Not sure if this has been covered in a 1000 section, I did a quick search and didnt come up with any threads for it so if this has been beat to death before I apologize.

I started riding over the summer and planned to get at least 2-3 good seasons on my f4i before even looking at liter bikes and I plan on getting a 600rr first. All the 600 guys that want to stick with a 600 give reasons like its more power than they'll ever need, the bikes lighter and easier to throw around, they just use it to commute etc. All of which are understandable but I'm just curious as to why all of you decided to step up to the 1000cc class. Of course they have more power and are faster but what else was a factor for you guys? Of course the more power/faster argument is always acceptable though...thats the main reason im gonna want to upgrade. Just lookin for other pro's of the 1000s...

 

yeah, that argument is kind of old. If thats the way people really felt, they would be running a 250 since a 250 has more available than most riders skill level. It comes down to how much power you want to feel and how the bike makes you feel when you hit the gas. Just as a 250 is not enough for a 600 rider, a 600 is not enough for a 1000 rider. It really has nothing to do with ego, but what the rider wants. I ran a 600 for many years, and constantly got tired of hearing... oh, you only have a 600.... even though a 600 will demolish nearly any car on the street, you feel the need to get defensive. And the worst part is, those comments come from cruiser riders. There comes a time when people need to just accept they ride a 600, others ride 1000's, some ride 250's..... and so on. I think thats where a lot of the defensivness comes from with 600 riders. Even when I find out someone rides a bike, and I ask what they have, the response is always... A 600, but its more than enough for the street.. I mean really? I don't care what you ride... at leat your riding...and 600's are badass, why are you explaining this?

I've never used the argument that 1000's are faster. Because on the street, they really arent. There's not too many places your going ride that are going to allow the 1000 to stretch its legs compared to a 600. A 600 will run with a 1000 just about anywhere. but, to get the same effect, you really have to run the **** out of a 600 while the liter bike is just running normal.

The thing I like about 1000's is they have a ton of torque down low. 1000's make the same amount of torque just off ilde that 600's do at their max, and the max torque of a 1000 is nearly double that of a 600. This translates into a bike that doesn't have to be shifted very often, runs much lower rpms at higher speeds, has less buzz going on, and they don't have to be revved to get the power out of them. For me, they are an easier bike to ride on the street because the power is everywhere in the rpm range, not just up top.

Oh, and I've never been on any street where a 600 was faster through any corner. They may feel lighter, but the amount that they are quicker to transition is so minor, its not even worth mentioning. Plus, the smaller tire in the rear plays a big part of that as well. What is worth mentioning is the shorter wheelbase and different suspension geometry that gives that lighter feel, also means a more lively bike. I've found liter bikes to hold their line throughout the corner better and be smoother and not so easy to upset mid corner from body position changes. Obviously, different bikes have different setups, and can vary greatly, but in general terms, liter bikes have longer wheelbases, longer swingarms, and are generally not as lively.

I know I was kind of all over the place, so take it for what its worth. Just a personal opinion from my own experiences on bikes.

 

The reason I stepped up to a 1k is I am over 6' and the 1k fit me better. The 600 kinda cramped me up.

 

The 1000 has power in spades. You can't ride them like a 600...they will spit you off. Like justasquid says they have as much torque just over idle as a 600 has at peek. You don't need to shift as often.
They are fun as hell.
You need to be careful or your liscense will not survive the experience.

 

So many reasons, and most all are personal. My buddy bought an 04 CBR600RR and I have an 061KRR. The 2 look different in terms of body styling and I prefer my 1K looks over the 600.

I have let him ride my Liter a couple of times and I'm always worried because he has only ridden a couple of months and already dropped his 600 pulling away from a stop sign. The torque on my Liter would be a bigger issue for whatever caused him to drop it at 10MPH.

I have owned 3 other bikes and been into powersports since I was 4 so the power and torque of a Liter is something I 'wanted' and I don't even have the urge to race a car anymore. Some idiot with his V-6 Mustang pulls up and revs his crappy dual exhaust and I just laugh to myself. When the light turns green I let him look like a jackass and try to spin his tires and I just accelerate normally and pass him in 2nd gear. I know what I have between my legs and I have no doubt I could spank anything on 4 wheels if I wanted to.

I'm 6'2" and love the way my bike fits me. My buddy shouldn't be on a Liter, but he's the same height at me and weight a bit more at 195 and dwarfs a 600 in my opinion.

Lastly...cost. A Liter will cost you a bit more for the bike itself. Also factor in the insurance cost of a 600 vs. Liter.

My $0.02

EDIT: Forgot to add how great it feels to wrap the throttle open on a huge flat stretch and literally speed past my buddy on his 600. His 600 is around 135 slowly accelerating and mine is blowing through 140 and rapidly approaching 160. It just keeps going and going until it reaches 165-170 and then it takes longer to keep accelerating. My bike feels like a rocket, smooth and stable at 170MPH and my buddy always says his 600 feels like it gets light in the front end and is going to flip up and backwards around 140. Big picture, these speed runs are few and far between but a few runs at 170+ make the Liter worth it!

