question for motorcycle riders

[slade]

how much of a difference is there between riding a sportsbike and a cruiser? im currently riding my dad's BMW cruiser, but ive always been interested in sportsbikes. im thinking of buying an older sportsbike, but thought id first ask for the perspective of someone whos ridden both. my main concern is really the riding position, since the handlebars on a sportsbike are about even with the seat, while on a cruiser theyre at least a foot above the seat. i would testdrive a bike if that was an option, but its really not for someone my age. if i buy a bike used from someone i would of course ask to ride it first, but i thought id ask for the perspective of AO before i commit to driving an hour and a half with a few grand in my hand.

the bikes i have ridden so far are a 1972 BMW r60/5, 1997 R100RT, and honda at the MSF course.

the bikes im looking at are mainly a ducati supersport 750, suzuki SV 650 S, or suzuki GSX-R (ranging mainly from 1997-2000) any other sportsbike is either very old or out of my price range.

[punkncat]

There is a lot more of your weight on your wrists and your neck in an a completely different position. Your crotch is tighter against the tank and you are in a more cramped position.

At first you will feel like you are sitting way over the front of the bike, which you are.....
The handling, braking, and response of a sportbike are way better. The motor runs at a much higher RPM and the "buzziness" can be irritating until you get used to it.

Obviously a cruiser or standard will be comfortable for longer periods of time. You have to consider what you are doing with it. Will you be commuting long distances, just tooling around, going on road trips?

I like each type of bike for different reasons. I currently own a Harley and ride it every day. I am looking around for an older cafe bike as well to have fun on from time to time. I have owned sports bikes in the past and really liked it in the mountains, once I was there.....the ride to and from was like torture.

[RRfireblade]

In a nut shell ,

A cruiser is more comfy at 35 and a sport bike if more comfy at 85.

Big shock huh? :)

The deal is , beside the obvious , on a cruiser 100% of your weight is on your butt , your genereally leaning back and taking all the wind in your chest trying to hang on.

On a sport bike your roughly 50/50 hands and butt and leaning forward into the wind. At speed the wind actually supports your body and IMO is quite comfortable. At low speeds your supporting your upper body yourself (hands/arms)

However , too much around the town time on my Dyna and my butt is as hot and sore as I can handle in under an hour. I can and do ride either the CBR or ZX12 all day without a hitch. I like having my weight more evenly dispersed between my feet , butt and hands.

That's just me.

As far as performane of course there's no comparison once you get used to the riding position , a sport bike kills a cruiser in every possible catagory. :)


(slowly reaches for the flame suit)

[gimp]

Both these fellas speak the truth. The riding position is something you'll get used to. It can seem awkward at first, but you'll get over it quick.

Riding a cruiser is like sitting in a car. It's not much fun. Riding a sport bike is like sitting on a rocket. It's a blast.

*edit - You've got to be more careful on a sportbike. I almost highsided the other day. Gave it some gas going through a tight corner. I was dragging the pegs and the rear end just gave out, then caught. I almost lost it. All it takes is a little mistake. Like giving it some gas at the wrong time. Cruisers are a little more forgiving.

[slade]

thanks guys.

im looking for something that ill mostly be riding anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, but probably not much over that. it will be mostly off the highway so i wont top 50 very often, although i may occasionally ride it for up to 4 or so hours... that remains to be seen. i do like the fact that sports bikes perform better in general (especially in braking and turning). ive just been afraid that it will feel too awkward or i wont get used to riding it. there is a huge difference between the two BMWs ive ridden, and theyre both the same brand and riding position, so i was wondering what the difference between that and a sportsbike is.

thanks gimp, thats essentially what i wanted to hear. Although i guess i can ask you guys, but i wont know until i actually get on the bike and try it... the only problem is, ill probably have to have the cash in hand before i can try one :(

the main bike im looking at now is a 2000 ducati supersport 750 someone is selling in new hampshire. he said i can go up there and test drive it and im not obligated to buy it if i dont like it, but his asking price is a bit out of my price range. i was also looking at a GSXR because i found a 1997 that needed the shifting lever replaced, but it sold after being up for 2 days... about 5 minutes before i called the guy :cry:

i was also wondering if a suzuki SV 650 would be a bit better or easier to get used to, since its the bike the majority of people recommend for a first bike.

[slade]

oh, also how well would a sportsbike run at lower RPMs or with a cold engine compared to a cruiser? i can have enough trouble getting to work on a cold morning as it is.

