Why are shit bikes so much fun?

[craigs23]

I've been there myself. It changed my outlook on biking, but I can't logically or rationally sum up why I like crap bikes so much.

There seems to be a recent influx of shit bikes on BCF, or maybe I'm just noticing/reading up on other member's adventures and finding myself nodding to their stories.

But can anyone sum up why they are so blooming fantastic?

[J D]

Something to do with the cheapness of them, not caring so much about damaging the bike or blowing it up.

I had a gpz 305 for a couple of months, looked like crap but damn good fun. Did about 70 miles a day for those 2 months loved every minute.
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m0l0t0v wrote: Chris, just so you know, JD is a nutter

[Banned]

Cheap and cheerful they say, but i reckon its caus most riders can cane them to their limits where they are not capable of doing the same on a more faster expensive bike. The ragging a mini mentality again ...

[silky666]

[craigs23]

I know that feeling Silky. Most bizarre reaction I've had was when I turned up on my 'pirated' CG125 banger, went up to a chap with the lastest CBR600RR and said "I used to have one of those".

Should have ridden down to Bury on it...wouldn't mind a gander.

[Seb]

I think a big part of it is because you can just go out and enjoy the ride rather than having to concentrate on the bike itself.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[Kickstart]

Hi

Think part of it is that if something is cheap then you can afford to lose it. Makes it more relaxing.

Also a cheap hack tends to be slower, hence you land up using more of its available performance.

I have done quite a few miles over the last 18 months on a little 2 stroke 50 (OK, half size). Not fast and useless for any distance, but fun to ride.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Robby]

I find it's because cheap shit bike never feel serious to ride. I know that the CBR6 feels fast, and not something to fuck around too much on. Conversely, I used to have lots of fun on my old CB250RS by doing speedway style slides on my gravel drive.

I do like opening the throttle on the CBR though. That, and nicking parts off Bonny's one.

[colin1]

Obviously for craig it must be liberating to be freed from the need to keep something immaculate, rather than ride it.

For me, I think part of it is about being able to ride a bike nearer to its limits. Not necessarily taking it to those limits.

For someone who is still gaining confidance, and skills, it makes sense to have something that exceeds there skills, to supplement them.

For someone who has the skills, they want a challenge, without riding at a pace beyond which other road users could safely see them or expect to see them.

Part of the fun of riding, is developing skills. If it gets too easy, you need a handicap, ie a shit bike.

It may also be about being light and agile.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Blau Zedong]

For me I would have to agree with Robby, my "big 4T" demands more respect, and if it does get out of shape the sheer size and weight of it means it's probably not coming back. Whereas I can go batshit insane on the YR5 and while it's hard work (in terms of keeping the engine in the power at all times), the combination of light weight and small physical size plus the relativly low overall performance means that you'd have to be extremely stupid to get into a panic cornering or stopping situation, coupled with the lower probability of attracting police attention while enjoying yourself.
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18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[salty21]

me and mr.kris off here bought a couple of cg125's the other day, just as a bit of a laugh really as there so cheap. We both have big bikes and have been meeting up and going for rides for the last 6 months or so, so it's not like we had any reason to get slow 125's other than the fact it may be a laugh for an hour or so.

We never thought for a minute we could seriously have fun on them but we met up on saturday and decided on holding the 'cg challenge day'. As soon as we set off we both looked at eachother with huge grins and knew this was going to be epic beyond anything we could have imagined.
We were racing everywhere full throttle trying to win the title of fastest cg as part of the cg challenge, overtaking everything in our way at ridiculously slow speed's despite pinning the throttle , if the cars wanted to stop us passing they could have done extremely easily but most of them were just in hysterics by the sight of 2 fully grown men in full leathers and tinted visors layed flat on the tank like gp racers on cg125's.

Every set of traffic light's was a drag race and it was pretty much over by the time we reached the speed limit, despite goin through the whole gearbox , it was mega!

the weekend wouldnt be complete without cg crashes so i did my bit by binning kris's cg while attempting 6 foot radius KD on his road, later i crashed my own in mcdonalds car park by attempting the same stunt, luckily neither bike was damaged during these crashes, but the cg crash award went to kris for his attempt at 2 up cg wheelie. He popped it up with me on the back, got it pretty high(probably 1-2 o'clock position) then the bike just collapsed to the right and we both went over the bars and into a kirb, wasnt all bad though as i managed to land on his head which broke my fall a little, cheers kris . The damage from this crash was broken indicator and snapped clutch lever but we made it back ok with bodgery.

got a few pics of the weekend but they were done on a camera phone and didnt turn out very well, but i'll put em up anyway so you get an idea of the awsomeness.

kris's house before we set off.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/1_116.jpg

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/2_190.jpg

kris's rat on the front mudguard

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/3_116.jpg

after the wheelie crash we needed to repair the clutch lever on kris's bike so we lifted a brake lever off one of his mini moto's and made use of that. Now he has a budget pazzo.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/paz.jpg

decided to go to matlock, we would usually go the quick route but given the power of the bikes we decided against dual carriagways and took a proper back road approach, it was boarder line green lane stuff. The gearbox on kris's bike is pretty random and gives you whatever gear it wants so occasionally i had to stop and wait for him, this was one of these moments so i decided it was picture time.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/woods.jpg

got to matlock and recieved some very strange looks from the other bikers but it was an experience

