Lightweight person, lightweight bike?

**Marmoot** · 28th February 2013, 17:42

Don't overthink it. Just learn and develop a skill that suits the bike.

With skill anything is possible

**bogan** · 28th February 2013, 18:07

Try riding a few, you'll figure out what is best. Personally, I find lighter more nimble and fun; and have an abhorrence for those whales desecrating the great name of the VFR. If you just want something than can handle highway speeds well, VTR250 is a good option, or Hornet 250, or even something a little bigger will be a good upgrade, and a very manageable progressions in weight and power to deal with.

**Grashopper** · 28th February 2013, 20:31

Originally Posted by bogan

Try riding a few, you'll figure out what is best. Personally, I find lighter more nimble and fun; and have an abhorrence for those whales desecrating the great name of the VFR. If you just want something than can handle highway speeds well, VTR250 is a good option, or Hornet 250, or even something a little bigger will be a good upgrade, and a very manageable progressions in weight and power to deal with.

Makes sense what you say.
Both bikes are on my current list for a possible next bike

As well as the 250 Inazuma and the Duke200. The Duke is really light though. Sat on one of them at Boyds and it felt even lighter than the GN. Not sure if that would be a good thing. Of course this list will probably change a bit in the next few months until I can buy a 'new' bike, but it is fun to think about which bike to get next.

Originally Posted by Marmoot

With skill anything is possible

Wow! Pretty cool.
I've also seen those Japanese police motorbike videos. It's really amazing how they handle those big bikes.

**ducatilover** · 28th February 2013, 20:37

Originally Posted by bogan

Try riding a few, you'll figure out what is best. Personally, I find lighter more nimble and fun; and have an abhorrence for those whales desecrating the great name of the VFR. If you just want something than can handle highway speeds well, VTR250 is a good option, or Hornet 250, or even something a little bigger will be a good upgrade, and a very manageable progressions in weight and power to deal with.

Blashphemy! Viffers are the pefect bike, minus supercharger.

**Oblivion** · 28th February 2013, 20:44

I moved from a GN just like you straight onto a GPz550. And the one thing that I like about a heavier bike is that I find filtering much less fiddly. On the GN, I was correcting myself a bit while trying go straight while riding the clutch, but with the GPz its not near as fiddly as the bike feels much more planted. In wind it has less tedency to sprawl across the road, but it still does move, just be light on the handle bars and dont grip like a madman.

On a side note, Heavier bikes are great for cruising, lighter bikes are massive fun in the twisties. Not saying you can't take a bigger bike through the twisties though.

**Grashopper** · 28th February 2013, 20:49

Originally Posted by FJRider

Even a 400-500 cc bike ... you will notice the extra weight/HP. And within a few weeks ... you will wonder how you managed on a 250.

Originally Posted by McFatty1000

Ha, I think that even just compared to the cb250 and the fzr250...

The wonders of starting on a GN, so many step-ups to look forward to

Originally Posted by Maha

Personal height V Bike size....can mean a struggle with everything, except the riding bit.

Anne is on the shorter side but is very comfortable on a Goldwing...could never own one, because of the Height/Size thing.

I suppose it is quite helpful if you can get your feet to touch the ground

**nzspokes** · 28th February 2013, 21:19

Went from a Honda CBX250 to a 1200 Bandit with a short interlude on a Kawa 400. 250 sucked in the wind, Bandit is rock solid.

Mind you I may well weigh more than the bike......

**bogan** · 28th February 2013, 22:36

Originally Posted by ducatilover

Blashphemy! Viffers are the pefect bike, minus supercharger.

VFRs come in two flavours, though if you've managed to purge the latter one from your mind, that is most commendable!

Viffer

Whale

**Tigadee** · 28th February 2013, 22:38

Originally Posted by Grashopper

I was thinking that it is probably better for a light weight person to have a heavier bike, to be not as vulnerable against the wind, but he said that if a heavier bike gets moved around by a wind gust than it would be more difficult to maneuver it back. Made sense to me, too.

A cruiser like a 650cc with decent weight and low seat height could be for you. The low seat not only gives you more confidence, but will also help you steady the bike easier than a tall bike [i.e. more spring in your bent knees and feet flat on ground than straightened knees on tippy toes].

Being more bottom heavy is definitely better than top heavy [so I found with my 110kgs on the Scorpio in gusty winds] but only so far. After that, it's more mental than physical.