GSXR 600 or GSXR 750?

well im thinking about buying my first street bike. and i was hoping i could get a few oppinions. before anyone yells out get a 600 as your first bike! 750 youll kill yourself. ive been riding dirtbikes since i was 9 (about to be 19 now) and ive ridden up to a 525 4 stroke on dirt, but i was mainly on a 250 2 stroke. and i could handle both no problem. back when i was 14 a neighbor had a GSXR 750 and he let me ride it and i LOVED it. it just seemed heavy to me while turning, but then again, i was 14. im not to worried on the top end speed, as from what ive heard both will do 140 no problem, and im not into the whole super fast speed thing, the type of riding i like is curvey roads where you can really lean the bike over and when riding like that, thereis really no need to go that fast. i want to go out on rides like that, and other then that, im just going to use it to go to and from work (1 mile), just run errands, stuff like that. i dont plan to ride with 2 people if im going to be with more then myself ill just drive my truck.

ive been told ill like the 600 more because it is lighter and will be easier to throw around on turns and will still have plenty of power. and ive also been told after like 6 months ill get bored and regret getting the 600 and wish i had got the 750. anyone want to throw their oppinion out there? either way i go, i want between a 2003 and 2008. and plan to leave it stock besides visual stuff.

thanks guys!

and to add to that, i rode my friends honda 500 not that long ago, but it was old and not taken care of. like i wouldnt have paid a grand for it. but i thought it had next to no power. so i have no idea how the suzuki 600 would compare.

I can only say that you may want to compare the cost of insurance. Why pay so much for insurance that you could actually buy another motorcycle?

I will first say that there is a huge difference in power between an old beat up, air cooled, twin cylinder (i'm assuming), carburated 500 and a new(er) fuel injected, inline 4 cylinder, liquid cooled 600cc supersport. And I mean a serious difference.

I have a gsxr 600, weigh 200 lbs and could never imagine needing anything more. It's not like I can ride around at 200 mph and live very long. But to each their own, I won't knock on people that want bigger bikes, I just don't really see the need for riding on the street. Mine can scare the crap out of me with a quickness.

My wife has the gsxr's little brother, a GS500. Its an air cooled, twin cylinder, carburated 500cc "somewhat sporty" bike that I ride from time to time. I've even added full exhaust, jetting, airbox mods, tricked suspension, etc..... It's actually really fun to ride, but I'm sure I look like king kong on a shriner's bike. There may only be a 100cc difference in displacement, but it is comparing apples to oranges when talking about power. My bike if stuck in 2nd gear would outperform hers in just about every aspect except top speed, then I might have to shift to 3rd.

Are you stuck on GSXR's? Personally I find them the least comfortable of the 4 major brands and they feel top heavy to me. I only bought mine because the price was right. I'd have preferred one of the others, but everyone is built differently.

You both just made my day. I'd rather buy a 600. I was worried about acceleration though. I talked to a repair shop today that was next to where I had work on my car done. (picked it up today). They said 600 is more then enough. He recommended an r6. He said he has had it at 165.. Screw that. Haha. I have no desire to go anywhere near that fast. I think 600 Is my better bet. And I'm not stuck on Suzuki. I'm not brand bias. It's just all I've ridden besides the Honda. I like the look of the gsxr. Ninja. And r series. Honda not so much. Gsxr has my favorite look followed my the r series. I'm open to like an r6 or a gsxr 600 if the price is right for either. The ninjas are cool but not a GIANT fan. How much does insurance run on a 600? I Havnt really looked to be honest. Just in the thinking stage for now. And you said the gsxr is top heavy? What about an r6? One reason I loved my kx 250 so much is it was bottom heavy. Made it easier to lean over. I'm not going to run out tomorrow any buy one. Just in the research stage. Thanks so much you guys.

I had a brand new 01 gsxr 600. it was my 3rd bike. I loved that bike. The 750 has almost the same wheelbase as the 600 back then. only difference was a beefier swing arm on the 750. That 600 was fast for what it was. It would run 60-70 before the limiter in first gear. Handling improved significantly when i got rid of the stock dunlop tires. Also I was looking at the 750 and insurance was 3-4 times more per month. I couldn't justify spending that much more for not a whole lot more performance. Also I did 145mph on mine one time and had some throttle to go. I never did that twice. I think you would be fine with the 600 if you aren't out trying to ride wheelies all the time. Back then most guys were doing the M4 titanium pipe, power comander, and drop a tooth on the front sprocket and it will add a lot of get up and go.

