| Author |
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Fullpower
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 02:09 pm: | 
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i think i would catagorize the XB Lightning as a "standard" rather than a sport style bike. at a skinny 5 foot nine, the xb fits me perfectly. it makes a fine commuter, sport-touring, do everything mount, only thing i could ask for is an additional half gallon of usable fuel capacity. hey if someone wants a kawasuzi thats fine, its a free country. i ride honda in the dirt, they build good bikes too, but i bet no one ever lost much sleep waiting for delivery on a gold wing??? |
Thepup
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 03:19 pm: |
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I bet the type of ppl that buy goldwings wouldn't lose sleep over anything,half of them probably don't lose sleep while riding their Goldwings. |
M1combat
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 03:39 pm: |
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LOL  . |
M2nc
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 12:26 am: |
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I think if you are comparing an XB and Z750, you are missing the point of the XB. These bikes are really too different to compare. My two bikes are very similar to these two bikes, Nighthawk 750 and the M2. I enjoy both bikes for their respective strengths, but they are totally different. The M2 is a torque bike with great handling, even though the pegs are a bit too low. The Nighthawk is a great all around bike, better in traffic than the M2, and better on the wallet than anything on two wheels that can keep up with it. It's the perfect commuter.
In this case the Z750 gives you more sport, with 30 more HP than the Nighthawk. It could easily run away from an XB9, and probably an XB12 too, in a straight line, especially passed 80mph. The Kawa also has better tires than the Nighthawk, so it should handle a little better, though I seriously doubt it could hang with an XB here. The other thing I can bet is that the Kawa will have no more soul than the Nighthawk. Motorcycle by Singer. The biggest flaw of the Nighthawk, and the Kawa too, is that its all machine with little soul (character).
So now that I have to pay more for insurance and tires that don't last as long, and lets throw in a less comfortable riding position, and you really have to tell be why I would want the Z750?
The article stated one truth. The industry is passing Buell by with HP. In the late nineties, a street fighter like an M2 was in good company with 91HP. But now you need to 120HP to just keep up, and 140HP to exceed. 92HP for the XB9 is not enough. So where do we go from here? |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 01:38 am: |
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When I read the article I thought, "that article realy said nothing about comparing the two bikes". All it did was point out the features of each without declaring anything. I found it interesting that the comments at the end also included that if the Buell was 1 size large and had 25 more hp the author would be at a dealership the next day with money in hand.
I have to agree with him. If Buell made a Firebolt 1 size larger, had 120 hp in (a decent sized powerband) at the rear wheel, and was less then $9,000 I would have to think hard about trading in my M2. Of course since I bought my bike new for $7,400 I could easily drop $2000 on engine mods and be right in that ballpark. |
Spike
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 09:24 am: |
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quote:If Buell made a Firebolt 1 size larger, had 120 hp in (a decent sized powerband) at the rear wheel, and was less then $9,000
That's an awfully tall order, even the Japanese have had trouble hitting that mark. The closest I've seen is the SV1000, but even then they had to go with budget suspension to hit the price target. From the looks of it, it appears that they also had to lay off the entire styling department to price the bike properly.
Just out of curiosity, why do you guys want the Firebolt to be larger? |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 10:29 am: |
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Because at 6'3" my knees don't fit behind the points in the side of the frame |
Brucelee
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 10:32 am: |
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Yes, the sv1000 has been beaten with the ugly stick!!!!! |
Kenb
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 10:50 am: |
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anybody see any performance specs on the z750s, not spec sheet stuff but real 1/4 mile times and roll on. couldn't find any myself. like i said my old zr750 was a dog but the 2005 has the zx motor should be an improvement |
Garp
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 07:01 pm: |
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I'm 6'5" and I have no problem on a Firebolt. Lower pegs help |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 09:30 am: |
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Add weekend lugage and a passenger and the Firebolt is WAY to small. I need a bike that is more all around handy. I like my M2. |
Rick_a
| | Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 09:42 am: |
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The XB9 does feel pretty flat on the bottom...but that should be expected...it was designed to have a very flat torque curve. |
Rick_a
| | Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 09:47 am: |
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quote:$2000 on engine mods and be right in that ballpark.
Only $2000 if you were doing the work yourself and got the parts at heavily discounted prices. Trust me I'm there, doing that, am doing the work myself and have my parts at really good prices, and I'm still coming up with over $2500.
By the time I'm done, I'll be able to keep up with a current 600 Supersport for...several meters 
(Message edited by Rick_a on June 16, 2005) |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 03:06 pm: |
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I enjoy doing my own work...Besides how can you be original if some one else does it for you? |
Rick_a
| | Posted on Friday, June 17, 2005 - 01:55 pm: |
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Yeah...the only stuff I don't do myself are the things requiring a machine shop. |
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