ok, yes, i know, i know, i may do it again

[Jake D]

I think it is laughable the number of people that freak out when someone mentions getting a bigger bike.  

I'd be that 98% of the bikes on the road have a displacement of greater than 500cc.  Most riders seem to do fine on these bikes.  It is possible to survive on a bike that is faster than a 500.

[Alphamazing]

You're right. It is odd. I wonder how many of you are going to freak out when I upgrade to a bigger bike next year :lol: (if I've got the money, of course).

[Phaedrus]

I wonder if the 250cc guys get all worked up when one of theirs mentions they want to move up to a 500cc?  

[Jake D]

500cc?   You'll shoot your eye out!  

Or there is the "if you are riding a SS bike, then you must have a little wee wee and your compensating factor."

Then where is the "non-compensating factor"?  If you ride a 250 Rebel does that mean you have a huge wee wee?  

Give me a break.

[poormanracing]

I've got 100hp at the rear wheel. do I use it. YES. matter of fact there are lots of roads in these parts where I can let the bike breathe. Not trackday fast but much faster than the gs. AND with more stable handling, better tires, more creature comforts (wind protection), better brakes, blah, blah. nothing wrong with that. in fact, nothing wrong with buying a 999 or a RC51 just to commute if it brings pleasure to the rider, in owning and riding that particular bike.

great reason i want to upgrade myself....i try my best to get the gs go fast on the track...however, in addition to being a relatively new track rider, im just not confident with it....fork travel way too far, brakes are weak, lurching throttle, cluncky clutch...yes i can buy aftermarket stuff to correct it but im not that good at wrenching and cant pay a mech to do it...all i can do i think for the future is get stickier tires and save for the  675...  :mrgreen:

[pantablo]

i want to upgrade myself....i try my best to get the gs go fast on the track...however, in addition to being a relatively new track rider, im just not confident with it....

the best time to upgrade is when you KNOW that you are a better rider than the bike. Your confidence should go up on the gs before you upgrade...lots of time (and trackdays) between now and the 675 though...

when at the track, work on your technique-particularly on being a smooth rider. being smooth goes a long way toward a better, faster ride round the track even with the crap suspension.

[Roadstergal]

If you ride a 250 Rebel does that mean you have a huge wee wee?

Ooh, I like it.  I'm willing to investigate.

[tab]

500cc?   You'll shoot your eye out!  

Or there is the "if you are riding a SS bike, then you must have a little wee wee and your compensating factor."

Then where is the "non-compensating factor"?  If you ride a 250 Rebel does that mean you have a huge wee wee?  

Give me a break.

:lol:  :lol:

[Badger]

I think it is laughable the number of people that freak out when someone mentions getting a bigger bike.  

I'd be that 98% of the bikes on the road have a displacement of greater than 500cc.  Most riders seem to do fine on these bikes.  It is possible to survive on a bike that is faster than a 500.

Has anyone considered that bikes with quicker accelleration might actually be safer, once you get basic rider incompetence out of the way?

I would submit that having instant access to accelleration is safer for travelling on high speed, high density highways.  I mean, riding a motorcycle in highway traffic is not at all like driving a car.  In the car, you're maintaining constant speed, going with the flow, and pretty much hanging out where you are.  On a motorcycle, you're more actively transitioning through traffic, staying out of blind spots (and accellerating through them), and moving out of harms way (or into a more visible position) all the time.  Even maintaining a 2 second safety zone ahead demands constant adjustment to reposition in traffic, since that's enough space for two cars to fit ahead of you.

While it's somewhat foolish to think that anyone needs the ability to go 150+mph on public roads, I submit that the ability to go from 60-ish to 80-ish (and back down) in a big hurry is a useful safety feature--like when the knuckehead next to you decides he wants to be in your lane and you need to squirt out of there.  Of course, doing so requires some level of competency on the rider's part, since that same power can be dangerous if used incorrectly (or gratuitously).  By "competency" I mean the basic ability to control the speed and direction of the motorcycle while keeping the front wheel on the pavement and keeping the brakes from locking up.

I'm not saying that the GS doesn't have enough power or accelleration to be capable in traffic.  There have only been a few times when I've put the spurs to it and wished it had a little bit more giddyup.  Rider technique?  Perhaps...but even in the power band the GS seems to take its time accellerating from 85...and when you're trying to clear out a space for a car that's determined to fit (whether or not you're still there) it seems to take even longer.  

I will say with some conviction that being alongside a semi, eye-to-eye with its turn signal when it starts flashing will get your heart going a bit...and make you wish you had a lot more surplus torque in your back pocket.

