Question about 1000cc or very powerful bikes as starters

[camthepyro]

Don't jump down his throat so much. He was asking. He did put emphasis on "think" meaning, he wasn't sure about what was ok or right in his situation.

[Dragonhawk]

The Nighthawk 250 you rode in the MSF class was 22HP.

I think more emphasis needs to be put on skill developing in general then what you learn to ride on.

And you honestly believe you have the skills to safely handle a 113HP Ninja ZX-R6 as your first bike?

[StyleZ]

There is one major problem with many of the replies posted

1) Many didn't even read my message.

I did NOT say I want a 1000cc bike I DON"T. I didn't even say I wanted a 750cc bike, not even 700cc... I did NOT say I was right. If I only wanted to be stuck in my view it wouldn't make sense for my to post this. I put emphasis on "think" as what I posted was my opinion. I came to discuss. Jumping the gun and being negative is just as useless as me posting saying I'm right you're wrong.

Here is my situation.

I drove the 250cc. I feel very confident with that, but I would not even take that on the street. If I got one I would put it in the parking lot I learned in (live right across the street from where MSF was given, they have the lines and everything setup. it's a college parking lot). I'm not an idiot. I'm a very cautious person. MSF instructors told me to speed up plenty times in the beginning. I do not go past the pace I feel comfortable in until I feel comfortable there. Not in a race with anybody and I have too much to lose and live for.

If you take the proper precautions you can do / learn on whatever you want.

[guitar guru]

According to the NHTSA motorcycle fatalities in 2004 for bikes from 501-1000cc displacement was more than SEVEN TIMES that for bikes with 500cc and under displacement.

If statistics have any merit, this ought to suggest staying away from high cc bikes as a first.

...but there are always at least two sides to every argument.

[NorthernPete]

How many times are we going to do this?

[camthepyro]

Is that a higher percentage, or a higher amount, because 500-1000cc bikes are more common than 500cc-, therefore, there would be more deaths on them. I'm not argueing, I'm just curious.

[NorthernPete]

Some how Cam, I'll still be able to sleep at night...you have more riding under your belt too, stupid handy mans special....

[StyleZ]

The Nighthawk 250 you rode in the MSF class was 22HP.

I think more emphasis needs to be put on skill developing in general then what you learn to ride on.

And you honestly believe you have the skills to safely handle a 113HP Ninja ZX-R6 as your first bike?

At low speeds, yes. At high speeds, no. Same applies to a nighthawk 250 though. I mastered swerves at 12 - 20MPH on the 250. Would I have been as sucessful at 60MPH? I don't know and I'm not ashamed to have doubts.

Somebody said starting on a 1000cc bike was like learning to fly in a fighter jet. The ONLY problem I see with info like that is it's like you're assuming you plan on going at fighter jet speeds. Every speedometer starts at 0, that's universal. The rider and the rider alone is the one that gets it to fighter jet speeds.

[Kal]

I did read your post. I'm not going off the deep end, probably because I am only modertaley tired.

You mentioned a lad coming off of the 250 Nighthawk, twice. The Nighthawk (apparently being 22bhp*) is a bike so notoriously forgiving that reviews describe it as flat and dull compared to other bikes in the 250 class.

The less forgiving a bike is the more likely you are to have an accident, especially early in your riding career. Purely because mistakes are recoverable on a more forgiving bike than they are on a less forgiving bike.

Sportsbikes are straight out less forginving of rider errors than anything else, and when you jack up the horsepower those mistakes its not forgiving become more and more serious.

I can ring the throttle on the CX (which okay it isnt well at the moment, and does have the addition mas at the back to pull too) and it dosnt do anything to surprise me* Twitching the throttle on a 600cc Superbike will have the front wheel getting some serious roadtime and have the whole thing accelerating rapidly. 70 mph isnt outside the realms of possiblity on a sportsbike. In first gear.

Forget everything you know about cars, bike handle completely different.


* This goes some way to explaining my problem with the American CB250, overhere the CB250 superdream is about 28 or so BHP.

[camthepyro]

NorthernPete
PostPosted: Wed May 17, 2006 8:02 pm Post subject:
Laughing Some how Cam, I'll still be able to sleep at night...you have more riding under your belt too, stupid handy mans special....

I must be really dense... I don't get it...