Remember that buzz you got the first time you rode a bike?

[Macstar]

I am on such a motorbike-induced high at the mo I had to share it with you guys:

I've been riding bikes now for 2-3 years and have owned no fewer than 11 different bikes in that time. I've loved them all (except my GSX 250) but found myself with a slight addiction for acceleration / power. You know the buzz you get when you step up from a 250cc for the first time into a 400cc? or a 600 to a 1000cc? Winding back the throttle on a new beast for the first time and that mixed feeling of fear and excitement runs through you as your eyes frown but your mouth smiles...

Well, anway about a month ago I bought a KTM 520 with the intention of turning it into a street legal motard. The bloody thing kept breaking down and literally thousands of dollars later (including street wheels and tyres) and finally today it was ready for its first spin.

My KTM has an electric start but no way was I going to use that! So with a manly kick I was off to Piha beach. Easing on the throttle around town cause it lifts too damn easy in 1 & 2nd, I make it to the first of the twisties just past Titirangi.

I started off cautiously through the corners - with such a high seat and soft suspension I didn't know how this thing was gonna corner. But at 112 kgs I could damn near drop it into a corner, throttle on and lift it back up with ease. It was eating the corners so I gave it more and by the time I turned around for home I had some peg scrapping action going on!

So armed with a 1 hour test ride I joined the other bikers on the Thursday night ride for some real fun. I've been on this ride before but have never been able to get past the middle group of the riders. Well, shit tonight the KTM conquered! It was out cornering 1000 and 600cc sports bikes.

I have never had so much fun on a bike apart from my first ever ride. A couple of times i went into a corner thinking holy shit I've over done it (still in my sports bike mentality) but the KTM pulled me through it sweet as.

In my opinion, a motard offers everything a sports bike doesn't, and that's what makes it so awesome:

*No finesse - you rip on the throttle, slam on the brakes, fling it into corners.
*Traction - this is optional, whereas on your sports bike you do everything you can to keep it!
*Rugged as hell - no fairings, noisy, no fancy dash board, stuff all seat padding, kick start.
*Insane amounts of power and gears where you need them i.e. 0-130kph, not 100-200kph.

Fellow KBers, if you're in that "meeeh, spose I'll get the new '08 Gixxer then" or, "riding at the speed limit just aint fun no more". Get a motard!!!!!!!!!!!!

I promise you won't be disappointed. Just make sure you have another bike for those longer journeys. 5 hours in the KTM's saddle today and my Corbin Leather seat pampered ass is raw.

I'll chuck some pictures up tomorrow of my new pride and joy. It would be great to meet up with some other motard riders too if any of you are reading this.

Cheers! Keep riding all:2thumbsup

[Jorja]

Don't know I would describe the first time I rode as being on a high lol. Was too nervous about dropping the bike.

But the second time is a different story. :woohoo:

Now i go to the garage and sit on it when i don't get time to ride

[FruitLooPs]

Oh man that makes me want a motard bad, I love watching them race and get loose. Looks like oodles of fun. :banana:

[Sully60]

I am on such a motorbike-induced high at the mo I had to share it with you guys:

I've been riding bikes now for 2-3 years and have owned no fewer than 11 different bikes in that time. I've loved them all (except my GSX 250) but found myself with a slight addiction for acceleration / power. You know the buzz you get when you step up from a 250cc for the first time into a 400cc? or a 600 to a 1000cc? Winding back the throttle on a new beast for the first time and that mixed feeling of fear and excitement runs through you as your eyes frown but your mouth smiles...

Well, anway about a month ago I bought a KTM 520 with the intention of turning it into a street legal motard. The bloody thing kept breaking down and literally thousands of dollars later (including street wheels and tyres) and finally today it was ready for its first spin.

My KTM has an electric start but no way was I going to use that! So with a manly kick I was off to Piha beach. Easing on the throttle around town cause it lifts too damn easy in 1 & 2nd, I make it to the first of the twisties just past Titirangi.

I started off cautiously through the corners - with such a high seat and soft suspension I didn't know how this thing was gonna corner. But at 112 kgs I could damn near drop it into a corner, throttle on and lift it back up with ease. It was eating the corners so I gave it more and by the time I turned around for home I had some peg scrapping action going on!

So armed with a 1 hour test ride I joined the other bikers on the Thursday night ride for some real fun. I've been on this ride before but have never been able to get past the middle group of the riders. Well, shit tonight the KTM conquered! It was out cornering 1000 and 600cc sports bikes.

I have never had so much fun on a bike apart from my first ever ride. A couple of times i went into a corner thinking holy shit I've over done it (still in my sports bike mentality) but the KTM pulled me through it sweet as.

