ive already decided that i have to have one of these bikes. but im trying to figure out which suits me best. so.

ill be mainly using it for everyday type driving, squeezing in some fun stuff when i can. the cost of each are not all that different, and an 01 is very comparable to an 06, right? there arent that many differences from year to year. now, my thought is that i would rather have a slightly weaker bike that i can drive aggressively than a powerful bike that i can barely utilize. am i looking at this wrong? the 599 seems fast enough, but i dont want to commit to one, and start modding it, only to max it out and want the bigger engine. i guess im leaning towards a 919. your thoughts?

I had the same challenge - the difference in price was not the most important for me either.
The 2007 (599) I bought is however a different bike than the good old 599.
Last year I sold mine 2000 Blackbird (1100XX) and now I wanted an easy handled bike in the traffic.
I mostly use it in my work between customers in Oslo and appreciate the low weight and the extremely easy handling.
Off course I also have some riding just for fun, and I do not miss the horsepower from the xx.
Am I getting old?
I do not think that I could do the curves faster with an xx, but straight ahead there is a big difference – off course.
The 599 needs a lot of revs, but that’s common for all the 600’s I tried.
In Norway it is also a big difference in the insurance cost between the 599 and the 900.

Good luck with your choice!

The 919 has more HP and just a bit more weight. That extra zing on the right wrist can be a factor depending on your riding experience. You may also want to check insurance costs -- many states go by cc's and the 919 may be considerably more $ to insure.

Never owned a 599, but i loved my 919. It's fun, fast, handles very well, and is super comfortable for long rides. It's not as nimble as my CBR600...so it really all depends on what you want. If i were you i'd get the '04 or up 919 as it has the adjustable front suspension...a must if you really want to ride the twisties with confidence.

I know this doesn't really help much, but it really does just come down to whether you want the power to be able to go fast effortlessly, or you want the agility to really throw it around. The 919 handled very very well and i really enjoyed it on the back roads, but i wouldn't call it nimble, and it was a little harder to maneuver at slow speeds than a 600cc. But even then it was never really difficult.

I would say the 919 is, handling wise, somewhere between a sport tourer and the 599. But if you'd like to be able to blow past any 600cc sportbike on a whim, while still keeping comfortable for longer rides, i'd say the 919 is for you. And btw, my '05 919 was significantly cheaper to insure than my much older '01 CBR600. Depending on who you go with, the 919 isn't classified as a sportbike and you can get very cheap insurance for it. Mine was right around $300/yr for liability only.

I pay just over $300 a year for full coverage on my 599.

How much riding experience do you have? If you're new to riding, you're better off with a 599. Otherwise, either will work. 599 will be cheaper to insure, as guys have already mentioned above.

I was thinking what Alex was thinking.

If it's your first bike get the 599. Otherwise it's hard to say. The reality is you don't know what you want untill you've owned a few bikes.

Both are great, but I chose the 919 and I'm happy with my decision. Check out some the magazine articles we have in the other section.

I like to get info from this site as well. Some people are stupid, so just look for trends.

http://www.powersportsnetwork.com/enthusiasts/review_list.asp

...just come down to whether you want the power to be able to go fast effortlessly, or you want the agility to really throw it around. ... But if you'd like to be able to blow past any 600cc sportbike on a whim...
:lol: Any? :roll:

Having ridden both (albeit for only a very short ride on Steve's 919) they are more different than what may be intuitively thought. They felt completely different. Real world power wise there is a nickel’s worth of difference...919 has highway power, 599 has scoot and shoot power.

The 919 does it with torque, the 599 does it with HP and RPMs.
(FWIW I think less experienced riders can deal with the direct drive feel of the FI & torque better than managing HP via RPMs w/old school carbs...but that's just me)

IMHO:
If you want more refinement and a pinch more touring --> 919
bonus: more plush/ sophisticated suspension
penalty: a bit heavier less nimble

If you want more commotion and a pinch of a sport --> 599
bonus: rev happy motor (does require the effort of shifting to get the performance out of her...)
penalty: a bit sloppier suspension but it’s still beyond all but a select few’s capabilities

I tried the 919 at a Honda riding day.

