Blast from the Past: My first supersport shootout

Living the dream at MCN's mammoth 600cc group test

[@movem1]

Awesome stuff. We are grateful for your experience and shared reflections. Still garaging my 2005 CBR under a cloth ready to roll approaching 20 years of pure joy, fading past. Blade runs like the day it was new. I am the one looking tired! Greatly enjoyed seeing the old magazine pages and those prices too!

[@flyingone5711]

Humble, talented, and extremely knowledgeable of the subject matter! It is highly enjoyable on your “this is your life” walk of your memory lane! Keep it coming! Cheers

[@Theoriginalramjammer]

This insight into your growth into the MCN road tester life is fascinating. This was my era of reading MCN and attending BSB and club racing on my affordable 600. We never had it so good back then!

[@tdeloriea]

Please keep this going over the winter. It’s going to be my favorite channel.

[@roseysnapper]

Love these videos - please take reassurance that your efforts are much appreciated. You have a very engaging style and manage to make all your MCN videos top notch. I even found myself watching your drumming video even though I have zero interest in musical instruments of any kind; you just have a way of drawing the viewer into the stories. Excellent stuff.

[@yonniboy1]

The MCN 600 shootout sold the little CBR600RR to me as I was about to change my R6, I couldn't believe the tech and unbelievable finish on it when I got my test ride, it was so superior to every sports bike of the time (even litre bikes) and to me it was like a modernised version of the little RVF400 I had a decade earlier, lovely memories.

[@rudebwoy8]

You’re welcome Neevesy, this is a really insightful look into your journey. You such a down to earth and humble dude, that’s probably the bedrock of your success.

[@davidelizabeth4933]

We really enjoyed this one, Neevesy!
🎶🎵🎶
Glory days well they'll pass you by
Glory days in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days
- Bruce Springsteen
🕺💃🏼❤ ❤

[@DB-so8zc]

Sorry, but I have subscribed.👍 I have great respect and and admiration on how you cover the current crop of bikes with great detail and enthusiasm. I like the nostalgia side that you are doing on your own page. Please keep it going.
I can see your passion for riding and journalism and though the media format may have changed over the years, the end result is still the same. Awesome stories and fantastic honest reviews!
Ride safe and cheers from the US!

[@moto_biker]

That was the best thing I've seen in ages, thank you for keeping it real, bringing back so many special memories! It was our era, those 600s are looking VERY iconic... but they always did do to me ;)

[@paulocarreiro5855]

It's not so much nostalgia as it is history. It's really important to know your history. Thank you Neeves.

[@Motorcycle_Mike]

Yes please. More of these, Neevesey. Not only quite entertaining! But history deserves to remembered✊🏻💨💨💨

[@John900C]

Yes, the world in general and the motorcycle life has changed so much in our lifetimes. I still get a kick in my 60s to see how bikes develop and offer ordinary mortals next generation performance.

[@jt2wheels963]

Awesome Stuff Neevesey!! Love this channel so much nostalgia! I remember working for a Honda dealer back in 2003 when the 600RR came out, fell in love with it, owned many over the years and raced them over Australia. Kept one of my Red 03 totally stock original on which I still have today. Still love riding it, still one of the best Hondas ever produced. Keep the videos rolling !

[@jaudicedbrow]

Love my CBR600RR (05). The brakes are indeed spot on - way better than a lot of more recent efforts. Comfortable enough (just) to ride to from the East Midlands to Anglesey for a track day, and back. Preferably not all in one day though.

[@TrooperTed]

Had a candy blue '04 600RR, my first 'full power' bike after a factory restricted (33bhp) 600FS. It has a Yoshimura RS5 exhaust that sounded glorious as you wound it on. I did everything on it, commuted 5 days a week, Sunday spins, toured on it, even raced it in Morocco in '08 in the Cannonball Bike Run.
Agree on the build quality, that bike took some amount of abuse & just kept going. The only thing that ever affected it was the reg/rec blowing, but even then I stayed mobile by bump starting it while waiting for a replacement.
Very interesting to look back and see the kind of space given over to these reviews back in the day and how the spread has changed over the years. The detail you guys went into was part of what set MCN apart.