In my opinion, a motard offers everything a sports bike doesn't, and that's what makes it so awesome:

*No finesse - you rip on the throttle, slam on the brakes, fling it into corners.
*Traction - this is optional, whereas on your sports bike you do everything you can to keep it!
*Rugged as hell - no fairings, noisy, no fancy dash board, stuff all seat padding, kick start.
*Insane amounts of power and gears where you need them i.e. 0-130kph, not 100-200kph.

Fellow KBers, if you're in that "meeeh, spose I'll get the new '08 Gixxer then" or, "riding at the speed limit just aint fun no more". Get a motard!!!!!!!!!!!!

I promise you won't be disappointed. Just make sure you have another bike for those longer journeys. 5 hours in the KTM's saddle today and my Corbin Leather seat pampered ass is raw.

I'll chuck some pictures up tomorrow of my new pride and joy. It would be great to meet up with some other motard riders too if any of you are reading this.

Cheers! Keep riding all:2thumbsup

Good shit!
Another soldier for the cause. You're so right about the big bike boring at the speed limit thing, I'd been there and gotten over it and started to ask the question; Am I really enjoying this??
Then I found Motards, enjoyment factor plus!
Good on ya Macstar!:niceone:

Hey are they going to let you out at Mt Wellington on the weekend? Your 520 will be like a superbike around there, Boyaa!

[Supermoto Junkie]

Ha haaa, welcome to the dark side.

I'm more than happy sitting at 100kph on the straights now.....it gives me time to stop giggling about the last set of corners and start thinking about the next set.

Glad to hear your loving it and looking forward to a motard rie tomorrow,

[deanohit]

Awesome mate! :headbang:
Sounds like a beast of a bike, thanks for sharing ya gloating bastard! :niceone:

[Macstar]

Here's some pictures:

In hindsight I should not have mounted my new rear indicators directly behind the exhaust. Check out the melted remains of the rear right indicator!

[Supermoto Junkie]

That indicator didn't love the first ride.....:2thumbsup

Roll on tomorrow arvo

[Macstar]

Good shit! Hey are they going to let you out at Mt Wellington on the weekend? Your 520 will be like a superbike around there, Boyaa!

I read that i need a racing license to go on the Mt Wellington Go-Kart track and apparently all axels and pretruding parts need to be rubbered up so that if you bin you don't scratch the track surface. I don't thinkI can get all that stuff sorted by tomorrow, so probably just go and watch.


Ha haaa, welcome to the dark side.

I'm more than happy sitting at 100kph on the straights now.....it gives me time to stop giggling about the last set of corners and start thinking about the next set.

Yeah man that's it for sure. Get your breath back on the straights and physc up for some more corners!

[motorbyclist]

In my opinion, a motard offers everything a sports bike doesn't, and that's what makes it so awesome:

*No finesse - you rip on the throttle, slam on the brakes, fling it into corners.
*Traction - this is optional, whereas on your sports bike you do everything you can to keep it!
*Rugged as hell - no fairings, noisy, no fancy dash board, stuff all seat padding, kick start.
*Insane amounts of power and gears where you need them i.e. 0-130kph, not 100-200kph.



welcome to the world of dirtbikes:bleh: - you've gotta bring it round to my place with the dirt tyres on it some time (best fun you'll ever have and it's legal!)

LOL at the bit about traction:killingme:

[EJK]

Here's some pictures:

In hindsight I should not have mounted my new rear indicators directly behind the exhaust. Check out the melted remains of the rear right indicator!

looks like a junk :bleh:
THAT thing can out take 600cc bikes? lol

Nice write up! I enjoyed every line :)
bling awarded :yes:

[Macstar]

looks like a junk :bleh:
THAT thing can out take 600cc bikes? lol

Nice write up! I enjoyed every line :)
bling awarded :yes:

Yeah she's rough as guts! Only on corners and with your average sports bike rider... I'm sure good sport bike riders could still beat the KTM through twisties.

[MidnightMike]

I am on such a motorbike-induced high at the mo I had to share it with you guys:

I've been riding bikes now for 2-3 years and have owned no fewer than 11 different bikes in that time. I've loved them all (except my GSX 250)

:bash: Why not the GSX :shit: :gob: :motu:

Though I have a few ideas.....

[Storm]

Ahh, but would they get the drifting thrill?

And how do they cope when you find theres a lump of crap/dead animal/oil/etc half way round and traction goes out the window?

[Supermoto Junkie]

And how do they cope when you find theres a lump of crap/dead animal/oil/etc half way round and traction goes out the window?


Thats when your grin gets a little bigger:D

[Usarka]

only losers have to use machines to enjoy life

real winners are on a natural high.


(oh wait, wasnt that the argument about drugs :wacko:)

[Sully60]

only losers have to use machines to enjoy life

real winners are on a natural high.


(oh wait, wasnt that the argument about drugs :wacko:)

You calling my wife a loser?

