CBR600RR. Hanzo's first ride report.

[Honzo]

Was gentle with this thing all over town for twenty miles on the way home from the shop before heading off to work. So I decided to give the throttle a little extra coming into my subdivision and only got to 39mph...right past an unmarked LEO. :angry2: Stupid. Srupid Stupid. He was not happy, but understood given that I just picked it up and gave me the ole verbal cues. Cops around my parts are pretty cool and will just give you warnings if they don't remember you from the last stop...and it might help that they recognize my last name. Got a well-known county SWAT cop in the family.

I digress...

Just a short ride, but ooohh this bike is sweeeet. Hard to describe it but I can sense just about every ripple in the road but can't help think this bike glides like an ice skate.

Crept out of the dealer about 1130, hit the traffic and started getting a bit frustrated. I'm used to bike on which your legs and arms can get more forward leverage. I was frustrated trying to keep myself from sliding forward during stops (only one very light finger on the lever is required BTW). :huh: Then I figured out why these gas tanks are shaped this way after about 12 decells. After that I just quit fighting it and let my nether regions tuck in. That's where the whole bike started to make sense. This IS my first sportbike. Turns and stops got much easier. I will have to work on shaking the idea that I'm going to fly over the front of it every time I slow down though, since I'm now sitting far above a stubbier bike and leaning forward. When I rode a buddy's R1 a year ago, I was real worried about the experience mostly due to how alien the position felt and that I don't see near as much machine out in front of me anymore. THis is a different world of riding, methinks. I will surely adapt cause I'm keeping this thing a while.

I never wacked the throttle and never got above 9 grand. I did get a half mile of country straitaway to play with so rolled it up around 8k in 4th or 5th gear. Yeah...Pretty sure the "fire button" is right around there so kept out of the tripple digits for now.

It didn't take long to start rubbing in the tires in at intersections considerably more than the last owner managed to. My neighbor came over when all was done to check it out. He used to drag a busa, so that might be tell-tale how he rides all the time because he commented on how far over the bike had been leaned. I have 3/4 inch chicken strips right now and as a sport bike novice even I know thtas not impressive. Need to leather up and lean more. Soon enough.

NOt so much to report otherwise since I couldn't get a lot of time on it today. Figured out how to take the pillion off and open the gas cap, reset the clock too (isn't it strange that the simplest things on your new bike will make you say, "cool". I LOVE the look of this machine. It's elegant and almost rugged at the same time in a way. I prefer sharper angles on my machines which is why the Feej looks so good. I totally dig that the last guy put smaller signals on the this CBR. Now that little gap in the fairing just inside the front turn signals isn't as obscured so when you stand back from the bike, take in the way the silver and black are broken by that gap, the front of the bike lookes very much like a Shark, if you imaginge that gap as being the mouth of the animal. <_<

This is, ten thousand fold, the coolest thing I have ever owned in my life. What's nicer is that I'm going to spend a long time discovering the minute reasons to appreciate its function and design. I should be set for a good while. Got to go rub on it now. Bye. :yahoo:

https://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn228/j...pg?t=1207549181

https://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn228/j...pg?t=1207549608

Ride Well,

Hanzo

 

[madmike2]

What a cool first ride report! Congratulations....er...uhm...it sounds like you have "it" baaaaddd.

One note of caution, IIRC, the bike has very low miles, so YOU are doing the engine break-in. And the tire scrubbing. Go gently into deep leans in the corners.

Also...be very very careful with the twisty-right-wrist thingy. :yahoo:

 

[ionbeam]

No tuning forks? Nice bike! Love the location of the passenger pegs.

 

[Honzo]

Passengers? We don need no stinking passengers.

 

[gr8eyes]

Mike, its broken in with 1608 miles.

 

[artistonFJR]

Very NICE!!! Just wondering... is that red bike in the background (top picture) the one you traded in?

Ride fast and safe!

 

[Honzo]

OK. Still low miles on the 600RR due to the lack of global warming around here, but stretched its legs a bit today.