[@JamchesterBoozle]

Neevesy please keep doing these videos they’re great can’t get enough….both my bikes are in the garage so this is how I get my fix at the mo 🙂 👍

[@jhstony]

Absolutely love these behind the scenes chats ❤ great stuff . Please do more if possible

[@petera1033]

Just discovered your channel - brings back so many memories. I haven't ridden for nearly 10 years now and am looking to get a bike again - my last bike was a Fogarty replica 996 SPS - no electronics just a fun bike to fang around Phillip Island on and much around some quiet country roads on weekends ....your video has brought back so many memories - wonderful.

[@gregd125]

Love the trips down memory lane. You have a very engaging manner which mixed with your personal experiences make for a very enjoyable video.

[@machinehead9334]

Loving these fascinating behind the scenes insights into the world of MCN road tests Neevesy, certainly brings make some great memories (and how I wanted but never got an Arai Harada replica lid like the one on the shelf!)

[@samfurnos5852]

Yeah...good old days... the 600s were great..Still got my rr from 08...and 600f from 05 for touring... not traiding it for a 2 cylinder new breed tablet noobie bike... and a liter bike is just too expensive and rediculous.

[@2wheels6strings8]

Loving your story, thanks for posting it. Maybe you could have someone dig out your favourite MCN test ride bikes from over the years and you could revisit them. I know there a couple of other channels doing used bike reviews but it would be interesting to hear how your current thoughts compare to your original reviews.

[@CarlosMartinsPT]

Hey! Your phone black sticker is working a lot better 🤪
I love your stories, hombre. Hope you keep them up. Nostalgia from an experience guru like you is bliss for me!

[@AbdulsCycles]

What a great supersport... thanks for share...

[@riderramblings]

I bought a new CBR600 from an advert in MCN in August 1989 - in the dealership in Doncaster at midnight!. Red and Silver she was. It's the best bike I've ever owned. I had her for 2 years before a shoulder injury stopped me from riding for a while.

[@user-if2gn5ed3c]

Loving these trips down memory lane. Was a teenager reading these articles. Enjoying hearing your accounts of what went on. Keep it up.

[@spoon3223]

Fascinating, and a great insight. Thanks!

[@bilalchaudhary8268]

My 1st and 2nd road bikes were 600. This was a throwback. Thanks for sharing Michael...

[@stephenedwards3397]

This videos gives me some comfort that I am not quite going bonkers yet as I can remember that issue, and the stories in it all came back to mind as soon as you showed them on camera. Great video again, thanks Michael.

[@JD-fd6gt]

I bought an 03 cbr600rr with 3000 miles on the clock second hand back in 2006. Shes still in my garage and I ride it to this day. Fantastic bike still going strong with 36,000 miles on it.

[@benrideout9583]

What a great idea this video series is, loving it 👍

[@checker3694]

Love hearing your journey through what is a wonderful career you have had, many more years hopefully.

[@mividz9254]

great vid Neevsey..Really enjoyed it and made me reminisce. Can't wait till the next one :)

[@yoj8549]

Enjoying this trip down memory lane! You’re right we really did have it good in the 2000s. For me the positives are where this superbike DNA went. The new katana is a direct descendant of the K7(?) for example. So telling people hey go out and get a katana, it’s a great road and track machine for everyone is a good news story and a video that a side by side comparison of a K7 versus a new katana on track and road, is a video I would watch.

[@AliasAbhayRao]

Really loving these trip-down-memory-lane videos!!!
Neevesy, is a top bloke! Humble & down to earth for a guy who has achieved so much & whom I look up to, purely from being a good human being PoV. Every time I’ve hit him up on IG on any questions & doubts, there’s always a reply from him. More power & glory to you mate!

