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Next Bike: 2011 GSXR 600 BABY!

13K views 75 replies 23 participants last post by  DudeMan 
#1 ·
I've got my mind set on the next bike. The totally redesigned 2011-2012 GSXR 600! better ergos now with the shortened chassis and better redesigned engine. I initially had my mind set on moving up to the CBR600RR but the redesign of the Gixxa reeled me in. I hope to get the bike next year while gaining experience with my cbr250r. Honestly, if I knew the new GSXR 600 had the power reduction switch I would have bought it for my first bike.

Any thoughts or experience on the new gixxa? I saw a 2011 at a dealer for $9000, the new ones are going for $12k and it's the same bike.



 
#4 · (Edited)
Kind of. A CBR400r would have been nice but we'll never see it.

With the newer gsxr 600 bikes they have the power reduction switch, a, b and c (C being the biggest power reduction).

If I were you I would save up and get the newly redesigned 2011+ gixxer, wayyyy better. I figure next year I should be able to wheel a deal for $8000-$8500 OTD cash deal
for a 2011 model which will be 2 years old by then or wheel an even better deal on a slightly used one.

I've always been fond of Suzuki bikes, especially their 450 dirtbikes.
 
#5 ·
You might want to take a look at the 2013 crop of bikes... Lots of rumors, some of them well founded, in regard to new mid-range bikes...

Had a CBR1000 pull up next to me today. The rider was *fascinated* with the cbr250r... He hadn't seen one before, and we talked for at least half an hour, basically about the weebee... Apparently, it offered just about everything he wasn't getting out of his liter bike... which, incidentally, he felt had absolutely no real use, except for the track, or to show off at bike meetups, which he had, also apparently, outgrown the need to do...

He'd had the 2010 cbr1000 for two years, and between the insurance, gas, and maintenance, was *still* looking for a good reason to keep it. I gave him the name of the guy I'd dealt with at my dealer (whom I'd buy from again in a heartbeat), and he was visibly excited about the prospect of trading in the liter bike for the new 250...

Just sayin'...
 
#7 · (Edited)
yeah I had a dude cut my grass and he was fascinated with my 250 as well and he used to have a GSXR 750.

I couldn't believe he was fascinated with my bike either.

I would never get a litre bike unless I was pro racer. Those bikes on the street are for posers b/c it's too much bike for the street and could send you to the slammer and your bike impounded if you get amped up one day and want to hit 150mph on the highway.

The 600 is good for a few reasons, one it looks brawnier and has a bigger back tire, you can do power passes on the highway and street, the exhaust sounds wayyy better, you don't have to shift as much and could techincally cruise in 3rd gear locally, and you do get a little more respect on the street (Honestly, I could care less).

On the other hand, insurance is higher, the maintenance is much more (Not as bad if you do the work yourself), you only get about 40 mpg at best, if you drop the bike you will pay 3x more to fix it, and you will most likely never use the potential power of this bike.

Bottom line, if you can afford the bigger bike you will probably have more fun on the bigger bike mostly from the faster 0-60 range at 3.5 sec compare to 8 secs for our bike, BIF DIFFERENCE. Around town you will enjoy less shifting. On the highway you will experience less wind turbulence (Was informed by a former cbr250r who switched to a gixxer.)


twistdawrist did an excellent comparison between the two bikes, the pros and cons of each.:

 
#8 ·
Boy am I glad you posted this! I went to some dealers today to research the ergos of my next bike. I was feeling depressed because there are no good sport bikes, with approximately 70 HP, between the cbr250r and a 600CC supersport.

The best thing I found was a new 2009 Suzuki SV650S which was great because it has nearly everything I wanted including; 70HP, Clip-ons, properly placed and shaped tank for hanging off, 2-4 inches of crotch space and a thriving aftermarket. The only drawback is it is slightly ugly and oldschool compared to the newer motorcycles. I plan on paying off the CBR in the next few months and shouldn't buy now so there is a chance it could be sold. I spent the whole day talking myself out of being impulsive.

The 2011 Yamaha FZ6R may be a nice bike, but it is obviously more for beginners and people wanting the look of a sport bike, but not the discomfort. It is not for aspiring track riders, and doesn't have any features conducive for hanging off unless your shins are three feet long. It is like our bike, but with a ridiculously upright position. There was very little crotch space.

The 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 650 is really nice, except there is some weird things going on with the peg mounts. They are really long and the left side is a chain guard and rubber mounted. Rearsets will get rid of the passenger pegs and require a chain guard or be really expensive with passenger pegs. The bars were really high, and felt awkwardly positioned and I could only see dropping them 1" without moving them back 1.5-2inches to drop them further. My elbows hurt immediately when I was testing the *ucked position. The windscreen seems like a piece of junk. I decided that it was nice enough that I wouldn't be too disappointed if the SV650 sold and I had to use it as my back up. Although, getting used to sitting upright and then getting a sport bike would be awful. I'm sure my back muscles would atrophy and that transition would be murder.

This is where this thread comes in to save the day! What I really want is the Triumph Daytona 675 and my second choice is the GSXR based on ergos alone. Now I know that the GSXR-600 is both my next bike and my third bike all because they offer that beautiful, thoughtful little power switch!
 
