downsizing viable?

[ocatoro]

currently riding a zzr600... feeling i'm not really getting the best out of it.. questioning the need for this much on the road..

anyone gone back down to a 4 or 5 as a sole bike from a 6 or bigger? care to share some thoughts on it?
____________________
CBT - 17/09/12 * Theory - 23/10/12 * Mod1 - 05/03/13 * Mod2 - 25/03/13 * BOSH!
Current - None but shed project H100 (first bike )
Past - ER5, '93 ZZR600, '92 CB400 SF, ZZR600 (again), yellow Monster 620, Blackbird - black Monster 620ie - '96 ZZR600

[CaNsA]

I went from a cbr600f 1995 to a zxr400 1992, not by choice

I miss my cbr600f.

Stick with the 600.

[stinkwheel]

I ride my bullet more than I ride my VFR.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Eddie Hitler]

No need to thrash a bike to get the best out of it. A smaller bike could be worse on fuel, less comfortable, etc. Stick with the 600.

[wristjob]

how old is the 600?
how much too much is it?
you dont have to ride flat out everywhere you know.
changing bikes based on memory and logic can result in you sitting on a hatefull machine.
i will use the ketchup agument.
more than enough isnt too much.

[slowlydoesit]

[smegballs]

For a time I ran an rxs100 and zzr600 alongside each other. It was a pretty good combo, they complement each other as one is good where the other fails. To be fair giving it beans around town is far more fun on a smaller machine IMO.

Keep the 600 and get another cheap small cc bike would be my advice.

[Ste]

What do you use the bike for?

[Scotsman37]

Here's an interesting bit of info on the new Honda CBR300 and look at the MPG, but on fuelly.com people for 2013 model are reporting a more realistic average of 55-60mpg!!! Anyway, if you're doing a lot of commuting to work then a major saving in cost on fuel leaves your more money in your pocket say for a 600cc or even greater for a touring bike?

The CBR300R’s DOHC 4-valve engine retains its 76mm bore, but stroke is increased 8mm to 63mm to give the larger 286cc capacity. Compression ratio remains 10.7:1 and peak power of 22.7kW arrives at 8,500rpm with peak torque of 27Nm at 7,250rpm – a healthy increase over the CBR250R’s output (19.4kW @ 8,500rpm, 23.8Nm @ 7,000rpm).

Countering extra vibration from the longer stroke, the balancer shaft is heavier and the engine’s frame mounts are stronger. The PGM-FI fuel injection – with 38mm throttle bore – has been remapped with a focus on crisp throttle response across the revrange. A new CBR500R-inspired muffler design with larger internal volume adds big-bike style and a pleasing exhaust note.

The CBR300R’s single-cylinder powerplant offers many benefits for any rider. Because the number of moving parts is kept to an absolute minimum, the engine is more fuel efficient, and small details like the low-friction piston rings and iridium spark plug help reduce running costs.

Acceleration is greatly improved thanks to the larger capacity,and the six-speed gearbox’s final drive ratio has been lengthened for more efficient highway speed cruising. Returning 85.3mpg (WMTC mode*), it can cover over 240 miles on one fill-up of the 13L fuel tank.

The mechanical simplicity of the engine reduces servicing costs – another essential element in creating a problem-free ownership experience. Its compact size also helps create a bike that is lighter and more manageable than a multi-cylinder, and allows it to be positioned perfectly within the chassis for an ideal front/rear weight distribution.


https://www.hondaofbournemouth.co.uk/products/cbr300

https://cdn3.canadamotoguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/22718_CBR300R.jpg

[iooi]

[Scotsman37]

or the Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS which users have reported to get about 50-60mpg on average?

https://www.seastarsuperbikes.co.uk/kawasaki-ninja-300.html

https://www.carsguide.com.au/images/uploads/Kawasaki-Ninja-300-2-W.jpg

[Notj7]

Love the look of these 300's. Has anyone actually had one? Bet they're great fun and you could probably thrash them and still get good mpg.
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Left the forum.

[Scotsman37]

Same here they look tempting with retaining the looks of it's bigger brothers, but a MAJOR saving in fuel economy for everyday commuting to work, etc, especially in this financial climate!

[slowlydoesit]

[Rogerborg]

[Scotsman37]

Yamaha is possibly on the verge of announcing their 300cc bike known as Yamaha YZF-R3 300cc (to keep in line with their bigger brother names, possibly?)

https://madrives.com/yamahas-next-bike-300cc-yzf-r3-350cc-yamaha-r3/

Here's a pick of last year of it's 250cc bike which some may say will be slightly beefier looking bike, but resembling it's newer bigger brothers for 2014

https://www.gaadi.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Yamaha-R25-250-Concept_thumb.jpg

[smegballs]

Honda please.... stahp.

What is the point of these things? They are like everything wrong with the CBR125/R125 just taken to another level. I've nothing against small cc commuter bikes, it is what I ride after all, but low capacity bikes dressed up like sportsbikes should be IL4 fire-breathers with ridiculously high red-lines, not these glorified 125's.

[slowlydoesit]

[DrSnoosnoo]

[Teflon-Mike]

[dydey90]

[rhys1005]

[slowlydoesit]

[ocatoro]

ok, just to clear a few points....

what I use it for... I commute 4 on 4 off, 120 mile a day. because it's cheaper than using the car. I also use it for leisure and go on a couple of rideouts here and there.

I leave for work at 0400... which leaves me with an empty motorway, and I've become a bit of a knob, sitting at the silly end and necking the fuel. I can use alternate routes to go slower in absence of restraint... but then it's more fun and hence I still don't save any fuel that way.

If I ride at a steady 60-70mph, I see 55-60mpg... so a little 300 sports style bike isn't going to make any difference aside from it'll be revving harder at the same speed and be less comfortable.

I used to do a slightly shorter commute on a 500, and found the wind blast kept my speed down, as well as the lack of top end speed, and I was able to return over 60mpg without even trying.

perfectly honest, I enjoyed stirring the gearbox and trying to squeeze everything I could out of the 500 on rides, and obviously enjoyed the fact that my commute was cheaper than a diesel car.


re the ZZR6... I'm aware of it's "soft" status overall as bigger bikes go... but essentially you can lose your license in the first half of the gearbox effortlessly. what I meant by "this much" is the fact that to ride at a legal speed, you constantly have to back off the throttle and remind yourself to slow down where on a smaller machine, you can thrash away all day long and barely break the law.

what I was considering was getting a dumpy little GS500, and changing the shock and forks for katana stuff, and better brakes etc... essentially making it handle and stop better, but still being an agricultural and economical commuter for the best of both worlds. i think this plan also leaves money in my pocket when all is said and done and also saves me cash day to day, and year to year. (alternative to gs500, would be a gpz500 and not bother doing work to it).


I also already have an old h100 s2, but it's off the road awaiting some refurbishment/restoration works when I find the time. but then I don't think I'll be commuting 120 miles a day on it. just blasting around town and little bimbles in the countryside.

hopefully I've made a bit more sense as to my intentions

cheers for the input
____________________
CBT - 17/09/12 * Theory - 23/10/12 * Mod1 - 05/03/13 * Mod2 - 25/03/13 * BOSH!
Current - None but shed project H100 (first bike )
Past - ER5, '93 ZZR600, '92 CB400 SF, ZZR600 (again), yellow Monster 620, Blackbird - black Monster 620ie - '96 ZZR600

[slowlydoesit]