What's the Most Comfortable Sportbike?

CanadianBiker

CanadianBiker

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I've ridden mostly standards and cruisers, with only one sportbike - a '97 Honda Blackbird - and have found most of the sportbikes I've ridden to be a tad uncomfortable. Admittedly, I've only tried a few: ZX10, Ninja 900 (?), couple others.
So what's the most comfortable sportbike out there? Bear in mind I'm 52 years old and don't bend like a 19 year-old anymore, lol.
 
Isn't Comfortable Sportbike an oxymoron?

I'd imagine that you'd have to move the pegs and the bars to be more comfortable, but then your extremities wouldn't fit the way that they are supposed to, and in some ways it wouldn't really be a proper sport bike any more.
 
CanadianBiker said:
I've ridden mostly standards and cruisers, with only one sportbike - a '97 Honda Blackbird - and have found most of the sportbikes I've ridden to be a tad uncomfortable. Admittedly, I've only tried a few: ZX10, Ninja 900 (?), couple others.
So what's the most comfortable sportbike out there? Bear in mind I'm 52 years old and don't bend like a 19 year-old anymore, lol.
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As already mentioned, I don't think any sport bike will be comfortable in the sense that you're hoping for.
You can do things to make it more comfortable for example adjustable clip-ons, adjustable rearsets etc.

I'm assuming that you're talking about a super sport and not a sport touring...
 
Yeah, was thinking more SS, not sport touring (FJR etc).
How would you guys classify bikes like the VFR and Concours 1400? Not SS but not sport touring either.
The only mod I did to my Blackbird was to install some Gen-Mar risers; made a world of difference.
 
VFR is on the more sporty side of sport touring and the Concours apparently handles well at speed. Anything with the downward sloped clip-ons is going to put you in a more leaned over position. There's plenty of "sporty" bikes with a more upright position though and these mostly have bar grips and some have the upgraded components of an SS. What are you looking for in the bike?
 
CanadianBiker said:
Yeah, was thinking more SS, not sport touring (FJR etc).
How would you guys classify bikes like the VFR and Concours 1400? Not SS but not sport touring either.
The only mod I did to my Blackbird was to install some Gen-Mar risers; made a world of difference.
Click to expand...

I've always liked the VFR's, I thought it was a sport touring but I could be wrong.
Have you tried sitting on any SS to see which one would be more tolerable?
 
CanadianBiker said:
Yeah, was thinking more SS, not sport touring (FJR etc).
How would you guys classify bikes like the VFR and Concours 1400? Not SS but not sport touring either.
The only mod I did to my Blackbird was to install some Gen-Mar risers; made a world of difference.
Click to expand...

The Concours 1400 is in the same class as an FJR, it is definitely a sport touring. The VFR is a dinosaur and gets grandfathered into sport-touring, otherwise you could just call it a sportbike.

I've been thinking about a Ninja 1000 - it's a sportbike, but made for the street and not the track. Maybe that's up your alley?
 
Hayabusa, get a nice gel seat mod. You can ride that thing from here till eternity
 
I've pretty much rode every 600ss out there for the past 10 years and I can tell you by far the most comfortable for me are the "Banana Seat" Honda CBR600F4/F4I's. I am 6' 175lbs to give you an idea to judge how you would fit.
 
Get any one of them and add some after market rear sets + some bar risers and you'll be set.
 
Hey, thanks for the all the input, very helpful.
That cycle-ergo site is pretty cool, thanks. If I use the Blackbird as my benchmark, it gives me a good idea of what the numbers mean on other bikes.
Yeah, thought about a 'Busa but I have "issues" with them, lol. The Hayabusa took away the fastest production bike crown from the XX, so I'm duty-bound to hate them.:mad:Right now it's just idle speculation. Not about to give up my Harley and a second bike is likely to be a hard sell at home.:eek: Plus, then I'd have to get used to a whole different set of riders whining that I didn't wave; makes the head spin.:D
 
I ride my wife's Ninja 500R which provides a few grins. Not a SS but, it's a nice change of pace.


Looking at a buddy's Buell. Took it for a spin. Its a tuber with the Harley motor, comes with hard side bags and touring bars. Very hard to keep the front wheel down. Not going to blow away a jap ss but, plenty of fun. Well see how the winter pans out.


Good luck with your search.
 
CBR600 F4i :) I have tried all 600cc SS bikes, and to me this was the most comfy bike in terms of seating position and overall riding experience. Mind it, it is still nowhere as comfortable as the sport touring bikes.
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