Anyone here ride a motorbike?

[Mclaren_Man]

I am looking at getting into riding in the next 6 months to a year, just curious to see if anyone here rides. If so what bike/s have you had and what do you love about it? Im looking at getting into sports bikes in the future and I wouldn't mind owning one of those sweet looking 2007 yammy R6's one day, not as a first bike though. For my first bike I will just get something cheap and reliable, Ill probably end up paying more for my riding gear as I want to get some good protection for when I go down!

oh and to people who hate bikes dont come in here and say cars are better or whatever, please dont. I know this is a car based forum, but I have found that a lot of people that like bikes also have an interest in cars aswell and this is probably the most relevant place on the forum to put this thread.

 

[Jay]

I don't ride, but a good friend of mine (here in SA) rode a crappy old slow Yamaha XT250 to work everyday, he decided to buy a new 06 Yamaha YZF-R6 instead of buying a more expensive fast car. He has now had it for less than a year and is tired of it, though he loves taking it on Mallala but he doesn't enjoy it on the street much and wishes he bought another fast car instead (also looking back he would have bought the R1 over the R6). Looking at his bike they are very nicely built.

 

[miata13B]

got a '06 GSXR 600, boy is she a ball. I love being able to take her around the winding backroads of Connecticut and just ride for hours. The only thing that sucks is the fact my back gets a little sore from riding a long time.

 

[3-Wheel Drive]

I've never ridden a road bike, so I can't help you there. However, if you are ever interested in dirt bikes, that I could help you with.

 

[Wolfe]

If you're into sport bikes there are several <600cc options to choose from, including the Kawasaki 250cc and 500cc Ninjas, the Honda VFR400 and CBR400, and the Suzuki GSXR400. I must admit I'm not sure what you'll be able to find in your area (figuring out the international availability of any less-than-world-famous motorcycle is difficult at best), but as long as you keep an eye out for the giveaway letter designations (like "GSXR") while looking through the classifieds, you may just find something you like.

I myself ride a '97 250R, as the CarDomain link in my signature indicates. To answer your question of "what do you love about it," I love that it can keep up with an MR2 Turbo yet return 70+mpg. I love that it looks like a late '80s sportbike yet is as comfortable to ride as any standard. I love that the engine has been proven to be practically bulletproof, and that when I do need a part, it'll be readily available and cheap. I love the noise that it makes when it revs up to its 14,000RPM redline, and its confidence-inspiring light weight. It's a great bike, and I actually don't forsee myself outgrowing it anytime soon.

 

[Dorifto]

get a supermoto

 

[Flerbizky]

If you're into sport bikes there are several <600cc options to choose from, including the Kawasaki 250cc and 500cc Ninjas, the Honda VFR400 and CBR400, and the Suzuki GSXR400. I must admit I'm not sure what you'll be able to find in your area (figuring out the international availability of any less-than-world-famous motorcycle is difficult at best), but as long as you keep an eye out for the giveaway letter designations (like "GSXR") while looking through the classifieds, you may just find something you like.

There is also the Kwack ZXR400s to be taken into consideration - The L models are absolute BLASTS !... Not quite on par with the RVF and VFR400s, but not quite as expensive either..

 

[Mclaren_Man]

Cool thanks for the post wolfe. A lot of people in general say that you should start out on a 250 but my girlfriends dad who has been riding for years reckons that it is sometimes better to start on a 500 or even a de-tuned 600 (they de-tune it so it passes learner standards). I originally wanted a CBR250 but insurance will be to much and if I drop it there will be more fairing damage etc. Also a naked would be cheaper to insure and easy to ride and then I can get rid of it later on to upgrade to a bigger bike if need be. something like an older GS500E or something might be ok, but in the long run I want to get into sports bikes so I dont know if I should just ride them from the start. Anyway I have plenty of time to think about it. . .


also dorifto your post was very informative and you backed up what you said with great descriptions and overall it was an excellent read

 

[Flerbizky]

Cool thanks for the post wolfe. A lot of people in general say that you should start out on a 250 but my girlfriends dad who has been riding for years reckons that it is sometimes better to start on a 500 or even a de-tuned 600 (they de-tune it so it passes learner standards). I originally wanted a CBR250 but insurance will be to much and if I drop it there will be more fairing damage etc. Also a naked would be cheaper to insure and easy to ride and then I can get rid of it later on to upgrade to a bigger bike if need be. something like an older GS500E or something might be ok, but in the long run I want to get into sports bikes so I dont know if I should just ride them from the start. Anyway I have plenty of time to think about it. . .

