FlightTeam6er
Well-known member
How would you guys rate these bikes best to worst?
Any insight from owners... For second bike.
Any insight from owners... For second bike.
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CBR500R vs FZ6R vs Ninja 650 vs SV650 - Intermediate shootout
- Thread starter FlightTeam6er
- Start date
ifiddles
Well-known member
I absolutely love my FZ6R...my bf has an FZ1 and even he (at 208) likes it's performance...the upright position is great for longer rides (very little to no fatigue after 500-600 km)...has good enough pickup to get out a bad situation...keeping up with highway traffic is no problem...fun in the curves and with my PR4s, sticks like glue (not that I am a knee dragger though)...gets pretty good fuel mileage (I have hit 300 km on a tank) and cheaper on insurance than a pure sports bike (I am female, 47, single, live in Milton, full M in August 2014, driving since 1985, no tickets, no accidents, full coverage, $300 deductibles and pay under $500 with TD)...just my two cents worth
P.S...there was a review/video of these three (if I remember correctly) being test ridden head to head and the FZ6R came out on top...google it...I will try to find it again and post a link...
found it
http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/2010-kawasaki-ninja-650-vs-2009-suzuki-gsx650f-vs-2010-yamaha-fz6r-89460.html
P.S...there was a review/video of these three (if I remember correctly) being test ridden head to head and the FZ6R came out on top...google it...I will try to find it again and post a link...
found it
http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/2010-kawasaki-ninja-650-vs-2009-suzuki-gsx650f-vs-2010-yamaha-fz6r-89460.html
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FlightTeam6er
Well-known member
Thanks, you know what's kind of funny. The FZ6R seems to win every shootout it enters against these bikes yet it never seems to get any love from the riding community. You would think the consensus number 1 bike in it's class would have a better image.
I think the "FZ6" name has ruined it's image, if they called it by one of it's European titles it would have a better image.
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Slono
Well-known member
I don't know how much you care about the sound of a V-twin, but the sv650 is a mean sounding one with pretty much any slip on exhaust on the market. I have a fully faired 2nd gen sv650 with some suspension mods and it's a great bike. I'm 5'9.5", 200 lbs. and it fits me well. It has more of an aggressive riding angle compared to the ninja 650 (don't know about the fz6r) but it feels sportier than the ninja because of it.
It's probably the cheapest and the easiest to find parts for if something ever goes wrong so take that into account.
In the end however, the right bike will find you if you take the time to sit on all of them. No bike will satisfy you completely (in this entry level segment) and there will always be something you "wish" it had (at this price point) so don't be discouraged if none of those bikes hit every check mark on your list.
With that said, figure out what your needs are and find the bike that fits the bill. Not everybody goes to the track or rides 20,000km a season.
It's probably the cheapest and the easiest to find parts for if something ever goes wrong so take that into account.
In the end however, the right bike will find you if you take the time to sit on all of them. No bike will satisfy you completely (in this entry level segment) and there will always be something you "wish" it had (at this price point) so don't be discouraged if none of those bikes hit every check mark on your list.
With that said, figure out what your needs are and find the bike that fits the bill. Not everybody goes to the track or rides 20,000km a season.
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Well I can't comment on the other bikes since I haven't ridden them or know anyone who owns one. But I can say the Ninja 650 has been a good all around bike for me so far. Reliable, good on insurance, more than enough power and torque for dayly ridding (highway or street). Reasonably comfortable. I installed the sport bars so the riding position is similar to the SV 650. I think the bike is easier to handle with the sport bars but the downside is it's a more aggressive riding position. Therefore not as comfortable over longer rides. Parts and upgrades are easy find. Checkout ninja 650 shop and see all the upgrades and what it would look like if you are interested in changing a few things. Overall it's good bike for the price point. In my personal opinion the performance is better than the CBR 500 r and equal to the SV and FZ6R. But out of all of them the Ninja does look the best. The rest look outdated to me. Either way they are all good bikes from all the reviews I have seen.
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D
Dr. Luxurious
Guest
not on your list, but cbr650f....new 2014s are going for $7500 right now....
TrainingWheels
Well-known member
3rd year on an SV650.