Dropped the little one off at school, got back, bundled up for the 40 degree AM, capped off w/ my fresh HJC Carbon (smok'n helmet btw) and hit the road. A couple miles out I turned to hit the farmland, immediately opting for a rapid transition into the tripple digits instead of the eggshell mentality I'd been keeping up til today. Today is when I finally felt comfortable trusting that this little engine wouldn't fly apart at 15k. I never owned a bike that had more than an 8k redline. HO-LY CRAP. I felt the two individual boosts after 8k and and 13k like I've been reading. Backed off at 116 mph due to turns ahead and the fact that I have never felt that much accelleration while already passing felonous speeds. That machine wasn't even trying hard. I had no idea what these 600s were capable of. I didn't do it again for the next 50 miles and instead worked on training my body position and legs to lessen the stress on my noobie wrists. I got it figured out pretty much and just need to let the muscles train in. Also might go for some tank grippers. I'm trying to thin the chicken strips but maybe shouldn't push it. Just not comfortable laying her over. My sense of the bike is of a total beginner. There's already a lot of gravel on the pavement. I don't think I would react smoothly on the breaks and/or adjust a new and accurate line around the pebbles. God this thing is nice though.

The CBR has more wind protecton available than my nighthawk ever had even with it's Targa bullet fairing. I don't have to tuck all the way down to take advantage of the CBRs windflow, though. I put the edge of the windshield even with the chin of the helmet and the roar and buffet almost vanish. NIce. I guess that's why they bother to do windtunnel testing. THese bikes seem to be designed quite well. Alas it was windy and cold to start with and this was never going to be a long ride, so I had a good hour+ with her today. Commuting with it tonight. Later on.

 

[angus]

Was gentle with this thing all over town for twenty miles on the way home from the shop before heading off to work. So I decided to give the throttle a little extra coming into my subdivision and only got to 39mph...right past an unmarked LEO. :angry2: Stupid. Srupid Stupid. He was not happy, but understood given that I just picked it up and gave me the ole verbal cues. Cops around my parts are pretty cool and will just give you warnings if they don't remember you from the last stop...and it might help that they recognize my last name. Got a well-known county SWAT cop in the family.
I digress...

Just a short ride, but ooohh this bike is sweeeet. Hard to describe it but I can sense just about every ripple in the road but can't help think this bike glides like an ice skate.

Crept out of the dealer about 1130, hit the traffic and started getting a bit frustrated. I'm used to bike on which your legs and arms can get more forward leverage. I was frustrated trying to keep myself from sliding forward during stops (only one very light finger on the lever is required BTW). :huh: Then I figured out why these gas tanks are shaped this way after about 12 decells. After that I just quit fighting it and let my nether regions tuck in. That's where the whole bike started to make sense. This IS my first sportbike. Turns and stops got much easier. I will have to work on shaking the idea that I'm going to fly over the front of it every time I slow down though, since I'm now sitting far above a stubbier bike and leaning forward. When I rode a buddy's R1 a year ago, I was real worried about the experience mostly due to how alien the position felt and that I don't see near as much machine out in front of me anymore. THis is a different world of riding, methinks. I will surely adapt cause I'm keeping this thing a while.

I never wacked the throttle and never got above 9 grand. I did get a half mile of country straitaway to play with so rolled it up around 8k in 4th or 5th gear. Yeah...Pretty sure the "fire button" is right around there so kept out of the tripple digits for now.

It didn't take long to start rubbing in the tires in at intersections considerably more than the last owner managed to. My neighbor came over when all was done to check it out. He used to drag a busa, so that might be tell-tale how he rides all the time because he commented on how far over the bike had been leaned. I have 3/4 inch chicken strips right now and as a sport bike novice even I know thtas not impressive. Need to leather up and lean more. Soon enough.

NOt so much to report otherwise since I couldn't get a lot of time on it today. Figured out how to take the pillion off and open the gas cap, reset the clock too (isn't it strange that the simplest things on your new bike will make you say, "cool". I LOVE the look of this machine. It's elegant and almost rugged at the same time in a way. I prefer sharper angles on my machines which is why the Feej looks so good. I totally dig that the last guy put smaller signals on the this CBR. Now that little gap in the fairing just inside the front turn signals isn't as obscured so when you stand back from the bike, take in the way the silver and black are broken by that gap, the front of the bike lookes very much like a Shark, if you imaginge that gap as being the mouth of the animal. <_<

This is, ten thousand fold, the coolest thing I have ever owned in my life. What's nicer is that I'm going to spend a long time discovering the minute reasons to appreciate its function and design. I should be set for a good while. Got to go rub on it now. Bye. :yahoo:

https://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn228/j...pg?t=1207549181

https://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn228/j...pg?t=1207549608

Ride Well,

Hanzo

 

[Old Michael]

OK. Still low miles on the 600RR due to the lack of global warming around here, but stretched its legs a bit today. .... and hit the road.

