R3 vs Sv650 (and do looks matter?)

[Baggsy]

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ok heres a thought, if in the future i wanted to ride with a passenger, the cbr500r would probably fair better than the R3?

If you're going to take a passenger, you need to find out the GVWR, and work out how much weight the bike can carry from that. It can be hard to find, and many bikes are not set up to take a passenger. Weestrom is good for passengers, but it's not really a good first bike. You're usually better off getting a small bike and learning to ride, and what/where you want to ride, for a couple of years, and then purchasing your "lifetime" bike then. Otherwise, you'll be going through bikes like there's no tomorrow. I like ABS.

 

[Drennan57]

ok one final question, which between the r3 and cbr500r will be better on the highway?(I dont mean the wind, but in terms of power? Passing power, just general power and confidence in the engine of the bike?)

Hey I'm just gonna be straight up with you.

You need to drop the R3 from your considerations entirely.

 

[Baggsy]

Hey I'm just gonna be straight up with you. You need to erase the 300 class from your considerations entirely.

Funny thing. I'm the same height as you since I shrunk, and the 300's and 250's fit me fine, and are fun as all get out. Dealers told me when I first went in, that I needed at least a 750. I don't understand what's in the water in some places.

 

[Baggsy]

ok one final question, which between the r3 and cbr500r will be better on the highway?(I dont mean the wind, but in terms of power? Passing power, just general power and confidence in the engine of the bike?)

You'll need to learn to ride the little bike. Not so much on the bigger one.

 

[Zoodles95]

Funny thing. I'm the same height as you since I shrunk, and the 300's and 250's fit me fine, and are fun as all get out. Dealers told me when I first went in, that I needed at least a 750. I don't understand what's in the water in some places.

Who was the salesman? Mighty Mike?

I'll bet the OP would have a blast on one of the 300cc bikes. I would still recommend finding something used for $3500 or less and then flipping it in a year or two if he felt the need to. My buddy is still happy on his Ninja 300 and I think this is season three for him on it. I need to ride it again but from what I remember from riding it two seasons ago it had enough power to put a smile on my face and I enjoyed all the shifting and how well it handled.

 

[Drennan57]

Funny thing. I'm the same height as you since I shrunk, and the 300's and 250's fit me fine, and are fun as all get out.

Oh my N300 is fun until my girlfriend gets on the back and hundreds of unborn children are obliterated everytime I hit the brakes.

Think of the children please!

 

[Zoodles95]

Oh my N300 is fun until my girlfriend gets on the back and hundreds of unborn children are obliterated everytime I hit the brakes.

Think of the children please!

LOL!

If we keep putting requirements onto the OP's bike requirements we will have him on an FJ 1300, ST 1300, 'Busa, or ZX-14 in no time! Needs to eat up highway miles, great 2up power and braking etc. Everything is a tradeoff. The CBR500 is heavier and less "lively" than the 300cc bikes. The SV 650 will fit some of these requirements better but no fairing and styling that he may not be as enamored with.

Again it depends on what kind of riding you are going to do.

 

[stickman88]

I know the sv650 doesnt have a windshield, but do the fairings really make such a huge difference on the highway? (also someone said you can get the fairings for the sv650?)

There is the sv650(s)!!!! That is the fairing sportier one with a windshield. I pmed you about my sv650s. Let me know if you interested.

 

[sevet]

Well considering my recent thread from a few days ago, naturally I'm gonna say SV.

Aside from the power thing, I think most reviews out there say the R3's suspension is the worst/cheapest in the ~300 class (CBR300/N300/R3/RC390). I'm not sure the bike will like a 250 lb rider on it.

And someone else mentioned you being old enough to control your throttle wrist, and I tend to agree. I'm the same age as you, and I've lost most of my teenager-stupidity-level-speeding desires. Thankfully I lost them a while ago, otherwise insurance would've made a motorcycle impossible

 

[Drennan57]

Well considering my recent thread from a few days ago, naturally I'm gonna say SV.

Aside from the power thing, I think most reviews out there say the R3's suspension is the worst/cheapest in the ~300 class (CBR300/N300/R3/RC390). I'm not sure the bike will like a 250 lb rider on it.

And someone else mentioned you being old enough to control your throttle wrist, and I tend to agree. I'm the same age as you, and I've lost most of my teenager-stupidity-level-speeding desires. Thankfully I lost them a while ago, otherwise insurance would've made a motorcycle impossible

It's easy to say you've lost the "need for speed" when you only have 39hp in your hands.

I would consider myself a conservative driver in my 3/4 ton full size pickup truck, but I wouldn't say that in a Corvette.

 

[sevet]

It's easy to say you've lost the "need for speed" when you only have 39hp in your hands.

I would consider myself a conservative driver in my 3/4 ton full size pickup truck, but I wouldn't say that in a Corvette.