Two things I can comment on.

The handling is better on the 599 = more fun.

That 4 into one sound of the exhaust on the 599 is really hot.

The 4 into two of the 919 is not ...

The 599 is my 6th bike and I have been riding 20+ years.

Let's separate the butt Dynos from the facts:

599
- Maximum horsepower is 95 at 12,000 RPM, maximum torque is 46 lbs.
- carburated with a petcock for reserve
- Dry Weight: 401 pounds
- Power/weight ratio: 0.3372 HP/kg
- Quarter Mile: 11.57 @ 115 MPH

919
- Maximum horsepower is 110 at 9000 RPM, maximum torque 67 lbs
- Programmed Fuel Injection
- Dry Weight: 427 pounds
- Power/weight ratio: 0.5679 HP/kg
- Quarter Mile: 11.09 @ 122 MPH

Any 919 rider that has seen my 06 599 loves the instrument cluster compared to their old school clocks and the USD fork over theirs.
Not sure about headlights, but the 599 unit is really slick and unique as far as I can tell. Looks are not everything, but then again motorcycles are about individual taste after all.
I think what others here have said about the power characteristics makes sense as it relates to what you will actually do with the bike.

The posted power to weight ratio for the 599 is way off :) it should be 0.5212 HP/Kg using your figures, not such a big difference from the 919... The way it's delivered (ie lower revs), would be the more noticeable factor I guess. :wink:

Good catch! Darn metric conversion sites!

Having ridden both, my biggest difference in impressions between the two is the higher rev's needed to get to the power in the 599, as was mentioned earlier. Both fun bikes. Both have ample power for most people. The weight difference is hardly noticeable however, and I didn't find one any more flickable than the other.

Guess the butt dyno isn't that off eh? :mrgreen:

Neither is necessarily better than the other save for your preference...

Guess the butt dyno isn't that off eh? :mrgreen:

Neither is necessarily better than the other save for your preference...
Oh I don't know, I'd say 20 ft lbs and 15HP (as percentages) are more than a nickels worth of difference, wouldn't ya say?

Agreed that it all comes down to personal preference, what feels more right, and what you are able to ride affordably.

...more than a nickels worth of difference, wouldn't ya say?

In my best Vader voice: “I find your lack of faith disturbing.” :mrgreen:

Ok...i've never had a 599, but could we agree that the power and delivery are probably very similar to my F4i (with the F4i having a slightly stronger top end)? That being said, the 919 was significantly faster than my current F4i. Maybe not too very much different in the 1/4mi, but the 919 will get up and go from almost anywhere, where the F4i absolutely HAS to downshift a couple of times to get in the powerband. Once you're there, yeah, the F4i is pretty comparable...even though still slightly slower.

But in day to day riding, i found myself upshifting at around 3-3.5k rpm in the 919. The thing just has that much torque and just feels strong all over. But if you can get the courage to hit the redline (which took me about two months of riding on that thing), the road just blurs, you get tunnel vision, and before you can even think about it you're having to brake because you're going way too fast at the end of what you thought was a nice straighaway. The F4i has never made me feel that way. Even though it is plenty fast, it does take a little longer to get going from any speed than the 919 did.

(On a side note, never ask owners which one is better. We all bought and like our bikes for our own reasons and are biased towards them. And we can all respect each other's opinions...until it gets to the point where we have to convince someone else that what we like is better. Let's face it...we'll never really agree. ;) )

Any 919 rider that has seen my 06 599 loves the instrument cluster compared to their old school clocks and the USD fork over theirs.
Not sure about headlights, but the 599 unit is really slick and unique as far as I can tell. Looks are not everything, but then again motorcycles are about individual taste after all.
I think what others here have said about the power characteristics makes sense as it relates to what you will actually do with the bike.

I hate digital clocks. The analog clocks on my 919 was a selling point for me, although I wish the numbers were a bit bigger.

snap dang. basically everyone is saying they are both awesome just pick one. which dont make it easier to choose. although i guess no matter where i go with it im still right. awesome. now i just gotta get my hands on one.

snap dang. basically everyone is saying they are both awesome just pick one.
Basically :thumbsup

In my best Vader voice: “I find your lack of faith disturbing.” :mrgreen:

Niiiiiiiice.

snap dang. basically everyone is saying they are both awesome just pick one.
Basically :thumbsup

Took the words out of my mouth... although I do wonder what it'd be like to have a 919...

which one has more available parts for modification?

