Question for those with sport bike experience

[benk]

Take a MSF course, you'll learn a lot and if you pass you get your endorsement.

Like others have said, a modern 600 is a hell of a lot of bike.

[camaromann]

First off, as stated, if you're good on a dirt bike, you're ahead of most of the crowd. You know what you are capable of and you'll be fine.

I'm entering my 20th year of riding sportbikes on the street... And only you will know the right bike for you. I started on a 600, then spent several years on a TL1000R and a GSXR-1000. Now, I'm back to riding 600s and 750s... In my experience, liter bikes are just a dick swinging contest for expressway roll racers and shit talkers. 600s and 750s are more fun to ride, handle better, and are cheaper on gas and insurance. And modern 600s are better than 99% of the riders on them will ever need.

The ONLY reason that I would ever go back to a big bike would be for something like a cross country tour on a 'Busa, ZX-14, ZX11, etc.

^^^^^^ EXACTLY what this guy said. I had an 07 and an 08 GSXR 600 right when they went to a smaller framed bike. I modded them after a while and a liter bike couldn't touch me till over 130-140. When i got up to 165-170 they would keep pulling and i was out of power. I was the same as you. Rode dirt bikes for years and never more then 5 miles on a friends sport bike. It took about 2 weeks of riding everyday before i was balls to the walls on the free way taking trips out of state just for the adrenalin lol. Im not recommending you do the same. Everyone adapts at their own pace. I stopped respecting both bikes because they seemed too slow and boring to me after a while, and that was dangerous. I sold them and have gone back and forth about ever owing another one in my life. I absolutely LOVED it, but i also know i wont respect them and i will absolutely push the envelope when riding every time. Ive rode liter bikes a bit, and in my opinion you cant even use there power until your on the freeway already doing 100+. Thats why if you become a damn good rider you can almost always outrun them, unless its just a huge stretch of straight highway and the liter bike is willing to go 180+ If you cant control yourself a little bit, a sport bike isn't for you at all. Hence why i sold mine. Good luck to you and have fun!!!

[Anthony]

First off, as stated, if you're good on a dirt bike, you're ahead of most of the crowd. You know what you are capable of and you'll be fine.

I'm entering my 20th year of riding sportbikes on the street... And only you will know the right bike for you. I started on a 600, then spent several years on a TL1000R and a GSXR-1000. Now, I'm back to riding 600s and 750s... In my experience, liter bikes are just a dick swinging contest for expressway roll racers and shit talkers. 600s and 750s are more fun to ride, handle better, and are cheaper on gas and insurance. And modern 600s are better than 99% of the riders on them will ever need.

The ONLY reason that I would ever go back to a big bike would be for something like a cross country tour on a 'Busa, ZX-14, ZX11, etc.

X10

I rode 600's, 250 5'10" and training wheels weren't required. On the track I'd prolly beat 80% of the "badasses" riding liter bikes.

Skill over power when it comes to bikes. Imo

[AutoRoc]

Ask yourself if a "track bike" is what you want... I honestly dont understand the want/need for a bike designed for a racetrack on the street, ie: R6/R1, GSXR bikes, ZX6-10's... They are engineered to accelerate/brake/turn as fast as possible... At no point did an engineer say, "What about rider comfort???".. Equivalent to driving an indy car.. Cramped, no suspension, no bottom end power, have to rev it just to leave a stoplight,..

Im on a Yamaha FZ1.. 150hp, 500lbs, upright seating position. It'll run 10's and has sticky tires if you want to drag a knee(I cant..) but I can ride a LOT furthur than a guy on an R1.. It's my first bike, I was on a mean dirt bike for a few years before this but I can ride a dirtbike to about 20% of it's capability... Very novice..

Look into a Honda VFR800, Yamaha FZ1, Bandit 1200....comfortable sport touring bikes... unless you want to be racerboy on a racebike....not racing anybody...

[MarkVIII93]

Ask yourself if a "track bike" is what you want... I honestly dont understand the want/need for a bike designed for a racetrack on the street, ie: R6/R1, GSXR bikes, ZX6-10's... They are engineered to accelerate/brake/turn as fast as possible... At no point did an engineer say, "What about rider comfort???".. Equivalent to driving an indy car.. Cramped, no suspension, no bottom end power, have to rev it just to leave a stoplight,..

Im on a Yamaha FZ1.. 150hp, 500lbs, upright seating position. It'll run 10's and has sticky tires if you want to drag a knee(I cant..) but I can ride a LOT furthur than a guy on an R1.. It's my first bike, I was on a mean dirt bike for a few years before this but I can ride a dirtbike to about 20% of it's capability... Very novice..

Look into a Honda VFR800, Yamaha FZ1, Bandit 1200....comfortable sport touring bikes... unless you want to be racerboy on a racebike....not racing anybody...

To each their own. I rode my grudge bike from Allen park to Ohio and back with no problems/comfort issues.


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[camaromann]

I went to Georgia on my gsxr a few times. I honeatly think my bike was more comfortable then any Harley I've ridden, or any "chopper" style bike. There was absolutely no pressure on my back with the gsxr vs. a Harley.

[benk]

I've put in 8 hour days of riding on my FZ1 abd when I parked it felt like I hadn't been in a bike. Not to mention the low end torque it has makes it nice for commuting.

[RSpencer]

Thanks for the input so far guys. I'd like to hear more, if possible, about any lengthy trips you have taken and how you felt after it. I know a couple of you have so far. I got looking into FZ6Rs and they have the look I want in a bike and are supposed to be better suited for longer trips.

[MarkVIII93]

You will honestly be happy with a Busa for long trips. Skip the 99-07 model year though and look for 08-12. The suspension is much more refined and you get a decent power bump from the previous years.


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[AutoRoc]

FZ6R is great. A guy in our group to lexington has one. 50k+ miles on his 2008 model. He rides from Howell to downtown detroit everyday possible. You can strip it down and ride it like an R6 or hang bags ALL over it, bolt on bigger windshield and tour all over. Same goes for the largerFZ1, it just has more power. 115hp vs 150hp.. Yamaha valve adjustments are few and far between also. My first will be at 26k miles

VFR800 would be very similar if your a Honda lover.

Busa or ZX14 can be a great long haul bike when you put taller bars on or bar risers, thicker seat.... This is equivalent to bolting a futon to a top fuel dragster...I'm cool with that!

I've been stuck on sport-touring.net reading the epic rides people document... There are some diehard riders with great trips logged.