When Can I Get a Powerful Bike?

[Fladdem]

I know, a usually frequently asked question, but my licence will allow me to do so, I just can't be trusted.

How do you know when you're mature enough to be trusted with a quick bike?

I'd really like a big muscle bike, like a CB1300 or GSX1400, but know full well that my lead fist and complete lack of common sense once I'm on a bike will shortly result in disaster. People always say I come across like quite a calm person so should be a calm rider, but it's almost like I have two personalities, and the one that rides bikes is a bit of a nutter and will often get told off by the personality that does everything else, for doing something daft without thinking until after you got away with it.

How do those of you with quick bikes manage to reel yourself in? I can't even do it with 250's, every ride, I will take them up to their top-speed at some point, every ride, I overtake something and can't believe I did it where I did until about an hour later when I'm at work and thinking about the commute.

I may be overthinking it and really when I'm on a quick bike, I just won't ride it the way I imagine I would, which is like my 250's but everything quicker.
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Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[recman]

[chickenstrip]

In some ways, the very fact of riding a bigger bike can deter you from going too nuts when you realise how quickly it can get you into trouble. You start to understand that a small mistake can have large consequences. I had a couple of nasty scares when I went from my learner bike to one of the most powerful things in the showrooms at the time, and this quickly sobered my thinking. It didn't stop me having fun, just was more careful about where and when for a while, until I'd got properly used to what the bike had to offer. But I still have my irresponsible moments

Maybe try to think what the effect would be on loved ones if you had a nasty prang?

Only you can restrain yourself once you're on that bike though, so if you're not sure you can, maybe put it off a bit longer until you settle down a bit? Your decision really.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[MC]

On a smaller bike you're less likely to go for overtakes, but at the same time if something does go wrong you don't have the power to get yourself out of trouble (so in that respect a big bikes safer).

However the temptation's there, and generally I'd say when you know what your bike can do you want to do it For example on my commute I normally hit 40ish, rarely 50 on the tiddler. On a big bike its normally 50, sometimes 60, just because I can get up to that speed and down again quickly.

Also it depends on the bike. Some don't like doing under 30, some under 20, some will be better at lower speeds. Basically if your bike's jerky and dimwitted at certain speeds/revs you'll typically avoid them.
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Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[stevo as b4]

When you can stop yourself racing a BMW M3 or whatever it was on a CRM with Knobbly tyre's and then losing the front or was it the back on a wet roundabout?

I had a 109bhp sports bike at age 22, kept it for just over 5years, I did talk to a Honda dealer about a part ex for a 954 Blade in 2004 but never went through with it, as by then I was getting interested in cars again, and helping my mate work on his Nissan Almera turbo corrupted me! But in all the time I had my ZX6R it never went over 125mph in my hands, never redlined it 1-6th or scraped the pegs on a track day etc.

I guess I wasn't that interested in speed, and after all the smaller bikes I'd had I found the Ninja was relaxed and torquey and easy to ride at normal speeds and overtake car's fast and safely, Probably in the same way that G goes on about 1000cc IL4 sportsbikes being lazy, easy to ride in one gear in town traffic, and not needing to be screamed out through the gears to make progress on any road within the speed limit. ( A litre bike may have been a revelation or just unnecessary to me?)

I'm quite happy to buy a big bike again when I've got the cash, and don't mind 1000-1300cc even though I won't use much of it, id just like the torque lower down, but would like it in an interesting naked/retro/classic bike just not a beam framed ram air assisted pointy bike next time.

[Fladdem]

[Pie-Roe]

I would argue that you'd be better off getting a cb1300, zrx1200 etc than a new 600/750 sports bike.

I enjoy big lazy tourers, as they have easy torque, you can go stupid fast if you want, but they also are pretty tame and forgiving.
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Previous: GSF600, FZR600 x2, ZXR750, XT600 Tenere, CB125, CZ125, ETZ 250, ER5, CCM R30, DRZ400, RF600x4, RF900x2, GS500, VTR1000F, 640 SMC, CB250 NIGHTHAWK, GT550x3, GPX750 TE610, CB500, X11x2, SV650, ZING 125, TL1000R,CB250 Superdream, CBR1100XX

[stevo as b4]

God help you when your at 115-120mph on the GPZ550 with those skinny tyres then!

As for the M3, I'm not sure what the newer E90 V8's are like, but if it was an E36 or E46, that I was driving, and I saw an MR2 (with a roof scoop fitted) id be worried TBH!

I reckon something fast, that handles ok, but is lazy, forgiving, and a tiny bit sports tourer these days, like a 98/99 Blade would suit your big bike needs well, and maybe not make you feel like you need to be on it all the time, like a small sporty light bike or a 2smoke often will!

[Wave2k]

I crashed my 400 more than any other bike ive ever had, and used to ride it quicker on the road than any other.

People told me not to get a GSXR750 at 18, i did anyway and never had any issues.

Probably got all the crashing out the way on the 400
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Teflon-Mike]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Fladdem]

[gorillaonabik...]

