I started on a 650R. Dropped down to my 125 and am quite happy with it when the engine isn't blown up. If it stopped blowing up I'd be happy.
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Anyone started on small bikes and continued riding small bikes ?
- Thread starter zheka130
- Start date
I've seen Goldwing riders that can maneuver and toss around their bikes, even at slow speeds, better than other riders on their 250cc dirtbikes.
If you gain more experience and skill, you can decide for yourself whether to go 1800cc or 125cc, as opposed to having that choice made for you because you don't feel comfortable with the bigger size and weight. BrianP being the best example of this.
If you gain more experience and skill, you can decide for yourself whether to go 1800cc or 125cc, as opposed to having that choice made for you because you don't feel comfortable with the bigger size and weight. BrianP being the best example of this.
JP0160
Well-known member
Just my $0.02, I've been riding for 1 year and 3 months. I've put 28,324km on my little CBR300R, and no plans to sell it anytime soon. It does everything I need it to, it goes more than fast enough to get me in trouble, it wheelies, it carves, its stupid light and easy to maneuver, it gets 70+MPG, and I think it looks the tits.
I just need to get it resprung for my weight, I am a liiiiiiittle big for a small bike. 6'0 and 220lb
I just need to get it resprung for my weight, I am a liiiiiiittle big for a small bike. 6'0 and 220lb
zheka130
Well-known member
Holy ****! You must be riding it every day long distances.
My thought, there is no real need for massive engine sizes on bikes.
500 CC is plenty for anyone, where does the need for 1.5L engines come from?
I had a Toyota Echo, it had a 1.5 L engine, and it was drivable
That is a ridiculous engine size on a bike
JP0160
Well-known member
Yep, it was 100-200km daily for work, then a ride after work everyday. I bought the bike to bring me out of a really nasty time in my life, so I tried to ride it as much as possible. Every KM I put on made me feel a little bit better. Back to 110% now!
Don't knock it until you try it. Personally I think 1.5 is a bit big, for a toy I would rather have a reasonably high strung 1L. It is an entirely different riding experience than a smaller bike, not saying better or worse, just much different.
Who wants a toy that's just drivable? You want something that puts a s#!t eating grin on your face every time you look at it or start it up.
If it was insurable and could be done for a reasonable price (which I doubt it could), a 4 cylinder 250 turbo (~70+ hp) would probably check all the boxes for me for a street bike.
+1
You may choose to ride a small displacement bike. But if you're on a group ride and everyone is trading rides to try out each other's bikes, it's always nice to have the option to hop on something else without feeling intimidated.
Who knows... you might ending up liking the extra cubes beneath your butt...
Haha, hopping onto a litre bike after some time off is always intimidating no matter how many km you have ridden them in the past. Everything just happens at an entirely different rate than on the small bikes. Then you have the opposite problem when you get back on the small bike and need to slow your brain down again so you don't get ahead of the bike.
I test rode the VStrom 650 and wanted to like it, but for me it was in the awkward middle, too big and heavy compared to the small bikes and amazingly down on power compared to the big ones. I know for many people it is close to the perfect bike.
I wouldn't mind some seat time on a harley to see what the fuss is about, I borrowed some jap cruisers (Vstar 650 and royal star) and was so happy to get off them. My biggest problem is I like my feet under me (too many years on bicycles?) and HD will obviously not be great for that but at least the motor may have some soul. I just found the jap bikes slow and awkward with mediocre handling.
Robbo
Well-known member
I started on a 250 Ninja and then gravitated to collecting older bikes as a hobby. The smallest I've owned is a Honda CB200 and the largest a CB550 Four. I mostly ride a CB350 Four and a Yamaha RD250 2-stroke. It doesn't matter what you ride...it's that you ride...and have fun doing it 
.
Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
.Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
+1. There are few things in life as continually grin-inducing as the sheer effortlessness with which a litre-bike does everything.
I put a bit over 200 km on my 125 today. It does not have intoxicating power (far from it) but there's something rewarding about accelerating wide open through every gear on the way to top speed in everyday riding, and yet not actually going fast enough to attract the wrong kind of attention. And changing directions is simply silliness. No effort, just think about it, and it does it.
And the fuel gauge still shows half ... (11 litre tank!)
On the other end of the scale ... the chap at the forks who needed help to get his H-D behemoth upright from resting on the side stand, just maaaaybe ought to think about getting something lighter.
And the fuel gauge still shows half ... (11 litre tank!)
On the other end of the scale ... the chap at the forks who needed help to get his H-D behemoth upright from resting on the side stand, just maaaaybe ought to think about getting something lighter.
Roli001
Member
I started as a teenager on a 50cc many years ago but did my full motorcycle entrance on a vstar 1100. My buddy suggested that I enter on a small bike but from my perspective I don't regret going with the 1100.
Don't get me wrong, learning to do a uturn on a street on such a heavy bike, especially in the first days was scary, with almost dropping the bike several times. I'm happy with me decision.
Now...my son has been riding a xt 250 for 3 years now. He likes it because he can go off road and it is street legal, however he would like to get something more powerful, namely a Honda CB 500X but the insurance would kill him, because of his age so he is sticking with the xt 250 for now.
Don't get me wrong, learning to do a uturn on a street on such a heavy bike, especially in the first days was scary, with almost dropping the bike several times. I'm happy with me decision.
Now...my son has been riding a xt 250 for 3 years now. He likes it because he can go off road and it is street legal, however he would like to get something more powerful, namely a Honda CB 500X but the insurance would kill him, because of his age so he is sticking with the xt 250 for now.
J_F
Guest
when you're on a long trip and have to make your daily quota in less than ideal conditions,
there is no substitute for HP, torque and weight to make a tough day less stressful
It's like having sex with a fat chick...fun n all till your friends find out about it.
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