Next step from a 400.

[Crazy Assed Goose]

I have an NC30 now and I will sell it next year for another bike. Do you think I should go for a 600 or 750 size bike? An old blade is about the power of an SRAD 750 so a 900 is also considered. Do you think the blade will be too much? Remember it is the older one with about 125 bhp, not the far off an modern 600.

Can you get 750s etc restricted to 33bhp also, I like to know I can fit it if needs be.

I ride everyday and should have covered about 15000 miles by the time I buy a new bike. Generally commuting and fast* road riding.

Cheers

*We don't need to go into weather it is actually fast or not lol

[T0MMY]

A 600 is a big enough step up from a 400 to capture your interest so it's not necessary to get a bigger bike unless you actually want that much pace. Then again I think a 600 is fast enough for anyone so I'm not a good person to ask. Only thing about 600s is that they're a bit dead at low revs but nowhere near as bad as a 400.

[swiftb]

I would agree with Tommy in that a sports 600 is fast enough for anybody on the road. Its all you need but obviously some folk like to have more power for easier/lazier riding.

Get a 600, see how you go on that for a year then decide. You will probably realise the 600 is all you need for a bit of commuting and fast road riding.

[Rowey]

I agree. 600 then you'll probably get to the point most of us are at. Do I need anything bigger?

I use my bike for commuting and B road blasts. It copes fantastically. If I get anything bigger I'll get a higher top end that'll be rarely used and isn't really fun, just bragging rights and increased fuel consumption for my commutes.
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ZX6R C6F.
Never argue with an idiot. They'll only bring you down to their level, and beat you with experience.

[Frost]

400 = 33/60bhp
new 600 = up to 120bhp

Thats a plenty big enough step up in power, with similar weight and handling to what your used to, so i'd say it was the natural progression.

[P.addy]

Hey.

I went from a 125 > 500

That seemed like big step.
I have a feeling the 500, give or take 5-10hp is about the same as a 400 in terms of step up wise.

I've now gone up to a 600, and the change is big enough for me as it stands, alot more power on tap, feels more responsive and definitely does everything I need it to.

I think a 600 is a realistic next option, maybe the 750 if you want something different, but honestly I cant see what the extra 150cc will offer.

HTH

[Welshd1k]

a 750 will be just as powerfull as a moder 600 . just a 750 will probally feel more grunty.

i went from a zxr4 to a cb600 hornet and even as both being 33bhp the 600 feels alot faster and grunty
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Current >Cb600fx hornet, ns125rk90 21.7bhp@wheel<
Sold >,zxr400 h2 (33bhp kit) rd350 n1 rd350 lc2<

[gmanxiii]

Depends what you want from a bike. :I wanted more power after my 400 and i moved up from a NC30 to a CBR600 and was actually disappointed that it wasn't a big step. Personally found that it's only when you're into triple figures that I noticed the difference. Under that if i wring it i could pretty much keep the 30 up with most larger bikes on the road.

This made me pine for something bigger but if im brutally honest to myself the 600 is as good a road bike as any. What I want from a bike does change from time to time now. Sometimes i fancy a litre still for more power and torque and since my first trackday found it really hard to keep up with the litres on the straights. But then the flip side is I dont do that many a year and it would just cost me more money to run in insurance, petrol, tyres etc whilst i don't think my road riding would be any quicker, i rarely get above a ton on the road these days anyway. I'll probably get one eventually for a summer or two but I can understand why people stick to or move back to smaller bikes. I still fancy another 400.
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I kills hondas

VFR400NC30 > ZZR600 > CBR600FX > CBR1000rr

[T0MMY]

Conversely I just went back to a 400 from a CBR600 and have been enjoying the way I can wring it's neck everywhere. Only problem is long motorway rides at high revs and the total lack of oomph at higher speeds. For blasting out of corners at double figure speeds though it's fast enough to be fun.

[craigs23]

I went from an RVF to a 92 Blade with no problems at all. The Blade was nice and grunty in comparison to the later 600s, plus being a classic, had a little extra in the form of pride of ownership that I rarely get with more 'popular' Japanese sportsbikes. Took a little more thought to ride the thing too, modern day sportsbikes do a little too much by themselves in my opinion, and my later 954 allowed far too many liberties in the regards to the speed:effort ratio.

Having said that, I rated my R6 quite highly as an every day sportsbike and I'm growing quite fond of my 675.

Couldn't have a collection without a 400 in there somewhere though. After a little over a year on my first Blade, I swapped it back for another NC30.

[Clanger]

From a 400cc I went to a 650cc.
Remember that the throttle goes two ways, and its you that makes the decision which way it goes.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[G]

I think it depends a lot on the rider.
Some people will be ragging their 400s, then move up to a 600 and not rag it so much, doesn't seem much quicker.
Others may not rag their 400s much, then do the same with their 600 and find it a fair bit quicker, but not as quick as a big bike.

