Do I need a bigger bike?

[LankyBastard]

Some really good points have been brought up, I've recently upgraded from a 250 ninja to a new zx6r, and I must say, even though the 250 was awesome, I won't be going back....

Long trips are so much easier, passing is effortless, the ride is smoother, you can take a pillion with ease (sort of). I also get my kicks off road, but rapid accelleration on the road is pretty special

Bring on the ride to the cape, should be good fun!

[Gremlin]

Simple thing is, you haven't ridden bigger bikes yet. It's kind of like making a decision on two products, when you only know one. Naturally, you take the one you know.

That all said, she's a long slide down the rabbit hole when you start riding bigger bikes. They're more expensive to run, certainly make longer trips easier (you said you don't like revving bikes, well, the bigger the bike, generally speaking, the more the torque).

Some stay on 250s after their full, but they're definitely in the minority, but who cares if that's what they want?

I've never dropped capacity when changing bikes, and I'm on my 5th bike, 1170cc. Best yet

[rossirep]

of course you want/need a bigger bike.

have you riden many bigger biker..? why would you want to stay on a crap boring lil 250 if you could get something bigger and more exciting and fun to ride..??

sure 250's are cheap to run. (reg, insurance, rubber) and all that jazz, but thats all they got going for them..

[Newbi]

Na girls can only ride on the back of big bikes, you should try a scooter.

Hahahaha, well I hope you've got a BIG bike then, I can't possibly ride a scooter to the cape, so I guess I'm on with you.

[Tigadee]

I do need to change of the CBX mainly due to its physical size. Im sure it was designed around a 5 foot person. So would a bigger 250 keep me happy for years to come? Im 5'8" and 100kg. Yes I know. Less pies needed.

NZspokes - That's an interesting point. I'm 6' 1" myself and 110kgs, so I know how you feel.

I'd wondered the same thing myself, as I think I feel the wind more on my little Scorpio than if it was a faired model or just a physically bigger/heavier bike. Let's face it, we've got more area to offer wind resistance than a slimmer rider!

I've gotten used to the bike's behaviour with wind or just at speed, but I do feel the pull of the wind on my body and head still. A faired bike will offer deflect wind away from the rider, correct?

[superman]

I always wonder what kind of situations you people ramble on about that need a flick of the wrist to get out of.

Really.

Alright say you're overtaking someone, and as soon as you're next to them they gun it and there is a car 150m in the oncoming lane in front.

In that situation at the moment I'd had to slam on my brakes, hope the car isn't a dick and do the same thing and slide in behind him again knowing that I'll have to be behind someone who's totally happy to try and kill me.

On the motorway when splitting, sudden lane changers that don't blind spot check a flick would be good to get in front of them asap.

On the motorway a truck decides to begin changing lanes and hasn't seen you, you're going to get squashed into the median barrier. Either brake really hard, risk a rear end or accelerate out in front.

As said though, you can make sure you don't get into those situations in the first place, don't overtake boy racer cars, don't sit next to trucks on the motorway etc.

But just incase all of a sudden you ended up in a situation like that without realising... Or just want to get to 100 faster than 7 seconds.

[sleemanj]

250s are great.

People say all the time to newbies that they will get rid of their 250 as soon as they get their full blah blah blah, bollox I say, nothing wrong with a (good) 250 as a general purpose riding machine.

Cheaper. Just as capable of losing your licence. Cheaper. Smaller. Cheaper. Lighter. Cheaper. Plenty fun enough to make you happy. Cheaper. Easier to handle around town in tight traffic. Cheaper.... did I mention cheaper already?

I have ridden and own larger, my daily ride is still a VTZ 250.

Big bikes, are just that, big. Big is not always a good thing.

[jazfender]

Alright say you're overtaking someone, and as soon as you're next to them they gun it and there is a car 150m in the oncoming lane in front.

In that situation at the moment I'd had to slam on my brakes, hope the car isn't a dick and do the same thing and slide in behind him again knowing that I'll have to be behind someone who's totally happy to try and kill me.

It's still 'safer' to let ego-boy have his position than to try and drag him while an oncoming car approaches. All the extra power in that scenario does is turn you into ego-boy.

On the motorway when splitting, sudden lane changers that don't blind spot check a flick would be good to get in front of them asap.

I would contest that braking would be a quicker reaction and get you out of trouble faster. Also horn. Lots of horn.

On the motorway a truck decides to begin changing lanes and hasn't seen you, you're going to get squashed into the median barrier. Either brake really hard, risk a rear end or accelerate out in front.

Again, horn muthafuckaaa or brake. Sorry, these scenarios barely justify it.

Or just want to get to 100 faster than 7 seconds.

The real reason at last!

[HEMA]

I started out on a Suzuki GN, rode various bikes through the years including a FJR1300 (which I loved), now riding a big cruiser with saddlebags as a daily commuter, and guess what: I'm looking for a 250 for commuting instead. I'll keep the cruiser for long rides and touring with my wife though. I'm about the same size as you (but a bit taller and fatter).
Find a bike thats comfortable, but also think about how you'll mostly be using the bike. If its for long trips with luggage (and maybe a passenger) you certainly need something bigger.
If its mostly short commutes keep the 250, you'll save heaps!

[rossirep]

a cbr250rr can do the best part of 200km/hr. what chu know about 250's?

200kph on your lil cbr..? i think your dreaming buddy.. and if it did do it, im guessing it would take all day to get there and if you touched the breaks at all you would have to start ya run all over again.. lol,

[Tigadee]

Hmmmm, would a bigger/heavier bike also be less likely to get tipped over by strong wind?

[Shadows]

This advice is only relevant if you overtake on blind corners - something you must only do on a R1 or gixxer thou. Sez in the road code.

Misjudging an overtake ain't the bike's fault.

What about the fuckwit who speeds up when you pull out to pass, or when the gap in the queue you were heading for closes up and you have to either carry on or brake and hope you can slot in somewhere while looking over your shoulder, or the guy pulls out of a hidden driveway ahead etc. etc. etc.

Or the simple misjudged overtake. If you were to do so for whatever reason would you not rather have the poke at your disposal to get yourself out of trouble, or not?

[The Pastor]

200kph on your lil cbr..? i think your dreaming buddy.. and if it did do it, im guessing it would take all day to get there and if you touched the breaks at all you would have to start ya run all over again.. lol,

Not really, takes about 6 seconds to get to 100, about and 20 to top it out.

I know its not actually 200, but thats what the speedo says. (prob closer to 180)

If mine was still on the road, in stock form, i'd give you a race around the coro any day of the week, in any weather conditions.

[DrunkenMistake]

Not really, takes about 6 seconds to get to 100, about and 20 to top it out.

I know its not actually 200, but thats what the speedo says. (prob closer to 180)

If mine was still on the road, in stock form, i'd give you a race around the coro any day of the week, in any weather conditions.

My Ninja 250 will waste all you guys,
its the fastest in the country! I brought it off a guy on KB.

[Padmei]

Bigger bikes do have a good feeling of 'substance'. Try a shaft drive model -smoooth