quote:

---

Eh, seems some people just don't like to 'rate' or 'class' performance bikes based on their performance, huh?

Reminds me of a british bike mag's shootout years ago where they rated supersport bikes based on several factors, to include long distance comfort, fuel tank range, storage space, and passenger comfort/accomodations. Amazing, the lack of perspective some times in people.

I think my 06 kicks ass.... do you not like yours?

---

quote:

---

Last? Wow. What were the other bikes compared?

---

quote:

---

We all know that Kawasaki designed the 06 to be a better track weapon, but that may not translate well to the street or the fun factor. To me everything I have seen or heard about the 06 makes me want to keep my 05 even more. Heavier flywheels aren't a good thing for the fun factor at least to me. I seldom do track days, I am a street rider, 80% of my riding time is twisty roads and the other 20% is getting to them. A heavy power hit adds to the fun factor. Nasty ass wheelies add to the fun factor.Long black stripes coming out of corners adds to the fun factor. From what I have read, the 06 has tamed these things so it is easier to ride. So that being said, is the 06 a better bike? Probably yes, Is it a more fun bike? Probably not. I am a stand it up early any pin it rider and the 05 suits my style perfectly. I is already too easy to ride already.

---

quote:

---

No sir, I haven't... though I wasn't drawing a comparison from that particular article to the little blurb there about that british mag. Not directly, anyway.

Either way, it's pretty subjective stuff. In stock trim, most of these bikes are pretty damn close to each other in the performance area. Kawasaki engineers (as well as a host of other people who have ridden the thing) agree that it (the 06) is indeed a faster/smoother bike than the 05. Uglier? Depends on who you are. More fun? Depends on whether or not you like that smooth/precise feel over the brutal power feel. I do believe, even though I have very limited saddle time with an 05, that the 06 is a better bike. Not necessarily everyones' flavor, but that's a given with any update on a good existing model.

I'll make sure not to respond to things I haven't read... especially in such a vague way. Maybe you could repost/link the part of this article for those of us that don't have access to it...? I will certainly read it and post something more informed. I'd certainly like to know how they came about their decision.

Cheers

---

quote:

---

quote:

---

We all know that Kawasaki designed the 06 to be a better track weapon, but that may not translate well to the street or the fun factor. To me everything I have seen or heard about the 06 makes me want to keep my 05 even more. Heavier flywheels aren't a good thing for the fun factor at least to me. I seldom do track days, I am a street rider, 80% of my riding time is twisty roads and the other 20% is getting to them. A heavy power hit adds to the fun factor. Nasty ass wheelies add to the fun factor.Long black stripes coming out of corners adds to the fun factor. From what I have read, the 06 has tamed these things so it is easier to ride. So that being said, is the 06 a better bike? Probably yes, Is it a more fun bike? Probably not. I am a stand it up early any pin it rider and the 05 suits my style perfectly. I is already too easy to ride already.

---

Those are some pretty good points mister; I won't deny any of them. In fact, I agree that all those things are a ton of fun. I'm here to tell you, though, that you can get coax the 06 to do most of those things if you want it to (aside from the 'hit' in the powerband... though if you were really commited, you could probably figure out a way to dial that in too). It just doesn't do it until you ask it to. I think they forget to mention that in all these shootouts. Any of these bikes rip monstrous wheelies and can leave gruesome marks on the pavement.

Fun for me, as strange as strange as it may sound, is 'precision'... in the fact that it feels like I can control when the bike does these things. That type of control just makes me giggle. Far more amusing that being leaned over on my favorite mountain road and finding a dip or hit in my powerband. The easier the thing is to ride (to me), the more fun I can have with it... the more often I can do stupid stuff without the fear of getting bucked off.

Sounds like a matter of taste/choice, really. Do you like it wicked fast & compliant, or just wicked fast? They are both awesome bikes though, and you'd have to be high to think that a 160hp+ bike isn't fun, no matter how smooth it is Whether or not the 06 is more fun than the 05 (or vice versa) is more a matter of riding style and opinion than actual machine prowness. I'm probably in the minority here, though heheheh

Cheers

---

quote:

---

No sir, I haven't... though I wasn't drawing a comparison from that particular article to the little blurb there about that british mag. Not directly, anyway.

Either way, it's pretty subjective stuff. In stock trim, most of these bikes are pretty damn close to each other in the performance area. Kawasaki engineers (as well as a host of other people who have ridden the thing) agree that it (the 06) is indeed a faster/smoother bike than the 05. Uglier? Depends on who you are. More fun? Depends on whether or not you like that smooth/precise feel over the brutal power feel. I do believe, even though I have very limited saddle time with an 05, that the 06 is a better bike. Not necessarily everyones' flavor, but that's a given with any update on a good existing model.

I'll make sure not to respond to things I haven't read... especially in such a vague way. Maybe you could repost/link the part of this article for those of us that don't have access to it...? I will certainly read it and post something more informed. I'd certainly like to know how they came about their decision.

Cheers

---