2001 and newer.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 338
From: Colorado
Im not one to take my bike to the strip but I am concerned with how it accelerates. When I pull up next to an expensive car or another bike at a stop light I want to have an idea of how mine will stack up. And yes the original discrepancy was between the 98 and 00 but it is also possible that the timing was advanced in 2001. Looking at Motorcycleonline.com's numbers there might as well not even be a difference. .17 seconds is nothing.
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 207
Were you happy with the accelleration of your bike before you read that thread? I have an 03 SH and its just as much fun as it was before i read that thread. I dont expect to be able to beat a newer bike in the 1/4. The SH is what it is. 0-60 its still faster than a z06 vette and hangs right along with it in the 1/4 mile. New cbr 1000s are about 9.50-9.80 from what ive read in the magazines.
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Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 338
From: Colorado
Oh Im still happy with the acceleration. I just didn't want to be one of those guys that thought his bike was faster than it really is. I love my bike and after riding my friends 08 gixxer 6 im even more happy with it. I didn't buy it to beat bikes but I did want something that was quicker than most cars. And another thing that had me confused is how the gsxr accelerated. My bike feels WAY quicker but it isn't according to what Ive read. And people will say "oh you didn't rev it up enough" which is bullsh!t, I took it all the way to redline. It was fast but it didn't want to jump out of my hands like the hawk. And I understand the hawk's torque is what does that, but I just dont understand how the VTR can feel so much quicker and actually be not as quick.
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MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,942
From: Lake View Terrace, CA
Not really sure how to take that, I guess i could just not respond to threads anymore.... 
and while you are new to street bikes and to a SH it is funny that you generally talk about drag racing from stop light to stop light. If you really want to find out what this bike is about, you need to find a few roads with a few turns in them as that is where the bike shines.
The big part of the poor 1\4 mile times of a SH is that it is damn near impossible to get a good launch. The clutch just doesn't slide very well (at least mine doesn't) so if you try to launch anywhere near the torque peak, the bike will just flip over backwards.
and while you are new to street bikes and to a SH it is funny that you generally talk about drag racing from stop light to stop light. If you really want to find out what this bike is about, you need to find a few roads with a few turns in them as that is where the bike shines. The big part of the poor 1\4 mile times of a SH is that it is damn near impossible to get a good launch. The clutch just doesn't slide very well (at least mine doesn't) so if you try to launch anywhere near the torque peak, the bike will just flip over backwards.
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Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 338
From: Colorado
And you are right. I am a beginner to Street riding. I've read tons of threads talking about twisties being the hawks strong point, but I still have some decent sized chicken strips on my tires.
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Back Marker
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 182
From: chicago
To be honest, what percentage of riders can actually pull off the 11 sec. 1/4 mile with this bike?
Like it was implied earlier...If you bought this bike to be the fastest on the road, I think you bought the wrong bike.
Yes, our bikes are fast, but more importantly, they are much more unique than all the others on the road today. Keep your IL4, I'm very happy with what I got.
Like it was implied earlier...If you bought this bike to be the fastest on the road, I think you bought the wrong bike.
Yes, our bikes are fast, but more importantly, they are much more unique than all the others on the road today. Keep your IL4, I'm very happy with what I got.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 338
From: Colorado
Yeah, I never said I bought it to be the fastest on the road. I said faster than most cars. I bought this bike because it was the perfect combination of affordable and fast. It may not be as quick as a brand new 600 but it is close enough. And since I only paid 2750 for a bike that has never been recked and only has 9000 miles on it I think I can stomach getting beat by a new bike. I was looking for a bike capable of doing mid to low 11s and im just trying to see if I hit my mark.
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Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 338
From: Colorado
Oh trust me I want to. Being as I bought the bike on a budget I don't think the wife would respond well if I told her I was going to go drop $700 or so on some race leathers. Most tracks require them don't they?
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 182
From: chicago
I have a co-worker who rides a gixer(like the rest of the world).
He was telling me that one of the guys he rides with has a Superhawk.
He then told me how they all rip on him because it has the slowest times out of all the bikes in their group.
Then he begrudgingly admitted that the Hawk is always in front, since no one can keep up with him.
He was telling me that one of the guys he rides with has a Superhawk.
He then told me how they all rip on him because it has the slowest times out of all the bikes in their group.
