Bikers Pls: GSXR1000 Vs ZX10R Vs R1

Pug · 18 Jul 2006 at 17:21

looking at around 2003/2004 age, and really cant make my mind up which way to go. Want a 2006 ZX10, cant afford one, so looking at these now.

Dont want a blade - i find the thing too narrow and "slippy" (i know what i mean

) and really like the look of these bikes (each in their own ways - and i may find similar problems with these when i rid them maybe...).

Planning on going for a test ride on them soon, just thought i'd let you lot chew the fat for a bit

Upgrading from a 2001 ZX6R - which has been a simply amazing bike (comfortable, quick, forgiving etc)

psalliss · 18 Jul 2006 at 17:43

if your looking at 03-04 models then i would go for the gsx1000r or what about trying a gsx750r. if you could stretch to 05 prices then definately get an r1 with underseat exhaust they are a superb road bike. or a rsv1000r is also a good road bike, just got rid of mine yesterday was an excellent bike,

atpbx · 18 Jul 2006 at 20:12

GSXR1000

Simply because its a GSXR and will have bits of Satans actuall DNA woven into its frame.

mikeh501 · 18 Jul 2006 at 20:26

GSXR1000 I reckon. Mebbe an R1 if you want something which looks a touch more understated.

Dr Who · 18 Jul 2006 at 20:51

None of them will dissapoint, but for me the R1 and the ZXR look miles better than the GSXR...

Shoei · 18 Jul 2006 at 20:54

Early ZX10R does it for me, has an agressive stance to it that the new one is missing.
Gixxers are common as owt.

Robb

Demon · 18 Jul 2006 at 21:43

GSXR1000 for sure, the most 'complete' package of the lot... but then I would say that I have one..

I'm actually just started to advertise my K3 '1000 to go and get an almost new K6 Model, I've just test ridden the R1/ZX10 and CBR1000, but I still like the GSXR.. the ZX10R (2005 model) was twitchy, and felt almost like an old skool turbo engine, a bit lazy down low, then wallop... a bit disconcerting coming out of a corner at speed!!, the R1 was nice, but it just feels form over function, it sure looks nice though.. the blade, well, as all recent blade's its too cossetting and linear, no soul..

If you want a good low mileage GSXR1000 K3, let me know!! it's on pistonheads at the moment HERE (price is negiotable!)

Burbleflop · 18 Jul 2006 at 22:04

Gixxer. Awesome machine, simply amazing in a straight line. I don't find my Dad's GSXR1000 as good in the corners as my Blade (or the R1 I used to have) but I really didn't like the ZX10R I rode and as much as I liked the R12, the Gixxer is a better choice.

Tdh1987 · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:28

I'm told by a friend that the zx10r is twitchy due to its very short wheelbase, making it difficult to ride at pace.

GSXR1000 for me please if I had to choose. But whats the point in a litre bike? to much power for the road. How about a Gsxr750?

Hixxy · 19 Jul 2006 at 00:28

i'm at the same stage as pug but i've been on a k4 600, how long would you say is acceptable when your testing a bike? is a couple of hours too much to ask for?

Gixer · 19 Jul 2006 at 06:19

Tdh1987 said:
GSXR1000 for me please if I had to choose. But whats the point in a litre bike? to much power for the road.

Its not all about power though! Torque is another big factor. I now currently ride a Busa and wouldnt really enjoy anything under a 1000cc sportsbike. I love the torque! I've been through the 400 / 600 days of dancing all over the gearbox but now I love the torque of the bigger cc engines

I did some roll on tests with a GSXR600 K4. My Busa acclerates in 6th gear the same as it did in 4th!! Gimme the torque

To be fair what ever sports bike you get, 400/600/750/1000 you can never use it all on the road properly as its just to dangerous, that is what the track os for.

I think my username says which one I would go for out of that lot

Pug · 19 Jul 2006 at 08:46

hehe thanks guys

Demon: I may well be very interested in that mate - will certainly consider it, guess we'd have to talk money if i came round to a GSXR (which i pretty much was at when posting this and noones disagreed!)