[@nielszwering2414]

Love those story’s, thanks for making an other one!

[@averagebiker]

I only started riding in 2014, but I really enjoyed the look back! Be great to see more.

[@justinquinton8653]

Great video and the format. Keep them coming!

[@gnmurray5955]

Simply fascinating. Thank you.

[@gnmurray5955]

From a newly returned (30,000kms and 1.5 years) rider to bikes after a 40 year layoff. Living in the best place on earth for bikes, Tasmania. (My regular commute years ago was a 220km each way trip every fortnight from Queenstown to New Norfolk on a CBX1000) Pirelli Phantoms lasted 3,000 and 5,000 kms r+f. What a blast! Now riding a superb R1250GS Rallye.

[@user-ms2cn8zy6w]

Absolutely love your videos and reading MCM. Stay safe

[@JPWest020]

I really, really love these videos!!
Seriously, I love it.
Besides, I’m a big 600s fan.

[@jamesbanksco]

What an awesome trip down memory lane thanks neevsy!

[@colinclugston4757]

Great video , can’t wait till the next one

[@stewness3863]

Please keep these coming, it helps me because as one of the aging rider gang as I can't remember all that good stuff!

[@984francis]

Great stuff man. I was completely enthralled. Cheers.

[@bikehubjapan]

I'm loving these. I have wanted to get into bike journalism for years now but as I'm 42 (over the hill) I'll just have to be happy running my little UA-cam channel. I had a CBR600RR three years ago but couldn't get on with it due to the size, but it was a lovely bike 👍 Looking forward to the next episode....

[@PTVplayer]

Brilliant. Keep them coming 🤫🎥

[@branthurley2285]

Experienced, knowledgeable, passionate yet with a lovely relaxed delivery. Great content.

[@regislacomme5238]

Thank you so much, brings back memories!! I agree indeed, why don't we have many more young enthusiastic motorcycle riders coming up every year.... like in the 70's, 80's, 90's.... well I still feel young enough to ride any of them and they make me feel good and " still young"... I wonder if it is perhaps the prices and all the new regulations and so forth, or if it is simply a sign of the times,...???.... but looking at the top end of our sport, the young generation of pilots is really amazing at all levels, from the Moto GP level and M2,M3, right through to WSBK all levels and BSB and other like world wide, young new pilots are gifted, skilled and amazing.... why then don't we see many more young men riding motorcycles everyday or even week ends??... somehow a little sad.... Thank you again for this great vid!

[@shadowred1980]

Superb, for me that shape cbr600 was a gem.
Looking forward to your race bike stories.

[@rwd323]

Used to love the group tests like that, great stuff! Just did a 1000 mile trip on my K5 GSXR750, still an enjoyable bike to ride

[@stp7049]

Great watch, thank you! CBR600RR, B1H, K5 750, the best value hooligans in today's market for me. Daytona 675's are just going up and up....

[@glenncaukill1320]

Great video , like your style of delivery and your vast experience, I loved the cbr600’s I had three of the F model , the sound at high revs was amazing and of coarse the build quality , would love to see some of the earlier blade test too 👍

[@rickbates9232]

Enjoying the content ... I still have a GSXR600K1 as a track bike ... great fun to ride and it can take an absolute beating.

[@creedm3040]

Awesome video! Interesting going back and hearing your thoughts on the evolution of our sport. I started with dirt bikes then road. My last bike was a Kawasaki z1000. Then marriage , kids, career stepped in. Recently I got back into motorcycles and I purchased a KTM 1090 and then a BMW r1250GS. The difference is amazing. The technology and performance, incredible isn’t it? I am looking forward to the Rossi video. Best!

[@mickl8212]

I own a '03 R6 and to be honest, it's all the bike you could ever need. Sweet handling, smooth engine and throttle response. Excellent on the track too. It's just under 9k miles on it.

