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Hey everyone!
Just a quick review and thoughts on a couple of test rides I had yesterday on the new GSXR 1000 and 750.
I actually started off on the GSXR 1000 fitted with Yoshi pipe. Now I have been riding on dirt for more than a decade and also on the road for more than six years with a variety of bikes. FINALLY this was my first experience on a litre Superbike. I was a little anxious and nervous at first after reading all the hype surrounded around these bikes but brutally excited as well.
As soon as I started off I was impressed at how refined and civil this bike can be. The suspension took me by surprise, I was expecting a hardcore bore jarring over every bump experience, something like a chopped spring Vtec Civic. It was plush and soaked up every bump as if I was on a cruiser or driving a luxury Mercedes. The forks were not dialled in to my body weight so with tunning these BPF forks should be able to give you everything you need for road or track. Just awesome.
Being fitted with monobloc Brembo calipers I was expecting the slightest grab to have the back wheel in the air attempting to throw me over the handle bars, not the case, the feedback was superb, the two finger sqeeze always felt controlled and precise. They were so good I was starting to wonder if I would really need ABS? I mean I want abs on a sportsbike but are they necessary when the set up is this good?
Now to the engine, yep THAT engine, holy fucking shit!!!!!!!!!!!! It was everything I imagined it to be and more. I kept thinking to myself how the hell does anyone race these things with this much power? Massive props to those guys, using this much power on the racetrack is impressive. The thing I liked most about it was the fact you can actually ride it mild mannered using a higher gear and keeping the revs low. If you do this, for anyone coming off a smaller bike you will be more than fine if you have self control. The power is so linier and smooth I can see why the bike doesn't need traction control fitted. It does have B and C rider modes to reduce the power in the wet which is a great thing to have.
I had the bike for over and hour and I didn't ever want to take it back, sure I would never find the limits of the bike, but that outright acceleration and power on tap is extremely addictive. 2nd gear @ 100kph with a twist of the wrist was probably my favourite experience of the day. Man I want a litre bike so bad but could I keep my licence on one? Not sure on that, track days would have to be a frequent event.
The GSXR 750 was all stock. What a beautiful bike. I dunno if it was just me but I felt as if I was sitting more upright so it was slightly more comfortable. The bike was clearly lighter with shaper handling and that engine just wants to rev and boogie all day long. The induction noise seemed so much louder, maybe cause of the stoke pipe on the 750 compared to the Yoshi on the 1000. In a way this bike made me feel more like a hoon. You just want to rev it all the time to feel that rush of power and acceleration. The 1000 you can get that rush from pretty much any revs in any gear, I loved that. The 750 has it's own rewarding experience, the power is much more manageable and very useable, the litre bike is clearly overkill for a rider like myself.
What can I say, awesome bikes, 600's 750's and 1000's are all sick, it doesn't matter which one you go for they all give you an amazing experience with plusses and minuses for each one. I would be just as happy riding a 600 as I would be riding a 1000. Shape handling or ridiculous power? Or perhaps the perfect blend of both?
Just a quick review and thoughts on a couple of test rides I had yesterday on the new GSXR 1000 and 750.
I actually started off on the GSXR 1000 fitted with Yoshi pipe. Now I have been riding on dirt for more than a decade and also on the road for more than six years with a variety of bikes. FINALLY this was my first experience on a litre Superbike. I was a little anxious and nervous at first after reading all the hype surrounded around these bikes but brutally excited as well.
As soon as I started off I was impressed at how refined and civil this bike can be. The suspension took me by surprise, I was expecting a hardcore bore jarring over every bump experience, something like a chopped spring Vtec Civic. It was plush and soaked up every bump as if I was on a cruiser or driving a luxury Mercedes. The forks were not dialled in to my body weight so with tunning these BPF forks should be able to give you everything you need for road or track. Just awesome.
Being fitted with monobloc Brembo calipers I was expecting the slightest grab to have the back wheel in the air attempting to throw me over the handle bars, not the case, the feedback was superb, the two finger sqeeze always felt controlled and precise. They were so good I was starting to wonder if I would really need ABS? I mean I want abs on a sportsbike but are they necessary when the set up is this good?
Now to the engine, yep THAT engine, holy fucking shit!!!!!!!!!!!! It was everything I imagined it to be and more. I kept thinking to myself how the hell does anyone race these things with this much power? Massive props to those guys, using this much power on the racetrack is impressive. The thing I liked most about it was the fact you can actually ride it mild mannered using a higher gear and keeping the revs low. If you do this, for anyone coming off a smaller bike you will be more than fine if you have self control. The power is so linier and smooth I can see why the bike doesn't need traction control fitted. It does have B and C rider modes to reduce the power in the wet which is a great thing to have.
I had the bike for over and hour and I didn't ever want to take it back, sure I would never find the limits of the bike, but that outright acceleration and power on tap is extremely addictive. 2nd gear @ 100kph with a twist of the wrist was probably my favourite experience of the day. Man I want a litre bike so bad but could I keep my licence on one? Not sure on that, track days would have to be a frequent event.
The GSXR 750 was all stock. What a beautiful bike. I dunno if it was just me but I felt as if I was sitting more upright so it was slightly more comfortable. The bike was clearly lighter with shaper handling and that engine just wants to rev and boogie all day long. The induction noise seemed so much louder, maybe cause of the stoke pipe on the 750 compared to the Yoshi on the 1000. In a way this bike made me feel more like a hoon. You just want to rev it all the time to feel that rush of power and acceleration. The 1000 you can get that rush from pretty much any revs in any gear, I loved that. The 750 has it's own rewarding experience, the power is much more manageable and very useable, the litre bike is clearly overkill for a rider like myself.
What can I say, awesome bikes, 600's 750's and 1000's are all sick, it doesn't matter which one you go for they all give you an amazing experience with plusses and minuses for each one. I would be just as happy riding a 600 as I would be riding a 1000. Shape handling or ridiculous power? Or perhaps the perfect blend of both?
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