250 vs bigger bike. In case you wondered.

[Maki]

I know a lot of 250 riders out there wonder what a bigger bike feels like. Many of you think that pootling around on a 250 for a year is some kind of torture and can't wait to ditch your bike for something big and grunty. I have news for you, riding a 250 is not all bad. If for example you like riding sportsbikes in twisties, then the right 250 may give you some things that a bigger bike can't. A 250 has a lightness and flickability that heavier bikes with bigger tyres can not match. I used to ride a Kawaski 250 and now I ride a R6. Let me discuss the relative merits.

Coolness factor. That is obvious so I won't even go into it.

Power. You will never ever find yourself riding with the throttle pinned for any significant length of time on the R6, while on a 250 you could sit there for ages with everything wide open. The extra power is nice but it can kill you if you are not very careful. Having to give it everything, revving to the limit and using the gears effectively on the 250 can be fun. Scaring yourself on the 600 can also be fun.

Handling. Once cornering the 600 feels more stable, planted and it feels like it could corner faster. Turn in and transition between corners is easier and faster on a 250 than a 600. The 600 has a lot more engine braking so you have to watch your downshifts, or the rear will get very twitchy. Same goes for accelarating out of corners, the more powerful bike may bite you if the surface is not perfect. So, ultimate cornering speed may be faster on a 600 but the 250 is nimbler and more forgiving.

General riding feeling. The 600 feels like it is rock solid and it feels like it is going slower at any given speed. What stands out most is that feeling of solidity, the 250 just feels more like it is made of many pieces bolted together and free to move a bit relative to each other while the 600 feels like one solid piece.

Brakes. The brakes on the 600 are way better, and they have to be for obvious reasons.

In summary the 600 is not better than the 250 in every way and you can have plenty of fun riding on the 250. It is a different and less dangerous type of fun than the one commonly had on a 600.

So, when you get your full license, should you be in a huge hurry to ditch your 250? I think not, take your time and consider carefully if you want a change and what you want to change to.

[Fumph]

Thanks for that good advice, I'm listening...............

[SixPackBack]

Thanks for that good advice, I'm listening...............

'Tis true dude a GN250 is superior in so many ways compared to my K6 thou:whistle:

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Kickaha]

'Tis true dude a GN250 is superior in so many ways compared to my K6 thou:whistle:

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

With the right rider on it probably faster as well:whistle:

[Maki]

'Tis true dude a GN250 is superior in so many ways compared to my K6 thou:whistle:

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

LoL. It does not chew through fuel, sprockets and chains at the same rate, does it?

[Laxi]

I love my 250 most off the time, keeps up on the hills around wellington, just wish it didnt have to rev so hard on the motorway

[wbks]

Biggest noticeable changes for me: No longer do you need to drop down a gear on the highway for a fast overtake and pretty much no working the gears if you aren't really trying hard... If you are easy on the throttle, and aren't worrying about speed, you can easily 6th gear cruise through town, then open it up onto the highway and speed straight up. No bogging, no huge lag in power untill the revs. Can definately see why people in the states buy these thinking they are good to learn on (obviously only compared to liter bikes) and end up mess on the ground... It's so easy to go fast! Feels solid, but actually more nimble than the 250... But yea, I remember (and no I'm not trying to say I'm a fast rider etc, just observation) around taupo on the 250 holding it wide open full revs through plenty of gears fine most of the way through every corner and no worries of traction. Just because of low power, and how docile the throttle was. Open it up and it was quite a delayed reaction, but with the 6 it is instant translation to the wheels, and feels to me like more than enough power to lose grip

[SixPackBack]

With the right rider on it probably faster as well:whistle:

Uhhu....Ben Spies would have no problem winning SBK on a gn250?


LoL. It does not chew through fuel, sprockets and chains at the same rate, does it?

.........nor the kilometers?

Face it guys the average 250 couldn't pull a rapist off yer sister!

[The Pastor]

250s are awesome

[cowboyz]

The weight issue.
When you get into some bigger touring bikes or older sportbikes the extra weight can be noticeable but the way bikes are built these days they are so well balanced that the extra weight is really not noticeable, and in some cases the newer bigger bikes actually weigh less than older 250s anyway.

coolness factor
a nice looking 250 is way cooler than a scraped up 600 or 1000. Dispite public opinion, most bins doesnt win and showing up on a damaged bike makes you look like a noob, especially if there are chicks around to impress.

power
while you dont need to pin the throttle on a bigger bike, the advantage comes where you can enter corners way slower and carry fuck all corner speed and still power up to reasonable speeds exiting the corners with very little effort. This helps if you cant ride and the bike will do all the work for you. Apart from that, it is nice to criuse along at 110 and having the bike just ticking over.

handling.
this totally depends on the bike. A well setup big bike will out-handle a shit 250 anyday. In general I think my 9 is way better handling than my old gsx600F. Mainly because it is a way better bike but also cause its newer and not fucked.

brakes.
again, bike specific.

overall, if you are on a 250 and enjoying it then fine. If the bike isnt doing the job that you want it to then upgrade. If you simply want more speed then find your friendly local racetrack

[cowboyz]

Uhhu....Ben Spies would have no problem winning SBK on a gn250?






after salt lake city, it wouldnt fucking surprise me.