I would never recommend starting on a 250 - Firstly, a 250 really needs it's tits revved off to go anywhere - secondly, they hardly last.. I started out with a Suzuki GSX-F600., also known as a Katana - And I never regretted it !... It's such an easy bike to learn on, yet still old and sluggish enough to learn you about riding bikes.. Starting out on high powered 1000s as I've seen more times than I care to remember only leads to tears...

And even though the 600 Katana is a sucky bike, IMHO, the 600 Bandit is far worse... Mind you, it's still good fun, but far worse than the Katana...

 

[YSSMAN]

I've considered throwing street tires on an old dirt-bike of mine to save some money on fuel bills this summer, but Michigan generally isn't a bike-friendly place when it comes to traffic and whatnot... If it matters, they are both vintage Yamaha 'dirt-bikes' ('70 and '71), both have fewer than 400 miles on them, and I believe are both 75cc-powered.

Meh, I dunno. I've always liked the Vespas as well...

---

More on the topic of sport bikes, I've always been a BMW guy when it comes to choice, Buell when it comes to all-out power and performance, and otherwise the general Ducati/Moto Guzzi when it comes to prestige and pedigree...

 

[TsLeng]

Starting out on a 250 is a good idea IMO.

The reason is thatriding involves a lot of skill.

You don't have to worry about out growing your slow 250 too fast because there are more important issues.

You have to wear proper safety gear, and make it a habit.

You need to learn the proper ways of defensive riding. For this, the slower the bike, the better.
In the first few months riding, you'll learn from experience things like which is the safest way round the route you ride, how to overtake safely(this part need more power but 250 is good enuff), how to use the brakes in emergency conditions....etc

You will soon discover if biking really is for you.(you may not like it)

After all these, you're ready to upgrade:tup:

 

[UnoMOTO]

Mclaren_Man,

It all depends on your riding history before you take the dive into road riding. If you have experience on dirt growing up it could make a big difference. In my opinion dirt riding will make you more technical with how to handle the machine. Throttle control on a loose dirt surface will teach you not to just goose it to get you going. The same applies to braking on dirt as you just can't grab a fist full or you'll eat it for sure. If you have those skills then street riding will be much easier when it comes to selecting a street bike.

Here is how things have come along for me to date.

My first road bike was a 1998 Honda CBR F3.It was a used perchase. As you can imagine I was super excited with this to begin with. That feeling faded very fast as this bike had many mechinical problems right from the go. Between a short in the electrical system and a carberator that leaked fuel into the cylinders which in the end cause things to get locked up. Performance was good while it lasted. The riding position was comfortable as that goes for sportbikes anyway. Bottom line is that its ok for the money but it wouldn't be my first choice if I had to do it all over again.

Next up was a 2001 CBR F4i. MUCH better bike all around. The only complaint I had was the ROCK HARD seat and as this was the first year with fuel injection made it a bit of a bugger to ride. It had a very abrupt on and off throttle response. I might have still had this bike if it hadn't been for my neighbor backing over it in my parking lot.

Now on to my current bike. A Yamaha 2003 R1 limited edition. You could just say that while riding it home from the dealer I swore I heard singing from the heavens! This is for me the bike of all bikes. Smooth power all the way up to that 12k redline. I found that riding a 600cc machine could be a bit more work because to keep it in the power band the rpms need to be much higher. Thus feeling like you are mostly on the edge to get the most out of the bike. This R1 has alot more low end torgue and doesn't need to have its neck wrung to get usable power. One thing also I should point out is that I live and ride mostly in elevations between 6k and 10k above sea level. With the power loss (about 5% to 10%) the R1 makes a HUGH difference when riding two up. This bike has also sold me on all yamaha products. The fit and finish is heads above the two hondas I owned before this.

I also have experience with my wifes 2004 Yamaha R6. This is the bike I would recommend for riders looking for a sport bike. It feels light as a feather and inspires HUGH confidence in handling a powerfull machine. Its amazingly responsive in corners and stops on a dime. I have not a single thing to say bad about this bike.

You mentioned a 2007 R6. I hear this is a mans man bike. From what I read you really need to be an expert rider to handle all that bike has to offer. I agree with you in that it just might be the sexiest bike ever built to date.

Here in the states we have a training program put on by MSF. This is a 2 1/2 day course that will reward you with a motorcycle endorsement in the end. Both my wife and I went through the course and I would recommend professional training a must for ALL riders for the street. Staying safe on the street is more about your head then your skills. Knowing where to look for trouble will keep you out of it!

