One Special Machine
Written: Jul 06 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: One of the best street sport bikes ever built
Cons: Cheaper would be good, finish on parts not as good as some others
|
|
|
| zippytogo's Full Review: 2000 Honda CBR929RR |
Of all the motorcycles I have owned, this one is far and away the sweetest. I was only beginning to think about getting into motorcycling again, after a 6 year break. I had not even made a mental commitment to purchase. My local dealer was gracious enough to allow me a short test ride. I only took the ride on a whim. After a 5 minute ride, I had fallen in love. I was definitely not ready to part with 10 grand. I've always had a hard time with major purchases. But, after many nights of fitful sleep, and reading many reviews, I decided to go back and buy it. Of course, when I returned to the dealer, I found that it had been sold.
It took me another 5 weeks to locate another one. Luckily, the price was $500 lower than at the first shop. I rode it 100 miles home from the dealership, and my wife followed in the car. Even though I followed the break-in parameters, she told me that the front wheel left the ground on many occasions. It handled so well that I couldn't even tell. It was just natural. It was like reuniting with an old friend that I missed dearly.
The almost flawless fuel injection provides for one button starting. It has no choke to fiddle with. No more having the engine race followed by nearly stalling as you push and pull the sticky choke slider in and out. I usually let it warm for a minute or two, then ride off.
If you put it to full throttle in high gear at under 2500 rpm, it makes churning noises that just can't be good. I only tried that as a test. I was trying to find the lower limit of the plentiful torque. There is a little dip in power as you cross the 3000 rpm threshold, but again, you only notice it at full throttle. It is easy to keep it at 3000 and over if you have a steady hand. The smooth-shifting six speed transmission is puts six well placed ratios at your command. I run it between 3000 and 4500 most of the time in town. Out of town, the throttle responsiveness gets even better at 5000 and up. The power delivery is first class. You make the speed decisions, with no surprises.
It pulls strong and smooth even from idle. It is a very high performance machine, and responds best with a bit of gas. The shifter has a very short throw, and gives a definite click. The throttle is 1/4 turn. The fuel injection gives it very precise throttle response. This might be too much for some. You can pop it up an unexpected 10 or 15 miles per hour if your hand slips. However, I have never felt that it was anything but totally under my control. You just have to be focused at the right times.
Other open class sport bikes might be more thrilling (also perhaps scarier) at the same speed, but I chose to trade thrilling for confidence inspiring. And boy, is it. It is easy to radically change your line in the middle of a turn. It's totally steady the whole while. Excess capacity is everywhere, whenever you need it.
The ride was a bit harsh for the first few hundred miles, but has become much smoother. If you like to ride in a sporty fashion, you know that a stiffer suspension keeps things under control. I weigh about 160lbs, but heavier riders have mentioned that they find the front springs a bit soft.
The stability when corning hard over bumps is fantastic. It is unflappable over bumps and pavement seams. Even more so than most cars, I would dare to say. Others have mentioned steering wobbles when corning fast over bumps. I have of the handlebars speeds up to 80 mph and I saw nothing but perfection. The brakes have great feel, and are arguably the strongest ever on a production motorcycle.
This motor is a little buzzy, but the bike is very smooth overall. It is very deceiving in terms of velocity. I put 36,000 miles on my GSXR1100, and the CBR929 is much easier to ride fast. It is much more comfortable too! After a 150 mile ride, I feel perfectly normal when I get off the bike. Normal, but thrilled! No aches or pains. Well, my throttle hand was buzzing at the end of the ride, but nothing like other bikes I've owned.
On a bike like this, the term comfortable is relative. It is not comfortable the way a Honda GoldWing is. So I should say that for a no-holds-barred sport bike, it is very acceptable.
A beginner would be better off on something less responsive. This bike is ridiculously fast. Just fine for me. For beginners though, smaller is better. This bike weighs about as much as a state-of-the-art 600. It actually weighs less than my 1981 GZP550 . It is so easy to ride, that even a novice could conceivably handle it safely. But that person would certainly have to exercise supreme judgement. One quarter inch too much throttle, and you could find yourself going 80 down a side street. It would actually be a great beginners bike if the power were cut in half. But if you don't want to go fast, you just don't gas it.
The CBR929 handles beautifully in traffic as well. The clutch is smooth. The engine has the most perfect throttle response I have experienced. You can put yourself exactly where you want to be. The light weight, steering geometry, and flickability make it a quick, darting butterfly.
What really impressed me at first was is the sweet handling and the instant comfort level. After the first 1000 miles, I am still in awe. I feel a tinge of excitement every time I push the starter button. I am a very happy owner. I've owned eleven other motorcycles. This one is much closer to everything I ever wished for in a sport bike than any of them. Even better than my beloved '81' GPZ550. That was a bike that I really 'clicked' with. No other motorcycle has given me that feeling of unity with the machine. And so, it is wonderful to have that old friend paying me a visit. That's how I feel about the 929. Of Course, the 929 has far better brakes, much better handling and two and a half times the power. The spirited ease of riding fast is still there. After 20 years of street sport riding, I am in nirvana.
Here are the things that could stand improvement.
The seat is pretty firm and gets uncomfortable. It seems to be improving as time passes. Possibly my own seat is getting tougher, or I am enjoying the ride so much that I don't care. I am five feet, eight inches tall. This has me sitting at the very front of the longish riders saddle. The position is comfortable, but I would like to have the bars a bit closer so that I could use more of the seat. A rear passenger has quite a reach to hold on to the driver, if the driver is sitting at the front of his seat. My solution is to wear a special belt that provides handles for the passenger.
Many metal parts display rough cast surfaces, while on other models, these same parts are polished and anodized. The tank and passenger seat are not as smoothly integrated as they could be.
I bought mine because it seemed familiar after one ride. If looks were primary, I might have picked something else. That said, I love the aggressive, rough-edged, but space-age look of the CBR929.
I can't think of anything else to say against it. Possibly this is due to infatuation.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
zippytogo
|
|
Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 1 member
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.