R6 were very popular around here back then the GSXR would run right with them no problem. The r6 was what all the guys that loved to ride wheelies had. It was much lighter in the front so it was easy. the gsxr put more weight up front because of body position over the hands. Most of the guys I rode with that had the r6 and r1000's laid them down at least one because they get light up front in corners real quick if you came out too hard on the throttle. Also the top heavy feeling of the gsxr was greatly reduced for me when switched from the Dunlop 206 stock tire to a racing compound metzler. The 206 dunlops gave me a feeling like the bike didn't want to turn and when you rolled it far enough BOOM they would surprise you. The metzlers made the bike handle much more consistent and smooth. Hope my rambling helped. Also look at the specs I think that old one I had would 0-6 in like under 4 seconds. If you amoral the seat to make it shine your ass would fly off the back.

I too feel that a 600 would be more than enough. I came from an 07 R6 (170 lbs 1st motorcycle and since sold and now without). It is amazing the power that sport bikes have around 8-14k rpm's.

As far as being heavy I think in general sport bikes carry their weight high. Its just what it is. While not the most practical bikes they are fun.

As for insurance you can get discounts by taking a motorcycle safety course if you have not done soo already. Plus they teach you many good techniques.

As for tires I REALLY liked my Michelin Pilot Road 2's. They were a duel compound tire that gave me excellent cornering combined with long tread life (about 10k miles).

If you do the dropping a tooth it would be a good benefit. Increased low end and decreased top end. Took mine to 163 a couple of times but would not recommend, not worth it. I would also highly recommend a steering dampner. I ran without for a year before getting one and what a difference it made.

Whatever you decide have fun with it, get the right gear, and be safe

be different....get a supermoto. I always get WTF he is doing driving that thing on the road looks.

they're more fun (imo), you can go anywhere on them, and sport bikes are awesome on tracks, but have too much power for everyday driving

and most importantly, this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYu7DQn5vAI

My Suzuki DRZ434 supermoto...so much fun!

I could imagine that Super Moto being more comfortable than a sport bike just due to the more upright riding position getting the weight off of your wrists.

Here's a picture of my friend Dean passing an R6 on the inside on a supermoto Aprilia 550.
In the tight twisties, a sm bike can smoke a super bike. The SM bike will run out of power quick as the turn opens up though.

I've been through a lot of street bikes. I've owned 3 600s, a 1000, and a 750. I've commuted and racetracked them all pretty much. And they are all fast as hell.

In the twisties and on the track the 600 is more than enough. 600s absolutely rip.

Oops, here it is

Most experienced riders would tell you not to start on a 600r . Its a whole different ballgame than dirt.

Having said that, I did and did fine. I also have a lot of dirt experience(raced MX growing up) and I do think it helps. A 600 will have plenty of power. Make sure you buy gear, because more than likely, no matter how good you think you are, you will lay it down.

Okay awesome. Not a big supermoto fan though. I love the look of these bikes. I think I'm going to get either an r6 or gsxr600 depending on price and what I find. Either is cool with me. ALSO I plan to finance it. (yea yea yea I know) but when you finance it. Do you have to have full coverage for insurance? Minimum is 20 a month for me. Then the next step up is over 300 a month!! I'm not willing to pay that much for insurance. I was figuring 75 a month and was okay with that. Not 300 though.
And as for gear, like my dad used to always say, there are riders who have fallen, and those that will. And I believe that. I have no intention of being "that guy" and cursing around in vans shorts and a t shirt with a helmet on. No offense Benjamin!

Depends how you finance it. If you go through a bank, yes you will have to have full coverage. If you get a company brand card, its basically unsecured credit up to 10K, so no full coverage required. Make sure you have good medical insurace though.

Hmmm... Having had bikes of all sizes and shapes I'll say that the 750 is the ultimate. It's the same platform as the 600, but with a bit more "around town" grunt. The 600's like to have the snot revved out of them. You can do it on the street, but IMO the 750's and 1000's are more mellow to ride. How fast they go is all a matter of how hard you twist. They're all plenty fast enough. The new 600's are pretty nasty, though. I'm sure it'll be plenty. Dropping a tooth in the front is a really nice mod. Makes them wheelie really easily, but also makes them tach pretty high on the freeway.

For me the GSX-R is my favorite, then the R6 and so on down the line. Fit is a matter of who you are. Sit on them and see what you think. I think the GSX-R's are actually pretty comfortable.

Like a few people said... The most fun you'll ever have on two wheels is a super moto. Especially if you're from a dirtbike background. They're soo much fun. I got rid of mine because I couldn't ride it like a civilized person. I figured it was just a matter of time till I got arrested on it.

