94-95 FD or 2003 Yamaha R6
 

So here's my dilemma. I'm getting a job finally. And I'll be able to get one or the other. I know the board is FD biased. But some of you have to ride sports bikes too. The bike out performs the FD in everyway, even price. What do you all think?:cool:

If you think you can survive a bike crash, go right ahead! There is no doubt that the bike will out perform a FD but there is always that negative side of the bike riding you when you crash instead of the other way around hehe :D


good luck

BTW: I vote for a R1 yahama hehe :)

What are you gonna drive/ride in Winter if you get the bike???

He's gonna put mud tires on it... :rofl:

Oh..and umm...I'm the same way..I could have gotten a REALLY fast bike...but I chose to play it safe.

You can just die SO easily on a bike..even slow accidents.

You do something stupid in an FD, you still got a chance to live.

Plus..you're not freezing your butt off in the rain and cold.

Ok. I'm an experienced, trained, and insured rider. That means that I'm 90% less likely to get in an accident when riding than most other riders. Not to say it won't happen but I'm at about the same risk as driving a car.

As for surviving the crash - I always wear my helmet and body armor. Which, by the way, is literally bullet proof and made of carbon fiber and kevlar. So my chances of surviving a crash are pretty good. Not to mention that survival on a bike is 80% rider intelligence and 20% bike agility.

Winter? That's easy. I still have my 1994 Mazda B4000 pickup 4x4 pickup truck.

PS I'm going R6 and not R1 because I like the looks and handling of the R6 over the bigger R1

:cool:

I've survived 2 :)

Unfortunately both I was wearing a t-shirt.

Winter time just bundle up. As long as you're dressed right, you can ride in 30 somethin degrees no prob. Hasn't gotten colder than that here in Dallas since I've been riding.

This is not a good comparison! Maybe if you did a Mazda '93 R1 to a Yamaha '03 R1 then that would be at least close in price at about $13k. A '94-'95 RX-7 would cost double a '03 R6 costs.

You would also need a car. A bike can not be the only transportation. You can't get groceries. Some girls will not get on it. There's no winshield wiper on your face shield.

get both, that's what I did :)

it depends, I use my FD alot more, and it's nice to be out of the weather to go out on a date and stuff....then again, most chicks won't touch a bike anyway

on a mountain road, nothing compares to the feeling of riding a bike, but that is about 1% of my time, realistically

This is kinda funny, because I sold my FD a while back for a variety of reasons, but one of them was that I wanted to get into bikes like crazy. I bought a new F4i in the summer. Bikes are great, love it, tons of thrills, etc. But as the others have said, you really get out and ride it like it was meant to be ridden a small percentage of the time. The car you can take out a lot more. It's just the way it works. Tough call, I'm glad I got into bikes, but I need another fast car as well. I think it depends on the other factors in your life. I live on a college campus, and keeping the RX7 unmolested was a job and a half, and it was my only car. That combination just didn't work for me. Good luck with your decision!

They're like apples and oranges. Just contemplate whether you want a sports bike or a sports car. Personally, I would prefer the car, because it is less extreme as far as impracticality is concerned.

I think I'm pretty qualified to speak on this subject!!!

I've been riding for about five years.....

My first bike was a gsxr 750 and I lost the front end on a cold night while braking hard......that sucked...along with the fact that the bike was totalled when it hit the curb. Then two years later, I low-sided my CBR929 and almost lost my left leg. I decided that no more bikes for me. BTW...I'm not some squid rider. I ride in full leathers and body armor.

While laying in bed with a cast at my mom's house (since I couldn't take care of myself), I thought I would go the safer/still fast route.....that's when I bought my FD.....I love it to fukking death. I had just gotten out of my cast and could barely bend my left knee when I test drove it.

But........I couldn't take it not having a bike. No matter how nice the FD performed there's nothing like the thrill of hanging off the bike on a track day with your knee on the ground doing 110mph. I've done autocrosses in the FD and it just doesn't compare. So I bought another bike and I have both now! You haven't felt like the MAN yet until you finish a bike ride on your ducati and then take out the FD for a spin down the same roads......THAT'S BLISS!!!

In summation, the bike is more thrilling, exciting but much more dangerous. The question is, what's more practical for you!