I went from a KLR650 to a 600 sports bike and it was a decent step. I'd been riding a 400 at the time too, but perhaps not enough to have got conversant with the speed for it to feel ordinary.

My personal opinion is that there's very little in it between a well ridden 600cc and 1000cc bike.
However 400cc to 600cc I'd say the 400cc needs to be ridden quite a lot better to keep up with the bigger bike.
Bike's like the SV650 allow you to be a bit lazier to get the same speed as the 400, but aren't faster themselves.

[Crazy Assed Goose]

Hmm another thing about the 400 is if I get pulled a lot of police would see the restriction, see a 400 and probably be more likely to think all was well. If they saw "Fireblade" they might think something was seriously up lol.

I do enjoy the 400 and it is great fun, but once you get to 110 it has almost ran out and it is a long trundle to 130 even with the smaller front sprocket. This doesn't usually bother me until a quite quick car decides it will be fun to accelerate as I over take, and things like that.

I just remember when I first got the NC30 coming from 18 hours of riding a 125, my first bike. And every time I looked down at the speedo it was a suprise. Everytime I accelerated it was a huge rush and I was scared almost to go full throttle. Now I know the bike inside out and can guess the speed at anytime, and it is still quick but not scary, alert the media, quick. The bike isn't slower it just feels that way since I am used to it.

On the other hand I still don't ride the bike to its full potential, got no chicken strips* but don't pretty much get the pegs down at every turn, and always think I am lacking balls to take the corners faster, still keep up with most of the 600, 1000s I go out with, but not the ones who are decent at riding. So I feel sort of like I am cheating by going up a bike class, and would be another person on a huge bike that can't ride it too well. I also worry I would not be bothered about corner speed as much since I could make up for it on the straights.

I like having the NC also as it's not very common an people always talk to you about it when they see it.

Can't be bothered to go through that to see if there are any mistakes so just let it slide if there are

pprrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


*It is a 160 tyre on a 150 rim and it seems you can't physically get to the last 2mm on the back. I have been on a round a bout and got the side stand down and still not got rid of them.

[Spit-Fire]

[G]

An older 600 isn't as 'comforting' as a new one - the new ones tend to feel very reassuring and give you the impression they can take it all in.
While older bikes tend to give a bit more feedback and feel they need a bit more work to get to the same speed.
Having a fast bike that goes fast very easily may not be a good thing for a new rider. However a sensible new rider that likes the feeling of speed but is not bothered about the effort to get there, may prefer a newer bike.

I would go for the older bike on costs grounds most of the time, unless there was a good reason not to.

[Spit-Fire]

thats a good point G, what about power delivery wise, and suspension.

people say older bikes are more raw, while newer bikes have a more liner delivery,

and that an old bikes suspention wont be as sophticated
(though i read in a mag some old fork internal are actually better) and doesn't offer as much adjustably

same with brakes and handling.

say for example a :

£3000 kwack bh1,
which has got a "hardcore" reputation. would that be a better choice as its cheaper then say a £4000 599cc 07 model or worse as it a bit more of a animal so less subtle for the inexperienced ?
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they say the good die young... i say we just live faster

[swiftb]

I reckon its better to introduce yourself to a sports 600 with something a bit older. Something that makes you work to get the best out of it. Yet equally, lets you know when your pushing too hard.
Take for example my 2000 zx6r. Its got the power, no doubting that - it will outrun a lot of the much newer 600 stuff. However, at the same time, the brakes are nothing in comparison to a modern bike.
So knowing that, you wouldn't want to over rely on the brakes to get you out of a situation, so you adapt 'how' you go fast.( Also you adapt how to stop. Also jumping from an oldish 400 etc to the latest 600, the brakes are gonna be a lot less forgiving - potentially causing problems.)
Handling is as good as you really need for the road - but the stiffer suspension (and probably less sophistcated) actually gives excellent feedback, so you tend to be able to feel a hell of a lot more of what is going on underneath you, which is never a bad thing.
Also, the bike is a little heavier than the newer stuff, only a few kilos but you can feel it more probably due to the newer stuff having better weight distrubtion. This means you have to wrestle the bike a little more. This gives (IMO) more opportunity to learn how to ride, and not just be a passenger.
Also, my theory is im more likely to push the bike and discover what its capable of if it cost me £1700, as although nobody wants to drop their bike, its better to drop a ten yr old £1700 bike which I could afford to replace, than a £4000-£5000 bike which would leave me in financial turmoil should god forbid I stack it.

So its older stuff FTW for a first 600 I reckon. Save the cash for when you have a couple of yrs experience on an older 6 then splash the cash on something a bit sweeter.

[Crazy Assed Goose]

I was only looking to spend about 2000, and you can get old blades, 750 srads etc for that money.

[G]