I think for what I want the 600 will be golden. Unless I find a steal on a 750. The owner of the company i work at is absolutely awesome. And is worth tens of millions. I was talking to him about it and he offered to pay for it and I can make payments back interest free. He said he Has done it for like 7 people that work here. He said this way I can have the 20$ a month insurance. A friend of his owns a used bike sales shop a few miles away. And he called him on the phone with me standing there and said id be down there tonight to look at what he has. My boss is into harleys so he doesnt know a thing about these. But he told the guy that if I found one I wanted there in my price range tonight. To sign it over to me tonight and he would write the check Monday. I'm not going to take him up on the offer for tonight. But I'm stoked I'll have a place to go look and talk to about all the options I have on what to get. Should be an awesome night. I've always wanted one. But my pops always said no chance til I move out becaus he has been Hurt on them. Now that I'm out on my own. I can get the toy I've always wanted! Stoked! Thanks so much everyone

Just don't put a mohawk on your helmet.

Why not? I want a bright green helmet with a blue Mohawk on it. It's super sick!(sarcasm)

I financed mine and was able to get full coverage with no medical protection for like 50 a month. Bike was covered but if I wrecked my health insurance policy would have covered it. (I think) I never found out before I got away from the bikes and went to a boat instead.

The difference between the 600 and the 750 inst as noticeable as you would think my brother had a 600 and my dad has a 750 not really a huge difference.

Lot of good info ..but unless I missed it you didnt mention your size height and weight.See I asked because I just dont fit a 600. 6-1 240# and although a 600 was plenty enough bike It was to small for me I liked the 750 much better. I love the gixxer and would go with it over the R6. The cbr6 is also badazz. I have ridden the GSXR,6 and 750 1000, R6 R1 cbr600, ninja 6 9 1100. I liked the GSXR and CBR the best. My wife and had suzuki katanas for our first bikes 750(me) 600(her) they were very fun comfortable bikes. They didnt have quite the performance of the GSXR and the CBR we moved up to but there were days I missed my katana for its much more comfortable riding position. I moved to the GSXR750 and my wife to the CBR600. Somebody mentioned the Metzler tires and I would agree I would go with them for replacements I always loved the way the rode. And your dad is right saftey is king. I haved wrecked and walked away with minor scratches because I always wore the right gear. All this to say if your a smaller guy the 600 is perfect (its why my wife loved the CBR so much she could stand flat footed were the other 600's she had to tippy toe. But if your a 'Big" err heavy weight like me you might need a 750.Its really not a weight thing if you 6-4 and 175# a 600 is not going to cut it.good luck in your search and always rubber side down buddy.

I'm 6 foot 1 and weigh 180 and about to lose 20 lbs for boat season. Haha. That shop my boss sent me to, i talked to his friend ( the shop owner) he actually has an 07 r6 with 5000 miles on it for sale for 5 grand. And all the miles where put on by him. I actualy thought it was way more comfortable to sit on then the Suzuki. I told him I only wanted to spend about 4500 and he said we could defiantly work something out. I'm talking to my boss Tuesday and I'll see what happens. He said i was more then welcome to ride it if it wasn't raining. And Tuesday should be clear.

Before anyone status yelling at me... Yes I'm going to ride it, and no I don't have my class m. How hard is the permit test for California? My two friends that have theirs said it was crazy hard. But they are morons and barely passed their car permit test. I read the car book once and passed only missing 1 question. I know all the basic motorcycle rules and safety things. I was just curious how many times I should read the book. I plan to register the bike ( even if I don't buy this one) and take the permit test the same day so I don't have to take 2 days off work. And yea yea yea, I know it's illegal. I'm going to test ride it and ride it home and park it til I get my permit.

this one. so bad ass looking

Call State Farm to get your insurance quote. They are by far the cheapest I have ever found for insuring sport bikes. I think I pay something like $18 a month for full coverage. That being said I have a R6 and love it. It is plenty of bike for what you are looking for. It absolutely kills it in the canyons around here.

sick. i think im going to get that red r6. i dont think ill have any need for a 750. im going to talk to my boss tomorrow. ive called around. havnt called state farm. but progressive has been the cheapest so far. while i was on the phone with them. i got a quote for my car to. and it will actually be cheaper to use them for my car AND an 07 r6 then just for my car with the company i curently have.

the cheapest i have found for full coverage is 260 a month. but liability ive found 20 a month with progresive. all the companies say that me being 18 is what makes the rates so high for a bike. one guy actually told me that they charge so much because when an 18 year old has a bike that will do 160, they expect them to total it

That's because it happens more times than not. Good luck, man. Sweet bike.

