Little bikes are different?

[FROSTY:Me]

I've been riding Jorja's little 125 a bit lately.Down the road to do rego's and the chores around the yard.
I've notices that although the basic bike principles apply the little bikes are a heck of a lot more sensitive to road "issues".
Tarsnakes are a nightmare. White lines in the wet are scarey and road irregularities are harder to deal with.
seems to me in a lot of ways a small (250 or below) bike is harder to ride than a bigger bike.Or perhaps motre sensitive maybee

[bungbung]

Substandard suspension and handling. I rode Lisa's GL145 over the Haywards and back to Tawa last night, it required so much more attention than my vtr1000. You need to do a lot of advance planning to overtake cars for example.

[HRT]

Let my flatmate have a bit of a play on my CBR250 in a carpark a couple of times, and then again when I got the 600 and he said the 600 was way easier to ride, even if it was just in a carpark.

I found the 250 a bit strange when riding along on bits of road just sealed where the seal only goes to the middle of the lane. Feels like what I imagine riding on ice would be like. No issues on the 600, possibly just put it down to bigger feet

[Kittyhawk]

Took Lilsel's zzr 250 out for a wee blat, and noticed that bikes with thinner tires are definetly more sensitive on the road.

Maybe because everything is quite a bit smaller in scale, compared to larger bikes which feel more stable on the roads.

More rubber on road means more stability?

[ital916]

You guys should try riding down shortland street in the auckland cbd on an rg150.....it's like a rodeo. I have to take it at thirty otherwise the front really starts playing up.

[R6_kid:Me]

Just took the Scorpio 225 out for a blat with my mate on his GSXR600k6. I find the little bikes turn in really easy, but at the same time the steering is greatly affected by road surface changes and general bumpiness.

I would believe that is partially due to the wheels themselves having less rotational inertia and therefore being easier to disturb from their rotational plane, and the fact that the bike itself is about 40kg lighter than what i'm use to. Also less brakes, far less power, and non-sport suspension makes it just as much of a handful at legal speeds as a 600 supersport is at high speed.

[Ixion]

It's not small bikes, it's light bikes. RZ is affected that way. BUT-- it feels dodgy if you're used to a heavy bike, but it isn't . Just physics. A big heavy bike won't be so easily deflected. A small one will. But so what.

It's just like riding on gravel. Yeah, the bike will move around a lot, but let it. It's small, light, the movement doesnt mean much.

And small bikes, meant for city work, will usually have a steeper rake, less trail, to allow easy traffic manoevering (which is good). If you want stability, get a crusier. Or a BMW. *NOTHING* deflects von Klunken.

A small light bike is still easier to *ride* than a big heavy one. You just have to recognise that it's down to *you* to *ride* it.

[xwhatsit]

I'm used to my bike, which is twitchy and light even for a 250, especially with the forks dropped through the triple clamp a bit. I've ridden a couple of larger bikes not so long ago, one of which was a GSXR600. Apart from the exciting engine, it was actually quite bland and boring. Like a video game, no sensation of speed or movement (especially with the fairing). But the suspension just made it feel so indirect and bland and uninvolved with the road.

On my bike, with its primitive suspension and light weight, you get so much feedback through the clip-ons it's almost overwhelming sometimes. Bike has been described as feeling like a mountain bike with a motor.

That's part of the appeal of small, light bikes for me.

[Patch]

think I'll stick to my 196kg whale - you lot keep up the good work

[Ixion]

Took Lilsel's zzr 250 out for a wee blat, and noticed that bikes with thinner tires are definetly more sensitive on the road.

Maybe because everything is quite a bit smaller in scale, compared to larger bikes which feel more stable on the roads.

More rubber on road means more stability?

Yes. It does. But that's not necessarily a good thing. The price for stability is a lack of chuckability. Crusiers are stable. Which is why I'm not keen on them

I *like* a bike that is 'nervy', that feels the road and needs to be ridden. If I wanted stability, I'd put an motor in an armchair. And call it a BMW.

Yes, stability is nice on a crusier or tourier. If you have a thousand kilometres to ride, you don't want to have to work at it more than you have to, and you're not going to be looking for twisty stuff. But you loose a LOT of the fun.

[Patch]

If I wanted stability, I'd put an motor in an armchair. And call it a BMW

funniest thing I've read all day true too

[jrandom]

If you have a thousand kilometres to ride... you're not going to be looking for twisty stuff.

Dunno about that...

[99TLS]

Dunno about that...

agreed here i would be seeking them out

[Ixion]

Then y' wouldn't take a tourier.

For twisties the ideal is what the Yanks call a canyon-carver.

Small bikes.

Aprilia RS250, RGV250 are probably the ones that spring to mind. Wouldn't choose either for a 1000miler m'self.

[jrandom]

Aprilia RS250, RGV250 are probably the ones that spring to mind. Wouldn't choose either for a 1000miler m'self.

There are motorcycles available which are neither origami-rider sprotbikes, full-dress tourers nor ridiculous back-breaking cruisers, you know.

You really must take Betty the GSX1400 for a ride sometime.

Properly handled, she despatches the twisties with motard-like agility, but will happily settle into sedate, armchair-like comfort for long stretches of well-policed highway when required.

Not to mention the great advantages appertaining to a bike which looks like it should come with pipe and slipper holders. Even when engaged in the most dastardly throttle-twisting transgressions upon a GSX1400, one still projects an air of upright, middle-aged respectability as one surveys the countryside from its plush pilot and pillion accommodation.