get the newest one you can - i had a 900SSie (1999 MY) and though underpowered you can ride the wheels off it and feel good about. in 4 years and 24,000miles i had no problems. Get some decent exhausts, mod the airbox, change ECU and gear it down and you will have loads of fun and great wheelies off the midrange.

Stop, stop! I think I've just..........oh never mind.

Spank - I think you really need to think hard and RIDE a 900ss before making a purchase. Even though I love my 900 to bits (in a love/hate) sort of way, its so alien to any Jap bike thaI think you need to test ride one first.

I really didnt get on with the engine of mine at first but, loved the handling - so persisted and still like it now.

Having said that - even with reworked forks and a WP rear shock - my 1992 model suspension is primative compared to anything modern.

But I think thats part of the appeal for me - on the roads I'm only 30 secs behind friends whose bikes cost 4/5 times more than mine and I still have a hoot !!!

Good luck - Frank

Thats part of it isnt it - the grins per buck (suspension joke !) factor is very high !
I think thats what I like about the old singles too - they are so light you get bounced around quite a bit when you are 'pressing on' - but it all adds to the fun :burn::bouncy::o

Spank - where are you ?
You could always come and have a go on my FE - its for sale after all ...

Phil, you racing with VMCC at Cadwell on the 24th?? If so see you there PM-ready for TA5!

John

just as a slight diversion...i notice a number of replies regards their ss's wheelying....mine gives no indication it has any propensity for wheelying. i am neither trying or a wheely god, but when i hammered my fireblade in first i knew it wanted to come up whereas the 900ss gives no indication that it will raise its head. so i was wondering how people are getting their bikes to engage in some naughtiness?

106 Bhp? Is that all?

Bloo Duke is doing a smidge over 100 bhp on 944cc. At just over 100 bhp per 944, that's 0.106 bhp per cc. If you multiply that by 1082 you would be looking at 114 bhp and enough torque to pull up trees. That's assuming that you could maintain the same specific horsepower with the bigger engine, but I don't see why not - Nelly tells me the flow characteristics of those testarossa heads are good enough to feed a 650 cc cylinder, so it should still be flowing more than enough air for a 541 cc pot without getting breathless at the top end.

As for the rest of your bike, love the spec, it's nearly the same as mine so put some Galfer wavey's onto BST carbon wheels or Marvic Mag/Carbons on it and I'll buy it off you as soon as you've built it.:D

Jools, you're much too sensible to throw that sort of cash at a 2-valver, however much you'd like to, 'cos you know you'll never see a penny of it again !

When the time comes to change the ST2 you'll just get a 999 - bet you a pound.

I just remembered what I was going to post when I sidetracked myself (see below !)
Alfs of Worthing still have their BOT bike up in the clothing dept !
I must go in and ask Alf what bhp they got out of it.
(A friend and I have both already asked him if he'd sell it)



Hmmm ... our plans have not been going at all well just recently, so def not doing vmcc on 24th.
Sue's wrists have not been very good, and I crocked my left ankle at brands w/end b4 last, so I'm only riding a left-shift bike again. (I'm not a young-whipper-snapper-hero like domski who _likes_ the pain !)
We asked lizzie to cancel ta5 almost 2 wks ago ... but no news yet ... so we might _have_ to go, but prob not with the 350 as well.
Ho hum.

[Edited on 13-7-2005 by phil_h]