1 (amazing all around bike, btw) but wanted more power, so I took an R1 and made it more comfy than the FZ1 without sacrificing performance on the street.

Windscreens are for pussies (plus anything over 100 can get sketchy with wind buffering, so it kept my speed in check, too)

<edit> I did over 12k miles in less than a year of riding on that beast. I miss it and will build another very soon.

jimmydean · Feb 25, 2013

Also, I paid $4k for my R1, had a salvage title due to the cost of plastics replacement after a crash. There was no structural damage to the bike but the title killed me on resale (never should have sold it).

crombie1 · Feb 25, 2013

I've owned a VFR 800 and DR-Z. Curriently I have a Vulcan 900 custom. All were great bikes and alot of fun in there perspective areas. If your just commuting a few miles, something like a DR-Z is preaty sweet. Espically if there are dirt roads or trails near by. Mine handeled highway use on occasion with a passenger just fine. longer, twisty commutes, a standard bike (etc honda hornet) or Sport bike (VFR, R1) might be a good idea. I put almost 30,000 miles on mine in the 5 years I had it. Definatly a lot of fun.

LOOnatic · Feb 25, 2013

Sweet conversion Dean. So no more ram air sans front fairing?

jimmydean said:
From this:

to this:

I could do 400+ miles without issue, I had done 800+ in a day more than once, but less than ideal. With a lowered peg, I had leg room for my 6'4" frame, risers put me near upright. The best part is I could still hang with or pass any crotch rocket in the twisites but outride them distance wise due to my comfort level.

I started with an FZ1 (amazing all around bike, btw) but wanted more power, so I took an R1 and made it more comfy than the FZ1 without sacrificing performance on the street.

Windscreens are for pussies (plus anything over 100 can get sketchy with wind buffering, so it kept my speed in check, too)

<edit> I did over 12k miles in less than a year of riding on that beast. I miss it and will build another very soon.

jimmydean · Feb 25, 2013

Well, sorta. I left the rubber surround around the inlets (hard to tell in the pic) and added a screen to prevent birds from clogging the engine. It dyno'd at 167hp and was only 395lbs soaking wet when finished, so if I was missing the full ram air, I didn't notice. Plus my bike was built for and lived 0-100 on the street. It rarely saw much over 100 (137 was the fastest I'd gone with it naked). Have you seen was a 100+ mph ticket costs? :panic:

After I built mine, a few other guys went with the FZ1N headlight setup and used the full tubes for the ram air. I thought it looked stupid, plus one of mine was damaged in the PO's crash and wasn't replaced when they did the fairings.

I traded my OE blue plastics for the tank/tail from a 50th anniversary a guy on the R1 forum wrecked. That yellow was awesome, my next one will either also be yellow, or I might get a Raven to cut up.

jimmydean · Feb 25, 2013

I went cheap/easy on that setup and just bought the LSL conversion. It's a new top clamp and bars with longer hoses and cables. There is a slightly nicer setup being made by RSD, one guy on the R1 forum just drille his stock top tree to fit the moto clamps, another guy did the same but welded some metal to the back side of the top tree for added strength.

The LSL bars sucked overall. The Ducati Streetfighter bars are WAY better and I will use them next time. I might be using all custom triple clamps as I want to run the 50mm Marzocchi fork. I had Ohlins fork cartridges and rear shock on that bike, but after riding the MV Agusta Brutale, I want that damn fork!

jimmydean · Feb 25, 2013

Mmmmm, Marzocchi fork. :drool:

<edit> The stock lower crown looks so buff and bad ass on that bike, damn...

jimmydean · Feb 25, 2013

The Vortex rearsets were the only set I found that adjusted LOWER than stock and still used the factory shift linkage routing (through frame). 20mm lower made a HUGE difference.

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