[BeaverEater]

a sv will have a little bit more upright riding position. You also have to take into account insurance on a rocket will be about 3 times that of a cruiser. Besides you can get a brand new sv for about 6k.

[trevorjk]

oh, also how well would a sportsbike run at lower RPMs or with a cold engine compared to a cruiser? i can have enough trouble getting to work on a cold morning as it is.

*if riding in cold temps, and its fall or spring. watch out for road salt. road salt = bad*

being from wisconsin, and riding in february this year. i think i can say with a tad of experience. that a sport bike is alright. normally i would go outside, turn the bike on useing the choke and just let that run for a minute or 2 till it rev'd up to 2k rpms ( my bike with choke on first starts at 1.5 then goes up to 2k ) once it gets there i turn the choke off and rev the engine up to 5k rpms a few times and im good to go.

the longest time i have ever had to wait was literally a minute or 2 and my bike has a carburator.

as for lower rpm's... there honestly is no such thing :p ok so there is, but to be honest on a sportbike, just stick to around 5-6k rpms for normal riding. will give you decent responsiveness if you MUST excell fast. i mean you will probably have between 13-16k rpms to go through before you redline, so riding at 5k or 6k or even higher up to 8 or 9 really wont hurt the bike.

just beware, (personal experiences) riding at higher rpms will catch peoples attention. both pedestrian and police! even if your going slow and your reving at 7 or 8k rpm and they hear you... some cops will stop you and pull you over for questions

[Bear_Claw]

My bikes a 2000 Yamaha V-Star 650 Cruiser. But i have rode my bros Yamaha Seca a few times now witch is kinda a mix of a sport bike and a standard.

The differance between the two is NIGHT and DAY. Personally id like to have one of each but if i had to have just one it stil be a Cruiser. Hands down the sport bikes are a blast and can out perform a cruiser in pretty mutch every way EXCEPT rider comfort.

Im hopeing myself to get a Suzuki V-Strom 650 in a year or two (same engein as the SV650) to satisfy the sportier feelling i want and still be used for long huals and finally get to explore all these dirt roads around here. I will still keep my V-Star as a project bike though.

[slade]

a sv will have a little bit more upright riding position. You also have to take into account insurance on a rocket will be about 3 times that of a cruiser. Besides you can get a brand new sv for about 6k.
according to my father our insurance company charges based solely on engine displacement, and doesnt make a distinction between different types of bikes. i wish i had 6k to spend though (or rather, could justify spending 6k) but my price range is quite a bit below that, and im looking to buy used.

thanks for the input everyone. and thanks for the warning about road salt, ive had to ride through sand and gravel a few times, and ive felt my back tire skid a couple of those times.

hmm, ebay sure is full of scammers. i just bid on a bike (since it was local) and so far ive recieved 3 "second chance offers" :rolleyes:

[gimp]

The sv650 is a great bike. It's sporty, but not a racer. I think of it like comparing a club sports team, or intramural team to a real team. You can play and have some a ton of fun, but in reality, you can't compete with the big boys.

Some other bikes that are similar to the sv650 in riding position are the yamaha fz6 (my bike. I love it), honda 519, and the kawasaki z750. The sv650 has a V-twin, and the others are all inline 4s I believe. The sv650 has more tourque. The others are like wind up toys. Not much down low, but once you get em reving they'll rip.

Insurance companies do not base their rates just on dispacement. Some companies might, but most do not. I know because I was shopping for insurance for an R6, and my FZ6. Both are 600cc bikes. The R6 was almost double the cost of the FZ6. From what I understand, they brake the bikes up into categories. The R6 is in the superbike category, but the FZ6 is technically a sport touring bike, so it's a lot cheaper. But it was really different from company to company. Bike insurance is definetly something you need to shop around for. I pay $588 a year for full comverage. I got a quote for over $4000 a year for my FZ6 from one company!! Maybe that was for the R6. Either way, it's rediculous. The important part is to do the work and figure out what it's gonna cost to insure your bike before you buy it.

Sportbikes will work fine at lower rpms. They don't have much power down there, but if your at a low rpm then why would you need lots of power? If you get a bike that's carburated then your gonna have to play with it to run it in the cold. If it's maintained well, then it will run well. If you get a bike with electronic fuel injection then you shouldn't have any problems.

[SCpoloRicker]

Obligatory comment:

Wear full safety gear everytime you get on the bike. No exceptions. Don't skimp on the gear either.