If you have any questions about a certain machine I would be glad to help out if I can. Here in the states its almost imposible to find a sportbike under 600cc. The GS500 is about the only bike you might see in a show room without having to place an order.

 

[Mclaren_Man]

Once again thanks for the great posts that have been put forward in this thread.

TsLeng: Although you recommend getting a 250 for starters, the 500's that I have been looking at have similar power figures to the sporty 250's, its just that you dont have to rev them as high to get the power figures, therefore in my opinion making them easier to ride around while still being reasonably light to throw around the corners.

unomoto: I remember seeing your avatar before, and was waiting for you to post in here! Great collection of bikes you have had over the years, something like that R6 is what I would like to end up with if I do end up enjoying riding.

Just a note that I havent ridden dirtbikes or anything before, I have been on the back of a bike before and I instantly fell in love, you feel like you're part of the machine unlike a car your kind of just going along for the ride.

 

[UnoMOTO]

Just a note that I havent ridden dirtbikes or anything before, I have been on the back of a bike before and I instantly fell in love, you feel like you're part of the machine unlike a car your kind of just going along for the ride.

There are a few things that people in cages would never know. In car you would never feel the air get cooler as you drop in to a valley. In my case their is a wonder bread factory close to where I live. In a car I never smell the fresh baked bread, But on the bike I LOVE that smell when I ride by. In a car you'd never know how good cool gas feels when you fill up on a hot day.

On the down side, a swarm full of nats isn't that fun. Frozen knuckles on a cold morning is below average. The wind blowing you into the next lane is a cheek tightener. All of that beeing said I wouldn't trade those sensations for the world.

 

[ND4SPD]

UnoMoto, I envy both you and your wife's rides. The Yamaha R1 and R6 have been one of my favourite sport bikes since I can rememeber. I've mostly been a fan of sport bikes and old school caf&#233; racers but lately I've been drawn towards the KTM Super Duke. 👍

 

[UnoMOTO]

UnoMoto, I envy both you and your wife's rides. The Yamaha R1 and R6 have been one of my favourite sport bikes since I can rememeber. I've mostly been a fan of sport bikes and old school caf&#233; racers but lately I've been drawn towards the KTM Super Duke. 👍

She is a keeper if I do say so myself. My wife riding is good and bad. I fear for her every time she leaves the house when I'm not riding with her. When we ride together I feel very proud. I do miss those days us riding together when I would slam the brakes just to have her boobs squish up against me...Ah those were the days!

Edit: I would love to try out a Super Duke

 

[retsmah]

Here in the states its almost imposible to find a sportbike under 600cc. The GS500 is about the only bike you might see in a show room without having to place an order.[/color]

This was true back in Portland up until about a year ago, then the local dealership started carrying more of the smaller bikes. Two years ago I couldn't find a single 250cc or 500cc Ninja in the city, now it's no problem to find one, you'll probably even get to pick the color.

 

[UnoMOTO]

The MSF courses that I took only had 250s to train on so I guess I have had some small experience with the itty bitties. They were good to learn on...honda nighthawks if I remember correctly.

 

[Small_Fryz]

I ride a motorbike.

I guess start with my history and see if i can get some pics..

i was about 6 when i started on a 1974/5 SL-100. My pops old bike, then became dads, then was the one i rode. Back then we owned a farm and i could just ride in the paddock. However i could only just touchthe footpegs so when i wanted to stop i had to beep the horn and dad would come out from inside the house and i would stop just near him and he would catch and hold the bike for me Until dad built a dirt mound thingo for me to stop next to, so i could put my foot down on it. Because of this i learnt how to ride with my arse and feel the bike. crashing was not an option so i really learnt from a young age how to ride good. I did drop it a few times but never had anything serious.

pic is from google, not mine.. Same model and colour though. Only MUCH BETTER nick

Then when i was about 12 - 13 i got a 1990 CR80

This is my Bro riding it quite a few years later..
Anyway i got this bike and again i still couldnt touch the ground yet but no matter i rode this quite decently and started to ride what you would call fast. this bike had a FMF fatty on it and boy did it go!.

Then when i was 14 i got a 2001 CR80. This was a very nice bike and thats when i really started to ride hard and fast

Thats me btw..
Started going out with others riding for a few hours in bush trails and tracks and stuff. Dad had a yz250 and a few others we went out with had YZF400's and stuff so i was always riding 100% to try to keep up.

