opinions on Suzuki GSX 600F for first bike.

[zombie_dave]

Just about to do my DAS (been a long time coming)

i was orignally looking at bandits or hornets (600's)

But a mate of mine who has not long passed - he bought a Thundercat as his first bike. suggested looking at the GSX 600f.

anyone got any experience of these? - i like the look of them but havent ridden one.

anything to look out for?
____________________
ZombiE_DavE

[Nexus Icon]

Your mate just wants to be sure that his 90s sports-tourer is cooler than yours.
____________________
Greetings from Shitsville!

[wr6133]

It's a posh bandit

If you want a 600cc 90's sport tourer get a ZZR600.

[Wednesday Biker]

Have a look at the 650f
I really fancied one but the seat height is slightly higher than my current bike which is bang on for my short legs and as it was along side the same kind of bike I currently own I noticed it was a good 6 inches longer and would be a bit tricky for the back garden manoeuvre.
ZZR is a good choice too though.

[J4mes]

I think there are a fair few bikes I'd take over it to be honest, including the Thundercat I bought when I first passed, and still have 4 years later

[stevo as b4]

I guess it's fashion or lack of it, and the fact that these days everyone want's post 90's machinery to feel or look cool! Back in the late 80's the GSXF was regarded as an also ran with rough and ready build quality, but solid mechanicals.

These days people think a new/modern bike with EFI, emissions friendly engines, and good efficiency/ mpg is what they want. It's seen as cool to have things with lots of tech, so if you don't have several ECU modes, ride by wire, traction control and ABS there's a whole generation of new bikers that would not touch it or be interested. Also people are now buying 500-800cc bikes and comparing mpg and looking for the most economic running costs.

In the 90's it would have been cheapness, followed by power, easy tuning potential and looks were a bit lower on the list etc.

Back on topic, A cheap and looked after GSXF without rotton pipes under the fairing, and a good tidy finish is a lot better a bike than a neglected ZZR600 or Thundercat or CBR600.

Personally it's not a bike I would seek out to buy, but I'd only ever buy something I wanted for fun etc. In the same scenario and price bracket I might be looking for an early 90's FZR600 hooligan four stroke replacement for the RD350F, or similar. Specific bikes tend to come up rarely or all at once, and good FZR's that are well too nice for a resto are gold dust. In this situation I'd look for a nice ZX6R F-series as another hooligan 600, and the first to top 162mph. An SRAD would also be another choice along the same lines if a good enough one can be turned up?

[hachi8]

get the R
____________________
K7 GSXR 1000 - The Beast!

[virus]

Prone to siezing front calipers and rotten downpipes but apart from that its all down to how its been treated, suspension isnt that adjustable, build quality is nothing special but not particularly terrible.
reliable and simple to work on, lots of parts compatibility and they can be good fun for the money. I'm not saying there arent better bikes out there but if you get a well looked after one you wont be disapointed until you want more power or better handling ( and when you get to that point throw a gsxr rear shock in and a bandit 12 engine )



Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[mentalboy]

GSX600F - marmite bike. Bloody odd looking, grey import that came with kmh only clocks. I hated mine, mostly because it fizzled out above about 6000rpm. Conversely, after I'd sold it to a mate, it had a new can and he changed the carbs (as most of them came in restricted)... hey presto, nice sounding bike that runs well (still looks bloody odd though!)
____________________
Make mine a Corona.