First time riding a bike bigger than a 250cc. Share your experiences!

**DarkLord** · 26th November 2008, 11:29

Up until a few months ago I had only ridden a GN125 (BHS course) and 3 Hyosung GT250R's. One was my old one I wrote off in a crash, one was my new one and one was Gubb's.

I went on a big ride from Auckland down to Taumarunui with my flatmate who rides a Bandit 1200. Halfway there or so, he gave me a go on his bike.

At first I was nervous, due to the sheer size and weight of the thing but once I got going it was fine. I was amazed at how smooth the ride was and how well designed everything felt, as well as how responsive everything was - the clutch, brakes, gear lever etc.

And then the power. WHOA. You just get this feeling of big, rumbling balls, just sitting there, waiting to be used. A little twist of the throttle and you were away. I was sitting in 4th gear out on the highway at 110 and wanted to pass a car, so just gave the thing a squirt in 4th gear and I was at 160 before I could blink. It was noticeably heavier on the corners, but such a smooth and enjoyable ride all the same. I'm sure if I was riding it every day I'd get used to it.

I thought I had some idea of what a bike could do. Boy, was I wrong!! Once we pulled over and swapped back I had the hugest grin on my face. However that disappeared when I realised just how poor and cheap the Hyosung was in comparison. Not to mock it, as it has been a great learner bike for me but once you get a taste of what else is out there it is hard to go back.

I was a little naughty as I'm not quite on my full yet

so I'm not able to own or test ride anything bigger until I get it, however that's not too far away, it's nice to have something to look forward to.

What was it like when you rode your first "bigger" bike?

**scorry** · 26th November 2008, 11:37

Originally Posted by DarkLord

You just get this feeling of big, rumbling balls, just sitting there, waiting to be used.

LOL neva put it that way before

my first time on a big bike was when i was 14, didnt even have a license and i had only eva rode a xl125 and a couple other small dirt bikes.
was on the back with my dad, he pulled over and complained about havin sore wrists and then slid bak on the seat and said you ride.

my mouth dropped to the floor, i made all these excuses not to lol
oh the bike was a 1978 z1300 straight 6, so you can imagine why i was now shittin myself.

but i rode it n e way, was interestin takin off cos i couldnt touch the ground.
havent looked back since tho

**klingon** · 26th November 2008, 12:00

My first big bike ride was recently when I got my full licence and decided to start test riding. I borrowed a Bonnie from Holeshot in Takapuna (I had been admiring them for a long time). What a beautiful bike to ride! *swoons*

The nice man said I could have it for "a couple of hours" so I ended up riding it to Wellsford and back. Gorgeous. Stunning. I'm still talking about it. And saving every penny until I can afford one of my own!

I fully intended to ride a huge range of 'big' bikes before deciding what to get next, but there's just nothing else I've looked at and said "I want to ride that!"

**racerhead** · 26th November 2008, 12:04

When I was about 14 my parents went away for a weekend and left me with my aunt in a town about 15 kms away from home. On the sunday morning I said I was going to a friends house but cycled the 15 k's back home and took my fathers 600 yamaha fazer for a spin that lasted about 2 hours and about 100 k's. Was taking it easy enough most of the time but gave it the odd squirt and it really opened my eyes to what a real bike was like to ride because up to this point all Id ridden was a vintage excelsior that had shit tyres, suspension(actually not sure if it had any), brakes etc. So this memory is etched in my mind forever more

And managed to get it all back in one piece and cycle back to my aunts house and no one ever knew what I done

**imdying** · 26th November 2008, 12:07

First decent go on a bigger than 250 was an RZ500... 7000rpm WOAH BABY! Deal done, took it home

**discotex** · 26th November 2008, 13:46

My first go on a bigger bike was a K6 SV1000 with Yoshi's. After a few funny looks from the staff with my 1 day old paper I was off

I've never blipped a bike so much at the lights in my life!

It's all an eye opening experience when you jump up. First time I had the front wheel in the air under power I didn't even know what was going on until the wheel touched down

**James Deuce** · 26th November 2008, 13:51

Gunnyrob's GPX750. Bloody lovely bike.

