How BIG is your BIKE?

M

mobiryder

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Feb 16, 2007
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I'm a total newb but plan on getting head over heels (get your laughs in now because I'm sure I won't find it funny 2 minutes into my first trail and it happens heh) into trail riding.

I'm an expert Nouvo rider in Bangkok for 7 years (yeah yeah, 125cc automatic) but have ridden a few big bikes over the years on pavement (R1, Steeds, CBRs etc, mainly the cruiser types).. But I've had no formal training and my confidence on the big bikes is mediocre.

I'm 5'11" tall and weigh 111kg or like 244lbs... im actually pretty fit for someone with this weight, a former bodybuilder who has pretty much let myself go for 2 years ;)

QUESTION: My Thai friend/local motorbike mechanic/dirt biking enthusiast is going to take me for my first trail ride this weekend and while he will be riding a 250cc he suggests a 450cc for me. I don't often hear about such big engine motorbikes being talked about here for use in Chiang Mai.. He says it's because of my weight but I'm thinking I'll end up killing myself quicker on such a powerful bike.

Jedi Masters... what do you think?
 
Hi, welcome to the Forum !! I'm myself about the same weight and 180cms tall but don't find any problem with heavier bikes, just keep your cool with the throttle and then nothing's gonna happen. Actual weight differences between a 250 and a 450 might be a 25 to 35 kgs ?? So not much difference here. Just ride slow and enjoy the beautiful tracks here up North and don't get yourself pushed/drawn into competition riding..... :lol: , cheers, Franz
 
Is this to buy? or he offering you a trail ride on a borrowed 450?
if its to buy then you have quite a lot of things to consider when choosing an appropriate off-road bike for the region.
but hell, if its just a weekend ride on someone else bike then by all means take a 450.....and hold on!!!
 
Hi Mobi,

A 250cc bike can be a very good bike here (even with a 100 kg rider)... as well as a 450 or 650 or more... Depends the purpose, your needs and feels...
Not any bike is better! Just any bike is different...
As said Franz, if you don't actually feel fully "comfortable" with a "big" one, begin peacefully with it, and firstly "learn it": handling, braking, accelerating...
IMHO, a "big" bike is never a killer by itself: it may be a killer if "badly" used... So just be aware of what you are riding and do it smoothly at the beginning.

May I suggest you to rent different models of bikes (easy here in CNX) for one day or two and so make your own idea before you make your choice?..

Good luck,
Gobs
 
mobiryder wrote: for the record i ended up on a big cruiser and i dumped it.. major road rash ensued! who'd have guessed? ;)
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Not good mate...

Cruisers are good for cruising, and punting them along at pace requires a lot of skill and practice...

I would suggest that for a newish rider, the last thing you want is to be going on a ride with you on a cruiser and the more experienced rider on a sports bike...

you are inevitably going to be concerned about being left behind and try to push yourself to keep up...

hope the road rash clears up soon, and it was nothing too serious...

Cheers,
Daewoo
 
mobiryder wrote: for the record i ended up on a big cruiser and i dumped it.. major road rash ensued! who'd have guessed? ;)
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Well join the legions of first time renter farangs in the hospital ;) Falling off the bike must be easily be 99% of all injuries to farangs in Thailand.

Anyway I guess it's time to suit up and buy some proper gear. A good helmet. And a good jacket / gloves / boots will prevent road rash at the least.

I never ride without gloves. All it took for me to realize the wisdom of this is to fall of my D-Tracker and land hands-first on the pavement...
 
Similar height/weight here. I ride a +/- 240cc and although adequate, just barely so. I'm in the market for a DR400/XR400 myself. As I understand, the 650's are getting on the bulky side, especially for a guy that just turned 60 and wants to get another 10 years of off-road in but there are others on the forum that are older than me still riding the bigger stuff. Riding's not the problem-it's wrestling the bigger ones up when they go down.
 
Maybe somthing along the lines of a Suzuki 400DRZ. Barry BBQ weighed about the same as yourself and he went off road all the time. When Barry went back to the USA last year, we bought the bike from him and we always ride 2Up. The combined wieght of my wife and I is 130Kg, plus we then load the bike with gear for one month and have a blast Off Road.

Cheers,
David and Mai
Chiang Khong
 
Sorry to hear that too...
And as curious as David: what "big cruiser" + how it happened?

Good luck
Gobs
 
Roaddhist is very correct about, what is your age, being a big factor on what size works best for off road. I'm now getting close to 64 in a few months and our 400 looks better/more comfortable/easier to handle off road all the time. Still in love with our 650 for almost deep off road and still love the "sofa" the 1150GS, but in it's proper place; nice bad roads. Smaller gets better/easier as we get on a bit.

Cheers,
David and Mai
Chiang Khong
 
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