What ever happened to ‘building up’?

in the good old days "building up" your cc's was so you could go faster but these days with speed cameras all around and 600cc s/s bikes doing 165mph there doesnt seem to be the need to build up anymore.

i know the above statement is coming from a person who replaced his 650s with a 1000s but i think the 1000s days are number'd "I WANT MY 650 BACK!"

My view is that riding a motorcycle is a learning curve. So if you ride a snotter then mistakes you make are going to be slower.

I remember my first bike had poor brakes and therefore I had to ride accordingly. Aye...them were the days.

One of the reasons I have stuck with my 650. Quite frankly, it does everything I want from a bike. 0-60 4 secs 125+ top speed is fast enough in
this country, thank you.
I have toyed with the idea of say, Italian exotica, but would only continuously worry about it being crashed or nicked.
I really do not see the need (yes need, not want, Jelster ) of something like a GSXR1000 in this day and age. Cue comments from disciples of Jeremy Clarkson and speed freaks everywhere.

Originally Posted by Steve H

I really do not see the need (yes need, not want, Jelster ) of something like a GSXR1000 in this day and age. Cue comments from disciples of Jeremy Clarkson and speed freaks everywhere.

1000cc motorcycles exist, of course, for those of us riding smaller motorcycles to make a point of embarrassing

Originally Posted by Steve H

One of the reasons I have stuck with my 650. Quite frankly, it does everything I want from a bike. 0-60 4 secs 125+ top speed is fast enough in
this country, thank you.
I have toyed with the idea of say, Italian exotica, but would only continuously worry about it being crashed or nicked.
I really do not see the need (yes need, not want, Jelster ) of something like a GSXR1000 in this day and age. Cue comments from disciples of Jeremy Clarkson and speed freaks everywhere.

Hey, I don't "need" a FireBlade, or a 250bhp car, but I can afford them and enjoy them. Each to their own. I would consider a smaller bike IF I could get the same reliability, torque and acceleration (top speed is pointless, I've done 170 plus once, don't need to do it again).

.

Originally Posted by thedonal

Now I've got a bike at 34 (SV is my first bike), I wish that I had done it YEEEEEEAAAARRRS ago!

That said, despite my off and mistakes I'd made, I really don't think the SV650 is an OTT bike for a starter- as long as the rider has a bit of sense and restraint. In fact, I felt happier on a 650 (BMW 650CS) than I did on the Yamaha SR125.

I'm 32 just passed mine and have been thinking about it since I was 17!

Agree wholeheartedly with above

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Bloody hell! Where are they?

Lol!

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

Ok ....

... by 125, I was talking 'strokers' ... like the old TZR125, RG125, NSR125 ... anyone that has had no experience of larger bikes and doesn't find a de-restricted 125 stroker fun is lying!! Agreed a CG125 although a perfectly good bike is unlikely to light many peoples fire!!

The 250 strokers (KR1, RGV etc) were mental machines!!! An RGV250 was quite a desirable weapon!! Anyone that says a 250 isn’t powerful/exciting enough hasn’t ridden one!!

Practicle - no, fun YES

You forget Blue some of us are a bit older than you, Had a FS1E unrestricted as my fisrt legal bike, would do 50MPH which wasnt bad for a 50CC moped and it still had pedals. Followed by a Bantam 175 which wasnt much quicker than the fizzy. Then went on to an Areil Arrow supersports which was one of the most fun bikes I've ever rode 250CC and the petrol went under the seat ???
Then started with Yam 2 strokes having a YDS7 250 heavy but practical followed by a RD250 LC the reason why learners are now restricted to 125 and not many horses. Also had an old 500 CC BSA and chair (well plank of wood with a wheel on) for a while as you could ride any size bike with a sidecar on L plates. Went back to a Honda 100 for 6 months then a 125 superdream. was gonna take my test but ggot married and wife wouldnt let me have a bike.
After 15 years came back to riding and got the SV as the second bike after my litle bandit 400. Not been about as much as Rictus but have still had a few classics

Originally Posted by the_runt69

...

In my day ... yeah the sidecar rule was nuts ... I've never owned some of the Brit classics like you mention, but I've had loads of cool (Jap)
classics over the years ...

Had the Yams ... RD250B, RD250LC, YR5 ...
Had some Hondas ... 400/4, VF750
Had some Suzukis ... GS1000, GT185

And they are just the semi-desirable ones ... I've had loads of classics overall, most got them as they were cheap to buy and run ... practical too like my 250 wetdreams, CB125J CB100N, GS250, Z250 ... the list of old nails goes on and on

Bearing in mind how many miles I have done on classics, I do have a fondness for them ... even the old nails ones