Joined
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703 Posts
Well guys, I'm in the club now! Bought a black one today at a local dealership 
I tried to get over the obsession but just couldn't - and really, I can afford it right now though of course $10k could always be saved for a future down payment on a house or whatever..
Have put 45 miles on it so far - riding it somewhat gently but also bringing it up to 7-8k briefly with some strong acceleration here and there - bike seems to like it! Feels like it's already running better than it did the first 15 miles or so...
Have to say I'm very impressed - the handling is terrific - so smooth - I enjoy slaloming in my lane on my 650r and so have been doing that on this bike - the Z1000 flops to either side gently and sort of lazily while also quickly and precisely - hard to describe but feels really smooth and nice - bike draws a very artistic and flowing line...
Power seems there in abundance - I don't agree about the 6th gear roll-on's at lower speed though - when I had it in 6th going 50mph and wacked the throttle wide open it certainly accelerated forward somewhat quickly, and with increasing fervor, but it didn't slingshot by any stretch - bike feels like it wants to be further up in the RPM before it will do that.. 1st 2 gears not the case though - power feels like all I'd want at any RPM point in either of those 2 gears! 2nd gear is a freakin hoot!
Smooth? Well this is interesting - below about 5k in the lower gears the bike is smooth as butter, but once the powerband starts to kick in there is a definite vibration through the handlebars, especially the throttle-side handlebar... Do other people experience this? In 5th and 6th the vibration doesn't start till more like 7-8k... My buddy's 1992 FZR 1000 feels similar - smooth as can be at lower RPM's but vibrates unpleasantly at higher RPM's - is this just an inline-4 characteristic?
On my 2009 650r there is no vibration whatsoever at any RPM in any gear (my buddy's 2007 650r has nasty vibration though) - the Z1000, both in the handlebars, and in the tank where my knees are gripping, produces a good bit of vibration when the engine really turns on... And I haven't even really opened it up in the 7-11k zone - if the vibration got even worse I doubt I'd want to..
Would thicker handlebar grips help this? They feel thinner than the 650r grips in general in that they feel harder/less comfortable - does this effect the vibration much on a bike?
But if I keep the rpm's lower, or don't roll on the throttle too aggressively, the bike is smooth as can be - engine is so nice and silky at lower rpm's..
Z1000 vs 650r - obviously its too soon to do a thorough comparo, and obviously the Z1000 is the superior machine - but I can't say I wouldn't want to ride my 650r also - I'm actually struggling with the idea of selling it, even after riding the Z1000..
My 650r is modded though - Power Commander, custom tune, Yoshi exhaust, Sportsbars 2.0, custom modded seat, no windshield - with these mods and the lack of a windshield the bike is fast and sounds great and just has a super fun torquey powerband with crisp throttle response - the stock 650r is nothing like the bike I have now - doesn't handle the same, sound the same, feel the same, respond the same - comparing the stock Z1000 to a stock 650r makes the 650r seem like crap - but the stock Z1000 (pre break in) compared to my modded 650r is not such a runaway victory...
Anyhow, I'm jazzed on this new bike - I expected a powerhouse of a bike, but did not anticipate the dreamy handling - bike flows like it's in water... Now if I can solve the vibration issue I'll be totally thrilled
I tried to get over the obsession but just couldn't - and really, I can afford it right now though of course $10k could always be saved for a future down payment on a house or whatever..
Have put 45 miles on it so far - riding it somewhat gently but also bringing it up to 7-8k briefly with some strong acceleration here and there - bike seems to like it! Feels like it's already running better than it did the first 15 miles or so...
Have to say I'm very impressed - the handling is terrific - so smooth - I enjoy slaloming in my lane on my 650r and so have been doing that on this bike - the Z1000 flops to either side gently and sort of lazily while also quickly and precisely - hard to describe but feels really smooth and nice - bike draws a very artistic and flowing line...
Power seems there in abundance - I don't agree about the 6th gear roll-on's at lower speed though - when I had it in 6th going 50mph and wacked the throttle wide open it certainly accelerated forward somewhat quickly, and with increasing fervor, but it didn't slingshot by any stretch - bike feels like it wants to be further up in the RPM before it will do that.. 1st 2 gears not the case though - power feels like all I'd want at any RPM point in either of those 2 gears! 2nd gear is a freakin hoot!
Smooth? Well this is interesting - below about 5k in the lower gears the bike is smooth as butter, but once the powerband starts to kick in there is a definite vibration through the handlebars, especially the throttle-side handlebar... Do other people experience this? In 5th and 6th the vibration doesn't start till more like 7-8k... My buddy's 1992 FZR 1000 feels similar - smooth as can be at lower RPM's but vibrates unpleasantly at higher RPM's - is this just an inline-4 characteristic?
On my 2009 650r there is no vibration whatsoever at any RPM in any gear (my buddy's 2007 650r has nasty vibration though) - the Z1000, both in the handlebars, and in the tank where my knees are gripping, produces a good bit of vibration when the engine really turns on... And I haven't even really opened it up in the 7-11k zone - if the vibration got even worse I doubt I'd want to..
Would thicker handlebar grips help this? They feel thinner than the 650r grips in general in that they feel harder/less comfortable - does this effect the vibration much on a bike?
But if I keep the rpm's lower, or don't roll on the throttle too aggressively, the bike is smooth as can be - engine is so nice and silky at lower rpm's..
Z1000 vs 650r - obviously its too soon to do a thorough comparo, and obviously the Z1000 is the superior machine - but I can't say I wouldn't want to ride my 650r also - I'm actually struggling with the idea of selling it, even after riding the Z1000..
My 650r is modded though - Power Commander, custom tune, Yoshi exhaust, Sportsbars 2.0, custom modded seat, no windshield - with these mods and the lack of a windshield the bike is fast and sounds great and just has a super fun torquey powerband with crisp throttle response - the stock 650r is nothing like the bike I have now - doesn't handle the same, sound the same, feel the same, respond the same - comparing the stock Z1000 to a stock 650r makes the 650r seem like crap - but the stock Z1000 (pre break in) compared to my modded 650r is not such a runaway victory...
Anyhow, I'm jazzed on this new bike - I expected a powerhouse of a bike, but did not anticipate the dreamy handling - bike flows like it's in water... Now if I can solve the vibration issue I'll be totally thrilled