Thanks Dean. Yeah, I know that a 600 will be much more appropriate for me. I do get a lot of delight twisting the throttle, the accel is certainly a great rush. But honestly, I hate my bike as a package---it's bulky, it's heavy, and I believe it makes me more tired lapping it at my 90-100 percent than a 600 would. It's even pain to just push around in the pits/garage. I've been saying that I'll ride it until I crash it irreparably, then get a 600, but it's a long winter ahead of us, who knows I might decide to speed up the process.. Too bad I sold all the street parts already, it used to be a great street bike.
Tmp this sun 15 th just added
- Thread starter TLDeano
- Start date
Thanks Dean. Yeah, I know that a 600 will be much more appropriate for me. I do get a lot of delight twisting the throttle, the accel is certainly a great rush. But honestly, I hate my bike as a package---it's bulky, it's heavy, and I believe it makes me more tired lapping it at my 90-100 percent than a 600 would. It's even pain to just push around in the pits/garage. I've been saying that I'll ride it until I crash it irreparably, then get a 600, but it's a long winter ahead of us, who knows I might decide to speed up the process.. Too bad I sold all the street parts already, it used to be a great street bike.
I happen to know some ZX600 guy that is selling his race 600 bike
I happen to know some ZX600 guy that is selling his race 600 bike
Hmm..see now you really started my thinking process, damn you! How well do you know this guy?
In all cases, it goes something like this: 1) think; 2) decide; 3) liquidate current inventory; 4) restock. I just entered phase 1).
Hmm..see now you really started my thinking process, damn you! How well do you know this guy?
Better speed up that thought process. That bike isn't likely to be available for long!
I have a similar bike and find it not very flickable and heavy but it's a great bike and would do very at tracks like Mosport. There were a couple R1's and a BMW s1000rr at TMP and they were moving fast. Maybe it's the design or newer technology.
Newer 1000's are WAY better than pre-2005 gixxers. The whole mass centralization thing started around that time and they've made huge improvements.
Well, this is touching a very current (for me) topic. On the track, I've been only on the following tire combinations on this bike:
1) Bridgestone S20 (front) and Dunlop Q2 (rear)
2) Dunlop Q3 (set)
3) Bridgestone slicks (set)
4) Dunlop 211 GPA (set)
For 1, 2, and 3 I had the front forks flush with the top of the tripple (front raised). 3) was the best in terms of flickability, I felt I could very easily and quickly lean it to the degree I want, after which it would settle and stay in that position like it's on rails. 1) and 2) were not that bad either. But then I switched to 4), did one day during which I felt like I can't turn it so quick anymore, so I was constantly missing my apex. At home, I lowered the front about 4-5 mm, and also loosened my chain a little bit as it was tight, which made the wheelbase a little bit shorter. As a result, on the 15th it did turn quicker, but it never felt stable mid-corner. It's just as if it wanted to fall down, if you know what I mean.. I have a set of Dunlop slicks, I wonder how they will compare to my experience so far... when I get a chance to try them, if I don't like them, I'll be buying only Bridgestone slicks after that as they felt best.
Last edited:
That's strange to have that feel with Dunlops because they usually have a "planted" feel at max lean that's almost like the bike won't steer any farther. Maybe 4-5mm was too much, that is a lot. What hot pressure were you running? GPA front likes to be high, like 33-35. Higher pressure also greatly affects steering. I went from 30 to 34 and the difference was staggering. The bike (SV) suddenly came alive.
Hmm...could pressures be the culprit?! I ran them 22rear 32front (off the warmers). Hmm..
I know exactly what you mean. My bike is an 04 GSX-R 1000 and it felt like falling over I think at turn 11 (where marshal was posted). I did save it a couple of times at that turn.
You need to pick a tire and setup your bike for it. Flip flopping from tire to tire and chasing a decent setup will drive you crazy and only slow down your progression. Gsxr's (not sure about your model) tend to like a high front and low rear. It sounds opposite of what you think but I was having some pretty serious steering issues untill I dropped my forks 10mm BELOW the top triple and it was night and day. The bike handles amazing and enters/finishes corners. I would talk to a suspension tuner and stick with a brand of tire for a season, that way you can get a good setup/tire wear. I took me a year AFTER my bike was revalved/sprung (with aftermarket kit) to get it where I felt %100 on it. Also, just because your suspension has had the magical touch of a proper tuner doesn't mean it's perfect, it means you have a really good baseline and can get some support on what and how to adjust your clickers to get it right for you.
"10mm BELOW the top tripple" => you mean that you raised the front of the bike, right?
"Gsxr's (not sure about your model) tend to like a high front and low rear." => I was actually hearing on multiple occasions the opposite, namely that the front is too low, so most GSXR racers would always have the forks flush with the top (hence I did it blindly at the very beginning, and only noticed the difference when I lowered it).
I take your words seriously, so I just want to make sure if you accidentally switched a word or two.
EDIT: Pardon me, the grammar played a trick on me. Yes, you're clear---GSXR's need their front raised, which is the same as what I've heard! Got it.
Last edited:
Yup you got it. Try it all at once, just remember where you started but again your bike is a totally different model than what I'm on so I would suggest calling a suspension guy (whoever did/got your springs?) and see if they have a more accurate setting for your generation.
TLDeano
Well-known member
your right about this for most models of gsxr, "after" you gut the stock fisher-price fork internals for something that actually works,, put a real rear shock on, and raise your rear swingarm pivot eccentric. but you still have a bike that's too heavy, too powerful, and that takes too much concentration and work to hold a line, speed up, and slow down for an amateur. Use the same tire, over and over, til you know it, as long as its not a Pirelli.
TLDeano
Well-known member
Your generation of gsxr 1000 needs its front end lowered about 4 inches and a wheelie bar put on rear, and taken over to the drag strip.
Hey hey - easy dissing the bike :-(. I run Pirelli on my 04 gsxr 1000 and found them to be the best street tires I've used. But then again I run in the novice group and use my bike for street & track.
Yeah cause Pirelli only make one model tire
I'm afraid Dean is right about the bike, with the only exception that he's very wrong about the drag strip---it's hardly a very potent bike for there too.
So what you have is an overpowered blob.
Fixed.
