Baby Bikes (<100cc)

[Hanne]

The motorcycling narrative goes something like this: start on a 250cc machine, get a full licence and graduate to a bigger bike as soon as possible, never to look back on bikes the size of a happy meal chocolate milk or small chai latte.

Read my KR blog to find out why it doesn't need to be that way....

What are your thoughts??

[tracyprier]

Agreed. Big is not always best, not that big is bad as I love big bikes.

For anyone not familiar, ADVrider is a site all about people taking bikes all over the world and in amongst the huge Beemers and KTM's you get guys like this...

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...thanthepostman

over halfway round the world on a postie bike!

And in countries like Thailand anything over 125cc is REALLY expensive and hard to get hold of so a lot of ex-pats get around on the locally available scooters or Kawasaki d tracker 125cc.

Its kinda sad though that people who choose to downsize get kinda looked down on sometimes

[Bender]

I'm with you....

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=636085

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=704879

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=679573

[Hanne]

Awesome links guys, I might have to add a few more links to the blog post

[HungusMaximist]

Nice post Hanne.

Big and small have their applications. Guess it's been purely down to practicality for me.

[Hanne]

Nice post Hanne.

Big and small have their applications. Guess it's been purely down to practicality for me.

Yeah, and practicality is a big reason for making the choice to go small

[frogamic]

I just test rode a Honda h100s and I can totally see what you guys are saying, plenty zippy enough to navigate city streets.

[R1madness]

little bikes rule... you can ring the nuts off them and not lose your licence (too easily)

[baptist]

Good post, I sold a Scorpio a few months back (needed the cash) but I miss that thing sooooooo much!!!!!! cheap as to run around town.

[Big Dave]

Big is not always best,

Meh!

[Nasty]

Really good read, although I do feel that being childfree is more accepted and normal now. than it was in the past - the references are pretty cool for that.

Have to admit that i loved my FXR150 although for someone my size it did make the ride into wellington daily interesting (28 kms)

[riffer]

IF all I had to do was a small commute through city streets a smaller bike would make a lot of sense.

My problem is that I put 100,000 kms on a bike in 4 years, and it has to carry my lardy arse and all my gear for work 80kms every day, as well as do time in the weekend.

At my current rate of progress I'll be on a Rocket 3 in three bikes time.

Sometimes I wish there was room in my life for a wee bike, but I just know that, given how I currently use them, I'd kill one in six months.

Oh - and I have four children too.

[willytheekid]

I am currently using a little scorpio 225 for the next week or so (work mates bike that im looking after while he is in fiji)

Its a great wee bike!

Going from an old "Tractor" (1100 guzzi) back to a small bike has had me giggling like a school girl on many occasions, I think its the "reminiscence" factor.(I havn't ridden a small bike for decades!)
And the fuel savings are great! (yet the lack of power & control seems to dwindle the bonuses from this)

BUT!...in saying that, I have noticed (compared to a large bike) the lack of control, braking and general handling around town and more so on the open road is not even comparable to a bigger motorcycle...its...well...adequate...yet kind of lacking?.
And I have found it seems to feel more dangerous than a big bike.

I think the danger feel is due to the lack of respect from other road users and the simplicity of the bikes mechanical abilities....fun it may well be, but at the end of the day its lack of road presence and mechanical abilities keep you on your toes and even more aware of how little cars etc are aware of their surroundings.

I must raise a question.....Hanne....have you actually ridden/owned or lived with a large bore motorcycle?
.....Im not having a dig at ya! (nothing wrong with small bikes etc...two wheels is two wheels after all)
Im just wondering if you can really offer an "objectionable" opinion if you have never tasted and lived with the larger side of bike life and the many benefits they provide.

If I was to compare the two bike types, I would say the small bore is better for zipping around town in heavy traffic etc, while the Big bikes tend to excell in all aspects (except a Guzzi in traffic!....the clutch alone will have your left hand screaming and the heat from the engine will have your legs baking lol)
But as Riffer has already said, "If all I had to do was a small commute through city streets, a smaller bike would make a lot of sense" (And save me some petrol money!)

So to me, it really comes down to personal taste and needs, but like all bikes, big or small, they should make you smile ....if not, somethings not right!

Keep up the blogs & posts Hanne , always a good read....this one really made me think.....and reminiscence.

ps: for the record, one of my best bike trips was taking a little nifty50 from palmy to taranaki and back again....just for the fun of it (and to see if I could)

[avgas]

IF all I had to do was a small commute through city streets a smaller bike would make a lot of sense.

My problem is that I put 100,000 kms on a bike in 4 years, and it has to carry my lardy arse and all my gear for work 80kms every day, as well as do time in the weekend.

At my current rate of progress I'll be on a Rocket 3 in three bikes time.

Sometimes I wish there was room in my life for a wee bike, but I just know that, given how I currently use them, I'd kill one in six months.

Oh - and I have four children too.

You might be surprised.
I had and RG150 for nearly 3 years. It used to carry all my gear in a 60L pack and set of panniers. At the time I weighed 85kgs.
What actually killed it was me and my need for speed (I was young and stupid). I was forever going past 140kph.

[Sable]

Little bikes are so much more fun than big bikes. Straight line speed ain't everything. Incidentally my FZR1000 just sold and I shall be investing the money in multiple 2 strokes.