Possibly returning rider - Looking for some thoughts! (robboh)

[robboh]

Hi All,

Ive lurked here a bit off and on over the years, and finally decided to join :banana:

After a bit of advise / thoughts around options for getting back onto two wheels. This might be a bit of a novel, so bear with me :innocent:

Bit of background. Grew up in the Manawatu (perfect bike territory) and rode farm bikes etc from about 12. Got my bike license the day I turned 15. And then stupidly let my learners expire, which meant I had to go through the whole routine again, but including the newly introduced (at the time) skills handling test. Didnt have a cage license until I had to get one for work, at about 21.

Have always been into 'hyper' 250s, having owned a TZR and a KR1-SP (evil bike - seriously needed a steering damper but I was always too jewish, or too poor, to buy one). Both of which I used to punt around in 250 Proddy at Manfield in the winter series. Was never super quick with the TZR, which was off the pace compared to the RGVs, and only ran the KR1 a couple of times before shifting to AKL.

Got to run a mate's GP125 at Old Taupo a couple of times too, which was a blast (though I was dog-slow due to not having raced, or even ridden for quite a while at the time)!!

Shifted up to AKL for work and commuted from Whangaporoa to Albany for a year or so on the KR1. As well as later on when I was carless for a while. The KR1 ended up getting given to a mate in PMR who passed it on to some young guy who raced it again. Was good to hear that. That was about 7 or 8 years ago now. Im mid-30's now.

About that stage, cages started coming on the scene. Trotting out girls, big dogs, diving, skiing, and all that sort of stuff really necessitates a car. I do a bit of clubsport racing in the car (motokhanas, hillclimbs, dual-sprints at Taupo, that sort of stuff) with an Italian car club (I do like Italian vehicles, they seem to have a bit more soul) as well, which is fun.

Over the past couple of years, Ive been really starting to get the itch to get another bike, so here I am. Some of the younger guys at work have bikes as well, which doesnt help :yes:

Coupled to all that, the price Im paying for parking in Newmarket is driving me nuts. The price of gas doesnt help, but overall, I dont think commuting a bike is actually much cheaper once you take into account tyres / chains / etc. So Im starting to think a bit more seriously about a bike. The parking building across the road lets us park bikes there for free as long as they arent in the way or taking up cage spots, so that bit is sorted.

The commute is about 10km each way, so about 100km per week (eg about 5K km per year). From Hillsborough to Newmarket, so its all urban. The back roads I use do have a few steepish hills, and a few fun corners too :whistle:

The way I see it, for petrol, cheap running costs, low-cost rego, etc, a scooter would seem to be the go for commuting. But my last experience with scooters is Nifty50's which couldnt pull the skin off a rice pudding. I would worry about not being able to keep up with the traffic, especially on hills. I have a mate in PMR who is a VMoto dealer, and he only has good things to say about the Monza's (he would also tell me if there WERE bad things to say). I reckon a scooter would pay for itself in about 8 months with the savings in parking / petrol.

A bigger scooter might be an option to solve the power issue, but then dont have cheap rego etc, and still wouldnt be any good for the occasional sunday morning cobweb cleanout, or even possibly the occasional track day. So that leads on to a 'real' bike.

A 250 would seem a better option than a scooter in terms of power etc for commuting, but since my favourite bike type (250 2T) is basically off the menu these days, I wonder if I think I might find the 250 4T's a bit boring after a few months, especially out of town.

On the other hand, between the general increase in traffic density, the increased presence of the men-in-blue, IMHO the great overall lowering of general driving skills of motorist in AKL over the past 10 years, and me getting older (and less stupid?) I do find I tend to cruise the cage at just below the ticket threshold (ie 110%). I just dont slow down for corners :whistle:

For the 250's, though, the Hyo 250 does look nice, though very heavy! Plus it doesnt seem to have the best of rep's. The Aprilia is just beautiful, but commuting on 250 2T's is a bit of hard work, they arent fun for just laid-back cruising out of town (especially if the road isnt billiard-table smooth), and finally not really that suitable to throw the missus on the back as pillion.

So that brings me up to the 600's. By the way, Im about 5'6" and ~62 KG, so smaller / lighter bikes are definite must for me, and I think that anything over about a 600 would be just physically too big for me.

