Hi all,
After an extended absence I'm looking for some well articulated opinions. *Apologies for the book that follows, but it's of course a subjective question, so goes beyond the 'you should get a literbike because they are the fastest!!!' or 'literbikes are useless on the streets debate'
*My last ride, an 09 CBR 600RR was stolen after a very short experience....6 years, a wedding, 1.5 kids, several promotions, a nice Audi sedan later.......and I've convinced myself to have a go at the whole mid life crisis and get another bike. *This involves the embarrassment of re-passing my motorcycle exam to Belgian standards, some marital negotiations, and bike selection.
I nearly died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 21 (despite 3 years of riding experience across multiple bikes and ~100k miles) so let's say risk mitigation is a major focus while at the same time re-gaining the passion and satisfaction that only a summer day's ride on a beautiful race machine can provide. *I'm looking to get another bike to scratch that itch that won't go away any other way, and at the same time relive the glory of my youthful passions, but with the advantage of a middle age experience & income.
So given the above & below what would be your recommendation / advice?
Previous experience:
Ninja EX250 (starter after MSF course)
Honda CBR600F4 (First proper race bike, first tuning experience, first theft experience)
Honda CBR900RR (First proper liter bike experience, as tuned as humanely possible. *Don't ask don't tell in terms of reckless behavior. *Didn't mind the heavier weight as it helped with launch control, just had to be careful with rear wheel spin in cold weather & tank slap)
2 generations of GSXR750 SRAD (Carb then FI, very happy with both, handling better than the 900rr, but a bit under-powered in comparison)
------Nasty accident------
CBR600F3 fully tuned track bike just to prove I had the balls to get back on a bike
CBR600RR (First bike after relocating to Belgium. *I might catch some flames for saying so on a 600rr forum, but while the bike was absolutely phenomenal for a 600cc, it is a very very different riding experience from a liter bike or middle weight. *I very much appreciated how maneuverable it was, but I equally missed the lower end torque that I had on the 900rr & the FI GSXR750. *I also found that the high revving nature of the engine tempted me to accelerate past, rather than get stuck in traffic. Fine if you are on the track, but a bit tempting if you are in the city and supposed to respect a 50kmh speedlimit)
Objective:
To find a dream bike that makes me sleep happy dreams as I know it is in the garage a meter away from me.....This choice isn't about logic, or track speed, it is about passion (see midlife crisis comments above). *Full fairing sport bike is a must.
That can be used for an occasional (weekly or bi-weekly) commute of 35 kms one way, in pristine weather only. *Suitable power delivery / maneuverability is key here, with equal time spent in thick city traffic, winding countryside, & autoroute
That can do track duty as I doubt my ability to behave/ remain mature in the long term without the occasional track day
Because its a short commute, and because tickle me factor is most important, comfort is secondary and I've never had a comfort issue in past experience despite the high mileage & injuries
To be budget friendly til the wife is convinced to splurge the budget on the 'last bike I'll even own'
Bike maintenance is no issue as I turn my own wrench and have the time & patience to not mind any down time. Tinkering is a plus if anything. *Long term durability is also important. *I'm buying second hand & not scared to put 100k km on a bike.
Options:
Several good condition 30k KM RC51s - My lustful dream bike when I had the 900rr & 750.....the strong appeal is the race heritage and the vtwin for low down torque in the city.....but I also question if there aren't better choices available, with better technology, less obese, easier to find....With that said I'm a big Honda fan across my experience, and the RC51 was the clear winner in terms of heart strings.
Aprilia RSV 1000 R (Factory?) *Seems to be a lighter, more modern option to the RC51. *Therefore maybe the more practical choice? *A bit concerned about statements re: electrical gremlins. *Roughly the same price as RC51 (4-6k €)
Ducati 848 / Evo Seems to be even lighter, who can argue with a Ducati for impulsive purchases, but if the RC51 is an impractical commuter what does that make a Duc? *Stretches the budget (6-11k €) with the upper end including mint almost no mileage examples)
K5/K6 GSXR750 Is it silly to look so hard for a vtwin, never having had one? *After being a Honda fan, I'm a huge fan of the 750. *140hp in the size of a 600cc.....will it give me the bit of extra low end grunt I was missing in the 600rr or will I wind up wringing the throttle again and getting myself into trouble
Lastly: Multiple 03-09 liter bike options favoring the R1 & 1000rr for dirt cheap 3-4k €. *I'm a bit hesitant to go this route as I know the liter bikes got downright nasty at that time (ZX10 anyone?), but had heard great things about the RR & the R1, specifically that the RR calmed the fireblade down alot and got rid of the nasty tendency to tank slap. With that said, I haven't ridden in 5 years, and nothing above 130 hp in 10. *Maybe its a bit exaggerated to step right into the liter scene again.
So in summary, I'm the stereotypical youthful hooligan who has grown into a successful middle aged guy and somehow managed to survive long enough to procreate. How can I scratch the itch for the right price? *Given my background & preference for 'heavier' middleweights, am I best served by the Aprilia/RC? *Or better going with a lighter more maneuverable option like the 750? Am I gonna splash myself across the 'pave' on a proper liter bike after a 5 year pause? *Anyone have experience with the V4 racebikes available today? *Not an option for the first purchase, but I might go the cheap, lower power of the 750 or even a 600 today, and reserve a new RSV4 factory or the like as the dream purchase for a year down the road once my skills are back at par and the wife's concerns are alleviated a bit.
I'd really appreciate any advice from riders with experience across classes and engine styles. Flame away!
