Small displacement bikes

[Capt. Blackadder]

Here in the Phoenix area I've noticed an increased number of smaller displacement bikes on the streets in the past few years. Most of these are scooters, but I've also seen small-bore dual-sports and street singles such as Suzuki's GZ250 and Honda's perennial Nighthawk 250. I like this trend a lot, since there's a lot to be said for smaller bikes. Low purchase price, low weight, easy handling, excellent fuel mileage, and low insurance costs. In addition, they are a great introduction for newbies to the sport. What's the story in other metro areas?

[arkline]

Seattle's turning into a haven for scooter trash. My wife traded in an F650CS for a Suzuki Bergman. The bike parking lots at work are just crawling with every brand of scooter you can think of. I think its because they are generally cheaper than a nice motorcycle, they've got more native storage capacity, they are generally easier to ride, and have pretty good weather protection.

Not that there's anything wrong with that!

[Rchop]

Small displacement bikes ....Hmmm, that's kinda like girls with small tits...you only ride them when you have to:embarassed: :embarassed:

[TorqueMonsterMT-01]

As you can imagine, Tokyo is full of scooters and small displacement bikes ranging from 50cc to 400cc. In fact, there are a lot of 400cc bikes that the Japanese makers don't export such as the SV400S which is really cool.

I rode the Roadster for three years here and now have the MT-01, but I have to admit that scooters and smaller bikes are much more practical for city riding. I have 50cc mini bikes and scooters blow past me in heavy traffic simply because they can fit in holes that I can't.

The 250cc SM bikes are the coolest for the city. You have good acceleration, a narrow path and power enough for the fast areas.

I own the rumble award though, and am quite proud of the fact that my bike makes the dogs bark when I roll up to the cross walk.

[Capt. Blackadder]

Small displacement bikes ....Hmmm, that's kinda like girls with small tits...you only ride them when you have to:embarassed: :embarassed:
Hell no, they try so much harder! :icon_mrgreen:

[RiceBurner]

Small displacement bikes ....Hmmm, that's kinda like girls with small tits...you only ride them when you have to:embarassed: :embarassed:


Have to disagree with you there Randy. If you can take an R1 to its absolute limits then I'd agree with you, but there's not many around who can manage that. ;)

A small-bore screamer (EG CBR400 / ZXR400) is superb fun on the road or track precisely because you can rag it to the max without to much fear. Also the lesser power outputs and lithe handling mean that cornering is a complete joy. :)

[Rchop]

I was thinking of small displacement as only the 250cc and lower scooter catagory:)

[RiceBurner]

I was thinking of small displacement as only the 250cc and lower scooter catagory:)
Never ridden an RGV250 or RS250 then? ;)

There's fun to be had on all bikes. :)

[Dallara]

Down here you hardly see small displacement motorcycles, and scooters are even less seen. Don't know why, but the only place you see motorscooters is out at the college campus here in C.C.

That said, I LOVE small displacement sports bikes! Like has been said, it is very, very difficult - if not impossible - for any mere mortal to extract anywhere near the performance potential of today's modern sports bikes, even 600's, on public roadways. Yet, you can be riding a 250 two-stroke to the store and it feels like you are having to qualify for a MotoGP grid simply because you have to work hard to maintain momentum and keep the engines on the pipe.

Some of the most fun I have had with motorcycling was riding Yamaha RD-350's and RD-400's, along with others like my Honda MVX-250-F V-Three two-stroke and the old Honda VTR-250 V-Twins. And you actually learn far more road racing in the 250 GP class than you ever learn running 750 Production, 750 Cafe, and the Open clases back in my heyday. 250 road racers do not suffer mistakes without extracting a huge penalty in either lap time or track position, so you have to be incredibly precise and "on your game" to stay up front. With a big bike you can make a small bobble and make it up much easier with all the power available.

Personally, I think all riders should be required to start out on smaller bikes, maybe with tiered licensing like they have some places in Europe. If we had that sort of thing in the USA I think we would have much better riders overall, and certainly far fewer accidents.

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara - The Rubber-Banned Man)

[arkline]

My goodness, how things have changed. Back when, a 650cc BSA, Triumph, 45 cu.in. Harley, or what have you was considered a BIG bike. The haulin' backside of insanity BIG kinda bike. Big, mean, don't mess with me BIG bike. Now we have 400 and 650 cc scooters shooting down the slab all the time and no one thinks anything of it. Now, if you want a BIG bike you've got to go way over a liter...preferably 2 liters (or close to it), to really make your point.:icon_lol:

[Rchop]

Never ridden an RGV250 or RS250 then? ;)

There's fun to be had on all bikes. :)

I'm not saying that I haven't ridden small displacement bikes...I'm just saying that I prefer bigger jugs...errr :icon_redface: I mean motors

[socalrob]

Too bad we don't get those small displacement street bikes in the US like the Aprilla 125.

[boxermania]

As a temporary transplant to the land of the Rising Sun I have to agree with Jeff, I have been out and about looking at bikes and you can find all kinds of 400 cc bikes, the 4 cylinder variety. That certainly bodes well with the fact that they can get in places where the others can't and considering that the top speed in the highway is in the order of 80 to 90 kilomenters, justr slightly under 60 mpg, it is understandable why they are so popular. Also bikes here are arranged according to displacement and that is how you pay, not cheap. The big break comes after 400 cc so that favors keeping the majority of the bikes under 400 cc.

BTW this is also a Nirvana for old bikes, I have seen stuff here that I haven't seen in the US in 20 years......as far as maxi scooters the majority are 250 cc in the big three variety....I have only seen a Yamaha T-Max, 500 cc twin and a Burgman 400 cc, single equivalent.

In BR I have run into a few of older riders that no longer want to fool around with a full size bike and they have gravitated to the Suzuki, Burgman and the Honda Siver Wing so they can continue to ride with their buddies. As a matter of fact I ran into a group of riders just out of Natchez, Mississippi and one was riding a Burgman 650, we got to talking and he had just traded his Kawasaki Concours for the scooter, the fellow was 74 years old and he let me ride the Burgman.....I do have to admit that they have come a long way, not a road burner but it had decent acceleration and handled very nicely.....the fellow was in love with it....storage, great mileage and still allowed him to get out with his buddies.

I still have my heart on a Honda PC, to putter around, will definitely get to work on the Missus upon my return....yep, it's going to cost me....:020:

[Airman]

I kinda like the Pacific Coast too. I've never seen one on the street. Must be hard to come by. There's a lower limit on displacement though. I noticed the "Baron in Winter" said his 125cc scooter was being crowded on the freeway because of limited top speed. Like Arkline, I've seen a lot of scooters up around the University, but in the wilds of the south suburbs I don't see them much. If you can't keep up with heavy 75 mph traffic, they'll run you over. I have a boy interested in the Virago 250 because it's cheap, light and is a real motorcycle. I would think bikes like that would be more popular then a scooter, which actually are fairly expensive for what you get.

[arkline]

One of the woman members of the UW Soggy Dawgs just recently bought a PC. And for a while there was one parking in the lot I use at work. It was an off-white color and looked a lot like an appliance. Not too attractive to me. But then I didn't buy one.