Most bikes now feel bland?

[Michael Whitney]

I've had my k5 gsx 1400 for around 3-4 weeks now but today I went with a mate to look at a 900 diversion for him though he's on A2 licence so can't test ride it. I have a full unrestricted licence so took it out for a little test ride and it didn't pull as well as I thought it would. My dad's mate has a 900 diversion and when I had bandit 600 it seemed to pull really well so was expecting more out of it. Also I rode my bandit 600 a couple of weeks ago and that obviously too felt under powered. Just doesn't seem to be any feed back, normally with the bandit when I had it I would open throttle and would seem to pull pretty good for what it is even after riding my mates shiver 750 bandit still felt decent enough to ride and have fun on. But it seems GSX is so torquey that most other bikes seem crap. Can understand bandit feeling under powered but was surprised at the 900 divvy.

Was at a bike meet the other day and someone cam and admired the GSX. He said he used to have one and that once you ride a GSX all other bikes are crap. So far I've only ridden the bandit 600 and the diversion 900 since owning the GSX, might ride mates shiver 750 again see if that feels worse than I remember lol. Anyone else find other bikes crap in comparison? Though I assume any 1 liter+ bike will make other bikes seem crap?

[Blubber]

Been out on a mates yamaha thunderace... The 1000cc version I think...  Was bored all the way. They need revs to move, just to compensate the lack of torque

He claims it rips his arms off every time he opens it fully.... 

Guess my arms are attached better 

[Michael Whitney]

To be fair GSX is making 126 nm of torque at 5k rpm isn't it? Something like the diversion is only making a max of around 71 nm at 7k rpm so gsx is probably making that amount of torque at 2-3k rpm. Not sure on the specs of the thunderace.

[Blubber]

110Nm @ 8500rpm according to a spec site.

[Michael Whitney]

would have thought that thing would fly once revved with that much HP? So you found it boring compared to GSX?

[Blubber]

I assumed power wheelies and warpspeed on tap at every twist of the throttle .... Silly me 

It can haul ass but you have to keep the revs up. Maybe that was the difference 

I liked my neighbors xjr1300 better than the thunderace.

Guess I am more of a naked bike guy.

We,  the 14 and the xjr had some race fun on a private road and the bikes perform simular speed wise.

[Michael Whitney]

XJR doesn't have the underseat storage tho does it? Think that's what mainly swung it for me. I first saw the CB1300 and loved the look of it and then saw a GSX1400 and loved it even more, that was 4 years ago and wanted one ever since lol. My mk1 bandit 600 had a fair bit of under seat storage could get 2 500ml bottles under there or something so loving the under seat storage on the GSX.

The under seat storage the GSX has, has been handy lol (isn't all my food got mates lunch under there as well lol):

[Tony Nitrous]

There's plenty of bikes out there that make a GSX1400 feel a tame and a bit sensible just as the 14 does to a little Bandit or Dinosaur XJ9.  You need to compare like with like.

My GSX14 is a great bike, comfort, torque, pillion, luggage etc, but its certainly not the most exciting thing I've ridden or even own.

Very happy to be a 14 owner, but wouldn't own one as an only bike.

[Kiwifruit]

Michael you got more food under there than a corner store....... 

[Blubber]

You mean this storage 

[Michael Whitney]

There's plenty of bikes out there that make a GSX1400 feel a tame and a bit sensible just as the 14 does to a little Bandit or Dinosaur XJ9.  You need to compare like with like.

My GSX14 is a great bike, comfort, torque, pillion, luggage etc, but its certainly not the most exciting thing I've ridden or even own.

Very happy to be a 14 owner, but wouldn't own one as an only bike.

What's been the most fun bike you've had or currently own?

You mean this storage 

Can get a weeks worth of shopping under the 14's seat I reckon. Annoyingly previous owner took out near enough the whole of the inside bit to fit an aftermarket under tray. Surely you can just cut off the mud guard and not near enough the whole thing? So mine doesn't have the little side walls which is some what a pain as I now don't know how high I can stack things before the seat won't go back on. Though I know from bandit, obviously anything at the back of the seat will fit if it's under the seat lock part.

[Tony Nitrous]

A few favourites from the past, all a bit different.
Big bore, stretched, hotted up GSX1100 Katana, a 10 year money pit!
GSXR1100 streetfighter with a pipe, Renthals etc.
1200 Bandit with a 60hp nitrous kit as a daily ride.
A couple of Hayabusa's.

Currently have a chopped about Hayabusa, no fairing, Renthals and GSXR tail,  and a 163hp B-King that are both fairly entertaining and an old GSX1100, big bore, wider 18" rims, rear sets, full system etc.

Don't get me wrong, I do like my 14. It's a very relaxing bike to ride, easy to live with bike, and still OK to clown about on.

http://gsx1400owners.org/forum_test/index.php?topic=1127.0

[Michael Whitney]

A few favourites from the past, all a bit different.
Big bore, stretched, hotted up GSX1100 Katana, a 10 year money pit!
GSXR1100 streetfighter with a pipe, Renthals etc.
1200 Bandit with a 60hp nitrous kit as a daily ride.
A couple of Hayabusa's.

Currently have a chopped about Hayabusa, no fairing, Renthals and GSXR tail,  and a 163hp B-King that are both fairly entertaining and an old GSX1100, big bore, wider 18" rims, rear sets, full system etc.
http://gsx1400owners.org/forum_test/index.php?topic=1127.0

So basically any bike with shit loads of power or if lacking such power stick on a nitrous kit. Have seen a GSX1400 with a super charger on it bet that's fun to ride think it's pumping out about 200 hp.

Rode the bandit again today just felt so shit from when I used it as a daily bike. Shame really while bandit is bland to ride at least for those who've ridden bikes with a fair bit of torque and hp, I had a fair bit of fun on the bandit plus have done over 40k miles on it and now it feels like a 125 in comparison to the GSX. But then so did that 900 diversion I rode as well, wanna ride my mates shiver 750 see if that feels crap now.

[Tony Nitrous]

I sold several bikes when I left the UK, including a Bandit 1200.

Even when I'd bought a Busa, B-King and GSX1100 I still missed my old Bandit 1200. I bought another Mk-1 (1999) faired and turned it naked. Nothing special, Renthals and a Yoshi can. I'm still a big fan.

The 12 doesn't have the grunt or planted feel of the 14 but it makes up for it in other ways. Waaaay better to clown about on, wheelies etc. A motor that takes lots of GSXR parts from cams to 750 "DOT" heads and is very tuneable. Fun to throw around and gives a heap of feed back before things get messy.

14's and 12's are very different and neither replaces or beats the other for me.



Not sure about 6's, but the 12's are great fun...

[grog]

I spent only 1/2 hr on 2010 bandit 1250, nothing like my 14 but loved it. Could still tell its a suzuki but different power, brakes, handling. Was a naked with a different seat. I felt at home on it after 10 mins. Much more flickable and better brakes over 14. Great bike.