The difference between a GSXR1000 and a CG125

[philelmer]

I've got a GSXR, a black one, and so when I picked up my CG125 today (for the missus to learn on, or any excuse for a new toy, your choice) I was unsurprised to confirm that black bikes are indeed faster than red ones.

The most surprising difference however was that NOBODY nods to you on an L-plated CG. It's still a bike, and I'm still a biker, but not one person on a bike acknowleged me. Why? I have no idea. Is there an unspoken rule that you must only nod at other bikers when you're both on bikes with more than 600cc?

I've taken the L-plates off this evening and will continue my investigation tomorrow. Watch this space.

[Aubrey]

I have noticed this when I'm out with mates, no one nods at tiny bikes, I usually do, but I refuse to nod to scooters

I'm also guessing the little red bike was not quite as quick as the big black one? Gixers rule!

Edited by Aubrey on Wednesday 28th May 23:05

[Rick448]

I can confirm the above is true.. I ride to work every day on my CB500, I have been riding well over 20 years and over 15k miles a year, I have a ZX9R as my toy and happened to use it last week for work, and the 2 bikers on largish machines i see every morning who always ignore me suddenly had the urge to nod and flash at me... capacity snobbery i would think.

[Aubrey]

Rick448 said:

I can confirm the above is true.. I ride to work every day on my CB500, I have been riding well over 20 years and over 15k miles a year, I have a ZX9R as my toy and happened to use it last week for work, and the 2 bikers on largish machines i see every morning who always ignore me suddenly had the urge to nod and flash at me... capacity snobbery i would think.

Did you nod back? And do you nod at them when on yr cb500? Good bikes btw, I learnt to ride on one!

[RabD]

I get nodded to all the time on my little CG125. Even when I still had my L plates it happened.

[Fire99]

I have to admit i got alot less 'nods' etc when riding the GPZ500s compared to riding the TL..

Saying that the little GPZ is one hell of a little bike. Has put up with all kinds of abuse and literally being thrashed within an inch of its life and refuses to die..
Sadly the rubbish Tin the Nexxus exhaust is made of has given way and im on the lookout for a new exhaust.. (or cheap 2nd hand one to be honest)

anyway back to the point. doesnt surprise me about the CG 'nod' issue

[pat_y]

I think you can proabaly extend the 'nod' rule to Harleys. When i've been out on large sports bikes Harley riders would never throw me a nod.
Not that i could give a monkey's... about Harley lifestyle adaptees.

[Aubrey]

That's very true, sports bikes only nod at each other and the same for the chromed up cruisers... :rollseyes:

[philelmer]

Well, as promised, here's a status update.

Today I had to ride the 10 miles or so across town to my dad's house. On the way there I wore a helmet and a hawaian shirt, thinking that maybe the guys with the dark visors couldn't see me properly. I calculated my successful nod rate (SNR) to be around 60%. Much better than yesterday.

On the way back the temperature had dropped slightly so I wore a long sleeved harley davison t-shirt over my shirt. With this minor clothing modification I only acheived around a 50% SNR, even though there were more bikes around by tea time.

This proves to me that if you ride a CG125 but try to look like a "real" biker, like yesterday when I was wearing a belstaff jacket, everyone ignores you. However if you look like a tourist who's borrowed a bike, which isn't tricky on Blackpool promenade in a hawaian shirt, you're more noticable.

I therefore submit a claim to the PH masses that along with loud exhaust pipes, loud shirts save lives.

[Rick448]

Aubrey said:

Rick448 said:

I can confirm the above is true.. I ride to work every day on my CB500, I have been riding well over 20 years and over 15k miles a year, I have a ZX9R as my toy and happened to use it last week for work, and the 2 bikers on largish machines i see every morning who always ignore me suddenly had the urge to nod and flash at me... capacity snobbery i would think.

Did you nod back? And do you nod at them when on yr cb500? Good bikes btw, I learnt to ride on one!

I did nod back, and do nod when on my CB, maybe one day they will nod back, if not well nevermind.

[MKH9130]

philelmer said:

I've got a GSXR, a black one, and so when I picked up my CG125 today (for the missus to learn on, or any excuse for a new toy, your choice) I was unsurprised to confirm that black bikes are indeed faster than red ones.

The most surprising difference however was that NOBODY nods to you on an L-plated CG. It's still a bike, and I'm still a biker, but not one person on a bike acknowleged me. Why? I have no idea. Is there an unspoken rule that you must only nod at other bikers when you're both on bikes with more than 600cc?

I've taken the L-plates off this evening and will continue my investigation tomorrow. Watch this space.

I ride a scooter for work simply 'cos its cheap, and I tend to only get nods when I'm either wearing the full kit or when it is absolutely slashing it down with rain.

When I'm on a bike, I'm always nodded at.

Interesting that when you ride a scooter (or in your case a CG125) you become a second-class citizen, even if you have something like a GSXR in the garage for fun

[ec1 eex]

I live & ride my bike only in London. We don't nod to anyone and don't expect to receive any nods coming our way.

Maybe that makes us miserable, but on the one occasion I rode my bike up north I found the nodding thing to be quite distracting.

[IsMad]

I make a point of nodding to all, when I am not in the middle of doing something else, like going into a bend

I get a variety of repsonses:
The confused harley rider twitch, Err you nodding at me??
The sharp sports bike side nod, quick and to the point.
The disdainful half nod from the hardcore all weather biker, I see your shiny bike and assume you are a fair weather pussy.
The quick nod and weave from the responding lerners and the more serene nod from the following instructor.
There is always a small number from all groups who do not respond grumpy bastids

I continue to nod to all and so far am not yet jaded enought to stop, but that may come with time and old age... or maybe not.

[speed8]

I quite like the French thing of giving a little wave or shaking a leg. It helps that they pass on the clutch side rather than the throttle side though

[TL84]

I do that on the motorway

[graham22]

It must be summer - the 'nodders' are complaining about non-nodders

[Sossige]

graham22 said:

It must be summer - the 'nodders' are complaining about non-nodders

I'll get me coat

[Fire99]

what about foot wigglers?.... some (including one of my mates) do that.. Perhaps we need a book on nodding/footwiggling/hand-waving/elbow giggling gestures..