Okay here's the deal. I've had an R6 before and here are the disadvantages of owning one:

-Riding in the rain sucks and it's really dangerous with -the factory dry tires.
-Riding in the snow - that's out of the question
-Riding w/ a girl - can't talk and touch and your responsibility goes up 1000%
-If it's not sunny then it's freaking cold for sure.
-The low stance of the R6's windshield is so low that riding on the freeway with your chin up is a bitch...
-The short distance between the seat and the peg makes riding the R6 similar to riding a race horse. The extreme bending of the knee for long periods of time is surely unenjoyable and will give you cramps (you're okay if you're under 5'8").
-No music unless you bring a walkman, but then you wouldn't be able to switch songs, change stations, smoke, drink, eat .... etc.
-Dangerous no matter how skillful you are.

I've sold my bike after 2 of my friends passed away. Peace.

Buy The car
 

I have a Modded 3rd gen RX-7 and a Honda CBR 600 F2.

Buy the car.... The car is way more practical and just as fun as a bike. My car was in the shop for three weeks recently. I only had my bike to get around, which was better than nothing. But, I sure missed my car.

You can always buys used crotch rocket later, for under $3000.

the bike is more reliable, I will say that

my R1 never skips a beat and I haven't lifted a finger on it except tires and chain adjustments.....the motors are bullet proof if you keep the oil changed and run synthetic

buy the car. the bike is nice, ( had one, my brother still does) you can have a lot more fun modifing the fd then the bike. plus for the fist 500 miles you cant really dog the bike anyway. if you buy the car its allready been run-in. besides if you really want a bike that handles like the r6 but has the power of the r1 then wait for the r7. i beleave it will be out soon. it is the best of both worlds.

get the car, even though you are an expierienced rider u can still die easy. Other people can make stupid mistakes and hit u and you will die. Wow that sounded really depressing didn't it?

Sorry homie, but Yamaha already released the R7 back in '99, and they've stopped production after the first year. It was basically a "homologation" model, very limited production, to create a platform for a superbike racer. Kinda useless to buy unless you bought all the engine kit parts, which were hugely expensive; stock, the bike wasn't all that impressive. And the 500-mile break-in period gets over with awful fast.

How do I know? Because the bike manufacturers give me bikes to ride and test all year long! MUWHAHAHAHAHA :devil: :rofl: :hah: :biggrin: One of the perks of being a motorcycle mag editor...

Actually, even though I'm a motorcyclist at heart, you should probably buy the FD for now if it's a good one, unless you live in the Southwest where you can ride all year long. Sportbikes will always be around; good, clean, well-kept FDs aren't.

I have owned sportbikes all my life. I always will. But if you have to ask which one to get then you obviously aren't ready for the comittment that the FD will take. Go ahead and get the R6 and wait on the FD until you are ready for something that is going to require alot of TLC and attention. Not to mention that the R6 is a great bike. But Kento has a good point. FD's in good condition are getting more rare by the day. Just a few things to take into consideration. Just my .02 Laterz.

Zach

Get the R6. Bikes are way more fun than cars.

I have no problem restoring an FD once the price drops a bit more. I think I'll go with the bike first. If, by the time I have the cash, good FD's are not availible then I guess I'll just have to go with the 2004 STI or one of the several other sports cars and sedans hitting the market in the coming years. ;)

Kento....you wouldn't happen to be Kent Kunitsugu from SportBike magazine would you????

A few questions if you are.
a)which is the better handler, R7 or MV F4

b)any speculations on when and by whom MV's going to be purchased by?

c)Have you had a chance to ride the new 600RR? Is it really all that the Honda racers say it is (despite the fact they all crashed them at the Daytona tests)

d)when is the 600 sportbike comparo slated to be published?

e)is it in fact true that MotoGP is coming to the U.S. in 04, specifically to Homestead? Done deal?

f)need any photographic help covering the above?

g)are you an RX-7 owner or thinking about purchasing one? Just curious...

h)if you could pick any modern sportbike to modify and use as a track day/streetbike combo, what would it be? Please don't say GSXR1000 though.... :-)

And if you're not Kent Kunitsugu, welcome anyway.