[-Monty-]

For the most part, I think big bikes are actually safer than little tiddlers (unless we're talking about 500cc GP replicas). I think when you're on a small bike - particularly when you have only ever ridden small bikes - you almost feel as though you have to prove that it isn't the slow piece of crap people may think it is. Because of this, you find yourself trying to ride as fast as you can all the time and doing silly overtakes etc.

I think this sort of mentality disappeared for me once I got a big(ish) bike and I could appreciate the smaller bikes for what they were.

On big bikes, there is normally no need to plan overtakes. You see an opportunity, open her up, there's sometimes a bit of screaming and in about 3 seconds it's all over (pun absolutely intended).

I've had a 100, 125, 500 and a 600 and the only one out of them all I have injured myself on was the 100cc.

Get the GPZ fixed up and give that a whirl to see if you like it
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Present: [Kawasaki ZX7r][Suzuki DRZ 400s]
Past: [Honda PCX 125] [Yamaha RXS 100] [Honda CB 500] [Triumph Speed Four] [Honda ST1100 Pan European - Po-Po Edition]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[mattyfattyboo...]

The only person that can answer the question is you I think. I got a 500 when I passed because I didnt want to get carried away, I ended up getting rid of it after a couple of months after realising I was more likely to be mullered by a car than getting myself into trouble.

If you describe yourself as a bit of a nutter then clearly it's too soon.

[-Matt-]

Personally i've found i've got more cautious and sensible overall each time i've got a bigger bike (ignoring the obvious point that i'd been riding longer each time). I went from 125cc to 636cc with my current bike, which made it immediately obvious how quickly I could end up going from zero to hospital if I got a bit carried away on the throttle compared to how little it mattered on the 125.

Generally i've found bigger bikes are far more comfortable, easy and enjoyable to ride too; regardless of how fast i'm going. If you're literally incapable of controlling your throttle hand its probably not a good idea but if you can give a few bigger bikes a test ride in a carpark or something to get some feel for what they're capable of you'll probably realise going all-out-arny on the throttle 24/7 won't end well and have a bit of restraint if you get your own

[struan80]

What about a track day to quell your need for speed Fladdem?

I'm brand new to bikes but this did the trick with me with cars, started trackdays and ended up getting National B licence and racing. Made me much safer on the road knowing what car could do at the limits and I tended to drive way more sensibly on the road because of it.

I just passed my bike test today and will be out on first Knockhill trackday of the year for sure (when the buggers announce the dates anyway). Then see how that goes with ambition to race bikes by the time I'm 50 (2 years).

In my nooblet opinion, get to the track

Edited because needed to waffle some more..

This is my first post outside New bikers section so go easy on me, some of you lot are scary lol

[Eddie Hitler]

145bhp sports at 20. Didn't die. Did sell it as it was too quick.

[Old Git Racing]

Just go and buy the fastest bike you can afford, you obviously want one and in the end it's better to be scared to death than bored to death.

OGR
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2022 Tiger Sport 660 2019 Street Twin 2003 K3 gixxer 1000 1998 Srad 600 track hack

[totalllama82]

Bit of a speed demon here. It's all about the acceleration really. Top speed isn't the big thing for me. I just love the feeling of the bike trying to remove my arms from my shoulders.

By day, i'm a gentle lead developer at a software company. By night I love accelerating as fast as possible on the back of something which sounds naughty

Just buy it and if you don't like it, trade it in. Don't sit and lust.
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Gone: Haotian HT125-8 / Yamaha YZF 600R Thundercat / Kawasaki ZX9R C2
Current: Kawasaki ZZR 1400 A7F

[mentalboy]

If you are mature enough to ask when you can be trusted to ride a biggie then you're mature enough to make that decision when you see fit. It's the immature folk who don't ask those sort of questions and then wonder why their legs end up on the other side of the carriageway one day.

In 25 years of biking I've thrown one 1100 down the road once, one 400 once and approximately 10 250's and smaller down the road - some of those more than once. It's not how big it is, it's how you use it (why does that sound familiar? )
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Make mine a Corona.

[Wave2k]

I actually think he is on the right track, the K6 1000 was way to quick for the road, which made riding it kinda boring.

But i loooove litre twins, just look at how many ive had .

Torque is where its at, and a muscle bike may suit you.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[deadwolf]

I think it's the weight (or lack thereof) of the tiddlers that gets to people's heads. They're so flickable and underpowered that you get constantly prompted to go WOT and hoon about. All your manuevres feel like they take little effort and have little consequence.

Big bike, more mass and more horse- and braking power means more planning ahead as you can't just jink the bike around or brake harshly.

Currently riding a '10 Ninja 250R and a 150cc Kawa dual sport. I don't find myself going much faster on the Ninja than the 150, but the Ninja just feels better to ride due to there being more bike present. All that extra mass, I dunno, it fills this space that a tiddler just can't
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Motorsapien Art

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