The community/forum on svrider-com is great, not the most active, but if you can think of it someone on there has done it and written/documented enough for you to know exactly what you're getting into. Thinking about a complete F4i/GSX/etc. swap? Clear clutch window? Single sided swing arm? Even adding you're own instantaneous fuel consumption gauge. Unlike others, you can do an oil change with the lower plastics still on
The bike hasn't changed significantly over the years, and the aftermarket support isn't mainstream, but when it came to looking for a new tank it was nice knowing that any 04+ would fit (they're fully metal, no plastic cover).
It is built to a price, but after seeing mine go through 3 accidents I'd say it's very solid: never had a bent fork, frame, swingarm, axel/rim. Although, I can't say the same for other SV650s I know. Bodywork is another story ...Not my accidents if you're wondering.
I feel like the bike was built so you can customize/tinker with it. Going into this I think you should understand that if buying stock you will be making your own modifications (cartridge emulators + stiffer springs, zx10 rear shock swap, +/- sprocket size), especially since this is you're second bike and you'll demand better response. Nonetheless, I still feel that is something people who buy 'better' bikes should be doing as well: make it for your riding style, not factory default.
The bike tops out around 200kph, so you do get left behind on the straights, but you always catch up in the corners and sit right on the guy in front of you. You can lead through the corners with this bike, and considering the skill level of most people you'll leave most behind, but 'experienced' riders with bigger bikes who have done a track course (or the like) will undoubtedly feel held back.
When riding 2-up, anything above 130/140kph, it would be nice to have more pull. Other than that, stock, it's comfortable 4-5h for a mix of straights/twisties or 1.5-2h just straight highway. The rider and passenger seats actually have some girth to them.
The SV650 isn't trying to be anything it's not. It is a jack of all trades bike, and it does it well, but it's not single purpose and doesn't strictly excel in one field (don't expect it to). I would like a stronger bike eventually, but pushing this bike is still fun and until my skill outgrows the bike, it's a keeper. I'm more likely to add another bike than replace it. The engine/throttle response is so predictable (although taming a beast is it's own thrill), and there's enough room under the passenger seat for sandwiches/snacks on those multi-day day trips. There is extra space under the battery (which you don't need tools to access) if need be (a compartment just for the stock tool pouch).
If it makes any difference, unlike others, my insurance actually went down this year: 1 bike, 1 car.
With all that said, every bike is just as unique as the number of riders out there. Unless you can test ride, just keep asking questions till you're happy with what people repeatedly tell you.
The community/forum on svrider-com is great, not the most active, but if you can think of it someone on there has done it and written/documented enough for you to know exactly what you're getting into. Thinking about a complete F4i/GSX/etc. swap? Clear clutch window? Single sided swing arm? Even adding you're own instantaneous fuel consumption gauge. Unlike others, you can do an oil change with the lower plastics still on
The bike hasn't changed significantly over the years, and the aftermarket support isn't mainstream, but when it came to looking for a new tank it was nice knowing that any 04+ would fit (they're fully metal, no plastic cover).
It is built to a price, but after seeing mine go through 3 accidents I'd say it's very solid: never had a bent fork, frame, swingarm, axel/rim. Although, I can't say the same for other SV650s I know. Bodywork is another story
...Not my accidents if you're wondering. I feel like the bike was built so you can customize/tinker with it. Going into this I think you should understand that if buying stock you will be making your own modifications (cartridge emulators + stiffer springs, zx10 rear shock swap, +/- sprocket size), especially since this is you're second bike and you'll demand better response. Nonetheless, I still feel that is something people who buy 'better' bikes should be doing as well: make it for your riding style, not factory default.
The bike tops out around 200kph, so you do get left behind on the straights, but you always catch up in the corners and sit right on the guy in front of you. You can lead through the corners with this bike, and considering the skill level of most people you'll leave most behind, but 'experienced' riders with bigger bikes who have done a track course (or the like) will undoubtedly feel held back.
When riding 2-up, anything above 130/140kph, it would be nice to have more pull. Other than that, stock, it's comfortable 4-5h for a mix of straights/twisties or 1.5-2h just straight highway. The rider and passenger seats actually have some girth to them.
The SV650 isn't trying to be anything it's not. It is a jack of all trades bike, and it does it well, but it's not single purpose and doesn't strictly excel in one field (don't expect it to). I would like a stronger bike eventually, but pushing this bike is still fun and until my skill outgrows the bike, it's a keeper. I'm more likely to add another bike than replace it. The engine/throttle response is so predictable (although taming a beast is it's own thrill), and there's enough room under the passenger seat for sandwiches/snacks on those multi-day day trips. There is extra space under the battery (which you don't need tools to access) if need be (a compartment just for the stock tool pouch).
