Getting frustrated - need help

[Doadman]

I'm looking at getting back to a sports bike and am having real difficulty choosing as all of my choices seem good in their own way but apparently all have problems from what I am told. I have too much information probably!

OK, me. I'm 47, I'm an average rider, I have no interest at all in top speed but I do want a bike that has a full fairing, great handling on Britisgh A and B roads and is extremely reliable with running costs as low as reasonably possible. I want it to be sporty but also comfortable so nothing too extreme. My budget is £2000-£3000. The possibilities are:

Triumph Daytona 955i

Pros = Powerful, loads of torque, fuel injection, great noise, good fuel economy.

Cons = Bloody big and heavy and I've read some very mixed reports about reliability and suspension.

Kawasaki ZX-9R

Pros = Powerful, loads of torque, very comfy, better weight than the D955i

Cons = Carbs that need work and mixed reports on reliability and build quality

Kawasaki ZX-6R A1P

Pros = 636cc engine in a bike that was still very comfortable, decent weight

Cons = Carbs that need work and lack of torque due to smaller engine size

Suzuki GSXR 750 2000-2003

Pros = K series bikes supposed to be very good, good torque, loads of power, very light weight, great looks

Cons = Questionable build quality and possibly too extreme to be practically comfortable (not sat on one yet)


I just don't know what would be best for what I want. Please help. Thanks.

[P.]

[Doadman]

Thanks, I take that as a solid vote in favour of the Suzuki. I'm going to try sitting on one tomorrow. I think part of it is that rather like Fiat cars, my generation was brought up thinking Suzuki were the worst built of all the Japanese bikes but that may no longer be the case (if it ever was). They're also so comparatively cheap and light, you tend to assume that is at the expense of build quality. I want this bike to last me a LONG time so its reliability and build quality are very important.

[neatbik]

Out of those i would suggest either the ZX9-R (bloody cheap for what you get) or the GSXR.

The Triumphs are lovely bikes, i looked into getting one myself, but i cant be doing with niggly problems.

[P.]

[MarJay]

955i.

Reliability and suspension are fine, comfort could be an issue, but will be more comfortable than a ZX7R or a sporty 2002+ ZX6R.

Out of those if I wanted a good all round bike I'd choose the ZX9. If I wanted a sporty scalpel I'd go with the GSXR or ZX6R. If I wanted something different with a load of low down torque then I'd go with the Triumph.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Bendy]

Test rides.
Only you can tell which one is right for you.

Or just pick the one you secretly fancy most, after all, none of them are going to be shit.

[Polarbear]

The Triumph or the ZX9 - They are old mens bikes

Joking aside -

The Triumph is fine, lovely engine (I had a 955i Tiger) and it's not that heavy. I never had any more gremlins with my Triumphs than any other make so I wouldn't be particulaly worried about reliability.

ZX9, as said a lot of bike for the money. To me they have as much character as a dead dog, but that doesn't mean they are bad bikes.

The other 2 are more sports than the ones above. The Gixxer 750 won a shoot out of sports bikes back in the early 2000's or so, beating everything else as the best road use sports bike, so it's got to be good!

I'm not a great fan of 600 sports bikes cause I find then too much like hard work to keep 'on song' and I'm too big and old so I hurt after a few miles. I've never ridden a ZX6 so I can't comment on that particular bike.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Doadman]

There seems to be a lot of support for GSXR bikes so it sounds like they're more practical than the insane race bikes I took them for. I'm going to take a look at one tomorrow to try and get the feel of it but I suspect that the lower bars will be offset by the fact that the Triumph is longer so it's a bit of a reach. As a number of people are suggesting it, I also assume that the GSXR build quality is better than I imagined.

Is the build quality of a GSXR750 K1/2 any worse than the ZX9R or Daytona? I mean, will the GSXR last as long while looking good as the others I'm looking at assuming it's serviced and cleaned just the same?

[P.]

