Suzuki Vs: SV650 VS 600 Bandit

Moparman wrote:

skierd wrote:

Moparman wrote: The bandit doesn't have enough power for what you want to do? How did we all survive in the olden days when a 70hp 750 was considered powerful?

56k modems was a fast internet connection once too. Doesn't mean I'm going back to dial up any time soon because "it used to be enough!".

My Katana has 100hp, it does 0-60 in about four seconds and runs the 1/4 mile in under 12 seconds. Where the hell am I going to use more power than that? Once am nearing 100hp I am caring a whole lot more about handling than power. I can ride two up on a 50hp bike and I live in the mountains. Insurance is also a factor. I pay $300 a year for four bikes and I have very good coverage. Not owning a 150hp+ monster is why. If you can't ride hills, canyons or two up with 75 to 100hp, I think there is a problem. FYI I am 5' 11" 245lbs.

What makes you happy might not be everyone's cup of tea. I used to ride two up on my 88HP YZF600 and I wasn't happy with the performance. I'm sure a lot of people would be, but I'm not one of them. For reference at the time I was around 190 and my passenger a little over 100.

I commute on a 175HP k1300s and my insurance is around 300 a year for full coverage, which I'm totally cool with. The Speed Triple is actually more than than even though it has 50 less HP, so overall HP isn't the deciding factor in premiums. I guess the insurers think Triumph riders are hooligans and BMW riders aren't..

Cotton wrote:

Moparman wrote:

skierd wrote:

Moparman wrote: The bandit doesn't have enough power for what you want to do? How did we all survive in the olden days when a 70hp 750 was considered powerful?

56k modems was a fast internet connection once too. Doesn't mean I'm going back to dial up any time soon because "it used to be enough!".

My Katana has 100hp, it does 0-60 in about four seconds and runs the 1/4 mile in under 12 seconds. Where the hell am I going to use more power than that? Once am nearing 100hp I am caring a whole lot more about handling than power. I can ride two up on a 50hp bike and I live in the mountains. Insurance is also a factor. I pay $300 a year for four bikes and I have very good coverage. Not owning a 150hp+ monster is why. If you can't ride hills, canyons or two up with 75 to 100hp, I think there is a problem. FYI I am 5' 11" 245lbs.

What makes you happy might not be everyone's cup of tea. I used to ride two up on my 88HP YZF600 and I wasn't happy with the performance. I'm sure a lot of people would be, but I'm not one of them. For reference at the time I was around 190 and my passenger a little over 100. I commute on a 175HP k1300s and my insurance is around 300 a year for full coverage, which I'm totally cool with. The Speed Triple is actually more than than even though it has 50 less HP, so overall HP isn't the deciding factor in premiums. I guess the insurers think Triumph riders are hooligans and BMW riders aren't..

I hear you. I can see why someone would want that much power, but trying to justifying it as necessary rings hollow with me. I never get to use the full performance of my 750 Katana, I would never get to use the power of GSXR, etc. I am much more interested with light weight. The Kat is as heavy as I can tolerate. I do hate the way my Kat and most sport bikes look. I am a naked or UJM guy.

In reply to Cotton:

Really? My CB400T can beat some 5.0 Mustangs. It should run low 14s with light rider, high 14s with me. Still quicker than my Neon SCCA car and my Shelby Dakota. Heck it is quicker than typical performance cars. I don't need to drive a rocket everyday. Most of the roads ride in it is impossible to ride safely over 50 anyway.if I had to ride freeways, my Kat does the job. Heck, and Triumph Bonneville would do it.

I will say that my two favorite new bikes are the Street Triple and the FZ-09. still, I would trade 30hp for 50 pounds. I like light. It is why love riding my T250. On the roads I mostly ride, it is nearly impossible to ride my Katana faster than I can ride my T250.

In reply to Moparman:

You know I may be mixing up bikes... Hell this was 23 years ago when I was riding that bike a lot. I was either on my 89 nx125 or the 82 450. The NX was a slow bike but I had a lot of fun with it. I still have both bikes and keep meaning to get the 450 out and freshen it up. It still has pretty low miles, but has been sitting for a few years.

Well, I can attest, 175hp definitely wasn't enough last night......I need more to keep up with friends, alot more.

You can replace horsepower with balls. Its science.

In reply to Appleseed:

Not in this case, we're pretty sure the turbo10 broke 200mph after about half a mile from a 60mph roll on. Even getting my n/a bike up to 160, it still was like watching vanishing point.

Trying to do much above the speed limit around me is dangerous. Between the deer, tourists and the residents who moved up from NY/NJ, one might as well throw themselves off a cliff so enjoy speed, the result is often the same.

In reply to Moparman:

2AM, weeknight, 75*, and being in the flatlands of north central Indiana means bikes are out going fast.

My Cagiva only was running in the upper 60s/70s hp depending on who you asked and it would eat most anything on a back road. It was plenty quick to 80, topped out right at 135. and had suspension that would embarrass sport bikes on anything that wasn't perfect pavement. You could get it sideways at 50 and not think you were about to die.

HP does not equal speed on a bike in anything other than a straight line.

In reply to Flight Service:

Agreed. Also, I keep my speed off the streets. That is what tracks are for. I am 47 now. I passed the street racing stage 30 years ago.

In reply to Moparman:

Being from East Tennessee we didn't have a ton of tracks but a plethora of not traveled black tops. I wouldn't call it street racing but spirited riding in groups.

You quit when you were 17? You were a very mature 17.

Started going to drag strips, Autocrosses, etc. Learned at an early age to take it off the streets. Too many bad things can happen. Often they can involve other motorists and pedestrians.

I am not in awe of speed. I have traveled at high rates of speed. So what? I would rather be able to hustle my little GT380 through curves, than go blasting along with my Katana at over 100mph. I see youngins get a thrill out of burnouts, wheelies, drifting, etc. Whoop-di-damn-do. Please. If you are over 25 and these things still are a major thrill, it is time to grow up.

In reply to Moparman:

Oh I'm totally with you. I have just heard that the Hawks are a little bit under performing in factory trim. I rode a friends 07 R6 yesterday and that bike was crazy. I don't want something like that yet. I have been going along pretty slow in my bike choices and am fine with that.

Ok, we get it, we'll turn the music down and get off your lawn.

The day a wheelie or sliding a dirt bike around stops being fun is the day they put me in a pine box.

I will scrape a peg here and there, but my wheelie days are over. If I damaged any of my bikes (except the Katana, it is an ugly beast) it would break my heart. I have nothing to prove and have been married for more than 20 years so I don't have to impress females with my vehicular antics (not that it ever worked).I tend to like only timed motorsports anyway.

On my bikes, I like to run tight technical turns. Re can be challenging at sane speeds. This is why I like autocrossing too. It requires the quickest reflexes this side of F1, but with much less risk. It is not speed which is exciting, but speed vs. distance to transitions. Heck, a 747 cruises near 600 mph, but is far less exciting than aerobatics in a 150 mph Stearman bipe.

I can get on the interstate and cruise with my Katana at 70 mph and I have the ability to run it up to 140 mph, but running flat out on a long straight road is utter boredom. Running between 35 and 60 mph through tight eases, hairpins and switchbacks is fun.

In reply to singleslammer:

Only thing I did to my 400 Hawk was install shorty mufflers and re-jet the carbs, and it runs quite nicely. My new Hagon shocks should arrive this week.

Cool, I have yet to get it running right yet but mine has a two brothers full exhaust and has been rejetted. I am really excited to get it on the road.

In reply to singleslammer:

They are fun little bikes. They are quick for their displacement and era and handle surprisingly well.

Remember the CB-1?

In reply to Flight Service:

I do and I am drooling while looking at this photo.

I wonder if the engine could be made to fit a Cb400 Four frame without too much trouble?

In reply to Flight Service:

We had one of those and both the F2/F3 variants of the cbr-600. All three were clean, and it was like a throwback to when I was in high school.

Oddly enough(ok, not really), the only groups that showed up lacking gear were on harleys and suzukis....

I would like to find a GB500. Not quick, but I love the vintage look.