The other day I went to test ride a few bikes as I'm getting the itch to try something other than the Street Triple.
I spent a few hours in a Honda dealer and I've been drawn to sports type bikes as they can slip through gaps pretty easily when filtering in London.
First off I try the new CBR650F. Seems they've taken the right approach (for commuters) and gone for less power and more torque that the outgoing model. It's also priced pretty keenly at £7k. Leaving the forecourt the first thing I notice is how buzzy it is at low revs. I'm not sure if it's a fault with this particular demonstrator but it made the triple feel smooth in comparison. At around 4k the vibrations go away but then return higher up the rev range. The ride itself is okay, but the build feels cheap. Not impressed with the bike, which is a shame as I really wanted to like it. It certainly ticked the majority of boxes.
Next up the salesman talks me into trying the new VFR800. Out on the road the v4 engine is lovely and smooth with real character and punch. I read that the VTEC kick was smoother too in the newer model and I barely noticed the change other than a more aggressive howl. It doesn't feel heavy, but I notice the weight difference with the 650F. Its got all the toys as standard (TC, heated grips etc). The bike has a quality that I wished the 650 had. It's how I expected a Honda to feel. Trouble is, it's £10k and as lovely as it is, I can't justify that right now.
The salesman's colleague is convinced the 600RR is the bike for me. He wheels one out and tells me to try that. I wonder if the riding position is going to be too aggressive as the Daytona I rode gave me wrist ache after an hour's worth of low speed riding.
Surprisingly, it's not bad at all and quite a docile engine to boot. I manage to wind it up on the dual carriageway and it goes well but there does seem to be a bit missing in the midrange. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting for a minute it's under powered, but the ballistic top end comes in with such a rush that it leaves you feeling like something's missing.
Finally, from starting out looking at the 650F, I'm sat on a Fireblade. It feels marginally bigger than the 600 but no less comfortable. Negotiating a few roundabouts and a bit of traffic, I'm none the wiser that actually I'm sitting on a missile. It's manners at slow speed are equal to its smaller sibling and I'm purposely using higher gears to see how it rides on torque. Very well as it turns out. The roads open out and I'm pretty much on my own on this DC.
Faaaaaaahhk! I don't know what gear I'm in. I doesn't matter. I honestly didn't think it would be that MUCH faster than the 600, but I'm having to hang on. Seconds have gone by and things are moving past quickly now. I glimpse the clocks. Into 120 clicks and 9k. I know I'm just tickling it, but my bottle has run out. Its utterly bonkers. The way it gains speed is mental, in doesn't matter what gear you're in. The only thing faster on a DC is a Porto Coupe with gold flashes.
I hand the keys back and I'm in a quandary. I love the rush of the blade, but it's alot to insure (as a newish rider). The 600Rrr isn't that much cheaper with fully comp quotes around £700. The triple is just £250 to renew.
Perhaps I should wait another year, or perhaps I should just do it.
