Migrating from a small bike to a larger one.

[caesius]

I've sold my first bike, my KR-1S. It was a great bike but now it's time to move on...to a bigger bike.

What I am wondering is what sort of challenges to expect going from a 250cc 2-stroke bike to, say, a 750cc GSX, GPZ etc etc. I've ridden a few bigger bikes "round the block" distances but never out on the open road. The first thing that springs to mind is the weight, my old KR-1S was so bloody light I could almost push it uphill. How hard is it getting used to not dropping a big bike for example?

Good thing is I'm now at the fun stage of scanning TM for new bikes with a real intention to buy not just dream.

Just thought I'd post this for any general migration caveats etc. Cheers.

[McJim]

Well for a start the power delivery is gonna be a lot smoother. You're not going to have that big lump of bhp thrown at you in the powerband like on a 250 2 stroke. Moving to a 750 4 pot should be fine - you'll find the bike feels a bit heavier at slow speeds though.

I moved from a 250 twin 4 stroke to a 600 twin 4 stroke. Everything just doubled - power, torque, engine braking - took about 20 minutes to feel safe around town and took about 2 weeks to feel comfortable on the open road.

[caesius]

Engine braking - now there's something I'm looking forward to...

[Disco Dan]

The throttle is a lot more sensitive... less forgiving of mistakes. The weight is less of an issue when your moving but will still take you a few weeks to get used to. And as McJim said.. 250-600 everything pretty much doubles - power, braking, weight etc etc. Once your used to a bigger bike you will wonder what all the fuss was about riding a 250 and you wont want to go back! Its like driving a volkswagon beetle around for ages then jumping into a Lambo!

You need to be ready though - if your skills are not up to it you will get into trouble real easily and really quickly. I strongly suggest you jump on a 600cc before trying the 1000cc + bikes. Ive seen people on here do the 250cc - 1000cc jump with huge egos and little brains - yeah ok they may not have killed themselves yet, but they sure have had many scares and close calls.

[MSTRS:Me]

What McJim said.
You will have bags more torque, and the whole power delivery thing will be far more linear. The physical bulk and weight will be the biggest factor, in that just shifting your body will not affect the attitude of the bike as much as it would have on your little 250. Until you get the 'moves' down pat, you will find that you are having to muscle the bike into cornering etc, which will leave your arms and shoulders feeling sore. Practice will sort that. You will find the bigger bike feels more stable too.

[caesius]

This all sounds very nice, the biggest thing for me on my old bike was it felt more like a push bike with a motor than a "vehicle" - I don't quite know how to explain it, but yes I would use the word stable to describe what it didn't feel like.

[Disco Dan]

This all sounds very nice, the biggest thing for me on my old bike was it felt more like a push bike with a motor than a "vehicle" - I don't quite know how to explain it, but yes I would use the word stable to describe what it didn't feel like.

Then i would suggest a bike like the ZZR600 - the ZZR range are very stable, predictable bikes. The weight is not over the top either until you get over the litre mark.. then it jumps to 'monster' status

Have you thought of getting a heavy 250? May help...

[caesius]

Then i would suggest a bike like the ZZR600 - the ZZR range are very stable, predictable bikes. The weight is not over the top either until you get over the litre mark.. then it jumps to 'monster' status

Have you thought of getting a heavy 250? May help...

I think my mate has a ZZR750, all good reviews from him.

I want to get something a bit bigger because I'll be riding from Wellington to Hawkes Bay regularly and I'm kinda sick of almost being blown off my bike by moderate winds. And it doesn't feel right traveling 300km+ on a 250cc bike.

[MSTRS:Me]

Back in 1974, I went from a TS125 trailbike to a T500. An MTB with a motor to one of the physically largest/heaviest bikes of the day. I set off on a test ride on the 500, from LH to Masterton and back. To start with, I thought OMG this thing is awful, so much hard work. When I got back on the TS, it was "Fuck, what a toy"
I bought the 500.

[avgas]

This all sounds very nice, the biggest thing for me on my old bike was it felt more like a push bike with a motor than a "vehicle" - I don't quite know how to explain it, but yes I would use the word stable to describe what it didn't feel like.

Ah yes momentum theory.
My syggestion is if you would like to have the big bike feel, but still have the flickability - have you considered a big single or a motard.
They are a shit load of fun in comparison to the road haulers (600+ CC sport bikes), and are very light to throw around (rather than 'carefully lean' with a sport bike)
Also some motards i have seen wheelstand to 100k's fine and do an excess of 180kph! Not only that but they are very forgiving for people with little experience.
Just a thought

[McJim]

Since you are moving from a 250 2 stroke there should be no problem moving to a budget 600cc bike. the KR must have been putting out more than 50hp easily so it's comparable to a 400cc 4 stroke - controlling the power won't be your issue.

Trick is just take it easy and don't push it. You'll get used to the extra weight soon enough. Just don't try to run before you can walk.

[Jimmy B]

Some good advice in this thread.

My firm belief is that every bike is different so with this I always set some parameters around how I will ride a new machine for the first few thousand Ks. I do this because for me, it takes some time to work out what the bike is likely to do in any given situation. Have a think about a setting top speed limit, slower corner entry, smooth lines, stopping distance and stay on the conservative side for general riding. I also believe most riders, if they bin, will more than likely bin their new bike inside the first 10,000k or 12 months. It usually coincides with the moment that their new found confidence increases past the point of actual riding ability.

I reckon you will enjoy the step up, good luck and ride well.

[caesius]

Yeah I don't think power will be so *too* much of a problem as I spent the first week on the KR controlling that...

OK so from what I gather you can still get a 600 that doesn't knock the earth out of orbit with its weight - I think that's what I'm after, something big enough to get the long trips done, but still managable (I'm only 60kg btw!).

Cheers all tips

[Jimmy B]

Yes the step up in weight will not be a huge issue, you can drop a 600 as easy as a 1200, it will be more around how you adapt to and control the increased performance. I think a 600 to 750 will be great for the distance that you intend to ride and I would base my buying decision around what is available in that range. For example I would likely pass on a slightly tired but lighter 600 vs a better but slightly heavier 750 or dare I say it…naked 900. If you find several bikes on a par with one an other then its more about what floats your boat. This might be contrary to what others think but I reckon a bit more weight makes for a less fatiguing ride, especially over distance.

[90s]

How hard is it getting used to not dropping a big bike for example?

All really good advice here so far. The stability of a nice 600 is lovely after a small bike, and the progressive torque is beautiful.

At speed - even commuting speed - you won't really notice the weight increase after a few weeks practice.

In terms of dropping the bike and the extra weight there are some issues - parking on gradiants becomes harder, and I parked once at the bottom of a steep driveway where I could easily scoot the RG around but found the GSX and real handfull. So in the first weeks be careful stopping and look out for even surfaces etc. parking.

Sometimes I miss a frenetic 2T - but having a stable torquey bike is great esp. for the distance rides you are looking at. Tourers are heavier than sport bikes but much more comfortable over distance, and they don't really feel heavier most of the time. You can get entry 600/750 sport-tourers for reasonable money.