decision time

[trav659]

hi im trav from wa and im looking at buying my first bike. ive had my heart set on the '13 659 monster..till i read the specs 52hp? top speed 160? really i have to have a LAMS approved bike, but i want this one!! I just cant look past a duke. is there any ways of making them quicker? straight up will be exhaust and maybe ecu mapping. has anyone got more suggestions how to squeeze a little more out, on a budget of say 3-3 1/2 k

And i know people will be thinking your a learner you dont need a quick bike, however i raced motorcross for 10 yrs(yes its diff to a road bike) and currently been riding a 1400 mean streak.. im 6'3" and 110kg, so 52 ponies just aint gonna cut it.

any help greatly appreciated
cheers

[Raux]

it's a twin, it's about tq.

[ducpainter]

If you want a straight line top speed bike you shouldn't be looking at an air cooled twin.

If you want a bike that is tractable, and will go without 'rowing' the shifter then the Duc is more likely to make you happy.

[Dry Martini]

Move somewhere that does not have structured licensing and buy a 696, which has 80hp. Other than that, I got nothing.

[He Man]

You dont have much of a choice.
the 659 is a learners bike (though, functionally, if you are just commuting, it doenst matter if it has 25 or 50 hp. it just needs to be good MPG and get you from place eto place) and you are entering a legal system that requires to "learn" even if you already know. bite the bullet and buy a cheap bike until you are allowed to buy a bigger ike.

to be honest riding 2 wheels is around town is fun no matter how much hp you have. as long as you can ride safely on the roads and have power to speed up its pretty much all good.

[scduc]

My first Duc was a 00' 750 with about 55hp. I weighed 250lbs. and although i did eventually outgrow the bike, I really never thought it was way under powered. Try to stay away from the whole HP thing. now a days little rice burners have half the HP of some muscle cars and can smoke em all day long. Buy what you like if it is your first bike, get to know it and then make the decision whether you "need" more HP.

[KIKH400]

I raced motocross as an amateur on 250s for a few years when I was younger, and rode a worked Kawi 500 triple on the street that was faster than my friend's Z900 (king back then) up to triple digits.  After a long layoff, I got a 2002 M750 with what, about 60 hp (I've never checked the specs--don't care).  The M750 is just a great bike, and to me has plenty of power.  I agree with the above, don't get caught up in the hp thing.  The M750 is about torque and balance.  Ride one--you'll see.