(oh wait, wasnt that the argument about my prowess :wacko:) [/SIZE]

[Macstar]

:bash: Why not the GSX :shit: :gob: :motu:

Though I have a few ideas.....

Ha! The GSX... It was comfortable for a taller guy and reliable. I'll keep the negatives to myself:niceone:

[Oakie]

Yeah I remember that buzz from the first time out ... although to be honest it was more of a ringing in the ears which lasted for a couple of days. Damned 100cc two stoke with no baffles. Feck what a noise! The cop who gave me my first ticket 6 weeks later ('operating a noisy vehicle') certainly thought so. Reckoned he could hear it from 200 yards away with the windows in his car up.

[stify]

I am on such a motorbike-induced high at the mo I had to share it with you guys:

I've loved them all (except my GSX 250) but found myself with a slight addiction for acceleration / power. You know the buzz you get when you step up from a 250cc for the first time into a 400cc? or a 600 to a 1000cc? Winding back the throttle on a new beast for the first time and that mixed feeling of fear and excitement runs through you as your eyes frown but your mouth smiles...

:2thumbsup


Totally with you on this one :2thumbsup

The first full throttle run when I got me vtr1000 was farkin cool(coming from a gsx250), mad laughter then more mad laughter and more full throttle etc(I only went round the block once but felt I'd been on it all day...was just pumped), and that was it I'm hooked, I use the full throttle therepy for most of todays ill's and aliments, a motard is on the next test ride list cause I'm gettin more addicted to those nice tight corner things each day

[Coyote]

Yep. Upgrading to a motard as soon as I can afford it.

What troubles did you have with the KTM? I'm pretty keen on the 525 or LC4 (probably the LC4 for being more reliable, going against my tendancy to choose the fastest).

[Macstar]

Yep. Upgrading to a motard as soon as I can afford it.

What troubles did you have with the KTM? I'm pretty keen on the 525 or LC4 (probably the LC4 for being more reliable, going against my tendancy to choose the fastest).

She'd been riden hard by previous owners and not well maintained, but I bought it for a steal. So I've had to do oil n filters, radiator flush, check cam chain, valve clearances, water pump seal, new clutch cover gasket, brakes bled, clean air filter, new carb needle and oring, indicators and mirrors fitted, new seat cover, engine tune, suspension adjusted, new battery, Wof n Rego, sport bike 17inch wheels, with new bearings and custom made axels and spacers, a digital speedo for Wof, clean out petrol tank and fuel filter, shorten chain, replace rear brake light bulb, new grips, different sproket set up, oversized front rotor and calliped bracket and spacers..............And a bloody good clean! and tlc.

Now I've bought quite a few tools so that I can do the regular maintenance myself such as oil changes every 5 or so hours, valve clearances every 20 hours, spark plug spose to be 30 hours, engine rebuild possibly 100 hours... etc etc.

I think the 525 isn't much more reliable / maintenance free than the 520 - may perform a bit better though. The LC4 from what I have read are significantly more reliable than the 520/525s.

Anyway, keep it as a second bike and budget $50 a week for maintenance and you should be sweet!

[Macstar]

Oh and as for power, Mike from Mt Eden Motorcycles let me ride his 2007 Aprilla SXV 550 motard (http://www.powersportsnetwork.com/newvehicledetail/st=WI/VehicleCode=41998/Aprilia/Motorcycles/SXV%20550newvehicles41998.htm) today. It's a V-twin with around 70hp at the rear wheel apparently and weighs in at 120kg. He'd done a few mods including an exhaust system that had heads turning from 100m away.

Man this thing was ridiculous and I'm actually gutted I rode it cause it made my KTM seem like a GN 250 (After all that writing about how choice my bike was etc etc).

When I get a real job (still a uni student), I am getting myself one of those!

[deanohit]

VERY nice looking and sounding those Aprilias, love to have a go on one.

Meh, the katoom is still cool man and best of all, it's yours!

[Supermoto Junkie]

Man this thing was ridiculous and I'm actually gutted I rode it cause it made my KTM seem like a GN 250 (After all that writing about how choice my bike was etc etc).

When I get a real job (still a uni student), I am getting myself one of those!

Doesn't matter what you have in the shed, there is always someone with something better in theirs.

[Gremlin]

Now I've bought quite a few tools so that I can do the regular maintenance myself such as oil changes every 5 or so hours, valve clearances every 20 hours, spark plug spose to be 30 hours, engine rebuild possibly 100 hours... etc etc.
One of the only things scaring me off getting one... the real nice ones (read maniacs) require serious amounts of maintenance.

As for motard v sportbike... don't be so sure. Wide bars, far less weight, and a lack of vicious power makes it piss easy to throw around. Compare apples with apples tho, so good sportsbike and motard riders.

There is a hussy I have viewed, and it basically has my name written all over it (all test riders have been scared off it permanently) but I couldn't bear to part with my 10 :weep: