BlueS2000Boy

ok so another new year and well it seems pretty much every company has changed there bike in some way. in any case what do you guys think about each one? here are my thoughts. As everyone knows i am a Yamaha rider through and through and for 06 nothing has changed, i am still waiting on arivle of both my 06 R6 and LE R1. i am kinda disapointed in the head light choice for the R6 as i loved the look of the Projectors but as a current owner do think they are the biggest pieces of shit in the world. the lights coverage sucks. Love the new little exhaust, just looks so racy for me. do like the look of the tail very much also. once i remove the undertail stuff it will look like a pure race bike for me. not a fan of the big clear undertail light, reminds me of the current gsx-r600/750 light now. In any case i am excited about the slipper clutch and all the upgrades. I am sure i won't be disapointed. The R1 well what truely is there too say? My First raven and my Current yamaha blue came in and stole my heart. I still have not got it back. the bike is in my opinion flawlessly perfect. But of course for 06 we get the extended swing arm with the 3 extra hp and that slipper clutch to help put that power down. Can't complain about that. Of course i am getting the LE so i am getting all the extra goodies, Ohlins suspension, can't wait to get that bike on a track and use the true potential of the suspension, the wheels are nice i think the reduced weight along with the up in hp will make it the fastest Liter bike currently on the market. I have to be honest i would have much prefered the mag wheels over the alum but hey I can always buy them later. Really the only complaint i have is the paint job. I personally hate the yellow paint scheme on the R1, i just don't think it fits the bike at all so you can bet the first thing that will be done is a paint job. I am currently trying to find the paint code for the M1 as i have come to find out it is not Team yamaha blue like all the others.

Next onto the Gixxers, well its pretty simple, I hated the current 1000, and now they have come to make the 750/600 look the exact same. so ya pretty much i don't like any of them. I am not a fan of making all your bikes look the same it takes away from owning a bigger bike. As i am sure most of you can atest, how many times have you seen a gixxer fly by with the numbers removed and unless its one of the cc color's ie like the 04 600's came in the orange and black while none of the others did you have no idea what it is. NOT COOL.

Then we have the Honda's Once again in the looks department i would have liked to see a little more change from the current but none the less it was a nice looking bike before so why go too far off. I am excited to ride a new one as the new swing arm looks to be very nice, the honda was such a smooth bike to ride before i can only imagine it too be much better. the chrome exhaust?? ehh its not bad its not great. I must admit i do love the new blue/yellow paint scheme for the 1000rr. again i wish there was a little more change between the 600/1000. yes there are a few little bits but nothing major enough.

Then its onto the kawi.... Oh dear. well the 600's are pretty much the same. nice looking bike not to shabby either. The ZX-10??? seriously whoever designed this years bike needs to be fired ASAP. what the hell is going on with that exhaust. reminds me of a bad ATV exhaust or some dakar rally bike. It does not look like it belongs what so ever. When did pep boys start making after market exhaust for bikes??? In my opinion i think they 100% ruined the ZX10R, the front end looks way too much like someone bought race plastics and cut holes in it for the head lights. i am just not a fan

well thats pretty much it for the new ones. so what do you guys thing?? anyone agree or disagree??

fanoftheliving

No opinions about Ducatis?

Penforhire

Isn't Yamaha coming out with two "firsts" in the m/c world? Electric-shift FJR option (weird) and fully electronic throttle on R1.

BlueS2000Boy

my understanding is nothing is really new on the duc's for 06.. i could be wrong?

BlueS2000Boy

I don't know about the electric shift option but i do know they are doing the Fly By Wire throttle.

Chris S

I hate to say it, but your post makes you sound more like a poseur than an experienced rider capable of wringing the extra performance out of these machines. No offense intended, that's just my perception based on this post.

First, a slipper clutch will not put down the power any better than a regular clutch...it's only benefit is to prevent/limit traction loss from rapid downshifting & engine braking (to a lesser extent).

Secondly, the LE actually weighs slighty more, not less, than a base R1. I expect the ZX10R and GSXR1000 will still outperform it aside from the suspension, though it certainly is a looker. The ZX10R doesn't look as nice, but s/b an incredible performing bike/value. The pipes don't look too great, but give Kawi credit for retaining the underseat storage trunk and the likelihood that a lot less exhaust heat will find a way to your ass. The ZX-6R is the ultimate 600 class bike on the market at the moment...they look gorgeous, and the extra displacement is great if you're not racing in the AMA.

Yamaha is making some gorgeous, trick sportbikes these days (esp. the R6, it oozes trickness!), but they're smoking crack w/ respect to pricing - over $9K for a 600? I'd sooner buy the very cool Daytona 675 for $9K...it looks beautiful, s/b a lot torquier, and promises to be Triumph's best bike ever.

I love the styling of the new GSXR750/600, just wish they'd ditch the graphics like Kawi has done.

Sadly, I think Honda is too conservative w/ their sportbikes. W/o seeing any #'s, I'd guess they're loosing market share in that segment.

TommyDeVito

To the original post....

I think you are way hooked on looks IMHO. I tend to ride my bikes, not sit in the garage staring at them. I'm concerned with how they ride, handling/suspension, braking, and acceleration.

Having said that, '06 is really nothing new. Until Honda brings out the V5, or Yamaha comes out with an inline 4 big-bang motor for production (a la M1), it's pretty much the same old chit.

I would also point out that this is the first time Honda hasn't done a whole redesign on the VFR after 4 years of production

BlueS2000Boy

I agree i am way hooked on looks. I am not going to ride something that is ugly. That being said the reason i chose the 6 over ever other 600 was the fact well one i am a yamaha guy but too it was by far the best handling 600 on the street.

freq

Slipper clutches limit back-torque when downshifting. They do not help put power down.


Good luck using that suspension to it's full potential.

I now see that I am just repeating what others have said.


Sorry Blue, your post seriously comes off as poseurish.

Penforhire

Well, I'll split his interest into two parts.

Since motorcycling is partly an emotional experience there's nothing wrong with basing your choice largely on looks. Not like he's going to pick a bad bike from any major supplier these days. So go buy what you like and enjoy it.

But thoughts like 'best handling' and 'extended swingarm' approach the "rice" end of motorcycling. Unless you're a pro on a race track you'll never be better than ANY of the current 600's and probably can't tell the difference in handling. If you ride on the street and care about performance you should be looking at the mid-range dyno plot, not the high end. So what I think most of us are saying is, don't be a ricer...