| Author | Message | ||
     2dflyer |
For you XB9SX pilots how do you rate the CityX for primarily round town work? I've pretty much got my mind set on a KLR650 for urban assault duty but will have an XBsomething in the garage at some point. I know the 9SX handling and ergos will be good around town but I rode an XB9S awhile back and was pretty underwhelmed by the torque. 70lbft on this bike was nowhere near the fun of the ZRX 70lbft. | ||
| Mrvvrroomm |
I left you a response over on st.net | ||
| Cataract2 |
Get some good saddle bags (Cortech saddle bags, not the sport, standard.) and maybe a good tail bag and the bike is perfact in my opinion. I have one and since Nov. 04 I've put over 26,600 miles on it if that tells you anything. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I wouldn't compare it to a ZRX, that bike would be an unmitigated disaster for riding around town. The 9sx will pull harder everywhere then the KLR will... it's just geared higher, and with good reason. The low tight ratios of the KLR would be nice off road, but in the City I think they might get annoying. The advantage of a KLR (I have been watching for a deal on one for years) would be that you can jump onto dirt trails whenever you want. Other then that, I think you would loose a lot over the 9sx. I would not write the Uly off as a city bike either, especially if you were looking at buying new. | ||
| Freezerburn |
I do a lot of commuting on my XB12S and have to say that the torque is certainly not underwhelming. When I tested the 9's I felt the torque profile was not quite what I wanted but the 12 gave me that extra bit that allows you to just twist a grin. The riding position of the S models is really commuter friendly. I had a KTM 520EXC that I dual sported and used to commute. It was fun, but not half the fun on the road as the XB. My fiend has the KLR and it is really a Kaw, but loafs quite nicely on fire roads. Just my $0.02 | ||
| Sub65chris |
i ride my cityx to work everyday rain or shine and it never disapoints. It just needs more time to warm up below 40 degrees. other than that it cuts between cars fairly well and the wide bars give alot of leverage . | ||
| Stou |
The CityX is the right name for this bike. I use my 9SX to go to work almost every day in the riding season and every time it make me smile. In downtown traffic, I have so much fun to ride the bike. It's small with a very nice handling, the perfect weapon for city driving! When I use my FZ1, I need to be careful to not crash my the Givi hard bag on cars. The FZ1 with Givi bag is so big compare to my 9SX. | ||
| Alexfiggy |
i ride to work .i like the bike she runs well here in miami . ill get passed on the turn pike by other bikes but who cares.i like the look on there faces when we are sitting at a light and i pull a hole shot on some gsxr.bike  make all the noise in the world.i have had some of the rice riders say nice bike  | ||
| Cataract2 |
Alex, how is the Florida Turnpike your favorite road? I know up here near Central Florida it has some nice views (for a major highway) with some hills but overall it's still straight. Is it different down there in Miami? | ||
| Usefulidiot |
Ft. Lauderdale resident here......no the turnpike is NOT a fun road. the only decent roads in South Florida are out west in/around the everglades. And even those suck. | ||
| 2dflyer |
Reep - I hate to disagree but Rex was a great bike around town; torque where and when you needed it, comfortable, great ergos. The KLR/XB would be an "AND" statement, not "OR" | ||
| 2dflyer |
Freezerburn - I rode a 12R and an Uly and also find the torque profile more to my liking. But I've only ridden 9's and 12's, I've never lived with them and I know there are those that swear by both. | ||
| 2dflyer |
I've ridden but not lived with an XB. Any complaints about frame heat? I noticed one bike at a dealer that had just been ridden. The frame was real warm up around the knees and I thought it would be uncomfortable to live with in town. | ||
| Cataract2 |
2d, no heat issues that I notice. Only time the frame get's a bit on the warm side is in standing traffic. When your moving it's fine. I added the right side air scoop to mine to help with the cooling. It made a big difference I feel. | ||
| Reepicheep |
