Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Go the 9 mate
Powwer enough for 2 up scratchin and easy on tyres

rocketrod wrote:

I'll admit to looking at the VTEC VFR when it first came out, but it's too weighty and underpowered for serious twisties

Have you ridden one?Yes the specs say they are weighty but they hold their weight very,very well.As far as power,well if you are talking twisties then power isnt an issue,its all about handling.I have seen plenty of bigger sports bikes trounched by much smaller bikes at the reefton and black spurs.
Anyway botton line is its your money and your decision,good luck with it.

I didn't just ride one, I wrote a review on it too. It was written in 2001 just as the VTEC came out, and I put the UK ABS version through its paces. Review Here You’ll notice I am very complimentary about the VFR, and I say the weight carries itself well, but is most noticeable on slower corners.

What has changes is three fold
1) I no longer commute carrying books for University and don't need to be able to carry huge amounts of luggage. A tank bag will suffice, rather than a Givi rack.
2) I now play in the twisties, not something I ever did in England.
3) I enjoy the peakiness of a sports bike as opposed to the torque of a tourer.

I do the daily slog on the 10 and it is a blast. Get one and the world is your oyster, they are just fantastic.

Bet you didn't expect *that* from a 10 owner !!

blue12 wrote:...The litre bike is going to want to be ridden flat out everywhere i reckon..They are just a pure race machine with a rego plate on em. Ask a Lucas and Groggles and see what new and old reports you get about commuting...

...and people accused me of bagging the 12 without riding it, and I've actually ridden a couple

The 10 isn't that hardcore unless you want to ride it that way. The current model feels similar ergonomically to my 10 and I can tour on it comfortably, never mind also happily commuting, scratching and short flights through the mountains. Plenty of people don't believe me, but I reckon it is more comfortable than my old 9...the bars are lower, but also closer, and the seat is really nice.


Test ride, test ride, test ride and then buy the bike you love and use the test rides as your justification for getting it

photomike666 wrote:

swabio-ACT wrote:

photomike666 wrote: Insurance is $25 a month more for the 10, and that's less than an hours wages

LoL you must be really old then When I looked at them.... the 10 was about $700 a year more for me....

Am almost 34 with protected rating 1, assuming I don't have any more claims in the next 18 months. Also don't have many points (3 that expire in 6 months).

Hmmm well I was 28 Full NCB rating 1, and no loss of points for 7 yrs..... it is amazing how much age makes a difference isn't it! lol they wanted 1900 a year for me on a 10.....

rocketrod wrote:

I'll admit to looking at the VTEC VFR when it first came out, but it's too weighty and underpowered for serious twisties

Have you ridden one?Yes the specs say they are weighty but they hold their weight very,very well.As far as power,well if you are talking twisties then power isnt an issue,its all about handling.

Which is another reason to give the VFR, with its pov-spec suspension package, a wide berth.

I-K wrote:

rocketrod wrote:

I'll admit to looking at the VTEC VFR when it first came out, but it's too weighty and underpowered for serious twisties

Have you ridden one?Yes the specs say they are weighty but they hold their weight very,very well.As far as power,well if you are talking twisties then power isnt an issue,its all about handling.

Which is another reason to give the VFR, with its pov-spec suspension package, a wide berth.

a mate of ours had one, he was starting to wear thru the exhaust cause the lousy boingy bits couldnt keep it off the ground

Strika wrote:If you are considering 2nd hand, seriously evaluate a 9 mate! I'm struggling to work out what I would get after the 9??? I'm thinking maybe getting a new motor for it when neccesarry, and blinging the suspension. I just don't think anything else could do what the 9 does!

I'm with Marty, as I also own the fantastic versalite zx9.

Mick C wrote:

blue12 wrote:...The litre bike is going to want to be ridden flat out everywhere i reckon..They are just a pure race machine with a rego plate on em. Ask a Lucas and Groggles and see what new and old reports you get about commuting...

...and people accused me of bagging the 12 without riding it, and I've actually ridden a couple

But you know i stil love you mick..

Test ride, test ride, test ride and then buy the bike you love and use the test rides as your justification for getting it

And yes i have ridden a 10. And ok it was nearly as good as the 12..

blue12 wrote:

Mick C wrote:

blue12 wrote:...The litre bike is going to want to be ridden flat out everywhere i reckon..They are just a pure race machine with a rego plate on em. Ask a Lucas and Groggles and see what new and old reports you get about commuting...

...and people accused me of bagging the 12 without riding it, and I've actually ridden a couple

But you know i stil love you mick..

Test ride, test ride, test ride and then buy the bike you love and use the test rides as your justification for getting it

And yes i have ridden a 10. And ok it was nearly as good as the 12..

He loves me and my bike...my life is complete

Mick C wrote:I do the daily slog on the 10 and it is a blast. Get one and the world is your oyster, they are just fantastic.

Bet you didn't expect *that* from a 10 owner !! ...

I am getting some deja vu happening here

Test rides are the answer, as many as you can scam !! Test everything possible.........even those *other* brands

and I have to admit it, the 9 should be on your list as well, after that *really* short blast on Strika's, and following Ponti and Phil on their 9's on a couple of rides, well I think you would be impressed with one...

I've also ridden Marty's 9, and I know they are very capable machines. BUT I've never had a new, new bike before. It's not something I'll get the chance to do very often, so I'm gonna try and grab the opportunity before the wife changes her mind

fair enough, I had never owned a brand-spanker until the 12 either, and it was a pretty good feeling.......

Mick C loves his 10 heaps, and rides it everyday like I do with the 12. Either one can do the slog, or the fang or the track . The 12 is a bit heavy on the tyres if you can squeeze 10k out of a set on a 12 then you are doing well. For some people, this can be a full years worth of k's.

Have fun picking a new steed - did test rides get a mention ??

I think it's time to put up a poll Mike and in the true tradition of a democracy let the members decide what your next ride is

i say zx14 lol so sweet same price insurance as my gsxr750.
you will be at work in no time lol or out in the front with no one anywhere in site lol..