CB500 losing its thrill...

[lightfoot256]

Only had it about 2 months now and its starting to feel "slow".

I dont think the bike is slowing down, I think i've just gotten so used to its acceleration and top speed... i can cruise at 70-80mph and it feels like im "walking". I somtimes adventure up to the tonne, but I'm a little "scared" of being caught so i tend to just stay around 70 most of the time...

Is this something most beginners feel as they move up from their 125s to the bigger bikes? (i.e., when i first got it it felt extremely fast and the acceleration was incredible - compared to my 125) and is it something you just have to sit out until the 2 year probationary period...

[Method]

My GS500 lost its thrill about 7 months ago. Incedently that was 1 month after i bought it, pretty much. Getting bored of riding on the road now tbh.

Meh, ill just have to hang in there for another 16months i suppose. Or at least until i have the cashflow to afford something better
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CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.

[.....]

So you riding your CB500 like this guy?

https://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/superbikephotos/oulton16july/31.jpg

It's not the straights that are fun - it's going round corners.

[lightfoot256]

Yeh, I tend to agree with that one... speed kinda looses it thril (especially once you can go as fast as ure bike can go), and i have found that i've started experimenting with corners a lot more.

I was thinking about taking up Dirt Biking or something, a little more challenging, off-road, etc... actually had just finished watching Long way round... lol...

[Method]

Motocross

Seriously, its the way to go, not that expensive to do if you stay away from the latest years colours and plastics
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CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.

[0ddball]

I feel exactly the same. It's taken about 500 miles to get used to it but now the performance feels just about adequate but far from fast. I thought there was something wrong with the bike too but realised that my average speed has just increased as i got more confident.

I thought i'd keep this bike for a long time but a month later and i'm wanting something faster. No i don't go round the corners on my knee but i wouldn't do that on the road even if i could. I'd rather get something faster that i can ride sensibly but quickly rather than have a slower bike and ride it on the edge everywhere.
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ZXR750L

[Flip]

I think most people get bored of their bikes at some point. Ride it harder and faster. You're not bored of the bike, you're bored of your riding style.

Start shifting your weight etc, ride roads that you don't ride on a regular basis, make the CB5 fun again.

[TOM M]

[mchaggis]

May I invent the B-road challenge? Get to work every day for a week using only B roads! You need an understanding boss and flexi-time, or just a bloody good map. Fun for all the family!
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[bazza]

You might want to look into actually riding the bike, as opposed to just sitting on it while it goes.

I can definitely recommend doing a Bikesafe course to get you out of the rut you're in.
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"That's it. You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college."
'98 Ducati 750SS, '08 Suzuki GSX650F ©2004-2014, Bazza's Harmless Banter

[G]

The speed does lose it's thrill. Moving up from a 100hp zx6 to a 143hp zx9 I was never really that excited by the power.

Get a faster bike and you'll be excited by the power for a little, then the same thing will happen.

Considered doing a trackday?

[Kram]

i agree with Bazza and flip... my commute to work is boring as hell... 2 dual carriage ways, 2 major roads... that's it. in rush hour traffic.

after work (at midnight) the 4 roundabouts i go round... are the best part of my day.

at the weekends i wonder off for 100 so miles... with nothing except my phone and my wallet (and breakdown cover thingy). set a destination about 40 miles away... no motorways though, and somewhere you've never been...

when you get there... carry on to somewhere else, and when you get there... head home, but on none of the roads you came one (might need a map though)
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FS1E -> SR125 -> CB400N -> CB650 -> FZR600 Genises -> VFR400 NC21 -> CBR900RR Fireblade -> Renault Clio 1.4

[craigs23]

Ditto what has been said - go out riding deliberately taking roads that you've never been down before, so it becomes a challenge to ride/read the road properly/apply what you've learnt about machine control to a situation you haven't applied to yet.

I frequently ride down roads that are rather challenging - where speed is difficult to build up/keep momentum. It's nothing about racing and ride at your own pace, though some thrashing/scratching is involved. If I'm riding on a road where a ton is easy, I'm riding on the wrong road.

[cunni]

I went from an RS125 to a TL1000R, that felt awesome in comparrison, constantly trying to kill me! but after a while I had to get more power, as it felt regular. Even after the power boost, i got used to it! (PS, I had several large bikes before the RS125, a hornet and a Firestorm and would not advise anyone to take as big a leap as this one!)

Hell, even the MotoGP boys get used to it. They are now managing around 120mph at certain circuits and they are looking for more speed! Ok, they want to win, but similar views!
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[Johnny GSX-R]

The CB500 will far out perform your tallent as its a fantastic little bike. Simply change the roads you use from dual carriage ways etc to A/B roads and use its twisties capability to get the buzz.
Biking isn't all top end performance (though it is nice) but you need to hit the back roads a bit and you'll soon be saying how quick it is.
JOE hit the nail on the head.

Anyone in the Manchester area might have seen my dad on his in the local papers last week, he's done 70K on his in 3 years and been nearly around the world.......he's off to Africa on it next year and 'I' have a job catching him on the twisty 'B' roads on my Blackbird

[cunni]

Try riding it like this:

https://www.acm.org.uk/mediac/400_0/media/Andrew_Cunningham_001.jpg

https://www.acm.org.uk/mediac/400_0/media/Andrew_Cunningham_002.jpg
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[stinkwheel]

I would have to agree with all of the above. The bike isn't geting boring, you are.

Now go out on some more challenging roads. You should be able to scare the shit out of yourself at 60mph. I can go out on my H100 and have an absolute hoot round the back roads, stay out on it all day and come home with a huge grin on my face. That is with a whole 9bhp!
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Slickfish]

Wish I had a CB500, I d be racing it ASAP!!!

[cunni]

Not as expensive as you would have thought it is!

A pair of tyres will last you most the season and be really cheap from our resident tyre specialist in the paddock!

Bikes only cost £1000-£1500 and you can sort them to track standard for nothing at all!

As for racing, just start them up and go (ok, check all the bolts after every usage, they spit them due to vibration).

They are great for wheelying off the line and over crests!
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[Gazdaman]

I smell a trackday...
Any bike can become fun...

https://www.gaz-racing.co.uk/bike/snetterton/official/DSC_0872%20(Small).JPG

Time to explore yours and the bike's limits. Have you felt the peg touch down yet? Have you felt the rear end snake? If not, you've got a fair while to go before you need a bigger bike to enjoy the potential.

Gaz

[mistergixer]

To be fair, the CB500 was never really going to set the world alight with incredible handling and power to weight figures.
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Don Eladio is dead. His capos are dead. You have no one left to fight for. Fill your pockets and leave in peace. Or fight me and die!
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[mchaggis]

[stinkwheel]

[extreme3d]

[mchaggis]

I did say reputed.

Personally I much prefer the GPz, it's my fallback for when I can't find anything more interesting (and reliable and fitting into my budget) as a first bike. The Candy Lightning blue gpz from 01-03? is a bit nice
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.