 

600 is for pro's, 1000 is for ego's
When that said, let me explain it

A 600cc bike and a 1000cc bike are tottaly different machine. They can not be compared just based on performance. There are many advantages of riding a 600cc bike and joy that you will never ever get from 1000 and vice versa

My first bike was a cbr f3 and when I owned the f3, I loved every bit of it but then a time came when I felt like upgrading for more power. I always had ego issues, I always thought that a 1000cc will bring a pride that a 600cc will never.

The only thing in my mind was that if I got a 1000 then I would be able to smoke any 4 wheeler anytime. I wanted that ego , i wanted that pride so I sold my F3 and got a cbr 954. I loved riding every bit of the 954, so sooner my goal was accomplished, i had the pride that i always wanted, the feeling of smoking anything in my way but then I really started missing my F3. The F3 was a whole different bike. There was something about it that the 954 didn't have. After a couple months of owning the cbr 954, I bought a 92 cbr f2 as a second project bike (They are very similar to f3's) and now ths project is almost complete, I ride my f2 more than the 954. I hardly ride my 954 anymore. Now i will put an end to my story and tell you the difference between a 600cc and 1000cc bike

600 cc bike is very fun. The power curve is different but amazing. Imagine that you are riding something (could be anything) and you press a magic button and all the sudden, the thing goes like a rocket. Thats the feeling of riding a 600, but the magic is when you get in to the power band (9k rpm+) and then it just goes, for real, like a rocket. Personaly I love the feeling of working my way to the power insetad of getting power all the time

600 cc bike are a little lighter than 1000cc bikes and some older model cbr are also lowered compared to the new 600rr and f4i. Them bikes being lowered makes the handling great. With them 600cc bikes you get excellent gas mileage. A stock 600cc bike alone will beat any stock BMW, porshe, mustang or even a ferrari. YEs it will smoke a ferrari in a drag race. Even the oldest of the cbr 600 do 0 - 60 in 3.2 seconds and quarter mile in about 11 seconds

The 1000cc is whole different bike. It is very torqy compare to the 600. Yes it is fast but the 600 will be able to keep up with them until about 60 to 80 mph, but hey, how often are you racing past 100 mph anyways?
Yes the 1000cc bike will satisfy your ego but it will never be a 600. With a 1000cc bike you become soo lazy that you do not mind riding all day in 2nd gear. For some people , the real fun is shifting and that comes from a 600cc bike. The 1000cc bike will also give you poor gas mileage. Hell, sometimes my corrola gives me better economy than my 954.

With that said, I am a proud owner of my 954 and my f2

 

Wow, I disagree on so many levels. Saying a 1000 will satisfy an ego but never be a 6...more like a 6 is plenty but will never be a Liter. I consistantly get better fuel economy than my buddies 600. He can barely get 35-40 and I'm 40-45. Your statement about poor gas mileage is just ignorant. I think anyone buying a crotch rocket would like to have the power all the time, not just at high RPM where your 'magic button' lives. Any finally, the only way an equal generation 600 keeps up with my Liter is if I'm lazy. A bike that can go 92MPH in first gear has no problem spanking a 600 through 60 or 80, let alone 100MPH.

Again, all my opinions, but my last 1,500 miles were mostly side by side with my Liter and my buddies 600. Yes they are two different bikes, and no, there is no comparison.

 

6 will never satisfy an Ego that 1 does. Period!
Why do most people get 6 than 1? thats because they are so much fun to ride, have lower insurance cost and in general, they do get better gas mileage than the 1 so I am not being ignorant brother. Your statement means that a V6 mustang gets will get better gas mileage than the v8. I think the difference is that your buddie probably rides the shyit out of his and you take it nice and slow.

 

Ego? I call bullshyte. If you want an ego boost dust the litre on a 600. I spent years riding away from my buddies on larger displacement machines. It has more to do with the rider than the machine.
Read the magazines... for the first time the 08+ litre was favored over the 600 in handling. If you like, I will post the article. The litre is the flagship...best of the best.
The 600 is an awsome class. The most popular by far. I still have 3. After a few years the 600 doesn't satisfy anymore and technology marches on. My 1000rr is 30lbs lighter than the 600 and feels smaller.
There is a time and a place for both classes and they really don't compare.
As far as my reason for riding the 1000rr over the 600 and 750s, I wanted a more challenging ride. I like breaking traction with the rear and power wheelies... The 1000rr does it for me.

 

Reference my previous post. Trust me, I push my bike plenty hard, that's why I bought it. Cruising MPG my Liter is always 10-15% better than my buddies 6. Fun riding, I'm still better MPG with less effort and more power. Technology has changed as was referenced above. As in other powersports, bigger doesn't always mean more gas. It always means more power, and now days it usually means equal if not better efficiency as well.

Due to the poorly constructed sentence about a 'stang, I'm not even sure how to reply. You state a V6 gets better MPG than a V8...at least from what I make of it. Having owned an 07 GT, I agree, the V8 gets worse gas mileage. If you are trying to imply that I'm saying a V8 would get better MPG than a V6...yes if you compare a new '10 Camaro with a 6.2 V8 vs a '94 Camaro with a V6...then yes, the V8 gets much better MPG. Again, technology. I'm not trying to compare apples to banana peppers. I'm comparing my buddies '04600RR to my '061KRR.