Thinking of a 650, your thoughts please....

[MartinW]

Where's the "I ought to be ashamed of myself" emoticon?

Here it is ...

[Gassoon]

The 650 will still out-accelerate 98% of the cars you encounter

Possibly 98% of the car models, but more like 99.99% of the cars encountered. Here's a list of the cars that can do 0-60 in under 4 seconds like the 650 can. http://www.autosnout.com/0-60-Times/0-6 ... econds.php

How often do you encounter them?

I apologise for my estimate's inaccuracy.

Unforgiveable!

Quick, run for it - the quote police are coming!  :law-policeblue:

Juve must be watching telly or something? All these quotes and no clean-up? He can't resist deleting excessive quotes 96.5% of the time...

[sorry about your thread K6, it sometimes happens here!] Fwiw, in my opinion you might only know about what the power differential means to you if you actually change bikes, but definitely try a few long test rides first

[Juvecu]

I'm here, I've just been remembering to take my medication...

K6, on your test ride you might have trouble with buffeting from the screen, it might spoil the whole bike for you. If it happens, try and see past it. Stop at home, take the screen off, ride it like that, put it back on before you take it back Clean air is better than the alternative. The buffeting is easily fixed by fitting, by general consensus, a Givi AirFlow screen to the Glee.

Other than that, don't expect a sports bike or something the same as the 4 cylinder engine you're used to. Ride it at lower/mid RPM if you feel like pootling around, but when you need it to "Go baby, go!" put it a gear (or even 2) down and scream it to short of the red line. It will be alive in the higher rev ranges when you need it, a nice split personality for when you do want to ride it like you just stole it.

[Mark P]

I too have a gsxr 1000 k5 and a DL650 2014,I love the dl its so differnt to ride than the gixxer...you can have fun at 50/60 mph just pottering along ...just try one you'll see what I mean ps get a 2012 onwards model .

[Jacko]

That's the key, it'll serve you up some fun at 60mph, when's the last time you ever dined on that at that speed, huh?

[K6]

OK, thanks to everyone for posting. All very helpful and mostly spot on.

I had the test ride on Thursday. Had a couple of good hours on it.

Overall a big thumbs up. It is a real world bike, at least for our roads.

Plus points: -
Surprisingly good engine, whilst a massive drop it is exactly what I am looking for, just about spot on
Nice upright riding position
Great seat
Nice width to the bars
Great switchable display feature where the pass light tends to be
Great mirrors (if a little big)
Less vibration than I'd expected
Sweet and accurate handling - apart from one occasion of slight understeer when pushing around a sharp bend at relatively high speed

Some really good accessory pack on offer
Box on rear didn't affect the handling
Looks great
Price

Not so good
Front brake was shockingly bad, probably just this bike and should be an easy fix
Front forks a bit too soft, only noticable when pushing
Buffetting was noticeable to start but wasn't an issue as I got used to it
Standard exhaust omits more of a fizzle than a roar (same with all new bikes I know)

I am going to go for a spin on the Gixxer again in the morning. I rode it back from the test on Thursday and still can't help but love it. That said, I think I could live with the DL, if only I can convince myself I can live without the Gixxer and swap, easier said than done. I will be looking at from a different perspective though, so who knows....

 

[greywolf]

You are used to sport bike brakes. V-Stroms are Adventure bikes and sport bike brakes would be too touchy on dirt. The brakes will stop you as fast as the Tyres can handle but take more muscle. I took a BMW sport bike out for a test ride and engaged the ABS when trying the first normal stop. I had to use two fingers after that as my reflexes were trained for more pressure. I see a lot of people complaining about the brakes when coming over from other bikes. Some V-Strom riders do a brake conversion to four piston calipers for a lighter touch but most experienced owners are fine with the stock brakes or with aftermarket sintered metal HH pads.

[EireSkull]

I thought the brakes on mine were rubbish when I got it first couldn't live with them,I changed the pads to Ebc hh and  a massive difference for very little money and effort :-)

[frez]

Another option on the brakes which Greywolf might be able to confirm, is to use the pre-2007 DL650 master cylinder or DL1000 master cylinder as it has a slightly larger piston.

