New bike is HEAVY

[Steam]

I got my full license last week and I upgraded from a GN250 at 130kg, to a CX400 at 220kg, blaady hell that's a difference!
I have dropped it twice because of the weight, once doing a U-turn, and another time turning into the driveway.
I simply leaned as far as I am used to doing on the wee GN. Whoops
Also I'm a big strong fella but that's a heavy bike for a 400cc.
My indicators are looking rather duct-taped.
Thank goodness I didn't get a bike with fairings, and got a bike with crash bars to protect that lateral V-twin engine.
I may have to set up a bit of a cone course and have a practise day getting used to the new heaviness.

[Steam]

When I told the bikers waiting for the Picton ferry how I was struggling with the new weight, they laughed and pointed to their 350kg bikes, and the humungous Harley with bags of gear and two people on it. So it's not that heavy, just a change.

[alexthekidd]

wow 220kg, jeeez i thought my Bandit was heavy at 160kg or so, 220 jeeez may as well be a harley lol :D

[Jantar]

You will get used to it Steam. The CX is a lot heavier than most sports bikes, but is light weight compared to many cruisers. Its about right for a sports/tourer, so is a good bike to move up to from the GN. :yes:

[speeding_ant]

Certainly does look heavy.. :) Seems like its a nice solid bike though! Good for touring.. and probably far nicer to ride than a GN! Good score! Read the post about how to pickup heavy bikes if you struggle with it. Road cones and a few weights, that'l do ya.

[RC1]

:gob: thats heavier then myTLS full of gas,just take things a bit slower and you will get used to it fairly soon ,

[Madness]

It does seem heavy, my ZZR1100 is 228kg dry, I thought that was bad.

[Ixion]

Just don't run out of petrol.

[smoky]

Watch out when you leave the bike on the side stand - it needs to be on firmer ground than the GN - Just a causious note

[Disco Dan]

Very nice!

Older bikes are heavy... mines about 210kg (dry) - heavy for a 600 !

Take it easy and goto a RRRS course or a AWNMR. It really will help you get a good feel for your new bike!

I prefer a heavy bike, as it's more stable. But slow and sluggish around corners. I figure once I can flick this heavy beast around corners, jumping on something lighter is going to be all the more fun!

Keep the revs low for the first week or so, to get used to the extra torque and power...

my 2c !

Edit: 210 not 300 ! lol

[Steam]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, keep 'em coming.

[Shadows]

Older bikes are heavy... mines about 300kg - heavy for a 600 !

You should replace your lead fairing, dude. Don't you know that shit is bad for you?

[eviltwin]

yeah mine is bigger than yours, roughly 220kg...but i've been lugging it around so long now it just feels so light and whippy, i poke it around corners quick as a flash mate, and one day soon, you too will feel just as comfortable with yours.

[Macktheknife]

Take your time mate, no hurry to get used to this bike. Give yourself time to adjust and practice everything you learned from scratch with every new bike, because it will be different from what you learned it on.
The CX is a good bike and will go for ages if looked after well, great to have those bars on, they are worth gold! Good score.

[Lorax]

Well big brother, just don't go hurting yourself ok? Don't wanna have to wipe your arse. Maybe you should tie some helium balloons near the back to make it not so heavy.

[hec]

Some bikes carry their weight well e.g. cruisers others especially older bikes like my XJ900 and clearly the CX400 did not have compact modern engines so tend to carry their weight high up on skinny wheels so when stationary or moving very slowly always wanting to take a dive. Plus side is when these tall skinny heavy things are moving they are easy and comfortable to ride. But at 200kg plus you cannot muscle them back into shape as you probably could with your GN - it just takes some time to get used to. So care needed when manovering across a camber/incline like a drive [embarasment factor 8], if you are manovering it by pushing dont touch the front brake unless the front wheel is dead straight (doubly important if there is little rake on the front forks) [factor 8] or get on it to manover it, consider using your uphill foot down when stopping at a heavily cambered road junction etc.. [factor 8]
Unfortunately always at least a factor 8.

[peasea]

yeah mine is bigger than yours, roughly 220kg...but i've been lugging it around so long now it just feels so light and whippy, i poke it around corners quick as a flash mate, and one day soon, you too will feel just as comfortable with yours.


Well, mine's bigger than yours, so there! I too have been lugging mine around for so long it feels "light and whippy" and I can also "poke it round corners quick as a flash". My HD on the other hand isn't so nimble.

Just keep practising and keep a cool head; you'll come right and laugh about little 'incidents' in years to come. (With your grandkids on your knee.)

[KoroJ]

The Pan European is 300Kg dry and top heavy.

Add a full tank (29Ltrs) fill the panniers & topbox with another 30Kg and add a 100Kg pillion and try some slow speed manouvres/U-turns or parking when you've got the seat right up and you're feet are just touching the ground.

Needless to say, I've had a few moments and stepped off it more than once. Fortunately Mr Honda added a couple of extremely sturdy, well positioned side wings for the bike to balance on without touching a pannier or mirror.

I guess we all put up with some inconveniences for a great ride and these are some of the trade-offs we have to consider when choosing our bikes.

[Pwalo]

Now that's a real man's bike Steam, made out of that steel stuff. No alloy there.

In a couple of weeks time the 250 will seem like a toy!

[Pumba]

Sure its heavy but it is an old bike so what else would you expect.

Great bike the CX, and from the photo it looks in pretty good condition.

[Quartermile]

Yea MidnightMikes is like 200 when full of petrol and thats only a 250:shit:

[Nitzer]

Nice bike Steam, congrats.