As for the 750 - well no doubt there a great bike and once fuel injected are a match for the bigger bikes, but saying buy a 750 'cos 1litres have too much for the road is a bit silly when they're so quick - but i have seen and read horror stories of them blowing up, preceeded by smokey engines.

Surprised so few prefer the R1 tho - but perhaos that may be too small for me anyway. Need a testride methinks, but GSX is looking favourite.

Those that have any of these - whats the riding position like? Is it arse in the air head over tank or are any of them that bit more refined/commuter friendly? That was one of the things i liked about my ZX6 - real quick when thrashed, but real comfy when used - whereas the GSXR6 i had (SRAD one) was a wrist crippler, but fast.

Considered an Aprilia RSV1000 but was concerned about the upkeep of a non-jap bike :?

Oakesy2001uk · 19 Jul 2006 at 08:53

My dads RSV was mega reliable, no worse than any other bike, just routine stuff. he loevd it so much after he swapped for an R1, he says the R1 has no soal and wants annother RSV! otherwise, GSXR i reckon mate!

L Plate · 19 Jul 2006 at 11:05

I think you will find (and this is where the Jap bike owners start to cringe) that the Aprilia (now its owned by Piaggio, the 4th largest bike brand in the world) is actually cheaper to service and run these days.

However that depends on where you take it

I have a brand new 06 RSVR, had it upgraded to include all of the bits off the Factory bar the Carbon styling,

servicing costs me £200 for the minor inc VAT and £240 for the major, and i know that Kawasaki and Suzuki are another £100 on top of that when it comes to the major services to start with.

That being said, the GSXR1000, ZX10R, R1, CBR1000RR are all tried and tested and solid perfomers but each bike fortunately has a different character to it.

But a GSXR750 with a TRE fitted and a powercommander added will keep up with any GSXR1000 on all but the last 10-15mph of its top speed

The 750 shouldnt be underestimated, its would take a skilful rider to outride one of them on any bike these days, the GSXR1000 might be the most awesome package by most people's standards but the GSXR750 in terms of handling and power is supposed to be the perfect blend of track and road for the UK especially.

The definitely need test riding thats for sure because a K61000 feels nothing like a K2/K3/K4 thats guaranteed, much the same as the 1998-2003 RSVR feels nothing like the 2004 onwards.

Lastly 1000cc bikes dont have to be putting out 180bhp to pull the arms out of their sockets, they can quite easily do that with 130 at the wheel and knock out over 78ft/lbs of torque quite happily

Get out there and test ride the bikes, i am on my second Aprilia now, the first one was trouble free in 28000 miles, and cost less to service than my ZX9R (which was as quick as any of the new bikes) and their reliability shouldnt be compared to that of the early Italian bikes or indeed the early Ducati's (which is where most people seem to get their comparison from).

Lastly, what is said about the ZX10R is spot on, its a full on animal, far too twitchy in the wrong hands, and seems far too much on/off.

A friend of mine has had 2 RSVR's, before moving over to an R1, then to a GSXR1000, back to an R1, over to a ZX10R before finally moving back to a new RSVR (he is an accomplished rider that happily knocks out a 52 second lap of Brands Indy circuit).

And he was still tempted back to the Darkside

seriously though, with all the new bikes, you need to get out there and test ride them, all have their own talents

good luck with whatever you choose, all of them are a far cry from what you are used to with the ZX6R

Freefaller · 19 Jul 2006 at 12:16

I adore the R1, but the Gixxer has something about it that scares adn eats small children for breakfast - ergo it's great. The ZX10R despite loving kwaks never really felt in the same league as the others to me. The R1 looks understated but in deep blue looks awesome. The gixxer though is an animal. I've heard that the 750 is a more practical machine and doesn't really lose out on the preformance stakes.

Pug · 19 Jul 2006 at 12:21

thanks L Plate - thats a really helpful post

Whilst i realise what a great bike the 750 is having ridden my brothers, i have had a LOT (well, not a LOT, but by jap bike standards enough

) doubts about the reliability of the 750. Know 2 people that had them blow personally, and a friend of a friend had one go, plus some press i have read casts doubts in my mind).

Which is why i'm thinking a 1 litre - no real need to be thrashed, and you get torque which may be lacking on a 750.

