GSXR 1000 v/s Yamaha R1

[skotty]

Hello all,

Am planning to get a new bike, so I went to a dealership today, to check out new bikes. Initially my choices were between the Busa and the R1. I sat on the Busa to check how comfortable it was, but it didnt seem as comfortable as the R1. So the Busa is out of the question now. Then one of the salesmen suggested the GSXR 1000. After I sat on the Gixxer, I was even more confused, cause it has a narrower seat than the R1 and was a little lighter too, and thus seemed like it would be more comfortable. I was also told that the Gixxer has more low end torque and higher horsepower than the R1. I have always liked the R1, but now I am confused between the R1 and the Gixxer. I'd appreciate if anyone could post facts or advantages of either one of these bikes.

Thanks,

[md86]

Just about EVERY bike mag has or has had a liter bike comparo in the last month or so . Do yourself a favor and grab a copy . Yeah , the GSXR ALWAYS seems to be the favorite in such a comparo , but just by a small amount . The R1 is considered high-strung , in that it doesn't have so much power down low compared to the rest . But really , there's still PLENTY of power to get you from 0-go-directly-to-jail speed quicker than you can even THINK about it .

[iwannadie]

neither are ment to be comfortable. if you want comfort get the goldwing. i never understood buying a pure sports machine based on its comfort? its like the people getting in a porsche then crying how the seats are to hard....

get the bike for its performance and live with the seat comfort. or just buy a new seat later its not like you cant change the seat shape/size.

[evil-eye]

get the gixxer

[Yellow2002Kat]

Having ridden both bikes I can say that I prefer the R1 to the GSX-R 1000. Don't get me wrong, I love the Gixxer, but the 1000 is a little too much bike for me. I have a much greater urge to tear up the street on the Gixxer than on the R1. I don't know why. The R1 isn't a tame bike by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't get that same "need for speed" feeling on the R1 as I do on the Gixxer. I think it's probably because the Gixxer is a little more "flickable" than the R1 if you get what I mean. It's hard to explain, but if you ride 'em both you may understand.

Now, having said all that, I would pick the new Gixxer 750 over both bikes. More than enough power and an awesome ride. Plus I don't really get that "need for speed" feeling as much, but I know the power is there when I want it.

As for comfort, that's the compromise. You don't buy one of these bikes for comfort any more than you buy a Viper for the gas mileage. Whichever bike you choose, expect to stop for a stretch and a drink about every 50 miles.

If you're really on the fence between the R1 and the Gixxer 1000, check out what your insurance rates would be for each bike. That could very well be a deciding factor.

Good luck!

[Wingspan]

neither are ment to be comfortable. if you want comfort get the goldwing. i never understood buying a pure sports machine based on its comfort? its like the people getting in a porsche then crying how the seats are to hard....

get the bike for its performance and live with the seat comfort. or just buy a new seat later its not like you cant change the seat shape/size.

For most people, comfort leads to confidence and confidence is key to good riding. If all you can think about is how miserable you are, your mind isn't on proper form, technique, etc.

When you realize that even professional racers don't always agree as to which of these bikes is the "best" and that 99% of us who ride will never be good enough to seriously challenge the capabilities of either bike...why wouldn't you consider comfort when making a purchase decision?

[iwannadie]

neither are ment to be comfortable. if you want comfort get the goldwing. i never understood buying a pure sports machine based on its comfort? its like the people getting in a porsche then crying how the seats are to hard....

get the bike for its performance and live with the seat comfort. or just buy a new seat later its not like you cant change the seat shape/size.

For most people, comfort leads to confidence and confidence is key to good riding. If all you can think about is how miserable you are, your mind isn't on proper form, technique, etc.

When you realize that even professional racers don't always agree as to which of these bikes is the "best" and that 99% of us who ride will never be good enough to seriously challenge the capabilities of either bike...why wouldn't you consider comfort when making a purchase decision?

cause neither will be comfortable, theres always something else more important to base a purchase on i think. like yellowkat said plan to take a break every so many miles which ever way you go. either way the comfort isnt going to be drastically better, might as well focus on the insurance cost. or even for the type of riding you want, the r1 and gsx1000 are different enough to make a choice i think based on performance/features.

also like i said, if the seat is to narrow or to stiff im sure you can buy a new seat easy enough. just replace the seat with some grip tape and add some padding to your leathers and be on your way

[Wingspan]

cause neither will be comfortable, theres always something else more important to base a purchase on i think.

The GSXR and R1 are so close in performance that the only real deciding factor is personal preference. Part of that is comfort. Obviously, neither of these bikes is ever going to be a Goldwing. However, if a person finds one to be more comfortable than the other, it'd be silly not to include that as a part of the buying decision.

like yellowkat said plan to take a break every so many miles which ever way you go. either way the comfort isnt going to be drastically better, might as well focus on the insurance cost. or even for the type of riding you want, the r1 and gsx1000 are different enough to make a choice i think based on performance/features.

I'm sorry, but any street rider (and the vast majority of track riders) who claim they need a a GSXR over an R1 (or vice versa)) because of any performance advantage are full of . They're essentially identical in every catagory of both performance and features. People choose one over the other because of personal preferance. Most people will be faster on one over the other because that bike just happens to suit them better. Comfort is a HUGE part of that (and I'm talking about more than just the seat here).

There are many factors to consider when buying a bike and every purchase is a compromise in some way. However, to totally ignore comfort because of some notion that these bikes weren't meant to be Goldwings is just silly and could easily put you on a bike that you wouldn't ride as well.

[iwannadie]

cause neither will be comfortable, theres always something else more important to base a purchase on i think.

