Why own a bike far beyond your abilities?

[Skyryder]

Choose the bike that you want. So you will never ride like ...............your choice, so who cares.

I think bikes are a bit like woman. It's the looks that catch the eye then the personality. And if the looks and personality gel, then you have a great ride. Mind you there are exceptions to all rules. As for riding to the limits, nothing wrong in going to the edge the secret is having control at the edge: no matter what you ride; sportsers, naked, cafe racers, cruisers, or anything else you can get your leg over. Just treat your ride with respect and you will never get tossed off.
Skyryder

[Motu]

I really enjoy riding a bike I can exceed the limits of - pushing so hard you can feel the forks and frame flex,tyres slide,brakes fade,just going way over the top - you get this on a small bike.I just loved tossing my XR200 into a corner at 110%,not knowing if I was going to make it or not,like,who cares,just go hard out giving it all you got.Try this on a bike that exceeds your abilities and you are in big trouble.

Come and ride my 1971 XS1 sometime - it doesn't take much to get to the abrupt edge of it's package...like playing with a vicious dog,it bites....oh yes,it bites....but it's fun to tease sometimes eh?

[Two Smoker]

Hhhhmm intersting, after riding 2 different 600cc Sports bikes, i dont see why there is a need for a 1000..... they have plenty of torque through the rev range, plenty of power, acceleration in lower speeds (below 200kmh) comparable to litre bikes, and handle better to top it off....

[Jinx3d]

Who says that the point of owning a bike is to take it to its limits? And who says big bike owners cant control themselves?

I ride my TL slower with far more restraint than I did my first 200 cc.

The track is a different story, blasting round manfield is just about one of the most fun things I have ever done but that sort of thing is just plain crazy on the road.

Its all just for some fun - its not worth dying over it.

best R.
Capt safety (aka Jinx3d)

[marty]

Hhhhmm intersting, after riding 2 different 600cc Sports bikes, i dont see why there is a need for a 1000..... they have plenty of torque through the rev range, plenty of power, acceleration in lower speeds (below 200kmh) comparable to litre bikes, and handle better to top it off....

yes but do they scare small children and old people, and set off car alarms when you ride past?

it's the same old story - we ride/drive/play with whatever our wants desire. i drive a v6 wagon, that will do 200k. it's a family car. i drive it well within its limits. i ride a v2 bike that will do 270k. it's my toy. i like it for lots of reasons, one of them being that i will never find its limits, the other being that i don't feel a need to get close to them. i'd race it if i did. i understand motu's statement, and agree - sometimes it is nice to play close to the edge. i have other outlets that will let me do that.

[Funkyfly]

Hhhhmm intersting, after riding 2 different 600cc Sports bikes, i dont see why there is a need for a 1000..... they have plenty of torque through the rev range, plenty of power, acceleration in lower speeds (below 200kmh) comparable to litre bikes, and handle better to top it off....

well i guess riding style comes into it, from what i hear your a damn fast rider, and the fact your on a 150 suggests you carry really good corner speed (something i wish i could do), but im no good at corners, i get my kicks outta booting it in a straight line, i shy off at around 200 but the rush of a big 1000 is amazing! one of the other reasons i got a litre bike.

[Two Smoker]

well i guess riding style comes into it, from what i hear your a damn fast rider, and the fact your on a 150 suggests you carry really good corner speed (something i wish i could do), but im no good at corners, i get my kicks outta booting it in a straight line, i shy off at around 200 but the rush of a big 1000 is amazing! one of the other reasons i got a litre bike.

Nah mate, im slow as hell, and i guess after riding a 150, the 600 is going to accelerate blody quick lol.....

Yep Marty, thats right, it is about the guy/girl on the bike that controls it..... I would think though that in a corner on a 1000cc bike you have too worry about the throttle too much rather than the lines etc.... And mmmmm V-Twin

[Big Dog]

The issue here surely is what goes on in the head of the monkey astride the thing -- the bit that all of the engineers and product developers have absolutely no control over.

Nor do they get to decide on the aerodynamics or the cog of said monkey.
I ride 1100 for many reasons now, but at purchase time it had a lot to do with having to ring the nuts off anything smaller unless I wanted to hear valve bounce.

Now it has to do with,
* It is so good to be able to go into corners hot because I don't have to worry the % of mass that is my weight .
* It is so good to be able to rely on the bike tocover for me if I overcook a corner from my abilities point of view.
* Being able to set off half a dozen car alarms at start up.
* How excited kids get when they see you coming.
* Seeing other bikers look impressed when you roll up, even if your bike is ten years older than theirs.
* being able to make the pipes bark like a dog when cars don't see you as they pull into your lane.
* being able to line lock it in the wet without using the brakes.
* being easier to ride in heavy wind.
*being able to get my knees under the mirrors.

I could go on but you get the idea.

[FROSTY:Me]

I guess I kinda went the other way.I'd become a family man so I bought an evil handling underpowered pile of dung.Its limits are soo far before mine that
I was forced to slow down my pace.
One thing im noticing is that the modern sports bikes are capable of masking rider deficiencies -basicly get you out of the cack you got yaself into

[Wonko]

Speaking as a learner rider, I went to an old 600 over an old 1000 or a higher performing 400, for a number of reasons.

I can ride two up
It's not to much power for me, even though it's beyond me to reach it's limits.
I'd rather move from a older less performing bike to a better perroming bike, than move between two bikes that are move evenly matched.

[What?]

I've only been riding for thirty-odd years, but one day I might actually be good enough to explore the power of my XR200. Meanwhile, it makes me look good

[Quasievil]

I chose the bike I wanted as opposed to the bike I could of had, for the money I paid for the Ducati I could have brought a new SV1000 or Firestorm
it wasnt so much about the power it was more about the fact Ive always wanted a Ducati, now I have one. I know that obviously the Ducati isnt any where near the fastest bike around, But it handles really well and its SO MUCH fun to ride, I love it.
Next Bike will be a 748 or a 996 then I will have some serious grunt at my disposal but I will be able to handle it first ,thats for sure

[Two Smoker]

from the short piece ive seen you riding hard, it looks like you know how too ride the 750SS pretty hard........

[Quasievil]

from the short piece ive seen you riding hard, it looks like you know how too ride the 750SS pretty hard........

I guess you refer to the Karangahape gorge the other weekend
yeah I felt like a bit of a go ,doesnt happen often lol.
I would be interested to see you on a bigger more powerful bike

[Two Smoker]

LOL, wont be happening for another 12months unless people keep "loaning" there bike too me hehehe....... I was getting more used to the power and handling after the second 600...... Didnt scare me as much when i red lined second and third lol....