Anyway. Again, the Hyo 650 is cheap, but heavy, not great rep, and not super powerful either. Something like a CBR 600 F4 looks like it would fit the bill for commute and being ok out of town, but they seem to be getting up there in the kays these days and getting a few years old. The current crop of 600s are all hard-out race-reps, and dont really appear to be particularly suitable for regular commuting with very narrow midrange and very hard-arse riding position??

I do like the look of the Triumph 675 Daytona (quite high seat though?) and Im guessing it would have a little more midrange than the Suzzi / Honda / Yamaha / Kwaka et al??? I reckon the Duke 749 is just beautiful as well, but it would be a bit of a crime to commute one of those, and I suspect would have very high running costs if you were clocking up the kays. Its also getting up in the $$ a bit. I could easily walk out the shop with a new scoot, or a 250, but over that would need some additional saving or talking to the bank manager.

Reading through the forums over the past few days has shown up a new one I didnt know about, which looks interesting. The Kwaka Ninja 650R. Looks like its got a reasonable riding position for commute / a bit of touring, and a reasonable pillion seat for the occasional missus involvement.

As a side note, I generally really dont like the look of naked bikes, and have always found that fairings provide far better weather / wind protection, especially out of town.

So. If you are still with me, does anyone have some pearls of wisdom which might help? Interested in thoughts on the modern 50cc scooters, or 250's v's 600's, or any other left-field suggestions people might have.

Rob.

[samgab]

Rob, I've been in pretty much the same boat as yourself.
I actually got a 50cc Honda scooter for commuting. 4 stroke. They're good, but you'll get over it really quickly. It's amazingly cheap to run, doesn't need a WOF, etc, but it can't keep up with the flow of traffic, and so is just not ideal for commuting.
So if you haven't got your full, you'll be looking to get a 250 in the mean time.
There are plenty of options, depending on your budget.
CBR250 is one. New there's the CBR125 or the Ninja250. Or the Honda Hornet 250 is smooth for a second hand 250. If you want to ride prior to getting your full you'll have to get a <250 unless you wait around for these supposed law changes.

As for 600's and 650's, I've been looking around in the sub-10G price bracket for something that size for when I get my full.
I've come up with:

Suzuki: either the GSX650F or the SV650. One's an il4 and the other's a V-twin. I think I prefer the smoothness of an il4, but some would prefer a V.

Kawasaki: either the Ninja 650R or the ER-6N. Same bike, 1 faired, the other not. I like the exhaust pipe under the engine that exits near the rear wheel.

The Honda Hornet 600 is a bit out of my price range, unfortunately, but I'd get that if it was a bit cheaper.

There's also the Suzuki GSR600, which is basically just a detuned, naked GSX-R600, also not a bad looking bike, if you're into the naked look...

I'm not much fussed on the Hyosungs...

And anything else is either old or out of my price range.

[davebullet]

You might prefer faired bikes, but the Triumph Street Triple is not much heavier / bigger than your average 250 - with 108hp (169kg dry). Bars are narrow - good for splitting.

Dave.

[vifferman]

We've had two replies so far, and yet a GSXR1000RRRRR hasn't been proposed yet? :confused:
Kiwi Biker is slipping....

[robboh]

Thanks for the thoughts so far guys!

As I said, I am keen on left-field ideas (i.e. those that challenge my somewhat outdated bike preconceptions), so keep 'em coming! :niceone:

Sam. The full happened some 18 years ago!
(Man does time fly!).

PS. I dont think I would even consider a 50 4T scooter. Small 4T engines are just too gutless.

[vifferman]

Aren't there still some decent 2T scooters on the market? (I'm thinking 125 and above).

[klingon]

It seems to me that you have two options (yes, only two!)

1) Get a single bike that will do both jobs - daily commuting and weekend fun.

2) Get two different bikes - one for commuting and one for out of town riding.

I would suggest that you should not, under any circumstances, get a 50cc scooter. They really can't handle Auckland's traffic or the terrain, and if (for example) you wanted to pop over to the North Shore to look at some bike gear in the shops in Barry's Point Road, you just couldn't do it.

On the other hand my partner (who has been riding for many years and has a sports bike for weekend fun) rides a 180cc scooter for his daily commuting, and it handles motorway traffic brilliantly. Any scooter of 125cc or up would handle your weight easily at motorway speeds.