Rob
After an extended absence I'm looking for some well articulated opinions. *Apologies for the book that follows, but it's of course a subjective question, so goes beyond the 'you should get a literbike because they are the fastest!!!' or 'literbikes are useless on the streets debate'
*My last ride, an 09 CBR 600RR was stolen after a very short experience....6 years, a wedding, 1.5 kids, several promotions, a nice Audi sedan later.......and I've convinced myself to have a go at the whole mid life crisis and get another bike. *This involves the embarrassment of re-passing my motorcycle exam to Belgian standards, some marital negotiations, and bike selection.
I nearly died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 21 (despite 3 years of riding experience across multiple bikes and ~100k miles) so let's say risk mitigation is a major focus while at the same time re-gaining the passion and satisfaction that only a summer day's ride on a beautiful race machine can provide. *I'm looking to get another bike to scratch that itch that won't go away any other way, and at the same time relive the glory of my youthful passions, but with the advantage of a middle age experience & income.
So given the above & below what would be your recommendation / advice?
Previous experience:
Ninja EX250 (starter after MSF course)
Honda CBR600F4 (First proper race bike, first tuning experience, first theft experience)
Honda CBR900RR (First proper liter bike experience, as tuned as humanely possible. *Don't ask don't tell in terms of reckless behavior. *Didn't mind the heavier weight as it helped with launch control, just had to be careful with rear wheel spin in cold weather & tank slap)
2 generations of GSXR750 SRAD (Carb then FI, very happy with both, handling better than the 900rr, but a bit under-powered in comparison)
------Nasty accident------
CBR600F3 fully tuned track bike just to prove I had the balls to get back on a bike
CBR600RR (First bike after relocating to Belgium. *I might catch some flames for saying so on a 600rr forum, but while the bike was absolutely phenomenal for a 600cc, it is a very very different riding experience from a liter bike or middle weight. *I very much appreciated how maneuverable it was, but I equally missed the lower end torque that I had on the 900rr & the FI GSXR750. *I also found that the high revving nature of the engine tempted me to accelerate past, rather than get stuck in traffic. Fine if you are on the track, but a bit tempting if you are in the city and supposed to respect a 50kmh speedlimit)
Objective:
To find a dream bike that makes me sleep happy dreams as I know it is in the garage a meter away from me.....This choice isn't about logic, or track speed, it is about passion (see midlife crisis comments above). *Full fairing sport bike is a must.
That can be used for an occasional (weekly or bi-weekly) commute of 35 kms one way, in pristine weather only. *Suitable power delivery / maneuverability is key here, with equal time spent in thick city traffic, winding countryside, & autoroute
That can do track duty as I doubt my ability to behave/ remain mature in the long term without the occasional track day
Because its a short commute, and because tickle me factor is most important, comfort is secondary and I've never had a comfort issue in past experience despite the high mileage & injuries
To be budget friendly til the wife is convinced to splurge the budget on the 'last bike I'll even own'
Bike maintenance is no issue as I turn my own wrench and have the time & patience to not mind any down time. Tinkering is a plus if anything. *Long term durability is also important. *I'm buying second hand & not scared to put 100k km on a bike.
Options:
Several good condition 30k KM RC51s - My lustful dream bike when I had the 900rr & 750.....the strong appeal is the race heritage and the vtwin for low down torque in the city.....but I also question if there aren't better choices available, with better technology, less obese, easier to find....With that said I'm a big Honda fan across my experience, and the RC51 was the clear winner in terms of heart strings.
Aprilia RSV 1000 R (Factory?) *Seems to be a lighter, more modern option to the RC51. *Therefore maybe the more practical choice? *A bit concerned about statements re: electrical gremlins. *Roughly the same price as RC51 (4-6k €)
Ducati 848 / Evo Seems to be even lighter, who can argue with a Ducati for impulsive purchases, but if the RC51 is an impractical commuter what does that make a Duc? *Stretches the budget (6-11k €) with the upper end including mint almost no mileage examples)
K5/K6 GSXR750 Is it silly to look so hard for a vtwin, never having had one? *After being a Honda fan, I'm a huge fan of the 750. *140hp in the size of a 600cc.....will it give me the bit of extra low end grunt I was missing in the 600rr or will I wind up wringing the throttle again and getting myself into trouble
Lastly: Multiple 03-09 liter bike options favoring the R1 & 1000rr for dirt cheap 3-4k €. *I'm a bit hesitant to go this route as I know the liter bikes got downright nasty at that time (ZX10 anyone?), but had heard great things about the RR & the R1, specifically that the RR calmed the fireblade down alot and got rid of the nasty tendency to tank slap. With that said, I haven't ridden in 5 years, and nothing above 130 hp in 10. *Maybe its a bit exaggerated to step right into the liter scene again.
So in summary, I'm the stereotypical youthful hooligan who has grown into a successful middle aged guy and somehow managed to survive long enough to procreate. How can I scratch the itch for the right price? *Given my background & preference for 'heavier' middleweights, am I best served by the Aprilia/RC? *Or better going with a lighter more maneuverable option like the 750? Am I gonna splash myself across the 'pave' on a proper liter bike after a 5 year pause? *Anyone have experience with the V4 racebikes available today? *Not an option for the first purchase, but I might go the cheap, lower power of the 750 or even a 600 today, and reserve a new RSV4 factory or the like as the dream purchase for a year down the road once my skills are back at par and the wife's concerns are alleviated a bit.
I'd really appreciate any advice from riders with experience across classes and engine styles. Flame away!
Rob