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Any small sport bike riders?


CantonKawi11

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passing slower traffic in any low-powered vehicle is about proper planning.  Just like at the race track.

If you're on a ninja 250 (or daily driving a 2003 corolla),  you can't ride the ass of the car in front of you, then cut left and floor it to make a pass happen.  You have to hang back, and start accelerating (hard) before the left lane is clear, and time it such that you're already closing on the car in front of you at a 10-15mph deficit when you move left and go around.  Accelerate in your own lane, and make a pass at-speed.  Don't get into a drag race with the guy you're passing when you're the one heading head-on into traffic.

At highway speeds, I agree, a 250 would start to struggle, but the principal is still the same.  I don't encounter very many cars doing 90 on the highway, and unless a 250 is badly out of tune, it should hit 90. It probably takes a while to get to that speed, but it will do it.

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Why is it common to hear that people tend to learn to ride better starting on a smaller bike? What is it about a bigger bike that takes away from learning?

I've been turning slower on my new used 650 compared to the 300. Yesterday I started thinking, imagine that the 650 is just a shell around the 300. hehe

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10 minutes ago, hiro said:

Why is it common to hear that people tend to learn to ride better starting on a smaller bike? What is it about a bigger bike that takes away from learning?

I've been turning slower on my new used 650 compared to the 300. Yesterday I started thinking, imagine that the 650 is just a shell around the 300. hehe

Some bikes are more beginner friendly than others.  Smaller bikes tend to be less intimidating & more forgiving.  You can be less precise with the throttle, braking, and steering inputs on a Ninja 300 then on something like a ZX10R

Honestly, a Ninja 650 should still be pretty beginner friendly.

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2 hours ago, Tpoppa said:

Honestly, a Ninja 650 should still be pretty beginner friendly.

It's interesting that you could start on a Ninja 650, or modify it and race in the lightweight Isle of Man TT! Of course there's the Ninja 300 cup in Australia.

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3 minutes ago, Tpoppa said:

The Gladius I had wasn't particularly fast, but I had all kinds of fun to beating the hell out of it.

I was looking at a 2009 for $2900. The only really bad thing I heard was that the seat is terrible.
 

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If you're going to be riding the twisties at a spirited pace & haven't been riding that long, get a bike that's got 60-80 HP. These 25-35 HP bikes are no match for a motivated hillbilly in a pickup truck with manly man's syndrome even if you are going 15-20 mph faster when you initiate the overtake.  60-80 HP is not going to make you highside when exiting corners & that's the main concern about higher power bikes.

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7 minutes ago, motocat12 said:

All this worrying about tires and you let the bike tire sit there flat?

They're not flat at all. Probably 28-30 pounds front and 30-32 rear. Plus, it was sitting for a long time on stands.

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14 hours ago, jschaf said:

If you're going to be riding the twisties at a spirited pace & haven't been riding that long, get a bike that's got 60-80 HP. These 25-35 HP bikes are no match for a motivated hillbilly in a pickup truck with manly man's syndrome even if you are going 15-20 mph faster when you initiate the overtake.  60-80 HP is not going to make you highside when exiting corners & that's the main concern about higher power bikes.

+1.  One of the only safety advantages of (most) motorcycles is the power-to-weight ratio over cages.

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On 3/29/2017 at 8:09 PM, magley64 said:

Yeah, compared to one of the 10 fastest production bikes on the planet... It's not fast, but what is?

 

It's plenty fast enough to pass most idiots on the road.

I loved my 2001 Blackbird, except for comfort and gas mileage.  Way too far of a stretch to the bars for me, and I dont think I ever got more than 25mpg!  But it was the smoothest engine I've ever had my legs around!

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11 hours ago, Qman said:

I loved my 2001 Blackbird, except for comfort and gas mileage.  Way too far of a stretch to the bars for me, and I dont think I ever got more than 25mpg!  But it was the smoothest engine I've ever had my legs around!

Mine gets 30ish mpg in the dry and 40 or 45 in the rain.

 

Corbin seat makes it comfy for long rides.

 

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Sorry I am late... I was in the kitchen.

I love my 300! For me I have no desires to upgrade for a couple more years...if ever. The Brock's system really woke her up and I have no problems keeping up on rides. 

I am not very experienced on The track with her and I have not experienced her full potential either...doubt I ever will.

The KLX250SF I have ran the shit out of on the cart track. But again still have not experienced the full potential.

I only traded the 250 for the 300 because I wanted a FI bike and a little more power (potential).

I test rode the KTM 390 duke....it was a blast. 

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