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Do I just suck? Is it all me?

3K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  Mr. Azim 
#1 ·
My first bike was a 2010 ninja 250. I could push that bike to its limits, around curves I could take it way faster than I ever could take my r6.

What is it? The weight of the bike? I know throttle control is a big part of it. I really couldn't **** up with 250 as in give it too much has or down shift and not rev match correctly. I don't know what it is I just cannot get this bike over.


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#6 ·
Those two bikes are completely different animals - everything from handling, power, suspension, to smaller things like where the friction zone sits. The R6 has a pretty crappy power band for street riding IMO - works okay on track but with no tweaks the stock power band is pretty sucky for riding on the street.

Like others said, get the suspension set for you and the type of riding you do, that alone can make a huge difference, but there's still going to be a learning curve getting used to the shifting and power differences. I go through something similar each trackday since my streetbike ('05 ZX10R) and my trackbike ('02 R6) are very different. I spend more time on the 10 overall, and when I jump on the R6 I spend at least a couple laps just getting used to the bike again.
 
#7 ·
A lot is weight. There is a reason on a tight track with the right person riding a 250 or a motard can smoke most of the fieldon 600/1000 at a reg trackday in lvl 1-2. Less weight is later breaking, more speed, less fighting the bike etc.
 
#17 ·
My first bike was an 08 ninja 250 and I feel like the r6 is way more fun. I never leaned the 250 over as much as I do the 6, it felt like it was just gonna fall over.

Just keep riding the r6 and get used to it. Everything is different on it, your ninjas bars sat higher up, it was way lighter and slower. Just takes time


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#19 ·
I can make a comparisson sort of as I have 400cc track bikes so going from something pretty slow to a genuinely fast bike takes some adjusting. I used tio have the 400 really loose then had the suspension sorted which took me over a year to get my head round how differently the tyres performed.
I have qualifiers on my ZX6R which is very fast in a straight line. The suspension has been breathed on but on the couple of times I have tracked it, the 400 laps my local around 3 secs a lap faster, mainly due to confidence and feel.
My R6 is a full on race beast. Suspension set up is perfect so basically it's down to me, the rider. I felt comfortable on it from the 1st ever ride when I had a bust leg. I went quick straight off but started in Novice as not being able to ride a bike for 18 months due to my leg. I built up slowly and went quickest in one of the last sessions. Times were still slower than my fastest ever lap on the 400 but were on average quicker but I felt comfortable. Tyres I use are Racetecs. Brilliant once warm. I found on track, the qualifiiers on the ZX6 were soon at their limit and I wasn't going to push as its my road bike.
I raced the R6 va few years ago and managed my fastest ever laps round the track but seeing some proper racers on CB500's lap some 8 secs faster than me on pretty much stock suspension and the same tyres as I use on my 400. I can see me with practice knocking a few more secs off my laps times pretty easily but I can't see me matching the 500's top times. I thought I was on the limit on my 400 but I reckon those guys could get it round quicker than any of the 500's.
Tyre pressures are worth playing around with. Have heard the qualifiers work better with lower pressures. I normally go on track around 30PSI depending on how cold it is (Yeah, and wet in UK) 26 - 28 PSI may work better with Quals.
My g/f ended up riding the R6 last time out after I binned the 400 testing it to make sure it was safe! It shocked her how quick and focused the R6 is compared to her bike. I'd think the comparisson would be similar with the R6 to the mini Ninja.

Take your time. Chances are it's just a learning and practising curve and it will come together with time.
Good luck.
 
#20 ·
didnt read the whole thread, but the r6 should be very easy to turn in and get to go where you want

if theres a stabilizer, check its settings and maybe needs to be refreshed, my best bet would be the bike was lowered or something in the rear and not the front, causing the geometry to be off.

check to see the position of the fork tubes they may also have been moved around
 
#21 ·
Yup.... it's all the rider, not the bike.

Seat time seat time seat time. The most you can do is some suspension set up, the rest will come with time.

You may suck now, but you won't after 10-15 hours of combined ride time.
 
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