[brian o]

Just read an article in the new Road Bike about Hondas 1 liter rocket. I have little interest in going 200 MPH but I think Honda took some design cues from BUELL.

I've talked to alot of sport bike riders who claim crazy straight line speeds. A few riding the venerable GSXR even said that the smaller buels would tear them up in the twisties because of the balance. Honda has now relocated most if not all of the exhaust weight directly below the motor as found on the Buells.

Seems like our two wheeled world is less brand and design rigid than I thought.

 

[Mr. Efficiency]

A skilled rider, even on a 500cc gixxer would toast anything Buell makes in a New York Minute (that's a few seconds). Many sport bike riders get overtaken in twisties by BMW's, Buells, and Gold Wings because they're young and haven't conquered the dynamics of sport bikes. The BMW's WIngs and Buells are designed to be handled well, even by an average rider. That's what makes a difference.

The 750 gixxer, right out of the box, is ultra fast and can work a set of twisties with the right rider. As far as the staight line thing goes, a whole part of the sport bike culture is claiming speeds of 140 +. Since the bikes CAN actually go that fast you don't know who's full of beans or not.

The sport bike culture isn't what you think. Most are responsible riders who pick their spots and can ride hell bent for leather. THey are the fun youth movement, with a few bad apples spoiling the bunch.

Enjoy the ride.

 

[brian o]

Your a Beemer guy right? My brother has a R1200 (i think) and he claims it handles great but has a very high seat height. My point with Honda and Buell etc is the center of gravity is being pulled down for the sake of handling.

I prefer my feet in front of me while riding. Even the Nighthawk I learned on was uncomfortable. Never even tried my feet behind me.

I dig the look of the sport bikes and even the naked sporties but have never even been around the block on one

Brian

 

[puravida]

here is some blasphemy .....if i could trade my bike for a honda i would....


then again....

i love hondas

 

[Mr. Efficiency]

Pura:

Hondas are nice bikes. I have to also say I think they make a great machine. Its hard to deny their quality. It gets harder and harder every year to justify not getting an ST1300...

As far as handling goes, brian, you make a good point, except seat height doesn't matter. The reson why Beemers can outhandle many sportbikes is the low COG from the boxer engine, combined with a well-engineered suspension designed to make an average rider a good bike handler. Buell tries this by putting gas in the frame. Its all about how much weight you can get close to the road, not necessarily how tall the bike is. Its also about the real world. I'm a regular guy and the world is not a racetrack; the goal is to have a machine that can chew up a real road with real turns with a real rider. The guy who makes that bike wins...

Now a gixxer... put a 5'5 rider on gixxer with a head full of "full throttle" energy drink and 20 or 30 track days under his belt and I, or anyone else who runs into him, is toast. Put your real world sportbike rider on a twisty road against a similar well-engineered bike, well that's a different story.

COG is important, but lower does not always mean better. My current bike has a whopping 32.5 inch seat height, yet I'm pretty certain that your average rider on an R-1 will meet his match when the road turns to spaghetti.

Performance and winning a real race and handling are all integers in an equation. The guy with the best bike and the most skill will win. The fact is we don't know until we run some handicap races on some twisties. All I know is I give the japanese full cred for making the fastest, cheapest and best value in bikes. I also know they're fast, real fast...

 

[brian o]

good point. I'll have my chance to ride his rt soon. Fast is fun I am sure but think about the bulls on the hill!! Just was identifying some of the design cues from other manafacturers that continue to close the gaps in quality and performance.

 

[Mr. Efficiency]

Everybody copies. I think almost all sportbikes look the same. Case in point; BMW is showing off their new liter sportbike... and it looks just like Honda's!

 

[krgs2k]

I get a chance to ride may stepsons R6 every now and then. It is only good for one thing, getting from point A to point B fast, very fast. Most
of the riders I know are only good for about 100 miles at best.

In my book they are all about the same cramped and uncomfortable, but
I am old. If I was 30 years younger I would be riding one too.

 

[Mr. Efficiency]

I have a friend of mine, 62, just made it to California in something like 9 minutes. Rides a K1200S (bumblebee). His only occupation now is blowing kids' minds.

Still the fastest guy in my club...