I had a 02 gsxr 600 and paid 50 a month for full coverage at State Farm. I was the same age as you (18) at the time and called to get insurance on my own with a car, they told me it was gonna be like 250 a month just the bike! Yikes!!! Called State Farm were my car insurance was through and it was only 50 bucks. Don't get ripped off. This was about 5 years ago but i know insurance prices haven"t gone up that much.

Sold my 08' GSX-R 600 last summer.. All black, murdered out.. Clean as a whistle.. Kid was 19 and bought it, had never rode a sport bike before but like you had "dirt bike experience since he was a kid".. He picked up it around 10pm on a Saturday night and at 1am he called me back and said he totalled it downtown Minneapolis..

He got antsy with the front brake and high sided it when a car switched lanes.. Frame damage, etc. He wasn't hurt bad but the bike was gone..

Be careful man - it's not JUST the power you have to worry about.. The brakes are ULTRA sensitive - especially at high speed and the handling is very different than a dirt bike - especially when it's wet, slick or sandy.

Be careful. Take your time getting used to it and enjoy it.

Yeah, dirt bike experience means very little. It helps, but the fact is they are very different. On the dirt, you're leaning the bike, and using body position to stay in control, steering with the rear.. On the street you're hanging your body off of the bike....which would never fly on the dirt. Although pro road racers steer with the back of the bike, after 10 years of experience, I'm still not doing that.

The worst thing you can do is take a sport bike out as a new rider and start hot rodding around with no experience. I somehow survived this stage, but I'm not sure how. I learned my lessons as a beginner without ever hitting the ground. You almost have to get wiped-out a dozen times until you develop the instinct to recognize the dangers around you....... the car that's motivated to change lanes for example. After years of experience, you'll see it before it happens.

Not to hijack, but i am about to pull the trigger on an 08 R6 and as always there is a wealth of knowledge on WW. After reading some of the above comments, i am concerned that at 6'1" and 190 pounds i am not going to be comfortable on an R6. It feels good to sit on, but i know that a 3 day trip could be a whole different story. Any advice or suggestions?

This is my first street bike also, i finally feel like i am old enough at 35 that i can be responsible enough to own one. I have had dirt bikes, blah, blah, blah since i was a kid also but know this is a whole different ballgame and am signed up for a safety course and plan only on riding with experienced friends for awhile.

I have been looking for a used plated 450-525 KTM exc for awhile, but have decided that although a supermoto would be awesome around town it would not be very much fun riding with my friends all on faster bikes (liters, 600s) for any sort of distance or open roads. And i would get into too much trouble!

Jarrod is on the money... I don't know how I survived having a GSX-R as my first bike. Be careful. Ride "heads up". Always expect that a car doesn't see you and that they'll turn in front of you. Don't trust anyone. You'll hardly damage their car, but you'll end up in the hospital. Knock on wood... I've never been down on the street and rode like an idiot for the first 4 years of bike ownership, but I kept my eyes up the road. During the time I owned my first bike I never even got my permit. I rode at night, on the freeway and with passengers. It wasn't smart, but I figured I'd handle it when I got pulled over. Luckily I never did. I finally took the test on my second bike. The written test is super easy. The riding test is tricky. I did it on a CBR900rr and the bike would barely turn inside the circle. A supermoto or plated dirt bike would be the way to go for the riding test. Go to DMV and practice riding the circle. It'll help. There's nothing in the world like riding a bike. I've been trying to kick the habit for about 10 years now. I make it through the winter bike-less, then always end up shopping during the summer.

Shane... If you want to ride for 3 days a sport bike isn't for you. A bike like a Ducati Multistrada will do the sport and cruiser thing very well. You could do it on a R6, but it'll kill your wrists, knees and neck. They're made to go fast, and that's it. You can always do some adjustable rearsets to drop the pegs and some bar risers. That way you could make more of a multipurpose bike, but it'll never be a touring bike. You're right about the EXC. As cool as they are ( I want one bad), they're terrible road bikes. You'll burn through top ends relatively quickly if you ride them on the street. They're really just made to connect trails. If you want a faster, more capable supermoto, then check out the Husky 610's. They hold more oil and have a bit more bottom end grunt.

