What bike?

[Hendrix's rifle]

Decided to sell my car, get the Mrs one on finance on a pcp deal and get myself an old bike for getting to work. Narrowed it down to an old cbr600 or a zzr600 e3. On paper the cbr looks the best bet but the kwak is spanking with only 19k on the clocks in really good nick. Insurance is 100 quid a year for either of them so not fussed on that side. Anyone owned either and can give a recommendation? Many thanks

[R1nut]

I had a zzr, fantastic bike. I'm quite short and found the riding position very comfortable for long journeys.

The only thing I could fault was the front calipers, I changed them for a set of Honda vtr nissens. They gave better stopping power and loads more feel!!

[Rimfireboy]

Old bikes? The two you mention are positively space age compared to the old bikes I ride...lol.

[Me matt]

Is the ZZR fitted with a side stand? Friend of mine had the 1000cc or 1100 - was a long time ago, anyways his fell victim of a side stand error, oil pick up was on the other side of the sump to the side stand, previous owner had run it low on oil resulting in a lot of wear on the engine. Make sure you hear it start from cold as you should any older bike, feel the headers before starting make sure they are stone cold, regardless of mileage.

[Lewi76]

I'd go for the cbr over the zzr , I've worked on both but the Honda has a better build quality

[daveboy]

Try them for size......The CBR is a small bike.

[Hendrix's rifle]

Is the ZZR fitted with a side stand? Friend of mine had the 1000cc or 1100 - was a long time ago, anyways his fell victim of a side stand error, oil pick up was on the other side of the sump to the side stand, previous owner had run it low on oil resulting in a lot of wear on the engine. Make sure you hear it start from cold as you should any older bike, feel the headers before starting make sure they are stone cold, regardless of mileage.

I'm a mechanic so I have a rough idea it's just a bike to get to and from work without costing 200 quid like my car on fuel. Then a play at the weekend if I feel like it. I know the cbr is small and I'm 6.1ft and 16 stone so it's s bit tight. The dealer (a long time acquaintance and having 4 family members buy from him) also has got in a gsxr 600, if I can get that the right price then il take it instead. Thanks for the comments up to now, can't wait

[Danger-Mouse]

I had a ZZR600. As sportsbikes go it was very comfortable even on quite long journeys but it wasn't as much of a hooligan machine as say a CBR600 and certainly nothing like a GSXR600. Rode one of those too, nowhere near as comfortable and to get the best out of it you really had to wring it's neck.

 

Depends what you want it for. For mainly commuting I'd go for the ZZR over the GSXR, just more comfortable and you can still scare yourself silly on it if you want to throw it round some twisties.

[Hendrix's rifle]

Deposit is down on the zzr. Picking it up Saturday, il be bored of it in a few months any way so will have to keep the ktm on the road thanks for the reply will post a pic when I pick her up