Of course having more horses underneath me might make me want to crank the throttle for more smiles. But even around the city, I'm infinitely more careful about speeding and paranoid/mindful about cops being around compared to a few years ago. And yeah the N300 only has 39 HP, but that's still enough to get you more than your fair share of speeding tickets in the city...

 

[sevet]

Oh and to the OP:

I think looks matter. So do the vast majority of people, that's why companies have designers.

On the looks front, personally I think the R3 beats the SV650S (to compare similar bikes) by a long shot. I don't think the looks are a strong point for the SV, either the S or N version.

 

[bigpoppa]

I rode a friends old Tu250x and I didnt find it least bit uncomfortable(In terms of ergos), and i rode it around for a while(Maybe its a different story on the highway?)





I just wonder if 250 lbs would be too much for the R3? Suspension and all

If it wont make a huge difference ill stick with the R3 vs Sv650 (Since the R3 is just more sportier, engine , flickability etc)

If my weight makes a huge difference, then ill probably look at the CBR 500 R or SV 650






There must be a way of measuring how far down the suspension goes by sitting/rocking on a bike and measuring?


Edit:

I just read some reviews of people who have ridden both, and apparently the CBR500r is kind of boring, great commuter bike, I think ill stick to the R3

Thanks though

 

[sevet]

I just wonder if 250 lbs would be too much for the R3? Suspension and all

If it wont make a huge difference ill stick with the R3 vs Sv650 (Since the R3 is just more sportier, engine , flickability etc)

There must be a way of measuring how far down the suspension goes by sitting/rocking on a bike and measuring?


Edit:

I just read some reviews of people who have ridden both, and apparently the CBR500r is kind of boring, great commuter bike, I think ill stick to the R3

Thanks though

There's a gazillion videos out there about measuring suspension sag to adjust preload, but that won't necessarily tell you how the bike will behave with the weight on the bike using the stock spring/shocks.

The CBR500 is a porky bike compared to the 300's, I think the CBR500 is approaching 430 lbs wet - heavier than some of the 600 SS bikes. And I remember having this discussion with someone else on here a while back, the CBR500 is barely faster than the R3 in a straight line and the R3 is faster around the bends.

 

[Benny!]

Oh my N300 is fun until my girlfriend gets on the back and hundreds of unborn children are obliterated everytime I hit the brakes.

Think of the children please!

Train her to be a better passenger?

 

[catzo]

Oh and to the OP:

I think looks matter. So do the vast majority of people, that's why companies have designers.

On the looks front, personally I think the R3 beats the SV650S (to compare similar bikes) by a long shot. I don't think the looks are a strong point for the SV, either the S or N version.

Definitely agree that the SV isnt the best looking bike, but at least it has normal bike proportions. The skinny little bicycle tires on the r3 are a real put off for me.

Although, truth be told, I remember when I had my 250r I had 2 different gfs tell me they thought my bike was really big. So maybe to non-riders it would look identical to a supersport... Up close and when there are no other bikes around it still looks like a big machine.
...I know theres a penis joke in there somewhere but I can't find it

 

[bigpoppa]

Definitely agree that the SV isnt the best looking bike, but at least it has normal bike proportions. The skinny little bicycle tires on the r3 are a real put off for me.

Although, truth be told, I remember when I had my 250r I had 2 different gfs tell me they thought my bike was really big. So maybe to non-riders it would look identical to a supersport... Up close and when there are no other bikes around it still looks like a big machine.
...I know theres a penis joke in there somewhere but I can't find it

haha, size is all relative (Wink wink)

To them the ninja 250 is huge

To me the R3 feels like a bicycle (In a good way, i like how the R3 feels to be honest)

but im a pretty big guy so

 

[catzo]

haha, size is all relative (Wink wink)

To them the ninja 250 is huge

To me the R3 feels like a bicycle (In a good way, i like how the R3 feels to be honest)

but im a pretty big guy so

Oh, I got it.
"I wonder what else they told me was really big that actually isn't"
BOOM. Nailed it.

Btw, I felt cramped on my 250r, my knees were really bent, the foot pegs were so close, felt really small. I couldnt do long rides on it. And im 6'0, 160lbs. Felt like the r3 was the same when I went on a demo ride. Only 300 ive ridden coincedently.

EDIT: But they do handle amazingly well and are great to learn on. Im glad I started with a small bike

 

[bigpoppa]

Yeah I sat on the R3, it felt good, very light

Iv read of guys my size riding them before, and loving it, ergos are fine etc so i should be OK

at 6'2 250

 

[Drennan57]

Yeah I sat on the R3, it felt good, very light

Iv read of guys my size riding them before, and loving it, ergos are fine etc so i should be OK

at 6'2 250

Well there you go. Just a quick question before you sign the papers, did you have a salesmen hold the bike up so that you could put both feet on the pegs?

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