If you were to get a decent (but reasonably inexpensive) scooter now, you would have something to ride while you consider your other options. A decent brand will hold its value if you decided to sell it later, or ( :msn-wink: ) your wife might decide that she likes it so much she might start commuting on two wheels as well - in which case she can ride it on her learner's licence.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

[robboh]

Aren't there still some decent 2T scooters on the market? (I'm thinking 125 and above).

My (admittedly somewhat warped) train of thought there is that the price of the bigger scooters, and their ancillary costs like rego (much more expensive compared to the 50cc scooters), mean that there seems to be little point in them.

The bigger scooters seem like a 'no-mans-land', with additional costs but little additional benefit (other than better power), in that they dont really provide 'weekend' options like going for a hoon, or throwing the missus on the back for a trip to her old mans place Tauranga etc.

Sure, there are scooters like the Aprillia800 which would do this, but I really dont see the point of those. They wouldnt really provide any major economy benefits (if any) over a 'real' bike in terms of fuel use. And historically I got the most enjoyment from riding out of finding a nice set of smooth, slower-speed twisties, and really getting into some down & dirty scratching.

My primary driver for thinking about commuting with a bike is to get rid of parking costs, and reduce wear-n-tear on my car (which is getting up in the kays). Fuel doesnt really come into the equation as my commute isnt long enough to see major difference in fuel costs. And Id expect that tyres / other consumables / occasional weekend hooning would actually negate any commuter fuel savings.

The other minor mental niggle I have is that the bike wont actually get used that much for commuting due to weather and hassle. I could easily see myself deciding each day whether the cage or bike looks like the better option based on the weather. At least the scooter would be a reasonably cheap experiement in those terms.

In other words, the way I see it, the choice really seems to be that its a 50cc scooter purely for commuting (although, as above, I have concerns around this option so after peoples thoughts and opinions on real-life scooter usage) and getting a real bike.

[samgab]

...the way I see it, the choice really seems to be that its a 50cc scooter purely for commuting (although, as above, I have concerns around this option so after peoples thoughts and opinions on real-life scooter usage) and getting a real bike.

Get a real bike. Don't mess about with a scooter. You won't reget it.
Commute on it when the weather's fine, and go for joy rides in the weekends!
There are plenty of good, light 600/650cc options.

[klingon]

Get a real bike. Don't mess about with a scooter. You won't reget it.
Commute on it when the weather's fine, and go for joy rides in the weekends!
There are plenty of good, light 600/650cc options.

If you have only one bike, I would agree with this. If you have the luxury of a commuter and a bigger bike for weekends, then I would still suggest looking at a 125 or 150 cc scoot.

[naphazoline]

welcome aboard robboh :)

[puddy]

We've had two replies so far, and yet a GSXR1000RRRRR hasn't been proposed yet? :confused:
Kiwi Biker is slipping....
It goes without saying!:bleh:Or what about a DR650?!

[BMWST?]

unless you have got an extremely fuel efficient car even a big bike will use half the petrol....sounds like a 600 650 is what you want...maybe a 500 ....are you looking at new bikes or....?

[robboh]

If you have only one bike, I would agree with this. If you have the luxury of a commuter and a bigger bike for weekends, then I would still suggest looking at a 125 or 150 cc scoot.

Thanks for all your thoughts Klingon. Sounds like your thinking is pretty much in line with mine. I either want a single 'proper' bike which is a good allrounder (eg the CBR 600 F4 or similar), or else several more narrowly focused options.

I hadnt thought of the hand-me-down to the missus option :yes:

[robboh]

unless you have got an extremely fuel efficient car even a big bike will use half the petrol....sounds like a 600 650 is what you want...maybe a 500 ....are you looking at new bikes or....?

For the gas thing. Agreed that even a big bike is going to be cheaper. Especially since its a 2L fiat twin-cam 2L. Im lucky to get 10km/L round town. They are NOT renown for good fuel economy.

On the other hand, if you are only doing about 400km a month commute, then at current petrol prices, that only equates to say $50 v's $100 a month. Which is pretty much a decent weekend hoon once a month, plus some money aside for tyres / other consumables. For me, Id expect the far bigger saving will be no parking costs, and (hopefully) a more enjoyable trip to work and back.