/thus endeth the PSA

[slade]

The sv650 is a great bike. It's sporty, but not a racer. I think of it like comparing a club sports team, or intramural team to a real team. You can play and have some a ton of fun, but in reality, you can't compete with the big boys.

Some other bikes that are similar to the sv650 in riding position are the yamaha fz6 (my bike. I love it), honda 519, and the kawasaki z750. The sv650 has a V-twin, and the others are all inline 4s I believe. The sv650 has more tourque. The others are like wind up toys. Not much down low, but once you get em reving they'll rip.

Insurance companies do not base their rates just on dispacement. Some companies might, but most do not. I know because I was shopping for insurance for an R6, and my FZ6. Both are 600cc bikes. The R6 was almost double the cost of the FZ6. From what I understand, they brake the bikes up into categories. The R6 is in the superbike category, but the FZ6 is technically a sport touring bike, so it's a lot cheaper. But it was really different from company to company. Bike insurance is definetly something you need to shop around for. I pay $588 a year for full comverage. I got a quote for over $4000 a year for my FZ6 from one company!! Maybe that was for the R6. Either way, it's rediculous. The important part is to do the work and figure out what it's gonna cost to insure your bike before you buy it.

Sportbikes will work fine at lower rpms. They don't have much power down there, but if your at a low rpm then why would you need lots of power? If you get a bike that's carburated then your gonna have to play with it to run it in the cold. If it's maintained well, then it will run well. If you get a bike with electronic fuel injection then you shouldn't have any problems.
i was actually looking at an FZ6, maybe ill reconsider it.

from what ive heard my insurance company at least only goes by the displacement. maybe my dad thinks that just because he only has and only looks at cruisers, im not sure. i should probably try to contact the company to clarify that.


Obligatory comment:

Wear full safety gear everytime you get on the bike. No exceptions. Don't skimp on the gear either.

/thus endeth the PSA
:( when i go out for lunch at work (just down the street) i usually dont wear my jacket. youre right though, i really should...

[BeaverEater]

when your looking at sports bikes, if they have the R tag the insurance will usually be higher. As for the sv650 not being able to keep up that is true of a stock bike. My buddy is bike into the racing scene and his street bike is a sv, and i can tell you that thing is faster than any normal rocket on the street. He bought the bike brand new for 5k and put about 2 into it.

[gimp]

I'll give you the lowdown on the FZ6. I love it. It's comfortable, fun and plenty fast for me (and I think it looks sweet). I paid $5200 for an 05 with 300 miles, and about half the factory warranty left last winter. I've put about 5000 miles on it this summer, and I havn't had any problems and it still runs great.

My only complaint is the suspension. It sucks. There is a preload adjustment in the rear, that's it. It's fine if you just want to cruise around, but if you want to do any agressive riding it will hold you back. I didn't feel really stable leaning over in corners. I just replaced the front suspension and brakes with those from an R6 and it's like a whole new bike. It's great.

[Spartan X]

I hope I can help you out, since I'm in the same predicament as you....I've been doing a bunch of research and have already narrowed it down...to a Suziki V-Strom 650 or 1000


The 3 best Bikes for what your looking for seams to all come from Suzuki, the FZ6, the SV650s and the V-strom...the fz1 is also a nice bike to look into...


2 of these bikes share the same engine...the SV650s and the V-strom. Exact same engine. The V-strom however is not considered a sportsbike, unlike the SV650s is (although because of the handle bar placment the SV may actually classify as a standard)

The Fz6 as said above is a great bike as well I do not know as much about it simply because I have not looked into it as much...just does not fit my larger frame as well as the V-strom...


To talk about the V-twin engine on the V-strom and the SV650s. As said above it does not carry the Hourspower other 650's do because it's a v-twin and not a straight, but rather it carris more tourque (hourse power being a ratio of RPS's and tourque) The extra tourque give the v-twin a smoother ride verses a buzzy ride. But it's no slow poke. The power on the SV and V-strom kicks in full force at 4,000 rps.....so if your already moving along and decided to punch...that's were you are getting your power at best.


Still consider the V-strom which is heavier then the Sv650s still pulls of a 4.1 second 0-60 time which is the same time as a Lamborgini Gario.


I'd recommend looking at tyhe V-strom 650 for your self. It's a ery comfortable ride, and it's concidered a sport-enduro-touring Bike...mainly touring. Try the SV out...it's not so comfy but deff has more of the sport look to it....

