Im looking at buying a 06 gk sonic 11m metre..what is the build quaility like and why are they not more popular?
as have been looking at liquid force assault 2 as well?
any suggestions?
does the o6 sonic have a one pump system??
i think they are weak in the stiching cos i saw a guy at elliott heads and it didnt hit the water very hard and split down the middle
A friend had a 06 GK spent more time getting repair in the shop than on the water. Leading edge kept blowing out in differant places. Some times while just fling along. The psi was not to high.
The 06 Sonic 11m is possibly the best kitesurf kite ever made. It's fast, turns well, heaps of lift, very easy to relaunch. Incredibly simple bridle. Good bottom end. Fantastic top end.
On the downside:
- it can be stalled fairly easily in clumsy hands. All kites can be stalled but the 06 Sonic is a little easier. Minor problem.
- the gap between the the end bridle connection point and the first bridle line is too big. It lets the kite square off and creates a wrinkle in the leading edge that eventually splits. Major problem. I repaired mine 3 times before I gave up.
- some people had the leading edge seam let go. Mine was fine. Minor problem.
- the bar and some of the systems were a bit primitive. They worked fine but they took some getting used to. Minor problem.
You don't see more Sonics because they are not sold by the major dealers. I bought a couple of Switchblade II. You try them out. Walk into a shop. Pay your money. Go kiting. The SB2 is not as dynamic as the Sonic but it is so incredibly easy to use and very robust.
i have had the sonic11 for 2 seasons ..85kgs intermediate kiter ..you really need to ride it, i have a caution14 and a 10 venom which i like to ride as well, all kites are good kites in the conditions they are designed for..
the sonic is fun in waves from 16-24knots and is a front line type of kite ..dosn't like to be choked on the bar or edging hard, light bar so you don't get tired and you don't get ripped about..
haven't had any problems with the kite ..it's 1 of 3 i ride though ..leading edge stitching was bulging so had it re-sewn for $10 ..you need to pump it tight to handle well..
if you buy it it's a good addition to enjoy and do different things..wouldn't think of it as a replacement unless your current kites are really old
craig
quote:
Originally posted by Scottyyoung
will it replace my 12m and my 14m c lf spec two as om 84kg on a 135board?
The sonic is a great kite. I've owned an 11m since late 2005 (when the 06 kites were first released) and have since added the 8m and the 14m.
My favourite is the 11m. It steers like a small kite but gives more float on jumps so the landings are softer. The 8m is great fun but I haven't got the right technique down to avoid hard landings. I love having it in the car though so that if it gets really windy I can keep on riding.
The 14m is great for lighter stuff though it only really gives a couple of knots more low end than the 11m anyway. If I had to go without one I'd drop the 14m. I weigh about 73kg.
Only my 14m has shown some stitching issues on the LE. I caught it before there was any damage done and a sailmaker re-stitched the suspect bits for $10. Otherwise I think the construction is excellent. Reinforcement in all the right places (once the LE/bridle wear patches were mounted) and a great design. Durability has not been an issue at all, even though I've owned the 11m for ages and given it a fair beating.
Like others have said, oversheeting really kills the kite so you need to adjust your technique to avoid this. Once you learn how it feels perfectly natural.
They were also pretty cheap when new so second handies can be bought for peanuts. My 8m & 14m were second hand and together cost less than a new 11m.
They didn't sell many because they don't have a big retail prescence, not becuase they aren't a good product. Th 07 kite looks good. I saw Doc Surf riding one down at Jervis Bay (a sonic hot-spot) the other day. It isn't a horizon job over the 06 but looks pretty nice and seems to address a couple of the 06 issues.
i bought a late 06 sonic 11m for $700 delivered it was only 5months old as she updated to 07 sonics..
Stoked.. i was so keen to fly it i went to the sand bank and flew it on the sand in 5knots of wind just to see what it was like...then later bout two hours the wind picked up and was round 12-13knots mark and on 135 board i was holdin my ground virtually..just gotta make sure its trimed right..So easy to relaunch u can even launch backwards by pulling both back lines a few times it raise in the air and grab the bar and u r off..
i think its the later 06 model.. as the early ones i was told didnt have the sliding stopper ball on centre line and the scuff pads where the bridle comes down over the le..
now just need a one pump setup and she be sweet
I have had 4 06 Sonic's
8,11 + 2 14's sold the 14's and got a 07 sonic 14.
That was a good move as it was the only one I didnt like flying and the new one turns better and I like it heaps better.
the 06 11 & 8 I am happy to keep.
I Like the bar, somepeople dont like them, bit different, unconventional,
Had 1 leading edge split, stitching broke, that was a pain.
the new 07 models have much stronger sonstruction
I think you should get it.
Then you cant go too wrong with any 06 kite onwards as they all seem to be getting it together.
I learnt to kite on a 10m cabrinha CO2 C kite, it was a deathtrap compared to the 06 sonic 11m i just bought last weekend.
the C kite turned a bit faster when sheeted on hard, but aside from that there it did not outperform the sonic anywhere. the CO2 would repeatedly drag me off the edge and haul me downwind when a gust hit, and i would frequently have to ditch if there was no room downwind to slow the kite down. very unsafe for a learner.
went and looked at the sonic after reading a heap of reviews, got out on the water in 12-14 knots and after figuring out how to fly the thing and turn it properly (about 30 mins work on the water) i was absolutely lit for the whole afternoon and didn't come in for 4 hours.
before i went out on the sonic, i could just hold my ground on the C kite, and had not completed a slide turn properly. after 2 hours on the sonic, i was screaming upwind without a care in the world, one-handed. i was switching to toeside and doing carve turns (gybes?) without getting my butt wet. i was beginning to moderate my speed on waves and carve along the face. i was properly relaxed, and not worried about heavy gusts. when you feel a little overpowered, just sheet the bar off about 5-10cm, it's that easy.
in short, my learning curve went exponential as soon as i flew the thing. it flies differently to the C kite, but as soon as you figure out where to put it in the sky, how hard to sheet it on and off as the power comes in and out, you will be absolutely astounded at how good it is.
all of the experienced kiters i have talked to, who have used the sonics, rate them as just about one of the best performing kites ever made, and after using my new one - i can see why.
there were some build quality teething issues, which were addressed with various revisions of the 2006 model. the 07 is reported to be essentially exactly the same as the 2006, but reinforced and strengthened everywhere, with a slightly different bridle setup and bar. if you get a 2006, have the LE reinforced by a sailmaker, and watch the wear points on the bladder cover where the lines attach. some simple tape/mylar/plastic will fix the wear points problem quickly.
oh and the lack of one-way valves in the inflation points is AWESOME. takes like half the time and effort of my CO2 to pump up, and no fiddling with valves to get it to deflate for packing up.
the sonic that i bpought has help my kiteboarding so much its like have a lesson when u first start out.. its just helps huge.. im boosting higgh turning hard and riding better than ever. and carving upwind after a few little tricks...Looking at buying a 8mtr now..
they need one pump like the 07 s though..
but would still stay with the 06 bar but with the turbo diesel c loop mod for depower ease...