Back to the original topic, get the FD. The bike will be less expensive to own and maintain (assuming a three to four month riding year in Colorado) and when you can afford a bike, go for it. If it's your first bike, I'd suggest something a little more tame to start with though....Go with a single turbo on the FD and you'll be able to outrun the R6 on the straights.

If it is Kent, welcome to the board!

The quote in the Bike of the year contest from Kent regarding the R1 is why I bought one. It went something like "That bike freaking rocks..."! ;)

And, here is the number one reason to buy a bike over a car!

http://members.primary.net/~smyers/Gateway.jpg

It is an awesome feeling!

I like Doors... What can I say =)

I had to share this.

LMFAO to the above!!!

You can't compare a bike to a motorcycle as others have stated. It depends what you want to do in your life and how 'risky' you are. You can't ask members here what they think since it isn't a simple comparison say such as RX7 vs. RX8. or something. Good luck in whatever you decide. Also, a bike is 1/2 price of an RX7

wasnt there an ad that said i like beating sport bikes in my rx7

Maybe in 1973

---

wasnt there an ad that said i like beating sport bikes in my rx7

I've surprised more than a few 600s in 50-100 mph roll-ons in the FD.....bikes have notoriously poor aerodynamics and the power to weight "advantage" isn't as pronounced during a roll-on contest.....it's all about horsepower and, at higher speed, aerodynamics

The big advantage the bike has over the FD is that you can pound on the bike all freaking day long 13,000 RPM shifts (doesn't make much since to go higher on the R6 unless its an 03).

Once you're done carving up the corners, and blasting down the straights, then you just park it.

The next morning, you get on it, start it and ride it to work. Come the weekend, you beat on it some more!

Bikes love it, and can take it. I've owned a 600 from every major manufacturer, and never had to take one in for any unscheduled maintenance. They take a beating and keep going.

Now, try and run your FD like that, and see how long it lasts. Don't get me wrong, I love my FD, but every time I get on it, I spend more time watching the boost guage and various other instruments than the road, waiting for something bad to happen. It kinda takes some of the enjoyment out of it for me.

:eek: Jeez...one at a time.

Yes, I am Kent Kunitsugu (last time I checked, anyway). Damn, that's a lot of questions; might be better if you sent them to srmail@primedia.com, before the moderators get pissed. However, I do own an FD, so I guess it applies...
So I'll try and make the answers as succinct as possible:
a.) Probably the R7. By a hair.
b.) Last I heard it was an Italian banking firm, and they've already lent Castiglioni some money to get a couple of the production lines going.
c.) I get to ride the 600RR in two weeks. Should be good.
d.) Next issue that we're working on, which will be the June issue (but it'll hit the newstands in April)
e.) It's not cast in stone, and it most likely WON'T be at Homestead, thankfully. No offense to Homestead, but it's not the type of track for 230hp, 200+ mph MotoGP machines.
f.) We've got plenty of freelance photographers, but you're welcome to send in unsolicited stuff for us to check out.
g.) '93 touring. CB, DP, modded stock airbox w/K&N, Efini Y-pipe, SMIC, Pettit unlimited ECU, Fikse FM5 wheels, Toyo RA-1 tires, Koni Sport coil overs, 310mm front discs/6 piston calipers, blah blah blah...
h.) GSX-R1000 :D Sorry. Actually nearly all the top modern sportbikes are great track day/street bike machines...

Get the FD if it's in good condition; you can always get a sportbike later. Actually, I bought my FD from its original owner, James Parker; he was the guy who designed the RADD swingarm front end for the Yamaha GTS1000.

I must say that the RX-7 forum (and community) is one of the best I've encountered with regards to everyone helping each other out with tips and information. Far better than many of the other boards I've seen... Many thanx to those who have helped me out with tech info.

Kent

Oh yeah, one more thing...
 

:mad: It's SPORT RIDER magazine, not Sportbike magazine. :p: :D ;)

My first reaction to your post was: WTF is this guy thinking? If he's a hard core rider then who gives a finger about four wheels. That was my attitude before 3 accidents (2 left turning car and one my fault for being a squid) over 5 years left me thinking: HMMM, may be there is something to cars after all.

I had 2 ZX6, 2 RZ350, 1 RD 350. My 93 RX7 clean the clocks of all of these bikes except from a standing start. Outcorner, outbrake and safer.

If you're a totally single guy and wants to impress others with the size of your testicles then get a bike.

