Ace VS Cat

[Stridz]

Evening All,

Heres the deal. Ive been looking around for ages. Narrowed my bike search down to two options. Im looking to do alot of miles around the UK this year with my other half on the back. But still wish to have some umph for some spirited riding as well

Option 1 is the Yamaha Thundercat.

and

Option 2 is the Yamaha Thunderace

I like really like both the bikes, but stuck on which way to turn.
Both are comfortable, which is a must for both me and pillion and insurance at 21 years of age is extremely good and most deffinatly affordable.

Any help would be much appreciated. Personal experience, pro's, con's, mpg etc

All the best
Stridz

EDIT: Forgot to add previous bikes: CG 125, CBR125, and currently riding an R6 for the last year or so
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[Gazdaman]

Obviously the ace has more power, obviously fuel consumption will be a bit more.

Personally I'd go for the 'ace.

Burning oil is a fairly known problem.

Gaz

[R4nger]

On the Thundercat there is a known problem with the 2nd gear eating itself away like the R6. People have publish various methods to reduce or remove this problem but as far as I can see, none of them have been proven.

The Thunder is also turns in slow into corners, has the worst headlight beam pattern in the world (Candle in the wind springs to mind) and you have to service the brake callipers each time you change the oil otherwise they will more than likely seize up

[bish777]

Go for the ACE! Engine is a peach, as its basically a FZR1000EXUP motor.
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GSXR1100J

[steveh]

[bish777]

[APNess]

Haven't ridden a Thundercat, only an R6, Gixer 6 and ZX6r, and my ace of course.

Roll on performance isn't even a comparison - an ace with a working exup valve (I mention that cuase they often rust, seize, generally need looking after and some people can't be bothered, so check it works) will simply stroll away (or it did in roll ons with my mates anyway, not really a contest.)

Brakes are good, fairing a bit flabby makes bike seem bigger than it is, oil consumption take a fairy liquid bottle full of the stuff and stash it under seat or in a pocket, you'll be ok. Mileage from tank varies depending on riding but I've seen 135 before the light came on, so it's reasonable.

Insurance cheaper than you might think - I have no no claims (this is my first bike) and pay £300 TPFT. Sporty 600s were a group or two higher, strangely enough.

When it comes to twistys the 'ace will make it's weight felt - treat it like it is - a sporty tourer.

145hp at crank means around 125-130 at back wheel, nice spread of torque from 3k rpm on.

Headlight is crap, some H4 car bulbs fit in when you bend a tab on the bulb over (you'll see when it's time to fit it).

You can usually get an 'ace for less than 2k on ebay/autotrader, plenty about.

Fit longer (albeit only slightly) dog bones (suspension tie rods) to sharpen up steering, but beware that your back brake will lock up easier with less weight on the wheel. I like using both, keeps the things moving, though some will call me a wuss for using it at all, so I took the dogbones off. I'll try them again when I get decent tyres - got crappy macadams on at the moment, and they are rubbish unless riding in a straight line.

Even then I've had the back end try to overtake me a few times...

Thundercat is probably much the same in many respects, just 10kg or so lighter, slower, better on fuel, cheaper to insure and easier on tyres/chains.

No idea where the 'Thundercat is faster' argument comes from. I think an 'ace will do 160 in 4th, certainly does around 145 in 3rd if I remember right. Needs caning in 4th to get best out of 5th, but I haven't explored the upper reaches of the rev range in 5th yet.

[Zimbo]

Go for the ace, without question. The extra torque will be very very useful when touring two up, you'll be able to make overtakes without banging up and down the gearbox like a mad thing.

[bish777]

I used to own a FZR1000EXUP, and if the ace is half as good you wont regret it.
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GSXR1100J

[krebsy]

depends on how much you are looking to spend but I know of one with Low milage and has been garaged for the best part of 2 years that's up for sale...

K.
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1280 x 1024.

[Stridz]

Cheers for the advice, Im still not sure, the weight seems to be putting me off the ace a bit and the burning oil issue, but i dont want to rule it out because of the extra power when 2 up will be useful.

How easy is it to solve the headlamp issue of the cat?, whats the mpg like on a cat compared to an ace, anybody know of any figures?
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[Cognitive_Faux]

never owned an ACE, but i do have a T'Cat... i have had it about a year, its done 62,000 miles and its still going, its probably not quite 100 bhp anymore, some them horses have probabliy run away

i think the Tcat is classed as a sports tourer (according to my insurence co.) i got it about the same time as a friend got his R6... the R6 was all or nothing, where as the tcat was smoother (he agreed)(gearbox wise)

yes the headlight is crap.
they are fooking ugly front on.
and the brakes are also a pain in the arse.
all that plastic is a pain in the arse when you want to work on it (why i got the fazer).
i did have it up to an indicated 155mph (not on public roads officer .

i recently went to avebury from crawley (174.4km according to auto-route)(all the way there and harf way back was 1 tank, filled up in reading)(£15-£17 to fill it)
i dont no what that works out at mpg wise.

and for fook sake, get one thats not been pissed about with, mines done all them miles because its absolutely standard.
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[strag]

I've had both. The Cat, whilst a competent bike, single and pillion, is nowhere near as quick as the Ace. I swapped the cat for the Ace as I was doing a lot of 2 up riding, the Ace is better than the cat for this as it has far more torque.

The headlight on the cat is abysmal, much better on the Ace as it has a twin headlight in a single unit.

Don't be put off by the weight of the Ace, it is much more nimble than you think and will outhandle the majority of riders. I used mine on track alongside a lot of cats and to be honest, it pissed all over them. It will leave 600s standing. A cat will be generally around 96BHP, so that extra BHP does really tell, I was a member of the Cat MSN site and have been on many rideouts with Cats (and other 600s) while I have been on the Ace, no contest.

I saw well over 170mph on the clocks on the Ace, so no idea where the figures came from in the post above.

Fuel, I could get 180 miles on the Cat before reserve light, I could get 140 on the Ace before reserve, there isn't that much in it. Obviously The Ace will use a bit more, but it is a 1002cc bike.

My Cat never chewed second gear and My Ace did not excessively use oil. These are known issues on these bikes though, so beware.

The Ace has a harder seat, and the bars are below the yolks so has a more full on riding position.

I sold mine 2 years ago and it is still running very well and looking nice.

I liked both bikes I owned, they did what they should have done, and I had fun doing it. But overall I much preferred the Ace. Funnily enough, my wife found my K4 GSXR1000 more comfortable as a pillion than both the Ace and the Cat. She hasn't been on the K5 though.

The consumables on the Ace aren't bad either. I would get 3-4,000 out of a rear and I had 20k from chain and sprockets.

My advice would, as always, have a ride on the Ace and see if it suits you.

Oh, and the Ace only has 5 gears.
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