[SixPackBack]

..........................Fook me its the twilight zone:wacko:

[ducatilover]

I've stepped down form the 650 to my current bitch which happens to be a 250. I've had it for 3 years and two or three months. Nuff said methinks;)

[wbks]

Only thing I would worry about is becoming a point and shoot rider. Without the need to hold good corner speed to go fast I guess it could happen easily, but it probably just feels like you're cornering slower on the big big anyway, considering how slow everything else feels

[ducatilover]

Only thing I would worry about is becoming a point and shoot rider. Without the need to hold good corner speed to go fast I guess it could happen easily, but it probably just feels like you're cornering slower on the big big anyway, considering how slow everything else feels

I ride for the corners, nothing beats bending a bike further than a whore and doing the best job you can, smooth and fast costs you less:whistle:

[Ixion]

T..

power
while you dont need to pin the throttle on a bigger bike, the advantage comes where you can enter corners way slower and carry fuck all corner speed and still power up to reasonable speeds exiting the corners with very little effort. This helps if you cant ride and the bike will do all the work for you. Apart from that, it is nice to criuse along at 110 and having the bike just ticking over.

handling.
this totally depends on the bike. A well setup big bike will out-handle a shit 250 anyday. In general I think my 9 is way better handling than my old gsx600F. Mainly because it is a way better bike but also cause its newer and not fucked.



Being able to power out of a corner also helps if you're on an unfamiliar road (as a tourer often is ). Not knowing the road means you must take the corner more slowly, to allow for the "WTF is on the other side " factor.

250s are more fun on familiar roads where you can fang them along. But long distances on unfamiliar roads, extra power is nice.

Of course a well set up big sprots bike will handle better than a BSA C10.

But, other things being equal, the smaller, lighter bike, with less crankshaft rotational inertai, will always handle better than a bigger heavier bike . Especially in the 'left, right, left' type corners.

[BMWST?]

I ride for the corners, nothing beats bending a bike further than a whore and doing the best job you can, smooth and fast costs you less:whistle:

and costs you less on a big bike too....

[ducatilover]

and costs you less on a big bike too....

Oh the cost on bikes? I forgot about that :whistle: Too busy thinking about credit card payments for my whores.

[DarkLord]

I took my mates Bandit 1200 for a blast and didn't find the weight noticeably different. Got it round corners no trouble at all.

I agree, a 250 certainly has its plus points but after riding one for about a year and a half, and now having my full, I am very much looking forward to upgrading. The lack of power is what frustrates me. I get so fed up with having to work so hard just to pass one fugging car. Everything else about the 250 is fantastic - fuel economy and how forgiving the bike is to name a few points, and I fully agree riders should spend a good deal of time on the 250 before looking to upgrade, but at the same time I can understand why one would want to immediately.

[cowboyz]

Being able to power out of a corner also helps if you're on an unfamiliar road (as a tourer often is ). Not knowing the road means you must take the corner more slowly, to allow for the "WTF is on the other side " factor.

250s are more fun on familiar roads where you can fang them along. But long distances on unfamiliar roads, extra power is nice.

Of course a well set up big sprots bike will handle better than a BSA C10.

But, other things being equal, the smaller, lighter bike, with less crankshaft rotational inertai, will always handle better than a bigger heavier bike . Especially in the 'left, right, left' type corners.

absoultely. I brought the big bike when I started doing 1000k days. Much much more comfortable and easy to stack ks on because you dont have to work so hard at maintaining an average speed. There is a bit of a falicy that big bikes simply go everywhere faster but inside that falicy is a certain truth. Sure you could pick a 250 vs my bike (for instance) and pick a particular piece of road and I very well may get toasted on it. But for riding any kind of distance I would bank on a bigger bike every time. I am too old and responible to race round on the road or even care if someone gets to point B faster than me, however I do tend to ride a little faster than what is deemed acceptable when I feel like it.

[Kickaha]

Uhhu....Ben Spies would have no problem winning SBK on a gn250?



I just meant faster than you :bleh:

[xwhatsit]

I reckon GiJoe1313 (or Ixion for that matter) have got the right idea. A 100cc, a 250cc, a 350cc, should get a 500cc too, a 600cc, a thou...

They all ride differently. There's a road for every bike. I'm having just as much fun punting around on my 50cc Honda Super Cub around the suburbs as I did riding a TRX850 around Queensland.

250 is just a good size for a bike, though. Enough power to reach 100-110kph, small enough to make any corner a laugh. It's no wonder they've been such a popular size for a bike for the past few decades (NZ learner laws factor little into what the manufacturers choose to make). Most of the 250ccm bikes sold worldwide were bought because the owners wanted them... not because they `had to' because of the dumb government telling me I can't ride a Hayabusa just yet...

I've set myself back quite far in the `upgrade stakes' by refusing to sell my 250 in order to buy a big bike. If I flicked it off I would have enough money to own the big bike I want, but I can't give up my 250. It's far too much fun to ride, especially when I'm reminded $1 of riding expenses gets me far more grin-miles compared to a GSXR600.

[Indiana_Jones]

For me (I've just got off my old 250 onto a 600) the size on my 600 is much better then my 250.

I'm 6' 4" and the wide tank and comfty length on my Triumph are great.