Then when i was about 15 i got a 2003 YZ 125 (was a year old when i got it) and was an ex race bike (at the same time my bro got a 2003 yz85 from the same guy). Anyway that was when i seriously started to ride. Started to be able to keep up and even ride faster than everyone but dad and everytime we went riding we went riding. One day i rode with a guy whom did enduro's for my state and was able to hold my own against him (he was on a WR250) so that was nice.

About mid 2005 i started to experiement with wheelies, 1st learning them on my bmx (was able to do 100m or so) and then moving to my moto. Now i can go all the way up the gears.

Then at the start of this year dad gave me his bike ( i take over the payments) which is a 2006 CRF450 that he bought new about 1 year ago. This bike is insanely fast and can bring it up on the back wheel in 4th gear power on, no clutch without having to sit on the back of the seat or anything lol.

So basically ive been riding for about 12 years now, never raced professionally but have always been quite serious about improving and riding hard and fast. Alway had rivarily's going on between me and a few mates .

I would like to get my road license and maybe get a road bike but im unsure how i will be on a road bike. I like to think im decent on a dirtbike but not sure what skills that will carry over to a road bike. What would be a good starter bike for me? Keeping in mind the CRF does 0-60mph in about 4.5 seconds and i can comfortably ride that in just about every condition in the bush. (never spent much time on a moto x track so im pretty useless on them.)

 

[Mclaren_Man]

wow all of you riders are starting to gather here now, maybe I can change the name of this thread to 'official GTP bike club' or something

small_fryz you have quite an impressive background with bikes, and seem to have some skills to back it up aswell!

 

[UnoMOTO]

As we stroll down memory lane I would like to post a pic of the first two wheeled bike that I ever rode. It was the yellow and black version of this one below. I was a teenager and at the time seemed like a very big bike to handle. Scared or not I had to show my friends how easy it was to ride that machine. Just a few diggers here and there but in the end was a very good time.

 

[TsLeng]

Wow...a 2 stroker with drum brakes

Must be fun tho..

 

[Small_Fryz]

Well today i got my learners for under 250cc bike license. I will go and do a course to unlock full license, but it will still be restricted for under 250cc. Then in 1 years time i can upgrade to the full open license.

Not sure if i want to get a road bike and i certainly dont like the idea of owning a 250cc bike. especailly after riding my CRF450.

 

[UnoMOTO]

Well today i got my learners for under 250cc bike license. I will go and do a course to unlock full license, but it will still be restricted for under 250cc. Then in 1 years time i can upgrade to the full open license.

Not sure if i want to get a road bike and i certainly dont like the idea of owning a 250cc bike. especailly after riding my CRF450.

Nice job Small_Fryz👍 It sucks that you are limited expecily due to your riding experiance. Do you have to show that you were actually riding a 250 for that year? Or can you just wait that time out so you don't have to buy the small bike?

 

[Small_Fryz]

I just have to be able to pass the test after the year. Which will be a practical this time and not a writen.

 

[Mclaren_Man]

and you can do the test on one of their bikes cant you? I dont think you have to supply your own. The laws may be different where you live aswell because down here you can get a brand new kawasaki er6n learner approved, you just have to have a restrictor installed.

I also went and checked out some riding gear the other day at a few shops, and considering I was budgeting about $1000 for my initial riding it looks like I might be able to get some good quality stuff with that type of budget.

 

[Joey D]

I used to ride dirt bikes with a buddy of mine (I could never afford a bike) but he moved. He had 4 or 5 bikes that would sit in a barn on his property, he rode Honda's but he had a nice little YZF125 that I loved to ride, I never liked the bigger cc's.

Now I'm stuck with this thing, it's my buddy's but I'm the only one who really isn't afraid to drive it (god only knows why every is afraid to drive it). It's a Honda something or other.

Just ignore me trying to be sexy or something on it.

I plan on trying to be bike license though because I would eventually like to end up with something like this...

 

[UnoMOTO]

I just have to be able to pass the test after the year. Which will be a practical this time and not a writen.

Hummm...So in the end...whats the point. How many people just wait a year and then take the practical test with out learning a thing on a smaller cc bike. Who wants to buy two bikes in just over a year?

I also went and checked out some riding gear the other day at a few shops, and considering I was budgeting about $1000 for my initial riding it looks like I might be able to get some good quality stuff with that type of budget.

With the internet you could get some GREAT stuff for 1k.

 

[Wolfe]

I understand that you'd rather not buy a small bike just to turn around and buy something you really want later, Small_Fryz, but your comment has nonetheless inspired me to bring this up...