[greywolf]

A larger MC piston requires even more pressure for the same braking effort. It's usually only recommended for those with 2007 or later models doing a four piston sport bike caliper conversion. The stock MC on 2007 and later models feels a bit mushy with too much mechanical advantage with the replacement calipers. I've had a 2005, 2007 and 2012 650. I really don't remember the first so well but the 2007 benefited nicely from EBC HH front pads. The 2012 in stock trim felt very much the same as the modified 2007 bike though all had the same numbers in the parts lists.

[Jacko]

Your understeer will almost certainly be down to the iffy stock tyres, I rode around them, many bin them, they're not great. However, it will drift if you're pressing on, it's not a sportsbike. Brakes have been discussed above, they don't compare well if you come from sports bikes, but they will get the abs working so it's just a case of getting used to them. Same with the forks, they're soft compared to a GSXR. Once you start putting the miles on it it all starts to make sense, don't confuse 'different' with 'inadequate'.

[tallpaul]

Good post Jacko!

[Fat Rat]

don't confuse 'different' with 'inadequate'.

As I keep telling the Wife.

[bigpie]

don't confuse 'different' with 'inadequate'.

As I keep telling the Wife.

       

[Juvecu]

Jacko said most of what I wanted to, but I feel some of it is worth repeating

The stock tyres aren't great, some Anakees or Pilot Roads will make a noticeable difference. The brakes can be helped with some braided hoses and EBC HH pads on the front (not rear), but as Greywolf pointed out, you get used to it easily. Even so I swapped mine for 4 pot Nissin calipers off a CBR600 and, in hindsight, I'd just do the hoses and pads if I had the same choice again. On a new bike you probably won't even bother with either until you have to replace the pads.

The paddle sized mirrors can be swapped for something from this century, the mirrors used on the Aprilia Tuono is a favourite, a quick search on the forum will get you all the info you need there.

[K6]

Thanks for the additional replies.

Just to say that I wasn't knocking the Glee, just stating my observations, good and bad.   These weren't necessarily in relation to the GSX, just as a stand alone bike.

It was much as expected, better infact. I am obviously aware of the vast differences, which is why I am thinking of changing, as much for how as what.

I have been on the GSX a few times since and love it every time.  My new Pilot Power's are equally great in the wet and are making my decision tougher than I expected.

I'm still likely to make the change soon though as if used how it is designed, the GSX is just too fast for our roads.   Some may say slow down, and in built up areas this goes without saying.   The trouble is when you hit open stretches the bike just seems to take over control of me :-)

Seriously though, if you have owned or even just ridden a GSX, or similar, you'll know what I mean.   Fast just doen't seem that fast and so it goes.  

So, the dilemma is a big one.   To carry on with my favourite bike ever and run the risk of speeding.....

Or to show a bit of maturity and do the deed.....

One extra bit of encouragement is the current sale price.     I am bombarded with confusion, doubt and clarity, all in random and spontaneous doses!

[Oop North John]

I used to own a Honda Firestorm and can relate to some of your thoughts. The problem is that at 60mph you could still be in first gear, and the bike isn't designed to operate at that speed. So you ride it at it's "natural" speed, and that's into ban territory very quickly on our roads. A trick I found is to try and ride on narrow quiet lanes, where sometimes doing 30mph feels too fast, but there will be no speed cameras, and a lot less traffic to worry about.

If it's a hard decision, then there won't be a wrong one  

[Jacko]

K6, I still have my zx6r, I know exactly what you mean, I got the Glee to slow me down, it succeeded. Not only that but I'm also happy riding my 636 slower than before too, a surprising side effect.

I wasn't willing to let go of the sportsbike thing so I kept it, and still ride it, however it may be sold soon, I've effectively been weened off it.

[Juvecu]

That might not be such a bad idea, get the Glee so you can get weaned off the GSX

It sounds like you know the GSX is going to cost you dearly if you get caught at those speeds. The question is if you get caught by the law or by someone in a car that didn't or couldn't see you because of your speed.

I know I wouldn't enjoy it if I was constantly worrying that I'd get caught while riding. There is a whole different world of riding at slower speeds, you really don't need to go fast to enjoy bikes. Take another test ride on the Glee if you need to

[greywolf]

The typical line is, it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than to ride a fast bike slow.