Have you ever had a current learner bike that the power made you crash?

**hellokitty** · 3rd October 2010, 06:55

My Suzuki RM125 was nuts! My husband said it would be a great dirt bike for me to learn on

I think he got me to buy it so he could ride it, as he seemed to be the only one in the family that could control it!

**release_the_bees** · 3rd October 2010, 11:53

Originally Posted by hellokitty

My Suzuki RM125 was nuts! My husband said it would be a great dirt bike for me to learn on

I think he got me to buy it so he could ride it, as he seemed to be the only one in the family that could control it!

My brother had one of those, so I know what you mean. The throttle seemed to have just two positions, closed or wide open!

**slowpoke** · 3rd October 2010, 13:08

Originally Posted by renegade master

Simple poll. Keep this about the power, and not the skill required to ride a bike.

How can you separate the two? How can you use the word "learner" and exclude skill?

Power simply means you can get into a whole lot more trouble, in a shorter time/space and the consequences are far more serious. It could be attempting a dodgy pass on your RGV250 that you wouldn't dream of on your GN250. It could be hitting a tractor pulling out of a farm gate on the open road at 150kph vs wheezing along at 110, with the throttle pinned and your chin on the tank.

Bikes are like guns, by themselves they are harmless, it's just the person pulling the trigger (throttle) that does the damage. It's hard to argue against teaching someone the basics with a slug (excuse the pun) gun rather than a .38 is the right way to go.

**The Pastor** · 4th October 2010, 08:50

Originally Posted by slowpoke

How can you separate the two? How can you use the word "learner" and exclude skill?

Power simply means you can get into a whole lot more trouble, in a shorter time/space and the consequences are far more serious. It could be attempting a dodgy pass on your RGV250 that you wouldn't dream of on your GN250. It could be hitting a tractor pulling out of a farm gate on the open road at 150kph vs wheezing along at 110, with the throttle pinned and your chin on the tank.

Bikes are like guns, by themselves they are harmless, it's just the person pulling the trigger (throttle) that does the damage. It's hard to argue against teaching someone the basics with a slug (excuse the pun) gun rather than a .38 is the right way to go.

yes but how many road legal 2 stroke 250s are on the market? very few. Why make a law to outlaw them?

**The Pastor** · 4th October 2010, 08:53

Originally Posted by avgas

3 times.
I learn by doing however.
Unlike other pussies on here.

care to share?

**The Pastor** · 4th October 2010, 08:55

Just to put things in perspective.

I had a gpz1000 as my first proper road bike. good for 240km/hr 10 second 1/4 mile etc.

tooons of power, did it cause me crash? not once. Did my lack of experience cause me to crash? once (on a 250 lol)

**ducatilover** · 4th October 2010, 10:56

Originally Posted by renegade master

Just to put things in perspective.

I had a gpz1000 as my first proper road bike. good for 240km/hr 10 second 1/4 mile etc.

tooons of power, did it cause me crash? not once. Did my lack of experience cause me to crash? once (on a 250 lol)

I had a GPZ400R as my first road bike, I didn't crash that. I crashed a 250 once due to me not seeing the diesel slick on the Rimutakas and ACC didn't have to pay a thing it was that minor.
I am personally a supporter of the idea of a KW/KG threshold, it just needs adjusting. I think the CBR/ZXR/FZR/GSX-R should all be allowed, but people will have a wider range of bikes, especially for those looking into the cruiser market. I personally, would start over again on a GB400TT as a first bike.

**onearmedbandit** · 4th October 2010, 12:44

Originally Posted by R6_kid

So you started 'learning' on a bike that was too powerful for you, then progressively upgraded to more and more powerful bikes, and are now at the point where you still can't control the power available from your current bike. Sounds to me like you didn't do a lot of learning.

Just curious how you came to this decision. Was it because of the piece of paper, or simply the cc size?

**all4A50s** · 21st October 2010, 21:07

I think I managed to remodel a couple of my first bikes through crashing. I do think that there are some serious machines out there that shouldn't be ridden by a newbie so restricting the power output available is a good option. I also think there should be another period that doesn't involve any testing, but for the first year you have your full licence/returning to riding after at least a ten year break you are restricted to 400cc.

Let's see ... most memorable;
Riding my AC50 through my parents front entrance windows when trying to stall it as I had lost the key. Coming off my DT175 backwards when I rolled into a wire arm fence. Coming off the AC50 after I modified it but didn't align the chain properly.

Most serious;
Taking the wrong line out of a corner on my H100, hitting a dirt bank and doing synchronized spinning through the air = injured back, neck and knee.

Having to drop my RG50 coming down Ngauranga Gorge in the wet when a car pulled in front of me = rolling down the hill and luckily no cars hit me.

Then there's the crashing while racing...

In saying this I haven't come off a big bike yet in part as I find people see you better.

**davebullet** · 21st October 2010, 22:10

I've dropped one, but never crashed one. In the wet maybe (launching and spinning it up), or dropping the clutch with the back stepped out on a loose surface....

**Suntoucher** · 22nd October 2010, 12:39

Closest to a crash I've come was an extremely tight roundabout on a new front-tyre, lowsiding at about 15km/h. Otherwise not even close on either of my 250s yet.

**Maki** · 22nd October 2010, 12:45

You twist your wrist, not your bike. Anyone who thinks the power of a bike makes them crash is delusional. If you are riding the bike and it crashes, then you are the one who made it crash.

**Bass** · 22nd October 2010, 13:00

I beg to differ.
I worked with a guy who built up a mini-bike with twin Mac 45's on it (early 100cc kart racing motors).
It was only 200cc and so could qualify as a learner machine I guess.
He was the only one who could ride it. Everybody else, it spat off the back.

**ellipsis** · 22nd October 2010, 13:06

.....first ride ever on a jap bike , new TS400 Apache, lack of power to the brain at the tender age of about 14 had me doing my first wheelie ever , also.

..very unintentional...tore half way through a seven strand fence...still on the back wheel...sudden stop ....did more damage to my arse trying to get untangled from the top strand of barbed-wire....definite case of too much power being fed by an underpowered brain....quite common I believe...

**rgv250** · 22nd October 2010, 13:35

i got a rgv250 and its not the power the gets ya but the sudden burst on a 2 smoker. 1st or 2nd gear on mine and u let it hit power band and unless ur a big boy or ur leaning over the front wheel it snapps up real quick. so its not the power tht causes crashes but its the uncontrollible side of it on mine, if u knw were the power is and were to be wen u use it then ur fine. its all on comon sence and exsperience, 2 strokes are prob the worse bike for learners but they are so dam fast