Interpreting Magazine "THIS BIKE vs THAT BIKE" articles

[tim]

In excited anticipation of one day buying a ZX-6R etc, and after reading the (*edit - not 2004 )2005 ZX-6R vs CBR600 vs R6 article in a bike mag I've got, then checking out this one 2006 ZX-6R vs R6 strongly comes out in favor of R6 and focuses on how good it is almost too much

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/80 ... 20zx6r.pdf

It appears it pays to read between the lines when it comes to media opinions.

(A bit of searching and the guy who wrote the above article is a Yamaha rider and his instructional videos are plastered with Yamaha promo grabs)

So, when considering a bike purchase and you wanna go Green, how do you justify when a reviewer says something like (making it up silly simple phrases) "that CBR just outrides the ZX-6r" or "for anyone taller than 5 foot 9 the R6 is so much more comfortable for anything more than a nip up the shops"

Or maybe you choose to ignore the "more positive" reviews a competitors bike may get because modern sports bikes are so damn good compared to most peoples skills it makes little difference in the end?

Just my thought process at the moment.

Tim.

ps, from the TINY amount of reading I've done a 05-06 636 with maybe a steering damper sounds like a potential 2nd bike in a while.... my GS500 is an absolute ball and more than sufficient for my newbieness

[zx6rider]

IMHO you need to read two or more reviews by different reviewers of the same bike and compare those reviews, if they are similar then perhaps the answers are truthful, if they are different who do you believe?

Also if I was looking to buy a new bike I would just go and ride them and make up my own mind which was better, as we are all different, and what another person likes, someone else may hate.

[tim]

Also if I was looking to buy a new bike I would just go and ride them and make up my own mind which was better, as we are all different, and what another person likes, someone else may hate.

:s

So you HAD a zx-6r and now have a suzuki?

[ty]

Read reviews etc for a bit of light reading, but don't use them to buy a new bike - they're pretty much all biased (except for the ones that put a Kwakka first).
Test ride and find out for yourself if you're wanting to buy.
ty

[laidback]

It's very interesting to read a review say on a new model where they compare it to the last model then go back and read the original review. Most reviews will say that they have fixed a problem but did not mention that in the original review.

Agree with above, all bikes are good so find which one you like best.

BTW why are most bikes UGLY. Maybe the look grows on you but is there a race on to build the ugliest bike....

[Glen]

The overall thing to remember these days Tim is that there really is no such thing as a "bad" bike any more if you're sticking to the Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki formula. They are all so good and so close that unless you're Casey Stoner there won't be much benefit performance wise in one over the other. I'd focus on feel, comfort and looks. If it ticks all those boxes for you then you're pretty right. Ohh and you've been allowed one indiscretion already, the next one must be a Kawasaki

[MickLC]

...I'd focus on feel, comfort and looks...

Assuming that we're still talking about bikes, the best way to judge this is to take them for a test ride and find out what suits you....actually the same applies for other things as well

[zx6rider]

Also if I was looking to buy a new bike I would just go and ride them and make up my own mind which was better, as we are all different, and what another person likes, someone else may hate.

:s

So you HAD a zx-6r and now have a suzuki?

Yes thats right, I changed bikes as I was having trouble with the ride postion of the 6, So I bought a 1250 Suzuki Bandit as I was offered a new one at an extremly great deal that I just couldnt pass up, I was originally going to buy a Z750 but couldnt get a new one at the right price.

[tim]

ahhh what was it about the position?

ru tall?

wrists?

[zx6rider]

Ohh and you've been allowed one indiscretion already, the next one must be a Kawasaki

Does this apply to me as well? I notice he bought a Suzuki first and is having a great time already!

[zx6rider]

ahhh what was it about the position?

ru tall?

wrists?

No not tall, only 5'10", had wrist trouble, would have made a great track bike, as with short trips i was fine, but after I spent 45min or more I was looking for a rest. I tried risers and that helped but wasnt ideal.

Now I can ride for a couple of hours before I need to hop of for a break.

[zx-10r]

When they do the reviews they have all three bikes infront of them and get off one and get on the other, also most times they test them on a track, so very small differences in handling, acceleration, and all that are pretty obvious. Its just like when they compare zx10,R1 CBR1000 gsxr 1000, i dont think you are really gonna feel the difference on road wheather one handles a bit better, truth is they are all friggen fast bikes that hadle really well. Its just in these articles they have to make some divison between the bikes and a small difference is good enough to be a big difference. I havent ridden the 600 superbikes mention but im thinking if your in the market for a 600 any of them will be sweet, it really comes down to whether you like what you are looking at. if you dont like the look of it, who cares if it handles better at 250+km/h around a track ? (unless you are buying it for the track, then just discard everything above )

[hoffy]

get a barge ya shiela !

[Glen]

Ohh and you've been allowed one indiscretion already, the next one must be a Kawasaki

Does this apply to me as well? I notice he bought a Suzuki first and is having a great time already!

Yes of course. As a wise man once told me....the first time you fuck up it's not your fault, the second time it is.......

[tim]

and how many suzukis have you owned Glen?