Trying out a litre bike.

[AppleJoe]

For a while now I've wanted to take a litre bike for a spin, but can't think how. I don't have any mates with one, and as I'm 18 with a 33bhp licence getting a dealership test ride might be a little hard. Any ideas?

Cheers.
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Full licence from 16/4/08
Previously: '56 YBR125 - Current: K1 SV650S

[Eddie Hitler]

Only real way would be a test ride or a friend with one. Can't think any other way of trying one unless you hire a bike out on a trackday or something similar, which is £££.

Personally litre bike scare the shit out of me. Had a go on a guys r1 at Thetford tank last year. Got it up to 6k and I starting shaking. When I pulled back in, Rob said "It really takes off at 8k doesn't it?". I just stared at him in disbelief.

[Seb]

I wouldn't worry about it yet, besides it'll make less powerful bikes feel sluggish in comparison. I did my DAS on a GS500 and at the time it felt quick and responsive, yet the one I got as a loaner last week might as well have been a pushbike.

Besides, on the road all that power usually just means your going to be lazier with the gears and throttle.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[The Tot]

With a thou, the fun starts >7k. Try 3rd gear and just wind it open past 6..7..8k and you'll happilly feel the front go light... by which point you'll probably be doing 110-120mph!

Bide your time mate and progress gently. The only person i knew who had a silly powered bike at such a young age was Wave2k who had a Gixxer 750 at 18 i think? Even he said it was too quick for the roads!

Any big CC bikes will make you much lazier which is primarily the reason i bought mine! it handles like a 600 but drives like a missile, any gear acceleration is stupid and i like having the power reserve to do overtakes. Mind you, if you're not careful with your right wrist, you'll lose your license.

If you're only on 33bhp, 65bhp on your SV will feel like a canon. A 100bhp 600 will feel like a like a missile, a 125bhp 900cc bike will be like a rocket. A modern thou will be fast, light and twitchy... probably too much for british roads especially for an unexperienced rider. But thous are pretty fun nonetheles; whoever said they were boring needs to get their heads checked.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[mistergixer]

I was given the following fantastic advice when borrowing a mate's K5 Gixer thou:

Put it in 2nd gear, then hold the throttle wide open for as long as you dare.


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Space Monkey #7
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[AppleJoe]

Yeh I know it will make my bike feel like a 125, but I still want to have a go. I've got to the stage when you feel like trying something else, unfortunately me + insurance on even a sport 600 is a no-go I guess I'll have to make friends with a litre bike owner...
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Full licence from 16/4/08
Previously: '56 YBR125 - Current: K1 SV650S

[NexusDragon]

Not too sure whether you'd be able to get any demo rides at dealerships with a restricted licence unfortunately, best bet is to get a quick go on someone else's bike... If they dare to let you.

I've tried a brand new R6, and my first litre bike about three weeks ago which was a faired Yamaha FZ1.. I want one. But the problem was that when I got back from the ride and jumped back on my FZ6.. It was sloooow.

As said above, getting up to speed quick is fun, but its also lazy.
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DAS Passed 19th April 08. 07' YBR125 > Yamaha FZ6 S2 '08 > 1998 YZF600R ThunderCat

[Smooth]

I had a ride on a Fireblade a couple of months after passing my DAS.

The acceleration in first and second was brutal and instant ....and I didn't get anywhere the red line.

It seemed phenomenal to me and far beyond my capabilities at the time.

Getting back onto my ER5 was a bit of a come-down

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

I had a mille at 19, that was obscene on the road.

Definately just move on up slowly, it's more fun that way.
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[MarJay]

I've been there, done it and didn't particularly like it.

I've learned that it is way more fun to have smaller capacity bikes that you can thrash, than a huge monster that you have to be really careful on. It took me a while to fully accept this, even though I already knew it to be the case.

It culminated in me owning a Fireblade. For three months. I crashed it the day after I got it and rebuilt it pretty quickly but I never got my confidence back on it. It always scared me a bit, but I realised that it wasn't fun. Even when I had loads of confidence on it, it wasn't much fun. It was exciting, and exhilarating but I had more fun on my RGV250.

Hence I have a Speed Four, which IS lots of fun, you don't have to ride it fast to feel like you're going fast and it has more power than I could ever need. I also have the RD350s to have a laugh on and even my MZ is a total hoot. I'm happy with the bikes I have and if I were to change one of them it would be to something of similar power etc.

The only thing I might consider against the Speed Four is in fact another Buell XB12R. I loved that bike and I really miss it.
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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.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Tend to agree with Marjay.

I know you just want to try one out, but very few people have the skills to get anywhere near their capabilities, and certainly not on a quick blat.

A fast bike and a fun bike are 2 totally different things.

All the best

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

[Smooth]

so the answer to the original question is:

You'll be lucky to get a ride on a 1000.

I can understand why you want to try though.

As others have said, something that you have to work to get the most out of and doesn't have the rider as the (very) limiting factor is probably better.

[mark83]

I think some may be missing the point - this is not about how fun a 1000cc IL4 is. This is about whether someone riding a restricted middle range SV should have a spin on a litre bike.

Get the SV deristricted.....then try a supersport 600.....then look back and think:

Was it really sensible to jump from a 33bhp SV straight to a litre?

I suspect you may already know the answer.
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Kawasaki ER6n -> Honda CBR600RR -> Honda VTR 1000 -> Moto Guzzi Norge 1200
Buy my Mercedes 350 Sport AMG Evo

[ToGGoT]

Mmmmm.

When i did my DAS i went from my EN125, to an ER-5. The extra weight and power was incredible to me, having not ridden much.

Got used to it, and was really disappointed to go back to the 125. So, went out and bought myself an '89 GPX600R on ebay - rode it, and thought "Wow, this is great, very like the ER-5". Til i figured that it had K&N's, and hadnt been rejetted - so if i opened the throttle past half way it'd bog. Subsequently, no power.

Got another airbox, fitted, took her out on the road, and did the usual, 2nd gear, wrench the throttle - and practically shit myself.

I can heartily recommend if you havent ridden something bigger before, go up in steps til you find something that works, and LEARN to ride it before going up!lol! The reason you see all these "born again bikers" stacking it in hedges is because they come back after 20 years, and can afford the 900 they wanted in 1980 - only when they get it out, its now become an Exocet missile...

ToGGoT
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2005 BMW R1150R

[Kwaks]

First time I rode a thou (k4gixxer) was when I owned a zxr400.

Jumped on and set off, careful at first and gradually wound on. I thought I was doing about 60/70 and wondered why my mate wasnt right behind on my zxr. Looked at the speedo, I was doing 110.

Realised that the higher seat height, less engine noise, less gear changing really made it boring compared to the balls out attitude of the zxr.

Pulled over and swapped back lol.

Last time I did swaps was my zx6r for another mates gixxer thou. I hated it. Bike felt like it was fighting me on every corner, and was generally wanting to go straight everywhere.

Stopped fairly quickly, swapped back and 2 weeks later the other rider had bought a ZX6r and was selling the thou.

So in my experience the thou bikes have been a big let down, so don't expect too much.
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Fallen Angel "Nae sniffing my seat now!!!!! "
www.cliqueycuntsmcc.co.uk
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[Wave2k]

Litre IL4 bike are boring yes.

Try a litre twin instead
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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

[mark83]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[chillpill]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[rac3r]

[chillpill]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

My Mille was an 02, so the second generation, I'm not sure how easy to insure the third and onwards generations are.
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My Flickr

[rac3r]

Did you sell the Mille for the Hornet?
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[_Will_]

Litre twins are ok, but IL4 12's are where its at
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Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|