Suzuki GSX750 FK6

Good? Bad? Indifferent?

(Reviews seem hard to come by...)

 

page 73 of November two wheels says that its "perfect package" but 'you will
be stung by the insurance premiums

 

huh ?

you don't read magazines , nor look at websites ?

 

Indifferent.

 

Bulky, heavy and underpowered compared to the others in it's class (mid
sized sports tourers)

Krazykol
Firestorm

 

Thanks - but that's the $16K "GSX-R-750 model, not the plain $10K GSX750

 

Thanks. Historically Suzukis seem to have been a bit on the heavy side

I was on the K 500 triples and then the 650 fours. Considering going back
to 2 wheels again but nothing in the current Kawasaki line-up appeals at
first glance.

 

Does whatever you buy have to be new?

With the GSX750F, you're looking at a bike which has been unchanged
since 1999, and even then, it was a matter of shrink-wrapping new
plastics around mechanicals which date back to 1993 (this is why you
won't find many reviews of them). Then again, given how cheap they tend
to be, there isn't that much of a saving to be had in buying an older one...

If you're after a brand-new bog-basic faired sportstourer, your options
are the GSX750F and the ZZ-R600 (if there are any left). Everything else
has fallen away as the middleweight sportstourer market segment has
contracted around the VFR800... people with money to spend buy a
brand-new VFR, those on a budget buy a used VFR.

If you're coming back to bikes after a while, used to get around on a
Z650, and remain partial to Kawasakis, the Z750 might appeal, if the
number of blokes in their late forties getting around on them is
anything to go by. Lighter and smaller than the GSX750F, with better
brakes, much better suspension and an insanely better motor.

Back over at Suzuki, the SV650S would be a better buy than the GSX-F750.

 

The Z750 has better suspension than the GSX750F?!!! The Suzi must be woeful.

Wot about a Daytona 675?

 

Test rode one on Thursday, was expecting a supersports R6 competitor
and found a softer sports bike - very similar to a ZXR 636 or the (non
RR) CBR600. Wouldn't have thought of either of those two as competitors
to the GSX750 but with a set of luggage and maybe a set of helibars if
the back aint as young as it was would make excellent sporty touring
bikes.

The obvious alternatives to me to the GSX would be the half nakeds -
SV650S, ER6, FZ6 Bandit 6 etc, the Hyosung tourer, or a VFR. At a
stretch the Trumpy Sprint is damn good (a lot bigger and a lot more
expensive though), the Bandit 12 is dirt cheap for what you get if
you're happy with the weight.

JL

 

Hmmm - thanks to you all for the input. Seems you know what I want - mid
weight, smooth, quiet, fast and agile - but I also want 2-up.

The Z750 reads very well but would accomodate only an emaciated dwarf in
the birthing position as a pillion - the VFR is only marginally better in
that regard. Looks like I'll have to wait until the fashion for "sports"
road bikes changes away from copies of a 1970's scrambler.

And no, I'm not about to buy any 2-wheeled truck with a tarted-up V-twin
farm pump engine

Oh well - back to the cans :-(

 

You're denying yourself some fantastic bikes then!
BMW F800ST
Honda VTR1000F
Suzuki DL650, DL1000 and SV1000
BMW R1100 or 1150 (2nd hand. The 1200s fetch a healthy price new!)
Even the Honda Deauville (don't laugh!)

 

Everything I listed will happily* pull the weight of two riders and
luggage so it's purely an ergonomics consideration I think. I'm
assuming from your comments your pillion is either a) quite tall, b)
ermm well rounded or c) both. If that's the case then a light and
nimble bike is going to be somewhat less so with passenger on board
n'est ce pas ? Maybe think about slightly bigger bikes that will
accomodate him/her more comfortably.

The middleweights generally assume a younger lighter pillion with a
sporting oriented rider. Older blokes tend to be buying bigger bore
touring stuff (BMW's et al).

I have seen the Boky VFR taxi accomodate some rather large passengers
who didn't seem to be too upset by the accomodation - suggest you take
the significant other for a run on one before eliminating it.

The Bandit 600 definitely had decently roomy pillion accomodation I'd
be surprised if the new 650 isn't also (but I haven't ridden it - don't
think I've even eyeballed it). Suggest you also look at a second hand
Trumpy Sprint (the 955 motor) they're not *too* heavy and definitely
pillion comfy. Bandit 12 is very pillion capable as well (but a bit
heftier - 240Kg). Consider an early FZ1 - surprisingly light for a big
bore. Blackbird is a superb 2 up bike and like many of the newer big
bores you may be surprised by how light it is.

