MM, when the weather gets right I'll let you get a feel of a 600cc sportbike. I've got the predecessor of the R6, a 600R. Its a much better streeter than the R6, with a more relaxed seating position and more HP and torque everywhere below 10k RPMs. Fully adjustable suspension adjusted fairly well makes steering precise and effortless. The Skyway is Heaven on it.

Just be ready and leaning forward when it comes up on the cam! I barely stayed on first time I hit 8K.

I'm really looking forward to my next bike ride to Huntsville !  

I won't be branded "Part Chicken" if I only go to 6000 will I  ???  

So far the quickest bike I've rode was a 1st year Kawasaki 500 triple 2 cycle.  In second gear the front wheel freely rose off the ground directional proportional to the amount throttle , then to my surprise it was the same in 3rd gear , but 4th only bounced up a little.  That is when I looked at the speedometer showing 95 ish.    
I had a 1971 Yamaha SX-650 that I let wine out on the interstate one time.  I had to duck out of the wind to see "just how fast would it go."  The speedometer floated between 135 and 140 and that seemed odd , it didn't normally "float around ?     Then it dawned on me "Front wheel on the pavement speedometer goes up --- front wheel leave the pavement speedometer goes down .   ... I decided to slow down .   ... That was the last one I "let wine out .

put it this way
1 wind it up to 6k
2 hit 2nd
3 lay down on the tank
4 wind her up to redline (assuming no cops around)
5 let off and upshift
do not repeat 4
you're welcome  

This is probably directed towards Dave; although, please feel free to chime in.  I am interested in a sport tourer.  I don't really have a desire for a 1,300 cc inline 4 that does 150mph.  Would a smaller cc sport bike work out fairly well?  The big sport tourers have nice fairings & a big windshield.  Regarding comfort, what else may separate the two?  I like the thought of the higher performance and the riding position as well, or at least I think.  Lingering back problems make the prospect of sitting on a cruiser that much more undesirable.  Anyway, feel free to elaborate.

Best regards,

MMRanch wrote on 02/06/16 at 15:29:10:


I thought you had a 1,200?

Best regards,

PG:

The ST1100 is a great bargain if you can find a good one.  A lot of the folks that bought them are the type that get a new bike fairly often, and evidently have enough money that they don't try to get top dollar for their used ones.  The ST1300 is a bit better for those of us with shorter legs - but they are far more expensive.  I paid $ 3,500 for my bike with 34,000 miles on it - and they can easily reach 200,000 miles with maintenance.  The Yamaha FJR is similar but is supposed to put a lot of heat on the rider - the Kawasaki Concours is nice but seems to be a bit more expensive.  The K models BMW or some of the R models make really nice touring bikes.  The ST appealed to me as it is very durable, parts are readily available and affordable - it is just a bit tall and heavy, and a 30 inch inseam or taller is a necessity.

I am sorry MMRanch didn't get a chance to ride the ST1100 on the Skyway.....that is where the bike really shines.  I am sure we will ride together again and he won't be forced to ride it on a rough gravel road.

I prefer a more conventional seating style where your legs are underneath you, rather than the cruiser style are out front.  Having your feet forward seems to put a lot more weight on your butt and makes it harder to ride for a long stretch.

The new Honda 700cc sport touring models are great bikes if you can afford them, and the Kawasaki Vulcan S could be a great bike as well.

Another really good bargain and a great sport/touring bike is the EX500 Kawasaki.  It has a relaxed seating position compared to a modern sport bike, and they have great motors....and they are very affordable.  You will have to sort though the abused bikes and look for one that has been cared for.

The weight, mpg and low maintenance schedule are what sold the 300 for me... well that and the price
You can get a used one fairly cheap, and you don't have to do anything to it if you don't want....
One other thing I did was to add a 15 tooth front gear sprocket... least I think it was 15.... it gave me a bit taller gearing (hardly noticeable) and my speedo is off about 3mph.
Good group of fellas all over the world ride them, just look up www.kawasakininja300.com
Mostly young folks, but still a good group... I think the forum leader is from Australia, not sure... but they all were posting before we got the 300 in the states.