I may be biased, but I don't really see what the big deal is with a 250cc or any less-than-600cc bike. I can understand being too tall/fat to ride one comfortably, and I can understand wanting more power, but that doesn't mean you need more power, especially if you're new to riding.

It's not that I'm content only because my Ninja produces a rather-healthy-for-its-size 36hp at the crank, either. I loved the small, basic, 250cc-and-smaller bikes they had at the MSF course, and I'd like to try riding a friend of mine's 185 sometime. I wouldn't mind owning one of those things just to get around town, although my Ninja's ability to easily cruise on the freeway is nice.

I just find it confusing that a lead rocket like the Hayabusa enjoys such massive popularity, while 600cc SuperSports are considered "entry-level" or even "for girls." As if riding quickly in a straight line is the most impressive thing you can do on a bike.

I'm not implying that anyone here thinks the same way, but a good portion of the motorcycle enthusiast community irks me with this.

 

[Small_Fryz]

I may be biased, but I don't really see what the big deal is with a 250cc or any less-than-600cc bike. I can understand being too tall/fat to ride one comfortably, and I can understand wanting more power, but that doesn't mean you need more power, especially if you're new to riding.

It's not that I'm content only because my Ninja produces a rather-healthy-for-its-size 36hp at the crank, either. I loved the small, basic, 250cc-and-smaller bikes they had at the MSF course, and I'd like to try riding a friend of mine's 185 sometime. I wouldn't mind owning one of those things just to get around town, although my Ninja's ability to easily cruise on the freeway is nice.

I just find it confusing that a lead rocket like the Hayabusa enjoys such massive popularity, while 600cc SuperSports are considered "entry-level" or even "for girls." As if riding quickly in a straight line is the most impressive thing you can do on a bike.

I'm not implying that anyone here thinks the same way, but a good portion of the motorcycle enthusiast community irks me with this.

Not sure if your directing that at me or anything but i will just voice my opinion anyway

the CRF450 dyno's at about 55rwhp, weighs 110kg (240lbs) and i weigh 62kg (136lbs) top speed of about 65mph with 5 gears in their. I can power on in top gear and pop a wheelie. Given the bike is as aerodynamic as a house boat its true top speed wouldnt be known, but im sure if you geared it up it would run 100mph easy. Put the engine in a road bike frame and it would do 120+. Now i ride this on dirt/mud/wet clay/sand which has far less grip than road and i have no trouble thrashing it around. Im no ricky carmichael but i belive i have some sort of bike control. Controlling my bike feels just like having another arm or leg. Im apart of the bike and im one with the bike. Ive only been driving on the road for 1 year so maybe my traffic knowledge and estimation isnt as good as it could be, but again ive already avoided quite a few accidents due to being able to effectivly read and predict the traffic and take evasive action. Compared to riding a bike my car skills suck arse. Which makes sense as ive never driven a car to its limits or even close and ive only ever just tottled around at the speed limits for the 1.5years ive been driving. Now on a motorbike its the opposite. Every single time ive gone riding in the last 5 years ive riden to the limits of the bike and myself. Everytime those limits have further improved. Now in every day to day riding i would be so far from those limits it wouldnt be funny (short shifting...), yet having been there so often if anything was to go down i would feel extremely comfortable in being able to take the bike to the limits. Now the only curve ball is the fact that ive never riden a road bike. Its always been dirt. So the bikes will handle differently and the surface is different, but i belive i can adapt without to much trouble. Maybe im wrong? any past dirtbike riders got comments on this?

Either way i belive that im skilled enough to be able to ride a 600cc bike and that anything under that is just a step backwards from the CRF. Im not gonna be going ghostrider style but that being said if i get a bike like a GSX-R 600 i will be taking it to trackdays or private propery to be able to ride it somewhat near my limits (which would be far from the bike ) I want to feel comfortable with the bike and know where its limits are. I want to explore the limits of the bike and better myself as a rider. I ride bikes to go fast and have fun. I wont be using my bikes as a day to day thing to get from point A to point B, thats what the car is for. I want to ride as far away from traffic as possible.

Now im not about to go and get myself killed as soon as i get a bike by going down some backroad and seeing how fast i can go. Ive never been over 70mph in a car while driving (yet ive been about that on my bike feet from trees while dodging rocks and ruts ) so i belive im a sensible person. Either way im looking forward to one day being able to experience riding a road bike somewhat aggresivly and learning and improving my riding.

bottom line, i just dont see why i should have to get a 250cc bike, when a 600 is more fitting.