Going from a 250 to a thou....too much of a jump?

[DarkLord]

Thanks for the advice everyone,

One thing that someone said that has proven to be very true is that a well trained rider on a well set up 250 is tough to keep up with on twisty roads. Like I say, I'm not the most experienced rider but today I was out with a whole heap of bikes out towards Hamilton on SH 22, and I passed (and stayed in front of) someone on a VR 1000. A lot of the bikes we were out with had more grunt on the straights but even the wee Hyosung kept up with the bigger bikes around the corners and stuff. I'm stoked!!

I wasn't planning on getting a bigger bike for a long time anyhow but after today it's really made me realise just how much fun you can have on a 250, plus how much I will need to learn before I can master the Whoflung and move up to something bigger. I can see myself sticking with the 250 for quite some time to come yet!

[backinthesaddle]

Thanks for the advice everyone,

One thing that someone said that has proven to be very true is that a well trained rider on a well set up 250 is tough to keep up with on twisty roads. Like I say, I'm not the most experienced rider but today I was out with a whole heap of bikes out towards Hamilton on SH 22, and I passed (and stayed in front of) someone on a VR 1000. A lot of the bikes we were out with had more grunt on the straights but even the wee Hyosung kept up with the bigger bikes around the corners and stuff. I'm stoked!!

I wasn't planning on getting a bigger bike for a long time anyhow but after today it's really made me realise just how much fun you can have on a 250, plus how much I will need to learn before I can master the Whoflung and move up to something bigger. I can see myself sticking with the 250 for quite some time to come yet!

glad to see you're out there enjoing yourself. that's what its all about. Some of my most enjoyable times were on my 250. You can have alot of fun wringing the shit out of them in the tight stuff without getting into serious warp speeds.

[DarkLord]

Thanks dude. Yeah I had a BLAST!!! there were so many bikes yet I was still at the front of the pack, I've never been so proud of the Whoflung in my whole time riding

I don't know if I would have enjoyed it as much with a bigger bike at this stage cos I reckon I would have found myself reaching warp speed and then hitting a corner and basically going "oh shit" and wiping out. I need to get to the point where I can give the Whoflung absolute hell and handle it, before I can think of taking up the challenge of something more ginormous.

[CookMySock]

I don't know if I would have enjoyed it as much with a bigger bike at this stage cos I reckon I would have found myself reaching warp speed and then hitting a corner and basically going "oh shit" and wiping out. I need to get to the point where I can give the Whoflung absolute hell and handle it, before I can think of taking up the challenge of something more ginormous.

Yep. Having both a GT250R and a GT650R here, I can confirm the larger one requires more skill, patience, and BALLS to corner at more than nana speeds. Alarmingly, It wants to run wide at high speed if you chicken out on the bar-push, and at slower speeds, it wants to drop into the corner harder, when you DO bar-push hard.. So overall, the 250R is much more docile and predictable to ride. So to progress to the 650R, concentrate on accuracy, lines, and general precision at greater lean angles.

Oh but you will lurrrrve the fat thunderclap + crackle and big torque of the 650, hee hee.

DB

[Radar]

Thanks for the advice everyone,

One thing that someone said that has proven to be very true is that a well trained rider on a well set up 250 is tough to keep up with on twisty roads. Like I say, I'm not the most experienced rider but today I was out with a whole heap of bikes out towards Hamilton on SH 22, and I passed (and stayed in front of) someone on a VR 1000. A lot of the bikes we were out with had more grunt on the straights but even the wee Hyosung kept up with the bigger bikes around the corners and stuff. I'm stoked!!

I wasn't planning on getting a bigger bike for a long time anyhow but after today it's really made me realise just how much fun you can have on a 250, plus how much I will need to learn before I can master the Whoflung and move up to something bigger. I can see myself sticking with the 250 for quite some time to come yet!

Well said. Like you, I am having a great time on my Hyo 250 when riding with big bikes. No problem at all keeping up with the 600's, 800's, 1100's or whatever. Yesterday went for a long ride from Masterton to Wellington with ten other bikes and even managed to pass a few on the motorway. One time when going 110 kph and following close to the guys in front, a big Kawa passed me and I think he was just pissed off having to follow a 250, LOL.

DangerousBastard - you make some good points, making me think that I won't upgrade too soon (as I have been thinking recently). The last thing I want to to do is to swing wide with a big bike on the Rimatuka road.

[CookMySock]

The last thing I want to to do is to swing wide with a big bike on the Rimatuka road.

