Thoroughly disappointed with a CBR600RR

[Ricky_t]

Hi all,

I took an 07 CBR6RR for a test ride and was thoroughly disappointed. In my opinion a real disappointment as I had always liked the bike and had high expectations of it. Since I had a few hours spare this afternoon and the weather was good I took the SV to the local Honda garage to test ride a reasonably priced CBR600RR. 07 plate, 4000 miles, £4900 asking from Honda dealership.

THE GOOD:

The gearbox - smooth and slick
The clutch - did it job well and was really light.
The handling - It was pretty smooth but felt a bit out of touch with the road and what was going on.
Brakes - much better than the SV

THE BAD:

The engine - Crap - On the SV, you open the throttle and you go and you are pushed to the back of the seat rest. On the CBR600RR you have nothing, nothing and then suddenly you see 130mph on the clock.
Braking - no engine braking!
Steering - This electronic steering damper does all the steering work for you and felt artificial.

Overall, I felt the bike was definitively faster and handled better (just) than the SV. However, the lack of instant throttle response and the crisp acceleration was absent. It felt as you were less engaged in the ride and the bike did most of the riding for you. It was certainly less fun than the SV. I came off a few junctions and corners and the bike felt as if it was restricted. It also lulls you into a false sense of security i.e. It feels more controlled at higher speeds when the dangers at that speed are equal on the SV or a CBR.

NOW WHAT? Well since I don't like the CBR6RR what can the SV be replaced with? I think I may just modify the suspension on the SV instead.

[Funky]

thats a good idea going with doing the suspension on the SV especially after you de-restrict it, if you still are.... With the CBR, you have to remember it's a Honda so very clinical and engineered and designed to make any rider good or bad look amazing. With regards to engine braking and acceleration... its a fuel injected in line 4 race rep so all about the top end and expalins what you said about suddenly doing 130. That in itself shows how smooth the engine is. Next to a V-twin, the only thing you'll find with more low down stomp is a single light supermoto.

Try a range of bikes mate, you will end up finding one. Personally, I think that modern bikes (post 2006) aren't as good as the older ones as they are too strangled by emmision laws and on the whole too small! I can thoroughly reccomend the gsxr k4, I personally feel the bench mark model. The daytona and and zx636 models may have more of the midrange you're looking for, but I can't comment on these.

[Ricky_t]

The SV is de-resticted. I have been riding for nearly 3 years now.

You are right, the engine is just too smooth. I like the feeling of sliding down the seat when I open the throttle because it feels like I am going quickly (even if I am not.) I have been told by a few other people to try the GSXR but the zx636 maybe better as it has more midrange.

Why did you choose a GSXR over another r6 funky?

[steve-d]

Why not try a Daytona?
Its a triple, so should have more midrange than a 4 but still with a top end rush.
If you just like the power delivery of twins, why not test some litre twins RSV, SP1/2, TL. Maybe a Ducati if your feeling flash, I would love a 748.

From my limited experience on other bikes, I find that twins are more suited to my riding style because I like the pull from anywhere power, rather than the 2 stroke power delivery of 4's.

[tafflade]

if you like the SV you will absolutely love this



(or an RSV)

I had an SV for 4 years and have benn riding an old shape tuono for 18 months, its awesome.

find one for a test ride and enjoy

[TLS-Moose]

Without wishing to sound rude, I think it's you and your riding style. From what you have posted in the past (comparing roll-on acceleration between cars and bikes), and the way you were riding at Llandow, I think it is a combination of

a) you ride it like a car.
b) as with any middle-weight I4, you have to expect to rev it somewhat to get it to go .....
c) you have to expect to work that gearbox to get the best of it's performance.

When you were accelerating, what rev's were you accelerating from I would imagine that on any modern 600 you would have to be over 5-6000 rpm to get significant acceleration, as torque (in comparison to a v-twin) is negligable at any revs, let alone low down below those revs.