I'm a tinkerer and know once i get used to stock it won't be good enough.

I currently have a 260 whp jeep Cherokee and a 743hp big block ford (who just lost its home due to frame twist)

thank you,
Sumfoo1

Hello Sum, welcome to the forum!

Both bikes have a fair amount of parts available since the bikes have been out for some time now. They also both share blocks from their CBR doners so some parts can interchange, like exhaust. However, the heads, cams, and ignition are different so swaping isn't as easy.

As for power, most modern bikes are already tapped out. You might beable to squeeze an extra 5hp out of it (safely) but not much more. What you can go crazy with is the look and feel of your bike.

Is this your first bike?

hahaha for the street yes... i have a dirt bike that i've had for quite some time and a mountain bike (downhill) thats been over 50mph
i've ridden plenty of bikes though and i know i like torque.
(r6 r1 zx9 and an extended swing arm n2o busa to name a few)
but i like naked bikes and i don't want to kill my back on a long ride so thats what put the 919 in mind.

... yeah i'm a little bit of an adrenaline junky
that combined with being a bit of a grease monkey and an engineering intern
(can't call myself an engineer till i pass the PE exam) is a scary combo


To be honest i'd like to get a dropped 599 just to make sure i'm as comfortable as i think i'll be but i know i'll want more power if i am.
so i think i'll just have to trust my self to hold back some on a 919 to start with.

Dropped??? Like lowered? How tall are you? Most people, even those of the 5'5" hieght seem to be very comfortable on them.

haha sorry i mean laid down... or dinged up just to learn on... i'm not a small guy and by no means do i need a lowered bike.

Thats my real dilemma actually is whether to get a 599 thats a little beat up and trade it later for a liter bike or to get a 919 now and plan on keeping it.

If you like torque, I'd head the 919 way. While the 599 is torquey for a 600cc bike, the 919 is a more twist-oriented animal

As for power, most modern bikes are already tapped out. You might beable to squeeze an extra 5hp out of it (safely) but not much more.



Huh? only 5 more horses can be squeezed out? Not one modern bike is tapped out .... in fact most are limited/governed and just waiting to be let loose ! :thumbsup geesh i got an extra 10 Hp out of my 06 599 and still had other stuff I could have done and would still be Plenty "safe"

I loved my 919 and if you like torque, you will too. It's definately faster than any 600 and very comfortable. I bought it because i didn't want a 'racing' position, but wanted to be faster than my supersport friends. :twisted:

But if you don't get on it, it's a real easy and fun bike to ride...but if you do get on it...the only thing i could compare it to was warp speed. :D It makes long straights short real fast. It was faster than my current Honda F4i. I'd say get one...you'd love it.

there was a good articleon the two of them some where and they used a good description but I cant remeber what it was exactly ..... 599 waas the chaotic frantic step child and the 919 was the laid back wiser parent ...LOL ererrrr something like that.... torque on the 919 is fantastic.... its just whomping fast.... and the 599 is just the frantic chaotic version that loves to have its neck rung and aint by no means a slouch :D

As for power, most modern bikes are already tapped out. You might beable to squeeze an extra 5hp out of it (safely) but not much more.



Huh? only 5 more horses can be squeezed out? Not one modern bike is tapped out .... in fact most are limited/governed and just waiting to be let loose ! :thumbsup geesh i got an extra 10 Hp out of my 06 599 and still had other stuff I could have done and would still be Plenty "safe"

If you could post before and after dynos along with a list of mods that would be helpful.

there was a good articleon the two of them some where and they used a good description but I cant remeber what it was exactly ..... 599 waas the chaotic frantic step child and the 919 was the laid back wiser parent ...LOL ererrrr something like that....
Yeah it was something like that... :lol:

Haven't we beaten this horse already? As soon as it turns to HP and "fastest" :barf