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/matlock.jpg

from there we went to our usual roundabout surfin hotspot (aka J27) we spotted BENN (another bcf member) on the way and he had a go on the cg's and is now looking for a cg of his own

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/27.jpg

after that we headed back to kris's and did a few finishing poses.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/end_pose.jpg

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/end_stand.jpg

So i completely agree with you 100%, shit bikes are awesome fun and this weekend has been the best one of the year so far, maybe even the best of my biking life, like you, i cant explain why in specifics, it's just a cmbination of a lot of things that seems to make the mix just right
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04 NSR 125(sold) ---- 03 CBR 600rr(sold) ----90 pan euro ST1100 '' ----02 CG 125
94 CB400 Super Four ---- 2000 VTR SP1 (sold) ---- 08 ninja p8f(sold, meh) ----05 CBR600rr

[Polo]

Dude, when Homer smears vaseline on the camera lens to make himself look more sexy - you know that was just a joke, right?
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My mum smells your fingers

[Steve-D]

I recently bought a diversion for commuting through winter on.
The brakes might as well not be there.
The suspension is soft and spongey.
1st gear is far to short.
It struggles to pull past 80.
Its the worst looking bike in the world.

But I choose to ride it every morning over the R6, and I have no idea why.
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www.southwestbikers.com
Tristan The said 'Dunno what my pace will be like, fastish slow puncture on the rear and if I go too fast I risk my 'keys' falling out'

[salty21]

[Mystery]

i've not had the time to pass my test yet but i love my nsr125 (when it works) pushes about 90-95 but its such a fun bike for me to ride on eat's 2stroke though but other than that great bike
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Carbon knuckles assure you maximum protect against debris and unfortunate accidents or if someone cuts you off, their side mirror.Mopeds are like chubby chicks.. they are really fun to ride until you're friends catch you on one

[smegballs]

Im about to sell my GS400 and instead have an MZ 250 and a RXS100.....

I'm well excited and can't wait!

[mr.kris]

well that was an epic weekends rideing its been just mega! we have had so much fun! crashes wheelies knee downs top speeds since i got the CG the BANDIT 1200 and the ZX6R have not moved but i will get out on them soon! me and salty rule and thats all there is to it !
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TS50X---CM125---MZ150---Z250---RS125---ZXR250---BANDIT600---TRX850---TL1000S---CBF600---ZX6R---BANDIT1200S---CG125---VFR800---CBR1000F---CG125---CG125---CB900F---CB900F---CG125---TUONO1000R---KLR600---GSX1300R HAYABUSA---VFR400NC30---BANDIT1200---CG125

HAYABUSA now in use!

[craigs23]

Some awesome tales of fun and games...let the entertainment commence.

A couple of weeks ago I realised that I'd been riding 125s again for a whole year - didn't realise it had been that long.

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks this way about such bikes - I thought I'd gone mad - my friends certainly did when I persisted on turning up to rideouts on something that barely managed 65mph.

[The Original Muzza]

Been chugging along to uni on the crappy 125 past week since I got it mot'd for winter. Gives me a giant grin no matter what speed it goes. Found I can handle it a lot better than before I had the 600.
Got it to uni to day only to park up next to a nice shiny ducati. With my bike covered in rust, scratches and (literally!) cobwebs.
The exhaust has a gungum bandage and is painted with HT paint, which apparently decays when mixed with paint as it now looks like a rusty birdshit has engulfed my down pipe. Dust comes off when I have to rev it to keep it going at the lights.
All in all a wonderful time. Still might sell it for a more powerful shitter though.
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Current Bikes: Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (2020)
Former Bikes: Honda MSX125 (2014), BMW Funduro (1996), Honda VT500 (1983), Yamaha FZR250 (1989), Suzuki GZ125 Marauder(2005),:Triumph TT600 (2002) (stolen)
From then on, I and the bicycle feelings deeper.

[Kickstart]

[Dr. DaveJPS]

personally i think "shit/old/classic" bikes have appeal in the same way when riding as the feeling of success is more when you get quicker on your ride (for the bike). Secondly you have more of a feel of ownership as you don't have to be "keeping up with the jones's"

also i appreciate that you can get the first with modern machinery but due to the technological advances, these day's it is more than likely going to end with you up in front of the judge begging to keep your license.
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"intelligent inattention is preferable to unintelligent tinkering"
www.davejps.com

[craigs23]

I feel I'm missing out a little. My XR is great, but been off the road a little with recent other toys. And even when it's working...it's almost tool good. It's got disc brakes and an electric start afterall....

Hmmm.....I'm thinking even more shit.....perhaps I should start looking for a C90....

[.Chris.]

[bEN_]

Should of got pics of CG roundabout surfing, it felt funny so must've looked even better CG's rule .
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2010 Ducati 848 Dark

Lamp Post Enthusiast

[salty21]