First day home.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/my9191.jpg

No stickers, decals, or reflectors.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/myred919.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/myred9193.jpg

Storm is comming.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/MyHornet.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/MyHornet4.jpg

New turn signals.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/TS6.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/TS7.jpg

Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUvxNz7L5hM

Awesome shot! :rad


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/MyHornet4.jpg

That was a very rare opportunity where the sun was shining bright, but dark clouds were looming.

Did you see the hornet on my back tire on the other shot? :P

Nice bike Steve! I love that candy apple red color. What do you think of it compared to the EX500? Besides GOBS more power! :shock: Handling, seating position, seat, etc., etc.?

SSS and I both used to own EX500s. And got to know each other a bit from the ex500riders.com site. Though that site is having serious issues lately. :(

Yeah, I'm really pissed about that site. It had server problems then some hackers messed it all up. Then we lost our senior admin. Just horrible.

Anyway, I really like my Hornet. I did a lot of research. I read everything I could get my hands one untill I widdled down my choices to the Buell XB9R, Triumph Thruxton, SV650, 599 and 919.

The Buell is awsome but the people at the dealers suck butt. It's also over priced for what you get. If the XB12 were priced below $9K I would have gotten that.

The Thurxton is so beautiful, so cool, and so unique. The only problem there was that it was a little slower than my EX500. I'm too young for that. I don't need a lot of power, but if I'm going to pay big money I want more than what I had.

The SV650 was ok, but I really expected more. I wanted my next bike to be "nice" this bike was functional but still pretty cheap looking. I was also surprised by how close the power was to my 500 in a drag race. I would be happy with it, but I wanted something a little different.

The 599 was awsome. I loved the way the front wheel felt light as I hit the throttle. The looks were spot on too. I wanted this bike, but with EFI so that left only one more choice.

The 919. The reach to the bars isn't as far as on the 500 and it's obviously more upright. I thought that I would slam the bars first thing with some SM2 bars or maybe some Renthal Ultra Lows, but they grew on me, so I'm keeping them. I was shocked by how light the bike feels. On paper it shouldn't be that fast with 100hp and it's quite heavy at 450lbs, but it really feels like a 600 with liter bike power. It has the quality that I was looking for, style, uniqueness, and performance.

Nice write up, Steve. I'm glad you're happy with your decision.

After the mishap with my first 599 I test rode an SV650S and was not impressed at the slightest. I realized the whole V-Twin engine was not what I liked. So I'm back on my original choice. :rad

Time for my glam shots!

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/glamshot1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/glamshot2.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/glamshot3.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/glamshot4.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/glamshot5.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/glamshot6.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/glamshot7.jpg

These are wonderful Steve! :clap But where's the glove shot? :thinking

Edit// Oh! It's here >> http://www.honda599.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=51

man, that thing is KALEANNNNN!!!!

absolutly beautiful! your down pipes looks spotless. i would enter the great glove challange myself, but trying to post pictures is enough of a challange foe me.

Hey Steve whats the highest gear the 9er can wheelie on the power ??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27i8Bb7pD-4

I don't know and I don't care to try, but from this video it can easily wheelie on the freeway.

Other people with the bike tell me it can power wheelie from 60mph just by letting off the throttle and getting back on it at the right time.

Just for the record wheelies can get you a giant ticket (recklass driving) damage your bike (suspensing, bearings, oil starvation) or cause you to crash (really bad).

The most I ever do is a little skimmer trying to go fast for a pass or something.

Ok was jus curious guess I shouldnt have assumed you do wheelies but I am addicted to them and was jus curious with the extra power how it was


and for the record it does not cause oil starvation :D

It depends on what kind of bike and what kind of oil pump they use.

Some bikes like the SV650 definately suffer from oil starvation on one wheel. I'm unsure about the Hornets.

suffer from oil starvation on one wheel
All I know is that I'll never know.

Motorcycles and hot chicks
Hahaha in Mich?

Where in the mitten are you...? Family in/from Lansing and da UP.

trust the hornet doesnt Ive seen the bottom end of one and I definitely looked into it before I started wheelieing :rad

I'm in White Lake and I work in Auburn Hills (where the Pistons play).

So, I'm about an hour east of Lansing, closer to Detroit.

an hour east of Lansing, closer to Detroit.
Well nice ta meet ya... Go State! (at least they looked good for three quarters against ND... :oops: )

Check out my new Staintunes!

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/exhaust1.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/exhaust2.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/exhaust3.jpg

These are the best pipes money can buy. Yes, they are very expensive, but worth every penny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqGnPoAMqQU

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.... :bow :bow :bow

Checked out your youtube clip...they sound mean...

sweeet.... ubercool.... feel any difference?

and you've only had your bike for over a month now? that's quick.. i've had mine for about 1.5yrs and finally getting around to all this stuff. better late them never i guess. : P

what's next on your agenda?

Very shiny.

Any difference in power, throttle response, smell...etc.? I've been considering doing something w/ the exhaust, i just don't know what. The 919s are pretty expensive simply because you're buying two cans instead of one... :x

Very clean, very classy! Great sound! May I ask where you bought?

