[ctandc]

Well after riding a 2003 YZF600R last month...I know what my next bike is.

Made pretty much unchanged from 98-07 the "THundercat" is a great bike.

A bit over 400lbs dry. GREAT factory brakes and suspension is fully adjustable. GREAT ERGOS!!! Great power (@100HP) and it's got grunt down low as well. I haven't found anything new that floats my boat enough to lay out the cash...but I'm on the hunt for a deal on a YZF. Check one out...

[woobie]

Well after riding a 2003 YZF600R last month...I know what my next bike is.

Made pretty much unchanged from 98-07 the "THundercat" is a great bike.

A bit over 400lbs dry. GREAT factory brakes and suspension is fully adjustable. GREAT ERGOS!!! Great power (@100HP) and it's got grunt down low as well. I haven't found anything new that floats my boat enough to lay out the cash...but I'm on the hunt for a deal on a YZF. Check one out...

Too funny, not your review, but that fact that this bike was raved about when it was bleeding edge when it replaced the FZR. I remember reading the reviews (still have a magazine with it somewhere) and wanting one so bad lol. Looked awesome in that blue Yamaha used back then.

[squiggy]

The YZF600R is a very nice bike. Had I known about it before the Katana, I may have bought it instead.


The Katana does have some very nice features now that I know about the bike:

• dual free form design headlights

• large capacity alternator

• gas gauge

• screw-type valve adjustments

• dead reliable engine design

[Wild-Bill]

Just me but I've never thought of an in-line 600 as suitable for touring. They're too buzzy and seem (to me) like they're on the wrong side of the torque/HP compromise. For long distance I want a bike that makes more torque (means lower cruising rpms and less shifting to get up hills or pass a car) and runs with less vibration.

Nothing wrong with a 600 but it seems to me that there's a huge difference in how a 750 (or bigger engine) makes power and that difference makes it a much better distance bike.

["K"]

I rode a 2005 YZF600R for little over 5000 mi. in 8 months. I feel that it's a bit anemic in the lowend (compared to a Bandit or even Katana 600), lots of footwork shifting required in city traffic... but the low maintenance engine is nice, I didn't have to do a thing in 5000 mi. not even an oil change before I sold it.

[Slofuze]

I love my YZF1000r......... not much different weight-wise from the Kat...... but comfy and a blast to ride. A sixth gear would make it downright scarey.

[DClark]

Just me but I've never thought of an in-line 600 as suitable for touring. They're too buzzy and seem (to me) like they're on the wrong side of the torque/HP compromise. For long distance I want a bike that makes more torque (means lower cruising rpms and less shifting to get up hills or pass a car) and runs with less vibration.
.

I am a liter snob- I won't anything smaller than 1000cc for the reasons you listed. The extra torque and smoothness you get from a bigger makes for effortless cruising. Plus, they tend to be longer and heavy and that is a plus when you load down.
However, it is worth noting that some people do tour with small bikes. My favorite example was the coupe that loaded down a Honda CX500 and took a 3 year road trip, visiting every continent except antartica. I saw a pic of their bike on a dug out canoe being pulled across the nile river. Incredible trip, done by two people on a 500cc V- twin.

[Psycho1]

My first bike was a 1980 CX500 Deluxe. It was economical, comfortable, and reliable as a hammer,,,, but slow, heavy, and handled about as good as a Cadillac Fleetwood with blown shocks all around.

[Wild-Bill]

I am a liter snob- I won't anything smaller than 1000cc for the reasons you listed. The extra torque and smoothness you get from a bigger makes for effortless cruising. Plus, they tend to be longer and heavy and that is a plus when you load down.

Exactly my point. With the bigger cylinders you get more torque. I'm a scrawny little guy so I'm happier with a smaller bike around town and since the budget's a bit limited I've got to settle for just one bike. Hence the compromise that settles on a 750. To me that's just the right size.

However, it is worth noting that some people do tour with small bikes. My favorite example was the coupe that loaded down a Honda CX500 and took a 3 year road trip, visiting every continent except antartica. I saw a pic of their bike on a dug out canoe being pulled across the nile river. Incredible trip, done by two people on a 500cc V- twin.

Notice... they chose a V-twin instead of an in-line. Makes power in a completely different way. You don't get any more torque than you would with a same-size in-line but because of the V arrangement the power is steadier.

[il_ragazzo]

i rode a drz 400s today (a buddy at work).... i like dual sports but need something bigger. though that would be a perfect round town bike!

i felt like i was on stilts and the brakes were kinda weak. but for a round towner ,perfect

[il_ragazzo]

between this website redesigning the r1200gs and the specs of the beast i think it's my favorite bike right now. i have to recover from my fiscal pitfall from this summer then i'll test ride one! best r1200gs i have ever seen! http://machineartmoto.com/gsm/

[STULER]

No offence but IMO that is UGLY!!!!!! But opinions are like arse holes, everyones got one

[squiggy]

between this website redesigning the r1200gs and the specs of the beast i think it's my favorite bike right now. i have to recover from my fiscal pitfall from this summer then i'll test ride one! best r1200gs i have ever seen! http://machineartmoto.com/gsm/

I can't remember discussing it but have you considered the BMW K1200RS? That's the inline 4 cylinder "brick" engine that BMW makes. They stopped making that one when the came out with the K1300S bike. The K1200RS also came in the GT configuration. Several years ago I lusted after that bike.

Here's some Google pics of the bike.

http://www.google.com/images?q=2002+bmw+k1200rs&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=k2R5TOiOBpGcsQPusLCtBQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDoQsAQwAw&biw=1024&bih=613

It went through a face lift around the 2002 year.

[il_ragazzo]

yeah that too is a great looking bike, good eye.

[twerth]

What you might consider is a late model Ducati ST3 or ST4, either ABS or not and S or not. Their still new enough to be modern, have a 1000cc L-twin power, yet may be out of warranty so that you can do your own maintenance. However, the maintenance would as fequent as the Katana, about 7,500 miles for a valve check and I can't remember what it is for the timing belt replacement, 12,000 miles?. The ST3 (3 valve) is suposed to be easier to maintain as opposed to the ST4 (4 valve) from the research I've done.

You're about right on the maintenance schedule, although once you get about 20k miles on them, you rarely have to adjust the valves.

If you're looking for something on the sporty side of ST, these are a great choice. Smooth, all day comfort, enough power to wheely whenever and great in the corners. 2003 model year (like mine) have a hard narrow seat, that often gets replaced with aftermarket or an '04+ (snaps on with no mods), but that's about the only complaint.