First time riding a bike bigger than a 250cc. Share your experiences!

[DarkLord]

Up until a few months ago I had only ridden a GN125 (BHS course) and 3 Hyosung GT250R's. One was my old one I wrote off in a crash, one was my new one and one was Gubb's.

I went on a big ride from Auckland down to Taumarunui with my flatmate who rides a Bandit 1200. Halfway there or so, he gave me a go on his bike.

At first I was nervous, due to the sheer size and weight of the thing but once I got going it was fine. I was amazed at how smooth the ride was and how well designed everything felt, as well as how responsive everything was - the clutch, brakes, gear lever etc.

And then the power. WHOA. You just get this feeling of big, rumbling balls, just sitting there, waiting to be used. A little twist of the throttle and you were away. I was sitting in 4th gear out on the highway at 110 and wanted to pass a car, so just gave the thing a squirt in 4th gear and I was at 160 before I could blink. It was noticeably heavier on the corners, but such a smooth and enjoyable ride all the same. I'm sure if I was riding it every day I'd get used to it.

I thought I had some idea of what a bike could do. Boy, was I wrong!! Once we pulled over and swapped back I had the hugest grin on my face. However that disappeared when I realised just how poor and cheap the Hyosung was in comparison. Not to mock it, as it has been a great learner bike for me but once you get a taste of what else is out there it is hard to go back.

I was a little naughty as I'm not quite on my full yet :) so I'm not able to own or test ride anything bigger until I get it, however that's not too far away, it's nice to have something to look forward to.

What was it like when you rode your first "bigger" bike?

[scorry]

You just get this feeling of big, rumbling balls, just sitting there, waiting to be used.

LOL neva put it that way before

my first time on a big bike was when i was 14, didnt even have a license and i had only eva rode a xl125 and a couple other small dirt bikes.
was on the back with my dad, he pulled over and complained about havin sore wrists and then slid bak on the seat and said you ride.

my mouth dropped to the floor, i made all these excuses not to lol
oh the bike was a 1978 z1300 straight 6, so you can imagine why i was now shittin myself.

but i rode it n e way, was interestin takin off cos i couldnt touch the ground.
havent looked back since tho

[klingon]

My first big bike ride was recently when I got my full licence and decided to start test riding. I borrowed a Bonnie from Holeshot in Takapuna (I had been admiring them for a long time). What a beautiful bike to ride! *swoons*

The nice man said I could have it for "a couple of hours" so I ended up riding it to Wellsford and back. Gorgeous. Stunning. I'm still talking about it. And saving every penny until I can afford one of my own!

I fully intended to ride a huge range of 'big' bikes before deciding what to get next, but there's just nothing else I've looked at and said "I want to ride that!"

[racerhead]

When I was about 14 my parents went away for a weekend and left me with my aunt in a town about 15 kms away from home. On the sunday morning I said I was going to a friends house but cycled the 15 k's back home and took my fathers 600 yamaha fazer for a spin that lasted about 2 hours and about 100 k's. Was taking it easy enough most of the time but gave it the odd squirt and it really opened my eyes to what a real bike was like to ride because up to this point all Id ridden was a vintage excelsior that had shit tyres, suspension(actually not sure if it had any), brakes etc. So this memory is etched in my mind forever more:2thumbsup And managed to get it all back in one piece and cycle back to my aunts house and no one ever knew what I done

[imdying]

First decent go on a bigger than 250 was an RZ500... 7000rpm WOAH BABY! Deal done, took it home :yes:

[discotex]

My first go on a bigger bike was a K6 SV1000 with Yoshi's. After a few funny looks from the staff with my 1 day old paper I was off :eek:

I've never blipped a bike so much at the lights in my life!

It's all an eye opening experience when you jump up. First time I had the front wheel in the air under power I didn't even know what was going on until the wheel touched down :blink:

[James Deuce]

Gunnyrob's GPX750. Bloody lovely bike.

[DarkLord]

First time I had the front wheel in the air under power I didn't even know what was going on until the wheel touched down :blink:

I know what that's like. When a mate was test riding a Striple I took it for a quick pootle up and down the street.... gave it a little gas and before I knew it the front wheel was in the air....same as you I didn't really notice until THUD as it hit the ground!!

[HenryDorsetCase]

I borrowed a mate's DT400 yamaha.

thought it was the most powerful coolest thing in the world. Decided to show off for some girls I knew who were riding horses along the road. Managed to flip the bike, land flat on my back and do enough damage to the bike that I had to spend ALL of my next three wages on it.

Didnt spook the horses, and the girls thought it was hilarious. Needless to say they werent interested in letting me feel them up or anything after that.

Oh to be 17 again......




not really

[discotex]

Didnt spook the horses, and the girls thought it was hilarious. Needless to say they werent interested in letting me feel them up or anything after that.


Man you should have milked it for some hot nurse action :doctor:

[racefactory]

First bike i rode was a mates VFR400 NC30, after which i got one myself (yes that's right- first bike). The next bike i rode was a GSXR750 and then an SV650 2007. Nothing 'magical'- just one is faster than the other...

In fact it was only a couple months later that i rode a 250 4 stroke and an FXR150 at waiheke island for the first time. In all honestly, I thought it was equally as fun!

Had a 2 stroke 250 not so long ago.

They all go where you want them to go... Just depends on how much you twist that throttle. I also don't think a smaller bike is any less fun than a bigger bike. Weight is also a big part of the fun I think people often overlook. They just think... more cc is better. It's fun as hell to throw about a light as dirt 250 2 stroke or an FXR150 or even a GN250. Personally I don't understand all the hype that the learner/restricted people put on bigger bikes... I mean... there's nothing monumental about the concept that one is faster than the other?

Taught plenty of mates that have never ridden a bike before how to ride on my VFR400 NC30. Unless your a complete muppet and are supervised, i don't understand how it's harder to learn to first ride a motorcycle on something bigger. Afterall- a lot of 250's are damn near the weight of modern bigger bikes for example just look at hyoshits!

Today I have another VFR400 NC30 and can't see myself changing any time in the near future...

Personally i don't think it's such a big deal that people make it all out to be....

[vifferman]

I first rode a bike bigger than 250 before I got my bike licence, back when I was 15. I didn't have a bike of my own, so I rode my mate's bikes, and my sister had a boyfriend with a CB350 - I used to borrow that while they were doing whatever it was they were doing (I don't want to go there).
Occasionally, he'd turn up on one of his mate's bikes, and I rode those.
Although the very first bike I rode was a case of just hopping on and riding off, obviously there's learning to do, and I found some of the bikes heavy and awkward (dropped one on my leg when I parked on a hill, and overbalanced), and had the normal noob problems like target fixation (didn't think I could make it around a corner once, so went straight up a driveway that was on the corner).
Never had any real problems though. First proper crash wasn't until more'n a year after I got my full.

[Bulldog]

I had 250 two strokes and stopped riding bikes till I was about 28 then got myself a vtr 250. I went on a Toy run and thought ferk this and bought a 2003 VTR1000...BIIIIIIG jump but same as you I though wow everything is so much more responsive and POWER...I was in POWER heaven. Well worth it. I've had blades and all sorts since then and now heavily into big motards.

[Headbanger]

First road bike I ever road was a 900cc, don't think I have ever ridden anything smaller then a 750cc, Never really paid any attention to license restrictions. Though back in the day it was a mere 50 bucks for wrong class of license and 3 minutes later I would be roaring off down the street.

[DarkLord]

First road bike I ever road was a 900cc, don't think I have ever ridden anything smaller then a 750cc, Never really paid any attention to license restrictions. Though back in the day it was a mere 50 bucks for wrong class of license and 3 minutes later I would be roaring off down the street.

50 bucks for the wrong license class? That's all?

Wow. Bring back those days.

[vifferman]

Wow. Bring back those days.
No, you don't want those days.
Back then there was a separate Gummint department for policing the roads, called the Ministry of Transport. If one of those guys in their black'n'white cars pulled you over, they didn't punish you appropriately, as they used their commonsense (no quotas, y'see). So it was kinda arbitrary: they might let you off with a stern telling off, or they might give you a ticket.
At least now you know where you stand. :rolleyes:

[Oscar]

1974 - on a Honda CB350.
Must of had all of 15 horse power.
Not much more to say really....

[Gremlin]

Had received my exemption so I could ride any capacity on my restricted. Into Mt Eden MC to test ride, and rode a 1995 zx6r and a 1996 zx7r, back to back.

Struggled to keep them at the speed limits, but enjoyed the power. Said to Mike, pity I can't buy right now, I want to, but have to sell the zzr250 first. He said it was part of the sales process to make you ride your own bike home. har har, funny guy.

Boy was he right. It felt like a pile of shit, gutless etc. Bought the zx7r after I sold the zzr250. :done: I never even rode the zzr250 in the country again, just the necessary around town trips. :laugh:

[PaddyFZ1]

I had ridden plenty of smaller bikes mainly farm bikes, AG 100, CT 200. Also a couple of KX and CR 125s. Then i was allowed to take a mid 90s CR 500 for a spin. Wot a step up, the power and torque were incredible.

[LilSel]

I havent yet & have had full licence for a while now.... Any offers?? :innocent:

[R6_kid]

First 'big' bike I rode was a ZX7R, power was 'amazing' compared to my ZXR250, which was no less that 100hp in deficit. I took it through a couple of corners and soon found that more power gets you in more trouble a lot faster! Took it back and said thanks, nearly fell asleep on the ride home from Tauranga!

Next bike was the R6 which I eventually bought. Despite being a good 10-20hp down on the ZX7R it was a good 30kg lighter, and revved out quicker. I broke 200kmh and nearly shat myself. I took it on a 1.5hr test ride, really felt at home on it, except i couldnt get my head around the power. I kept doing power wheelies when i pulled out on to the road as I kept forgetting I wasnt on a 250 anymore. Right from day 1 i learnt to respect the twisty thing on the right hand side, and to only use it in direct proportion to what the shiney lever next to it could handle in a safe distance.

After a while riding that i chucked my leg over a GSXR1000k5, and felt like the same sort of jump again. Gave it back before it got the better of me.

Also rode a CB1100XX (or X11)... which had a lot of stomp, but wasnt as 'rapid' it was a much nicer 'big bike' to ride than the all out, go fast sports bikes i'd previously ridden.

It took me a little while to get used to my GSXR1000K3 which I currently ride, I just keep it in the higher gears to make things a bit more sedate, but it is still more than able to put me in my place if I disrespect it for a even the slightest fraction of a second.

[R6_kid]

I havent yet & have had full licence for a while now.... Any offers?? :innocent:

Yep, but if you break it you bought it.

[LilSel]

Yep, but if you break it you bought it.

haha... need to get some platform boots before I go trying ;)

Edit: Dont think a thou would be ideal either lol!! :)

[piston broke]

Edit: Dont think a thou would be ideal either lol!! :)[/QUOTE]
hey if you wanna do maha's run on the 7'th,you're welcome to have a blat on the 600

[LilSel]

hey if you wanna do maha's run on the 7'th,you're welcome to have a blat on the 600

Will keep that in mind & see how things pan out :)
(I ride like a nana for the most part anyway lol!!)

[piston broke]

sweet,it's a bit of a nana bike anyway,
not so much on the hp but you can throw it around easily

[Voltaire]

a 10 year old Honda 500/4,, bought at Mt Eden Motorcycles.
Candy apple gold and black.....with a two into two.
I had only had my licence 4 months when I was pulled by the MOT....got off with a warning.
Did a 3 week tour of the South Island with my GF ( now wife), back then is was like going to a different country. Some guys on Triumphs at Mt Cook could not believe we had ridden " all the way from Auckland on a 500..."

[LilSel]

sweet,it's a bit of a nana bike anyway,
not so much on the hp but you can throw it around easily

Awesome, really love the Vtwin sound too :)

Fingers crossed we can make the ride then!!!
(2 elderly relatives are gravely ill & are likely to pass in the next week)

[piston broke]

Lil,all the best to your rellies,
hope to see you on the 7'th.


back on topic.
after the old man's cb125,i got an xl125.then.
got my '74 cb 400f.a thing of beauty,a gutsy,for it's time,4cyl into 1.koni rear shocks.lol, sounded even better to a young fulla as 4 into 0.
you could really put it anywhere.
ended up rebuilding not that she needed it.
powdercoated the frame,wicked engine rebuild,awesome paint.
damn,i went overseas and lent it to my brother,sum fuk stole it and took it down the river for a thrash,when i saw it again it was dented all to hell and the frame was twisted.
hey i'm on the lookout for another one,i'd like to race it in the post classics.
let me know if you know of one

[Usarka]

Never ridden a 250, and only spent 2 hours on a 125 so I missed out on the experience :(

[koiwoi]

Use to ride a beat up old 250cc about 10 years ago around the streets for fun, nothing serious, didn't use it to get to work etc just to mess around on. I got a taste for motorbikes again a few months back after riding a friends 04 gsxr1000 after he offered me a blat, I was so impressed with the smile factor I decided to look into getting a bike of my own the next weekend. I went out and test rode an 08 zx-10r and absolutely loved it! The power, seating position and the handling felt perfect and I bought it the same day much to my wifes disgust and haven't looked back, the thing has so much power it puts an ear to ear smile on my face every time I ride it. It has more power than you would ever use on the street, and to be honest I think a 600 or 750 would be PLENTY for my next bike but wow just wow!!!
So far I have done more km in the last few months than I would have in the entire year in my car, I can't not ride the thing, rain or shine!

[Mr corse]

Bike's always gave me a shit eating grin from ear to ear.

[Lucy]

Well I was in love with my GN250, so thought I would never end up riding a bigger bike, then Wolfe Hucke came to stay in our backpackers, and let me have a spin on his BMW. I only went up and down the street, but as soon as I got home I hopped on trademe and started bidding on an old R80, which I now own.

I kept the GN, and still loved to ride it, it was much better for the gravel roads around here, but I ended up selling it for monetary reasons, (along with my van and various other stuff).

The R80 for me is not all that much different from the 250, it's stable, easy to ride, and is happy to go at nana speeds, which is most of my riding. I do like having the extra power that makes Highway 1 rides not too tedious.

I don't like dropping it whilst exiting Wanganui McDonalds though...oops.

[fatzx10r]

my first ride on a big bike was my brother's fzr1000 (hope he isnt reading this lol). took it over the northern motorway out of dunedin and thought i'd open it up a bit to see how it went. cracked the trottle open in third gear and held it up to the redline, and im thinking faaarrrkkk! this thing's fast. then i go to hook it up a gear then let the clutch out and the motor just scream's and the back end is all over the place :crazy:. i quickly pull the clutch back in as im shiting myself and im thinking what the hell just happend.......... then i rememberd that the gear linkage was set up for a race shift :Oops: so i flicked the lever down a couple of time's and carried on rather gently after that, makes me laugh now but it gave me the shit's at the time.

[CookMySock]

Years and years ago, we had dirt bikes of various types, and my little brother had a road-legal XR500. What a blast around town! The power, the noise, the vibration, and the wheelies!! MUAHAHAHAHA!! Sigh, I want a motard!

Ten years ago, I rode my brother in laws 90's inline4 suzuki something. It was lame. Yeah it could pull a bit, but otherwise it was like riding my mrs bernina sewing machine. Not impressed.

After all this time, this year I get my learners, and my GT650R. Ooh this is like the XR500.. noise and vibration!! That grin returns. Tap it hard in 2nd and 3rd gear and my god it departs! I like. :blip: Gawd hold the tap hard open in 4th and 5th and it fucken mounts speed reeeeel fassst! :gob: Much too fast for me just yet - its like a missile with footpegs. Whew. I'm nowhere near ready for something faster.


