New Riders...Start with a smaller bike! | Page 14 | GTAMotorcycle.com

New Riders...Start with a smaller bike!

That being said I did something similar on my CBR125 a few years back when I had the bad habit of sitting in neutral at a light. Light went green, twisted the throttle and revved it up relatively high, and quickly kicked it into first without letting the revs come down. Front tire lifted a touch. don't sit in neutral .

But the transmission sounds like my moms cuisinart blender making marguaitas . No really this bike was only ridden by my sister to commute to bible study....... they all sound like that.
 
But the transmission sounds like my moms cuisinart blender making marguaitas . No really this bike was only ridden by my sister to commute to bible study....... they all sound like that.

Haha, yes, yes it does.
 
Got the Suzuki GW250 on sale for $36XX right now (liquid cooled, sporty/naked styling). They won't budge on the price of the Tu250x (booo). I guess we know what's selling.
 
Got the Suzuki GW250 on sale for $36XX right now (liquid cooled, sporty/naked styling). They won't budge on the price of the Tu250x (booo). I guess we know what's selling.

Goddamn thats a steal for a new bike
 
Small bikes might be for beginners... They're also for those who can't afford insurance on something larger.
Personally... I started on a 1250 and now ride a 1300 because I don't think a smaller bike would work for me.
I prefer a heavier machine with power... There's no way I would do day(s) long rides on a "small" bike.
A lot depends on your riding plans... Zipping around in the city... Sure a small bike will do.
Touring the countryside for hours... ?
I'll stick to my 650lb "sport tourer"
 
Small bikes might be for beginners... They're also for those who can't afford insurance on something larger.
Personally... I started on a 1250 and now ride a 1300 because I don't think a smaller bike would work for me.
I prefer a heavier machine with power... There's no way I would do day(s) long rides on a "small" bike.
A lot depends on your riding plans... Zipping around in the city... Sure a small bike will do.
Touring the countryside for hours... ?
I'll stick to my 650lb "sport tourer"

hey i can do small tours (maybe around 5 hours of riding in a day) on my tu250x no problem! i honestly do not care for having a bigger or more powerful bike. i'm still having a blast. well unless they made a tu400...or tu500...

god damnit when is the sr400 coming to canada?
 
Small bikes might be for beginners... They're also for those who can't afford insurance on something larger.
Personally... I started on a 1250 and now ride a 1300 because I don't think a smaller bike would work for me.
I prefer a heavier machine with power... There's no way I would do day(s) long rides on a "small" bike.
A lot depends on your riding plans... Zipping around in the city... Sure a small bike will do.
Touring the countryside for hours... ?
I'll stick to my 650lb "sport tourer"

That's the main problem with a smaller bike. You have to actually learn to ride, to get it to do things.
With a more powerful bike you can skip lessons that would be good to learn.
A smaller bike zipping around the countryside for hours, is more fun, but you need to learn those lessons.
 
Small bikes might be for beginners... They're also for those who can't afford insurance on something larger.
Personally... I started on a 1250 and now ride a 1300 because I don't think a smaller bike would work for me.
I prefer a heavier machine with power... There's no way I would do day(s) long rides on a "small" bike.
A lot depends on your riding plans... Zipping around in the city... Sure a small bike will do.
Touring the countryside for hours... ?
I'll stick to my 650lb "sport tourer"

yep, on long days, especially in bad weather
there is no substitute for weight and HP
some people here don't get that
 
This thread is eye opening.

Many riders who seem to be in the same class as the person who uses a drill for the first time and bores a hole through their calf while trying to install an anchor in drywall.

There's a certain level of common sense and awareness that just can't be taught at courses or from kilometers covered. People alive through sheer luck it would seem, it's scary.






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yep, on long days, especially in bad weather
there is no substitute for weight and HP
some people here don't get that
I've got to agree. Love my versys 650 for local stuff, day trips etc. Lots of long tours, or cross country stuff? Fjr, connie or similar please.
Don't get me wrong, the versys will happily cruise for days on end, it's the rider who would prefer the comfort and space of a big st.

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yep, on long days, especially in bad weather
there is no substitute for weight and HP
some people here don't get that

So this is your ride?

johndeere_10170827.jpg

Extremely heavy, and high horsepower.

Or just get a Cadillac and be done with it.


What there's no substitute for is necessity.
It will force you to learn to ride.
Look at all those people who have to ride small cc engines.
 
So this is your ride?

johndeere_10170827.jpg

Extremely heavy, and high horsepower.

Or just get a Cadillac and be done with it.


What there's no substitute for is necessity.
It will force you to learn to ride.
Look at all those people who have to ride small cc engines.

nahh, I'm a Case guy
 
My two cents for what its worth.....first two seasons on a new Ninja 300...39hp...but enough speed to get you into trouble...slid on a sandy curve with 1,500 kms on the odo...end of second second season bought a used V Star 600. Way different bike, loud, slow off the line but nice cruiser...two bikes for season 3...beginning of 4th season, sold both bikes for a 4 year old BMW F800R....79hp. Not the fastest bike but I feel that if I'd gone straight to the BMW I'd have been in a whole lot of trouble...first gear can take you to 60-70km, rarely need 6th gear. So I'm a fan of smaller bikes first. For most riders the newer 300cc bikes have enough power, we all get caught up needing bigger, bigger, bigger. Many who go up to and over 1,000 cc's end up getting smaller bikes as they get older. I found the VStar heavy and a handful at slow speeds in say a parking lot, even though its not a big Harley. The Ninja was a joy to ride. The BMW has nice electronics and storage and enough for now....
 