MOVE ALONG, THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE HERE :point

Dyno sheet got washed away when the snow melted out of the bed of my truck last year... cuzz it was on my garage floor hehehe as far as mods go see this thread ..... only thing different that I did before i got rid of it was the airbox mod and a stage 2 tune :thumbsup oh yeh and after the stage 2 I went to 2 degrees advance from the 4

http://www.honda599.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=898&start=0



Steve not saying your wrong at all cuzz even the size of the bike will determine what kind of power is available beyond stock ... yah know like the way the busas and 14 are limited certain ways....I agree with what you said but I would only say 8-12 HP before you start sinking in big time money and time :thumbsup

I guess 10hp is possible by tuning what Honda detuned for the 599 (higher cams, larger carbs), but the typical pipe, jet kit, air filter doesn't give 10 hp.

Of the dynos I've seen 2hp on the top is a good result.

I guess 10hp is possible by tuning what Honda detuned for the 599....
Well, ignoring emission standards and noise levels...and drivability/maintainability...and pushing MTBF parameters...
(maybe all good for you, but personally I don't think Honda has the option to sacrifice on these points just for a couple of HP)

And not to mention trying to hit a price/insurance point of a target market...while expanding your customer base, not cannibalizing it.

It's all about trade offs...

Since you're talking about dynos, I assume you mean HP at the wheels. Akrapovic claims their exhaust adds 3.1 HP just with a slip on (2.5hp at same revs as stock exhaust max HP)

http://www.akrapovic.net/product-catalog/motor-exhaust/?puid=36

I imagine lighter wheels, better intake and jets would be able to increase dyno HP

You dont need to do cams or carbs to get 10 hp 8-10 hp atrw is typical with a stage 2 tune with an exhaust .... air box mod is part of the stage 2 tune. no cam change no carb change, same jet kit is installed as the stage 1 except larger mains need to be installed and possibly other minor adjustments ... ie i had to raise the needles one more notch from the stage 1 tune wich was already one groove above recommended for the stage 1 tune cuzz it was too lean down low.....before I traded her in she dynoed 97. something I cant remember ...think it was 97.3 hp atrw..... thats a pretty considerable jump over stock even considering in an optimistic dyno and they were not serious mods

What's the airbox mod? I've been wanting to do something to mine, but I can't find anything...

airbox mod is removing the snorkel it needs to be done with the stage 2 tune ....dont attempt it without the tune

Since you're talking about dynos, I assume you mean HP at the wheels. Akrapovic claims their exhaust adds 3.1 HP just with a slip on (2.5hp at same revs as stock exhaust max HP)

http://www.akrapovic.net/product-catalog/motor-exhaust/?puid=36

I imagine lighter wheels, better intake and jets would be able to increase dyno HP

All the exhaust manufacturers would love you to believe that but they arn't realistic. It's like those diet pills on TV where some guy lost 100lbs in a week taking it with the disclamer (your results may vary). Look at dynos from real people not the guy selling you the pipe, he may have some bias :lol:

Airbox mods are typically just drilling a hole in it (or removing it compleatly). Airboxes are finicky and require lots of R&D to make a good one (especially with Honda), messing with it can sometimes give you an edge but most of the time it will worsen your drivability. If you are going to cut it be sure you know what you're doing.

Dead On SSS :thumbsup most air box mods are just opening up the inlet prior to the filter to allow more air in ..... flow characteristics remain the same behind the filter but with higher volume ..... other things definitley do need to be done along with it or you will just F things up and it wont run for $hit ..... you have to compensate for the extra air by adding more fule also

I can't imagine anyone needing anything faster than a 599. I couldn't afford to insure a 919 so the decision was simple.

As for mods... at least for the time being... I'm gonna eventually throw in a K&N filter and call it a day. I'll take that 0.27hp and ride!

No one needs anything fast at all, its just more fun.
I hate it when people say things like that.

No i didn't neeeeeeed a 9 second falcon... but it damned sure was fun.

a K&N filter and call it a day. I'll take that 0.27hp and ride!
Lets see the Dyno on that... :wink:

Amen!!!! to that sumfoo1..... some people say the same thing about a Rebel.... I cant imagine needing anything faster then a rebel :lol: