I blame ALL of you. . .

[drinkingmymilk]

My gf was the number one reason I bought the street vs. the daytona. She loves it, and it has more then enough power for the two of us. She's logged about 4,ooo miles on it this summer.

[Danz19899]

Hey if you going up a mountain 2 up 650 might not be your best bet. it will do it but it wont be happy.

not many people pay much attention to them but 05-08 zzr600's are good bikes i loved mine before i . . . anyway check them out comfyish for a sport bike with good power and nice handles for the passenger the ladies loved them

plus they are getting really cheap latly

[e30addict]

Hey if you going up a mountain 2 up 650 might not be your best bet. it will do it but it wont be happy.

He weighs 150 lbs, even two up the total load on the bike will be less than some people riding solo.

The 650 is a great compromise bike; it does everything pretty well but is not at the top of the heap in any category. It's not a supersport but that wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted something I could take to work everyday, ride 400 mile days and still fling through the twisties. The 650 is a great choice for this and I'd buy one again.

The 650 has lots of bottom end so you don't have to rev the snot out of it and it doesn't run out of breath like the 500 does at higher speeds. I love the upright riding position and 50 mpg is pretty sweet to. Having a bike with FI was a must for me this time around as well. I've owned a 500, a 250 and now the 650.

BUY LEATHERS You can get good stuff cheap if you take the time and look for it. I got pants and a jacket for $239 total.

[Baggey22]

My plan right now is to leave my apartment early Tuesday for bike night and stop at Roadside Marine on the way and sit on a few bikes. Also have my g/f sit on them with me to see how that feels too. If it rains, I'll just take my car.

[SRTie4k]

The ER-6n is basically the continuation of the now defunct Z1000. They have a VERY comfortable riding position stock (they're considered 'standards' by most counts), and they'll still handle pretty darn well with some minor suspension tweaks. Obviously the ER-6n will have a bit less grunt, but the 650 engine still has more than enough to rocket you through turns and down straightaways.

I read a lot of publications about the Z before I bought mine, and if the ER-6n is anything like it, expect an awesomely fun bike to ride around on. Since the wheelbase is so short on these, it feels very agile and you feel extremely connected to the bike. The Triumph Street may have taken top honors in the naked standards categories, but most publications agreed that the Kawi was the most fun of the groups.

Motorcycle.com really loved it...

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...iew-88238.html

I love my Z1000, and I'm sure you'd love the ER-6n

[markbvt]

When I say the "pick up and go" I mean on straight aways, like yesterday on the ride I was hard pressed to keep up when everyone would rip down the straights.

Before you decide on a bike purely for straight-line acceleration, bear in mind that riding like this is the single best way to get a nasty ticket. Personally, I'm way more impressed by people who ride a reasonable speed on straights and are then able to maintain the same speed or close to it in the twisties.

--mark

[catamount]

Too bad you think the Triumph bug eyes are fugly... Just saw this Speed Triple posted in Milton with less than 6,000 original miles.



http://burlington.craigslist.org/mcy/1395442960.html

PS: My girlfriend loves my Triumph... yours might too.

[markbvt]

Damn, that's a nice Speed Triple. Wish I had a garage and a spare $4k sitting around...

If a '95 single-headlight model turns up, my finances will be in great danger.

--mark

[Dichotomous]

Let me guess...it's a fucking 10?

10 what? its the new version of the naked sv650

[Baggey22]

Before you decide on a bike purely for straight-line acceleration, bear in mind that riding like this is the single best way to get a nasty ticket. Personally, I'm way more impressed by people who ride a reasonable speed on straights and are then able to maintain the same speed or close to it in the twisties.

--mark

I don't plan to accelerate my face off. Just a little bit more. It's the 0-60 that I like.

[KawiSmurf]

I don't plan to accelerate my face off. Just a little bit more. It's the 0-60 that I like.

Actually, the the 30-50 or 50-70 roll-on rips should be more important, at least that's what it sounds like you're looking for. This is where the 650R (or any middleweight twin, for that matter) lays the smack down.

[Dichotomous]

I don't plan to accelerate my face off. Just a little bit more. It's the 0-60 that I like.

honestly then just change your sprockets and maybe throw some go fast bits on your current bike. not as sexy as a supersport to think about, but it'll work just fine for what you just described. plus get better gas milage, better insurance, not as theft-happy, not as flashy to get LEO attention.

[Baggey22]

I get about 55mpg on my bike now. How much would going -1 on the front sprocket tank my gas mileage?
I know the bikes I'm looking at (minus the ZX6r) get around 50+mpg

[markbvt]

Actually, the the 30-50 or 50-70 roll-on rips should be more important, at least that's what it sounds like you're looking for. This is where the 650R (or any middleweight twin, for that matter) lays the smack down.

Excellent point. It's torque you want, not horsepower that doesn't arrive till you've wound the engine past 10k rpm.

--mark

[NobodySpecific]

Excellent point. It's torque you want, not horsepower that doesn't arrive till you've wound the engine past 10k rpm.

--mark

Newer 600's don't really have to be revved that high to have a huge rush of acceleration. I rode an '05 R6 and it was fast as hell, and pulled like a freight train from about 5.5 or 6k on up. My SV doesn't accelerate anything like it.

[Dichotomous]

Hey if you going up a mountain 2 up 650 might not be your best bet. it will do it but it wont be happy.

I weigh 240lbs without my gear on, my wife weighs about 100lbs less, we handle just fine through the mountains on my little 650. I have never ever felt that it was underpowered or had a need for anywhere near as much acceleration even up steep hills like in smuggs notch as it has already. so I call a big fat BS to your statement. I even have to reigh in the throttle on the steep sections of the bolton access road with her on it, and thats really really steep

[Dichotomous]

I get about 55mpg on my bike now. How much would going -1 on the front sprocket tank my gas mileage?
I know the bikes I'm looking at (minus the ZX6r) get around 50+mpg

you wont likely loose any MPG, you MIGHT if you went -1 front and +2 rear or something, but I have tried -1 and +1 front sprocket, didnt touch my MPG. -1 is a lot more fun though

[KawiSmurf]

I weigh 240lbs without my gear on, my wife weighs about 100lbs less, we handle just fine through the mountains on my little 650. I have never ever felt that it was underpowered or had a need for anywhere near as much acceleration even up steep hills like in smuggs notch as it has already. so I call a big fat BS to your statement. I even have to reigh in the throttle on the steep sections of the bolton access road with her on it, and thats really really steep

I'd much rather being going uphill on a 650 twin than an inline 600, the extra low-end torque being the difference maker.

[hqp921]

I personally am not 100% keen on the front end of the Triumph. It sounds like a wonderful bike, but not my style.
Another thing with getting a more powerful bike is for my g/f. She likes riding, and having a little bit more power would just make life a little better for doing our favorite ride (going up and down the Smuggler's Notch/Stowe notch)

... she likes riding, as in two-up?

Not sure if a middle weight sport bike is going to be comfortable for her...

FWIW, last season and for a bit of this season, my g/f spent a lot of time on the back of an SV650s. Comfortable? Not exactly, but she'd suck it up and we did a lot of miles together.

Recently picked up a VFR, and she loves the seat and how she's not up so high.

The VFR has good power, still "sporty" and is pretty comfy for two people. Just throwing another wrench in the works.

If it's just for solo rippin'... different story.

HP

PS: She also rode on the back of a Goldwing... so maybe one of those are in my future as well? LOL.

[Baggey22]

So will going -1 on the front make that much of a difference?
What kind of difference will it make?

[gregp]

So will going -1 on the front make that much of a difference?
What kind of difference will it make?

It will certainly be enough of a change that you will feel it! It will also tighten up the transmission ratios, which can in itself alter the character of the machine.

[drinkingmymilk]

PS: She also rode on the back of a Goldwing... so maybe one of those are in my future as well? LOL.

My gf rode on a wing a few months ago. She finally stopped talking about it and saying it should be my next bike.

[Mondo]

just get a Busa

[DaveZX6r]

So will going -1 on the front make that much of a difference?
What kind of difference will it make?

i used to get 45+ mpg on my fzr, i went -1+2 and still got 42 43 mpg some times more. It really made hardly any differance. If your going thru the trouble of getting all new chain and sprockets which you should if your changeing anything then you might as well just go -1 +2, Why go half way. Your allready getting 50+ 47 to 48 will be unnoticable. But you will feel a difference. I could power wheelie my fzr up high in the power band once I did the sprocket switch. And they are not known for stratospheric power.

[Baggey22]

Where is a good place to get new sprockets/chain? Also how difficult are they to install. I may try this, if it's not enough it's just more to add to the description if I sell it.