Always put off by twins as on paper the power is so much lower. Does the torque compensate then? I mean in WSB a few (8?) years ago Ducati were allowed to run with 200cc more to compensate - which didnt instill much hope for me really.

At the end of the day tho i know it'll be all down to riding position - i want something comfortbale and very rapid - well, they're all very rapid, so i guess i need to find the most comfortable for my individual tastes.

Are bike shops likely to be ok with me test riding them?

Thing is everyones saying the GSXR is a beast, but why is it so much more beastly than the others? They all perform similarly i would imagine?

Oakesy2001uk · 19 Jul 2006 at 12:30

I can only comment on the GSXR 1000 and the RSV as they are the only ones I have ridden, but the GSXR is just an ANIMAL, far too fast in every situation.

most situations you have a choice of 3 gears that would all work fine, which is great. The RSV is more of the same, but less frantic and more lazy speed, amazing out of bends, handleing is sublime on both, the RSV is just a bit more exotic for me....

I personally prefer the buzzy 600's, R6 here we come!

Demon · 19 Jul 2006 at 12:35

But a GSXR750 with a TRE fitted and a powercommander added will keep up with any GSXR1000 on all but the last 10-15mph of its top speed

The 750 shouldnt be underestimated, its would take a skilful rider to outride one of them on any bike these days, the GSXR1000 might be the most awesome package by most people's standards but the GSXR750 in terms of handling and power is supposed to be the perfect blend of track and road for the UK especially.

The definitely need test riding thats for sure because a K61000 feels nothing like a K2/K3/K4 thats guaranteed, much the same as the 1998-2003 RSVR feels nothing like the 2004 onwards.

On a twisty B-Road, it isn't about CC at all, I could easily keep with the litre bikes on my GSXR600, the difference was the amount of effort I had to put it, always in the right gear, and in the power band, often having to change down at highish revs coming into corners to make sure I had enough power to keep up with the 'thou's on the exit.. keeping this all smooth while making sure my braking points and corner lines where right was hard work at times..

I then test rode a GSXR750 as the next logical step up, and although it had more top end power then the 600 (much more!), it still had to be ridden quite hard to keep up with the larger CC bikes.. I borrowed my Brothers GSXR1000K2 after this, and that was it, instantly wanted one, the top end is ludicrous, but that's under your control, it's the torque and drive at lower revs that sold it to me, so I got the K3 thou.. On the usual sunday rides I find I enjoy them much more due to be able to leave it in 3rd most of the time, and concentrate on the corner entry/exit and have some fun with getting as much power down as possible.. the 600's still keep up of course, unless I start going mad on the straights, but you can see their workrate is at least double..

Demon · 19 Jul 2006 at 12:40

Pug said:
thanks L Plate - thats a really helpful post

Whilst i realise what a great bike the 750 is having ridden my brothers, i have had a LOT (well, not a LOT, but by jap bike standards enough ) doubts about the reliability of the 750. Know 2 people that had them blow personally, and a friend of a friend had one go, plus some press i have read casts doubts in my mind).

Which is why i'm thinking a 1 litre - no real need to be thrashed, and you get torque which may be lacking on a 750.

Always put off by twins as on paper the power is so much lower. Does the torque compensate then? I mean in WSB a few (8?) years ago Ducati were allowed to run with 200cc more to compensate - which didnt instill much hope for me really.

At the end of the day tho i know it'll be all down to riding position - i want something comfortbale and very rapid - well, they're all very rapid, so i guess i need to find the most comfortable for my individual tastes.

Are bike shops likely to be ok with me test riding them?

Thing is everyones saying the GSXR is a beast, but why is it so much more beastly than the others? They all perform similarly i would imagine?

The 1000cc twins I've ridden have good midrange grunt, but are a bit lacking up top, in racing the twins are good on the limit as the power pulses are spread wider which is kinder on the tyres, which gives them an advantage driving out of corners, as well as not wearing the tyres out so quickly..

The GSXR is not really a beast, although this would have been said from a power perspective, but it has the most linear power delivery, and by far the most mid/low range grunt, and has always been the best comprimise between comfort and track ability..

Pug · 19 Jul 2006 at 12:50

where are you based Demon? may pop and have a look at yours if you're local.

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