If you can get over your anti twin blockage the TDM 850 or 900 would be
a good fit,same on the DL650 or 1000. Not quite perfect but close is
the SV650S or 1000 (stock pillion is a little cramped but there is
SHITLOADS in the way of aftermarket kit for these they were/are very
popular - I'll be staggered if you couldn't get a longer set of pillion
mounts).

Lastly, slightly left field, but some of the cruisers (but not all)
have great pillion accomodation. Many have factory aftermarket seats
and back rests to make the pillion happy available.

Write off the FZ6 - it's not much different to an R6 for pillion, ditto
the 675 daytona and ZX636.

JL
*(all originally listed are 65 -100HP)

 

C'est vrai.

I'm much more perturbed by the height of the pillion seats than anything
else - puts the CG of a 60+kg mass WELL above the CG of the bike. The
thought of a pillion at that height sitting up in a hard corner is more than
enough to give me the willies And judging by the effect the tallish
back pack I used to use had on agility when it was full....

It's odd - the current fashion puts the rider in a beaut position compared
with a lot of earlier bikes, but then they go and put the pillion seat on
top of a pole for absolutely no reason whatever except to make the thing
look like a boy racer!

Well that's ok if you want to go touring - I just want moderate comfort and
good performance for mostly urban use. For touring I use the turbo Forester
can

Mmm - ok.

I don't care what they're like now, I've had too many decades of Trumpy's
dribbling oil to have anything to do with one - and the Bandit seems a bit
heavy for what it is (205kg).

The FZ1 looks less extreme than many and reads well. My hesitation here is
that I've always liked to be able to run an engine up to its rated power for
a while every so often but when you do that with a 1000 you're talking
serious speed, not just the cheek-fluttering 180-odd kmh from the 650s. Is
why I didn't move up to the 1000s when I was riding before. Seems a pity
to have a big engine and not use it flat out sometimes... - oh - that's on a
private road leading to a private airstrip in the middle of a private
racetrack, of course.

Sorry - no

Too much noise (attracts attention); too much vibration (white hand
disease); too much like a farm pump engine and/or a Hardly.

Yeah - that's the range I'm interested in

Ta for the detailed input - I might go and kick some tyres, now...

 

Understand the concern, but in my experience it doesn't seem to matter
much, I've taken pillions weighing from 50Kg to 75Kg on the back of the
R1 and the TRX (with significantly stepped seat) and not found it
slowed me down any. The Bandit 12 (which has a flat seat) was harder
work simply because it weighed so much and was a long wheelbase. The
current main bike (X-Raptor) is a brilliant pillion bike btw (190Kg
dry) very nimble (steep rake and trail but with a steering damper so no
headshake) but it's one of those twins

Most of the bikes are designed that way because the pillion seat is
intended only as emergency accomodation. The step seat means you can't
slide back under hard acceleration.

I point you again at the TDM and DL then. Provided you're tall enough
to be comfy on them. The higher seat will give you better visibility in
traffic. Gotta ask though - why do you care about pillion comfort for
urban use - you're not going to be on it long enough to get sore (even
in Sydney crappy traffic)

Dude, it's a different company, same name, but a new coy. in Hinckley
with as oil tight and reliable a product as anything from Japan - these
aren't the leaky unreliable Bonnies and Tigers of your youth.

<chortle> You really *ARE* old school ! I have a 250 that will do over
200K, the little 180cc single cylinder scooter is good for 140 (on the
flat only, granted). Your average 600 will happily crack 200 and hold
it, most will do much more. I had Rob's SV650 up to about 230 quite
happily.

ADR's require them to be just as quiet as a four - stock they are quiet
- you don't HAVE to derestrict them.

Nope. Not nowadays. Dude you really need to go ride some modern bikes -
the SV650 isn't remotely like an XS650 - it's smoother than most
4cylinders from that era, it's quiet and makes quite adequate HP stock
(65-70HPish) there's no need to stick a noisy pipe on it. My 250 2
stroke vibrates WAY worse than my litre twin.

Not even vaguely. Road bike twins are nothing like that anymore (well
except Buells ). The only ones that are (deliberately) like that are
the cruisers.

JL
04 Cagiva X Raptor #202
89 KR1 250
02 Gilera DNA 180

 

That's exactly the reason I asked a newsgroup

 

Mmm - like I said - I'll go and kick some tyres

 

what the??

you honestly think editors get _paid_ to shitcan a specific bike?

*boggle*

ck

 

They do get paid to say nice things about questionable ones

 

now that is a more sensible comment

but more likely they are in a quite difficult position I would imagine

ck