Hey guys, I just sold my F4i a couple months ago. I have decided I want to get out of the stunt life and riding broken bikes and get something clean and good riding. I rode my buddies 2006 R1 and fell in love with the smooth and powerful acceleration and the traction it held on a nice corner. I know I want a 1k but i haven't been around enough of them to know the pros and cons of each year. I love the style of the 2008 RR with that thin sharp tail and a lot of people said thats there favorite year because of the way it rides ( I've never ridden one ). Anyway the main question for all you 1k riders is what have you found you liked the best and didn't like so much? what year has seemed to have the most mechanical problems? Also I love the sound of a good powerful exhaust so which exhaust have you noticed sounds best with the bike you choose?

 

Personally, i would stay away from the 08's. Its just my opinion,( and many will disagree) but so many had the oil buring issue, I'd be afraid of ending up with one them. I still haven't ridden one, so I can't give an honest comparision. But I have ridden quite a few R1's, including the 06. I think you will be hard pressed to find a smoother shifting, more comfortable riding liter bike. Yamaha builds an incredible engine and transmission. Even their seating postion is comfortable. I don't think they handle anywhere near as well as the cbr 1000's though. Even my 05 1000RR handles awesome compared to the R1's I've ridden. And everything I've read says the 08 on up 1000RR handles even better. Honda has been known for a long to make their bikes easy to ride fast. They may not be the quickest, the fastest or the most comfortable, but they have always done amazing work in the handling and power delivery department.

As far as issues, I don't really know any other manufactures. The cbr 1000RR 04-05 had stator issues. My 05 has over 23000 on it now and no stator issue though. I'm even still on the original battery and its going on 7 years old. 06-07 had stator issues, but not anywhere near as common as 04-05. 08-09 had oil consumption issues. 08 more so that 09. 2010 the issues were mainly cleared up, but I still read issues with oil consumption on a few models.

For exhaust, I still like yoshimura. they sound good, are decent quality and won't break the bank. If I had more money at my disposal, I'd run an akrapovic.

But, when it comes down to it. You really can go out and buy a bike based on looks and not get a bad bike. All 4 major companies make respectable and very capable liter bikes.

I'm sure you'll get a different answer from everyone you ask. The main point being you are the one that has to ride the bike. Make sure you buy a bike that you like, not one that you were talked into.

 

Thank you for such detailed feedback I really appreciate the information.

I was trying to stay a honda guy because i loved my F4i but I do love the way the new R1s look so maybe I'll keep my eye open if the right one comes along.

I heard the R1s are made better for low gear acceleration because of the way they're designed the front wont lift up as much like most 1ks will. I feel like that is a rumor because when i rode my friends 2006 R1 and hammered it mid rpms in 2nd gear I was holding the front off the ground until shifting to 3rd and it bounced up just a couple inches again. I'm not a big fan of riding wheelies every where i go anymore but i love when a bike can pick up the front like nothing with just straight power and no clutch. It just gives me the sense of enough power I can't even use it all haha I had a 56th sprocket on my F4i and loved its low end torque!

I'm also wondering if certain bikes can take more abuse than others? I know all sport bikes are made to withstand more abuse then the average motorcycle but I rode the **** out of my F4i and never had a single problem with it with the 18k miles i put on it. I live in the country with wide open roads and barely any houses or traffic so I would redline that bike through the gears on a very regular basis. I heard the F4i was one of the toughest built bikes and I believe it after what I put mine through.

 

I think the 1000RR's are less prone to lifting than any other liter bike. Honda does great work to make sure their bikes are the best ballanced and most linear. It does all depend on the year though. 04-07 1000RR's are very good at putting the power down. 04-07 R1's are decent, but its more due to their extremely tall first gear, not so much as a chassis design. The R1's of that year have a powerband very similar to a 600. They don't really start pulling until you get the rpms up. But, get into an earlier R1 and you can't keep the front on the ground at all. I think if you rode all back to back you'd find the Honda the most planted, the Yamaha a close second and the GSXR and Ninja being wheelie happy. You'd also find the GSXR and Ninja the most nimble feeling, but very twitchy and easily upset by body movements. In all honesty, I've yet to ride a Ninja I felt comfortable enough on to corner aggressively with. I just don't mesh with any Ninja chassis I have ridden.

As far as durability. I'd say they are all decent. But, from my experiences, Honda's and Yamaha's tend to need the least amount of service. I'd put Kawasaki last just based on what I've seen my friends have to do to their bikes, plus I owned a 636 for awhile. Again, this only my own expereinces and I'm not trying to sway you away from any bike. This is of course depending on year as well. All manufacturers have had bad years and good years. The main thing you have to consider is how someone took care of their bike. Theres not a bike out there that will last if its not taken care of.

Again, all just personal opinions from what I've been around.

I will say the one thing I don't care for is Honda's excessive lash in their drivetrain. But thats the only thing I really don't care for. It doesn't really bother me either until I ride someone elses bike that doesn't have it.

 

I had a 954 for years and loved it. Finally picked up an 09 1000rr and it's just amazing the way it handles. I feel like I'm riding a 600. For exhaust - I like the Taylor made. Short n sweet.

 

i have an 05 1000rr and it has a Arrow Full GP Ti system. Love the looks, love the sound. Well, i still really like it when moto gp has those same exhaust, under tail, and a lower right.

 

I just got a 2008 cbr1000rr and it has a taylormade exhaust on it. I don't have the stock exhaust, so I can't compare, but this thing sounds mean as hell. Especially when you let off the throttle.