Sport bike, or Supersport? Which one suits you?

[CrazyCawi]

This is an awesome comparison for new members considering our bike, or for anyone who is considering buying a bike in general so I figured id post it up here. This video is very well done!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlUecmpzZ88&feature=related]Is a Supersport right for you? - YouTube[/ame]

 

[JT]

I hadnt seen this vid great vid for new riders picking their future bike!

 

[RoadTrip]

I must admit, even though I love my 600SS, the enjoyment on this type bike comes from pushing and being aggressive on it. Sometimes it would be nice to have a more chill bike and just relax a bit; but since I can have only one, and had never experienced a SS, I did as many others here and traded my FZ6R for a SS.

Down the road I may get another type bike with friendlier ergos, but I would still want it to be lightweight and powerful.

 

[06330i]

If I had my way, I'd be riding a z1000 for my daily, and a r6 for the fun days

 

[ch33zecake]

I like supersport bikes in general because the way they look and feel. But I can't just hop onto any supersport bike and call it good. Unfortunately I have a short inseam (31) and am not able to comfortably ride any Yamaha supersport bike or the Triumph Daytona 675. My next bike will probably be a supersport liter bike because I love how supersports look, and I do a lot of freeway commuting. The GSX-R feels pretty comfortable for me. Idk I still have a while to decide. My next bike will be a supersport for sure though. The FZ6R is a great bike for pretty much everything. It's really comfortable and sexy. It just lacks character like a supersport.

 

[Alex6]

I like supersport bikes in general because the way they look and feel. But I can't just hop onto any supersport bike and call it good. Unfortunately I have a short inseam (31) and am not able to comfortably ride any Yamaha supersport bike or the Triumph Daytona 675. My next bike will probably be a supersport liter bike because I love how supersports look, and I do a lot of freeway commuting. The GSX-R feels pretty comfortable for me. Idk I still have a while to decide. My next bike will be a supersport for sure though. The FZ6R is a great bike for pretty much everything. It's really comfortable and sexy. It just lacks character like a supersport.

31 is short inseam?! I am 6 feet and have 32 inseam. Never considered that short. Guess what inseam all these MotoGP stars have with their height of 5.6 to 5.8 feet?

 

[pkoko]

I really wish yamaha will make FZ-09R or a fully fairing FZ-09. I rode that bike and the wind is just too too much on the highway.

 

[ch33zecake]

31 is short inseam?! I am 6 feet and have 32 inseam. Never considered that short. Guess what inseam all these MotoGP stars have with their height of 5.6 to 5.8 feet?

Yes I really do think I have a short inseam because every person I know that owns an R6 is able to comfortably plant both their feet on the ground. I can barely have both my toes touch the ground sitting on that bike and the Daytona 675. Never did I mention what bike I'd prefer on a track or canyon. I used to ride dirt bikes a lot and my YZ250F had a much higher seating position than any street bike that I've ever sat on. The last thing that came to mind when I rode that bike was seating height.

 

[latony007]

i just posted about test riding the R6 and i will never buy a SS. They are just too damn uncomfortable. You have to crane your neck upwards just to see the road for starters. Its just not worth it unless you are riding the track every week.

 

[RoadTrip]

Just finished a 300 mile ride today on the gixxer, and I feel great!

 

[dart1963]

Just finished a 300 mile ride today on the gixxer, and I feel great!

I think the gixxer and cbr are more street oriented then the R6, but like anything, ride it long enough and your body will adjust....

reminds me of people who complain about the 6R seat.... I can easily do couple hundred miles without an issue... 400+, the airhawk goes down, but even that I could learn to live with if I did 400+ mile rides every weekend.

 

[RoadTrip]

That's it, your body adjusts over time and the discomfort becomes much less of an issue. The key to a full day on a sportbike is taking a break every couple of hours, and ideally an hour lunch at some point. I have long arms and will often ride with throttle hand only on lazy sections, this way I can sit nearly upright and it relieves stress on the neck and back - so, its a combination of body adjusting and learning how to mitigate stress on the body parts - you don't just tuck in for six straight hours and tough it out. Finally, doing a long ride every week keeps the body trained - too much time between long rides and your body has to be re-trained back into tolerating the SS position.

