R1 to Mt09 - anyone else 'downgraded'?

[super-cowboyjon]

Always ridden sports bikes. Last count I have owned 16 bikes in 16 years of riding, from gixxer 750s to cbrs to R1s and back again.

My current bike is a 2013 R1 and while it is the best bike I have ever owned, this year I have found myself bimbling along my favourite roads at 70 mph thinking ' a middleweight naked would do this just as good, be better on the commute to work and cheaper to run. Probably less likely to do prison speeds too'.

I have test rides booked this weekend on 2017 mt09 and xsr900 to see whats what.

Anyone else changed over in a similar fashion and are you happy you did or do you find yourself pining for that shiny sports bike again a couple months later?

[thx1138]

Fazer thou > 650 Sertao > CRF250L

[Alex A]

I've switched from Sportsbikes to naked bikes and back several times. I can live with the power deficit, but I've found it frustrating that almost every naked bike is lacking when it comes to handling and chassis performance (softer, heavier, poor brakes). Why would a prospective owner not want the best possible handling performance, even if the bike is only ever destined for the road?

The only true exceptions IME have been the Ducati Streetfighter, the Aprilia Tuono V4, and the Triumph Street Triple RS. I could certainly live with the latter as an only bike. I don't think I could say the same for the MT-09/XSR900.
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Current: Ducati Panigale R / Ducati Streetfighter S / Suzuki GSX-R1000 L5

[chickenstrip]

[Alex A]

[chickenstrip]

[base]

I went from a 2012 S1000RR to a 2016 Speed Triple R. downgrade? not really just something different.

It took a bit of getting used to after years of sportsbikes , upright position felt alien just not err sporty , but once I got used to the "lack of sporty feel" I am really got into the speed. great free reving engine and handles really well, a proper hooligans bike, where you can really use the performance.

occasionally I really yearn for the way the S1000RR sends you into the distance, but the speed is no slouch its just different. no doubt I will go back to the insanity of a litre sports but soon realise actually their not as much fun for me.

[pinkyfloyd]

I went from a GSXR750 to a VTR Firestorm to a Yami XJ6N. While the drop in power was noticeable the bike was more than capable for my needs and was good fun

I'm on the way back up again though after 4 years, The XJ6 was stolen and I now have a Kwak Z750R and already eyeing up the Z1000. Bank account says no though.
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[MarJay]

I went from a FireBlade, back to a Buell and then to a Street Triple R. I've not regretted it.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[super-cowboyjon]

Gonna throw the possibility of a street triple r into the mix. Don't know if it'll fit me at 6'2" but reckon it's worth considering.

[Copycat73]

well I've owned an MT-09 .. it lasted all of 6 months .. fcukin horrible... soft bouncy budget suspension ... torque kicks in far too soon in the rev. range .. waitin for the back wheel to spin-up all the time .. don`t like triples at all now horrible ..
PS. I still have the R1 .. the mt-09 was replaced with a CB1000r ABS..
much easier to ride and predictable ..it just don`t look the part ..
I suggest you test ride an MT-10 aswell..
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[Rogerborg]

[Copycat73]

[chickenstrip]

[grr666]

I love the brutal nature of it personally. That's exactly why I bought one. I agree the suspension can be a bit interesting
at speed, having it set up to suit my weight at JHS racing helped and it's as good as it will ever be on the standard kit now.
If I keep her for a long innings about 1500quid will see the stock springs and shocks outed for better components. I can
Ohlins the rear end for as little as 500 quid and a complete Ohlins cartridge transplant on the front for a grand.
That only puts the overall price up to that of one of the new striples. I can't lie I come home buzzing a bit after a
few hours out on the Spacker. Every. Single. Time. It's an exciting bike to ride I think, I flipping love it!!
Haven't had a mundane ride on it since it passed 600miles. The Akra soundtrack when it's having its arse smacked is
very addictive too. The thing that pisses me off most often about it is the small tank capacity, feels like I'm filling up
almost every time I ride.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[G]

After going up to a tuned zx9r (143rwhp/lightened/other race mods), I worked out around 30-80hp was my preferred power for fun on the road.

I later got a K6 GSXR1000 for commuting through town, but because while easy power made it more 'boring', it was great for getting from A to B quickly and easily.

[chickenstrip]

I don't want to downsize from the Fazer. I'm in the happy position of finding it to be perfect for me. Similar power to your ZX9, G, perhaps a tad less, and I like the option of being able to be lazy, or get the revs up for more spirited stuff, although I'm sure I don't use all its capability in that regard. But I have never been so happy with a bike as this one

I did sometimes miss the extra grunt when out on the Striple.
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[G]

Are you sure the Triumph had more grunt, rather than lower gearing?

If stock, I suspect your power's a bit down on that if it's a gen 1 Fazer 1000 at least (stock the zx9 is maybe 125-130, but this had head work, full system etc).
Said ZX9R was also stupidly downgeared when I first got it - top speed something like 135mph! First gear set altitude rather than speed .

[chickenstrip]

[Tracer1234]

[el_oso]

Yep, think I'm with G on this one.

My highly scientific research methods can demonstrate that more powah doesn't equal more fun.

I went from a fun XR125 to a divvy 600 after passing my test. The divvy lasted a year, chopped in as it was boring.

Purchased a thundercat (100hp) sports bike. While still quite soft was great fun. Got gifted a SV650 from a friend, which again I enjoyed because it was slow, but the terrible suspension meant that it was going up for sale until it caught fire on the way to Wales BCF BBQ.
After that came the gixxer thousand. Hugely impressive bike, could do everything apart from be economical, which is why it went. From there on went down to a CBR125. After about a year I sold it, with pretty much the only reason why it was sold was that it was hard to find decent tyres in that size. Then bought a CBR250 which I've had for about 2 years now, and while it's a nasty cheap bike, it gets thrown about a lot and consequently a lot of fun. Was able to stay in the middle of the pack on the BCF Wales BBQ ride out and I had a great time doing it. My perfect bike would take the frame and ride of the k5, the brakes of the R1, the lightness of the CBR250 and probably the engine of the ninja 250 plus a few extra horses.

in conclusion - I've had more consistent fun on smaller bikes that I've been able to really give it some, than on high powered sportsbikes.
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Duke 390
Previous: '05 XR125L | '96 XJ600S Diversion |'05 Suzuki GSXR1000 | '05 Honda CBR125-R | '97 YZF 600R Thundercat | '11 Honda CBR250
Car: Jeep Wrangler 4.0L

[chickenstrip]

I don't think it's as simple as "high power = boring". Yes, there's more to a bike than just outright performance, but equally there's more to riding than just ragging the twisties. Also, what do you consider to be a high power figure? In 1991, my FZR1000EXUP, one of the fastest road bikes available at the time, was quoted as about 145bhp at the crank in derestricted form. My current Fazer has nearly that at the rear wheel, and yet it's a slouch compared to a modern sports bike.

Best fun I've had includes more than one type of riding - caning it on Welsh roads and good European routes, negotiating the gnarly passes of the Lake District, and slow rides on mountain roads whilst taking in the scenery in comfort, knowing the power and handling is available as soon as the roads open up more. Biking would have been much more boring for me if all I wanted was to cane it everywhere I went, which was pretty much what I did when I was younger. I'm getting much more out of it all now.
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[Rogerborg]

[chickenstrip]

[Rogerborg]