I'm sure you'll get used to the weight, I used to have a CBX750 and I thought that bugger was bloody heavy at first but you'll get used to it.

So you gonna customise your new bike at all.....like a bren gun mounted on the rear or someting? :niceone:

[kiwifruit]

Congrats on the new beast, looking 4rd to seeing the mods :D
Yes, they are heavy, but you will get used to it. Seen the odd cx do really well at the hill climb at the cold kiwi

[Roj]

I got my full license last week and I upgraded from a GN250 at 130kg, to a CX400 at 220kg, blaady hell that's a difference!


Tiz but a light one, My CB dryweight is 245kg, but probably has a better power to wieght ratio than the CX400.

The extra weight does take some getting used to but you will find it doesn't get pushed around in the wind, just take it easy and get that practise you mentioned :scooter:

[Colapop]

You fullas got it hard, man. The RF is only little! Why I can pick it up and carry it whenever I need to move it around... *pop* and then I woke up....

[avgas]

When I told the bikers waiting for the Picton ferry how I was struggling with the new weight, they laughed and pointed to their 350kg bikes, and the humungous Harley with bags of gear and two people on it. So it's not that heavy, just a change.
Never heard of 'Dead-Weight'? :lol:
oh thats mean, i dont dislike harleys that much

[Pommie Boy]

Holy heck, I thought my VTR was heavy at 197 (well, that's what I think it is anyway). I've nearly dropped mine a couple of times too, and at a pathetic 70kgs I've got bugger all chance of picking it up if I do (it's all muscle though, honest:innocent: )

[Steam]

So you gonna customise your new bike at all.....like a bren gun mounted on the rear or someting? :niceone:
Oh I love this one so much I'm not thinking of mucking it up yet with paint or ammo boxes or whatever. Maybe after I upgrade again in a year or so. There's still a lot to do on the SR250 though, speaking of which it's off to Mitre 10 for hose clamps and more black spraypaint and V to keep me going.

The CX's are actually increasing in value, so maybe I'll leave it stock and preserve a future classic.

[Jimmy B]

In rode Jimmy on his imaginary 400kg "Amazonas" 1600 complete with VW beatle engine and transmission

http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/amazonas_1600_2001.php

:gob:

[Steam]

In rode Jimmy on his imaginary 400kg "Amazonas" 1600 complete with VW beatle engine and transmission
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/amazonas_1600_2001.php

Wow all that metal and still only 65 HP / 47 kW. What on earth were they thinking???

[elle-f]

I just looked mine up and it's 197 kilos - i guess thats why at times it feels like lead!

[Jimmy B]

Wow all that metal and still only 65 HP / 47 kW. What on earth were they thinking???

Excellent question Steam, with a blistering top speed of 140kph you'd have to wonder. I guess its all about cost in that part of the world, but who knows.

[Rhino]

Dry weight of the `Wing is 360 kg.:yes: Ready to ride it's around 400kg. With ScorpyGirl and I, all the kit for a rally, plus the tent on the top box rack we weigh in at around 570 kg.:gob:

Luckily the C of G of the bike is very low, so I can idle along in bottom gear with feet on the pegs and it feel really stable.

When I first got it, it felt quite heavy after the Kawasaki GT750 that I was riding at the time, but it didn't take long to become used to the weight.

[mark247]

Yea MidnightMikes is like 200 when full of petrol and thats only a 250:shit:

Jesus, my 400cc weighs 178kg when full of petrol

[rwh]

Jesus, my 400cc weighs 178kg when full of petrol

And you put in your letter that it's much more stable than your vt250f because it's heavier? Can't be by much ... :)

Richard

[MaxB]

Nice bike, congrats.

From the photo I think you might have an E model (or Euro maybe?). The reason it might be heavy for its class is that it is a Japan-market model eg 400cc. I remember them as a 500E and then later as a 650E.
220kg isnt that bad for a 650. God I'm old.

Repeating what other KBers say: you will soon get used to the weight and when you want a larger engined beast it wont seem like such a jump. Apart from the performance, lol!

[dogsnbikes]

:innocent: All in good time it will feel like a feather stop thinking commuter and think brick:Punk:

And I thought a CT90 was heavy when I was pinned under it.........but I was only 6 :shutup:

[mark247]

And you put in your letter that it's much more stable than your vt250f because it's heavier? Can't be by much ... :)

Richard

hahaha shhhhhhhhhhhhh :msn-wink:

[The Stranger]

A couple of ideas.
At low speed, pulling U turns, WEIGHT THE OUTSIDE PEG.
This offers a HUGE advantage on a heavy bike and/or one with a high centre of gravity. With practice using this method you will be able to pull low speed turns tighter than full lock.
Try and think where you come to a stop such that you are taking off with the front wheel straight. As you turn your front wheel to the left, the centre of gravity of the bike moves to the right. At low speeds this can be problematic, again, mostly for heavier bikes with a high centre of gravity.

[beyond]

You will get used to it. Hell it's heavy for a 400 though. :(
My GSX1400 228kg dry without fork oil, oil and gas.

Don't go forward into a downhill parking space against the gutter :)
Do remember to leave it in first when parking on sloping ground to stop it sliding off the side stand.

If you do come off or drop it, move very quickly to pick it up again while some adrenaline is still pumping through your muscles :)

You will need more counter steering input for cornering transitions and you will find with time, the handling will seem like a light bike again once you get used to the extra resistance.

[Bonez]

You'll get use to the weight. CXs are porky by design, nothing unusual there. If it makes you feel better I dropped mine in gravel a few weeks back.