I had a K5 which was just ace. Long stroke IL4 gives huge engine character - more so than today's boring short stroke screamers. The standard Tokico brakes never lacked power - they lacked feel. Fitting an RCS and braided lines did wonders and are a cheaper option to unnecessarily wasting dough on calipers. Very wide after a svelte Vtwin. K5 was the best IL4 I ever had, but a K7/8 with a 4-1 zorst and remap is an equally good option according to many.
If you believe the Bike Stats on line. The K6 is narrower by 10mm and little bit lighter, slightly shorter wheel base, seat height the same, the BHP is less (which I believe) The redline is higher on the K7 (which I believe) I think I've said before one (bike engine car) category where these make up 98% of the grid. They hold the outright record at Cadwell (have held a few outright records too) Shane Byrne Kawasaki ZX-10R 1:26.017 (bike) VS 1:21.138 (GSXR K6 powered car) One of my GSXR K6 race engines is built by the same engine builder who's engine set one of these records. The motors k5-k6 & k7-k8. I believe, they swap out on the same engine mounts but - disclaimer - I have not tried it. The electronics are different. I have looked it up, but it seems there are contradictions on line the GSXR K6 max RPM is 11'000 < this is not true) Wiki suggests Bore and stroke are the same for both.. I do not think this is true either. From memory the exhausts headers are different on our installation, something tells me the stroke is slightly different K6 VS K8. I further suspect this as the K7/K8 has a slightly higher redline (compare the clocks on ebay) Of course this can be achieved with different valve springs etc.. but I think this explains higher peak HP with RPM and less torque. I could easily confirm this with a quick phone call. I think the character difference is, the K6 has a bit more low/mid end grunt and the K7 has a bit more power up top - this is all from memory. The 2 stroke karting boys are international champions & professional drivers can get a bit more out of the K7 lump (in a car chassis) round a track but they are putting in laps 1/10th of second variations consistently. The K7/K8 has required a bit more cooling than the K6, when used very hard (harder than in a bike) If the bore is larger, maybe the water jacket is slightly thinner (have not check this) just a possibility that has been discussed. It required a bigger rad (when these things run flat out for extended periods, which is more often than bikes do) Personally I prefer the K6 engine for it's little bit more forgiving due to grunt, but the guys at the Sharp end make use of the K7/K8 performance at higher RPM because they are always on the boil with such little time on the brakes. Performance differences are less exaggerated in a bike that's lighter and has less grip available. It's so marginal you'd have to be on it to exploit the differences and we are taking about very well built fresh motors. Worn motor comparisons would be even more negligible especially stock motors. I have lot's of respect for these engines purely because they really work hard in this application it's quite remarkable what they do but I'm not sure I'd buy one on that strength alone.. I'd have to try out other bikes first to see which inspired me the most. Either way I'm sure it will be great fun.
Can`t help thinking that someone with an SP4 and a Desmosedici who lusts after a gixer might find therapy more useful........
Like shopping on an empty stomach, browsing the classifieds in February is likely to yield strange results. I've had similar urges for an xr125, grom, GSXR750, MT01, bonneville and a cross plane r1, 690 duke, drz400....etc etc etc.
Home now. Had an MRI scan at the Nuffield on Friday and seeing a consultant tomorrow. Fingers crossed I won't need surgery!
Fingers crossed indeed. Must sort out that coffee soon. I take it you're not going to be riding for a while either?
Depends how bad it is, took me over 6 months to get to the point I could walk properly and hold a bike up but I did posterial and external ligaments (back and side, whatever they are called)
Been to see the consultant and the knee is fine. No surgery needed. Should be back to normal in 4-6 weeks. Thank F*ck for that
Lucky devil. I feel for you Bradders - did my posterior cruciate, medial collateral and lateral collateral in 2010 skiing. Only now is it really comfortable over miles folded into my 1098.