I'm not planning on going bigger any time soon...but I will make a point to weasel some seat time on my brother-in-law's F4i next spring...mostly to see if forgoing the economy and simplicity of the gs for an I4 is something worth considering (eventually).

[Roadstergal]

The GS has never let me down when it comes to getting out of trouble.  As I've said before, the GS has the hp/weight of a very fast car.

Just from reading, it sounds like the incidents of misapplication of throttle are the most common thing to worry about as a novice on a bike, and that's where a high-hp or high-torque bike will take you down fast.  Where's that vid of the guy leaving the dealership...?

[Jake D]

I do think about that video when this subject comes up.  I agree that it took NOTHING for that guy to highside that liter bike.  Scary, but does that mean that will actually happen?  Was that guy just a total squid?  I mean, how much gas do you have to give a liter bike with cold tires to get it sideways and high sided?  
:dunno:
At some point you just gotta say "I will survive.  I will survive. Yeah, yeeaaaah."

[Badger]

The GS has never let me down when it comes to getting out of trouble.  As I've said before, the GS has the hp/weight of a very fast car.

No doubt.  Like I said, I'm not down on the GS, I was just saying that there are some situations that would benefit from having surplus power in abundance (assuming that one has basic control over that power).  Compare the GS to a car all you want, but my point was that motorcycles and cars have different needs in high speed, high density traffic.  The difference being that in a car it is less likely that a.) someone will not see you and pull into your lane and b.) this will kill you.  I rarely feel like I need to "get the #@&% out of here before I get squished" in my car...but I get that feeling on the motorcycle every time I move near/through someone's blind spot.

Just from reading, it sounds like the incidents of misapplication of throttle are the most common thing to worry about as a novice on a bike, and that's where a high-hp or high-torque bike will take you down fast.  Where's that vid of the guy leaving the dealership...?

Agreed, so add to the definition of competency:  "awareness that the throttle is not an 'on/off' switch."  I'm not saying that everyone [anyone?] should start on a 100+hp bike as a novice, but (as was pointed out in this thread) there is a signficant "600cc's will kill you" or "no one needs that much power unless you're at the track" or "you aren't ready for an I4 until you can drag your elbows at will" mentality whenever someone talks about upsizing their GS that seems pretty unfounded.

Perhaps I'm being a knucklehead, but I would think that--assuming a competent rider--a modern 600cc bike would technically be 'safer' than a GS (more responsive on the throttle, better suspension, larger tire contact patch, more effective brakes, etc.) in similar conditions.

Once again, I'm not crapping on the GS (I love mine, really!), and there are plenty of reasons to not want to upsize (simplicity, economy, durability, insurance, etc.)...but it's not magic, it doesn't cure incompetence...it just lets you get away with it for a little while longer.

[Badger]

I do think about that video when this subject comes up.  I agree that it took NOTHING for that guy to highside that liter bike.  Scary, but does that mean that will actually happen?  Was that guy just a total squid?  I mean, how much gas do you have to give a liter bike with cold tires to get it sideways and high sided?

Also scary:  how many people think they can't do that with a GS?

[poormanracing]

i want to upgrade myself....i try my best to get the gs go fast on the track...however, in addition to being a relatively new track rider, im just not confident with it....

the best time to upgrade is when you KNOW that you are a better rider than the bike. Your confidence should go up on the gs before you upgrade...lots of time (and trackdays) between now and the 675 though...

when at the track, work on your technique-particularly on being a smooth rider. being smooth goes a long way toward a better, faster ride round the track even with the crap suspension.

for sure....im just fantasizing how those bike (according to magazines) falls through turns.....JCH told me the same thing in SOW....that i can lean the bike more than i am leaning it right now....JCH looks far more confident on his SV....

*

[Alphamazing]

You's gotta get off the bike. I can't tell for sure, but are the balls of your feet on your pegs? It makes a world of difference. However, take anything I say with a word of warning. I'm no pro, and I've crashed both my GSes now. You're looking through the turn very well, though.

Smoothly lift your butt off the seat and slide it over a ways when you're about to enter a turn. Dip your shoulder in and pivot yourself around the tank and lean into the turn. You can do this on the street to some extent if you want to get the feeling of how it feels to move around on the bike. Before you enter a turn, move your body to the inside and a bit off the bike. If you know anyone who's a track day junkie, see if you can get them to ride with you and give you pointers.

[Roadstergal]

The bike will lean until it scrapes hard bits.  Hanging off is a way to increase the cornering speed without scraping hard bits.

I asked my Harley-owning labmate if big bikes make a small pee pee bigger.  He said no, they make a big gut look smaller.

[pandy]

that i can lean the bike more than i am leaning it right now....JCH looks far more confident on his SV....

Well, I think you look great on the track, and your purple GS is soooo purdy!!!!!