Going from liter bike to middle weight?

[chai rome]

Years ago, I got my first liter bike. Since then, I haven't looked at or considered 600's when looking at potential sport/naked bikes - it just sort of happened without me realizing.
But now I'm curious. I'm wondering if that's been the case for most riders out there? Has anybody gone to liter bike power and back down to middle weights? What are your experiences and thoughts?

 

[Hooli]

I'm right in the process of doing just that. :laughing

 

[chai rome]

What was your reasoning? Why the change of heart?

 

[dowlinginchico]

I just dropped down from a 1000cc to 849 cc. Well, I still have both bike but I do wish the 849 had more power, down lower. I really have to keep the rpms up to take advantage of the power curve. Max power and redline are in the same area.

However, these are both twins, so we might be comparing apples to oranges.

 

[westie]

I've gone from a liter bike to a motard. The fun level was still there but your friends lose you on the freeway but then I made them look silly in the twisties. Its all about fun anyways. I'm back to a liter bike btw. For now.:ride

 

[louemc]

Having a 60 year riding history, ...And that includes Megga Dirt trail riding, and Desert racing...
Liter (With mods like LSL handlebars, Scotts Stabilizer-Damper, Racetec suspension internals for rough roads, ZX6 rear shock linkage for solo me) is ultimate for road use.

I'm not going back to anything else, for pavement.

A rider should have as many bikes as they have different uses for. :afm199 :cool

 

[Hooli]

What was your reasoning? Why the change of heart?

1. Been involved with literbikes for ages. They're fun on the street but a real workout on the track.

2. Related to the above the most fun bikes I've ridden on trackdays were middleweights. They taught me plenty about corner speed, and nothing feels better than to pass a rider who's fielding a bigger bike. :thumbup

3. Middleweights have slightly lower operating costs...they have a smaller appetite for tires. :laughing

4. I'll still keep my big-bores for the street, nothing like the sheer grunt of big displacement, but for serious riding I'll choose smaller bikes every time. :ride

 

[89fj]

I had an FZ1 for years, top end rush was addicting. I changed bikes just for something different.
Try it, you might like it

 

[dowlinginchico]

I forgot to mention, though the power is not all there, I LOVE the size of the bike. I have a small frame so the bike fits me very well.

My supermoto is in a different realm of the bike world, not worth comparing to a liter bike in any sense. Even the type of fun is different.

 

[hophead]

I just dropped down from a 1000cc to 849 cc. Well, I still have both bike but I do wish the 849 had more power, down lower. I really have to keep the rpms up to take advantage of the power curve. Max power and redline are in the same area.

However, these are both twins, so we might be comparing apples to oranges.

On the Ducati? Really? I've never had a ducati but always figured they would have tremendous power in the low and mid range with a seameless pull of torque from like 3-8000rpms? No?
Or do you mean because one of the bikes is less displacement you feel it is significantly less power? Gearing and weight notwithstanding that is?

 

[Killin_ix]

I did the same a while back. Just got a point on my record and that made a big impact on my insurance cost. Bumped down to a 600 and nearly cut the cost in half.

 

[PhoS]

Smaller bikes have always been more fun to me. Sure it's great to be able to blast wheelies, and triple digits on command but it's so much more responsibility at the same time.

Personally I go for smaller displacement twins, or triples that makes some good torque. 800cc-ish, 75-100hp is a nice sweet spot.

 

[dowlinginchico]

On the Ducati? Really? I've never had a ducati but always figured they would have tremendous power in the low and mid range with a seameless pull of torque from like 3-8000rpms? No?
Or do you mean because one of the bikes is less displacement you feel it is significantly less power? Gearing and weight notwithstanding that is?

Yup, on the Ducati. I was expecting the same thing, gobs of power down low. Some people still swear this, but my butt dyno tells me otherwise. But at the same time I am sure the reduced HP/Torque also has something to do with it.

I am very disappointed with the power down low, but when it hits 8500-10000, you had better hold on. It is exciting.

BTW, most if not all of the twins I have ridden dont like it below 4k, including the 848. At all.

 

[asdfghwy]

Went from an R1 & SV1000 to an FZ8 and I love it. R1 isn't practical for the street no matter which way I looked at it. Fun? Definitely. Practical? Nah.

FZ8 is fast enough (for me) and is much more nimble imo

 

[UDRider]

Went from an R1 & SV1000 to an FZ8 and I love it. R1 isn't practical for the street no matter which way I looked at it. Fun? Definitely. Practical? Nah.

FZ8 is fast enough (for me) and is much more nimble imo

But how will you be able to out accelerate a prius trying to merge in to you? :confused

 

[Hooli]

On the Ducati? Really? I've never had a ducati but always figured they would have tremendous power in the low and mid range with a seameless pull of torque from like 3-8000rpms? No?

Depends on the engine's state of tune. The Panigale is 1200cc's now but you must keep it spinning hard (at least for a V2) to access the meat of the powerband.

 

[Gary856]

If you mean moving from a liter-sized sportbike to a 600cc, both 4-cylinders, similar ergos, then I don’t see the point.

I had a ZX-10R. It was fun. Problem is, I enjoy long rides but my body can’t take sportbike ergos anymore. I’ve moved to more upright, lighter and heavier bikes, all with less power. They allow me to ride longer, in greater comfort.

 

[nebulous]

Just have both. I like the 600 on Calaveras, 1000 on teh 9.

 

[DIY]

Until I bought my liter bike the largest bike I had was a 650. Lighter bikes ARE more fun to me, especially on a twisty road. For the last two years I have had an itch to buy a new, lighter, smaller displacement bike. I rode the KTM 690, Triumph's Street Triple, the FZ-07, and the FZ-09. In each case it felt like I was taking a step backwards. Either the build quality was poorer or there was less torque or it vibrated like a paint mixer and so on and so forth. I finally decided to stay with what I have.

 

[russ69]

Back in my time it wasn't unusual for the top racers of the day to race a 125, 250, 500 and open bike all in the same day.