I found a good deal on a 2006 GSXR-600 and before making the trek out to see it I wanted to ask here what the ergos are like. I'm 6'4" with 34" inseam. I want a bike that I can make long trips on in reasonable comfort (doesn't have to be Goldwing-comfortable). So I want a relatively upright position. My last bike was a Suzuki GS500 and that was an OK fit for me. I think the GSXR might have a more forward seating position though, since it's more of a race bike. Any tips on whether it's worth checking out this bike? EDIT: I also found a deal on an SV-650. Which of these two is better for touring, and for tall riders?
The ergo's are going to be "race-like", oddly enough. In all seriousness, I think you may find it to be a bit cramped, especially in the legs. I myself am 6'0 w/ a 33" inseam and although I'm reasonably comfortable on a race replica, their almost always a bit tight in the knees for me. A set of bar risers and dropped pegs is normally enough for me to do 10+hr days on one though. Whether that works for you, or if you even want to bother with modding it, are up to you. Everyone has a different opinion on what's "comfortable". I seriously doubt if you'll find a stock GSXR to be comfy though.
I owned an '09 GSX-R600 for a short time. I also wear 34" inseam pants but am only about 5'10"-ish. I didn't have the bike long enough to do any "long" trips. At one time I also had a 748 Ducati, which I thought had a more agressive riding position. I did about an hour long ride on the Ducati and it wasn't too bad; and that was when I was 59 years old. That maybe really doesn't tell you much, but I will say I wish I had not sold the GSX-R600! I think it would have made a great solo, sport touring bike. I might have considered a set of HeliBars, just to take the edge off of the forward lean angle. You might check out http://cycle-ergo.com/ to place yourself on various bikes. It's not like really sitting on them, but if you have some comparisons at least it might help you reach some opinion. Best wishes! Lynn
At 6'4" you may as well just toss comfy out with any super sport, the ass to peg distance is going to be way to low. If you are looking to do distance the "tall rounders" Tigers, GSs, Adventures, things of that nature are going to be easier on your legs. Also those GSXRs have known frame issues, as in they tend to break in half (there are recalls on a few modles but not all and I don't remember off the top of my head......I used to be a GSXR junkie, I completely lost the faith at that point.
hate to keep tooting the toot for my own model bike but OP if you want some of the performance character of a 600cc I4 supersport such as the gsxr but the comfort of a standard for your touring duties check out a Yamaha FZ6. its great for taller riders as i am 6'3 with a 32in inseam and the bike is fast, high revving, and roomy. and it takes luggage nicely i like the '07-'09 models as they can be lower in miles and just as cheap as the earlier models to buy used. to address your last question the SV650(S?) would be the more comfortable of the two concerning it and the gsxr, but the FZ6 should be more comfy then both for you, all other things being equal
Thanks for all the informative replies. On my Suzuki GS500 I added some foam to the seat and that made a bid difference, but then that bike has more upright ergos than the supersports. The FZ6 is actally at the top of my list, but they are hard to find used and sellers tend to charge way over blue book. I continue to search for a deal on an FZ6. On the other hand, in the 600cc range I prefer twin engines to I4's, as I like the low-end grunt for city commuting. Anyway, right now the FZ6 and the SV650 are my top 2 picks.
Unless you practice yoga or gymnastics regularly, stay away from the Supersports for long rides. You can acclimate to them and I ride an older ZX6 for 6 to 700 mile day trips but the riding position gets old fast(4 to 5 hours) and then you test your mettle for the remainder of your ride. SV would be my choice of your two propositions. Open your search to Bandit 600 and 1200, FZ6, FZ1, or any more upright model with lower pegs to assist with your inseam.
Where are you located? Las Vegas has cheap FZ6's often. There is an almost new 05 or 06 with 1300 miles asking 3500 right now.
6'4"? anything KTM not sure about the new duke690 and the 1290 superduke but everything else street legal will fit you
Theres a big difference between the years of gsxr600 and even bigger difference in the brands. Try cycle ergo to find some target. I liked the 05-06 zx6 for its size.
No. Only the 05 - 06 GSXR 1000 has had a frame recall. And even those were documented cases of extreme abuse. Plenty of folks with non-recalled frames over at gixxer.com or gsxr.com have raced & tracked their bikes without any issue. OP: No matter which way you slice it, any GSXR/CBR or whatever brand super sport are never going to be as comfortable as a bike made with distance conquering in mind. With that being said, compared to other brands of bikes in its class, the GSXRs are known to have the most comfy ergos & out of the box make a relatively decent all round bike; provided you are quite fit or pain tolerant to ride for long distances.
Anyhting post 05 was machine built, take your chances there, I won't ride a bike with a suspect frame.
Incorrect again. 09+ models for the GSXR 1000; Suzuki completely redesigned their frame architecture & manufacturing by greatly reducing major load bearing welds. I have owned 2 06 GSXR 1000s & 1 09 GSXR 1000 (currently own my 2nd 06 GSXR 1000). I am no fast guy but decent enough to at least enjoy what a nicely tuned chassis has to offer on the racetrack. Having taken all 3 a no. of times I never had doubts about the frame. Not saying that GSXRs are perfect, every manufacturer has had some snafu or the other during their life times. That does not mean you should dismiss an entire series of bikes because of a very specific model year of bike.
I ride a K7 GSXR 1000. It had a more comfy seat-to-peg ratio than a ZX-10R, R-1, CBR1000RR and Buell XB12STT. Not too worried about the frame breaking. If it breaks it breaks. More worried about the shitty non-rebuildable KYB forks. Going to upgrade to a set of 09+ Showa BPF's ASAP.
Save your money & sanity. Just get Racetech Gold valves or Ohlins FPK with a set of proper springs , shorter top out springs & you can completely transform your forks. PM if you need more details.
They will still leak, I ran the left leg dry and must have fucked up the bushing. Don't really care how well they work as long as they hold oil. I'm a low-information voter when it comes to suspension. I can tell when it's totally out of oil but that's about it. If a pair of forks cannot be fully rebuilt they are disposable junk. I normally do bushings whenever I do seals.
If the OP prefers a torquey motor, then I'd recommend taking a 600cc I4 for a test ride first. You really got to rev the crap out of them to make power and any supersport 600 will not have an abundance of torque. Just taking off from a stoplight takes more revs than you'd expect at first. Once they're wound up they'll make an SV or FZ a blurry spot in the mirrors, but just beware of what your preference is. I'd recommend the SV650 or 1000 for the next bike before you decide on a more dedicated sportbike. Bear in mind you can make a sportbike more livable with adjustable clipons, rearsets and more comfortable seats. In fact I did an 11 hour straight interstate ride on an RC51 with those mods and it really wasn't so bad. It was easily converted back to the more sportbike focused mission afterwards since those mods are not permanent. However, the novelty of riding a dedicated sportbike at a mundane pace quickly wears on you. I did read some about certain year and model GSXRs having frame issues, but I think Tripped is blowing it out of proportion. Not every single model produced had those issues.
