Next bike going from a VFR 800 to...

[BigJoe78]

Passed my test lasy year, and got myself a 2000 VFR 800.
It has ticked all my boxes including the motorway slogging i initially got it for - 100 mile a day round trip commuting, mostly on the m25, and the odd bit of weekend fun on the a and b roads.

Work has now changed i am home based most of the time, and the commute when i do go in to the office is in to central london (which the vfr also handles no bother). The majority of my riding has changed to now mostly being weekend blasts around the countryside and only the odd commute in to the smoke when i need to.

So i am wondering if once I have my years no claims i get something else, my dream has always been a sports bike, but wondering what the jump will be like coming from my VFR.

Bikes that take my fancy (based on nothing more than i just like the look/idea of them) are GSXR 750 (2006-present), Aprilia RSV Mille (up to 2003. probably just the standard one not the R)

Sages of BCF drop your knowledge on me, suggestions, advice, etc, etc.
ta
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2013 ZX6R 636

[garth]

Sports bikes are shit on the road.

[Knightsy]

VFR1200?
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09' Versys 650 | 07' FJR1300A

[reed]

Vfr750.
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Generic XOR 50, Gilera SMT 50, GSXR 400 GK73A, Ducati Monster 600, Honda Hornet 600.
Sold. Stolen. Written off. Sold. Current.

[P.addy]

I bought an R1 because it was there and I'd never owned one. It is far too much for the road

The CBR600RR I had was also the same. Less power but still, way too much.

If I had the cash, I'd get a fun bike and a work bike. Something like a 2 stroke supermoto and an ER6 or something. But coming from a VFR to a sports, I'd probably wager you'll not see much difference, sportier position and a bit revvy maybe, but all depends on the bike.

Just my opinion though.

[Lyam]

600rr r6 cbr 600f test ride them if you can

[Lyam]

600rr r6 cbr 600f test ride them if you can

[Notj7]

Definitely try the CBR 600F. I've had mine a year now and I'm definitely more used to the power - sometimes I think I want more but, really on the roads we have, you don't need it.

Top speed I would say is 165 (I've had it at 160 on a private road), it's very comfy.

Get 2005+ for the f4i version
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Left the forum.

[UnspeedySam]

ZX6R A1P (the 2002 636 model). I've got the 2001 600cc model which is more or less identical but a few bhp down. A reasonably proportioned fairly comfortable sports bike like the CBR600F but with a bit more character in my opinion.

Neither will be as light or flickable as the insanely tiny sports bikes they have coming out today, but will be a bit further in that direction than your VFR.
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Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

[c_dug]

Disagree with the il4 600 suggestions. I can't think of a single il4 600 that would offer much of a change to your vfr to be honest. At least not a big enough change to be worth changing for, and coming from somebody who really really loved their cbr600f that is saying something

Possibly a KTM or Ducati may offer something a little different and a bit more fun. Personally if insurance allows it I would be very tempted by a KTM SM990, I would also consider a late Ducati 900ss and possibly an Aprilia Tuono.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Sako]

If you are looking for a GSXR 750, then you are looking at the wrong years for use as a great road bike, the 2004 - 2005 (K4/5) is the model that cuts it the most on the road, it's got a better power/torque spread for road riding and is a little more roomy too. This information is also written in a review in the February edition of Performance Bikes.
I bought a 2004 750 after trying both a 2007 and 2010, and found the 2004 was much more keen to hustle in a wider range of gears with the benefit of having more 'go' in the lower and midrange...the addition of a +3 rear sprocket REALLY brings them into perfect road thrashing territory.

[Notj7]

[Sako]

[BigJoe78]

cheers everyone will definately need to look into the gsxr 750s in a bit more depth the more road freindly and comfortable the better although i appreciate that any more sports orientated bike will be a big change coming from the VFR
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2013 ZX6R 636

[henry hoover]

[P.addy]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[stevo as b4]

Unless your going to go for something silly and Legendary like a 98 R1 or a 2004 ZX10R, I can't see any modern/recent sportsbike being much if any better as a fun and sporty all rounder with loads of character than your VFR?


I think the VFR1200 is overrated and not as great a machine as the Blackbird was, but they are not really the same type of bike anyway. The VFR800 should do everything you want, and you could always throw some cash at it in the, don't trade it, upgrade it style .

I think things like the Bird, Busa and ZZR1400/K1300 are not going to be as much fun overall as the VFR and unless all your riding is distance work and fast, the hyper tourers are not really worth their running costs.

At least with a classic like the early R1 etc your going to have legend bike that will be a classic and command decent or rising money too. The 04 ZX10 is probably the next 98 R1 in terms of it's reputation and that I will become sought after, (maybe not in orange or bronze though)

[Old Git Racing]

GSXR750 K6/7, better chassis than 04/05, more power, less weight than later models, best road standard suspension I've ever had. Its a stonking bike. You'll be bored with a 600 in 3 months.

OGR
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2022 Tiger Sport 660 2019 Street Twin 2003 K3 gixxer 1000 1998 Srad 600 track hack

[Sako]

[Turkish]

I agree with Paddy et al. Coming from a VFR800, any difference between that and a supersport 600 will not be very pronounced.

What about a K5/K6 GSXR1000?
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ZX-6R G2
CBR125R RW6

[henry hoover]

[Slacker24seve...]

Daytona 675? Superb handling, torquey enough to pick a gear and leave it if you're being lazy and still silly fast. Easy to live with, I do 50 or so miles most days on mine. You can pick up a good 06 for 3.5k.

I rode some of the bikes you're looking at (or the later versions, 06-08 era) and ended up with one and it would be sufficiently different from a VFR to make your bollocks tingle. The power delivery is like a CBR600 but fatter in every area, ie linear. R6s are immense but have no bottom or mid range at all, I've rode my cousin's a fair bit and it would get on my tits every day. The top end rush on an R6 is incredible for a 600 though. Kwak is somewhere in between. I enjoyed the K7 Gixxer 750 I had a go on but that had Bitubo suspenders and was lush.

A word of warning: test ride one. They don't suit short arses, or particularly tall people and the narrow seat is an acquired taste.
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Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[StevRS]

The VFR750/800 are probably about the best all round road bikes out there. Any mood, any weather, any road and they do it well. Just get on and ride.

Where sports bikes come in is when you yourself are 'on it'. But if you're hungover, not feeling 100% or just not in the mood, they can be less happy places to be.

Most of the recent sports 600s are incredibly focussed, making them awesome on track and awesome on good tarmac when ridden hard, but just a bit too much for every day.

Scratch the itch - you might find a sportsbike works for you (I did, but mine is arguably pre-super focussed), but maybe keep the VFR in the garage just in case...
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MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR, Unfinished 1978 XS250

[P.addy]