Transition from baby learner bike to big girl (still learner) bike

[bosslady]

I still consider myself a newbie and anyway was wondering if anyone else, also a newbie, has recently upgraded to a bigger / better bike. What did you move from and to? Why did you choose that bike and how long did it take you to get used to it, or how are you finding it? And how long did you have your first bike?

As some may know I moved from a gn250 to a drz400sm after riding the gn for around 8 months. What a revelation! And I don't know how I'd go back to a bike with a shorter seat height now, it feels too weird. I am used to barely being able to get both feet on the ground now (although always keep the right foot up when I come to a stop so doesn't really matter) have learnt to turn my bike around walking it beside me rather than try and back her up while sitting on the bike, too hard to do on your tippy toes. I moved to this bike mostly just because I think motards look really BOSS. Downside is the small tank, which gets used up quicker when you're not being uhh.. conservative I guess you could say... the way the wind effects me, unbelievable in comparison to the gn! I have to be careful how I park her so as to not fall trying to get off or on, therefore I try to only park on really flat ground if I can. I have to make sure too that whatever pants I wear have to be relatively loose fitting and not tight at all! or I can't get my foot down properly when I stop!

Other than that I LOVE my new bike SO MUCH. I love how much faster It is, how much cooler it looks, the loud and obnoxious sounds that it makes, laugh when it sets of (albeit sensitive) car alarms, the fact that people just stare at It esp when I'm stopped at lights, love it. I still find a fair bit of slow maneuvering difficult since I've only had it a month now I think, and my lines around corners on the open road are pretty shit, feel like I'm brand spanking new to riding all over again! I do enjoy the upright seating position too.

Ahhh so in love... anyone else?

[tigertim20]

bought a really low km 08 R1 about two months ago.
took me a month to stop regretting selling the other two bikes. and about another week to not regret it anymore.
after having taken it on several long distance rides over the last few weeks, im more and more i love with it.

I dont think Ive ever really regretted buying any of the bikes ive had. sure, some might not have been very good bikes, but you get used to their quirks, and they become comfortable and familiar, and you look smile every time you get on because you learn more about what it can do every time you get on it.

when you no longer find yourself smiling, and taking one last look back at it before you close the garage door after a ride, it means the love affair is over, ad its time to find something new to master

[nzspokes]

Just love what you have and make it fit you for your needs. I do all kinds of weird crap to my bike to make it suit what I want.

My jump from my 250 to my old 400 was an eye opener with a doubling of HP. But that stayed a couple of months before my 1200 came along.

[bosslady]

bought a really low km 08 R1 about two months ago.
took me a month to stop regretting selling the other two bikes. and about another week to not regret it anymore.
after having taken it on several long distance rides over the last few weeks, im more and more i love with it.

I dont think Ive ever really regretted buying any of the bikes ive had. sure, some might not have been very good bikes, but you get used to their quirks, and they become comfortable and familiar, and you look smile every time you get on because you learn more about what it can do every time you get on it.

when you no longer find yourself smiling, and taking one last look back at it before you close the garage door after a ride, it means the love affair is over, ad its time to find something new to master

How long had youbeen riding?

Just love what you have and make it fit you for your needs. I do all kinds of weird crap to my bike to make it suit what I want.

My jump from my 250 to my old 400 was an eye opener with a doubling of HP. But that stayed a couple of months before my 1200 came along.

There's still ways yet to make my bike faster! Not quite that fast but still...

[Gremlin]

ZZR250 to ZX7R after 7 months (my mates had bets on how long I would last)
ZX7R to ZX10R after 12 odd months... then a few other bikes

Each bike has taught me valuable lessons and a few I still consider special, but for one reason or another, it was time to move to something else.

[nerrrd]

Four years ago when I first saw my bike on TM it was love at first sight - it was a BMW (so sue me I like the brand), quirky/different and I could afford it. After dumping my 250 and signing on the dotted line we had our first weekend together and I thought OK, so it can be a bit cranky at times, a little rough even, but I think we can make this work.

That Monday morning it stalled on me for the first time, I dropped it off at the shop and didn't see it again for several weeks. When I got it back the trust was gone and things were never quite the same again...but we worked on it, I changed it, it changed me and eventually we got to know each other properly. Now after all we've been thru my bike is like a comfy old pair of slippers.

There's still some magic there...sure I still look at other bikes, but so far I've always come home with mine. Can't help thinking there might be something more out there, though...

[nzspokes]

There's still ways yet to make my bike faster! Not quite that fast but still...

Well powers not everything. Long distance comfort is a big thing to me. I likes me long rides. A recent 700k ride has shown that my bike is comfortable with enough power.

But a VFR1200 or Concours 14 would be nice to.

[haydes55]

I had a couple of sports bike 250s then the 300 motard to get through the licensing.

Next bike, Z1000. Going from a motard to a naked sport(/tourer?), was pretty easy, the new bike was lower and felt more stable. The throttle was now linked directly to my smile thanks to almost 100hp more.

