Return to teenage years...

[gorillaonabik...]

Keep your GSXR1000s, blades (had two), Ninjas (had two) or ZZR1400s...

I'm riding a CBR250R.

It's a courtesy bike from my main dealer which makes me feel like I'm 16 again and the grin on my face is huge. I haven't giggled so much since I smoked a funny cigarette at the age of 17. The awesome engine sounds of neeeeek, neeeeek, neeeeek, the ridiculous handling and the skinny little frame all make me laugh like an idiot.

It has a little less torque than my CB1300 and a touch less power than my hairdryer but this thing is awesome. It's so funny to ride. I'm almost tempted to keep it.

Have you ever downgraded?
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FZR400 (blown engine), ZXR750 (blown engine), ZX6R (accident), CBR600 which had engine issues after which I learned to change gear..., CBR900, CBR924 (stolen), CB600, CB1300 (everything blew up), BMW K1300GT (written off, hit from rear while stationary), Bandit 1250 for a couple of months, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 (nicked) and somewhere in there, I wrote off a Ducati 748 at Cadwell.

[Clanger]

I passed my test on a GS500 and promptly bought a Honda Bros 400, does this count??
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[johnnyarctic]

i think you'd get bored of it quite fast. novelty of new toys maybe?
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Current Ride: VFR750

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Why downgrade? Have two bikes. If you could afford to run a 1ltr sportsbike....etc.
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The Harry Turner Project

[chickenstrip]

I'd love to have another nutty little stroker. Glad you're enjoying it. One day, one day....

[Pigeon]

Might be worth trying the KTM 390. 140kg dry iirc. CBR250 is 160 kerb, so the KTM kerb weight is probably still lighter than the CBR.

Am definitely going to try an grab a test ride on one this year just to see what they are like.

[chickenstrip]

[Musketeer]

I probably wouldn't mind a downgrade to a KTM RC390 as a road fun bike. But I would still need 600cc for track days.
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Current Bike: Yamaha XSR900 Previous bikes: Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja, Aprilia RS125 2-stroke

[gorillaonabik...]

[Learnatic]

I couldn't agree with you more!
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RD125LC Mk 2.5 1986 Full Power YPVS

TZR125 1992 Full Power YPVS

[bladerunner]

I've had fireblades of one type or another for the last 16 years...gsxr's...fzrs,vfr's etc all at the same time.....I still have an rd125 lc with the 170 big bore in the stable along with a couple of kdx200's and several RGV250's i used to race.....its tools for the job but i have fun on all of them! it just depends on what mood I'm in!!
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[TomReilly]

Still in le teenage years

So I know what you mean with the grin.
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Motorcycle riding can be really cozy. If you want to be a little closer to your passenger, brake a little quicker for the next stop.

[RhynoCZ]

I'm gonna get something smaller myself.

I miss that feeling of going flat out and pushing it to the limit. The ZXR gets a bit scary when you ride it like it was a 400cc.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[MarJay]

I've been saying this for years. You don't need more than a 600 for the road, and actually you can have a massive amount of fun on something like a TZR250 or KR1S. That's why I have a KR1S!

Small bikes rule. Big bikes (especially modern ones like the S1000RR and Panigale) are just silly for people who want to win top trumps/impress their mates/have the biggest engine/compensate for their tiny manhood/want to be lazy/delete as appropriate.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[deadwolf]

In the UK I had a Bros 650 and then a CB500.

Now I ride a Kawasaki dirt bike with a 150cc engine that makes all of 11hp.

Sketchy knobby tire grip, 'high' speed instability and a bigger front wheel means cornering even at 30mph feels like a trip to hell and back.

Small bikes can be just as fun, they generate smiles through their unsubstantial construction rather than power as with big bikes. And then there is the usual cliche about getting your kicks at legal speeds and WOT'ing below the limit and all that. It's an ironic and possibly masochistic situation which however also means that riding a small bike isn't the end of the world.

That being said, I'm still on the lookout for something like a Ninja 250 for longer rides..
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Motorsapien Art

[Moxey]

A key reason why I have my RXS and a VFR but in all honesty if push came to shove I would keep my VFR over the RXS, the 2T is fun but its a more of a novelty I doubt I could stand it long if it were my sole mode of transport.
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Current: 02 FZS 1000 & 91 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Some Bike Pics...
'I was too busy paying attention to pay attention'

[Polarbear]

I would love a stroker for the lols but a) I have no room in the garage & b) The missus would have a hissy fit.

I would sell the Fazer to make room but considering I'd only get a few hundred at best and it's been the most reliable old bike I have ever owned it wouldn't be worth it.

And the wife has just looked over my shoulder and told be that despite my name being on the log book and insurance she paid for the Fazer and the only new bike we are going to get is a new ER6-F to replace her N.

That told me then
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Victory Cross Country American tractor.

[pinkyfloyd]

I've managed to relive my teenage years and I have also downgraded.

I remember as a young 16 year old I had a poster on my wall. It was something like this, same colour scheme etc:

https://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/gratzfb/DSC02382.jpg

Some years later. OK a lot of years later (4 years ago now) I finally got around to doing my DAS and my first big bike was this:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/be1ly/new/CIMG0210.jpg

As for downsizing. Only last year I went down from a VTR1000F Firestorm onto an XJ6N.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[temeluchus]

I bought a monkey bike. Still have the XJR1300 as well mind.
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Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[Polarbear]

Same colour scheme on your XJ as well isn't it Pinky.
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Victory Cross Country American tractor.

[Vincent]

The only let down with pocket rockets, for me anyway, is when you get out of town and get on the motorway - it's not as bad as riding a 125 but can be a bit tiresome if you have a couple of hundred miles to cover - although there's always the A and B roads.
I reckon that the way to go is have a smaller bike as your main ride and something big and lumbering for those longer trips. You definitely lose a lot of the fun with a big bike, I'm sure a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised by swapping their ZZR1100 for a pocket rocket of some description. I can't wait to get my 400 finished - revvy 400/4's are nearly as much fun as two strokes
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Space Is Deep

[Jefr0]

I couldn't just live with one bike. It's good having different bikes for conditions and choice, or if one has to go off the road, then you're not bikeless

I've got a mixture which can sometimes be odd switching between:

Honda XR 125 - Single
Honda CBR 600 - IL4
Ducati 916 - Twin

I use both the Hondas for work, currently using the XR till I replace the fork seals on the CBR. What a difference it is!

Seeing a thread in show and tell makes me think towards getting a MC22 CBR 250 RR or something like that, using the rev range through all the gears.

I had a XR at 17 which got sold on after a year, then bought one a couple of years ago when I was 24, was a strange feeling going back to it but fun at the same time!
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Rides: Honda XR 125 ('03) Honda CBR 600F ('91), Ducati 916 Biposto ('95)

[DrSnoosnoo]

I thought it was hilarious going from the ZZR600 to the CG. revving the nuts off it was funny.

Then going back to the ZZR -- wooooooooo rocket shippppp
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[pepperami]

I cut my teeth on all sorts of smaller capacity bikes and had a great time.

I now have a ZX6r sitting in the garage along with a couple of 250`s.
Funny thing is , it`s the 250`s that come out most of the time?
I even enjoy riding the sad old 250 Superdream?????

Dont get me wrong , I love the old Ninja and it`s as quick as I`ll ever need .
However the 250`s just have an attraction that I cant resist?
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[bezzabsa]

I would love another 250 wet dream...they're so comfy, and you never feel like speeding, so you end up finding b roads and just enjoying the ride..instead of panicking about getting somewhere..

if i couldn't get a wet dream, a Jawa 350 would do just as well...even more so if it came with sidecar