#9 ·
have you got chance to sit on the 2011-12 GSXR 600? I have not...yet. I'm more concerned about the ergos of this bike fitting me good. Previous year GSXR put some strain on the wrists and hands after long rides, at least from what I heard. If the ergos are much improved and fit me well I will pull the trigger on this bike next year.

Btw, I hear the Triumph daytona 675 ergos is not too comfy, from what I heard on reviews online. Have you sat on this bike?
 
#10 · (Edited)
Hey DudeMan you have to demo these bikes before you buy if the dealer lets you. I got to Rid the 12 GSXR600 and 12 R6 at demos.

R6-
Pros- Nice sounding VROMMMMM sounding exhaust. Ultra sharp handling for skilled riders. Exciting free revving engine that revs faster and smoother than the GSXR600.
Cons-Tall seat height and pretty much a torture rack for the street.

GSXR600
Pros-for a 600 really good torque down low. Much easier for most to ride than a R6.
Cons- to my ears I wasnt that thrilled with the exhaust sound. It just roars to me not VROMMMMM so I rather hear a R6. The footpegs buzzed pretty bad. It was probably just the one I rode. It was tiring to have my feet tingle at the mid range spot in a lot of gear so make sure you test ride before you buy it.

Good luck in your search and test ride is the only way to go.
 
#14 ·
Is this a statement against the ride mode switch?:confused:

I like that I can get a bike that is a step towards super sport and a super sport. I don't like having to buy and then sell a bike that is just a step towards a super sport. Not to mention I have worked hard to develop my skills and when the twisties come around to equalize I can catch many riders...The OP is also planning to develop his skills. I would also venture to say there probably is very few of us on this forum or others that can "run" by my definition. "Run" meaning Rossi on a Yamaha, well fine, Rossi on a Ducati ain't too bad either I suppose :p.
 
#13 ·
^^Thanks for the reviews on the bikes. How was the ergo on the gsxr 600? Decent for the city?
 
#15 ·
It was comfortable enough for a super sport, but they are all crap for the city. The CBR is smaller, more nimble (from reviews) and felt more upright. If I wanted a "city super sport" I think it would be the best choice, but the super sport design just isn't conducive for slow, tight turns and stop and go. In all honesty, I'm probably as happy as I could be on my CBR250R in the city. One of the 650's, with upright ergos, would be the cats pajamas if I wasn't working towards a super sport for my beloved twisty roads and track ideation.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Yeah if the GSXR600 is worst then our cbr250 when it comes to city comfort than I think I'm going the wrong route. To be honest this cbr250r is as far as I could go with comfort in a sporty bike. I love the look of the super sport bikes but love to cruise long distances. I bet with super sport bikes your wrists and lower back will not be happy after a really long ride. I don't like those super sport touring bikes, they look dorky to me, like it's trying to be a cool-looking super sport but fails badly, like people who really want a Gold Wing but without the dorky look.

In all honesty, it looks like I may just end up keeping my cbr250r unless they come with a cbr400r or a similar type of bike.
 
#26 ·
Yeah if the GSXR600 is worst then our cbr250 when it comes to city comfort than I think I'm going the wrong route. To be honest this cbr250r is as far as I could go with comfort in a sporty bike. I love the look of the super sport bikes but love to cruise long distances. I bet with super sport bikes your wrists and lower back will not be happy after a really long ride. I don't like those super sport touring bikes, they look dorky to me, like it's trying to be a cool-looking super sport but fails badly, like people who really want a Gold Wing but without the dorky look.

In all honesty, it looks like I may just end up keeping my cbr250r unless they come with a cbr400r or a similar type of bike.
So Mister Dudu rides a scooter, buys a 250 and puts on a whoppin 200 miles in over a month and is now ready for a 600 for his long cruises. I feel bad for the 600cc bike forums, theyll be saturated with plastic-dip videos and advice on everything 600 from his holiness.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Not a fan. The front doesn't look right, imo. Clip on risers could be the answer on the gsxr 600.
 
#25 ·
This dude traded in his kaw 650 for the 2012 gsxr 600 & said it was the best thing he ever did.


 
#27 ·
^^^ ******TROLL ALERT******TROLL ALERT******


*******THIS IS YOUR EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM*******


 
#30 ·
It's funny with all the talk about bad ergos on supersports. Granted I've only been riding for about a month, but whenever I've sat on a supersport it just feels 'right' to me. At times I find myself being down more on the 250 not because I have to, but because I want to. I also tried a few cruiser-style bikes during my course, and wanted off them after 10-15 minutes.

Maybe it has something to do with riding bicycles so much when I was younger...dunno.
 
#31 · (Edited)
Me 2... I've been riding road and mountain bikes for about 18-20 years and I'm used to a more forward riding position so the CBR250 posture feels kind of like a "no man's land" for me.

