600cc or 1000cc sport bike?

Question

I'm not wanting to pop wheelies at 80 mph, but I want something that is going to be fast from zero and with plenty of power on a climb and around corners. I'm a little worried that a 600 will seem underpowered or that a 1000 will seem lumbering around corners.

Answer 1

It depends on your experience level. If you have only driven things with four wheels, a 500 cc, 50 hp bike will seem extremely fast; they're in Corvette territory. A 600 cc sport bike has about double that power, and it's not going to be slow by any sane standard of performance. In fact, it's so powerful that I'd recommend not even getting a 600 as a first bike; it's scary fast and you will have a hard time building up the confidence to really push it to its limits. And if a 600 is scary fast, a literbike is ungodly fast. It takes the sort of experience and training that Valentino Rossi puts in to ride a 1000 cc to its limits.

If you've got years of riding and need an insane speed fix, you might want a 1000.

If you've been riding a year or two and want to trade up, or have a lot of experience on cruisers and want a sport bike, I'd say start with the 600.

If you merely want something that corners well and has no trouble climbing the steepest hill, and don't have very much riding experience, neither - go for one of the crop of 500s from Buell, Suzuki, and Kawasaki. They'll only seem underpowered if you're trying to chase a literbike in a straight line. In the hands of a beginning ride, a 500 is likely to be faster on a winding road, simply because it's more confidence inspiring.

Answer 2

Actually, the weight difference today is minimal. 2011 ZX6R vs 2011 ZX10R is only 13 lbs (per Kawasaki specs). Not nearly enough to make a major difference in handling, though coupled with the wire rear tire and slightly longer wheelbase, the ZX10R Will feel less nimble at the limits. The biggest difference is that the 600's don't have the torque through the mid-range. They are called "tame" by some (and they are, in a racetrack setting) through that middle section of RPMs and only Really start to scoot once you get to the upper quarter of the total RPM range. The liter bikes have torque, grunt, pull... whatever you want to call it, at pretty much all RPMs. This can be fun, but turns the bike into more of an automatic (less need to shift) ~ that detracts from the riding experience for myself... er, the Sport riding experience. On a 2-up touring bike where I'm just putzing along, I appreciate the grunt of a liter bike, even though there's less HP than a modern day 600 sportbike. Other than the Torque difference, the liter bike is not really any more aggressive. If I were going to buy a sportbike, I'd stick with the 600's myself. I like handling over horsepower, and the 600 has More than enough HP to get me into any kind of trouble I want, but you can't replace handling. Actually, I was recently looking at an import 250 2-stroke for my next bike, specifically for the handling. You have to ask yourself what's more important to you (and check insurance rates, it might be that money is the deciding factor).

Answer 3

The 600s are not slow and i never rode a lumbering 1k.
You need to work up to these bikes or die.

A 1000 is not forgiving. A little too much throttle and you will be on the ground. I recomend getting a SV650 and going to the track. Learn to ride and then figure out which you want. if you have the mechanics mastered go get a 600 F4I.

Not to be an alarment but seriously these are freakishly fast and not designed for the rider who is learning and making mistakes.

Answer 4

well,the 600 may get it up at 80,but not in first gear.it winds out too soon,my 05 750 winds out at a little over 80 mph.
my 07 1000 goes 102 mph in first gear,i wheelie it at any speed. vast difference though.
the best wheelie bike as far as control goes is the gixxer 750,hands down better than the 1000.the 1000 will and does tend to pull to one side more often than the 750,and maintaining an even wheelie isnt as easy..and ive been riding for over 20 years.its just the nature of the bike.id say 750 would be ur best bet.

Answer 5

A 1000

Answer 6

A 4 cylinder builds its power as it increasing in revs a v-twin has its power at the low end or take off. A 3 cylinder splits the difference. A 600 is plenty fast as soon as I open mine up I an above the speed limit before I know it. A thousand will not seem lumbering in corners, unless you are riding with someone on a 600.

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/may2007/bw20070515_966558.htm?chan=autos_autos+index+page_motor+sports

Answer 7

either bike will pop wheelies at 80 MPH,

Both are fast bikes 0-60.

The 1000 will be heavier, and more torque pull, so you better have a grip when you teist it.

The 600 is still fast, but you wont have to hold on as hard as you would on the 1000cc

Answer 8

It may be more of a case of in line 4 versus V-twin, as another answerer noted. The thousand V-Twins certainly do NOT lumber, but another factor is that they are expensive.
I bought a 600 sportsbike as my second bike (moving up from 250) but within 6 months had traded up to 1000 v-twin.

Answer 9

A 600 or 750 is going to be everything that you need in a sport bike. Notice how I said "NEED" not Want... Now I'm not saying later on down the road you aren't going to want something a little bigger with more power.. But in the real world a 600/750 is enough power... It can still stay with the bigger bikes, and even handle in the corners a bit better... Technically both of these bikes have everything you need, and I find that a lot of people have a hard time pushing it to its "Real" potential...

Ride safe!

Answer 10

A 600 will be fine! Cheaper on insurance and fuel. Easier to pick up IF you drop it and nimble as hell! Read a few mags, you'll soon work it out.
And I've seen a single cylinder 500cc out power and out manuver a 1200 cc on a lovely twisty hill climb. He was half way through his first beer at the pup by the time the 1200 pulled into the carpark!

Hehehe