....Commuting with it tonight. Later on.

Hey, this is fun reading! I've wondered what it might be like to take home a sportbike. Keep it going. And pics would be cool too.

Thanks Honzo.

 

[fjr]

Nice looking scoot!

 

[daviddowns2000]

I'm trying to thin the chicken strips but maybe shouldn't push it. Just not comfortable laying her over. My sense of the bike is of a total beginner. There's already a lot of gravel on the pavement. I don't think I would react smoothly on the breaks and/or adjust a new and accurate line around the pebbles.

I'm sorry, but you really sound like a disaster just itching to happen. Street riding is dangerous enough without worrying about how far you can lean it over or how wide your chicken strips are, and you just couldn't wait to get it into triple digits, could you? What are you gonna do when that dog or deer or farm truck suddenly appears in front of you while you were looking down at the speedo to see how friggin fast you are going? Your adrenaline rush mentality combined with limited experience and a fast bike is going to get you into a world of pain real quick. You need to find a track and get that **** out of your system. Meanwhile, ride sanely or stay off the public roads, please...I don't want anyone in my family to become a statistic because of you or people like you.

I know someone who has been in the trauma center for about a month now with a crushed pelvis and other assorted broken bones, internal organ damage, infections, etc. after crashing his R1. The way he talked reminds me a lot of you.

 

[Honzo]

Relax. 99% chicken here. All risks are double calculated. Had full view of all terrain a mile in every direction. There's as much chance a squirrel can run across my path on a track as there is on a flat country road and my chicken strips are very tell tale that I am just that and won't go much over 40 on a 25 mph curve. Far from reckless. Takes 1/100 of a second form my eyes to scan spedo. What if I got a warning light or an overtemp? I'd have to notice either of them. "Couldn't wait to get it into the tripple digits??????" Far from my first time. As the crops grow, that behavior ceases.

You're next going to tell me that you keep that 145 HP beast under 65 at all times.

I've crashed a couple dirt bikes, been in a couple fender benders, and been pulled over no more than avg. All those times I can tell you with Godlike certainty, I was not zoned in on the moment. I have acute memory of those moments of my focus and "centricity of being" because I play back the tape after something like that and ask "What was missing? Where did I fail?". Usually the answer lies somewhere in the recognition that limits were pushed when instinct didn't give the go-ahead. I have never failed or faltered anything where my gut gave permission. I mess up when I don't listen to it..then and only then. My story in the above post was not one of those times. I just knew.

Now, you don't know me from Adam so anything I write here is subject to your own interpretatons. The picture you paint may be similar to the opinions of some or most others but is no less born of individual experience and no less subject to a cultural conditioning. No matter what you think, something pre-programmed your judgement, spawning a lecture with no more evidence than a few written words. There stands a slight possibility that I don't fit in to the frames of your experience, therefore I reject your interpretation. If I end up dead, you can laugh.

 

[Murph]

Unfortunately, all too often humility comes after the crash.

Honzo, it's cool that you enjoy your ride and I wish you the best. But you scare me too.

Ride safe.

 

[Honzo]

What are you scared of? Hell, I'm afraid of motorcycles but have a few near death experiences in my arsenal of good sense to feel out my limitations. All three of the times I've come close (airplanes), I knew something was wrong all day. Yesterday, I knew nothing was wrong for just a few seconds on the bike. That tense feeling I get leaning even just a little bit sometimes? That's a warning that road conditions aren't right. Life has taught me to watch carefully. Murphy's law is always tatooed on the inside of my skull. Once in a while, I'm granted the "go-ahead". Those moments are safe. I can tell the difference. We sure are making a big deal out of a 1500 ft burst of speed, don't you think?