Steve

[gijoe1313]

McJim gave me permission to ride his Duchess ... when I was still in the 6R stage. I couldn't bring myself to do anything more than ride it up his driveway! :sweatdrop It was magic. Vibration, noise and the hidden expectation growling in the frame.

It was not until April of this year when I test rode the shop demo in Botany Honda of the Big Ol'Hornet that I really got to ride a bike bigger than 250cc properly.

What a blast. The power rolled on so easily, when I glanced down to the speedo, I was in licence losing territory in the urban roads I was riding! :o ::eek5: :love:

It felt exactly as I expected. A bigger brother to my lil'ol'hornet and pumped up again on steroids. The big clunk to the clutch was suprising, but the position and riding style of the Big Naked was like I never left my lil'ol'hornet (which I still ride with gusto, just spending more time getting to know the Big Ol'Hornet better)

Of course, Daisy, the RZ250 she-devil in yellow probably could count as being the first "big" bike I rode :lol: Still gives me plenty of joy and grief! Mmmm two-strokers ... gotta loves 'em you do! Smelly, smokey and noisy ... everything bikes should be! :msn-wink:

[Chisanga]

I think also my first "big" bike was taking McJim's duchess around the carpark at Lloyd Elsmore was scared I was going to drop it and have a mad mad scotsman out for me blood!

After that just after getting my full and a few days before departing for the uK and Africa, I took a Kawasaki 636 for a ride... great bike but far too aggressive a riding position for my poor old back... loved the fact that you barely touch the throttle and you are approaching licence losing speeds.

After I returned from Africa I took a Street Triple for a test ride to Maretai and back.... it was love at first twist and I purchased one about a week later.....only three "big" bikes ridden... I'm happy with the triple but I would love to ride some more bikes to get a feel for what's out there.

[captain_andrey]

First big bike ride - Wasp's Kawa, 1 day after i got my 6F paper. Never ridden anything other then a Hyo and some 125 for the BHS. All I remember is twisting the throttle, having a minor heart failure, looking at the speedo and thinking I better slow down or this license wont last long :shit:
Thats when I was sure I wanted a 600cc sport. Week after that, test rode a daytona 675 and a CBR600RR which I now own :Punk:

[HenryDorsetCase]

Did a 3 week tour of the South Island with my GF ( now wife), back then is was like going to a different country. Some guys on Triumphs at Mt Cook could not believe we had ridden " all the way from Auckland on a 500..."

...........back then?

:o

[EJK]

I want that kind of experience :(

[Maki]

About 20 years ago I rode a Honda 500cc 2 stroke bike after only having ridden a 125cc previously. Holy crap... That thing was like a wild animal. I just took it for a short blast and I had to hang on for dear life...

I didn't then realize that the power of a 500 cc 2 stroke is equivalent to a 1000cc 4 stroke...

[Odin]

I have never been on anything less then 400cc. I took my license on that (you can in Denmark, or at least you could). Then i had a Suzuki 650 savage. Thats one cylinder and not the fastest. I then had a ten year break before my next ride. I bought a Honda magna 750 in Coromandle and drove it back to Auckland for my first ride in 10 years. That was dam exciting as this bike was way heavier and way more powerful. And maybe the road down the coromandle isn't the best for re learners. Dam nice bike though. I "accidentally" got too 190km/h somewhere after Thames.... Man i felt alive...

[Hitcher]

The first bike I rode that was bigger than my 250 was a Honda CBR1000XX Blackbird. If it had been a better "fit" I may well have bought one. Immediately after that I rode a Hornet, and liked that a lot better. I would have bought that, but Sawyers sold it to somebody else while I was riding it.

The biggest shock that day was getting back on the 250 to ride home: no power, no brakes, cramped riding position, hard seat...

[James Deuce]

Immediately after that I rode a Hornet, and liked that a lot better. I would have bought that, but Sawyers sold it to somebody else while I was riding it.



Thank goodness they did sell it or you would have been JAHW.

[rocketman1]

First time I rode a 1200cc I found it didnt want too steer around a corner, I forgot that you had to countersteer those big beasts, can be a bit scary in the first fast corner.

[nigel]

My first experience was today.. test rode a couple of kawa's. I swear the smile on my dial matched the speedo! I tried an '04 ninja and an '07 z750, and both felt amazing compared to what I've been used to riding for the past couple of years.

Then I had to get back on my 250 and ride to Masterton and back. I've never thrashed it so hard over the rimutakas before... something about tasting a bigger bike gives you a new feeling for speed I guess!

[Bonez]

Owned a Honda CJ250. Use to "commute" to Havelock North from Hobsinville every other weekend no worries. GBs not much quicker but am having a blast on that.

Progressed from the CJ to a CB400T, CB650C(bad choice at the time) then a GSX750(wahoo!). Now happy tinkering (more to keep them in a servicable condition as opposed to concourse condition-have a few older 80s jap 750s, a CX500 and a CB550F to play with) and enjoy scooting around the countryside on the GB400 mainly.

[nosebleed]

Looks look my first was different. Popped my cherry on a GPZ600

Rode in on my MVX250, and got all pumped and jittery in anticipation of the GPZ. This was from whoever used to be just down from Mt Eden Motorcycles (where House of Knives is now.) Something Brothers wasn't it?

Jumped on the Kwaka and thought my god!... what a gutless piece of crap.
Was looking forward to getting back on the MVX to be honest. They weren't the most 'reliable' but when they were 'on-song' they were fun

[SARGE]

What was it like when you rode your first "bigger" bike?

being from the States, there is no real graduated system (wasnt in the days when i started riding .. i had grown up on Minibikes (yes,.. built it ourselves.. 4 HP Tecumseh riding lawnmower motor..).. went onto an old Yamaha 175 Enduro after that..

my first "road" bike was believe it or not.. an old Cub 90... rode the shit out of that..my first real bike was a home built Sportster Framed Panhead.. me and pop bodged some bits in his barn together.. then i went out and bought a new 82 750 Katana.. then an 84 Honda Nighthawk 650..then an 85 Vmax...dont think ive owned anything smaller than 600 ever on the road..

sink or swim time with those.. you either learned fast or you didnt..

[Salival]

I really don't think there are any words for the first Big Bike experience.

First big bike I rode was a ZX9R from TSS Red Baron. And I don't really have any words except "intense." Unbelievable power, stable, very very very fast. Good brakes.

The next big bike I rode, I bought - the Firestorm. 1000ccs on V-twin grunt and she purrs like an angry kitty.

Fuck your turbo Jappa cages. Nothing compares. Not even close.

[scracha]

Fz400N purchased 400 miles away in the middle of England. Took train to collect. Bike wasn't quite ready when I got there. Left a lot later than I intended. Power...umm about 2.5X the Kawasaki Z250 twin I'd been used to and the brakes felt uber sharp. Started snowing on the way home. Absolutely shitting myself all the way back. Stopped at nearly ever service station to thaw out. By 1am the temp had went down to -12. Luckily it hadn't rained. Arrived home just before 3am with a shit eating grin.

[breakaway]

First CBR400RR I rode (not the one I own now) seemed to have similar power to the RG150 (Which I did own at the time). Then after riding around on the CBR400RR, the SV650 seemed to have around the same amount of power as the CBR400RR. Then I got the GSXR, which seemed to have a similar amount of power to the CBR and the SV. Truth is the GSXR has way more power, I just never tap into it. Gotta love when I drop two gears to overtake a car and the front comes up :D

[Blackshear]

My old man asked me if I wanted a go on his Race Prepped XR500 when I was 15...
Had a different kind of oil pump, higher compression, hotted up cams and the likes.

I think I cried a litte that day. 70% fear, 30% pure joygasm tears. That thing... Phwoar.

