Four wheels good, two wheels better?

[cajun]

I love my Chimaera 450 and always will, but am considering purchasing a modest bike (CB500).

Getting a bit bored of the "you will immediately be killed" line from friends and family.

Any of you TiVeRs got bikes? Have you scaped any of your bonnet recently?

C

[cajun]

rahlea said: Cajun,

Go for a bigger bike then a 500, as you will want to change it after a few months. I started biking with a GPZ500, but quickly switched to a 600 sports, and found the difference a revalation (handling and power).

You obviously like torque over power (you have a Chimaera 450 (and so do I!)) and the difference bewteen a 600 and 900 is masses of extra torque. I finished up with a ZX-9R - this was just the most growley, gut wrenchingly quick bike in any gear.

To start with I would go for a 600 supersports for a year or so and then move up to a bigger beast.

You are putting me back into serious temptation! I had my eye on a thundercat. If I thought I could handle it I would go straight for that one. One biker I talked to said whatever happens you are going to drop your first bike a few times, so I thought maybe don't go for the dream machine too early.

Thanks for all the feedback and let me know if you know any good bike boards not entirely populated by teenage bumpkins...

Cajun

[cajun]

rahlea said: Cajun,

How bizarre - we have very similar tastes.

The 600 I had was also a Thundercat (in blue and Silver). It was such a good bike compared to the 500 (smile factor of 9 versus 5).

I was worried about dropping the first bike too. In the 5 years I had the 3 bikes, I dropped one three times (all at a standstill - beware wet moss covered paving stones, gravel and trying to do silly manouvers in the garage). Neither was with the first bike, and 2 were with the last bike. I guess the points I'm making are:

- Dropping a bike normally happens at 0-2 mph and so the damage isn't serious and,

- It happens even when you've been riding for years (you get complacent (until a near miss wakes you up again and makes you realise you're not immortal)

Its all about confidence, and it does take a while to build up, but with a good 600 you get better handling and grip, and can take it easy if you don't rev it too high. I wouldn't recommend a 900 to start with as they are overpowered and the extra low down torque could get you into trouble in the bends.

Let me know what you choose to do and enjoy !!

Perhaps we have the same critreria. I'm looking for something understated and something that feels powerful to me as a non-biking Chim 4.5 driver. Bikes that shout 'I'm a sportsbike' do not appeal, and the Marlon Brando jobs do, but it's just too S&M for me (what next: the leather captains hat and a walrus moustache!) I don't know that any of the British bikes have the novice in mind, so I keep coming back to Honda. They know how to make a good engine...
This bit is half the fun isn't it?

C