Driveability of Hybrids

[slowsport]

Hello I am from the v4 honda camp at the mo, and came from bigger bikes until i got the handling bug and i am about to go the fzr400/600 route, now i want to know how the bike feels in comparison to other bikes:

is the bike as big as a zxr400/cbr600f/ zx6r between my legs or skinnier like my rvf400?
how does it feel leaned over on it's ears stable and heavy and/or able to change lines?
does the bike stand up on brakes?
is the acceleration have a compareable feel to a cbr600rr?
does it still feel like a 400cc in weight or heavier?
is the initial turn in still rapid and light?
how is the fzr600/yzf600 gearbox(weak/strong)? at lows revs (traffic) and quick shifts at high revs?

thanks for any input.

[Kayla850]

3TJs are pretty small, I had a TRX850 before my hybrid and it feels like a mini moto in comparison. I think the weight of a 3TJ hybrid would be around the same as a standard 3TJ, although mine is around 168kg wet (well, according to the bathroom scales!) It turns brilliantly and changes direction really nicely. It goes well too, it'll easily bimble around at 30 in built-up areas and sit at 70-80 on the motorway. I'd imagine that given a quiet stretch of A19 on a sunny Sunday morning, it might even have shown the thick end of 150mph on the speedo with a bit more to give, but I can't remember...

There's a clunk between first and second but other than that, the gearbox on mine seems ok. I've got a 15t on the front and 47t on the back and it's an all round jolly bloody awfully nice motorcycle. It makes me grin when I ride it and the sound from the airbox when it gets into its stride is just ferocious

edit- I should add that I built my bike to be as light as I could get it on a budget, a hybrid built keeping all of the practicality of a standard 3TJ would be brilliant.

[slowsport]

thank you that pretty much answered my questions just need a little more input if it stnads when braking or can i still be tilted and keep the angle?

and the gearbox the clunk mentioned is this comparable to zx6r gearboxes or older gsxr's/ bandits?

i just want to explain i have fallen in love with how the little 400 can scrub off a tinch of speed and change line mid corner so this bike will be perfect if it can do that like the rvf400 or similar

[Evilchicken0]

As a 400 the FZR is known to be the best handling but really it will depend on the suspension of each bike. There are a couple of hybrids with different front ends and the rear can use the later R6 shock with an extension piece. If you can find 3TJ SP forks then they're good and obviously bolt straight in and are fully adjustable, the standard RR can be set up with new springs and different air gaps.

Standard brakes are good but you have to have good pads and discs, I'm assuming it will have braided steel lines. Mine (a 400) has a radial master and has very strong brakes, but remember the bikes are light and can carry a lot of corner speed. I haven't noticed it stand up.

What you should get is something like an early R6, the Foxeye and T'Cat motors are similar but without the stacked gearbox. Both the T'Cat and Foxeye used a steel frame which is where the hybrids really score with the alloy frame.

[CMSMJ1]

I raced a hybrid in PI600 at Cadwell and my F400 too. (I did 1m49 and 1m52 laps)

IMO - the 3TJ is not as small as the RVF/VFR and feels longer and lower. The usual issues with quality is there as Yamahas in general were not as well built as NC's..that is just how it is.

It works though..you get to know it and it can be made to go fast.



I regret selling it.

*just saw EC0's post - there is no way a 3TJ is better handling, as standard, than an NC30/35. I agree totally that setup is key and also reckon the OP should get it sorted...

[Evilchicken0]

i don't agree totally about build quality all the way through the NC30. I helped a guy out changing the plugs and a couple of other things. One of the brackets holding the rad folded up when I tries to undo the rad, I had to use a spanner on the captive nut. The paint's better though.

[Kayla850]

What you should get is something like an early R6, the Foxeye and T'Cat motors are similar but without the stacked gearbox. Both the T'Cat and Foxeye used a steel frame which is where the hybrids really score with the alloy frame.

That's kind of what I thought too. They're light, quick and handle brilliantly. I can't compare it to any other manufacturer's bike because I've only ever owned Yams (over 30 of them!), although I did have a brief stint of using a GSX1100 (which was a big ol' dinosaur of a barge of a thing).

I know they're not as sought after, but I think a hybrid built around a 1WG/3EN would be even lighter. The claimed weight included the daft steel subframe after all. If I could find a cheap fixer-upper 3HE I'd be nailing one together quicker than you could say 'nail me an FZR4/6 together'.

[slowsport]

lol thanks for all the info that has painted a clear picture of what i should expect.

so all in all it should be like a early r6 but with better in traffic driveability...

[Evilchicken0]

Yup - something like that. The key to good power seems to be in the airbox, the Foxeye uses a similar setup to the 3TJ whereas the T'at has a charged airbox.

[Kayla850]

Yup - something like that. The key to getting the thing to run anywhere near right seems to be in the airbox, the Foxeye uses a similar setup to the 3TJ whereas the T'at has a charged airbox.

Fixed, and yes, I am an airbox convert