Keep in mind I'm just getting back onto a bike at 47 yrs of age after riding motorcross pretty seriously in my late teen years + some riding on the road with my father back in the late 70s on a Kaw 250.

I will work myself up to being about a 75% of the bike's capacity rider. Meaning? I'm not planning on becoming a track demon. I'm not planning on trying to lay down quickest times in canyons, etc. In fact, I've seen quite a few accidents & fatalities (Deal's Gap, etc.) with bikes and have SOME apprehension about even getting back on one. My plan is to ride big time heads up. Don't road race. Don't push anything beyond my abilities. Don't ride in groups that I don't know. Don't try to keep up with other more advanced riders. Still I realize there's risk with others on the road you cannot control / predict.

But I do drive a Corvette Z06 and am a high performance driving instructor at a school + I fly jets for a living. So I definitely enjoy the finer aspects of rider/driver/pilot + machine interface. I'm really into good handling and feel. Obviously I do love speed.

To the question:

With my goals / objectives, will I noticeably gain anything with the 600RR over the 600F4i? Or do you really only find the difference when running the bikes above say 90%, etc.?

I know in the Vette world, I can tell the subtle differences between the Z06 and the standard Vettes even with Z51 suspensions. Gearing is different. Ride & road feel is more direct. But truly you can only get the real difference when you work the cars above about 80% or so.

Thanks in advance,

 

if you're not looking to push the bike to it's limits (street or track ) F4i would be a wiser choice. IMHO it's a bit more comfortable as well

 

Both bikes are performance machines... based on your description I don't think you'll be bored with either. Do you like the looks of one versus the other? Do you like the pipe on the side (F4i) or under the seat (RR) ? I believe the RR has a little more aggressive riding position. How important is comfort to you?

 

yeah... the F4i is much more comfy... 600rr more aggressive riding position. performance is very similar... will come down to the rider. i like the look and feel of the 600rr...

 

From what I know about my self being "into" everything performance and an aviator I would recommend going with the CBR600RR. I don't fly jets but I do fly MD500E helicopters daily at work and often very aggressive out of necessity chasing cars, people and yes regrettably sometimes motorcycles. The MD500E is considered the Corvette or Ferrari of the of the sky where a Bell Jet Ranger might be a Mustang 5.0 , a Bell UH-1 Huey might be compared to a Ford F-150 and a Black Hawk helicopter can be compared to a F-350.

Trust me, buy the RR.

 

Based on that theory, don't screw around. Just go get the 1000RR and be done with it.

There aren't enough differences between the F4i and RR for the novice rider to notice. Both have very similar performance chars. The seat on the F4i is more comfortable. RR is styled a little more aggressively.

 

Your back will kill you the first week or so on the RR.

I've ridden the RR and it's my dream machine.

 

Great help guys!! Thanks!!

Well...at an early stage here's where I'm at. I like the looks & styling of the RR no question. I like the seat comfort of the F4i, again no question.

I expect that I would be happy on either bike. My main concern is needing to buy something I can hang on to long term & not have regrets.

In the motorcycle world of course it's tough to get an opportunity to really try out both machines side by side. Sure you can sit on them and imagine, but not really take them out to the canyons, etc. AND, in my case, I've been off a bike long enough that it would take quite a while for me to really figure out which one I prefered more than likely since I'll be going pretty easy at the beginning.

Looks vs Comfort?? That's probably where it's gonna come on down to it....

Tough call................

 

Just wanted to throw this specific question back on top??? That's one of my main questions....


Do you really only find the difference when running the bikes above say 90%, etc.?


Thanks!!!!!

 

So the Black Hawk helicopter has heavier tow capacity, is slower and waists more gas than the Huey?

First off, you should spend the $235 on the Basic MSF course to see if you like straddling a bike. You can fly $hit really fast and you may know how to drive and instruct how to drive really fast, but a sportbike is a sportbike and there is nothing really like it.

If you want to do a comparison.
The 600F4i is to the 600rr as is a(n):
Mustang 5.0 is to a Saleen Mustang,
'65 Mustang 289 V8 is to a '68 GT350,
4.6L F-150 is to a Ford F-150 Lightning,
Standard Vette is to a Z06,
SCUD missile is to Tomahawk,
hot is to boiling!

Sorry, SCUDs were a joke; not even luke warm.

Good luck man!