Is your bike better than you, are as a rider?

[rocketman1]

I admit that my SV1000 is better than I am, I have not got the ability or balls to gets the best out of this bike. Makes me wonder, I was thinking of buying a Hayabusa or a GSXR100 before I bought the SV.
I'm glad I came to my senses and realised my abilities.
I wonder how many of us Bikers have bought a bike that is far too much for their abilities and have got in trouble because the bike is better than them as riders.
To buy R1 a GSXR, Busa etc and tootle around like nana's to me is a complete waste of time and money.
It would also be embarrassing on track days ( or fast group rides) to be riding a powerful sports bike only to be passed by dudes on BMW touring bikes with their wife on the back.
To be honest I think I'm about OK on my SV, pushing to 7/10-8/10 sometimes, but possibly my extended ability is that I could only give something like a 650 V Strom 10/10ths. ( may be more my fit)?
To the same extent there are probably riders out there that are far better than their bikes, That is they push their old bikes beyond there capabilities and come to grief as a consequence.
Wondering who else out there thinks their better than their bike or their bikes are way better than them.
Be Honest !!

[riffer]

Of course my bike is better than me. Otherwise, I'd be crashing it all the time going over its limits.

[Chisanga]

I ride my striple like a nana most of the time. The bike's abilities far surpass my own. But it is my bike, I love it, I love riding it and it doesn't matter to me in the slightest if someone thinks I don't ride it as well as I (or they) could/should :)

[Juzz976]

Well my bike has only done 7,800km's and I'm 5 years older than it so I must be more experience then it.

Seriously tho, sometimes I know I could push the FZR a bit harder. Sometimes think oh maybe I'm pushing it too hard but then its only lost traction and I'm still in control. I'll take it to a track and find out oneday.

Bigger bikes are a bit more intimidating to me and I tend to ride a more mellow pace, they are still better than me.

[Molly]

Not sure what you mean. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that could get my bike around a circuit more quickly than me but that's not what it's ever been about for me.

Some bikes handle right up to the limit then it all goes pear shaped in a moment. Other bikes give you some warning that you're starting to take the piss. I prefer the latter.

[grusomhat]

In my very limited opinion, most new 600cc+ bikes these days have more power than people can use (on the road at the very least).

[short-circuit]

That's like asking if your skateboard is a better piece of equipment than it's user - or even a hammer and chisel. I think we all know the answer is....








written in the stars above

[bogan]

it sure is, just upgraded from a vt250f2 as I was starting to get as good as it was. Now the bros is far better than I am, though not by such a margin that I dont use it properly. Such a thing would probably have happened had you got a busa without being ready, all the power would rarely get used, and knowing that a wrong move could send you skywards would make you much more cautious and have less fun with the bike.... least i think thats how it goes?

like an ugly old bloke having sex with a supermodel... no wait, probly not a good analogy. How bout like a kid with a deagle instead of an air pistol; way less performance, and dangerous for all concerned. Actually, that applies to the first anology as well :laugh:

[FruitLooPs]

Hell even my RG150 could out do my skill level on the track, I felt like I was getting right into it really giving it death and yet the front runners were miles ahead.

It went as far as I dared and probably then some. My old gsxr750 will surely surpass my skill level, even with a skeletal box frame, but i'm not phased really. :yes:

[PrincessBandit]

Most definitely my bike is better than me. No question or doubt about that.
However, I am certain that it doesn't worry my bike one iota that it is owned by a nana. It certainly doesn't worry me that my bike gets ridden by "one careful lady owner" hahahaha

[Toaster]

I prefer to just enjoy riding my bike. Who cares how fast it could possibly go. I am not and never will be a Rossi wannabe. I'd rather stay alive and have fun at my own relaxed pace.

The only bikes I pass are usually going the other direction.

The low flying Hayabusa is a powerful beast and should be ridden with respect. Definitely best on open roads and in skillful hands.

[86GSXR]

I thought my previous Tiger was pretty good, until I pushed it too far and it bit me. Well actually, to be precise I should say it was the tyre and suspension that bit me, but the end result was the same :pinch: Now I have another one which I treat much more carefully.

[Juzz976]

Come to think of it, the bike must be better than me because the cops always seem to give me the tickets and never the bike.

[Gremlin]

CB900 is probably below me... KTM is comfortably above me...

I just enjoy riding... :ride:

[Pussy]

My sem fiddy is WAY more capable than I am!....

[Trudes]

Definitely, for both my bikes, my MB100 has crap loads more to teach me. Until I can go around every corner with my knee on the ground and the throttle pinned it will be better than me.

[TimeOut]

My bike is way better than me, but I have faith (in the bike) now that if I do for some reason judge a corner wrong I can rely on the bike to get me through

[Owl]

My bike is way more capable than than I am! I didn't push it to the limit before and now with recent suspension upgrades, that limit is further away.

[hayd3n]

To the same extent there are probably riders out there that are far better than their bikes, That is they push their old bikes beyond there capabilities and come to grief as a consequence
yup
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=1129442914&postcount=18

[davebullet]

vifferman is right.

I've never ridden an SV1000 but the SV650 stock suspension is shite. That's one of the reasons I feel unconfident to push my bike more.

I don't ride my bike to its limits because I'm not confident through rutty or uneven surfaces. Even if this wasn't an issue, I'd still not take it to the limits (my exhaust and swingarm would ground before the edge of the 160/60 tyre was reached... have you seen the profile on the PR2s? Chicken strips are much easier to get rid of on a 180/55 section - IMHO).

If I was touring with a pillion or a decent load, I'd definitely want a larger capacity machine (for torque reasons) and a fairing.

Otherwise the SV650 is a good level of power and torque for NZ roads and our speed limits.

[been_there]

Had a few wee moments...
But my mistress has got me through.

So yes she is better than the rider....RESPECT!!!

(Mistress = bike ie More time ridin her than my wife) :dodge:

[javawocky]

While watching Top Gear recently :jerry: Clarkson was hooning around a corner in some 300hp front wheel drive hot catch with blue smoke streaming out the front wheels complaining that the car can't handle all the power.

He is right, but that isn't the point, all the power is not ment for the corner its meant for the straight bits!

In everyday riding the SV is probably only using 10% of its power and cornering ability, but all the excess power comes in very handy when you want to quickly and safely zip past an old SUV poring harmful fumes into your lungs.

Was amazed on the track as well, I remember thinking there is no way you could ride at this level on the road without getting thrown in jail really really fast, or dieing a swift horrible death in the face of oncoming traffic.

Anway, get a big bike that scares you. Respect it :baby: . Keep learning from it. I am soooo bored with the gs500 loan bike - hurry up and fix my bike suzuki!

[Leyton]

My 49cc 6.5hp Watercooled PocketRocket is better than I am :)

[imdying]

To buy R1 a GSXR, Busa etc and tootle around like nana's to me is a complete waste of time and money.That says more about you than anything else. You will always find people faster than you. You would be hard pressed to buy a sportsbike that isn't 'better' than you. Given your logic, you should have brought the SV650 instead.

Just buy whatever floats your boat and enjoy it, who really cares if you ride it like it's capable of? Slow and steady has a lot of appeal when you're visiting mates in hospital.

Even my little watercooled minimoto is around 6hp, and it's more than I can handle at times... I still wouldn't want to do without it though!

[neels]

I know I'm riding well within the limits of my tired old 600.

I'm good with that.

[White trash]

No way. I've yet to own a bike I haven't totaled due to it falling short of my god like abilities.

Fucken Rossi's bike wouldn't be good enough for me, I doubt it'd get through the first turn before it all falling apart like a cheap watch.

[Headbanger]

I'd be weary of anyone who claims to be able to out ride their bike, You live on the limit and that's where you will die, And it won't be the bikes fault.

[MaxCannon]

Well the new one is

I think I outgrew the Bandit, nothing wrong with it but I was riding it to the limit.

I've yet to find the limits of the BMW, and I don't think I will until I have it on the track.

[White trash]

I'd be weary of anyone who claims to be able to out ride their bike, You live on the limit and that's where you will die, And it won't be the bikes fault.
C'mon, you can't be serious. You expect me to believe that without too much effort you couldn't easily overstep the abilities of the Convertible? Really?

Sure, my post was tongue in cheek, but you've gotta be taking the piss.

[slofox]

Well. Yes, my bike is better than I am...but then so is pretty well everything and everyone...according to the ex anyway...

To be honest, I am still learning on the current bike after 20 odd months of owning it...

[Slyer]

My bike needs to be better than me to make up for the fact that I'm a crap rider!

[jetboy]

I've only been (road) riding for about half a year now, racked up 12,000km and am definitely getting better...but I still have much to learn.

On the road I am relatively confident and am happy with my abilites, and on track I am able to knee down but have heaps more to learn before I am at the bike's limit.

[avgas]

Usually I would say bike is better.

But with the SRX.....I am above it.
So much so I need to upgrade. But first I should get it road legal

[centaurus]

No matter how good you are and how slow/crap your bike is, there will always be somebody that can ride it harder than you. If you can knee down through all the corners, I'm sure there are people that can wheelie it through all the corners. :clap:

On the other hand, a rider can be too crap for his/her bike :Pokey:

And NO - if you end up crashing it, it doesn't mean you're better than it and you pushed it beyond its limits. It just means that you don't know the bike at all.

[crazyhorse]

I have a bike that will outride me.......... but its fun trying as hard as I can to outride it.

:scooter:

[Headbanger]

C'mon, you can't be serious. You expect me to believe that without too much effort you couldn't easily overstep the abilities of the Convertible? Really?

Sure, my post was tongue in cheek, but you've gotta be taking the piss.

Went for a ride this morning, Sun was shining, I was out on the back roads, I hit the main road, passed a couple of trucks, entered a series of corners, Powered through them, The feeling of elation was building and I let out a holler of pure joy as I came through the 4th successive corner, I look down at the speedo and its reading 170km/h, leaned over,powering round a corner on a Harley. Fuck yeah I think to myself, No one on KB would believe this unless they were here with me.

Wait, what was the question?

Oh yeah, Harley's and bikes under 400cc don't count.

[Okey Dokey]

My gsxr is easily way better than me as a rider. BUT, I love it, it is my bike and I don't care if I ride like a girl- hell, I AM a girl!

Can't be worried that other people are pointing at me and saying I have wasted money or whatever. I have pleased myself, and I am the one who matters in this scenario, after all.

[Thani-B]

My bike is way better than me, but I have faith (in the bike) now that if I do for some reason judge a corner wrong I can rely on the bike to get me through

Ditto. Is it wrong to put so much faith in the bike?

[Tank]

I ride my striple like a nana most of the time. The bike's abilities far surpass my own. But it is my bike, I love it, I love riding it and it doesn't matter to me in the slightest if someone thinks I don't ride it as well as I (or they) could/should :)

That post sums up my views 100%.

[short-circuit]

That's like asking if your skateboard is a better piece of equipment than it's user - or even a hammer and chisel. I think we all know the answer is....








written in the stars above

This brilliantly astute post represents my view 20%

[Tank]

This brilliantly astute post represents my view 20%

smartarse! :niceone:

[Gremlin]

No way. I've yet to own a bike I haven't totaled due to it falling short of my god like abilities.

Fucken Rossi's bike wouldn't be good enough for me, I doubt it'd get through the first turn before it all falling apart like a cheap watch.
Ah, you're a fan of bowling too? :Pokey:

[rocketman1]

Interesting that only 1 out of 31 replies so far reckon they use the bike to its full potential, and are better than the bike.
To be expected though.
Too push a bike to its limits in cornering, power and handling must be a satisfying experience.
To know you have mastered the bike completely (owned it ) what a buzz.
Give me something better....bring it on.......

[dipshit]

Too push a bike to its limits in cornering, power and handling must be a satisfying experience.
To know you have mastered the bike completely (owned it ) what a buzz.
Give me something better....bring it on.......


blah blah blah...

I wonder if there are as many wankers in performance car circles...???

[Gremlin]

Too push a bike to its limits in cornering, power and handling must be a satisfying experience.
To know you have mastered the bike completely (owned it ) what a buzz.
The easiest way to get towards the limits of a bike is simply to have a bike with higher limits, know how to ride it, then ride something with lower limits.

Not a good idea to try exceeding the bikes limits on a regular basis if you're on the road.

[grusomhat]

The easiest way to get towards the limits of a bike is simply to have a bike with higher limits, know how to ride it, then ride something with lower limits.

Not a good idea to try exceeding the bikes limits on a regular basis if you're on the road.

No, riding on the limit means there's no where to go when shit hits the fan.