2dflyer, I will have to defer to your real world experience, but here is why I thought a big sport bike would be a mess in the city... 1) They are typically geared to give first gear a long pull (up to 90 or even 100mph), so at the 3-10 mph range without riding the clutch, you are in an awkward part of the powerband. No real power, and easy to stall or lurch around. On my 9sx, if the bike is moving at all, I have decent power on tap and don't have to worry about anything stalling. 2) If I came out to my 9sx and saw it had been knocked over by some idiot, I would set it back up, see if my shifter or footpegs broke, and ride home. I may or may not need a few cheap bits to restore it. On a big bike with a big fairing, I would be very worried about problems that start with a dollar sign and end in three zeros. 3) The riding position of my 9sx has me bolt upright. I can literally look right over the top of minivans and explorers, and I stand out. I worry that on a big sportbike I would dissapear to other drivers, and not be able to see what is on the road in front of the car in front of me. 4) The 9sx was built and geared to be no end of fun between 0 and 90mph, and even at 25 mph it is a good time throwing it around. The big sport bikes were built and geared to be fun between 70 and 180mph. I don't know how this helps you in a city, except maybe at midnight on the interstate dodging drunks. 5) The 9sx is nice and narrow. I don't lane split (not accepted in Ohio), but I do often end up threading my way through parked cars in lots, or between gas pumps, or on "almost authorized" sidewalks when convenient to creep through or park. It's also got that "weebul" thing going for it.... if I have to put my feet down and lean the thing 20 degrees to get a bar to clear car mirror to get to a creative parking spot, I don't think twice about doing it. I could probably lower the bike 40 degrees and still hold it up in a pinch. 5) The bike will go 5000 miles on a rear Pirelli Scorpion, and 10,000 miles on a front, and those are sticky enough to scrape the peg on the 9sx. These tires are cheap as well. I worry a big sport bike with the "right" rubber would be flattening the middle of a rear every 2000-3000 riding around town (though maybe I am wrong here). I've not spent time in the saddle of a big sportbike though, most sportbikes are uncomfortable enough for me to sit on, much less ride (same with the firebolt), so perhaps reality is not as bad as perception. A KLR would be great fun, but would probably get me arrested. I used to ride with a buddy on an XR650, and when we stopped at a local gas station to fill up before a ride, He would make one pass around the back lot to make sure it was clear, sweep down to the Wendy's parking lot below, and shoot up this 4 foot hill back to the gas station. He would get about 2 feet of air, land it, and swing right around to the pumps. The attendant always got a big laugh out of it. If I had an XR or a KLR, I am not sure I would not do something that would get me a wreckless operation ticket in the first year, and my insurance can't afford that... I still want a big dual sport though. | ||
| Spike |
Reep- I agree with what you're saying, but the ZRX is a naked bike with upright ergonomics:  Still, it wouldn't be my 1st choice for a commuter for the rest of the reasons you mentioned. | ||
| Freezerburn |
2dflyer- a couple of things 1. the heat has not been noticible to me but I am only 5'8''. I think the long leggers have a leg warming effect from the headers (i.e. just the right side). 2. if I were to do it again I think I would have got an XB9 and got a Revolution Performance big bore kit and had the best of both worlds, not to mention a break on the insurance. Reep- I agree about the trouble one can find themselves in with a nimble dual sport. I used to do hare scrambles on my Katoom before I made it road worthy and I carried my offroad antics to the street. I would get off the bike shakin' from the stupid things I would do. I am so much better behaved on my XB, and much more relaxed. I am now a responsible hooligan. | ||
| Reepicheep |
My bad, I was thinking the ZRX was the new 1000CC Ninja. That ZRX makes a lot more sense, my apologies... I forgot Kawi still made a big naked standard. | ||
| 2dflyer |
Reep - thanks for the city perspective. The 9X sounds like it has a lot going for it. The kinds of things I can appreciate. One think Kawasaki is really good at is mixing up the same 3 letters to name every one of their street bikes. It's an easy thing to mix up a ZRX, ZX#R, ZZR. The ZRX was good around town but it was a tank if it started going over. The Duc is right on the 70-180 mark. It's a truly awesome riding bike but you really have to be tempting fate to have some fun. For the commuting I do it just isn't the right bike. The KLR would slow me down cause I have no idea what I'm doing in the dirt. If I ever get to the point where I'm looking for air (highly unlikely if my childhood experiences are any indication) I'll probably need to move on before temptation leads me to places I can't afford to be. |