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2004models/2004-Suzuki-V-strom650b.jpg

[gimp]

Those SV650 is a sport standard. The handlebars on the SV are more placed more aggressively than on the FZ6. The SV650 is a great bike. Your absolutly right about where the power comes in. The SV will have lots of tourque down low and through the rpm range. The fz6 won't have much down low but will have plenty up above 9000rpm. And if your anything like me, you'll enjoy running it near the redline :D

The quarter mile and 0-60 times are from people who know how to ride the drag strip properly. Don't expect to just hop on and pull those times.

Another bike that I hadn't thought of before, but has gotten pretty good reviews is the kawasaki ninja 650R. I've never ridden one, but it's comfortable to sit on at the dealership.

http://www.kawasaki.com/kawasaki_main/images/products/MOTORCYCLE/2436_800.jpg

[Al_Steel]

Practically owned a Ninja 250R (my friends who never rode it) in my early 20's. Now I ride a HD Deuce and have owned a Yamaha Virago 650R so I'll weigh in.

You've gotten a lot of good advice so far, especially the thing about the safety gear (more on that in a sec). Only thing I would add is that I can't think of anything more important than how YOU fit the bike. Don't be taken in by hype, HP, and flashy ads. Every rider is defferent, your torso length, legs, arms, neck, all go into how comfortable you feel on certain bikes. If you get on a bike and it doesn't feel like a perfect or near perfect fit, chances are that you will be selling it within 6 months. Nothing worse than getting on a bike that looks great on the floor and feels fine on quick test run but then makes your hands go numb after some time in the saddle. So try out a LOT of bikes before making the decision.

As far as Cruisers -vs- Sport bikes, sounds like you are leaning towards a Sport bike. Sports bikes are great fun to ride for short hauls, but if you plan on taking it on long trips you will fatigue faster so plan on more stops. This is especially true if you have a female passenger. Regardless of how sexy a girl looks perched on the "b**ch pad" she will start hating you if you don't stop every half-hour. BMW and Yamaha make some excellent Sport/Cruisers though, you might want to check those out. They give you a more upright riding position, but maintain the short wheelbase and handling of a sportbike.

Now on safety... I watched a friend of mine hit the pavement right in front of me doing about 45mph. He rear ended a truck that was doing about 15mph in the fog. He was wearing full leathers and a helmet. He got up and walked away with only a small abrasion on his wrist and a minor contusion on his elbow. If that had been me, long sleeve T and a beenie (non-DOT helmet) I would probably been seriously f'd up. That could easily have been me so I learned a lesson that day that all the lecturing in the world couldn't teach me. Needless to say I am now a believer in leathers and ALWAYS wear a real helmet regardless of how "uncool" it looks.

Ride Safe!

[slade]

You've gotten a lot of good advice so far, especially the thing about the safety gear (more on that in a sec). Only thing I would add is that I can't think of anything more important than how YOU fit the bike. Don't be taken in by hype, HP, and flashy ads. Every rider is defferent, your torso length, legs, arms, neck, all go into how comfortable you feel on certain bikes. If you get on a bike and it doesn't feel like a perfect or near perfect fit, chances are that you will be selling it within 6 months. Nothing worse than getting on a bike that looks great on the floor and feels fine on quick test run but then makes your hands go numb after some time in the saddle. So try out a LOT of bikes before making the decision.
trust me, im one of the most anti-hype people out there. I dont care much about HP, since the bike im currently riding is a 10-year old cruiser and i can make it go if i want to. i dont really need much more as far as power is concerned. and flashy ads, well... im looking for something probably at least 5 years old, i cant justify spending the money that would be required for anything featured in a flashy ad :(

what you said more or less confirms what i thought, though. unfortunately asking around online can only get me so far, ill have to try out some bikes, which could be rather hard to do.


As far as Cruisers -vs- Sport bikes, sounds like you are leaning towards a Sport bike. Sports bikes are great fun to ride for short hauls, but if you plan on taking it on long trips you will fatigue faster so plan on more stops. This is especially true if you have a female passenger. Regardless of how sexy a girl looks perched on the *explitive* pad, she will start hating you if you don't stop every half-hour. BMW and Yamaha make some excellent Sport/Cruisers though, you might want to check those out. They give you a more upright riding position, but maintain the short wheelbase and handling of a sportbike.
unfortunately, my girlfriend wouldnt let me take her on my bike (not that im really ready to take a passenger yet anyway...) although another girl already said she may want me to take her for a ride. As far as riding distance is concerned, i probably wont be riding for more than 20 minutes often, with an occasional hour long ride, so the uncomfortability of a sportsbike wont be much of an issue. i think ill look more into the sport/cruisers, although first i want to see if i just like riding a normal sportsbike.