Still really pondering at the moment really. If there are good reasons to go brand new, then certainly an option. Just makes it further down the track, and more money spent on parking :laugh:

Trouble with brand-new is the depreciation aspect. Though that doesnt seem to be as big a factor with bikes as it is with cars. Or maybe it just looks less due to the lower $$ value involved.

Im terrible at selling myself up on things, and taking a long time to make a decision (cameras, computers, etc etc) but I usually end up pretty happy with what I end up.

And yes, a 600-ish does sound like the right direction. I just wonder if the current crop of 600's are just a little too narrow-focus now that Im getting older and lazier. Wringing the neck off a 250 2T is lots of fun when you are 19, but it gets old a bit more quickly these days. Mind you, Im still dead-set against an automatic in the cage, and I still love ripping it up through a set of twisties... so maybe there is still hope for me yet :eek:

[pimslagman]

This thread came up as about honda 50 cc 4stroke, didn't read it @ll., too much info! But wanting to know if there is some knowledge/spare parts out there for my old C-50 . Need repowering (with 70cc 4 speed manual instead of original 50cc -?) Rear wheel needs work and maybe front fork and brakes checking, don't want anything break comn down a volcanoe... Cheers from Pim.

[klingon]

This thread came up as about honda 50 cc 4stroke, didn't read it @ll., too much info! But wanting to know if there is some knowledge/spare parts out there for my old C-50 . Need repowering (with 70cc 4 speed manual instead of original 50cc -?) Rear wheel needs work and maybe front fork and brakes checking, don't want anything break comn down a volcanoe... Cheers from Pim.

Hi pimslagman, I think you would be better to post your question in the 'scooters' sub-forum on this site. In this thread we're busy slagging off 50cc scooters so I don't think it's the right place to get the answers you're looking for! :sunny:

And welcome to Kiwi Biker! We don't always slag off your bike, just sometimes! :scooter:

[riffer]

Bugger the scooters. You'll just end up disappointed and upgrading to the point where you'd probably end up with a bigger bike anyway.

Returning to biking and wanting something for a commuter which will give you a few options for the weekend?

Here's my pic. The Kawasaki ER6-N. It's a really nice bike to ride. Plenty of power for a returning rider. But not so much as to be stupid. Ridiculously easy to ride.

Here's one for sale on Trademe.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-193876269.htm

<img src=http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/23/67898623_full.jpg>

[KiwiKat]

Hi All,

Ive lurked here a bit off and on over the years, and finally decided to join :banana:

After a bit of advise / thoughts around options for getting back onto two wheels. This might be a bit of a novel, so bear with me :innocent:

Bit of background. Grew up in the Manawatu...
So. If you are still with me, does anyone have some pearls of wisdom which might help? Interested in thoughts on the modern 50cc scooters, or 250's v's 600's, or any other left-field suggestions people might have.

Rob.

Manawatu - Yee Ha. What the hell are you trying to compete in traffic up there. Sell Your House, Buy a big Bike, a Merc and a Manawatu mansion.

Seriously It's takes a while to get back into bikes but every ride gets better. get a decent bike you will enjoy riding out of the city as well as commuting.

Feilding Born, Manawatu proud. Bloody nice rides down here.

[samgab]

You earlier mentioned Jewish economy; well me too, so consider:
If you have a 125/150 scooter AND a good motorbike, you'll have 2x REGOs/WOFs to get each 6mths/year. You also have the purchase cost of 2 bikes and the depreciation of 2 combined rather than just one. Add to that the cost of insurance x2 rather than just x1. PLUS the cost of servicing and maintaining 2 extra vehicles rather than 1. Sure, bikes aren't much to maintain, but there is a cost. Oil, filters, tires, chains, sprockets, bulbs, etc. It all adds up.
So what are the real advantages of the scooter that a well selected bike won't give you?
Cheap to run? Well that will be counterpointed by the costs of registering and WOFing an extra vehicle.
Easy to park and negotiate traffic? Well so is a good bike, like the ER6-N mentioned above. A bike like that is very economical too, BTW; fuel injected.
So what exactly is the benefit of the scooter?
With the smaller wheels, they're less comfortable to ride, and not as fun as a motorbike. I'm sorry, but I just don't follow the logic in getting both.

But there might be some benefit I'm missing here...
Personally, I never use my scooter now that I've got a motorbike.
Trying to sell the thing.

