Topic: Considering a second bike.

[Dimitri13]

Well, I'm nearly done with my 550 build, and once it's finished, it'll be too nice and uncomfortable to daily drive. I ride 20 minutes freeway to work, and 45 minutes in traffic home. I have a bad back, so it gets painful after a while. After just one week of work (I do manual labor at the local honda bike dealer), I'm hobbling around in the morning.

Now I'm considering buying a new bike. Mainly because I'll be getting a huge discount, because I work there (the local Honda/Yamaha/BMW/Ducati dealer). Since I'm pushing bikes around all day, I get to feel what's comfortable and useable. I've come to the conclusion that a Ducati 848/1198 is a ballbuster and SO uncomfortable. Most of the 600s and literbikes are tall and unwieldly for daily commuting. I want something I can flat-foot (not because I'm scared of dropping it at stop lights or whatever, but because I just feel more natural, and it's easier to duck-walk it), isn't too aggressive ergonomically, and isn't crazy fast, but something I can take out on the weekend as well and ride around with the local sport riders (I'll still take the CB out for cruising and maybe commuting some days, but definitely won't be riding it 7 days a week, and only on sunny days).

I've narrowed it down to:

Honda CBR600RR - Most comfortable and shortest seat height out of all the 600s. But it only comes in black, and some ugly red/black.
Yamaha R6 - Tallest of the 600s, but still relatively comfortable. Has BEAUTIFUL fairing artwork.
Ducati Monster 1100Evo - Standard riding position, fairly short, and the most comfortable of the three.
Ducati Monster 696 - Standard riding position, fairly short, and the most comfortable of the three. Has the added benefit of "Monster Art," which is basically a bunch of different choices for fairing schemes, which can be seen here: http://ducati.com/bikes/monster/696/index.do

The price for the CBR/R6/1100 are all about the same, and reasonable. The 696 is the cheapest by about $2500. I can afford the insurance, and I'll be doing most/all of the maintenance myself, and I can get advice/help from the respective techs if needed.

I'm not really asking which is better, but if anyone has any real world experience with any of these, feel free to share. I'll make up my mind eventually, even if it has to be rock paper scissors.

[Stev-o]

The Honda CBR looks awesome, I like the red.  Sorry, have never ridden one, but would love to.

[grcamna2]

Dimitri13,
       Do you work in that big dealership right next to the H1 Highway in Honolulu ?

I would choose the bike w/ the least extreme Sport Riding crouch...only because I'm getting a little less flexible lately ;that's a nice looking 696...you could do lot's of ergonomic mods to that bike  .

[srbakker]

I'd go with the 1100 Monster - but then, I ride a speed triple.  Sucker for modern nakeds, I am.

[Dimitri13]

Dimitri13,
       Do you work in that big dealership right next to the H1 Highway in Honolulu ?

I would choose the bike w/ the least extreme Sport Riding crouch...only because I'm getting a little less flexible lately ;that's a nice looking 696...you could do lot's of ergonomic mods to that bike  .

No, the one you can see from H1 is Cycle City, the HD/Kawasaki dealer. I work at the Honda one underneath the H1 (on Nimitz Hwy).

[grcamna2]

OK..,you work at the dealership under H1 on the right side on the way to Pearl City? I lived on Oahu for about 9 months back in 1987'...I took the Public bus a lot and had a chance to see a few things;some kinda HUGE Tourism there Man..TOO much. Are you Local ? & is the Duc.696 a 4 valve Desmo engine ?

[KB02]

I've been riding my Monster since I bought it new in 2000. I LOVE it. You will find that your wrists are happier at the end of your ride to work/home on the Duc vs. the CBR or R6.