You will be fine. Just come back slowly and carefully on it. Stick to open roads with smooth sweepers until you feel your skill returning.. Take GREAT care adding speed in fast sweepers unless you VERY ready to bar-push your way out of (into?) trouble. You really have to be quite fearless here and get that inside bar forward without regard for your seemingly apparent demise, or else face your demise. If you are fully up to speed on your GT250R then maybe you are past all this, but just expect the bar-push forces to be larger, and the tip-in to get just a wee bit more dramatic as the angles increase.

Once you move to a bigger bike, I suggest you make the tight-and-windy stuff off limits for a few weeks.. The larger bike is just doesnt really seem to 'want' to do it like the 250 does, and when you coax it in, it will struggle against you somewhat. A little battle of wills that you will find you will chicken out early on, and then run wide..

DB

[jrandom]

... I reckon I would have found myself reaching warp speed and then hitting a corner and basically going "oh shit" and wiping out.

You are allowed to use the brakes, you know.

[.produKt]

"A little battle of wills that you will find you will chicken out early on, and then run wide.."

Oh the amount of times I've done that and given myself the shits lol

[Mikkel]

I agree with building up to a big sports bike.... But I totally disagree that 1000cc sports bikes are too much for the road. If you ride any bike (over 250 say) flat-stick your risking your licence and yourself. Road riding is not (all) about riding as fast as the bike will go....its about you getting what you want out of riding that bike.

There are, at least, some 250 that'll happily loose you your license and your life if you don't exercise at least a small amount of judgement!

Hell, getting yourself killed on a pushbike is easy peasy...

You are allowed to use the brakes, you know.

It is however a good exercise to aspire to not use them and work on smoothness rather than "fastness".

[Radar]

You are allowed to use the brakes, you know.

Gently, gently ! Too much rear brake and the rear end moves sideways. Too much front brake and its a highender.
(this is intended for newbies who may read this)

"A little battle of wills that you will find you will chicken out early on, and then run wide.."
l

How true. Now I go into curves wondering what all the fuss was about a month ago, but then I know the answer!

You will be fine. ... Once you move to a bigger bike, I suggest you make the tight-and-windy stuff off limits for a few weeks.. The larger bike is just doesnt really seem to 'want' to do it like the 250 does, and when you coax it in, it will struggle against you somewhat. A little battle of wills that you will find you will chicken out early on, and then run wide..
DB

All good - thanks. Just want you to know that I did have two big bikes when I was a young guy in my 20's. I do not remember any problem chickening out with my Triumph Bonneville on the Colorado mountain roads, and my BMW zooming along narrow twisty Austrian mountain routes (when following a crazy German guy I rode with). Back then I had more muscle, more testosterone, and less fear... and now I wonder how I got through without an accident. But now I do appreciate reminders from DB and others because doing tight curves requires me to re-learn the skills!

[Mikkel]

Hey, if I had a choice I'd had both hands on the 'bars. Stop picking on the cripple.

So we are playing the disability card now... pfft!

What are you going to do about it sissy boy

As for choice - if you want me to I can help you duct tape that spare arm of yours to the left handlebar... Provided you get yourself a barend for it.
Problem solved :nicepne:

Btw - weather isn't looking too bad for tomorrow... Fancy a race like last week

[onearmedbandit]

So we are playing the disability card now... pfft!

Been playing that well before the accident.

What are you going to do about it sissy boy

Hello, Human Rights Commission?

As for choice - if you want me to I can help you duct tape that spare arm of yours to the left handlebar... Provided you get yourself a barend for it.
Problem solved :nicepne:

Why? So it doesn't look so bad for you when you get beaten on the track?

Btw - weather isn't looking too bad for tomorrow... Fancy a race like last week

Mate, that wasn't a race...

But yeah I'd be keen!

[Mikkel]

Been playing that well before the accident.

Youth today No backbone whatsoever...

Hello, Human Rights Commission?

Overrated - go watch the olympics if you doubt it. They are NOT going to save your skin...

Why? So it doesn't look so bad for you when you get beaten on the track?

Nah, just so you can keep that frontwheel of yours straight instead of queer when you get on the rear...

Mate, that wasn't a race...

Oh, my mistake I wonder what you were doing behind me all that time then... Admiring my arse? I wouldn't be surprised considering the orientation of your frontwheel...

[CookMySock]

I do not remember any problem chickening out with my Triumph Bonneville on the Colorado mountain roads, and my BMW zooming along narrow twisty Austrian mountain routes (when following a crazy German guy I rode with). Back then I had more muscle, more testosterone, and less fear... and now I wonder how I got through without an accident.

This sounds like me following teh mighty Delphinus around the East Cape a month ago. I wonder now if I should have done it. Anyway, I am still here.

Well you have it already perhaps. Soon you will see. No rocket science.

DB

[Cr1MiNaL]

HTFU you pussies!