Small bikes aren't an option period for some...
I have a couple friends who couldn't physically ride a 300cc anything...
If you're 6'5" 300 lbs you can't ride a tiny bike.
One if my friends first bike had to be a vtx1300
'Hasn't killed himself yet...
 
Small bikes aren't an option period for some...
I have a couple friends who couldn't physically ride a 300cc anything...
If you're 6'5" 300 lbs you can't ride a tiny bike.
One if my friends first bike had to be a vtx1300
'Hasn't killed himself yet...

thats a cop out

I'm 6'2, 250, can ride a 300 all day(and have done so, comfortably)


Size matters not padawan
 
Small bikes might be for beginners... They're also for those who can't afford insurance on something larger.
Personally... I started on a 1250 and now ride a 1300 because I don't think a smaller bike would work for me.
I prefer a heavier machine with power... There's no way I would do day(s) long rides on a "small" bike.
A lot depends on your riding plans... Zipping around in the city... Sure a small bike will do.
Touring the countryside for hours... ?
I'll stick to my 650lb "sport tourer"


Small bikes aren't an option period for some...
I have a couple friends who couldn't physically ride a 300cc anything...
If you're 6'5" 300 lbs you can't ride a tiny bike.
One if my friends first bike had to be a vtx1300
'Hasn't killed himself yet...

There's a HUGE difference between a ~1000 cruiser with a V-twin and a 1000CC sportbike. Mixing the two in a discussion muddies the waters as most people here are talking sportbikes here - IE the incessant belief by some that a 300-500cc sportbike is too small.

Example: The VTX1300 is about 60HP. A 1300cc Hayabusa is nearly 200HP.

Starting on a big tank of a cruiser with 60HP isn't going to get anyone in trouble from a horsepower perspective, but it certainly can from a handling perspective - again, starting on a smaller bike (or at least *learning* on one to gain some very basic skills) is certainly beneficial. One only look as far as the nearest Tim Hortons parking lot on any given weekend to see the people who very clearly started out on a 800-1000 pound cruiser and have little to no ability to actually ride it proficiently, especially at low speeds.

As for physically larger sized bikes in the lower CC ranges, I agree that it's a copout to suggest that's an obstacle that can't be overcome - there are options, but of course for many it's easier to just jump to that litre bike instead to get the physical size because in the end, it's what they want anyways, and any excuse to reinforce that desire is the end goal.
 
Example: The VTX1300 is about 60HP.

As for physically larger sized bikes in the lower CC ranges, I agree that it's a copout to suggest that's an obstacle that can't be overcome - there are options, but of course for many it's easier to just jump to that litre bike instead to get the physical size because in the end, it's what they want anyways, and any excuse to reinforce that desire is the end goal.

I didn't realize the VTX hp was so low, that's embarassing. You have to work at it to make a motor that big make that few hp. It doesn't make it a bad bike, just sad that there is that much size and weight for that few hp.

It's ashame that the Hyo 250 was such a dog. It was physically similar to a 600 but with a smaller motor. It could have been a great starter bike for many if it didn't eat motors monthly. It was cheap, looked good and didn't look like a "starter bike".
 
Small bikes aren't an option period for some...
I have a couple friends who couldn't physically ride a 300cc anything...
If you're 6'5" 300 lbs you can't ride a tiny bike.
One if my friends first bike had to be a vtx1300
'Hasn't killed himself yet...

Even if you're obese, which at 300lbs your friend is, a Ninja 250 still has enough power to drag you around.
 
油井緋色;2526016 said:
Even if you're obese, which at 300lbs your friend is, a Ninja 250 still has enough power to drag you around.

lb/hp
Ninja 250 (375+300)/39=17
VTX 1300 (725+300)/60=17

Same same. The extra power drags the extra fat of the bike around. VTX would have more cockpit space for the rider, but weight and power are immaterial (to accelerating, the extra weight will still fight you at low speeds and smooth things out at higher speeds).
 
I didn't realize the VTX hp was so low, that's embarassing. You have to work at it to make a motor that big make that few hp. It doesn't make it a bad bike, just sad that there is that much size and weight for that few hp..

You're dismissing the other very important side of the equation - torque. V-Twins have massive amounts of it. I can roll through a town with a 40kph speed limit just poking along in 5th gear and then roll into it and be doing 100+ again in no time flat without even touching the shifter.

The tractor trailer I drive daily has only 400HP (and 6 cylinders) to pull >80,000# of weight (most tractor trailers are similarly equipped, even ones pulling 140,000#+ loads), but the *torque* is what gets the job done.
 

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