Nearly there what all weather bike

[timboellis]

I have been looking around for a bike to buy in the summer when i will have had some cash saved, however as per previous posts i think i have it down to a few bikes however the issue now when i look around for reviews etc. i find other issues.

The bikes i am looking at are both around 1996-2001 age one is a Yamaha Thundercat and the other is either a Kawasaki ZZR600 or a ZR6 however as this would then be my main bike in the sun/rain/snow i need to know it can last and as i live near the sea i guess this is a consideration aswell.

I have read that the thundercat is bad for falling apart in all weathers and the pipes on the Kawasaki are bad is this right or is there one bike that would handle it better than the others?

[owl10]

Hey.

I was looking at similar choices when I bought mine, for similar reasons.

In the end I bought a 2000 zx6r (j1). There was no real reason why this model over the others, other than when i went to see it, it was close, tidy, in the 'right' colours for me and I enjoyed the test ride.

Been using it a year in Portsmouth, and Weston Super Mare. In Portsmouth it was kept at work approx 20ft from the sea! and i only live about 1/2 mile from the seafront in weston, so sand / salty environments in both places.

I commute to Bristol on it about 50% of the time (take car if i need to carry stuff) now Im in weston as well, and have through the winter. This is about 60 miles a day commuting.

Its held up well TBH, I acf-50'd it in Novemeber, I try to keep it fairl y tidy though probably put it away wet and dirty most days through the week - cleaning it every couple of weeks and a proper clean every six weeks or so.

No problems as yet, though I am aware the way I use it will probably result in a tidy example becomming a tatty eaxample before too long

Anyways, I havent owned the others but can recommend a zx6r J1!
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DanceLikeAMonkey says: "An infinte amount of web pages available
Yet I still end up reading crap like that"

[timboellis]

thanks for that i was swaying towards the zx6r is it reasonably comfy bike ?

[CaNsA]

Reliability + comfiness + all weather (except epic epic snow)= CBR600F.

That is all.

[owl10]

Comfort wise on the ZX6R, well Im 6' 2" about 13.5 stone, and its not too bad at all for me, after about 100 - 120 miles though I can start to get a bit of back / wrist ache and a numb arse etc, but thats quite good for a sports 600, and nothing that a stop for 10 mins or so wont fix.

On my commute its fine.

CBR 600F was on my list at the time I bought the ZX6R as well, though never got around to trying one.
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DanceLikeAMonkey says: "An infinte amount of web pages available
Yet I still end up reading crap like that"

[craigs23]

In my experience, any bike would do. They're designed to be used.

Everything else is pretty much down to personal opinion.

[hornetmike]

Again CBR 600 F, the down pipes are mild steal and don't last lon, but the build quality of the rest of the bike is amazing. You can get aftermarket downpipes for £150 in stainless steal.
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87 Honda CG 125 - 97 ER5 - SR 50 -81 Z250- 96 CBR 600 F- 94 GPX600R 88- GPX 400R- 87 GS 125 - 2006 Honda CB600F- 2003 ER5 - Honda CBF 1000 2009 - Honda CBR 600 RR 2011
Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[lihp]

Any bike will last all weathers IF you look after them, and keep them clean and protected.

[Noxious89123]

[CaNsA]

Luckily mine had delkevic pipes and can when i bought it.

[iooi]

[slyrob]

I've had both bikes that you are looking at and both are very capable, the thunder cat is definitely better than the J1 zx6r when carrying a pillion from both the riders and passengers perspective, I am 6'4" and both have been reasonably comfortable, you can just about get a chain under the seat of the cat but not on the zx6r. The headlights on the Kawasaki are fantastic compared to the cat (there are two of them as well), gear change on the kawasaki is far cleaner and more precise in my experience (first to second on the cat is a big jump and you cant be lazy with the change or you will find yourself not in gear), brakes are good on both though the zx6r's need more regular maintenance. Zx6r is obviously quicker though in the reality of every day life not by much and the cat feels faster with a pillion for some reason.
All of this is largely based on my experience of two bikes with a few test rides of others before I bought the ones I owned. My thundercat was a 1997 model with no rust and 23000 on the clock the J1 is a 2000 model with no rust and 11000 on the clock though previous owner of 10 years was a fair weather rider with the bike garaged and almost fanatically cleaned so resistance to rust testing will be carried out during my ownership!

HTH

Rob
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Pitslayer wrote "it could be Ndubz.....ruining this once great place with donkey gobbling loafer knobbing "music".
silky666 wrote "In my eyes, when you shake cocks with the devil, you may as well go for the full reach around"
Villers wrote "as reliable as a ginger stepchild on smack"

[weasley]

The Thundercat will last as well as any other bike from that era. The main issues are the downpipes and brakes, but then this applies to pretty much any bike. Keep on top of them and they'll be fine.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[Mark65]

Hi
+1 on the ACF50 and a layer of dirt, ive just cleaned mine this weekend after 3 months in shit weather, i just kept applying more acf 50 over the dirt and shite. Gave it a spring clean this weekend first with parrafin then turtle wash n wax and it is clean as a whistle and rust free, dont forget this is a 4 year old ybr in april with 13,167 miles on it used all year round, awsome stuff.

Mark
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07 Yamaha YBR125, 07 Honda CG125 , 15 CBR300R (Chocolate Crank, Deaded), 16 CB500FA, 19 Honda Forza 300, 70 Suzuki SV650