 

[latony007]

That's it, your body adjusts over time and the discomfort becomes much less of an issue. The key to a full day on a sportbike is taking a break every couple of hours, and ideally an hour lunch at some point. I have long arms and will often ride with throttle hand only on lazy sections, this way I can sit nearly upright and it relieves stress on the neck and back - so, its a combination of body adjusting and learning how to mitigate stress on the body parts - you don't just tuck in for six straight hours and tough it out. Finally, doing a long ride every week keeps the body trained - too much time between long rides and your body has to be re-trained back into tolerating the SS position.

I agree with everything your saying here but my question is why? Its better if you dont NEED to stop every hour etc. If your going to the track all the time i see buying an SS, if your not i dont get it. If you want to go faster than the 6R get an FZ1. But in the end all that matters is you ride, not what you ride

 

[RoadTrip]

Well, supersport bikes are also known as race replica's (RR's), I guess part of the reason guys buy them is for the same reason one buys a porsche or corvette, but never actually races it - it's simply admiring a fast looking race machine and wanting to own it, practicality is a less important criteria. But, you're right about the FZ1, and many bikes for that matter, for the most part they are just as fast as a SS. Personally, I have been lusting after SS bikes since I was a kid and they came out with the first Ninja, and now I finally have one of my own. I might move back to a more comfortable bike at some point, but for now this is the only kind of bike I am interested in, no regrets whatsoever.

 

[ksanbon]

One thing I've discovered is that you don't need a track to experience the difference between a sport bike and an SS. I often commute on the same back roads that I rode on my fz6r - the "telepathic connection" I get from the SS in the curves makes any shortcomings moot for me. That feeling and the rush from running the motor up to 15,000 rpm is really addicting. The best part is that you don't have to ride at crazy speeds to experience it.

In regards to riding distance, I've ridden 3 hours on all types of roads w/o stopping. The only issue I had was discomfort in my shoulders from not relaxing my upper body in 25 miles of technical curves going to and from Jalama Beach.

 

[b6r]

Well, supersport bikes are also known as race replica's (RR's), I guess part of the reason guys buy them is for the same reason one buys a porsche or corvette, but never actually races it - it's simply admiring a fast looking race machine and wanting to own it, practicality is a less important criteria. But, you're right about the FZ1, and many bikes for that matter, for the most part they are just as fast as a SS. Personally, I have been lusting after SS bikes since I was a kid and they came out with the first Ninja, and now I finally have one of my own. I might move back to a more comfortable bike at some point, but for now this is the only kind of bike I am interested in, no regrets whatsoever.

^that's it!
i wanted a SS ever since high school, not because it's fast or anything. if it's not because the insurance of a SS is 5x my FZ6R, I'd have a SS by now. but the 4cyl fz6r is the next closest bike i could have with cheap insurance and great sound and power. it's a win for now until my insurance drop in a couple more years.

 

[Marthy]

I really wish yamaha will make FZ-09R or a fully fairing FZ-09. I rode that bike and the wind is just too too much on the highway.

Ypu would be amazed how a simple fly screen fix the wind blast. I pound a few long ride on the 09 and fatigue is not any worst than with the 6R. Actually I can ride the 09 more without getting my hand numb and event if I have a bit more wind (laminar flow) the 6R with Puig Touring screen give me more helmet buffering noise.

I did a 850ish miles round trip 2 weeks ago and I ride to the Gaps this summer. Pound 900 miles in 14 hrs to get back home (emergency). Wind is not an issue really.

Nothing I can't do with the 09 that I can't do with a R6 or a 6R.

 

[pkoko]

@Marthy-- Care to send me a link on the wind screen that you use? My buddy has FZ-09 and he is looking for something to block the wind.

 

[Marthy]

I got one of the first bike in my area last year, there was no screen for the FZ09. So I fitted a FZ1N (naked) Puig screen. There's many nice options now... I will post a pick in a few.