Life after 250cc - What did you test ride first?

[Deviant Esq]

As some of you know (and some don't care... ), I recently got my full licence, my pass to biking freedom. I've now had it nearly three weeks and until today, hadn't even test ridden anything! That's now been rectified - I took a K7 SV1000S out for a boogie this morning (here's the write up I've just done... fair warning: long-ish writeup).

Anyway, thinking about it afterwards it got me curious - what did everyone else test ride first, before anything else, when they were ready to upgrade from their 250? Don't worry about the legal side of things, doesn't matter whether you were patient (like me) and waited until you got your full or not... what was the first big bike you test rode, and what did you think? What did you test ride after that?

Cheers

[Taz]

I went 50cc, 250cc, 400cc, 360cc, 400cc, 600cc, 1000cc, 650cc, 750cc, 600cc, 1100cc. They were just the ones I owned. Being in the bike trade at the time I got to test ride a lot of bikes. But working in the trade means you can't afford any of them so I went to a career that actually pays decent money

[HRT]

07 CBR600RR... little bit of a step up from what I had

[McJim]

I bought the Ducati before I sat the test.

I had ridden an XTX660 once and a ZX6R (636) on Pukekohe.

I bought the Duc coz I've always wanted one. It was important to get it and keep it for a while before I tried other bikes and burst the bubble

Seriously though I have since ridden some younger bikes and am surprised how well the handling of the 10 year old, underpowered Italian compares against some modern bikes.

I also get comments of "that little six hundy twin pulls out of corners well doesn't it?" from people on bigger bikes.

[James Deuce]

"that little six hundy twin pulls out of corners well doesn't it?"

No it doesn't actually, it's shit, but the rider's pretty handy.

250,250,400,250,400,750,600,850,600,600 (+400),750 (+400).

It's a shame you can't buy Japanese 400s brand new off the show room floor in NZ. They are arguably the best compromise in all ways for riding on the road in NZ. But tiny penis/fat gut (I'm as guilty as anyone else!) syndrome tends to mean more 1000s get sold than anything else except scooters, quads, and chook chasers.

[yungatart]

Went from my EL to my EX 500...never ridden anything else, I like what I've got and I don't have a penis...small or otherwise! (Maybe that is the answer, i don't need to compensate!)

[sunhuntin]

Went from my EL to my EX 500...never ridden anything else, I like what I've got and I don't have a penis...small or otherwise! (Maybe that is the answer, i don't need to compensate!)

LOL, i agree.

i test rode the 500 while still on l plates... if i hadnt done it and fallen in love, id still have the plastic plate on the back. i always planned to step slowly through the cc ranks, start 250 and go to a max 600 before going into the 4 digit cc ratings.

[PrincessBandit]

I went straight from the GN to my 650. Didn't get to test ride it as I didn't have my full when we bought it. (The lovely guy from Haldanes rode it out to my place for me). I did spend ages sitting on it and getting a feel for weight (lifting it off side stand) in the shop before settling on purchasing it. Sat on a few other bikes as well but the Bandit fitted like a glove and stole my heart (and my wallet)
Only got my full at the start of November and got straight into riding the Bandit - never looked back! Pillioned my 16 year old son on it this morning (posted in the noobs forum) and know that Bandicoot is the girl for me (so to speak)

[arj127]

didnt. New what i wanted. Moved striaght to a 600, the ultimate bike for kiwi roads i reckon

[HornetBoy]

150cc-250cc-400cc-600cc-900cc-600cc and once i get rid of my 600 kat and get a GSXR750 ill be staying with that for years to come, reckon they are great fun and look the bee's knees

[FilthyLuka]

i "test" rode a cbr900rr on my learners. Im buying that same CBR900 end of january, man it kicks ass.

[99TLS]

after fanging around on scoots and trail bikes for years my first road bike was a sr 250, then a gs1000 what a hoot,then a cbr250rr, then a rg500 fark me, then cbr400rr, then a rg4oo fark me ,then a few others before getting another rg500, and TL1000s

[Forest]

I went from a DT175 to a GPZ305 to a GSX1100EZ.

[blue eyed savage]

250zxr, then 400zxr, then 750zxr. man that was a nice bike. but the little bandit will do for now.

might get an R1 when i get my full. iv just allways loved em

[Coyote]

Since I got my full I've tested a few bikes: Hyosung 650, 03 ZX6R, GSXR600K4, WR450, VFR400, Bought my VFR, 05 ZX6R (with a pillion), ZX10R and a XR650.

Pretty keen for either the ZX10R or the XR650