CBR600rr 03-06- Questions

[Shlade]

Got a few particular questions about this bike.

Im looking into getting one for the summer as a recreational/fun vehicle to get to work and back and go on some nice cruises with.

Im sure theres a few owners here of them that can chime in.

How is the comfort on them?

Are are any particular issues/problems with them at all?

I hear that their pretty first time rider friendly and a decent amount of power.

How is the gas mileage on them?

When I end up going to look at some hopefully this spring for purchase what should I look for? Also should I be worried about KMs on the bike? I know that every bike is treated differently but are KMS really a issue with motorcycles? Id like anything under 30k really.

Any input is appreciated

Thanks!!

[hrdkore]

friend owned a 05, honda's have the tallest ride height. they're not that comfy but they are pretty light.

Its a motorbike so its definitely fast, as long as you treat it right it'll return the favor. on a tank a gas you can get about 250-350 km and my other buddy might be selling his honda in the spring so just keep an eye out.

[manny18]

i had an 03, i filled up every 2 days with premium.. about 20L tank. i rode it the same as a car distance wise..and i wasnt stupid on the throttle.. i thought id get better gas milage on it not gonna lie...

[Cos]

Originally posted by Shlade

How is the comfort on them?

I hear that their pretty first time rider friendly and a decent amount of power.

How is the gas mileage on them?

When I end up going to look at some hopefully this spring for purchase what should I look for? Also should I be worried about KMs on the bike? I know that every bike is treated differently but are KMS really a issue with motorcycles? Id like anything under 30k really.

Any input is appreciated

Thanks!!

Cant help on the 600RR specific questions as I dont know a lot about them. I have heard that your ass will get hot in stop and go traffic because of the muffler location however.

- It is a sport bike... comfort is a subjective thing. I personally got a standard (with a sport bike motor) so I could do longer trips. Be prepared to get off frequently and unless you are a super freak (like some people are) you wont get much farther than banff and back. Long trips would be tough without lots of stops and conditioning.

- The 600rr is a great learner bike, to be honest most bikes are good at the start. It only goes as fast as your wrist will let it. It will go fast though so ride carefully. Have you taken a course?

- Gas mileage is good. You dont typically need premium. See my fuelly below to see how a bike goes. There was also a GSXR gas mileage thread last summer. 250/300km is a normal tank distance.

- If the bike has been bagged on I wouldnt expect much more than 20/25k out of it. However if you had someone mature or really take care of it, lots of oil changes, let it warm up, not left outside. I have seen bikes with 50,000km on them.

[Shlade]

No course taken.

Atleast not yet...

Its something Id basically use 5 days a week to get to work (20-25 min there) depending on traffic and thats one way. Ofcourse with Calgary's shit weather I can only expect so much use of it.

Ive sat on one and it felt good/was the right size for me but ive never personally rode one.

Im 6'1 about 220lbs so should be a good size for me.

Whats a "Good" price for these bikes to be listed at? Ive seen some from 03-06 go from anywhere to $4500 to as much as $9000

[turbotrip]

Originally posted by Shlade
Got a few particular questions about this bike.

How is the comfort on them?

Are are any particular issues/problems with them at all?

I hear that their pretty first time rider friendly and a decent amount of power.

How is the gas mileage on them?

When I end up going to look at some hopefully this spring for purchase what should I look for? Also should I be worried about KMs on the bike? I know that every bike is treated differently but are KMS really a issue with motorcycles? Id like anything under 30k really.

Thanks!!

comfort is relative, but to me it feels the best out of the japanese bikes. you should sit on all of them to figure out which is most comfortable to you.

the 03-04's had regulator/rectifier issues where the battery on some of them does not charge properly due to the R/R overheating. this is fixed by replacing it with an 05-06 one with the heat shield though. (~$60)

the gas mileage isnt as great as you would expect, but its similar to every other bike. they take regular, dont need premium.

the heat from the undertail exhaust can be felt on hot days, but is definitely a plus when riding in under 15 degree weather (80% of the time). You can get it heat wrapped to minimize the heat if you choose.

when you go to look at one make sure the valves have been checked/done if it has over 20,000kms; and I would get it inspected @ GW Cycle. Also check how often the oil was changed (most are around 5000kms) and the condition of the tires. Contrary to what many people will tell you, bike engines dont magically stop working at 20,000 kms; so the km's are not really an issue, but I would try to stay under 30,000 like you said. One of my friend's RR has 60,000k and another has 80,000 with no real problems. If possible I would get an 05-06, but there isnt much of a difference.

[Shlade]

Sweet that helped out turbotrip, Thank you.

Ill keep checking the Bike FS section here and on kijiji. Hopefully I stumble on a decent deal.

[turbotrip]

Originally posted by Shlade

Whats a "Good" price for these bikes to be listed at? Ive seen some from 03-06 go from anywhere to $4500 to as much as $9000

you should probably be able to find a decent one around $5,500, but you might wanna hurry as the prices will probably jump in ~a month

[japan_us]

For the type of riding you plan on doing, I would maybe consider a standard/naked bike powered by a twin (maybe triple). Much comfier ergos and a more accessible power band around town. They're also much cheaper to insure. Depending on your age, insurance on a sportbike can be a nightmare.

As for things to check, look out for leaky fork seals, chain/sprocket wear, and make sure all the electronics and levers function properly. Not deal breakers, but they do add up if repairs/replacement is required. Check the tips of the mirrors, indicator lights, levers, passenger pegs, etc., for scuffs - possible signs of the bike being down. Again, not necessarily a deal breaker, but you should factor this in when settling on a final price. That said, you're likely going to drop it yourself.

Finally, buy good gear, head to toe, and get used to wearing it.

[Shlade]

What exactly is a Standard/Naked bike?

[Kavy]

Originally posted by Shlade
What exactly is a Standard/Naked bike?

Have a read, this is a good intro, really old article but well written.

http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_...est/index.html

[JVR1]

comfort on the bike will take a bit of getting used to but that goes for any crotchrocket i suppose. if you're starting out new to riding, i'm guessing you'll have alot of tension in your grip and arms - try to relax that as much as possible.

2 things that helped me out most on a cbr were learning to hug the tank with my thighs to alleviate the weight pushing onto my wrists and getting a gel-pad put into the seat (it was cheaper than a corbin replacement - i'm sure other cbr owners will chime in on the lack of cushion)

that being said i'd still choose it over anything in it's class.

oh and take the course

[bjstare]

Yeah i wouldn't worry about a higher mileage bike. A buddy of mine has a cbr929 with ~110K on it. The reason you don't see high mileage rockets is because they get wrecked before that point. I haven't ridden a 600re, but I've heard theyre good starter bikes.

+1 for buying early, and it would definitely be beneficial to take someone who knows bikes a bit to look at it, problems and bagged bikes are really easy to spot if you know what to look for.

[GQBalla]

check the sprockets, brake pads and tires
compare them to how many kms are on the bike.

Good choice btw.



don't expect supreme awesome fuel economy.

i get about 220 ish km per tank, 17 liters.

depending how hard i ride.

The stock seat is a little stiff and uncomfortable. but the Corbin seat takes care of that

[bjstare]

^chain as well, they're not cheap. Look for lateral play in it. Fork seals are great to check because its not cheap to get them done, and they're typically a good indicator of whether the bikes been stunted (in which case stay away, obviously)

[GQBalla]

werd chain

forgot that one, you can usually get away from adjusting it with normal use on a bike.

but if stunted, than peace

ahah