Anyway...New tone now: I had a few errands to run and spent only another 40 minues on it today. Sun was out, still only 49 but what a treasure it was to just cruise. Stopped down by the river and marvelled how high and fast it is right now and started thinking how I'd rig a trailer on this little bike for my kayak. A pleasant and serene ride for as short as it was. Just roaming around on my personal transport getting a few bills paid is easily one of the most pleasurable feelings (yes, I enjoyed paying my bills today). I obeyed every speed limit and just enjoyed the casual side of my new ride. I wasn't after a thrill at all. Just me and the bike.

My bike. I really am loving it more every time I touch it <you perverts>. It's starting to set in that it's actually mine. This is so much more to my liking than the nighthawk. I dreamed about a sport bike off and on for decades. They were out of price range, though. Thanks to a stroke of bad--->good luck and an good wife, at long last it's here. Amazingly, this 600 fits. Surprisingly, this 600 is the performer I wanted to graduate to a few years back. It's styling is me. It's unexpected user friendly manner on the street is me as well. Just pure joy now. Tomorrow, It will still be in my garage and I don't have to take it back to anyone. Speaking of...

https://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/jwl2008/CIMG3494.jpg

https://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/jwl2008/CIMG3505.jpg

https://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/jwl2008/CIMG3501.jpg

https://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/jwl2008/CIMG3508.jpg

 

[drew231506]

time for the track yet???

 

[madmike2]

Good for you, Honzo. Just remember that those giving advice are likely sharing from their own experiences. The caution they suggest is only based on their own mis-adventures. They are trying to help you circumvent the bad experiences.

I have to agree with them in that a new-to-you bike and cold road temps are not conducive to wonderful cornering, so a bit of over-cautiousness might be warranted. Of course, we all enjoy the performance of our motorcycles, that's why we own the bikes we do.

Remember, this isn't your Dad's 600. Trust me, helicopter rides are expensive...and waking up 2 days later is very low on my fun-o-meter, as is recovering from the short-term memory loss and physical therapy. Enjoy!!

 

[painman]

Honzo, congrats on the new bike. After reading your previous thread when you were looking for a sportbike, you mentioned you were 6'2" and 240lbs and were having problems finding a bike that fit you. You mentioned you had at one time sat on a CBR that was too "crampy" and didn't seem to fit you well. So the question is and I haven't seen you answer it is the CBRR too crampy as well? Isn't this the same bike more or less as a CBR? And what happened to that black XX Blackbird for $4800 for sale? Sounded like a cool bike and good deal.....PM. <>< :blink:

 

[Honzo]

Honzo, congrats on the new bike. After reading your previous thread when you were looking for a sportbike, you mentioned you were 6'2" and 240lbs and were having problems finding a bike that fit you. You mentioned you had at one time sat on a CBR that was too "crampy" and didn't seem to fit you well. So the question is and I haven't seen you answer it is the CBRR too crampy as well? Isn't this the same bike more or less as a CBR? And what happened to that black XX Blackbird for $4800 for sale? Sounded like a cool bike and good deal.....PM. <>< :blink:

The cbr600 I spent time on was many years ago. I sat on an 01 recently for a long time thinking about it all. This new bike feels different in the leg room. I think the distance between saddle and peg is greater. Teh seat looks pretty high compared to some previous models. The 06 katana 600 I rode recently was a longer reach forward and a more crampy leg bend. Had it stuck in my head for the longest time that my next bike MUST be greater than a 750 since I got tired of the nighthawk. I steared clear of the 600s because of assumptions. Then I sat on an 07, read a lot, compared many bikes and needs, polled you foks and more. This was a slightly fated/instinctive buy, but got it's due prodding. I'm thouroughly happy so far save the fact that I must clean it after every trip to the store... and may entertain helibars mostly due to stop and go commuting. One of the main criteria for my new machine was that it be far more capable than I would ever dare to push it so as to stave off dissatisfaction with performance. It will be a long while before this little 600 bores me.

 

[JoBu]

Congrats on the new scoot, Honzo!! She's a beauty. Hee-hee...classic pull-over story. Hey, at least you didn't get pulled over on your test ride (sheepish grin).

Cheers,

Joe