Now on safety... I watched a friend of mine hit the pavement right in front of me doing about 45mph. He rear ended a truck that was doing about 15mph in the fog. He was wearing full leathers and a helmet. He got up and walked away with only a small abrasion on his wrist and a minor contusion on his elbow. If that had been me, long sleeve T and a beenie (non-DOT helmet) I would probably been seriously f'd up. That could easily have been me so I learned a lesson that day that all the lecturing in the world couldn't teach me. Needless to say I am now a believer in leathers and ALWAYS wear a real helmet regardless of how "uncool" it looks.
thanks, but a safety lecture isnt really necessary. im a teenage guy who rides a motorcycle. my dad, whos ridden since he was in his early 20's, of course gave me a safety lecture. my mother... well, i wouldnt really know, i stopped listening to her years ago, but im sure she gave me a safety lecture at some point. my neighbor told me to be safe and told me how easy it is to get into an accident when he saw me practicing riding up and down my street, getting used to the bike. my MSF teacher gave me specifically a safety lecture when i asked her advice on buying a sportsbike and overall treated me as a dangerous insensible ricer kid (even though i specifically asked her what a safe sports bike would be, since the general consensus on AO/PBN was that most newer 600CC sportsbikes are too powerful for a new rider). i was a bit annoyed about that, and more annoyed that she didnt say anything to the guy who just bought a brand new harley and tried to take the course with a scratched up half helmet he got for free. but anyway, everyone on AO tells me to ride safely, and even my friends tell me to be safe. every single person who knows im riding has at some point mentioned safety. and on top of that, my best friend's mother has fake teeth because she and her husband got into an accident when a car pulled out infront of them. he went right into the car, she went over the car and faceplanted on the ground.

then again, i can see why older people think safety lectures are necessary. my dad said when he was in his 20's he took his BMW R60/5 up to 110 MPH on the back streets of Maine. of course this story came along with the "now dont you be as damn stupid as i was" editorial. ive ridden that thing and i dont know how the heck he managed it, it only has 4 gears and doesnt feel that powerful, but he said it puts out a lot of torque at higher RPMs.

When i ride i always wear a full DOT helmet, and boots (not motorcycle specific though, theyre bates). so far ive worn a padded synthetic jacket for anything more than a 30 second ride. i have yet to top 50 MPH, and i ride low in the RPM range (hey, gas costs a lot). i dont wear gloves (dont have motorcycle gloves) but i probably should. that reminds me though, would something like paintball gloves suffice?

thanks for the help!

hmm, i havent been this much of a newb since i shot a piranha :(.

oh yeah, and you may want to edit your post. the mods are nitpicky, you could get banned for the **.


oh, and what do people think about older sportsbikes? I have the money for something brand new and shiny but i cant really justify spending it. would something like a 1989 honda CBR 600 F or an older GSXR, or even 1999 GSXR, be a fairly decent sportsbike for a good price, or would it require a lot of maintenance/ have a lot of drawbacks that would make it not worth it? im essentially wondering if i can find something older thats decent, or if i should really shell out the money for something only a few years old and possibly fuel injected.

[gimp]

There is nothing wrong with an older carburated bike. It will run great if it was maintained well. Buying an old bike is no different than buying anything used. Do your research on the bike, find out common problems, find out how it was maintained, it it's been dumped, etc.

[PyRo]

Paintball gloves won't suffice. Get gloves now. When you fall your first reaction is to try and catch yourself and in the process you tear up your hands.
My stepbrothers didn't believe glovers were necesary. Now they're big balls of bandages for the next couple weeks. He also didn't feel a shirt, long pants or boots were necessary (smart one huh?). Moron would have walked away instead of a week in the hospital, a couple more weeks of being bandaged up, and scars that will last a lifetime if he had been wearing proper gear.

[slade]

There is nothing wrong with an older carburated bike. It will run great if it was maintained well. Buying an old bike is no different than buying anything used. Do your research on the bike, find out common problems, find out how it was maintained, it it's been dumped, etc.
what if it has been dumped, is that a compelling reason to avoid it?

[Al_Steel]

what if it has been dumped, is that a compelling reason to avoid it?