[@jonathanmackie4884]

These are great trips to "back in the day". R 1 rider back then, gave up for a decade and a half living in the land of straight roads and Harleys. Recently returned to the UK and riding bikes. Loving it and the bikes now, but kind of miss the way it was back then - no ABS, no traction control, everyone scratching around on (affordable) sports bikes. Old and creaky now though so tall rounder/ sports tourer style for me. Really enjoy your UA-cam content and journalism. Thanks.

[@MillerMotoring]

Great trip down memory lane here... crazy how times have changed!

[@speedwobble5383]

Passed my test in 2001, in my impressionable early twenties. I pretty much grew up with Neeves reviews aswell as Kenny and Dowds in Superbike magazine.
I remember that road test like it was yesterday and immediately had to have that cbr600rr, which we couldn't afford but somehow managed anyway, lol.
Always appreciated Michael talking about the comfort of each sportsbike as we are both around 6'1", 6'2" and smaller testers never seemed to emphasise it so much.
I still watch the older UA-cam reviews and tests every year, usually the middle of winter and end up buying another gsxr 750 like clockwork (I've had 6 or 7 now and looking for another, lol) because of Neeves enthusiasm for them.

[@kingGar27]

Yes to the race bike video 🏍💨 ...I also accidently liked and hit the bell 😂 I was already subscribed.

[@stuartcmorrison]

Nice one Neevesy, keep ‘em coming 👍

[@Oilyhands749]

Loving this 👌

[@RE650NZGraeme]

Love the VR 46 helmet on the shelf, love your style and the sense of down to earth humour, of course we Subscribe, Like and Save... haha! Graeme, oldish :) NZ

[@rishrevsR13]

Fantastic 💥, planning to purchase a K8 Gsxr 600 can’t wait🎉

[@doug3011]

this is brilliant.. I am just selling my GSXR 750 to buy a 600 to do some club racing next year...and im looking at GSXR as all the kit from 750, forks fairings and stuff goes straight on it. love this series..hands up who recons Neevesy should start a podcast. !!

[@paulwilkins4356]

Remember reading that and 3 months later owning a red and black 600rr of my own ... happy days

[@trevor20988]

Really enjoyed this and the earlier one about how you ended up at MCN, and I'm not just saying that because you know my brother :)

[@flexywing]

Oh and love these Blast from the past, shame you cant go back to the 1980's when 250 ruled, I had a Honda 250RS which according to Honda produced 20 BHP

[@MrMickjbriggs]

Great video. More please Michael.

[@Twinpot1962]

I remember you becoming part of the MCN powerhouse and all these years later, I still sit up and take notice of what you have to say.

[@SRJCUSSEN]

Class!!🛵👍

[@richardwoodhouse8397]

That was very informative 👍

[@user-ms2cn8zy6w]

When I live in Oundle I used to see you riding to work. On some great bikes. After reading your MCM paper and talking to Rupert Paul. I got into riding bikes so thank you for some great Content and looking forward to more stay safe

[@neevesybikes]

Ah, happy days. Thanks for the kind words, mate. Keep it lit!

[@aidenlothian9642]

That 03/04 ZX6R was stunning. Airbox rasp was something else.

[@matthewthornalley7620]

Keep the videos coming neevesy there a good watch

[@johnharvey5338]

I owned a CBR 600 in 2003, changed to the 636 Kawasaki in 2005, have owned it ever since, that an a BMW XR 1000, lots of different bikes in between. But kept the Ninja since. Just ride it less and less as I got older, only 577 last year. Did 2056 miles around Europe over 8 days last week.