Will only look as good as you make it

Mine looks....a mess

[TheDonUK]

If i was getting another sportsbike it would be an 04 GSXR 750
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[0ddball]

What's this "carbs that need work" con you mention? Are these specific bikes that you have seen for sale or are you assuming that all carbs need work?
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ZXR750L

[mistergixer]

[ninja_butler]

You need a couple of copies of Practical Sportsbikes, it's a brilliantly useful magazine for learning about older sportsbikes and modern classics.

I don't think you want a sports bike as such, more like a sports-tourer. Pure sportsbikes don't have good fuel economy and they're not really designed for comfort either.

I'd suggest a Honda VFR 750 or a late 1990's/early 2000's VFR 800. It's a powerful bike but it's comfortable and while parts may not actually be cheap, the only major running cost is sets of tyres.

[G]

If you've got £3k, can also consider an early GSXR1000.
Or a GSXR600.
Could also be looking at the newer 600s (CBR-RR, B1 ZX6 etc), but presume you don't want the bit-more-extreme riding position.

Of the ones you listed, I'd go for the zx9 if biased towards touring, or the GSXR if biased towards fun.

[Doadman]

Well I sat on a GSXR750 this morning and while it was clearly a sports bike in its riding position, it was nothing like as extreme as I'd feared. I also tried sitting on an 03 Fireblade and that was even more comfortable. What sitting on these bikes also did was highlight the fact that it's not just my fading memory of sports bikes - the Daytona genuinely is big and heavy! Both the GSXR and the CBR felt like they were a fraction of the size and weight.

[P.]

[Doadman]

Well certainly everything is now discounted except the GSXR750 and the CBR954RR. I think either one of those should be awesome. I suspect the Fireblade is the better bike for all circumstances and certainly the best built but I would have to pay a good bit more for the CBR than the GSXR.

[crackfinder]

I'm 47 in Feb and I have an A1P, it is excellent (imo) don't know of this "carb trouble" you speak of,
you say "decent weight" compared to my 600 fazer the A1P is very light and it's very quick, it handles like a dream too.
It's got a very comfy riding position, I have tested an 05 zx6r and it's a more head down arse up riding position, I have also tested a zx9 and found it ok, but a bit bulky - the tank seems HUGE.

as for the A1P torque....well 600's are not exactly known for torque, the extra 36cc is supposed to give a bit more mid range...but if you are desperate for torque you need a litre bike ( or a Harley)

You need to pick a few bikes that you really like the look of...then test ride them....narrow it down like that


Oh and if you are looking for a genuine "con" for the A1P it's the fact that the 36cc extra puts the bike in the higher bracket for road tax
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Yamaha FZS600 Fazer (gone but not forgotten). Current - Kawasaki ZX6R A1P

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[Doadman]

Yes, I am painfully aware of the fact that a 954 is going to be pushing my budget a bit

On the plus side, as it's the middle of winter I'm in no rush at all so I'm happy to wait until April or May at the latest to make my purchase if need be and as we are in a tough recession I'm hoping prices will be kept under a great deal of pressure. If there's nothing by then I'll widen my search to a 929 or a GSXR750.

[Doadman]

Well, today I took the plunge and bought a Honda CBR954RR Fireblade. It's registered 03, has 15,800 miles on it and is in black and yellow. It comes with a black tinted double bubble screen, crash bungs, rear seat cowl and alarm. The dealer is doing the 16,000 mile service (valves) and putting a years MOT on it for £3495, which I thought was a decent deal. The bike is in excellent condition all round and the tyres look fairly recent.
Here's a picture of the actual bike:

[DrDonnyBrago]

Nice!

I fucking love yellow bikes, good choice .

[Doadman]

I know exactly what you mean. I've never had a yellow bike before but I've been keen on a yellow one for a while now. Had I got the Daytona it would have been yellow, my favourite colour on the Fireblades was yellow and I even liked the yellow/black Gixers better than the blue and white ones! Must be the Rossi influence but I do think yellow bikes look cool.

[TheDonUK]

It looks nice, goodluck with it, hope its a trusty steed for you
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]