Depends on how hard it's been dumped. If it's just got a few scratches, no big deal. If the fork bent the steering tube or the frame has been torqued avoid it like the plague. Even a subtle drop in the driveway can bend a cover so that it wears against an internal part causing engine damage. You really can't tell by looking at a bike how hard it's gone down so if the seller says it's been dropped I'd take it to a wrench to check it out.

Oh yeah, nylon and rubber paintball gloves would suck. Full finger leather gloves are the way to go. Basically anything leather, but not cheap leather, thick high quality leather. If a bike is going to be your primary mode of transportation then you should invest in a nice set of full leathers or synthetic leather/kevlar. Not only does it protect, but the added protection from the wind chill will extend your riding season. It may be expensive but what's cheaper, a set of high quality leathers or 23 visits to the plastic surgeon?

Not really lecturing you on safety, just relating a story. You will get plenty more people telling you "donor"cylces are evil machines and that just sitting on one tempts fate. Everyone gives riders a raft of crap but there's an old saying among bikers; There are 2 kinds of bikers, those that have gone down and those that are going to go down. If you are prepared when you make the switch from one to the other then you will likely come out OK. It's the knuckleheads that you see riding around with no helmet, jeans and shorts that wind up eating their meals through a straw when a soccer Mom pulls out in front of them b/c she's trying to dial a cell phone, juggle a hot mocha latte, yell at the kids and occasionally drive. :mad:

Pyro: Sorry to hear about your bro's man.. that sucks.

[slade]

Depends on how hard it's been dumped. If it's just got a few scratches, no big deal. If the fork bent the steering tube or the frame has been torqued avoid it like the plague. Even a subtle drop in the driveway can bend a cover so that it wears against an internal part causing engine damage. You really can't tell by looking at a bike how hard it's gone down so if the seller says it's been dropped I'd take it to a wrench to check it out.
is there anything specifically that i should look for? right now im looking at a 1999 suzuki GSXR that has been dumped. i asked specifically if the damage was at all structural, the guy says that its all cosmetic besides the front brake, which broke off the handlebars, but still functions. id rather avoid taking it to a mechanic if possible. would the fairings protect the motor well enough on a sportsbike? i dont see how the motor could get damaged if it never hit anything. i take it any damage to the forks would either be visible or you could feel it when you ride the bike, right?


Not really lecturing you on safety, just relating a story. You will get plenty more people telling you "donor"cylces are evil machines and that just sitting on one tempts fate. Everyone gives riders a raft of crap but there's an old saying among bikers; There are 2 kinds of bikers, those that have gone down and those that are going to go down. If you are prepared when you make the switch from one to the other then you will likely come out OK. It's the knuckleheads that you see riding around with no helmet, jeans and shorts that wind up eating their meals through a straw when a soccer Mom pulls out in front of them b/c she's trying to dial a cell phone, juggle a hot mocha latte, yell at the kids and occasionally drive. :mad:
:( ive already made that transition. i took a left turn on a crowned road on my way to work, and the back wheel slipped out. i ripped a hole in the knee of my pants and broke a mirror, held up traffic a bit, picked up the bike and drove the rest of the way to work.

that made me realize that i have to be a lot more conscious of crowned roads. ive realized from day one that i have to be really careful of dirt/sand, since ive had my back wheel slip a bit even while going very slowly over sand (theres a house being built right near my house, and the construction workers dont clean up the road often :cuss: )

[gimp]

I'm also in the 'dumped it' category of bikers. dang sand on the road. I almost high sided the other day too. I gotta get some better tires.

When a bike gets dumped, there is always the possibility of some sort of frame damage. It could easily be something that you won't notice by looking at it, but might become more evident when you really ride the bike.

I'd be very careful if I was buying a crashed bike. It's very easy to buy a few new pieces of plastic. The potential for problems down the road is a lot higher.

[slade]

I'm also in the 'dumped it' category of bikers. dang sand on the road. I almost high sided the other day too. I gotta get some better tires.
i was actually wondering, would the tires or type of bike make that much difference in how far you can lean over? even though it was a crowned road, i really didnt lean over far at all... would a sportsbike be able to lean over farther?

also, what does high siding mean?

[Destructo6]

You really shouldn't have much weight on your hands when riding a sport bike. You should have a firm, but not overly tight, grip on the clip-ons, while your elbows are loose and relaxed.

Putting weight on the grips will cause bad things.

The SV650 is a nice bike. Lots of people race them in the "Lightweight Twins" category, so there's a ton of aftermarket parts for them, if you want.