I picked it up and rode it down a driveway passed a parked car a little shakey. Did a poor gear change and gave it a bit of a squirt down the road, a slight unease feeling braking to the intersection. After filling the tank and grabbing some maccas I took it up bluff hill. The twistiest steepest roads I've ever ridden. By the top I was confident and competent.

I rode it back to hamilton through mostly rain at a decent pace. I love everything about this bike, except the added speed means my helmet now tries to lift off my head. Sometimes I think I wished it had more power... then I chop it down a gear or twist the throttle to the stops and that thought vanishes.

[Vinz0r]

I went: 91 Kawasaki ZR250 -> 95 Suzuki Bandit 250 -> 99 Suzuki bandit 1200 -> 05 Kawasaki ZX6R

I loved the little 250s, learnt a lot on these at various track events. Eventually I decided I'd outgrown the capabilities of the bike so bought the 1200. That was a very different riding experience, a lot heavier, couldn't throw it into corners like the smaller bikes. I loved the bike, it was really good fun, but I don' think it quite suited the way that I like to ride.
Now I have the ZX6R, which is just amazing. Has the power of the 1200 (albeit at rather different revs!) and I can throw it around like I did with the 250s. Went for a blast out to Raglan from Hamilton today and had a grin on my face most of the way. I don't think I'll be getting another bike any time soon as I can't see myself exhausting the potential of this one for a good long time.

[baffa]

Hey bosslady were you at the Big blue ride?

There was a girl with a tidy black DRZ400 or something similiar near me, sweet exhaust noise, nice bike if it was you.

[bosslady]

Hey bosslady were you at the Big blue ride?

There was a girl with a tidy black DRZ400 or something similiar near me, sweet exhaust noise, nice bike if it was you.

Yup that sounds like me, didn't see any other drz' s.

[mossy1200]

I had a couple of sports bike 250s then the 300 motard to get through the licensing.

Next bike, Z1000. Going from a motard to a naked sport(/tourer?), was pretty easy, the new bike was lower and felt more stable. The throttle was now linked directly to my smile thanks to almost 100hp more.

I picked it up and rode it down a driveway passed a parked car a little shakey. Did a poor gear change and gave it a bit of a squirt down the road, a slight unease feeling braking to the intersection. After filling the tank and grabbing some maccas I took it up bluff hill. The twistiest steepest roads I've ever ridden. By the top I was confident and competent.

I rode it back to hamilton through mostly rain at a decent pace. I love everything about this bike, except the added speed means my helmet now tries to lift off my head. Sometimes I think I wished it had more power... then I chop it down a gear or twist the throttle to the stops and that thought vanishes.

The new z1000s are going to have zx10r motors and 200hp

I started with a xl185s and then a rg250f. Got a rg400 while still on learners licence.
They only punishment for riding larger cc or after hours back then was an extension on licence time. Never got caught.

[Erelyes]

Ahhh so in love... anyone else?

Started on an 08 Yamaha Scorpio and then bought an old shape 07 Ninja 250.

I liked my Scorpio a lot, and think it was ideal for learning the ropes on, but am super glad I got the Ninja. Love the sound when it gets up in the revs, and the sportier riding position. Fairings help too, I'm actually a lot warmer on the Ninja, not to mention it's better in the wind.

Have considered going up to something quicker / newer but I'm still in the phase of doing the occasional dumb thing on the 250. Still keep an eye on trademe though.

[tigertim20]

How long had youbeen riding?

There's still ways yet to make my bike faster! Not quite that fast but still...

little over 15 years now I think. started on a suzuki mudbug, possibly the most indestructible bike ever made!

Well powers not everything. Long distance comfort is a big thing to me. I likes me long rides. A recent 700k ride has shown that my bike is comfortable with enough power.

But a VFR1200 or Concours 14 would be nice to.

nanananana, get more power, do the trip i half the time, comfort no longer an issue, and every ride comes complete with a lunatic-sized grin.
see? compromise!

[iranana]

I still consider myself a newbie and anyway was wondering if anyone else, also a newbie, has recently upgraded to a bigger / better bike. What did you move from and to? Why did you choose that bike and how long did it take you to get used to it, or how are you finding it? And how long did you have your first bike?

I started riding almost three years ago on a Suzuki RG150. I rode it for around two years before I got a new bike because I loved it so much. Nothing beats that feeling when you get a smoker on the pipe! What appeals to me most about bikes is their mechanics (hence my love for the simplicity of a two stroke), so when I decided it was time to go up in size I ended up buying an old dog of a Yamaha RD250E from 1978 to fix up. Admittedly, I really wanted something bigger, but the old smokers are getting harder and harder to find, so when the opportunity for 250 at a reasonable price came up I went for it and haven't looked back... After rebuilding it and getting it running like a top, I love it. I won't be selling it for anything other than a big bore smoker.

I still miss my RG, but the RD is an awesome bike. It's not that fast off the line, but once you hit 6k RPM, it really gets up and goes. Took me a while to get used to it, cause it's a very different riding stance to an RG (no rear set foot pegs or small, tucked in bars) and it just rides differently in every way.