Who's ridden a sports bike?

[Cursed]

It's not about too much power, it's about how more power is produced.

An R1, Blade, ZX10R etc make more power but aren't as nice to use as a Busa or B-King except when you are working hard and they are on the boil.

200hp with a heap of grunt can be more useable and friendly than 160 or 180hp from a high reving sportsbike motor.

I concede.. Better explained version of what I was trying to say 

[VladTepes]

I presume you mean a modern sportsbike, because the definition (or at least implementation) of focused sports bikes has come a long way in the last 20 years...

I too prefer torquey bikes over huge revs/top end horsepower for most uses,

I've ridden a busa - loved it but realised my licence would last 3 minutes. Prefer the GSX upright riding position though.

I've ridden a 'blade. Nah. Not for me.
I've ridden a GSXR thou. Nah. Not for me.
I've ridden an Aprilia Shiver. Fun-ish. But again not for me.

I've ridden a Norton Commando 961 (cafe). Not a sports bike, but certainly less comfortable than ANY sportsbike

I've ridden a Moto Guzzi California 1400 (yes NOT a sportsbike, but put that engine in a decent 'sporty' chassis and then talk to me. )

I'm not sure what my point was after all that.....

[Icebreaker]

Owned Lots of sport/supersport bikes.
Gsxr750 and 1000gsxr
Ducati 851
Tl1000s
Vtr1000sp1
900rr
600rr
Nsr400
Rgv250
+++
And the only one's more fun then the 1400, are the v-twin. Awesome fun, not ås cumfy, and THE SOUND omg......

[Masterbates]

I took a VTR1000 for a good run before getting the GSX, I actually liked it in many ways, but didn't find it comfortable to ride.  The engine and noise was great fun, but I felt happy to jump back on my CB500, as gutless as it is.  The GSX on the other hand makes the CB feel gutless, twitchy, unstable and even uncomfortable.
Also rode a new VFR800, which was cool but I simply didn't enjoy it.   Torque is king

[Dan B]

I've got a 2005 R6 (Left) along with the 14. The R6 does 'feel' a bit gutless down low especially if you have just stepped off the 14, but it outperforms the 14 (almost clinically) In just about every way.

I've made the gearing shorter on the r6 in the past (1 down 3 up) and that improves the low end performance in the sense that you get out of the low range quicker, but not comparable to the 14's sheer grunt.

I bought the 14 with the intention to do away with the R6, but they're such awesome (and hugely different) bikes . Couldn't live without either!

Hope this helps...
...but honestly just saw a good chance to share a sneaky shed pic of the bikes 

[GSXKING]

A group of us had a ride on Monday after WSBK at Phillip Island Feb2019. The last year model BMW S1000RR performed spectacularly unobtrusive traction control and ABS. It was a joy and after 4 X 20 min sessions I was worn out. 

[GSXKING]

In the pits 

[Clarence Bodikker]

Here's a video I found interesting that I watched the other day:

4VjYLTS2xOM

The sportiest bike I ever owned was a Honda blackbird cbr1100xx. For a fat middle aged guy it was about as sporty as I could handle. Even though everyone says they are very comfortable I felt like I was riding a moto gp bike. I actually did fit on it though which is rare for me.

[grog]

So Clarence, after that video, guess i rode a sport bike just an hour ago. Good old 14. 

[Notty]

So Clarence, after that video, guess i rode a sport bike just an hour ago. Good old 14. 

same here - and saved a wad of cash -enjoyed that 

[Tony Nitrous]

I want.....

[KiwiCol]

Looks like something from a Mad Max movie set Tony, very futuristic sort of thing.

[Batkwaka]

V-Twin sports bikes have lower CC's but the same if not more grunt than the 14. Some years back I owned a Honda VTR1000 Firestorm as well as the 14, and it had as much if not more torque than the 14 and delivered the power in a very similar manner.

Twin cylinder bikes generate about the same torque per cc as four cylinder bikes. A quick check on torque figures put the VTR at 67ft/lb and the GSX at 97 ft/lb but both around 100hp. Torque figures on the old 996 Ducati and R1 of the same year show fairly equal torque figures from like minded machinery.

[Tony Nitrous]

Twins often feel more grunty because they make it lower down.

The downside is unless it's a serious racebike most twins run out of steam top end.

My 14 makes more torque than several of my other bikes, and yet despite its bigger CC's and extra torque I'd bet on it being slower at the strip. Nicer, but not faster.

"Torque sells trucks, horsepower wins races"

[GSXKING]

@Tony Nitrous harks back to the original design of B-King