Then he begrudgingly admitted that the Hawk is always in front, since no one can keep up with him.
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
Meaning you're not ATGATT? Stupid... If you cant afford the gear, stay of the road...
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SuperSport
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 617
From: In a van down by the river (I wish!)
PW – It’s a fast bike. I’ve owned a lot of bikes and I know the difference. I understand your concern. I’ve always been a spec-sheet junky, too, and I pour over the reviews, but believe me when I tell you that you can trust your seat-of-the-pants experience. The VTR has more usable power than most bikes out there and can be ridden as hard as anything else… Harder than most of us are capable of handling, anyhow.
(‘course I own the much faster ’97 model with the added 2.1 hp
)
Of course my old FJ1200 did mid-10s, I think. Might be that that is the bike you're looking for, PW. You can pick a lot of those old superbikes for next to nothing now...
CR
(‘course I own the much faster ’97 model with the added 2.1 hp
)Of course my old FJ1200 did mid-10s, I think. Might be that that is the bike you're looking for, PW. You can pick a lot of those old superbikes for next to nothing now...
CR
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 677
From: Rancho Cordova, California
If your bike doesn't lift the front end EASILY in 1st gear ANYWHERE over 3.5k rpm, something is wrong with it. Take it to 4 k and whack the throttle if it doesn't come up to where you have to let off or shift to avoid going to far, something is not right. Mine was fubar too but now that I've felt it right, I understand more.
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Back Marker
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 201
From: Toronto
The VTR is way faster and has more ***** than most road riders (certainly in my case).
I don't profess to be a fast rider, but I can take comfort in the fact that, if any car can beat my VTR to 100 mph, then he / she must have spent at least $100,000...my VTR cost $3,000. I'll keep the $97,000 and by a condo in Myrtle Beach, thanks.
As for drag racing, check out Todd Paton. Todd runs a 8,000 hp Top Fuel dragster (car, not bike). Todd rents his drag car to a guy called Tim Boychuck. On his first run (ever) in the car, Tim posts around a 4 sec quarter, 300 mph....and he does it again and again. I know, coz I work with the Paton family...point is, 1/4 mile times are not that relevant in the real world...someone out there is always faster.
Just enjoy the bike for what it is...
I don't profess to be a fast rider, but I can take comfort in the fact that, if any car can beat my VTR to 100 mph, then he / she must have spent at least $100,000...my VTR cost $3,000. I'll keep the $97,000 and by a condo in Myrtle Beach, thanks.
As for drag racing, check out Todd Paton. Todd runs a 8,000 hp Top Fuel dragster (car, not bike). Todd rents his drag car to a guy called Tim Boychuck. On his first run (ever) in the car, Tim posts around a 4 sec quarter, 300 mph....and he does it again and again. I know, coz I work with the Paton family...point is, 1/4 mile times are not that relevant in the real world...someone out there is always faster.
Just enjoy the bike for what it is...
Last edited by CANADAVTR; Jul 9, 2010 at 06:44 PM. Reason: spellin
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 617
From: In a van down by the river (I wish!)
Man, check out the quarter-mile times on FJ1200s!
http://wiki.gfm.net:443/FJ1200_Specs
We should reconsider. Turn this into a FJ1200 forum or something. Hell yeah!
http://wiki.gfm.net:443/FJ1200_Specs
We should reconsider. Turn this into a FJ1200 forum or something. Hell yeah!
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 617
From: In a van down by the river (I wish!)
Man, imagine a FJ1200 engine in a SH frame! I bet Tweety could do that project in an afternoon... But make sure it's an engine from the '86 FJ and not the compromised 1989+ models.
Last edited by Crashrat; Jul 9, 2010 at 07:06 PM.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
Slide you *** back on the seat to the cowl and grab a handful in first with standard gearing. And/or rev it up to 6-7 grand in second with the clutch engaged and then let it go. Cover the rear brake to control height.
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 617
From: In a van down by the river (I wish!)
Well, yeah, but that's the clearly inferior '89 model. I'm talking the much faster '86.
My FJ pulled harder than any bike I've ever been on except a highly modified first-gen GSXR1100. Yes, it was an '86.
My FJ pulled harder than any bike I've ever been on except a highly modified first-gen GSXR1100. Yes, it was an '86.