Shane,
I had the gsxr 600 in 01. It was pretty bad ass. I know on it the wheelbase was the same for the 600 and the 750. The 1000 was a 1/2 inch longer. Thant is not going to make the bike any more comfortable. In order to get comfort you would have to go to something more touring style or a a busa in the gsxr. I am not sure on the R6 and R1 but pretty sure they are very similar in wheelbase. I was 6'2'' and 185 when I had my 600 and it was a fine fit.

Shane, you would be miserable on a 3 day trip on a race bike. 1 day and you'll wish you never left home on it.

One tip on the riders test: Sport bikes turn better under power. In the circle, maintain positive throttle and apply brake at the same time to control your speed. Letting off the throttle typically makes the bike stand up. It worked for me anyway :-) Like Evan said, I was at the DMV on weekends practicing. But if you can borrow a SM bike or even a scooter, you will do much better.

a 600 is fine... just never ride a litre bike or you"ll be bored from then on riding a 600

So I got that r6 I posted a picture of. It's sitting inside of where i work.. My boss rode it and he has been on street bike for 30 years, and it scared the crap out of him. He couldnt believe how fast it was. He said in the 5 miles from where it was to where we work, he never needed to take it out of first. He said he knows it's what i want so he is going to hand over the keys after I complete a few conditions... I have to go get my permit, then take a motorcycle safety course, then get my license and show it to him. Then he will hand they keys over and I can do what ever I want with the bike. He said he is scared I will get hurt on a bike that fast so he wants to do everything he can so his mind is clear if I where to get hurt. I'm taking off work this coming Tuesday to go to DMV and get my permit. Then I sit in a class room for 5 hours on the night of march 3rd, then five hours on a bike on the 5th and another 5 hours on the 6th. That those three days waive the DMV license test, so I walk in, hand them my certificate, and they give me my temp license, and I'm hoping to do that on a week from Tuesday.( Monday is our busiest days and he said i can take off any Days I need except Mondays) so I'm hoping to have they keys in my hand on around 10 days. I Havnt even ridden it yet! He is killing me. I hate him for it. Haha. But at the same time, I see his concern. If I where to go down he would never forgive himself. Thanks for all the tips you guys!

I was on a golf trip this past weekend with one my buddies who i plan on riding with so i asked him about a sport bike for trips(we have one planed first of June). He said it does suck, but he wouldn't have it any other way after owning all different types of bikes because of the few short times where you actually get to use the potential of a sport bike. He just picked up a BMW 1000RR and another guy going on the trip has the same bike as him (Lucky!). I'm getting the bike at a good enough price and it only has 1200 miles so if i hate it on the first trip i can always sell and get something else.

In Oregon taking the class waives the knowledge and skills tests, so i won't have to worry about turning a sport bike in the small circle. Thanks for the advice! I'll post a picture as soon as i take possession and the rain stops here!

David, your boss sounds like a smart guy. You're lucky to have a boss like that.

Yeah man... sounds like your boss is a cool dude.

Shane, the 1000rr is such a nice bike.

my boss is a very smart guy. he is bad ass to. its awesome to find a guy in his mid 50's that has 27 cars, 7 bikes, and 4 boats. i can talk to him for hours and never have a dull moment. it kind of sucks that he wont even let me ride the bike when i get my permit (tomorrow morning) but oh well. i dont really have a choice.

i went to the shop where i bought it from on my lunch today to pick up a pair of riding gloves. and the girl behind the counter asked how i liked the bike, (and the prior owner was sitting behind the counter to) and i told her i havnt ridden it yet and said my boss was having me take the course. i told her i was kind of mad when he told me, but at the same time, i understand why he did it. then the prior owner went off on me! he literally started yelling at me in the middle of the shop. i was like yea it kind of sucks but oh well. blaw blaw blaw. i was basically just saying i was bummed. but was by no means angry. he started yelling at me telling me how ungreatful i was and how he couldnt believe "sucks" even came out of my mouth. from the moment i walked in he was just kind of glaring and didnt say a word. but to be honest, i think he is really bitter about the price my boss talked him into . bluebook was like 6200 or 6300. and he was asking for 5000. and i got it for 4500. i was really suprised he would yell at a potential future customer. i just have a dirtbike helmet for now, i plan to get an actual street bike one within 3 weeks or so, and i had planned to get it there, as well as have service done since i got the bike for such a steal. but after being yelled at like that after something i truly am greatful for and not bitter about at all. im going to take my business elsewhere. i was truly suprised on his words. i think its kind of comical now that i left the shop. but really? thats not a good way to treat a customer. my boss is on a business trip til wednesday. but when he comes back, im going to ask him if he is bitter about it. im really curious *laughs*