Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

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  • How tall are you? It's worth sitting on as many bikes as possible first, I find a load of the newer mid size bikes feel really compact, I'm 6'1".

  • 5'11", although I've probably shrunk a bit since I was last properly measured. I have teeny short legs though - a 31" inside leg and that's probably generous.

  • Ah maybe ok then. I went to a place in Cannock last month and sat on a load of beery things and lots felt like I was sitting right over the front wheel, which doesn't play well with my back at all. I prefer to feel like I'm sitting in the the bike rather than clinging on to a guided missile of that makes sense, but YMMV!

  • That’s a lot of first bike!

  • Definitely the right plan. Street triples are sick. It will be a rocket ship but you're not new to the roads so you'll be fine. You'll scare yourself once or twice coming into a corner too hot and then you'll probably ride it sensibly.

    Also some bikes have different height seat options if you've a short inseam, want to touch the floor with a flat foot and not have to mess with suspension.

  • There’s one or two on this thread that will suggest that you earn your wings before buying your first ‘beast’ bike.

    Anything 300cc or above will feel good and nippy, you don’t need 80-100hp on day one, I’d stick about 50hp until you can do things without thinking.

    Depends what bike you learn on as well. If you learn on a Bandit you’ll love straight 4’s and a school bike will be barely hitting the required 60hp for full license.

  • Exciting times ahead! Street Triple 765R does sound a bit weaponised for a first bike but I also reckon it depends entirely on the head on your shoulders. If you have a healthy respect for the bike then there's no reason for it not to be a great first bike!

    What a great looking thing!

  • That’s a lot of first bike!

    Yeah, that was what I said, and I was pretty sceptical about the idea. But Geoff has seen me ride a biek bike, and been in a small fast silly car with me driving, and has watched me race. He reckons I can control my inner idiot sufficiently to not end up as roadkill within a week of getting it.

    I'm pretty old, boring and sensible these days. The instructor today asked me what had inspired me to ride a motorbike for the first time at my relatively advanced age, and I explained it was basically my second attempt at a midlife crisis. My first go involved merely buying a black Porsche, so was a bit half-hearted.

    Anyway, I'm single, no kids, no dependents, and the mortgage is paid off. Might as well live a little.

  • Street Triple 765R does sound a bit weaponised for a first bike but I also reckon it depends entirely on the head on your shoulders.

    Pretty much what Guru Geoff said. I'm used to driving cars with a power to weight ratio well in excess of 300bhp/ton (hello Golf Club), and with no electronic driver aids at all, over moutain roads where if you go off, the chances are you're not coming back other than in a box. So I might survive.

    What I really want is a Matchless Model X*, but in the meantime I suspect some electronic safety nettage is probably not a bad thing.

    • anna Kawasaki Z1A anna Honda CBX1000 anna Norton 18H with girder forks...
  • Anything 300cc or above will feel good and nippy, you don’t need 80-100hp on day one, I’d stick about 50hp until you can do things without thinking.

    That was my thought. But it was pointed out to me that it's perfectly possible to ride a 100bhp bike using no more than 50bhp of the available power, provided you have the necessary self-control. Whether I have the necessary self-control remains to be seen.

  • I'm up north but I'm selling my 765r 2019 as I don't use it enough. Going to get something cheaper. Let me know if you want details.


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  • Looks very nice, I'll bear that in mind. I should probably at least pass my CBT first though!

    And I don't have anywhere to keep a motorbike at the moment, until I clear out the mess left over from when I set fire to my garage recently...

  • no problem, good luck with the lessons.

    yes, not something to leave outside....

  • I'm in the camp that you can learn on just about anything. At the same time, for things to be fun, you need to feel like you're in control of the bike, not tiptoeing around. With that sort of power to weight, there's going to be a pretty extended learning curve that might not be as satisfying as grabbing something smaller and lighter, and learning to wring the knackers out of it. I also believe that you learn much more about braking, turning and traction on very light bikes, with a significantly lower risk threshold. Those skills apply directly to bigger machines. Hence all the pro racers cross training on little 125cc, four stroke dirtbikes and mini-motos at go kart tracks.

  • the 765 does have rider modes to reduce the power or delivery of it (not that I can tell the difference) and ABS so a good choice as a first bike I think

  • when I set fire to my garage recently...

    Pyromaniac thread >>>>>>>>

  • Nah, it was an accident. I foolishly started welding without clearing my workbench first, and then got distracted in the garden while rejigging the welding jig. When I went back into the garage the workbench was on fire, and the flames were running up the wall and fanning across the ceiling. Definitely unintentional.

  • Do they still have the 80cc racing groups? As that teaches you to be smooth..

  • The other issue is you’ll never know the joy of wringing the neck of a little engine.

  • So is abs a good idea on a motorbike?

    The Ron haslam race school used to teach braking on non abs 125 honda CBR? The faired ones. Showed rider how effective the brakes can be and actually show how to do stoppies....

  • Straight to 765 is a good plan. With a direct access you’ll do about 20 hours on something in the 650cc ballpark with about 70hp. Bearing in mind this is all observed and with a huge focus on bike control so you come out of that quite a bit above what the internet (Americans) call beginner. The step up to the 765 from the direct access bikes isn’t huge and as has already been said, it has modes to reign/rain things if you don’t trust your head to be sensible.

  • Just your typical gixxer owner #mouthbreather


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  • Do it. I’d have another Striple in a heart beat. Just don’t store it outside, they’re theft magnets.

    They can be proper hooligan bikes, but if you don’t have a ‘stupid’ wrist, they’re actually incredibly usable and gentle.
    That power plant is usable throughout.

    I’d change the sprockets though, first gear was looooooooong.

  • Yes, fantastic idea for everyday use.
    Not on track and it’s good to learn the limits of braking without abs. But then it’s also good to learn the limits of braking with abs too. Basically we should all practice braking hard more.
    A skilled rider can normally out brake ABS but an average rider in a panic will benefit from it in most situations.
    Panic braking mid corner because you ran out of judgement, skill or conviction is the only major exception.

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Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Posted by Avatar for coppiThat @coppiThat

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