**DarkLord** · 26th November 2008, 13:52

Originally Posted by discotex

First time I had the front wheel in the air under power I didn't even know what was going on until the wheel touched down

I know what that's like. When a mate was test riding a Striple I took it for a quick pootle up and down the street.... gave it a little gas and before I knew it the front wheel was in the air....same as you I didn't really notice until THUD as it hit the ground!!

**HenryDorsetCase** · 26th November 2008, 13:58

I borrowed a mate's DT400 yamaha.

thought it was the most powerful coolest thing in the world. Decided to show off for some girls I knew who were riding horses along the road. Managed to flip the bike, land flat on my back and do enough damage to the bike that I had to spend ALL of my next three wages on it.

Didnt spook the horses, and the girls thought it was hilarious. Needless to say they werent interested in letting me feel them up or anything after that.

Oh to be 17 again......

not really

**discotex** · 26th November 2008, 14:02

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

Didnt spook the horses, and the girls thought it was hilarious. Needless to say they werent interested in letting me feel them up or anything after that.

Man you should have milked it for some hot nurse action

**racefactory** · 26th November 2008, 14:05

First bike i rode was a mates VFR400 NC30, after which i got one myself (yes that's right- first bike). The next bike i rode was a GSXR750 and then an SV650 2007. Nothing 'magical'- just one is faster than the other...

In fact it was only a couple months later that i rode a 250 4 stroke and an FXR150 at waiheke island for the first time. In all honestly, I thought it was equally as fun!

Had a 2 stroke 250 not so long ago.

They all go where you want them to go... Just depends on how much you twist that throttle. I also don't think a smaller bike is any less fun than a bigger bike. Weight is also a big part of the fun I think people often overlook. They just think... more cc is better. It's fun as hell to throw about a light as dirt 250 2 stroke or an FXR150 or even a GN250. Personally I don't understand all the hype that the learner/restricted people put on bigger bikes... I mean... there's nothing monumental about the concept that one is faster than the other?

Taught plenty of mates that have never ridden a bike before how to ride on my VFR400 NC30. Unless your a complete muppet and are supervised, i don't understand how it's harder to learn to first ride a motorcycle on something bigger. Afterall- a lot of 250's are damn near the weight of modern bigger bikes for example just look at hyoshits!

Today I have another VFR400 NC30 and can't see myself changing any time in the near future...

Personally i don't think it's such a big deal that people make it all out to be....

**vifferman** · 26th November 2008, 14:13

I first rode a bike bigger than 250 before I got my bike licence, back when I was 15. I didn't have a bike of my own, so I rode my mate's bikes, and my sister had a boyfriend with a CB350 - I used to borrow that while they were doing whatever it was they were doing (I don't want to go there).
Occasionally, he'd turn up on one of his mate's bikes, and I rode those.
Although the very first bike I rode was a case of just hopping on and riding off, obviously there's learning to do, and I found some of the bikes heavy and awkward (dropped one on my leg when I parked on a hill, and overbalanced), and had the normal noob problems like target fixation (didn't think I could make it around a corner once, so went straight up a driveway that was on the corner).
Never had any real problems though. First proper crash wasn't until more'n a year after I got my full.

**Bulldog** · 26th November 2008, 14:18

I had 250 two strokes and stopped riding bikes till I was about 28 then got myself a vtr 250. I went on a Toy run and thought ferk this and bought a 2003 VTR1000...BIIIIIIG jump but same as you I though wow everything is so much more responsive and POWER...I was in POWER heaven. Well worth it. I've had blades and all sorts since then and now heavily into big motards.

**Headbanger** · 26th November 2008, 15:05

First road bike I ever road was a 900cc, don't think I have ever ridden anything smaller then a 750cc, Never really paid any attention to license restrictions. Though back in the day it was a mere 50 bucks for wrong class of license and 3 minutes later I would be roaring off down the street.

**DarkLord** · 26th November 2008, 15:16

Originally Posted by Headbanger

First road bike I ever road was a 900cc, don't think I have ever ridden anything smaller then a 750cc, Never really paid any attention to license restrictions. Though back in the day it was a mere 50 bucks for wrong class of license and 3 minutes later I would be roaring off down the street.

50 bucks for the wrong license class? That's all?

Wow. Bring back those days.