I haven't ever ridden a supersport and with only about 3 months of riding under my belt I'm reluctant to allow my punk self the throttle of a 600 but I've been very drawn to that type of bike recently. Not sure if it's wishful thinking or a passing fad but as of right now I'm really intrigued with the idea of a GSXR600 as my next bike. A FZ6R or Ninja 650 would more fit my needs/wants in terms of performance and power than a 600 SS but after sitting on each of the 650s several times I'm just not feeling that riding position.

I've done some stationary saddle time on the CBR600, R6, ZX-6r, and GSXR600 and the Suzuki is by far the most agreeable to my 5'6" body and 29"-30" inseam. I'll have to look more into the selectable ride modes of the bike, that would definitely help to allay one of the reservations I have about stepping up to a 600 supersport.
 
#32 ·
From what I've seen and read (no personal experience) I'd DEFINITELY go with the gixxer 750. It's has better power EVERYwhere in the powerband and only costs like $400 more. I honestly don't see how they even sell 600's seeing as how they sell a 750 for that little of a difference.

Oh and you might want to reconsider the daytona 675 after seeing the maintenance costs! I saw a post on here somewhere from nbmitch on how much and how often his services were for his and it was very scary.
 
#34 ·
I will have a new lady in my life tomorrow, a new 2011 GSX-R600. Found a deal I couldn't pass up. It is about $2,000 dollars less than my best case spreadsheet estimate comparison of the Triumph Daytona 675 and GSXR using different estimated APR's and model year prices. The out the door price was less than the initial purchase estimate of either motorcycle! I feek crazy, excited and nervous...I feel like I'm asking a girl out:eek:...the best part is she won't say no!:D
 
#37 ·
Yeah people hate those people who do that shiz around here. I don't like them myself b/c they are crying for attention on their big bike, I guess it makes up for something they are severely lacking. lol
 
#38 ·
I love the black and white color scheme on the 2011-12 bikes. You mostly only see the blue ones around here.

 
#39 · (Edited)
Both bikes get boring. The CBR has terrible scooter like acceleration. The GSXR, maybe you cant go 140 because laws but you can peel your skin back going from 20-70 and **** its a rush. But eventually riding in a line will get boring on both bikes. Im bored with both of them pretty quick. I will say this though to the dude. If you thing is long trips.. do not get a gsxr. Dont get a sport bike. Get a sport touring IF you like to ride fast around sharp corners and lean off a bike and like to accelerate then YES!! When I ride to the mountains on the way home which is a 70 mile ride. I am in so much pain. Aching. It freakign sucks. Im going 120 on way home because i want off the bike so bad. But to be honest the CBR 25o wasnt much better. I still wanted to get off the bike on the way home.
 
#41 ·
I really like the BMW f800st. I realize it is quite expensive but it seems like it fits a good upgrade category in many ways.
1 More power
2 Nice Looking
3 Reasonable insurance
4 Good for curves
5 Good for long distance

Other than cash does anyone have cons about this bike?
 
#46 · (Edited)
well as for dork-cycles. i did not really care what others thot when i rode them. But i am old enough not to give a whit what others think. I stopped riding them because i did not like the way they handled or the massive unsprung weight of the motor on a swing arm design. Bumps were hell on my last big scoot (Piaggio X9 - 460cc)
I thot the big scoot would be more comfy for hwy riding and was disappointed in that it was not.

a joke i used to tell was... well there is that saying that guys buy big flashy cars/bikes to compensate for an extremely small penis. Some guys are secure in their manhood and ride scooters to compensate for an extremely large penis :)

Loved my previous bike to that (Derbi Boulevard 150) that was a fun bike around town and slower roads. but was pinned at 100kph. I wanted a bike that could do hwy and still be nimble for city. I wanted a more upright bike due to health reasons. I also wanted a bike <400cc for insurance purposes. Insurance jumps big time around here >400cc. Since there are no bikes in the 250 to 400cc range here (cept for the Ninja 400) i opted for the Honda. Decent ergos - abs and fuel injection were a bonus.

I passed on the Ninja 400 mainly because of price and weight. Almost as big and heavy as the 650, almost as much $$ but less power. A CBR400r would be perfect if based on the 250 frame.

i am finding that i enjoy long day touring on my bike. I can do 300km to 800km a day easy. As much as i love the 250 i am hoping to get a new bike for next season. From checking the motorcycle ergo website to see how i fit on different bikes...

Some of the contenders i am looking at is the Suzuki SV650. Love the abs, concerned about the ergos as it seems to be similar to the cbr. havent had a chance to sit on one yet but plan to soon.

Yamaha FZ6R - good ergos. more upright. decent power but not insane rip your arms off power. no abs = bad

One that surprised me is the Ninja 650. did not expect it to be as upright as it is. There is also the Kawasaki ER6N and Versys. Maybe a throw back to old days but i still do not trust kawasaki for reliabilty.

i have considered cruisers but not sure if i would like the ride. a little too upright with feet forward. like a scooter. plays hell on knees and back on long ride. plus i do not imagine them to be too flickable in corners.
 
#51 ·
Skrait off da mean skreets yo!! LOL Did you ever have a bruick on 26's? Just playin.
 
#52 ·
lol. No, I left the hood when I was 12 yrs old. I never forget where I came from though and often visit and still have friends that live there.
 
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