The power is just waiting there for you at the twitch of your wrist. As Maki said, it feels like your doing 30 when you're really doing 60

Love having the power in reserve to get out of tight spots, where i felt the 250 was lacking, unless you dropped down like 4 gears lol

But there's no rush to jump of the 250 onto the first 600-1000 you find.

Take your time

-Indy

[Maki]

I took my mates Bandit 1200 for a blast and didn't find the weight noticeably different. Got it round corners no trouble at all.



The Hyosung is exceptionally heavy for a 250 and therefore a special case. I am sure you would find that a bike that has a dry weight of 150kg or less feels different.

[driftn]

I think good 250's (RGV's and the like) are great fun on a tight twisty road that you know, they will keep up or even beat the best of the big bikes (rider dependent) but on the other hand I had a pepsi RGV (may the lord have mercy on its soul) had a break from riding for 2 years then straight to my 750 SRAD and will never look back.

At the end of the day its six of one half a dozen of the other.
Corners are great fun but you still have to ride to get to them and around wellington where you have to ride 30k of motor way just to get to a fun bit of road I would definatly rather bee riding a big bike.

I dont belive in the whole start on a 250 then 400 then 600 then blah blah blah as every person is different, some are naturals and alot are not. We should all just let people work out what is best for them self.
Thats my little rant

[driftn]

especially when I'm reminded $1 of riding expenses gets me far more grin-miles compared to a GSXR600.

Thats only because a dollar will take the CB further than it will in a GSXR6.

[smoky]

A 250 has a lightness and flickability that heavier bikes with bigger tyres can not match.

'some heavier bikes' can not match, until you have to stop, a bit extra weight and bigger tyres come in real handy at times
And sure my bandit 1200 is heavier than any 250 I know of - but an R6? probably about the same weight as most 250? Bigger HP bikes are not always heavy


I used to ride a Kawaski 250 and now I ride a R6. Let me discuss the relative merits.

Coolness factor would go to the R6

Power would be the R6,

Handling. R6

So, ultimate cornering speed may be faster on a 600


Turn in and transition between corners is easier and faster on a 250 than a 600.
You're doing something wrong if thats the case - the R6 may require more skill than just chucking your 250 around, but it's one of the quickest bikes in the bends that I know of. If you were comparing your 250 to a bandit or a big harley I would agree with you, but not an R6.


The 600 has a lot more engine braking so you have to watch your downshifts, or the rear will get very twitchy. Same goes for accelarating out of corners, the more powerful bike may bite you if the surface is not perfect.
Again - once you get use to the difference you will find the extra power and engine braking an advantage in the corner, a lot more fun


General riding feeling. The 600 feels like it is rock solid .......the 250 just feels more like it is made of many pieces bolted together
R6 is better


Brakes. The brakes on the 600 are way better, and they have to be for obvious reasons.
R6 is better


So really you do think your 600 is better

You can have fun and enjoy any bike you ride in the right circumstances - I once had a race on a scooter, on a BMX track, there 4 of us - we only broke one of the scooters, but man did we have some fun on those bikes, but I wouldn't own one.

Question; would you go back to your 250 now you've had an R6?
Bet you wouldn't

[Maki]

Question; would you go back to your 250 now you've had an R6?
Bet you wouldn't

Never in a million years...

[The Pastor]

you're all wrong, cbr 250 RR was the best bike EVER built.

well it was till i got a hold of one and improved it 100 times!

[SixPackBack]

you're all wrong, cbr 250 RR was the best bike EVER built.

well it was till i got a hold of one and improved it 100 times!


BAHAHAHAHAHAH......next you'll be telling us virginity rocks!?..............
Well does it punk?:bleh:

[gatch]

I rode my spada for 4 years till it lost its desire to live..

I've ridden a bunch of biger bikes (not hard of course), I've had a few laps at the track on a couple of bikes and I can't say which is "better".

Most of my recreational riding has been done in twisty bits of road and for that I loved my 250, nothing more fun than working the gearbox to make any decent headway. Where as the same road on a bigger bike would simply be one or two gears, and some practise in throttle control.

BUT ! For longer trips/commuting/comfort/actual performance/hooliganism I would have loved a bigger bike if I could afford it. I definately think there is place for a 250 in most peoples garage. (it would seperate the riders from the point and shooters too)

[The Pastor]

BAHAHAHAHAHAH......next you'll be telling us virginity rocks!?..............
Well does it punk?:bleh:
differnt err strokes for differnt folks?

[del-solider]

I for one cant wait until get my full and upgrade to a bigger bike! :2thumbsup

I have done quite a few trackdays on my TZR and while its heaps of fun, especially scaring alot of the "Big" bikes through the corners i feel that's its time to move on a get something bigger.

I will however be keeping the TZR nothing beats a good ol thrashing on a two stroke :lol:

[p.dath]

I first got my bike learner's licence back in late the 1990's. I only moved to a 600 cc bike this year.

I had a couple of 250's over that time. I was having a lot of fun riding 250's, and didn't feel the need to go to a bigger bike.

But after nearly 10 years I was finding the 250's just didn't have anything more to offer me, so I finally made the shift. One big thing I noticed was the weight difference, which I could especially feel cornering. It made me very nervous for a while (but a track day helped fix that).

