Does More Power Equal More Danger?

[ledfingers]

i think the gs is a great tool to learn how to control a bike. but personally, i'd rather have a 600cc bike over 750cc+ because i've always been taught that going fast with a big motor isn't hard, but going really fast with a small motor takes talent. i like to think of myself as talented (not on a bike, yet) so why bother going to a high cc bike? with cars, i learned learn how to shift, learned what a powerband is, now i can go fast in cars that aren't considered fast cars. theres obviously more to it than that, but bottom line, i respect someone who can do a lot with a little more than someone who does big things with an excess of power.

[gsbarry]

Theres a reason why some crotch rockets are on insurance companies blacklists. You ever hear of an insurance company blacklisting a GS500 or a Ninja 250 etc etc. Too many inexperienced riders walk into dealerships and pick out the bike they think suits them because its looks totally awesome and cool or the colour matches there favourite pair of running shoes. They know there friends who are still riding pedal bikes will think they are "god" because they roll up on a brand new race bike.
Its too easy for inexperienced riders to get there hands on out of the box race bikes. With the 0 down 0 percent crap that the dealers have on now, these people are walking in a dealer for there first time with nothing and riding away with $10,000 machines.
10 kilometers and 10,000 RPM later they find themselves headed into a disaster at a speed they only reached in a video game.

The decision on what bike to buy when first entering into motorcycling is HUGE. The kid standing behind you knew what he was talking about.

Im not saying all new riders make bad decisions. Theres solid reasons why bikes like the GS500 were created. And this topic is one of them.

[calamari]

Theres solid reasons why bikes like the GS500 were created

mmm, so suzi could make more money! 

[damiencovington]

Hey, I remember that eppisode of Speed Racer......

Damien

[ukchickenlover]

I have a cbr600 with 100bhp. For me it is no more dangerous than a gs500. I think the danger for new riders with powerful bikes is the temptation to go too fast. They are just as easy to ride, maybe easier and with a some experiance you should know when you can use the power and when you should hold back.

I can't see myself getting a 1000cc race bike just no need. Maybe a Z1000 but just for the look but I would keep my cbr for the track.

[bobkins]

Now I am just getting started in the bike world (only riding about 4 months) but I know now that the only reason I would want a bigger bike than the GS is if I wanted to ride with a passenger. Keeping in mind that I ride a limited power version (25kW) it just did not have enough power to smoothley accelerate with a passenger. But then again the unlimited version of the GS could have enough power to do that at normal speeds.


Greets Rob

[TarzanBoy]

So, I was in a Bike Store the other day and I see this extremely sexy looking bike in the corner.  I ask the guy what it is and he tells me it just came in from Florida.  It's a Ducati 999 sports bike.  I am looking at the bike and realize that the Tach goes pretty high, but..............There's No REDLINE!!  I ask the guy where the redline starts and he says "where the tach ends".  He goes on to brag about the fact that this bike provides full torque from the bottom of the tach all the way through until you shift!!  That's when I hear this kid behind me say "I would kill myself on that bike!!"  Which seems like a pretty reasonable prospect. 

The guy was blowing smoke up your ass a bit.  I rode a Ducati 999 last year at a big test ride that Ducati organized at a local dealership.   YES, the 999 was fast (fastest off-the-line bike that I have ever ridden).  As a V-twin most of its torque is down low... but that 'no redline till the tach ends' is a load of bull.   Like all V-twins, the 999 will  rattle your fillings out of your teeth when the rpm's get too high.   I have a nagging suspicion that the engine would likely shake the fairiings off the bike long before you bounced the needle off the rev limiter.

When I heard about this "torque all the way" kind of bike I started to question that.  I know that the bikes weight, suspension, tires, etc all play a roll in how well it handles, but if I am riding my GS at 100 km/h and can control it, shouldn't I be able to reasonably control a supersport at 100 km/h if all things are kept equal?  I am asking for the more experienced riders on the forum to let me know.  Eventually I may want to upgrade to something a bit sportier, but will it make a huge difference?  I don't want to set myself up for disaster.

Compared to your GS500, the Ducati 999 will definitely feel like 'torque all the way'.  Its not just a night and day difference... its a dark-side of the moon and ionishpere of the sun difference.   Let me put it this way:
I had recently upgraded to an R6 from a GS500 when I rode the 999.   When I climbed back on to go home... riding the 999 made my R6 feel as slow/weak a GS500.  There is a deep well of torque there that just doesn't exist on a GS500.
Are you, as a rider, ready for such a machine?   Who can tell?   Will you automatically wrap the bike around a tree if you try to take it down the street?  No.   Having ridden a GS500, you should possess all the skills for basic operation of a motorcycle.   This (in theory) means that you are ready to start (from scratch) to learn how to handle a stronger bike without making a rookie mistake that will get you maimed or worse.   That is what 'starter bikes' are all about.

As for a 999 like most liter bikes... they look nice, but  are way past overkill as far as streetable power.  I only left 2nd gear ONCE during our test ride (and only for a few seconds).  You should try to ride a few different bikes by time you are ready to upgrade.  That will help you decide what you want to upgrade to when you're ready.

I had no idea I would end up on an R6 when I started riding. Cost and timing played a part (the R1 only cost $1300 more and was 2 years newer, but I didn't want to spend ALL my money on a new bike), but I had a good idea of what I didn't want as well.

[pingpong]

it'd be nice if u could add some sort of restrictor to those bigger bikes. that way u can dial it in for as much power as you really need/feel safe using, while still having a sweet bike.

[mjn12]

I'm no seasoned rider, but I gotta disagree with anyone who says that its all the attitude of the rider.  if you stick someone with little to no experience on a 100 hp bike they are much more likely to hurt themselves than if they are on a 40 hp bike even if they have the perfect 'ridiing" attitude.  Equally severe injuries are possible on either bike but they are just more likely on one then the other. Think back to when you first started and clutching was a concious action.  How easy was it to rev too high and drop it or get off to a jerky start? A bigger bike provides a lot more power for an inexperienced rider to accidentally engage . Speed kills - the danger is part of the attraction to a lot of people including me.  The point is that no one should be in the saddle of a machine like that until they've developed the dexterity and respect to handle the responsibility that comes with it. 

You don't give a 6 year old a loaded gun becuase he saw one on tv and thought it was cool.  That child has no concept of the power and consequences of mishandling a firearm - let alone the motor skills or cognitive ability to handle it correctly to begin with.  For the same reasons, someone without riding experience shouldn't go out and buy their inner child a liter bike to learn on.

For the record I like both guns and liter bikes - just not in the wrong hands.