Most bike parts cost a lot of money. "If you parted together a (insert cool sportbike name here) from the dealer's parts counter, it would cost you more than $20,000!" is a common saying. Check out Ebay for prices of used parts. That'll give you an idea what it would cost to repair a messed up bike.

The fairings should protect the motor, yes. I've only seen a cracked engine case as a result of a headon at 80+mph. The rest of the bike was similarly mangled (forks sheared off below the lower triple tree).

Bent forks may cause the bike to track sideways a bit and may also leak fluid.

[Al_Steel]

i was actually wondering, would the tires or type of bike make that much difference in how far you can lean over? even though it was a crowned road, i really didnt lean over far at all... would a sportsbike be able to lean over farther?

also, what does high siding mean?

The short answer is yes, tire design contributes to the lean angle. But the long answer is that LOTS of factors go into the lean angle of a bike, ground clearance, wheelbase, rider positioning, center of gravity, plus inertia/design/condition of the tires themselves. Cruisers and sport cruisers (like the BMW) handle much differently than a sport bike. The difference between their handling characteristics are night and day. Big bike riders have to putt around turns b/c the bike can't lean anywhere near as deep in the turns while a sport bike can be thrown into tight corners at almost twice the speeds.

High siding is when the rear wheel breaks loose and slides sideways far enough to make the bike flip. It's a very bad thing b/c the rider generally gets thrown from the bike in the direction of travel meaning that theres a good chance the sliding, flipping, 500+ pound bike will land on the rider. That usually leaves a mark. :eek:

[RRfireblade]

i was actually wondering, would the tires or type of bike make that much difference in how far you can lean over? even though it was a crowned road, i really didnt lean over far at all... would a sportsbike be able to lean over farther?

also, what does high siding mean?


High siding means the bike pitched into a slide , then caught traction and threw you over the top of the now sideways but no longer sliding bike.


As far as leaning goes, you don't 'lean' a sportbike....or any bike for that manner. What you want to do is pitch your body weight to the inside of the bike and allow the bike to stay as vertical as possible around the turn. In extreme cases (only on a race track) we/people who race , will actually use ours knees off the ground as a stabilizer to carry some the bike weight and help keep upright as much as possible.

"Leaning" will get you killed.

You also never want to brake during a corner , you always want to be accelerating thru the corner. Do all your braking BEFORE you start the turn while your still vertical , then start your turn and get back on the gas as much as it will take. If you set up the corner correctly , you should not have to make any steering corections till the exit.

FYI , I'm talking about hard riding situations here. Daily ridiing should never require such manuevers.

[Spartan X]

High siding means the bike pitched into a slide , then caught traction and threw you over the top of the now sideways but no longer sliding bike.


As far as leaning goes, you don't 'lean' a sportbike....or any bike for that manner. What you want to do is pitch your body weight to the inside of the bike and allow the bike to stay as vertical as possible around the turn. In extreme cases (only on a race track) we/people who race , will actually use ours knees off the ground as a stabilizer to carry some the bike weight and help keep upright as much as possible.

"Leaning" will get you killed.

You also never want to brake during a corner , you always want to be accelerating thru the corner. Do all your braking BEFORE you start the turn while your still vertical , then start your turn and get back on the gas as much as it will take. If you set up the corner correctly , you should not have to make any steering corections till the exit.

FYI , I'm talking about hard riding situations here. Daily ridiing should never require such manuevers.


Actually, in my Motorcycle safty course they told us to brake just before we enter the turn, purposly Lean the Bike while trying to keep out body strait, while counter stearing then excelerate into the turn. I've used this on my Katana 750 in turns and it seams to work very well as it did in the course. I could not imaging keeping the bike upright and leaning over the bike, just does not feel right. But hey if it works for you.

[fire1811]

All great points so far.
Wear all you gear all the time.
I have a 05 CBR600RR and love it.

The only thing I have seen so far I don't agree with is the leaning/dragging pegs. There is no reason to lean that far on roadways. If you want to do it on the track knock yourself out. Roads are not designed or cleaned up properly to do this. You WILL crash eventually I guarantee it. Its fun but not worth it.

[Spartan X]

With the manuver I just described your not supposed to lean over enough to do that either, granded I have dragged my foot pegs before on a tighter slow turn, but that was me being dumb and going to fast turning into a drive way.

[RRfireblade]

Actually, in my Motorcycle safty course they told us to brake just before we enter the turn, purposly Lean the Bike while trying to keep out body strait, while counter stearing then excelerate into the turn. I've used this on my Katana 750 in turns and it seams to work very well as it did in the course. I could not imaging keeping the bike upright and leaning over the bike, just does not feel right. But hey if it works for you.