So unless your itching to go to a bigger bike, enjoy the one you are with! :-)

[MSTRS]

LoL. It does not chew through fuel, sprockets and chains at the same rate, does it?

Actually, I'd say that a GN would likely be similar, if not harder on those consumables. Esp the chains and sprockets, because the available parts are much lower quality. Tyres are another matter...
P.Dath has the idea.

[crazyhorse]

Too many people are in a hurry to change up - but part of the problem is that many riders actually need to learn how to ride - and its easier to learn on something that is nimble and light - without having the speed factor and un-predictability of a big bike to handle as well.

Advancing to a bigger bike should occur when the rider is confident - therefore guys, wait until you are off your restricted and are ready to change - every bike handles differently - but don't jump straight to a 1000cc - um.... that's dumb! work your way up there. You have a life time of riding ahead of you - just enjoy being out there and doing it.

[Mschvs]

I'll be sticking on a 250 for quite some time I think. Like you say, being slightly more nimble and forgiving allows a new rider to push a little and learn in the process, but not too fast that if you push a little too much, that you can't recover easily from it.

There's always times that you want just a little more power of course, but that's really just being greedy! I won't be upgrading until I feel like I have learnt everything I need to know about riding a 250, and then maybe waiting a year or so after that!!

[MSTRS]

Too many people are in a hurry to change up - but part of the problem is that many riders actually need to learn how to ride - and its easier to learn on something that is nimble and light - without having the speed factor and un-predictability of a big bike to handle as well.

Advancing to a bigger bike should occur when the rider is confident - therefore guys, wait until you are off your restricted and are ready to change - every bike handles differently - but don't jump straight to a 1000cc - um.... that's dumb! work your way up there. You have a life time of riding ahead of you - just enjoy being out there and doing it.

And how long that is, is up to the rider, eh?
Get a proper grounding on a suitable bike before making the next step.
It's really that simple.

[slydesigns]

My girl is itching for more go and has been looking at an Aprilia RS250... "OMG" I thought, is she mad?? BUT, she threw a leg over my D675 and went nuts on it last night, laughing the whole time! So tonight shes testing the RS250... Big step up still from her CBF250!!

Brazilians are insane I guess.

[tychver]

Real dry weights for 600s are getting close to 200kg. The 2006 R6 weighed 191kg with oil, water and petrol.

An NSR or RGV250 wearing tyga bodywork and pipes can get close to 130kg wet. They can also put out 65-70hp without much work. The power advantage of the 600s is negligible compared to the cornering and braking of the closest thing to a GP bike ever made (desmodeci excluded).

I'm already looking for an NSR :D

[NOWOOL]

Ok, I'll throw in my two cents worth.........
the biggest concern when moving up to a bigger bike is confidence. comfort and control placement have more to do with it than power or weight. pick a bike that you feel confident riding and braking and stopping. Ideally, both your feet should be firmly planted when you stop.
Somehow the importers got the idea that NZ can lag behind the rest of the world when it comes to bike advances so we end up with the crap of what the bike makers actually produce. While advances like traction control and ABS are commonplace on motorcycles in the rest of the world, we get stuck with old technology and higher prices (if you don't believe me then have a look at the mfr's web pages in other countries). The 'best buy' bikes in NZ are the BMW's. they don't gouge on based on currency exchange as bad as the other brands. Harley Davidson at least sells us the same bike it sells everywhere else. Wish I could say the same about the Jap bikes.
You have to try each style of bike and pick what works best for you. If you like cruisers and their weight is a concern, then add footboards - then they can't fall over. My Harley supposedly weighs 330 kgs and its far more comfortable to learn to ride than my GN250 (plus it can't fall over!).
Sport bikes in my opinion have digressed... in the 80's they were comfortable to ride with plenty of legroom and narrow seats; now you sit with pretzel legs and hope you don't have to stand up on the foot pegs going over a bridge or that the light turns green so you don't have to stop and put your feet down (you may be thinking i'm complaining because i'm short legged- I'm a little over 5'11. I'm sure that's above most japanese consumers).
Onto Dual-Purpose bikes......there isn't such a thing. it's a trade off. better to buy two bikes.

Crusiers.....you might as well buy a harley......otherwise its a copy of a Harley and when you ride it you'll hope people think its a Harley. I've noticed that when riding a Harley cars don't tailgate...could be the hells angel's image thing.....but i'm not complaining.

Auto transmissions.......the best thing to ever happen to motorcycles.....the less time gear changing the more time concentrating on the road......combine that with synchro abs and traction control and you end up with either the perfect bike (if a bike in NZ had all that) or a typical high end scooter.

ok.....i'm done....sorry for those I may offended......but then again they are probably easily offended and should toughen up before nature weeds them out.

[smoky]

Ok, I'll throw in my two cents worth.........

If you like cruisers and their weight is a concern, then add footboards - then they can't fall over.
My Harley supposedly weighs 330 kgs and its far more comfortable to learn to ride than my GN250 (plus it can't fall over!).

Sport bikes in my opinion have digressed... in the 80's they were comfortable to ride with plenty of legroom and narrow seats; now you sit with pretzel legs and hope you don't have to stand up on the foot pegs going over a bridge or that the light turns green so you don't have to stop and put your feet down

Crusiers.....you might as well buy a harley.........could be the hells angel's image thing.....

Auto transmissions.......the best thing to ever happen to motorcycles....

Dude! you should be a comedian, you either have no idea about riding or your post is a piss take - surely
:rofl::rofl::rofl:
There in lies an opinion from some one who just rides a motorbike, rather than someone who is a motorcyclist

[Rosie]

... Onto Dual-Purpose bikes......there isn't such a thing. it's a trade off. better to buy two bikes.
...

Every motorbike is a trade-off. It's great that you've found a bike that works for you. :yes:

[Brett]

I do agree, there is just as much fun to be had riding a decent 250 such as a ZXR or CBR rr as there is bigger bikes, however they just don't provide the thrill of the bigger bikes. I really do miss being able to ride the ZXR very hard on the road, even against the bigger bikes and it still being moderately safe. The same attitude on the gsxr will not be too great for my health.

[breakaway]

Fuck the health, I'm more worried about getting arrested for doing ridiculous speeds!@

[cowboyz]

to be fair. in the weeknd we went out for a 750km ride. getting in the big open sweepers I spent more time looking at my speedo than at the road.

[ready4whatever]

Thanks for the review. i sat on a 09 ninja250R today testing it in the shop and wondered about everything you just told us. still felt huge and felt like i was on a boat compared to my little DT. . leaning, rolling etc felt so awesome and i fell in love

[chef]

hmmm my 250 is boring me already i could do with a little extra power for passing etc. but only 1 more year to wait. (if i pass the tests)

[CM2005]

I've got a ZXR250 at the moment.. Il definitely agree that heavier bikes feel more "planted", when testing my 400 race bike (on closed roads) i have more confidence in it. Really enjoy the ZXR except for the revs. I've geared mine up, but it means every hill is 4th gear, though i rode from duniedin to AKL this year with no probs.. I'm looking forward to a bigger bike, but i'll probably build an RGV up for sunny sundays.

[wbks]

250cc people better appreciate how easy it is to stay under the speed limit on one

[SixPackBack]

250cc people better appreciate how easy it is to stay under the speed limit on one

Jebus H fookin CHRIST..............comparing a 250 to a 1000 is like admiting you would prefer an in grown cock with ovaries for testicles..........
Inverted penis=250
Cock as a scarf=1000

[wbks]

Jebus H fookin CHRIST..............comparing a 250 to a 1000 is like admiting you would prefer an in grown cock with ovaries for testicles..........
Inverted penis=250
Cock as a scarf=1000lol... Okay... All I was saying is that on a 250 there are a few good things you overlook until you are on a big bike. One of them is that you don't have to worry about losing your license just for rolling on the throttle for a second. Not to say that it'd make you want to go back to a 250, but things happen a lot faster on a modern 600 or bigger... Personally I didn't want a big bike to show everyone that I could wear my cock as a scarf (rather than your inverted penis thing...), but everyone's different.

[cowboyz]

3 tickets in 2 weeks making me think smaller big might be quite good!

[Dean]

After a few weeks of owning my zeal I wanted to sell it and get a full licence bike even though I wasnt on my full. Now after patience and hard work I find the Zeal is totally fine, because I can pin it really ride it till the red, good for commuting, wont cost as much as a gsxr600 when it falls.

I dont see no coolness factor in owning a r6 or any bike, the most ratchet unpopular person could own a 6hundy doesent mean they are cool or the bike. The fact that whether it be 250-1000 + you ride and have a passion for riding. Alot of adults I have seen treat motorcycles like a bragging, manly thing, they go out and get the biggest bikes and think they are the man. cough cough PHILL GOFF cough.

You can still have fun in very very twistie roads where the speed is more in you're 250's capabilities. Dont be stupid and spend 7grand on a hyosung or ninja wait it out with a cheaper then get a nice bike.

[Mekk]

If 250's looked and sounded as good as the bigger bikes I would have no problem sticking with them.

[SixPackBack]

Yeah I got no problem with my inverted dick. The men love it:mellow:

Let it go good buddy, honesty is never a crime.

[wbks]

Let it go good buddy, honesty is never a crime.Oh my god you are so funny. Everybody's laffin. Yeh.

[SixPackBack]

Oh my god you are so funny. Everybody's laffin. Yeh.

Not all son, the 250 riders are rubbing their crutches wishin' they wus REAL men:shifty:

[wbks]

I wouldn't know. Been a while since I was on a 250

[Dean]

Let it go good buddy, honesty is never a crime.

Thats funny, yeh

[Maki]

Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQEnLjuf-8

[Reido]

Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQEnLjuf-8

i wonder what the actual speed was though?

[Maki]

It's not the speed that is the impressive thing on that video, at least not to me. It is the brutal acceleration.

According to Bike (Britains best selling motorcycle magazine), these are the top speeds for the 2009 600cc sportsbikes. (April issue 2009)

Yamaha R6: 172.3 mph = 277 kmh
Honda 600RR: 165.5mph
Suzuki GSX-R600: 164.9 mph
Kawasaki: ZX-6R: 161.6 mph
Triumph 675: 158.5

So, hardly faster than 277
Remember, 100 kmh is the maximum speed on NZ roads. If you want to go faster, do it on a closed track.

[wbks]

Hey dean, why do you say that?

[dblancer]

See my concern with a bigger big is infact the weight and how easy that is to move around. I push my bike in and out of the backyard since its like a pathway AND sometimes when I park I get boxed in badly by scooters and other bikes at Uni. Can take a bit of effort to untangle my own bike.

Even as a learner I am beginning to use full throttle more and more, which means Im getting used to it. I'm noticing how old feeling the suspension is actually seeming when I corner, the power isnt so much holding me back, the age of the bike seems to be starting to appear evident.

As I'm all booked for my restricted and only at best have to do 3 months on a restriced I am looking at bigger bikes.
I find myself strangely attracted to early 90s 400s such as a VFR and ZZR's and ZXR's
Trying to find that balance between more power and still a bike I can handle.

I don't know how wise it is rushing out and getting a 100HP+ bike when only having 36HP to play with at the moment. 400s are around 60HP and appear quite affordable.

[Reido]

my main issue was this

1998 VFR400 NC30 "182.0 kg" (Dry)
2007 R6 "161.9 kg" (Dry)
(from www.bikez.com)

Power I can handle, thats under my control. My Self control when I start riding my R6 is going to have to be solid. I think I can do it.

[wbks]

It'd better be... But I'm guessing that your first ride out will see you over 260km/h (which only takes rolling on in 6th gear).

[Reido]

hell no
i cannot take a risk like that. maybe one day i'll try that, but only on a track.

[wbks]

That's what I would have said, but it's so easy! Anyway, whether you speed or not, I'm sure you'll enjoy the extra power. Passing cars will be a hell of a lot easier than with your ninja

[Maki]

Handling. Once cornering the 600 feels more stable, planted and it feels like it could corner faster. Turn in and transition between corners is easier and faster on a 250 than a 600. The 600 has a lot more engine braking so you have to watch your downshifts, or the rear will get very twitchy. Same goes for accelarating out of corners, the more powerful bike may bite you if the surface is not perfect. So, ultimate cornering speed may be faster on a 600 but the 250 is nimbler and more forgiving.


I take that back. The suspension of the R6 can me adjusted to change things quite a lot. The way mine is set up now, turn in and nimbleness is very similar to the Ninja 250R. You can dial in more stability or more nimbleness according to your preference.

[Chrisnewtobikes]

I only have a gn250,but its great,love riding around,easy to work on and loads of spare out there and cheep to :Punk:

[Maki]

I only have a gn250,but its great,love riding around,easy to work on and loads of spare out there and cheep to :Punk:

Great, enjoy, good bike. I have some misgivings about your username though. Do you realize you can not change it? You won't want to be called new to bikes a few years down the track, will you?

[Hiflyer]

Great, enjoy, good bike. I have some misgivings about your username though. Do you realize you can not change it? You won't want to be called new to bikes a few years down the track, will you?

You can change it, you just gotta know who to ask :shifty:

[Dean]

Hey dean, why do you say that?

About the patience with a cheaper 250? Because I "could" get a ninja if I really wanted to or I "could" get a hyosung because it costs so much and it looks alright. But I "dont" because im learning on my restricted so I need a cheaper just in case I crash it.

Im not going to go for my full when my waiting time finishes, just because the waiting time finishes doesent mean I am ready. It is until I can convicnce myself and a mentor that I have enough skills for the road then i will go for my full - Thats what maturity is, sadly many riders pshycologically cant wait it out.

[Jonno.]

Get over yourself bro...

[Dean]

While I do that you get over you're self.

[wbks]

About the patience with a cheaper 250? Because I "could" get a ninja if I really wanted to or I "could" get a hyosung because it costs so much and it looks alright. But I "dont" because im learning on my restricted so I need a cheaper just in case I crash it.

Im not going to go for my full when my waiting time finishes, just because the waiting time finishes doesent mean I am ready. It is until I can convicnce myself and a mentor that I have enough skills for the road then i will go for my full - Thats what maturity is, sadly many riders pshycologically cant wait it out.I said why do did you say "more like a month" when I said it's been a while since I've ridden a 250? Have we met? As far as I can remember, the only 250 I've ridden in quite a while (apart from a bucket racer) was a hired one for my full test...

Like the other dude said, you need to get over your self (or at least not convince yourself you know it all when it comes to everyone who's ever held a bike license). "many riders" don't go for their full because they can as soon as the time expires, they go for it because they think/know they're ready for it. And it's not sad, what is sad is that you think other riders who get their full license as soon as they can are somehow psychologically deficient. btw it's "Your". "You're" means "you are"

[Dean]

I said why do did you say "more like a month" when I said it's been a while since I've ridden a 250? Have we met? As far as I can remember, the only 250 I've ridden in quite a while (apart from a bucket racer) was a hired one for my full test...

Like the other dude said, you need to get over your self (or at least not convince yourself you know it all when it comes to everyone who's ever held a bike license). "many riders" don't go for their full because they can as soon as the time expires, they go for it because they think/know they're ready for it. And it's not sad, what is sad is that you think other riders who get their full license as soon as they can are somehow psychologically deficient. btw it's "Your". "You're" means "you are"

You told me a month ago you recently bought the gsxr via pm, so it would of only been a month of you're 250 right? Give or take a little, im sorry if I got it wrong.

I dont know it all when It comes to everyone whos ever held a bike licence FFS man I never said that and dam you for accusing me of that, however I know common sense. I can name many kbers who admit they dont really think they are up to skill they just want to get their full so they can buy there bike they so desperately need. If someone told you " I want to buy a hayabusa, I cant wait for my full to buy one because I want to turn up to school in it before I leave for my last year" If you told them what I said would that mean you "know everything".

[wbks]

You told me a month ago you recently bought the gsxr via pm, so it would of only been a month of you're 250 right? Give or take a little, im sorry if I got it wrong.

I dont know it all when It comes to everyone whos ever held a bike licence FFS man I never said that and dam you for accusing me of that, however I know common sense. I can name many kbers who admit they dont really think they are up to skill they just want to get their full so they can buy there bike they so desperately need. If someone told you " I want to buy a hayabusa, I cant wait for my full to buy one because I want to turn up to school in it before I leave for my last year" If you told them what I said would that mean you "know everything".No, I sold the 250 quite a while before that, and have been riding bigger bikes for a while. I would not tell them anything because it's none of my business. If anything I would try to scab a ride off them, and if they were asking for advice I would suggest something more user friendly for a learner. I see what you're saying though, and reading it again over dinner I might have taken it the wrong way. Sorry!:laugh:

[Dean]

No, I sold the 250 quite a while before that, and have been riding bigger bikes for a while. I would not tell them anything because it's none of my business. If anything I would try to scab a ride off them, and if they were asking for advice I would suggest something more user friendly for a learner. I see what you're saying though, and reading it again over dinner I might have taken it the wrong way. Sorry!:laugh:

Oh I see. I just care for some of them, dont want to see them hurt themselves just to get a bike to show off at school or impress their gf etc. I wouldnt ride the hayabusa for em, unless it were restricted to like 40 horses thats all I need lol. No my bad, sorry for lashing out.

[Maki]

Oh I see. I just care for some of them, dont want to see them hurt themselves just to get a bike to show off at school or impress their gf etc. I wouldnt ride the hayabusa for em, unless it were restricted to like 40 horses thats all I need lol. No my bad, sorry for lashing out.

The Hayabusa, and any other bike IS restricted to whatever you want it to be. It's YOUR wrist. You decide how far you twist it, not the bike. Riding a powerful bike is just as much about self control as it is skill. If you can not control yourself no amount of skill will save your ass. If you can control yourself, then riding a powerful bike does not really take much more skill than a 250.

[Dean]

The Hayabusa, and any other bike IS restricted to whatever you want it to be. It's YOUR wrist. You decide how far you twist it, not the bike. Riding a powerful bike is just as much about self control as it is skill. If you can not control yourself no amount of skill will save your ass. If you can control yourself, then riding a powerful bike does not really take much more skill than a 250.

Ive heard of that before "its all in the wrist" I definately respect your view point on this and Im not an experienced rider like you're, me personally I dont think its as simple as self controll (I know I havent got experience on big powerfull bikes but my zeal can get me in trouble just as some scooters can, same concept). Surely a powerfull bike would require being opened up now and then instead of me labouring it around at 50kph all day, and it is human nature to atleast once open the throttle is it not? Being a powerfull bike it would make me get from point A to Point B faster than most road users so braking incase a person pulls out would be hard. Acceleration would surely be quite jumpy, little mistakes like leaning on the throttle at traffc lights - front end comes up.

[Maki]

Surely a powerfull bike would require being opened up now and then instead of me labouring it around at 50kph all day, and it is human nature to atleast once open the throttle is it not? .

You have a good point. Yes, she must be opened up now and again, she demands it. I guess it does take some skill and experience to understand where and when it is safe to do so.

[Dean]

I guess it does take some skill and experience to understand where and when it is safe to do so.

Thats what I dont have hence my reason for not wanting to even hop on a powerfull superbike until I and a mentor are confident I am ready however long that may take. Im sure with your r6 you made sure you were in the right mindset to ride it, you were confident in your skills.

[racefactory]

my main issue was this

1998 VFR400 NC30 "182.0 kg" (Dry)
2007 R6 "161.9 kg" (Dry)
(from www.bikez.com)

Power I can handle, thats under my control. My Self control when I start riding my R6 is going to have to be solid. I think I can do it.

Total bull, don't know where you got that toss from. An NC30 is 165kg, amazing considering it is 20 years old. Even reputable performance bike magazines such as the Uk's PB admit with ease that the VFR will out corner an R6, this bike is special and should be left out of this comparison. Got the full review on it, corner trap speeds and all, the thing just lays waste to bigger bikes. NC30 is one special bike..

I haven't taken a litre bike peg and knee down, neither braking to the point of lock or anything, so i can't contribute to the general argument here. However I can't imagine riding anything faster around a corner than a TZR250 the thing is insane, and i'll admit too that with peg and knee down it's faster than the NC30. Of course I'm talking on behalf of the RGV's and the NSR. 118kg, for christ's sake that's 10kg lighter than a tiny pos ginny 250. Sorry guys surely you can't compare these insane machines to the big bikes?

Used to do quite a bit of roundabout surfing on a rarely used roundabout and really got a feel for mid corner speed at full lean, there is a difference. Can't describe it too accurately as you are certainly not in the best position to eye your speedo when you've got the bike fully cranked just at the point before the front goes vague, with just over a 60kph max speed on a tzr250 the nc30 was definately a little short of the 60 mark and also felt that way too, in other words am sure it was not down to speedo error. Lol ok post over, I find this stuff interesting.

[Reido]

Total bull, don't know where you got that toss from. An NC30 is 165kg, amazing considering it is 20 years old. Even reputable performance bike magazines such as the Uk's PB admit with ease that the VFR will out corner an R6, this bike is special and should be left out of this comparison. Got the full review on it, corner trap speeds and all, the thing just lays waste to bigger bikes. NC30 is one special bike..

Im not putting the VFR down or anything
i really considered getting one. But for me the looks is very important (im shallow lol ) and the R6 just looks soo fuckin sexy :love:

VFR still looks nice, especially the one with anger eyebrows, very cool.

Might get one as a 2nd bike once i pay off my R6 :Punk:

[racefactory]

Im not putting the VFR down or anything
i really considered getting one. But for me the looks is very important

sorry man i know, didnt mean it that way.

[Hiflyer]

Talk about a "Thread of Bitching"!!!

[Reido]

Talk about a "Forum of Bitching"!!!

Fix'd

Its what KB is all about :2thumbsup

lol.... i love KB >_>

[Hiflyer]

Fix'd

Its what KB is all about :2thumbsup

lol.... i love KB >_>

Not so much you but just Dean and WBKS and Dean and short circuit and dean and many others :whistle:

[Reido]

Not so much you but just Dean and WBKS and Dean and short circuit and dean and many others :whistle:

well thats dean for ya,
he's all good in person though lol

[Hiflyer]

well thats dean for ya,
he's all good in person though lol

Yea I know. met him ages ago on the 250 ride you organised




:Offtopic:

[wbks]

Not so much you but just Dean and WBKS and Dean and short circuit and dean and many others :whistle:





Shut your face, you ride a hyovag

[Hiflyer]

Shut your face, you ride a hyovag

So? I like it.

[wbks]

And I like bitching about someone I've never met. I was just joining in with KBs national sport!

[glanvillejon]

I had loads of fun on my GN250 when I was on my learners, until I got my bandit and I discovered what fun really was! GN was great to learn on tho, very forgiving in everyway.

[Jules13]

I know a lot of 250 riders out there wonder what a bigger bike feels like. Many of you think that pootling around on a 250 for a year is some kind of torture and can't wait to ditch your bike for something big and grunty. I have news for you, riding a 250 is not all bad. If for example you like riding sportsbikes in twisties, then the right 250 may give you some things that a bigger bike can't. A 250 has a lightness and flickability that heavier bikes with bigger tyres can not match. I used to ride a Kawaski 250 and now I ride a R6. Let me discuss the relative merits.

Coolness factor. That is obvious so I won't even go into it.

Power. You will never ever find yourself riding with the throttle pinned for any significant length of time on the R6, while on a 250 you could sit there for ages with everything wide open. The extra power is nice but it can kill you if you are not very careful. Having to give it everything, revving to the limit and using the gears effectively on the 250 can be fun. Scaring yourself on the 600 can also be fun.

Handling. Once cornering the 600 feels more stable, planted and it feels like it could corner faster. Turn in and transition between corners is easier and faster on a 250 than a 600. The 600 has a lot more engine braking so you have to watch your downshifts, or the rear will get very twitchy. Same goes for accelarating out of corners, the more powerful bike may bite you if the surface is not perfect. So, ultimate cornering speed may be faster on a 600 but the 250 is nimbler and more forgiving.

General riding feeling. The 600 feels like it is rock solid and it feels like it is going slower at any given speed. What stands out most is that feeling of solidity, the 250 just feels more like it is made of many pieces bolted together and free to move a bit relative to each other while the 600 feels like one solid piece.

Brakes. The brakes on the 600 are way better, and they have to be for obvious reasons.

In summary the 600 is not better than the 250 in every way and you can have plenty of fun riding on the 250. It is a different and less dangerous type of fun than the one commonly had on a 600.

So, when you get your full license, should you be in a huge hurry to ditch your 250? I think not, take your time and consider carefully if you want a change and what you want to change to.

That is the greatest review/ explanation I have read. I have stayed on my 250 for such a long time and have just bought another, the 08 ninja. I am also looking for a bigger bike and are finding it difficult to decide. Now for a start I will keep the ninja. Secondly I have got my head around something else that will help me. I am looking for a bike that will suit the way I ride but the way I ride suits a 250 and I will need to change and adapt or I will be disappointed at the handling and may have to change my pants a lot if I expect the bigger bike to handle with such ease like the ninja. I still dont know what to get for certain but I also have a heads up on differences in corner handling for test riding. I have been riding for a while but love to learn from others . Thanks

[gatch]

I rode my spada for 5 years cause I knew, KNEW that if I was to get a litre bike I'd either be in jail before long or 6 feet under.

Nothing much has changed, I have some better skills than when I first started riding, except I blew up the 250, so thought I'd get a bigger bike, a NC30 :D

O boy, I can't wait to pick her up..