I got them from www.starcycle.com

They do reduce a little weight and they do add a little more power, nothing crazy though. I got them because they arn't very loud, but they have a quality sound and quality construction. They are sealed so there are no rivits and the packing is stainless steel wool so there is no repacking required. I want to keep this bike for the long haul so I went all the way with this one.

My stock can's weren't bad as far as smell went, these should be even better. They are longer than stock so they expell the gasses further away. At first I had to burn off the oil they used when bending the tubing. There was white smoke comming out. After a few miles they were good to go.

I told myself when I bought this bike I was going to leave it stock. That only lasted a few weeks. :lol: It's a sickness for which there is no cure.

Next on my list is a new seat and a center stand. I'm on the fence between Corbin or Sargent. I know the Corbin is good, but I'm thinking I should give Sargent a try for something different.

Does the 919 manual state to not turn the engine off with the kill switch? Mine says to use the key and pretty much leave the kill buitton on all the time unless storing for some time


Nice steve can you give it a lil more revs next time :D

I told myself when I bought this bike I was going to leave it stock.
:lol:
Nice pipes there m'boy!

Oh, and right or wrong, I've always used the kill switch....

Does the 919 manual state to not turn the engine off with the kill switch? Mine says to use the key and pretty much leave the kill buitton on all the time unless storing for some time

This is another one of those endless debates in the motorcycle world but there is no difference between killing the engine with the key or with the kill switch, it's a matter of preference. The kill switch was intended for emergencies but it won't harm anything to use it.

Hey SUper Sneaky, just curious if you've read or seen the lastest issue of RIDER in which they did a review on the 919, didn't rate it very high and says it struggles in areas like highway speeds and stuff.
:(

My dads been debating to buy a 919 becuase of how much he likes the 599 but that article he read he wasn't thrilled with, if u get a chance tor ead it let me know.

Also just curious, in what kind of situation would u emergeny kill the engine? Most scary situations Ive been in you really need to get on the throttle and ride it out, could be like chance of fire or something?

I use the kill switch to kill the motor always. Maybe that's because I started on an XR80 that didn't have a key. You just kick start it and the only way to shut off the bike was to push the kill button.

I don't think it matters, but every bike is required to have one so it's there.

The 919 is as good on the freeway as any naked bike. Maybe they marked it down because it didn't have enough wind protection, but as you know that's easily fixed. You just buy a windscreen. It's very stable and very powerful on the freeway.

Maybe it's not as comfortable and relaxed as a Goldwing, but a Goldwing can't carve a mountian road like a 919 can either. So take your pick.

Ask your dad to read the last Cycle World streetbike shoot out. They said the 919 was only a fancy paint job away from being the perfect motorcycle. (October 2006)

http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=4&article_id=214
a related story

the emo kill switch is just that for emergencies. The owners manual recommends using the key and not the emo. My MSF instructor mentioned that the emo if used regularly could fail, wear and tear, burn out of the electrical connections.

see thats odd, my MSF told me to use it regularly... oh well I guess it comes down to preference

My instructors told me to keep it "on" unless I'm storing it. :idonno

actually there is a difference using the key or kill switch it has something to do with wich ligghts stay on or something like that and supposively using the kill makes more drain on the batt??? cant remeber exactly but I remeber reading it in the manual and also had my dealer tell me to leave it on but whatever works it dont matter to me jus thinkin out loud :oops:

oh yeh and the 919 is a FRIGGIN BLAST on the highway dude no downshiftin jus crack it open an SEEE YAHH!!!!!!




ahhhem **** but I still prefer my 6er :wink:

...dude no downshiftin...but I still prefer my 6er :wink:

Whooo had me worried there for a minute Mech! :wink: No shifiting? Where is the fun it that :lol:

One quick tip (how did the kill switch be come such a hot button topic :lol: )

Always Always Always keep your A$$ Hole friends on the left at stop lights...that way they can't easily reach over and nail your kill switch when the light turn green :shock: ...Bastards :D :lol:

ahahahaha :lol: OMG I have never heard that before lol then again you guys are my only friends :?

That's hilarious. Gotta suck, tho... :oops: If my friend did that to me he better pray he never ran outta gas, cause next time he stopped he'd be in for a world of hurt. :bash

oh yeh and the 919 is a FRIGGIN BLAST on the highway dude no downshiftin jus crack it open an SEEE YAHH!!!!!!

That's right, buddy...come over to the dark side. You can still shift for fun if you want... :idonno

One thing i'd be curious about asking someone who's ridden both, is how much more nimble does the 599 feel over the 919? Does it really feel a whole lot lighter either at a stop or in the curves??

I've riden both. There are more people on the UK site that have done both too. I only had a short ride on the 599. It did feel lighter. When on the gas on the 599 it has more of that light front end feel to it. The 919 feels more stable and a little heavier, but not heavy by any means. The 919 is the lightest of the big bikes. Lighter than a Speed Tripple, FZ1, ZRX or Bandit.

Honda does a good job of putting the weight where it needs to be to make their bikes feel much lighter than they actually are. The weight is a non issue if you ask me.