Kinda the same thing , kinda. If your riding casual it's not critical regardless but generally , you don't want to brake while turning. Brake first , turn and then at or near the apex... excellerate to exit.

Many people purposely try and lay the bike over in the turn , all your doing then is putting more lateral deflection into the tires and lessing an already tiny contact patch. You want to keep the bike on the center of the tire as much as possible , as often as possible. That's pretty much what matters. Counter steering is also only needed when you want to quicky change the balance of the bike. Again , not necessary during casual riding.

Oh , and it works for me and every other person whos ever competitively raced a bike. ;)

You need to do what feels most comfortable for you. The rest will come with seat time.

[fire1811]

The rest will come with seat time.

Will it help if I just sit on the seat in the garage or does it have to be moving? :p

[slade]

i just rode a 1994 GSXR 750 yesterday, someone is selling it practically down the street from me for $2000. if i get it its going to take me a little while to get used to it, the riding position is different and its so much faster and jumpier than any other bike ive been on. the steering feels different and it was hard to control the throttle well. the brakes respond very quickly, which is nice... just as long as it doesn't lock :(

its been down before and it was repainted (unprofessionally...) it has a new chain and sprocket and some other parts, although it needs new tires ASAP and it may need a tune up (it was running rich). I think ill be able to get used to it and my dad thinks I should buy it. what do people think about the price? should I buy it at asking price or try to get him to lower the price? besides the tires/paint job it appears to be in good condition, and blue book price for trade-in is $2450.

its a good thing i test drove this bike, the other bike i was going to test drive is a honda CBR 929RR... i think im going to need to get used to a smaller bike before id even consider getting on that.

[Spartan X]

eek, this post is getting old but I'll reply any way. I'd try and talk him down. I paid $2200 for my katana and my 2001 katana actually has the same engine as the GSXR 750 your talking about (older type that is) Plenty of speed. But my bike was working just fine and was laid down as well.

(although a month after I bought it it will not go into gear now and I suspect expensive transmission problems :( )

[slade]

eek, this post is getting old but I'll reply any way. I'd try and talk him down. I paid $2200 for my katana and my 2001 katana actually has the same engine as the GSXR 750 your talking about (older type that is) Plenty of speed. But my bike was working just fine and was laid down as well.

(although a month after I bought it it will not go into gear now and I suspect expensive transmission problems :( )
:( i was actually going to buy it, but he sold it while i was at school. i called him up when i got home and he said "someone just left a deposit on it 5 minutes ago"... i hate it when that happens. it just happened to my parents yesterday too, they were at a toyota dealer waiting for the salesman to buy a prius they just got in, and someone bought it out from under them.

sorry about the katana, thats the bad part about buying a used vehicles. it can be hit or miss, you never know how someone treated it, like buying paintball markers. there was a guy on the ducati forums who bought a supersport 750, then got about 25 MPG with it. it turned out the guy who had it before him used it for wheelies. he overreved the engine, burnt up the oil, and the heat warped the rocker arms. he had to pay $2-3000 in repairs.

now im wondering what i should do as far as getting a bike. are prices likely to go back up in the spring? the riding season is coming to the close. i may want to wait until the spring to see where im at as far as funding for college is concerned. and should i get something like that 1994 GSXR, or shell out the extra money for a 2001 ducati supersport? (i like the 50 MPG idea)

theres someone in my town who rides a red ducati superbike, i passed him once a few weeks ago and again just last night... im so jealous. is it bad that i can tell what the bike is by the headlight?

[gimp]

I was looking at the Ducati monsters for a while (I still want one). I heard from lots of different people about Ducati bikes having really high maintenance costs. Ducatis are meant for people with money.

Bikes are going to be most expensive in the spring. That's when everyone wants one. Once riding season is over (pretty soon), and into the winter is the time to buy a bike. Plus your not gonna be in a rush to buy when there is snow on the ground and you can't ride it anyway. Makes it easier to haggle on the price.

Gas mileage on bikes is pretty iffy. It really depends on how you ride the bike. In reality, most bikes get relatively good gas mileage. The Gixxer has the advantage of being cheaper, and it will be significantly easier to work on and get cheap parts for. Just look at the accessories catalog from Ducati to get an idea what things will cost.

*edit - You should be able to tell if a duc is around just from the sound. They sound awesome.