If you have a girl (or a boy or whatever tickles your fancy) friend then get a car. It's a pain putting on leather, gloves, helmet and boot and taking them down to the club.

pretty cool to have to editor of Sport Rider magazine as a forum member :cool:

thanks for the posts, Kent!

If you already have the transportation, buy the toy.

If you get a 3rd gen it will be redundant with your other car. You already have basic grocery, snow, rain,… type of travel.

Having owned both, it seemed stupid to spend $Ks in mods to keep up with a basic 600 bike in a straight line. Keeping the 7 close from a stop or mid corner would be almost impossible.

OTOH, it is easier to learn to drive a car fast because you are not faced with the reality of death and dismemberment, but the performance limit of a bike is so high, I like the challenge.

you answered your own question bro.. you have reliable transporttation ... get the bike.. so much more fun than a fd... and your not constatnly fixing broken bummy parts on a fd... r6= way less of a headache

Very cool Kent! Thanks for the replies...yes, I've done many a track day (in cars) at Homestead and it's definitely not a good bike track. I was quite surprised at the initial reports suggesting that it was going to be held there. Glad to have you as a member of our community.
Michel

ok there's no doubt that a bike is more fun than a car. But if that's you only transportation and you have to ride it everyday sunny or rainy, then i don't think it would be that much fun...

Since you seem interested in MVs, I just heard: MV Agusta filed for the Euro equivalent of Chapter 11. They're restructuring and have money to run a production line or two. But the future of the company is suspect, unfortunately.:(

No, it is that much fun.

I do it and refuse to go back to a cage (car). It is much more fun than the 7 was, but you have to think about different things than when owning a car. You may need rain gear, cold gear, hot gear, new girlfriend…

But on the plus side, gas is super cheap when you are getting 40 mpg and fill up is $6. Parking is easy. A new high performance superbike is the price of an econobox car. Maintenance is simple, oil change without ramps. It is by far the most economical means to get around. 10 sec ¼ miles from a stock daily driver is cool too.

However I would not recommend it for most. When I ride past a car in the sleet and rain I feel bad for the people trapped inside. They are seeing the world around them, I am living it. I also live in a city and if I did not feel like riding I could walk to store/ work/ wherever.

KneeDragonR1

what a dillema?!
 

buy the rx-7 first, then save up, spend it, and start saving again. p.s., word from the dealer is that the new front fascia with the projector lights will bolt right onto the '02. good luck!:cool: [IMG]A:\mybabies.jpg[/IMG]

I second everything he said. For me, the no maintanence bike is great right now... once I get out of college, the FD will return :)

Don't know if you bought one yet, but I live in Denver, CO and am selling by 2001 R6 and getting an FD. Let me know if you are interested. It has a full Graves Titanium exhaust and other goodies. Thanks.

you're right, a bike is a kids toy, cant even really go on public roads with it. go with the motorcycle, although it uses gas, instead of man power...i'd say its worth it. :D

hahahahaha, I have both.... and I love it!!!

So do I...but I get to ride all the latest stuff.:D

And once in a while I get to drive some of the latest cars, too. Cool to be friends with editors of major car mags, too. :cool:

Hey guys, did I read somewhere that the editor of Cycleworld is part of our community?!!? Cycleworld magazine is cool...:p:

So Kent - since the Brits bought all the US bike rags, when the heck are we going to get naked women in the pages like their bike rags have???

Actually, they didn't. emap sold our publishing company to one in NY called Primedia. So I guess the soft porn isn't going to show...:(
No worries. We need the room for info anyways...:D

Must be nice!!!! ;)

Have you heard any of the car editors talking about a future RX7? I have considered selling my FD, but I can't really think of another car that is out right now (that I can afford) that I'd rather have.

If they are coming out with a new RX7 that is turbocharged, then I might consider selling the FD.

I also seem to recall reading (in another mag) that Honda has changed the frame on the 600RR already for their racers, as they didn't have the geometry correct (possibly due to lack of test time). Do you know if this is true?

I have both and the 2000 r6 is for sale. When the car is faster than the bike what the point! Plus it too expensive to keep both and I would probaly be dead with another yr of wheelies and endos.But nothing beats a bike on track day, knee draggin is something everone should do once!