which supersports styled 600/650

Ish · 27 Sep 2011 at 11:57

Hi

My original plan was to ride my CBR125R for at least a year before going for a full license but I have the bike bug now and want to go for my test earlier and move up to a 600/650.

I'm just thinking of which bikes I should be considering.

My criteria is that the bike must be styled like a supersports, must be good for all weather use/commuting, economical, no manual choke and be reliable. Budget would be £2500.

At the moment I like the look of the ER6F but I hate the sound of the engine!

I also like the GSX650F.

Are there any other bikes I should be considering?

kidloco · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:07

SV650, with the sport fairing it should fit your bill nicely.

Although you could always get a ZX6R for that price to, a few 2004 models on MCN for that cash. It would get you an 2003 GSXR600 or 2003 CBR600F

St0rmer66 · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:12

SV650 Sport. Put an exhaust can on (not many 2nd hand ones will be standard) and it'll sound great!

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Ish · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:14

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm not a fan of the looks of the SV650 as I like bikes that have more of a full fairing like the GSX650F/ER6F or am I looking at the wrong version of the SV650?

ZX6R/GSXR600/CBR600F are all proper supersports aren't they? I only want supersport kind of looks without the insurance premium etc!

Felix · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:21

I found the ER6F pretty uncomfortable. I was set on it until I actually test rode one.

edd1e · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:31

if you can stretch a bit more go for a B1h 636 ZX-6R!

...may be a little uncomfortable on long commutes though.

Ish · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:33

The budget can't really be stretched and like I said previously I don't want a proper supersports bike.

Grimbough · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:40

You want to look for the SV650S.

Ish · 27 Sep 2011 at 12:43

Which year was the above SV650 available from?

kidloco · 27 Sep 2011 at 13:01

CBR600F shouldnt be as bad insureance wise as its the sensible CBR, ie not the RR. Nice comfy seat, far more relaxed. Try and get a quote you might be suprised.

If insurance is a nono the just get the SV650 sport. Heres one. looks really nice and clean, low milage, sure they would do it for under 2.5k
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/b...RT-MODEL/2004/_/R-NXGN-2130995?mfy=187.065458

Grimbough · 27 Sep 2011 at 14:50

Ish said:
Which year was the above SV650 available from?

The pointy version was made from 2003. The lower fairings don't come as standard, but they're a pretty popular addition, so it isn't hard to find second hand examples that have them.

Ish · 27 Sep 2011 at 14:59

kidloco said:
CBR600F shouldnt be as bad insureance wise as its the sensible CBR, ie not the RR. Nice comfy seat, far more relaxed. Try and get a quote you might be suprised.

If insurance is a nono the just get the SV650 sport. Heres one. looks really nice and clean, low milage, sure they would do it for under 2.5k
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/b...RT-MODEL/2004/_/R-NXGN-2130995?mfy=187.065458

Thanks for the suggestion but it's not for me.

It's not just the insurance either, I don't think a supersports is going to make a nice all rounder bike which will mainy be used for commuting.

kidloco · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:15

No worries mate, but just so you know, the CBR600F is prob the best commuter/tourer out of any of the ones mentioned. Comfy as hell, good wind protection and engine is bulletproof. There are examples on MCN with sky high milage, obviously used as commuters.

Its nothing like the RR. Look at the seat on this badboy. Its like a couch!
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/b...a/CBR600F/2003/_/R-NXGN-7566462?mfy=28.583296

eidolon · 27 Sep 2011 at 18:29

Definitely test ride an SV as you may not like the way the V twin engine feels. I have to admit that I followed the crowd and bought an SV (almost identical to the above pic) when I first passed my test and but looking back I should've rode more bikes before buying it.
Sure it's safeish because it's only got 70bhp but it's a bit chuggy down low and I hated the amount of engine braking, could easily upset you mid corner if you hit a bump which caused you to throttle off.

I've now got a 2010 ZX6R which I love. It's ultra smooth and you could ride along at 20mph in 6th if you wanted to and it would still pull away smoothly. It feels light and nimble whereas the SV felt a bit agricultural in comparison.
As long as you don't go mental and scream your way to 18,000rpm then it's a pussycat, much easier to ride than the SV despite having twice the power.

paddy · 27 Sep 2011 at 18:37

I loved my SV - see sig.

They are a bit agricultural, but they're also cheap to insure for the bang vs buck they provide.

Definitely get an after-market end can. I had a 350mm delkevic (the 450mm is fitted in the sig pics - long story) and I had lots of comments on how nice it sounded

Dogbreath · 28 Sep 2011 at 09:10

Grimbough said:
You want to look for the SV650S.

The SV650S only ever came with a half fairing. The bikes you see with lower fairings have had them fitted either by the dealer or the owner. You can buy genuine Suzuki lowers for an eye watering cost, or there are third party ones available.

Dogbreath · 28 Sep 2011 at 09:14

eidolon said:
Sure it's safeish because it's only got 70bhp but it's a bit chuggy down low and I hated the amount of engine braking, could easily upset you mid corner if you hit a bump which caused you to throttle off.

All V-twins (and parallel twins) are like this, it's not unique to the SV650. Why would a bump cause you to "throttle off" suddenly?

eidolon said:
It feels light and nimble whereas the SV felt a bit agricultural in comparison.

The SV is a good 10kg lighter than the ZX6R, but an overall comparison is a bit unfair unless you managed to buy and insure your ZX6R for the same price as an equivalent year SV650S.

Fireskull · 28 Sep 2011 at 09:59

I would be more worried about a bump big enough to upset your throttle hand then the engine braking upsetting the bike

You have to learn how to use the engine braking, banging down the gears fast without matching the revs on a twin is going to lock up the rear and riding nearly into the red in lower gears then wacking off the throttle is also going to set off big engine braking, but that's not how you ride the should ride the SV, I used to rag the hell out of my old SV and never had a problem, hell its going to be a track toy soon and I cant wait to upset some sportsbikes

Its a bit unfair to compare a race tech inspired zx6 to basically a middle weight naked bike with some fairings and clip ons, the geometry is completely different, the whole point of a 600 sportsbike is nimbleness.

I would recommend a 650 twin to a new rider any day over 600 sports, at least for a year, because as much as we all say just don't go mad with the throttle we have all done it on a new bike, its inevitable, and that's all that is needed for a new rider to end up on their ass high sided, been there done that

I don't know it all depends on the person and you cant judge that over a forum, in comparison is a bit like a new driver learning in a Corsa and then getting a Porsche as their first car.

eidolon · 28 Sep 2011 at 14:00

The point I was trying to make is that I personally find the ZX much easier to ride than the SV. It's smoother, more comfortable for me, brakes are in a different league, suspension is in a different league etc. The only downside is that if you happen to stray over 10,000rpm then you're going to find out what proper acceleration feels like but as long as you keep your right hand from doing anything silly it's a lovely smooth bike which is very easy to ride even for a new rider.

Fireskull · 28 Sep 2011 at 14:40

I know your point eidolon but do you think the poise of a modern 600 would have intimidate you if you went straight from your 125?

I don't regret having my 650, I feel it was the right step up before getting silly power.