What sort of style bike do you want What about the Aprilia Shiver 750 or Dorsoduro 750 v-twins if you want relatively low rev grunt ........ and there's 1200 versions of them due out next year ...... or the triumph triples which are reckoned to be a good "halfway house" betweens twins and fours

[billinom8s]

you can't compare the acceleration of a restricted sv 650 (twin) to a full power IL4 racing bike - chalk n cheese.

i think u need to get out and ride alot more bikes instead of reading about them and making an assumption. every reviewer is gonna have a slightly different approach, surely the best reveiwer is gonna be you.

get your nose out of the mags, books and brochures and get into the sales room. then get out on some rides, best way to find out what the bike is like

[TLS-Moose]

if you like the SV you will absolutely love this



(or an RSV)

I had an SV for 4 years and have benn riding an old shape tuono for 18 months, its awesome.

find one for a test ride and enjoy

On my (limited) experience I would disagree ......... I would be interested to ride an older Tuono, because I thought the new style one I rode at the Aprilia test day earlier this year was very disappointing - cr*p even the engine (with stock cans) was wheezy, the riding position (high but very forward footpegs) strange, and the cornering very "tippy" with little feeling of the front end. Not at all what I was expecting .....

[Ricky_t]

you can't compare the acceleration of a restricted sv 650 (twin) to a full power IL4 racing bike - chalk n cheese.

i think u need to get out and ride alot more bikes instead of reading about them and making an assumption. every reviewer is gonna have a slightly different approach, surely the best reveiwer is gonna be you.

get your nose out of the mags, books and brochures and get into the sales room. then get out on some rides, best way to find out what the bike is like

Hi
1) My bike is not restricted. It hasn't been for about 3 months now.
2) I actually went and test rode it for nearly an hour.
3) Why would I make a post like the one I did if I didn't ride the bike!

[Ricky_t]

Without wishing to sound rude, I think it's you and your riding style. From what you have posted in the past (comparing roll-on acceleration between cars and bikes), and the way you were riding at Llandow, I think it is a combination of

a) you ride it like a car.
b) as with any middle-weight I4, you have to expect to rev it somewhat to get it to go .....
c) you have to expect to work that gearbox to get the best of it's performance.

When you were accelerating, what rev's were you accelerating from I would imagine that on any modern 600 you would have to be over 5-6000 rpm to get significant acceleration, as torque (in comparison to a v-twin) is negligable at any revs, let alone low down below those revs.

What sort of style bike do you want What about the Aprilia Shiver 750 or Dorsoduro 750 v-twins if you want relatively low rev grunt ........ and there's 1200 versions of them due out next year ...... or the triumph triples which are reckoned to be a good "halfway house" betweens twins and fours

I think you are right about the revs. I maybe have been around 4000rpm mark and taking it to 13000rpm ish. The acceleration is strong but not instant as I hoped.

Please can you elaborate on what you mean by riding it like a car? I think that I may have been a bit unfair testing it today by the sounds of it. I may not have had the confidence to take a nearly new bike screaming. However, it did feel very clinical and lacking of character with it's electronic steering damper and the smooth suspension. It was not just the engine I didn't like.

I expected it to be "fun" rather than just fast. I should look into the triples.

[Funky]

Not restricted anymore? lord doesn't time fly! I'm getting old. Werther original anyone?

I was origingally going to buy an R6, but ended with the the gixxer quite randomly. To be honest I'm glad I did as I love the K4's. It's a bike you have to put alot into to get alot out of, there doesn't seem to be a middle ground, you and it are either having a good day or your not, but you do get alot of feedback from the bike because it loves to be crawled all over. I know that one of the biggest differences between my last r6 and the k4's from a riding perspective is carbs vs injection with the carbs being more instant and 'raw'. Though injection can be set up. Might be worth trying a carb'd R6 and seeing how you get on...

definately consider what some people on here are saying, different bikes because of their nature and engineering are going to need to be ridden differently. An IL$ is only good for pottering about below at least 6-7 thousand. I must say i am a bit perplexed that you weren't keen on the IL4 because previously you have said you like to rag the tits off things and keep high revs. I can only assume that your riding style has changed since those green days and now you keep things more low/middle revs which the twin needs.

All new bikes take a lil time to get used to, finding where the power bands are etc, especially if the engine configurations are different. As said previously by myself and others just try loads of bikes until you are happy.

[billinom8s]

ricky, go for a ride with blimey or julian, they both have cbr600's then see what they are like

[Funky]

ricky, go for a ride with blimey or julian, they bother have cbr600's then see what hey are like

But you may not come back with your asshole the same size as it went...

[billinom8s]

ricky, go for a ride with blimey or julian, they bother have cbr600's then see what hey are like

But you may not come back with your asshole the same size as it went...

then u wll def wanna stay with a tourer style as they have a more padded seat

[Funky]

Might need a plug too as he'll be so loose after they've had their wicked way...