RVF 400 vs Bros 650

[deadwolf]

I was poking around the net and stumbled upon the RVF400's specs.

I currently have a Honda Bros 650 and while it's a great bike, the RVF400 seems very tempting as well due to various factors, including:

- Larger tank size and likely better tank range
- Lighter weight
- Smaller dimensions
- Good reliability according to most sources on the 'net

These are more or less personal factors. I want more range as I'd like to do some touring. Lighter weight and smaller size because I store bikes in the yard and have to get them through a 76cm wide door.

The only downfall is that it's rev happy compared to the torquemonster that is the Bros.

I'm not planning to pin it everywhere. The Bros is nice but I'm starting to miss the cornering fun and smoothness that I had with my old Aprilia.

Opinions? I'm guessing it's all a case of 'you want it cos you don't have it' but is there a chance that the RVF would be the better choice?
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Motorsapien Art

[MarJay]

RVF for touring?

Plus the RVF is less powerful than the previous NC30.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[P.]

RVF

Touring

Better tank range

Nah... you have this backwards...

[deadwolf]

Fair points, I should have mentioned that touring was probably the lowest priority. Just the odd camping trip here and there..
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Motorsapien Art

[P.]

The 400 sports are fairly small.

I wouldn't want to do any form of distance on them. I rode an NC30 for 60 miles and I looked like a shitting turtle when I got off.

Keep your Bros, or "upgrade" to an SV650

[fatpies]

Cant the Bros650 use the bigger NTV600/650 tank?

Do up the suspension, stick a ntv tank on it, and hey presto....

Some guy went around Germany and Spain on an NC30, Maurice or something?
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"It's easy to attack and destroy an act of creation. It's a lot more difficult to perform one"

[deadwolf]

[fatpies]

[deadwolf]

[P.]

[_Iain_]

Bros 650's are pretty bombproof.

Every 400 i've seen was shockingly unreliable.

Touring on one of the most reliable bikes ever made vs one from a family of bikes notorious for fucking up at every possible occasion doesnt seem good to me.

I'd chef it with what you've got & look into fettling the suspension if a more sporty ride is what you're after. Bollocks to an SV though unless it's got a litre engine.
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Please be aware that the above post may be full of complete nonsense.
Riding: '07 KTM Duke II, Baotian BT49QT-20 Driving: '88 Volvo 340

[MarJay]

[Conzar]

RVF FTW!
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Current ride: ZX6R 636 ------- Previous:KTM EXC 450 Supermoto --- ZX6R B1H --Hornet 600--CBR 600--SV650
11:05:35 Rob Fzs: i just wanna own an rd350 valve before they send us to war with durkadurkastan

[Timmeh]

[Seb]

Get the suspension sorted and throw some BT45s or the like on there. Whilst the motor was a bit wheezy any handling faults are likely down to knackered suspension or just in your head. I'm fairly certain the Bros actually has more ground clearance in fact

Buy the RVF if you want a pocket sports bike, don't dress it up to be something it's not though as you're going to end up several grand poorer and still disappointed.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[Joncrete Cungle]

I am six foot one and can do 300 miles a day on the RVF for a week with no probs. I keep on top of the fettling and have had no more than the odd minor problem. I had far more problems with an R6 that was one fifth the age of the RVF.

You won't get much luggage on an RVF, nor anything like touring range miles on a tank of fuel. But you will get a good handling fun bike that you can utilise a lot of the power and fun on with less risk of losing your licence / ending up in prison.

Yes it is a nigh on 20 year old bike, many of them have been dropped, crashed, bodged and thrashed from cold by unsympathetic chimps who think servicing starts and ends with putting petrol in the tank. But a good un is a cracking wee bike, likewise the VFR.

[MarJay]

[G]

Because you don't mention things like suspension, brakes or having 'more character than a loaf of basics bread - had you considered an SV650?

The RVF will be the much more fun bike to my mind (and prettier), when considering reliability and the like, you'll get a lot newer bike for the same money with the SV.

[deadwolf]

[robs321]

You can stick pretty much any Honda front end on a Bros, my other halfs has a cbr 600 f2 front end and a hagon shock, mines got a blade 954 front and an ohlins at the rear.
The lump can be tweaked quite cheaply with a jet kit and some pods, chuck a cheap race can at it and it'll be a whole lot sportier. Ive had an nc30 and they are ace bikes. The Bros when tweaked up is just as much fun all be it in a different sort of way.
In a perfect world id have both!

[Timmeh]

[clancy]

THe rvf is a quality ride, I owned one for 3 years.

It handles excellent and is plenty quick on the twisted although somewhat underpowered for motorway stints etc. but for a fun ride in the country it is excellent, you can just throw it around and it takes whatever you give it pretty much

Nice smooth engine and gearbox but being a v4 you just need to he sure the carbs are set right And it's serviced otherwise it runs a bit rough

It is a small bike, not a problem on the move but say still on it you will feel massive lol

Where you got the idea it's good on fuel from I have no idea, it's terrible on fuel in all honesty especially if your just gunning it on the twisties. I always made sure I kept topping it up just so I didn't get caught out and get stranded. This bike is not aimed at touring at all, it's designed to be thrown around a track/country roads and that's it

As for weight, it may well be lighter on paper but it honestly felt far heavier than my current K5 GSXR600. As I said though the Handling of the RVF Is brilliant I couldn't fault it. Depends what you want really !

Hope that helps, If you want any more info just ask, like I said I owned mine 3 years, only sold it a few months ago
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KLX 300r

[G]

They're all listed at about the same weight.
The SV has a .5cm shorter wheelbase than the Bros, but about 8cm longer than the RVF.

[Seb]

[Im-a-Ridah]

I'd put the RVF400 in the same category as something like the Aprilia RS250. Niche fun bikes with a lot of character.

The best bike for you would probably be the SV650 or a 500.