Downsizing - interesting read.

[TheDemonLord]

Smaller engine is going to vibrate a lot more. For commuting that might be okay but for longer trips will get old very fast.

Depends - if your Missus is on the back or not....

[Autech]

"My bike loan was cut in half, but so was my ego. Right? I can’t be a man with a small bike, can I?"

Not ego in my experience of smaller bikes, as nothing inflates the head more than caning a guy on a big bike on a shitty 250. Especially and exceptionally shitty 250 like a Hobag.

I agree with the above though, better off on a smaller bike around town. I remember racing my mate on our 250s from every set of lights all the way up Queen street without breaking too many laws. A round a bout on a 250 is a new adventure every time. So much fun, once I bought my 600 I think I started having a lot less fun riding. One of the reasons why when I chucked it down the road I didn't replace it with another 600 and instead went for a piddly old 400 for a laugh.

Surprised to see an American making this choice though, you don't see too many smaller cc bikes over there as they are allowed to jump on anything straight away. Guy lent that lent me a Diavel in Canada was a new rider and it was his first bike, lunacy considering in Sport mode that bike would easily chuck off an unwary rider in spectacular fashion, it had a few barely controlled slides with me riding it.

[GrayWolf]

Do you mean how most of us pine over slim chassis and big headlights but in the real world we end up with hayabusas, bandits, cb1300s etc?

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yeh but the CB1300s type woman will give you one of the sweetest rides you've ever had

[caspernz]

Do you mean how most of us pine over slim chassis and big headlights but in the real world we end up with hayabusas, bandits, cb1300s etc?

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Smaller engine is going to vibrate a lot more. For commuting that might be okay but for longer trips will get old very fast.

yeh but the CB1300s type woman will give you one of the sweetest rides you've ever had

Careful fellas, the PC brigade might be on high alert...

[Tazz]

Smaller engine is going to vibrate a lot more. For commuting that might be okay but for longer trips will get old very fast.

Going by that generalised and somewhat flawed logic big pig bikes will always make you more tired because they require more effort to throw around the corners at a decent pace

What you're not taking into account is engine type.

And what is a small engine anyway? Bike engines go up to 2.5/2.6L or so?
With that in mind is anything under 2000cc small? Do you measure it from production where maybe due to the sheer volume produced anything over 100-150cc would be considered big?

In some countries that 390 would be considered a bigger bike.

[jasonu]

Going by that generalised and somewhat flawed logic big pig bikes will always make you more tired because they require more effort to throw around the corners at a decent pace

What you're not taking into account is engine type.

And what is a small engine anyway? Bike engines go up to 2.5/2.6L or so?
With that in mind is anything under 2000cc small? Do you measure it from production where maybe due to the sheer volume produced anything over 100-150cc would be considered big?

In some countries that 390 would be considered a bigger bike.

I never considered the engine in my RZ500 small.

[Gremlin]

I've owned 5 bikes... and never dropped capacity (250, 748, 998, 999, 1170). HP wise, going from 998 (ZX10R) I dropped on the 999 (990SM) and then about the same on the 1170 (GSA). Right tool for job, definitely. Downsizing is more fun? I don't think so.

I don't really enjoy the small amount of city riding I do on the GSA. A continent crusher on the Auckland motorway... no, it's too large, bars are wide, and if I have luggage on (only on a trip) I can pretty much forget trying to lane split. However, I enjoy the CB919 commuting, which is technically quite large. It is bigger than others for splitting, but also has plenty of grunt off the lights and tootles on the motorway no problem. I could go with a smaller bike, say, around 600, but the Hornet is so damn reliable. However, the regular road suspension is a chore on the open road and the BMW much better.

A mate has a Duke 390 and I took it for a spin from Waipu to Mangawhai while he rode the GSA. I was up and down the gearbox like a rowing boat, too much change in speed meant I had to change 1, or often 2, gears otherwise there was nothing there. Light and flickable sure, but constantly going up and down the gearbox was a chore. My mate reckoned gears were unnecessary on the GSA with oodles of torque whenever he wanted it. I'd never really considered it had lots, but then realised just how much torque I was used to.

Getting rid of the ZX10R I tried the 690SM and found the single cylinder too ring ding (but bear in mind the HP I was used to), so settled on a 990SM, which was indeed mental fun (as another mate with a 690SM commented when he tried the 990). I rode a single cylinder G650GS as a loan bike when the GSA was in this month... yup, still don't like single cylinder bikes. I'd avoid BMW if that was the only one I'd ridden Nup, much preferred getting back on mine...

For a personal bike I doubt I'd consider anything under say, 800cc any time soon. After all, there is no upper rego limit after 599... so go for your life

[Askor]

Smaller engine is going to vibrate a lot more.

100% bullshit.

Depends on the engine configuration/if it has a counter balance shaft/what engine it is.

Like saying a 125cc bike is slow. Well, a shitty old 125cc farm bike is slow, but those 125GP bikes aren't too shabby..

[boman]

I have gone from a 675 Daytona, to a 1L BMW. I do not regret the move.

The bigger bike is easier to ride in all aspects than the 675, and is a blast to have a splurge on.

The bigger bike is also easier to tour on, and getting through the traffic is effortless.

[98tls]

Horses for courses blah blah blah...go back ahh ok go way back and think dirtbikes,most with average ability wanted bigger ie CRs/YZs etc but when they got the things fact was they actually went quicker on 125s and in fact got hosed when racing guys with real ability onboard 125s.

[AllanB]

In cc I have been technically downsizing over the last few bikes, GS1200ss, CB919 Hornet, not the 848 Ducati. Prior to the 1200 was a 750.

However,


The smaller cc Ducati is the lightest, most powerful of the above rides.

And vibration? Ducati has zilch that I'd describe as vibration compared to the IL4's - engine configuration more than capacity.


Back in the early 80's when looking for a new Kawasaki I was tossing up between a 750 or 1000 - I remember the shop guy describing the 1000 as a lazy mans 750 in that outright power did not differ much but torque did.

That was back when the smaller the capacity the cheaper the bike - there was a reasonable dollar difference between the two I remember.

[pritch]

but those 125GP bikes aren't too shabby..

Ummm wot 125 GP bikes?

[Askor]

Ummm wot 125 GP bikes?

You know what I mean

[neels]

The best solution is still to own more than one bike, after all he who dies with the most toys wins, right?

Smaller and lighter wins around town, my duc is a bit of a pig commuting, much more fun on the drz

[Voltaire]

I've got a BMW R80ST, its a blast on twisty roads and commuting, but on the motorway its low gearing means its a bit busy.
Its 1983 so have to wait another 7 years for the reg to drop to under a $100 a year like the R90s which is an ok commuter but happier on the open road.
I had a Z1000 back in the day, and then went to twins after that, not really interested in fat pig bikes, even the Ducati St4S was a fat lump....friggen water cooling.
Slow down and take in the scenery.