CBR250RR

[jrandom]

Took one of these for a blat today. The usual comments apply, made a decent amount of power for a 250, handled crisply, almost got snapped doing about 170 by a cop near the Mt Wellington turnoff (d'oh!)

One thing I found was that the footpeg position just *killed* my knees (until I got off the motorway and started shifting my weight around, anyway). Has anyone else found this? Since I won't be allowed to play on a Real Bike for a while yet, can someone with experience of both weigh in with an opinion on how this compares to typical bigger-cube sportbikes? It's difficult to tell just sitting still on them whether they'll be bearable or not. That little CBR was just too cramped.

Of course this is all academic at this stage but I'm curious as to whether I'm going to be forever damned as one of the non-hardcore who can't get on GSXRs, CBRs and wotnot without aches and pains...

[k14]

Yeah i wouldnt mind knowing this aswell. I bought my CBR250RR a few weeks ago and the riding position seemed quite different from my old VT250, lol.

I get quite sore wrist if i ride for about 10 mins or more. But it is worth it. I think they are made for shorter people (asians). Being 6ft probably is at the higher end of the scale for people to ride it.

My knees at first felt like they stuck out. But if you stick your bum right at the back of the seat it seems alright.

Damn, 170kph, thats all ive got mine up to. Did you loose your licence??

[Motoracer]

You should get that deristricter going on trademe for cheap. You'll prolly get 200+ out of your bike. If you have to get it brand new, it'll cost ya heaps!

[k14]

You should get that deristricter going on trademe for cheap. You'll prolly get 200+ out of your bike. If you have to get it brand new, it'll cost ya heaps!

Got a link? I couldnt seem to find it.

[Motoracer]

Got a link? I couldnt seem to find it.

Here ya go:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/mcat-0001%2D0026%2D0135%2D/0001-0026-0135-/auction-8035191.htm

[MrMelon]

I got one of those M-max boxes off trademe last week for $10 for the tzr :D

Picking the bike up from the shop in about 30 mins :O

[Hitcher]

A lot of bikes are built for short-arses -- I struggle to read all of the instruments on the Blackbird and ZX12! Tragic. We won't talk about big heads at this juncture but.
:sly:

[jrandom]

Damn, 170kph, thats all ive got mine up to. Did you loose your licence??

Nope. Hence my comment 'almost got snapped'. I was doing an indicated 170 when I saw him pointing the radar toward me and I grabbed the brakes. He didn't pursue, just picked up his radio and started talking as I drove past. No other HP guys showed up for the next several kays though. I'm guessing he had the gun pointed at a different lane or something and didn't get a lock fast enough as I crested the hill.

A lucky escape for Mr Heroic CBR Test Pilot eh? :banana:

[jrandom]

btw, this bike had an aftermarket Arrow end can and it was fecking LOUD! I mean really REALLY friggin' *LOUD*! Just riding along at 100kph or so I was wishing I'd put earplugs in.

[sAsLEX]

I am about the same height as k14 and don't have any problems with my knees. The only thing is wrists get a bit sore after riding for a while :doctor: , but have found by adjusting the way I sit can take the pressure off the wrists( while cruising anyway ).

[k14]

Yeah, apparantly the arrows are quiter than the Roo Racing ones. 120db at 5000rpm for the Roo's. At that intensity, osh reccomends ear plugs and ear muffs to stop you from going deaf :eek5:

So i just need to save up $600 and you aucklanders should be able to hear me from down in new plymouth :laugh:

[slob]

The seat height on my '89 FZR400 gave my knees a bit of grief too, but I fixed it somewhat by bolting on some rubber doorstoppers under the seat and thus raising it by about 3cm. Now knees are happier (or were until I knocked one of them on a cat-eye reflector thingy on the road at 110+ kmph - :shit: ) and handling/braking have improved due to more weight being on front.

[Redstar]

When I bought My 400 zxr I borrowed a tape measure and measured the geometry of the bike like the distance from the pegs to the bar ends etc.
and I found very little difference between the FZR,CBR,ZXR. the saleman said "Its how it feels mate" or something? I ignored his questionable wisdom and continued with my science. but what made the difference is the fuel tank shape. you need somewhere to put your knees and the ZXR offered the best tank shape.
Its still to small frankly but the best of the bunch for me 6 footish.
these Japs average 5ft 4 so naturally they are happy chaps. not sure about 250s but it your Knees are happy your Bum will follow suit.
thats my advice GXR400 are tiny if fast!

[riffer]

GXR400 are tiny if fast!I know what you mean. I'm not the biggest (5 foot 10.5, 95 kilos), but when I was looking for my bike I tried out a GSXR400R and, while it was quick (well, the top end anyway) it seemed tiny.