[@gixerloon]

Another excellent in depth look back at the time when Sportsbikes were king on UK roads, very interesting you mention the new bread of parallel twins middleweights, I agree they are not a patch or have at least to my mind the desirability of the 600cc sports bikes of 20 years ago, must be getting old I guess.🙄

[@stevo7454]

Such a nice honest guy, neevsie is very humble and although can out ride probbs 99%of us still reviews them for the average guy 👍👍

[@fvckyourusername]

My first and only bike I've ever owned is a 2002 cbr600f4i. I cut my teeth on a friends 89 gs500 for a couple seasons then picked up my f4i for 4 grand canadian with 24,000km on the clock. Thing is mint and I've owned it for 4 years now. I've ridden a friend's 05 cbr600rr quite a bit and it's a amazing. I love my f4i and I don't think I could ever part with it

[@yoj8549]

Seeing an 09 blade, r1 shootout in 4K by MCN would be huge!

[@Markycarandbikestuff]

Great stuff Neevesy, more of these vids please, i smashed the like button. I have a really nice black/orange K4 600 GSXR, first bike when i passed my test in Feb 2020, it's been great but it's torture for more than about 1 hour riding (i'll be 52 in January, crikey), very much bike fever when i impulse bought it, i was just desperate for a bike, BUT i don't think i could part with it yet, also have a K5 Hayabusa which is a bit more comfortable. Despite being a novice rider i'm not really a fan of tech, prefer old school analogue.

[@RikkyTang]

Looking forward to more ripping yarns!😊

[@sivanm2130]

Bittersweet review. I remember those days, so much excitement with new models firing up riders on online forums. Cutting edge bikes were still within reach.

[@bccapone837]

great video bro 👍🏼

[@eamonblaney5368]

Great content Neevesy👌 tell us about the m1 for sure😎

[@TheAndipr]

I was lucky enough to ride all of them at the time. And I was writing my humble opinion on a forum. In fact I was invited to write on one of the first motorcycle magazine in Romania but I was about to emigrate so...I lost the opportunity of my dream job. But I remember that the cbr600 felt like the 954 less the power and torque, which is not very good for a 600. I think that the 636 was by far the best of the bunch. In fact I think it was as fast as the gsxr750 of its time. Excuse my English, It's my second language:)

[@stuwhite1969]

Great days!!

[@davidsampson3537]

Awesome video would love to see a video on the Rossi bike expericence

[@toshy]

Didn't press the like button, but I have to tell you I really did like the video. Waiting for the next story.

[@mineblock9024]

Best MC journo in the country

[@prep4evac]

Great stuff. Yes I am an upright rider , too much pain 🙈

[@yoj8549]

2006 CBR600RR & 2012 R1 in the garage. And when buying the R1 recently went to watch shootout videos and they all come up short against modern MCN UA-cam content. Honestly I would be at the edge of my seat waiting if I knew there was 2004 superbike shootout, followed by a 2005 and so on… throw in a super sport test as well… would get my views

[@scottstafford3074]

I’ve got a Honda cbr600rr 05 in black and silver. Had it 16 years and has 22500 miles, 20000 of them done by me. It’s still like new and although I’ve not ridden it for a couple of years as I’m 50 and it destroys my back…..it’s never going anywhere.

[@JDeezle21]

I’ve had two soon to be three K1,K3 GSX-R600’s

[@telemaster]

Definitely onboard for more nostalgia hour with uncle Neevesey :D

[@leeellis6738]

£5295 was for the GSXR600 K2, the GSXR1000 was £6495. Great savings on ex demo bikes, why dont we see these sort of offers nowadays? Great video by the way

[@JCosh]

Amazingly, all the bikes in that old 600cc test were current after I stopped biking and I’ve just bought my first bike since then. I must be old, almost as old as Neevesy. 😂

[@bowtie1132]

I'm a "younger" rider, 25 so maybe not that young, and 600's to me are ace! Makes you feel like a racer without going hyperspeed 😄

[@pkpropertysolutionsltd701]

I'm riding a cbr600rr 2008 now, hard to swap it in cos it's still such a lot of bike for the money