The GSXR and R1 are so close in performance that the only real deciding factor is personal preference. Part of that is comfort. Obviously, neither of these bikes is ever going to be a Goldwing. However, if a person finds one to be more comfortable than the other, it'd be silly not to include that as a part of the buying decision.

like yellowkat said plan to take a break every so many miles which ever way you go. either way the comfort isnt going to be drastically better, might as well focus on the insurance cost. or even for the type of riding you want, the r1 and gsx1000 are different enough to make a choice i think based on performance/features.

I'm sorry, but any street rider (and the vast majority of track riders) who claim they need a a GSXR over an R1 (or vice versa)) because of any performance advantage are full of . They're essentially identical in every catagory of both performance and features. People choose one over the other because of personal preferance. Most people will be faster on one over the other because that bike just happens to suit them better. Comfort is a HUGE part of that (and I'm talking about more than just the seat here).

There are many factors to consider when buying a bike and every purchase is a compromise in some way. However, to totally ignore comfort because of some notion that these bikes weren't meant to be Goldwings is just silly and could easily put you on a bike that you wouldn't ride as well.

comfort isnt a none issue, but it wouldnt be a deciding one for me like i said earlier. the original poster mentiond the seat specifically is why i keep bringing up the seat. obviously if the reach of the bars is to high, far , low or whatever thats an issue. the seat being to narrow should not be a reason not to buy a bike i think.

also sitting on these bikes for a few minutes in the dealer with both feet on the ground isnt a good judge of comfort by any means. if comfort was that big of a deal to me(and i had the urge to buy one of these bikes) id have them up on stands and sit on them for a while in an actual riding position. throw a magazine on the tank so you dont get bored or face a window/tv and sit it out for an hour.

the whole 'i like the xxxxx bike because when i sat on it in the dealer it felt the nicest' idea to me is crazy. i hear it all the time, people jump on a bike and decide its the best because of that few seconds on the seat with feet on the ground.

[TheKlic]

performance and reliability on both are amazing
sorry dude, goes to personal preference
both WILL be fast
both WILL handle well
both WILL stop well
so that leaves which one you like better
hard decision

[iwannadie]

performance and reliability on both are amazing
sorry dude, goes to personal preference
both WILL be fast
both WILL handle well
both WILL stop well
so that leaves which one you like better
hard decision

your buying what an 11,000$ bike and your deciding factor is the seat? come on. insurance rates, after market parts, weight, gas capacity, warranty, load capacity, used parts availability, proven vs new technology, price, long term service issues, overall look and style even. theres to many things they cant be all identical. id have to see the mag write up of them i guess.

but anyone should do what they want, i didnt buy my bike or car because of the seat though.

[jhugh]

Just about EVERY bike mag has or has had a liter bike comparo in the last month or so

Like md86 said, these bikes have all been compared in recent months so pick up a few back issues and see what was reported. I think the GSXR came out on top most of the time BUT many of the magazines did say that all 4 literbikes are so close in performance, handling, etc. that it just comes down to personal preference. Personally I think all 4 are equally scary.

[md86]

EXACTLY . It all comes down to personal preferance .

[Yellow2002Kat]

Only thing I would add is to test ride all the bikes you're considering to see which is most comfortable to you. I honestly don't know how you can buy a bike you've never ridden, but I understand why dealers don't want you taking new bikes for test rides...

If you have any friends with the bikes you're looking at, ask 'em if you can go for a spin. If not, check your local ads for used R1s and Gixxers and go see a couple. Every bike I've ever bought has been used, and I've never been denied a test ride. I've also never traded in a bike so I sold them personally. If I thought the buyer was serious and he had a license I let him go for a test ride (although I always followed on my new bike). I'm not suggesting that you go for a bunch of joyrides because that's just not right. However, if you wanna get a true feel for each bike you're considering the best way to do it is to ride 'em.

Go somewhere you can get them up to speed - don't just take 'em for a ride around the parking lot - you won't get a feel for the bike that way. Who knows, you might find a nice used bike for a good price in the process?

Good luck!

[skotty]

Thanks for all the input guys, I am so glad I found Katriders.com, I can always trust that I'd find useful information here.

Thanks md86, I will get a few magazines and check it out for more information.

iwannadie,
thanks for your input too. When I mentioned comfort, I didnt mean cruiser comfort, I just wanted to know if I had to pick between the two, which would be more comfortable. Also I am not just basing my decision on the seat. I had asked on the post for anyone's input on any other information about the bikes. I sat on both these bikes with my friend holding the rear end of the bike so I could test it with both my legs on the footpegs. I am not going to base my decision on just the one hour I spent there, I'm going to gather information from the forum and if by some possible chance, I get to test ride any of the bikes, I'll be in a better position to know what to go with.

Yellow2002kat,
thanks for your advice, I didnt think about checking for insurance rates, cause right now I just pay $86 per year on liability. I guess I forgot that I have to get comprehensive. So first thing on Monday, I'm gonna call the insurance company and check their insurance quotes. Also I would prefer to get a used bike, and if I do find one I'll probably get that.

Wingspan,
thanks for your input too. You were right about the personal preference part. I have always liked the R1, so I am kinda partial to that.

I guess the reason I mentioned the seat was that, the bike is my main source of transport, I dont own a car. In Texas, its feasible to ride almost throughout the year, as opposed to other colder states. So I gotta make sure that my rear end is as comfortable as possible. I realize one might suggest that I get a bike that makes more sense, but as a few of you mentioned, it comes down to personal preference.

I really appreciate the time that you all put into this post. Thanks again.