Anyone started on small bikes and continued riding small bikes ? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Anyone started on small bikes and continued riding small bikes ?

zheka130

zheka130

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Guys

Just curious, any of the more experienced riders, perhaps with 2+ years of experience still on small bikes 250-300 cc?

With my limited experience, I find small bikes are light and easy to maneuver and toss around, particularly at slower speeds. Perhaps it is because I have little experience in general.
 
I've always been partial to intermediate bikes 650s - starting on a 305 Hawk 52 years ago ...I do own a CBF1000 but it's an anomaly ....it is still a "small" bike in terms of weight ( under 500 lb ) and physical size .....its just has this little rocket assist on call :D
More fun than the Vstrom ...a few downsides like range.

I really like the move to smaller practical machines like the CB500x and even the new series of 300s.

The downsides of the smaller bikes is when touring at speed....even the Vstrom 650 can run out of puff on the slab in the US.
The CBF ??? endless puff ;)
 
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I've had my ninja 300 for 3 years. Before that, cbr600rr for 2 yrs. Honda magna for 1 yr before that. Now I got gladius.

Small bikes indeed are easier to maneuver and toss around like you said.

Honestly, there's nothing wrong with my ninja 300. Just wanted to try something different (never had a vtwin). So I could see myself keeping it long time.

If I can't sell it, I might keep it but the insurance on 2 bikes....

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I've had an '82 250, an '84 1100, a '92 1000, and now an '09 650.

As you can see, I'm on my way back down, and I wouldn't rule out a 300-500 as my next bike.

Big bikes are good for tearing up the highway miles, but cars are much better suited to it.

For many other things, a smaller bike is more efficient.
 
@zheka130 there are a few guys here that stay on the smaller bikes.
One guy, @LoneRonin, put close to/ over 100k on his.

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I started on a Ninja600, moved to a gixer750 and then took a bit of a break from riding.
Found that commuting in the city on those bikes was not fun.

When I started back again, I decided on an older 250. I've had that bike for about 20 years now.
It's my daily driver. It suits the kind of riding that I find most fun.
I now have a handful of 250cc and 350cc bikes. I'll never part with them.

I even have a 50cc that's a blast to ride, but a bit hairy on city streets.

I went on a Kawasaki demo day and rode some of the bigger, newer SS bikes.
Buzzing around in 2nd and 3rd gear still wasn't fun. I need to wring the crap out of bikes to have any fun and on a newer 600cc/1000cc super sport, that puts me in HTA 172 territory.
 
I started on an old Yamaha Maxim 400. That latest a year and then moved to an old '83 Goldwing 1100. Was intimidating at first, obviously much larger. But in a weeks time I felt comfortable on it and took it everywhere, rain or shine with no issues. Had an old man bike at 17, but hey, it was mine and I loved it! I have no issue maneuvering large bikes, they are generally very well balanced.
 
I've been on 400's for the 9 years I've been riding. I could have got a bigger bike but I enjoy riding these. Kinda debating getting a larger one now as I'm feeling more and more crippled after riding these.
 
Two 125's, a 250, a 400 and a 500. All licensed and used in rotation regularly. Who needs a monster bike.
 
GreyGhost said:
BrianP most years puts more km's on his 125 than his 1000.
Click to expand...

'Tis true.

My 2011 cbr125 which was bought at the end of the 2011 season has 46,000 km on it. The big one has had about 22,000 km put on it in the same time frame.
 
Most of mine have been 600 and over, but bought my first 250 when I had two 750s in the garage. Had lots of fun on the 250 around town and only in the right lane on the DVP. Even the 450 I got years later was fun. It at least could do 400 series...mostly toward the right and for short runs.
 
you can see in my signature that I started on a 400 worked my way up to a 1200 and now back down to a 800. I found things I loved about each one of them, but really happy with the VFR now...stay tuned
 
Been riding bikes off and on since...1975. I currently have a 1340cc 650lb Harley Davidson for long comfy highway runs, but the bike I use exclusively to commute to work is an old customized CM250c beater. It uses very little fuel, is super-lightweight, is simple and easy to fix, parts are available all over eBay and I take this little thing anywhere - gravel roads, beaten paths, 400 highways, corn fields etc. - without worrying about scratching it or falling over. A bike is to ride and you'll never have more versatile fun than you will on a little 250. The most popular bike size in the world.
 
Haven't had any issues with 500cc parallel twins and really no issues on the single 650. Maybe highways on the klr, at traffic speeds I'm pretty much maxing it out. But im also fat which doesnt help. Supersports are too high on insurance. id consider a v-twin or triple for easier highway travel, but anything supersport is just too fast. I would never use its full potential unless on a track, so itd be a waste to have. Although 400 is probably the lowest I'd go of I went smaller.
 
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it's all relative, started 35 years ago on a 350cc 2 stroke

now ride a 900cc bike, which is small compared to the cruiser crowd

if I could find a good condition used 2 cyl 2 stroke with a reasonable price tag I'd be all over it and ride often
 
I could definitely see one of the high-revving 4 cylinder 250's in my future. Not fast, but they just sound so good. It would have to be a second or third bike though as keeping one of them happy has the potential for significant downtime and expense.
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