If it makes any difference, unlike others, my insurance actually went down this year: 1 bike, 1 car.
With all that said, every bike is just as unique as the number of riders out there. Unless you can test ride, just keep asking questions till you're happy with what people repeatedly tell you.
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Iceman
Well-known member
I used to have an sv650. It felt very light, was pretty agile, stock brakes were good. For me it was the engine, it's a gem. Great low end torque around town, riding 80km/h back roads puts it right in the sweet spot. I really only sold it because of the ergos. Not that they're overly bad, just that I'm not overly young.
I'm currently on a 650 versys. Which basically shares a drive train with the ninja and not much else. But the engine is again a great one, strong low and mid range torque. Tops out at a flat 220. Not that mine has seen that lol. I haven't had a single problem with my versys in the 15 000 or so km I put on it last year, but I never had a single repair on the sv650 either and I put roughly 25000 km on it in a year and a half.
You really can't go wrong with any of your choices, go and try them out and buy whatever fits "you".
Sent from my Le Pan TC802A using Tapatalk
I'm currently on a 650 versys. Which basically shares a drive train with the ninja and not much else. But the engine is again a great one, strong low and mid range torque. Tops out at a flat 220. Not that mine has seen that lol. I haven't had a single problem with my versys in the 15 000 or so km I put on it last year, but I never had a single repair on the sv650 either and I put roughly 25000 km on it in a year and a half.
You really can't go wrong with any of your choices, go and try them out and buy whatever fits "you".
Sent from my Le Pan TC802A using Tapatalk
conundrum
Well-known member
If you are comparing the 600ish cc range why include the CBR500R when there is the CBR650F that was built to compete in that category?
exactly my thoughts and why i dont think it belongs in this category
conundrum
Well-known member
Personally I'm very happy with my 2014 CBR650FA -- Only things I can count against it:
- Was the purchase price (I got a bit of a deal but it was still overly inflated with Honda Tax). I think they dropped the price a bit now, plus incentives on older models still in stock.
- Engine is a little buzzy in the 6200-6400rpm range. Outside of that, it is the same as every other inline 4 bike I've tried.
- Exhaust is a 1-piece unit, so no slip-on is possible. Only full systems which cost more than I am willing to spend for a touch more power and more noise
- A little heavy, given the steel frame over aluminum like a SS bike.
Out of all the bikes list though, I believe it does make the most power at around 87hp at the engine. Still a shame though they did bring it down from around 100hp of the outgoing CBR600F/Hornet that we never got here in Canada.
- Was the purchase price (I got a bit of a deal but it was still overly inflated with Honda Tax). I think they dropped the price a bit now, plus incentives on older models still in stock.
- Engine is a little buzzy in the 6200-6400rpm range. Outside of that, it is the same as every other inline 4 bike I've tried.
- Exhaust is a 1-piece unit, so no slip-on is possible. Only full systems which cost more than I am willing to spend for a touch more power and more noise
- A little heavy, given the steel frame over aluminum like a SS bike.
Out of all the bikes list though, I believe it does make the most power at around 87hp at the engine. Still a shame though they did bring it down from around 100hp of the outgoing CBR600F/Hornet that we never got here in Canada.
FlightTeam6er
Well-known member
I know it is "technically" in the same class but I do consider the CBR650F to be a notch above these other bikes. Price/hp/quality.
Even if the FZ6R outperforms it in reviews.
TiburonJA
Well-known member
Anyone able to compare these type of bikes against a supersport type 600?
Coming from a 250 I know any of these will be more powerful but I really have had my eye on a nice zx6r buttt... people on kijiji want an arm and a leg for their 6Rs so Im debating the others ones since they are priced much cheaper. just wondering if if the difference in power is realllly that noticeable.
Coming from a 250 I know any of these will be more powerful but I really have had my eye on a nice zx6r buttt... people on kijiji want an arm and a leg for their 6Rs so Im debating the others ones since they are priced much cheaper. just wondering if if the difference in power is realllly that noticeable.
Snowcity in Scarborough should have one..
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