[shafty]

Bugger the scooters. You'll just end up disappointed and upgrading to the point where you'd probably end up with a bigger bike anyway.

Returning to biking and wanting something for a commuter which will give you a few options for the weekend?

Here's my pic. The Kawasaki ER6-N. It's a really nice bike to ride. Plenty of power for a returning rider. But not so much as to be stupid. Ridiculously easy to ride.

Here's one for sale on Trademe.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-193876269.htm

<img src=http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/23/67898623_full.jpg>

Riffer has got it in ONE. Scooters are great, but you are far too young for one. Keep that up you sleeve for later on.

The pic posted could be perfect, but there are SO MANY choices - just get out there, don't be too perdantic, and start test riding!

To summarise:

Get test riding
Have fun
Buy something
Merry Christmas

Shafty


............next!

[portokiwi]

You need the good old GS550 or the CB750 to keep you going:scooter:
lol once you taste the bike riding again you cant go back.
smill :scooter: type bikes they have a good selection at I think its called dirt and scooters right on the Panmure roundabout.
Some nice looking and strange looking small bikes in there.
even has a latte cafe there lol.

[gatch]

if you are still cosidering a scooter, get an fa50 or somethin, then well re-engineer an rgv motor onto it, we have the technology..

rear wheel commuting on a step thru, that would be a triumphant return to two wheel action..

think about it

[pritch]

Reading the original post I was thinking a Cagiva Raptor might suit. Italian bike with a Japanese engine and popular with those of short inside leg measurements. Then you say you don't like nakeds.

Almost any of the modern mid sized bikes would be brilliant although some might be better suited to the commute. I wouldn't commute on a Ducati but no doubt there are those who would.

BIKE Magazine wrote that they didn't think anybody produced bad bikes anymore but they made an exception for the Yamaha FZ6. It has a very peaky engine which might be OK if the clutch was light and the gearbox slick. Alas! reportedly they are not. The new Diversion might be worth a look when it gets here.

Meanwhile keep watching TradeMe for an F4 (the last comfy 600 sprotbike) you just never know...

[BMWST?]

slightly ot...is the er6n pictured above a 650 twin?basically same engine as the versys?

[riffer]

BIKE Magazine wrote that they didn't think anybody produced bad bikes anymore but they made an exception for the Yamaha FZ6.
Oh come now Pritch you forgot the best bit.

They look like they come pre-crashed.

[slofox]

Hi Robboh

I returned to riding about nine months ago after a twenty year gap so I went through a lot of what you are doing right now. Although I was never tempted by a scooter....despite the smartarse bastard in the bike shop suggesting I look at one - probably because I was "a gentleman of mature years".....prick!!!

I eventually opted for the SV650S for many of the reasons that have already been cited here. I am not tall either - 5'7" and about 72kg. I come from a similar history of smaller bikes. I did like the V-Twin layout and I don't much like naked bikes either. The SVS has only a half fairing but it does the job. I was careful not to get something with too much grunt because, knowing myself, I knew that for sure I would want to "try it out"........with all the concomitant drama that could involve - disco lights, arseing off at ten thousand km/hr, etc etc.....as it is, the SV has more than enough power to get me banned from the road should I be stupid, but it is not too crazy for a returning rider to get the feel of with ease. Plenty of torque, etc etc - the usual V-Twin stuff. And it was affordable, even new.....
On the con side, not sure how it would go with a pillion cause my gf won't go near it......but lots of people do go two up on them. Front suspension is not the greatest - damper rod forks which can catch you out if you are not awake.
Other than that, happy with it. Excellent mileage - 20-25km/l (60 - 65 mpg). Have gone close to 10k km on it without a single problem (apart from a low speed drop two weeks ago.......)

[robboh]

Hi All,

Just a quick note to say thanks for all the replies so far.
Will reply proper-like tomorrow!!

Rob.

[GrayWolf]

Hi All,


Have always been into 'hyper' 250s, having owned a TZR and a KR1-SP (evil bike - seriously needed a steering damper but I was always too jewish, or too poor, to buy one). Both of which I used to punt around in 250 Proddy at Manfield in the winter series. Was never super quick with the TZR, which was off the pace compared to the RGVs, and only ran the KR1 a couple of times before shifting to AKL.


