First sports bike

[Willson]

Hey guys,

Well happy with my ER5, but want something a little more sporty/weekend warrior style and wondering what I should go for?

Cheers!

Willson
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Benson: Wouldn't life be easier if we were all turtles?
Me: Pig on bread = The way forward.
Riding: '00 Suzuki SV650S. Previous: '99 Kawasaki ER5 - sold, '02 Suzuki GZ125 Marauder - sold

[Rob W]

What 'sort' of thing you after?

Maybe try a 400 first? A CBR/RVF/ZXR would be a good start to see if you even get on with something sports orientated. They're not the most comfortable bikes for anything over a 90 minute ride usually. In real world terms a 4/600 will keep with anything through the twisties (where it matters). Any nobber can yank the throttle back in a straight line.

Try an old CBR6 or something similar, you can pick them up for peanuts virtually, and as a stepping stone to a bigger bike they'd be ideal.
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'90 TS50 > '04 Senda 125 > '91 ZXR400 > '90 CB-1 > '04 GSX-R1000 > '96 Bandit 600 > '89 ZXR750 H1 > '96 GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > '98 T595 Daytona > '03 Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > '16 GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[Benson_JV]

CBR600.
You know you want to Willson.
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Willson - "If you go out on that CBR600 in the winter, you're going to do more miles on your side than on your wheels."
Riding: CBR600FW Driving: Audi A6
Previous Bikes: '96 Bandit 600, '96 GPz305

[rexy]

I got a b1h zx6r as my first bike, love it... a mate is looking at getting a gsxr k6/7 for his and another mate has a k6 as his first bike.

[craigs23]

Another vote for a CBR6. Does everything, is quick enough in the right hands, cheap and so easy to ride they're an ideal step into sports biking.

[Itchy]

There can only be one, CBR6 its deadly forgiving yet in the right hands can keep up with most other 600cc bikes...

If only you can get over the, "Oh its a good all rounder." tag...
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Dazbo666]

Yet another vote for the CBR600 - the first bike I ever rode right after passing my DAS.
If a DAS novice like me can handle one, I can assure you it's versatile enough for almost anyone.
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Frost]

Buy the fastest bike you can find. Preferably one in poor condition, badly maintained and with a large number of home made modifications, then ride it as fast as it will go.

Good luck.

[Willson]

[johnsmith222]

check out the yamaha thundercat and zzr600, Less common than the CBR600F and very good bikes.

[YZFR1IAN]

What about an R6 ?
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05 Yamaha YBR125 > 94 Honda CB500 > 98 Honda Hornet 600 > 02 Yamaha R6 > 2000 Yamaha R1 > 2000 Yamaha XJR1300SP > 2000 Honda CBR929RR Fireblade
MY BIKES Past & Present

[colin1]

triumph tt600 2001 onwards

quite a bit cheaper than the big names, but great for a first sports bike, as you wont need the 10% extra the others may have
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

CBR600 or for a cheaper version G/J model ZX6R. Thundercat is probably also quite good.

Kawasaki ZX6R seems the best compromise between sportyness, price and the condition that you can get them in out of them all.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[swiftb]

zx6r J1 is your ideal first sportsbike \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

[Frost]

[Villers]

Cbrs are fantastic bikes and will keep up with any 600cc bike of 8 years or older ha ha! Good all rounders that dont have the sharpness of the modern ear bleeding, back breaking, arse numbing 600's.

The thundercat and zzr are in fact rarer, but that was due to the fact they couldnt compete with the Honda at the time!
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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[flumpy7]

Are you deffo after an IL4?

Could go for a v-twin like the sv650? Not as fast as the IL4 sports machines, but great all rounders and much sportier than the ER5.
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2012 Sinnis apache

[Rowey]

I found the older cbr600f's a little plain. Nothing stood out, and never felt much fun. The cbr600f sport was a bit better, handling was great but still nothing that exciting.

Older ninjas are good, J models are good for almost everything, touring or blasts. A1P's are meant to be even better.

I ended up buying a Triumph TT600 for dirt cheap monies and I find it is a lot better than the same year 600's I've ridden (maybe I just got a good one). The brakes are amazing, the chassis is precise but forgiving and the suspension is fully adjustable front and rear.
The only quirk is the engine. Low down it can be a bit lumpy, but getting a service with the throttle bodies synced, CO reset and the latest map loaded does a world of good. But if you're riding for the weekends you'll spend most of your time above 6k anyway, where the bikes shines.

But obviously I am biased...

Also look at some older blades like the 929's, or GSXR SRADS.
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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.

[colin1]

One thing with tt600 is there is a world of difference between the 2000 model two colour ones and the 2001 one colour ones. The 2000 ones are tuned for top end, with hardly any mid range, which is no good for a beginner.

I'd agree its lumpy at low revs, but after a while you get the hang of slipping the clutch at low speeds so it becomes less of a problem.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Villers]

[colin1]

It's true that an sv650 is much closer to an er5 than a sportsbike though.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Blau Zedong]

Old CBR600 - two wheeled car. Very very good but about as involving as having a cup of tea. SV650 is too slow. If you really want a 600 It's got to be an old ZX6 or Gixxer SRAD.
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18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[mistergixer]