[Number One]

Hmmm first non 250 bike ride...I hadn't been riding long. Hubbie (boyfriend at time) bought home a sexy 'Candy Jade Lime Yellow' TL100S :drool:

After a few weeks of just stroking it in the garage, gazing longingly at it while it sat next to my RG150 making it look even more sad than usual. Weeks of sitting on the back of it wrapt round my man blatting around the back of the wairarapa roads I plucked up the courage to take him up on the offer of a wee tootle.....after all...I can handle an RG150 :rolleyes: :rofl:

OMG - it was a fabulous machine - big and loud and growly and purdy :love: the tank was HUGE and the bars seemed so far away...I wrapped myself around the tank...damn good vibes....and proceeded to make my way around Upper Hutt rather sedately.

Was quite a fricken handful to move about - especially at slow speed...I swear those things might explode if they are ridden at 50K for too long.

Anyway enjoyed it very much but had to bin my knickers from that ride because not being used to the more cumbersome handling I just about rode it straight into a car parked on the other side of an intersection as I tried to make my way through.

Thankfully I had the presence of mind to 'look where I wanted to go' and magically I made it around without running into that car or removing it's side mirrors.

I had just discovered that you actually can go too slow on a bike :lol: Aaaa but I would love to have a go on one of them bikes again now that I am more experienced and used to man handling bikes to get them to go where I want them to.Oh yeah and I'd be legal this time too! :shutup:

[Edbear]

Having learned to ride on my Mother's BSA Bantam 125 when I was twelve, my first bike was a '51 BSA B31 350 with a gutted Dunstall megaphone exhaust.

It was a bit heavier than the Bantam and did actually outperform the little bike when it was going - okay it did go most of the time - and could reach 72mph, (117km/h), with me lying flat on the tank... :woohoo:

[DarkLord]

Not my first experience on a bigger bike as I've ridden a couple now but YR64L let me take the R6 for a quick pootle yesterday...I was amazed at how heavy and solid it felt for such a little bike. I didn't go far or fast, barely took it over 4,000 revs but it was nice to at least experience it.... I was a bit timid with it as I was half expecting the front wheel to come up any second!!

[tbone]

I'm still on a Virago 250, going for the restricted on Thursday. Only other bike I've ridden is a GN125. So still on the learners (not for long!).

The flatmates boyfriend has a Firestorm 1000 vtwin (I think VTR1000F) - he let me ride that a couple days back, and holey moley! The torque on that bike is incredible! I loved the acceleration on that bike - super fast! Probably had the biggest smile on my face getting off that bike!

But still, I much prefer the cruiser style - went down to Bayride soon after and sat on a Honda VT750 (didn't ride it) and I was sold - soon as I get off my bloody learners and restricted, I'm getting that bike!

[OutForADuck]

I learnt to ride before graduated licenses and as a result learnt on a bigger bike and rode many "bigger" bikes. BUT.. after riding for a few years I was lucky enough to get onto homologation 1100 limit production Suzuki and havee a blat.

I remember thinking that up to 5 thou it was pretty strong but when I twisted it way beyond that the front hit the sky, my butt slide out of the racing seat and up onto the tail section, my arms were full stretch and the back wheel was actually spinning while all this was going on. My helmet even managed toslid back on my head.

I promptly gave it back to its owner and went to dry clean my shorts..... my whole mind body and soul seemed to be a week behind the bikes acceleration.

Oh the stench of fear and sweat combined into a headdy cocktail!!!

[Bass]

Vincent Rapide that had been brought up to Black Lightning specs.
Friction dampers, girder forks and manual decompression lever - it bit real hard if you mistimed your release of the de-comp.
Owner had the original English rego papers for it.
First name there..............John Surtees

[Brett]

ZXR250c to a K4 GSXR 600. Rolled out of the driveway on a testride right next to the motorway. Wound it up through 1st & 2nd up the offramp and thought my arms were gonna be pulled out of my sockets or the front wheel lift or something. Will never forget that day. Nothiing has ever appeared more dramatic since...not now that I am used to a 600's performance...even a thousand is not quite the same.