The commute is about 10km each way, so about 100km per week (eg about 5K km per year). From Hillsborough to Newmarket, so its all urban. The back roads I use do have a few steepish hills, and a few fun corners too :whistle:

A 250 would seem a better option than a scooter in terms of power etc for commuting, but since my favourite bike type (250 2T) is basically off the menu these days, I wonder if I think I might find the 250 4T's a bit boring after a few months, especially out of town.

On the other hand, between the general increase in traffic density, the increased presence of the men-in-blue, IMHO the great overall lowering of general driving skills of motorist in AKL over the past 10 years, and me getting older (and less stupid?) I do find I tend to cruise the cage at just below the ticket threshold (ie 110%). I just dont slow down for corners :whistle:

For the 250's, though, the Hyo 250 does look nice, though very heavy! Plus it doesnt seem to have the best of rep's. The Aprilia is just beautiful, but commuting on 250 2T's is a bit of hard work, they arent fun for just laid-back cruising out of town (especially if the road isnt billiard-table smooth), and finally not really that suitable to throw the missus on the back as pillion. Rob.

Hi Rob,

Reading your post seems to distill into two seperate 'issues'. The memory of the frentic 2T 250's you loved, and the 110k commute of the sensible :Police: adult. Not as fast maybe, but I really think you'd find the modern 4T 250 plenty fun enough for your needs. A good S/Hand GPX/ZZR is IMO a good buy. The 4 pot 250's will be a little quicker but come with a higher maintanance ticket. Ultimate power doesnt really equate in 'real world terms'. I recently did the 1000k ride and a 250 Hyo kept up with bigger bikes in general traffic without any real problems. So the slightly sportier GPX/ZZR's would I think answer your call for economy and have enough of a grin factor thrown in. If you read the road tests on the new generation 'Ninja derivative' of them, the one thing most test riders agree is they are hell of a fun bike to ride, and go pretty bloody well.
If memeory serves me correctly the KR1 did/does about 120mph/200kph the ZZR I think is road tested at around 170 kph the 4 pot 250's around the 180kph mark ( I may be a touch conservative by all of 5kph on those figures)
Realisticaly there are'nt many places you would use the full top speed potential over a 10k commute ride, so I think top end would be academic, especialy with your staying inside the 110kph barrier.

[R1madness]

Ducati Monster 400 or 750 italian passion low seat height nice power great sound, Kawasaki ER6n low seat hight nice power, Suzuki SV650 popular fun, Yamaha FZ6 a little bigger but nice bike, all worth a look.

[robboh]

Just wanted to give an update as to where Im at, and say another big thanks to everyone for all the thoughtful and thought-provoking replies.

I did a bit of window-shopping over Xmas with the missus, but didnt come to any major conclusions. Just for reference, I had a sit on a Ninja250, and that would be perfect size (or even a little small). Recent R6's are definitely too tall :baby:

A mate and I happened by a bike shop a couple of weekends ago and popped in for a nose. End result, I took a couple of 2006 600s for a quick ride. Was certainly nice to get back on a bike for the first time in a number of years!!!!

First ride was a Gixxer600. Fun, and ok, but didnt come back with a big huge grin on my dial. Bike was very tidy, but had done quite a few kays, so could have just been that particular example. Could just have been 'first ride in a while' stuff too. But at round town speeds (I didnt get a chance to do anything on motorway, or country, but thats ok since it was a good test for commuting) it was quite snatchy in the drivetrain down low, box quite clunky unless you were changing up in higher rev ranges, and just didnt seem particularly smooth to ride at town speeds.

The brakes were also very light-switchish and not particularly progressive. A plus for the GSXR was that I could pretty much put both feet flat on the ground. It certainly turned nice, but didnt seem to be overly happy at lower speeds around round-abouts etc, just felt like it wasnt quite 100% planted at the front. Having a gear-selection indicator was nice though.

Took a CBR600RR for a ride after that. Very tidy bike, and very low kays. This one DID put a big smile on my dial. Smoother. Just seemed generally seemed a lot more user-friendly around town, more neutral handling, and happier to putt around in 4th gear. Brakes definitely more progressive, though not quite so powerful overall I think. A bit more initial bite would be nice when only using 1 or 2 fingers. It also seemed to be a very nice platform, the pegs seemed in just the right place for me, and very easy to move around on the bike etc.