My FZR750 has nice cutouts in the tank for the knees, and I'll be honest, I've not noticed it hurting my knees. New Years Day was 600kms Upper Hutt - Napier - Upper Hutt. The hard seat was more the problem. And I've ACL and medial ligament reconstructions on the left knee.

You look at least my size on that FXR jrandom. Maybe you'll just have to wait until you get the full licence and then go for a naked thou'.

I can still remember going from my GP125 to a Honda CB350 twin 18 years ago. It was lovely to have some room to move, even if the CB350 was pretty slow by todays standards - about 30hp if I remember correctly.

In the meantime though, I guess it can't hurt to try as many 250s as you like :msn-wink:

[Motu]

Maybe I should ride sports bikes :sick: dirt bikes are certainly not made for short arses.

[SPman]

A short arse for a trailie would be about 6'6, wouldnt he?

[jrandom]

You look at least my size on that FXR jrandom. Maybe you'll just have to wait until you get the full licence and then go for a naked thou'.

You'd be right. Same weight and an inch shorter. So not exactly beanpole-shaped.

And yeah, the naked thou idea is starting to look very attractive. Something Bandit-ish. A friend will be selling his XJR1300 in a year or so, which will be good timing for me, so I might hang on until then and take it off his hands at a bargain price. I've had a sit on it and it seems to fit me nicely.

[Coldkiwi]

Sports bikes can be tall as well. My GSXR seat is 830mm off the ground and it does make me stretch more than the ZX-6R did (I'm 5 10") but it's not unbearable. The pegs are bloody high though so you can still get sore leg joints on a bigger bike.
I don't think its the capacity of the bike that drives the riding position at all, more just what the bike is intended to do. So a ZX12 or R1 will make you a lot more uncomfortable and hard pressed to push it round than a ZZR250 of the same weight.

Course... just cause ya short doesn't mean you can't ride a tall bike. you just need to be good! :)

[slob]

I don't think its the capacity of the bike that drives the riding position at all, more just what the bike is intended to do. So a ZX12 or R1 will make you a lot more uncomfortable and hard pressed to push it round than a ZZR250 of the same weight.
From my observations, a lot of heavier large capacity sports bikes (esp v-twins) seem to have a higher seat to create more leverage for tipping them over when cornering. My old TL1000S (835 mm) felt nearly as high as the trail-bike I had before it (KLX650 - 960mm).


Course... just cause ya short doesn't mean you can't ride a tall bike. you just need to be good! :)
Yeah, I agree, although with the KLX650 I had to hop off at every red light and have on leg on the ground and one leg on the seat! ;)

[georgedubyabush]

I think you just get used to it. I find the z650 less comfortable with it's big pudgy seat and upright riding position, just because i'm used to the zxr elbows on knees. Or maybe I just have abnormally long arms and short legs.

Since you were testing it pretty hard, you probably had a death grip on it too, and not as relaxed as you would be if you owned it.

[wkid_one]

So a ZX12 or R1 will make you a lot mor:)e uncomfortable and hard pressed to push it round than a ZZR250 of the same weight.


Gotta disagree - the R1 was mint for comfort - and I am over 6'. Nice big seat, comfy riding position and not too much pressure on the wrists. As for flick ability - this has a lot more to do with CoG and balance than the size/weight of the bike.

I would question the lack of 'push a roundability' of the R1/GSXR/954 in comparison to the 250cc - at the end of the day - they aren't giving that much weight up to them and that which they do is mainly held down low - not an issue for flickability. A ZZR weighs 148dry whilst an R1 170, Blade 168 - hardly much of a difference really. You also need to consider unsprung weight and gyroscopic weight - all of which the modern sports bike attempt to minimize - something a reasonably priced 250 doesn't.

The R1 was more comfortable than the VTR - and that was a big bike.

Comfort also comes from how hard you have to push the bike.

[wkid_one]

Sports bikes can be tall as well. My GSXR seat is 830mm off the ground and it does make me stretch more than the ZX-6R did (I'm 5 10") but it's not unbearable. Course... just cause ya short doesn't mean you can't ride a tall bike. you just need to be good! :)
Seat height is only part of the equation - what is MORE important is the width of the bike where you sit. This is why many people can get on tall trail bikes and not shorter road bikes because trailies are typically thinner.. Take the GSXRThou - I had a greater hold on the earth on the VTR than the GSXR - even tho the GSXR is lower - because the GSXR is a way wider bike.

The further you have to spread your legs (don't be rude) - the lower the seat height needs to be....this is why you can't just look at seat height when assessing if you will fit a bike