<Rant> Bike sizes

[AngryAnt]

Ok this is just a rant because I got through having an argument with somebody else, so here goes.

I'm getting really sick of 90% of the bikers I run into (locally, I'm not talking about forums) thinking anything less than a 1000cc bike is a beginner bike or a toy. Now I understand if you're over 6 feet ball and you way 250lb+ you'd want a bigger bike, but I seem to get a fair amount of disrespect anywhere I go and I find it somewhat annoying.

I try to honestly be friendly to other guys I come across, and have gotten snubbed by Harley riders and sport bike riders alike because I wasn't riding a 1200cc harley or a hayabusa. If you're a small guy like me, I honestly don't see the point of owning a SS or a gold wing for commuting around the city. And no, we don't have a track anywhere near here, so all these guys riding hayabusa's around are just driving them around town same as me.

Also, I've never really looked at the 6R as a beginner bike. I don't race on the track, and it'll do over 100mph if I want it to, and it fits my body size well, so anything else seems like overkill to me. I guess you're not a real biker unless you've got more than you can handle, eh? >_<

I just want to add I know at least two people who never sat on a bike and bought brand new 750lb 900cc cruisers as their first bike, and it barely has any miles on it because they're afraid they'll drop it or wreck it. The 'bigger is better' mentality really makes me want to punch some people.

Anyway, just getting it out of my system.

/Needs a beer, and its only 11:00 am. It's 5:00PM somewhere, right?

 

[Spunky99]

You can get killed just as fast on the FZ6R as the 1200cc Harley and Hayabusa.

You can beat the crap outta both of them on a road course because everyone know they both handle like a brick.

 

[Chucker]

Sorry, but i don't care what others think.

 

[Mr Citrus]

Sorry, but i don't care what others think.

This
I'm happy with my bike, and if you don't like it that's your problem.
I also find that people that act like that, are usually the ones that bring their Busa' out on bike nights, but then lock it away in the garage the rest of the week. Ask one of them to go on a day trip, and they more than likely will make an excuse why they can't

 

[DragonBlu]

It's an age old argument. There always some guy with a bigger something that thinks they are the shit. My standard reply"Go f#*k yourself dude." Let em talk as you walk off and ride the bike you want to ride.:thumbup:

 

[Marthy]

I will not worry too much... The good thing is:

You pay 1/2 the price on the bike to do the same things as them
You are probably paying much less in insurance (mine are down to $120/6 months)
You tires last twice as long... so a bit of everything else
And your cycle is doing 50 MPG on a good day.

The way I look at it, I'm happy with my ride. I don't need more. Would it be nice to have a bigger bike? F&^% ya! Might not keep my DL for very long, but it will be great.

 

[roadrat]

I've heard some of that crap too (especially when I ride my Ninja 250) but the laughing usually stops as soon as we hit the twisties.

 

[rr_double_rr]

You can beat some of them off the line, our bike makes power a little lower in the RPMs than they do, it's not a rule.

A R6 is not a beginner bike, and you're right to think not. The seating angle, suspension, power, everything is geared for aggressive riding and race use in the right class.

+1 to the guy who commented on 'Busa's and Harley's not cornering worth a damn. They can still corner well enough to hang on casual riding in the twisties, but the lose it when it goes too much past that. That's why you only see 'Busas commonly drag racing, I've been to several events, WERA and track days alike, and I have only seen 1 Busa out there and he could only compete on the straight aways. He would run up to the tail of the competition as they exited the straights and entered the turns, couldn't carry that speed through the corner and would get walked away from in the turn. Watched it all day like that.

The biggest note of import when it comes to any bike, is that you have to know how to ride it. Like the other night when I dogged the crap out of this punk in a Mustang GT, with me in my Subaru RS (non turbo). He couldn't shift as quickly, and couldn't corner for crap. It's 90% rider, 10% tech when it comes to bikes as well.

Go ahead and let them thumb their noses at you. It's probably done mostly out of insecurity.

 

[Superzoom]

It has everything to do with having a superiority/inferiority complex. For some reason, a lot of motorcyclists are into trying to impress others.

My favourite motorcyclists are the ones that love all motorcycles. I definitely have aesthetic preferences, but when I'm out on the road and I bump into some guy on a Harley trike, I'm not going to say, "Stupid bike". I'm going to say, "Cool. How are you liking it?"

 

[Superzoom]

Speaking of size, what Americans and Canadians need are more choices in the 350-550 cc size. Most (not all) 250's are a little underpowered for our roads. But 350-550 is great for beginners, good on mileage, smaller, lighter, cheaper to insure, and powerful enough for the highway. Plus a small bike is a lot of fun.

 

[Marthy]

Speaking of size, what Americans and Canadians need are more choices in the 350-550 cc size. Most (not all) 250's are a little underpowered for our roads. But 350-550 is great for beginners, good on mileage, smaller, lighter, cheaper to insure, and powerful enough for the highway. Plus a small bike is a lot of fun.

The bike I had the most fun with was my Honda MB5. I even took it on the freeway on occasion. All pip up that thing was going 65-70 MPH flat out!

It was a 49.9cc 2 stroke by the way...:canada:

 

[ScottM]

I totally agree with Ant. I think the small size of the FZ6R is a real asset. It is easy to get in and out of the garage and to handle in parking lots. I love going on even short errands on it. I have had bigger bikes and, for me, they were more of a chore to handle.

The 6R is fast enough for me (I not getting any younger) and the old lady's days of riding on back are long gone.

I think some guys unconsciencely go for big toys to make up for small God given junk, if you know what I mean. I'm just saying.

 

[24KMACH]

I have the money to buy anything. I CHOSE the FZ6R. Beginners bike my azz.

 

[AngryAnt]

I get what you guys are saying, and its not the "what people think" part that annoys me, is that I had looked forward to meeting more of Marthy's type of people: the people that like all kind of motorcycles, and in my area at least, I'm finding them to be *extremely* rare.

I guess not having any riding buddies, and having no luck finding decent riders around here, guess I'll just have to drive to LA / AL / FL to hunt down some of you b@$tards :thumbup:

 

[madmike]

If everyone who had a Liter bike actually knew how to ride the thing, I might feel like more of a noob riding such a sissy bike

But since most of the ones I see on a Busa simply know how to point it in one direction and twist the throttle, I remain unimpressed.

I am amused to no end by someone who buys a liter bike and feels any sort of superiority. It takes no greater skill to ride a bike like that if you aren't pushing it's limits. Simply watch how much throttle you give it and you're riding as well as Joe Hayabusa does.

And it's not like riding a liter bike means you have all sorts of mad cash either, so I especially laugh at that notion. A brand new Hayabusa costs less than $14K. That's cheaper than a Hyundai Accent. Not exactly high roller status dog.

So IMO, when you ride a huge bike with tons of power, but never get to use it or can't ride it to it's limit anyways from a skill perspective (and you know the vast majority of liter bike owners don't attack corners and have no idea what their nearest track is) it is pretty stupid to look down your nose at anyone's bike.

 

[pincushion79]

I ain't 6ft, but I am 5'6" and 280. This bike does all I want and need it to do. I don't really get teased, as I look pretty intimidating (so I'm told). I even get my wife on there with me. As long as we're having fun, enjoying ourselves, the rest of the naysayers can go eff themselves. I actually get more compliments than anything else. They feel my seat and think it is like memory foam compared to theirs, they dig the upright sitting positions because their busa hurts their backs, etc. And this happens all the time being that I am always at a bike event with my MC. (when i'm not stuck at work)

Now, one day I will be upgrading to a liter bike (Ninja 1000), but that would only happen so my wife and I would be more comfy for longer rides and have a little more power. (As I said, I am a fluffy lil fellow.)

 

[b_who]

i shit on harley's all the time
cc's dont mean a thing when it comes to harleys
guess how much a HP a 1200 sportster puts out? a whopping 48-50 hp stock the newer ones get around 64-68 :rof:
and a litre bike is only really good at the track, a 600 is very capable and will keep until about 100mph where the litre bikes really shines from what ive read and seen in person and on youtube. you can only go through a corner so fast people
if you do a ton of track and have good throttle control by all means but for canyon riding and regular everyday riding a 600 SS will do just fine

and i hate those hayabusa douches who think its the shit, 1000's eat those things for breakfast SPECIALLY at the track
there only good for drag races which takes no where near as much skill as canyon carving and racing at the track

ah that felt good haha

 

[AngryAnt]

i shit on harley's all the time
cc's dont mean a thing when it comes to harleys
guess how much a HP a 1200 sportster puts out? a whopping 48-50 hp stock the newer ones get around 64-68 :rof:
and a litre bike is only really good at the track, a 600 is very capable and will keep until about 100mph where the litre bikes really shines from what ive read and seen in person and on youtube. you can only go through a corner so fast people
if you do a ton of track and have good throttle control by all means but for canyon riding and regular everyday riding a 600 SS will do just fine

and i hate those hayabusa douches who think its the shit, 1000's eat those things for breakfast SPECIALLY at the track
there only good for drag races which takes no where near as much skill as canyon carving and racing at the track

ah that felt good haha

Wow, I never actually looked up the specs on Harleys, that's kind of crazy. I looked at them ONCE when I first decided to buy a bike, and immediately looked elsewhere when I saw the price tag on the base model of the ones I liked...

 

[madmike]

i shit on harley's all the time
cc's dont mean a thing when it comes to harleys
guess how much a HP a 1200 sportster puts out? a whopping 48-50 hp stock the newer ones get around 64-68 :rof:

In defense of the Harleys, it's not about peak HP, it's about low end torque, for cruising. Different style of riding entirely, different needs.

That 1200 sportser makes about 80 foot pounds of torque at 4,000 RPMs. Our FZ6R makes 44 foot pounds at 8,500 RPM.

If your intent is just to leisurely cruise and not have to manage your shifting etc, you can see why the HD is engineered the way it is.

 

[Nastybutler]

In defense of the Harleys, it's not about peak HP, it's about low end torque, for cruising. Different style of riding entirely, different needs.

That 1200 sportser makes about 80 foot pounds of torque at 4,000 RPMs. Our FZ6R makes 44 foot pounds at 8,500 RPM.

If your intent is just to leisurely cruise and not have to manage your shifting etc, you can see why the HD is engineered the way it is.

Yeah, um... engineered is an interesting way to put it. No German company would hire an engineer who had HD on their resume. They are overpriced POS IMHO. From what I've seen, nearly all Harley riders spend more time and money repairing their bikes than riding them. You pay a premium for a name and a sound. To each his own, I guess.