Downside was that I can only put the balls of both feet on the ground, which did make it a little more of a handful in stop-start traffic at the lights. The rear-end also seemed really hard (getting butt slaps over some bumps and basically no sag sitting it).

I did then discover afterwards that the previous owner seems to have jacked the shock preload up to the max setting, which I find kind of strange, as he apparently isnt a LOT bigger/heavier than I am. Id imagine dropping the shock pre-load back down to stock (setting 4, not the 10 its on) would give more sag, more compliance, and bring the seat height down somewhat too for a bit more 'footsie' contact. Are there any known issues with rear shocks on the CBR, or any known reasons why the preload would be maxed out like that??

Generally, I was amazed at how light these bikes feel when you are moving, and how quick they steer. They steer as well as I seem to recall my 250 2T's steering!! Though they definitely do feel a little more top-heavy and seem to want to fall into the corner a little more (though obviously the CBR with its ass in the air is going to behave more like that than it should). And the power!!!!! :drool:

Riding a bike with a first gear that would get you in trouble out of town was certainly a novelty. I seem to recall the 250's tapping out in first around 50-60 kph, whereas these things are doing 60kph at 5-6k rpm, and arent even in the power zone yet!! It does make it a bit hard to figure out much about the bikes though, since you cant really thrash them around town and have to constantly keep an eye on the speedo.

The riding positions were certainly fairly forward-biased, and the wrists were somewhat achy afterwards, even though was concentrating on supporting myself through the body. I suspect a few days acclimation would fix most of that, but it does make me wonder what these bikes are like to live with on a day-to-day basis.

So, all in all, so far, the CBR seems to be getting the nod for me.

[KiwiKat]

Hi All,

Ive lurked here a bit off and on over the years, and finally decided to join :banana:

After a bit of advise / thoughts around options for getting back onto two wheels. This might be a bit of a novel, so bear with me :innocent:

Bit of background. Grew up in the Manawatu (perfect bike territory) and rode farm bikes etc from about 12. ...Rob.

Novel - Yep:laugh: Manawatu Rocks. :niceone:

Been there recently. My thoughts are firstly size. If you're getting back into bikes after so long and with farm bike experience you will be bored out of your tree with a scooter. Get something midrange 600 to 750 now. Secondly, type of riding. You'll probably enjoy a dual purpose type bike better as you can get off road at weekends and such whereas you are limited with a road bike. Thirdly, size. You've got to be comfortable on uneven ground stopped (short legs). Really embarrassing :eek:when old ladies offer to help you pick up your bike.

[robboh]

Hey.
Thanks for everyones help / thoughts.

I ended up going with a low KM's 06 baby-blade!! :hug:

(though a little hard on the shoulders around town. But hey, thems the breaks, and Im slowly breaking my body in).

Now if the damned rain would stop so I can take it for a decent weekend strop!!!! :whistle:

[diggyduo]

Hi Rob!

Good to see you made the leap. Get in touch when the weather clears.

How's the mal going to fit?

[jrandom]

I ended up going with a low KM's 06 baby-blade!! :hug:

Excellent choice, sir. Enjoy!

And welcome to the forum.

Next step, trackdays (http://www.motott.co.nz/)! Will we be seeing you there in due course?

[robboh]

Hi Rob!

Good to see you made the leap. Get in touch when the weather clears.

How's the mal going to fit?

Giday mate.

I can just see 40kg of malamute perched on the ejector seat with the breeze in her fur, and sticking her tail out for the corners :wacko:

And yeah, when the weather clears... :2thumbsup

[robboh]

Excellent choice, sir. Enjoy!

And welcome to the forum.

Next step, trackdays (http://www.motott.co.nz/)! Will we be seeing you there in due course?

Thanks :)
Trackdays are a definite going forward.

Im already discovering that you cant really thrash one of these things on the street like you can a 250 2T. Well, not without attracting the wrong sort of attention from the boys in blue anyways :eek5:

First gear is too high, too much damned traffic, and I havent found a road yet that meets the general criteria (quiet-ish, nice twisty set of 35kph corners, relatively smooth, close to AKL).

So yeah, trackdays are on the list, though Im sure I'll be as slow as a dog these days. Ab-initio group for me I feel!! :whistle: