[eidian]

Okay, so I picked up my Z1000 last night and I was a little nervous when the salesman said, "Just ride the bike around to the front of the shop and gear up there...it's only a hundred yards". Mind you, my first and only bike up to last night was my '03 500R. I was going from 500cc's to 953, from 50 hp to 123, from a carburated parallel-twin to a fuel injected in-line 4.

"Only a hundred yards...doesn't make me any less nervous", I thought to myself. So I twisted the throttle such a tiny bit that there was no way you could tell that I twisted at all with the naked eye...but I felt it in the engine. I looked at the driveway and started to release the clutch lever...and the bike moved! And it moved smoothly! As I started to roll I twisted the throttle a little more and guess what!...yeah! It moved a little faster! And it did it smoothly! I've ridden about sixty miles on the freeway with it today and I can't believe the power--not how much it has--but how you really can control it!

I didn't know what to expect when I got my @ss on the bike but it's been nothing but enjoyable to ride today. I twist the throttle and it accelerates smoothly--the power doesn't come all at once. Not to say that an accidental twist wouldn't run me into a wall but I feel confident that I can handle the throttle if I treat it the same way that I treated the 500R when I first got it. So I can see where ervins and stefano are coming from when they say that if a newbie is disciplined (respect the power) and smart, they can handle a 600cc SuperSport as a first bike (they're biased though, they actually did it themselves). I still wouldn't recommend a SuperSport to anyone myself though, I do think that someone needs to start on a bike with less than 70hp.

So has anyone else been suprised as I am to learn how the transition up to a bigger cc bike can be enjoyable--as opposed to a "scary" experience?

 

[ervins]

I am swamped right now at work, but I will say this and I am sure I will respond more...When I started on my 636 it was incredible...More than the 250 I rode at the MSF...Then I went to the 600rr and I was disappointed...Then I went to the 10R and it was a HUGE difference. It moved quicker than my last two bikes...The power came on and was there on tap...I was in street NIRVANA...I did not have to shift after twisting the throttle a bit...I just twisted the throttle more on my 10R and it went...I was still as respectful of the power my 10R has as I did when I got my 636...I was pleasantly surprised when I rode my bike off the dealer lot...My wife was with me and she followed me...I was smiling the whole ride...Then I got to stops and along I went...No more sluggishness that you guys remembered me talking about on the 600rr...It pulled more than my 636...I was happy...I was in car shaped like a bike...Then we got to the highway...I left her and went for a ride...I finally got home...Smiling...I was happy...Now way was I ever going to ride anything without juice again...For those who think a bike with XXX of HP is too much...Try it for yourself...It is bliss...Eidan has now felt the same joy I did in August...Sorry bro...You will never ride a smaller bike again...You are right it is all in your control...If you mess up it is all you. Just gear up buddy and congrats again!

 

[JasonFMHS]

Congrats on the new bike! Glad you like it!

 

[atomic47]

it's not that it makes 123 hp, its where it does that. at 5-7k, cruising range, there isn't much power.It's where you downshift too hard or miss a shift and don't realize that your are at 12k when you twist it, and THERE is the 123 horsepower. Someone who has ridden knows about this and probably has experienced it, but the noobie who just started riding will get a BIG suprise.

 

[JasonFMHS]

That makes perfect sense to me...! +1

 

[Kevorkian]

it's not that it makes 123 hp, its where it does that. at 5-7k, cruising range, there isn't much power.It's where you downshift too hard or miss a shift and don't realize that your are at 12k when you twist it, and THERE is the 123 horsepower. Someone who has ridden knows about this and probably has experienced it, but the noobie who just started riding will get a BIG suprise.

Which is why you pay attention to the throttle and the clutch. Parking lots and back roads are really good for that, with the exception of doggy dogs.

Congrats on the new bike!!

 

[bennice]

...When I started on my 636 it was incredible...More than the 250 I rode at the MSF...Then I went to the 600rr and I was disappointed...Then I went to the 10R and it was a HUGE difference.

Okay, now that explains it all. You rode one of those crappy eliminator 250's when you did the MSF course, and it ruined you! Trust me bro, the Ninja 250 is nothing like those POS bikes they teach on. The only similarity is the displacement, but they are completely different machines. Now, it's still nothing like the 600's...not even close, but I finally understand the root of your 250 disdain!

 

[Kevorkian]

Okay, now that explains it all. You rode one of those crappy eliminator 250's when you did the MSF course, and it ruined you! Trust me bro, the Ninja 250 is nothing like those POS bikes they teach on. The only similarity is the displacement, but they are completely different machines. Now, it's still nothing like the 600's...not even close, but I finally understand the root of your 250 disdain!

The MSF is full of 250s!!!!

 

[seadood228]

Okay, now that explains it all. You rode one of those crappy eliminator 250's when you did the MSF course, and it ruined you! Trust me bro, the Ninja 250 is nothing like those POS bikes they teach on. The only similarity is the displacement, but they are completely different machines. Now, it's still nothing like the 600's...not even close, but I finally understand the root of your 250 disdain!

Pshaw.. My Eliminator was the bomb diggity..

Seriously, I feel the same way about my CBR. My first bike, an SV650 geared down, was much more difficult to handle at low speeds, for obvious reasons. This caused one low speed.. okay NO speed drop early on when I stalled taking a right hander in the neighborhood.

 

[atomic47]

pay attention all you want, things still happen. My first bike was a 500r, and i remember once when i thought i up shifted, but i didn't. Result was a instant wheelie that I didn't expect. I recovered though, no biggie. I went down twice on the 500, and I'm glad i wasn't on a more powerful machine. if i was on a 600, i would have been going slightly faster. twisty roads that turn into gravel ones around a blind corner hurt. 20,000 miles later and now i ride a 636, and i ride wheelies on purpose, but I'm glad I learned the basics on a less powerful machine. My theory is, if you can't handle the bike all-out, you shouldn't be riding that bike at all. Don't ride full out all the times by any means, but ego and your false confidence will get the best of you. If I could do it over, I would have gone with a 250 first, then a 500, then a 600.

 

[ervins]

it's not that it makes 123 hp, its where it does that. at 5-7k, cruising range, there isn't much power.It's where you downshift too hard or miss a shift and don't realize that your are at 12k when you twist it, and THERE is the 123 horsepower. Someone who has ridden knows about this and probably has experienced it, but the noobie who just started riding will get a BIG suprise.

It's like a car...If you did not know this, then one should not be riding a bike...That is why I say, some people have NO business even thinking about getting a bike PERIOD. Actually in larger bikes they make start to make a good portion of their power earlier than smaller 600s...That is why large bikes are good for the street. Commuting is a God send with my 10R compared to my 600rr and even my 636. Plus if you are hitting 12k then you know what will come...If not then you had no business being on a bike.

 

[ervins]

Okay, now that explains it all. You rode one of those crappy eliminator 250's when you did the MSF course, and it ruined you! Trust me bro, the Ninja 250 is nothing like those POS bikes they teach on. The only similarity is the displacement, but they are completely different machines. Now, it's still nothing like the 600's...not even close, but I finally understand the root of your 250 disdain!

No I knew the Eliminator was crap going in...Also, I knew the 250 was not going to be that much better...I was steered away early from starting on anything less than a 600 by a couple of friends. I think they should make everyone ride a 500 in the MSF so it weeds out those who will not want to ride.

It is like those basketball leagues I used to play in that was tiered...Recreational and competitive...People would get in on the rec league and do well...Then they would go to competitive and it was like they were standing still out there. Either you have it when you play ball or you don't...

Now those leagues where it was simply competitive, you did not have any of this hack ball that was evident in the rec leagues. Everyone was good and you did not have the garbage players out there slowing it up.
So start people on a decent CC bike and then they will know whether they want IN or not. IMO it is ridiculous to try and get some big guy on a small bike that barely moved. Anyone here own an Eliminator?

 

[hidden_dragon]

It's all about control and respect! I too, went from a 500 to a liter bike and noticed the difference right away! I will always respect the power my new bike affords me and the more I ride her, the more I control I tend to exercise.

 

[fretbuzz]

It's all a matter of being confident, competent, and comfortable -but not too much of 1 and 3.

 

[ervins]

It's all about control and respect! I too, went from a 500 to a liter bike and noticed the difference right away! I will always respect the power my new bike affords me and the more I ride her, the more I control I tend to exercise.

Amen bro...Even after riding a 636 and 600rr the 10R was just a totally different beast all together. The 600s were close but the 10R was different in many ways...It requires me to be more focused which is actually a good thing.

 

[eidian]

...Then I went to the 10R and it was a HUGE difference. It moved quicker than my last two bikes...The power came on and was there on tap...I was in street NIRVANA...I did not have to shift after twisting the throttle a bit...I just twisted the throttle more on my 10R and it went...I was still as respectful of the power my 10R has as I did when I got my 636...
...For those who think a bike with XXX of HP is too much...Try it for yourself...It is bliss...Eidan has now felt the same joy I did in August...Sorry bro...You will never ride a smaller bike again...You are right it is all in your control...If you mess up it is all you. Just gear up buddy and congrats again!

That point that I bolded really "hit home" with me; yeah, no matter what gear you're in and what rev's the bike is at, twist the throttle and there's just more power "on tap". I'm not "babying" the engine during break--in meaning that I'm not staying below 4k for the first 500 miles and then below 6k for net 500 miles--I'm just keeping it below 8k and I'm making sure to vary the rev's by shifting on the freeway every couple of minutes even if I'm going the same speed (though that would be very easy to keep the bike below 4k on the tach because cruising on the freeway at 60mph in 3rd gear is nothing to the Z--the 500R in 3rd gear would be like at 7 or 8k on the tach which is a lot for that little parallel-twin). Breaking in the engine this way is quickly teaching me how the bike reacts at different rpm's in different gears at different speeds' a nice counterpart to breaking in an engine this way. It's also how I learned about/was amazed at how much power the engine has in reserve. Knowing what your rev/gear/speed options are is kind of like knowing different fingerings for chords on the guitar...the more you know, the more options you have.

it's not that it makes 123 hp, its where it does that. at 5-7k, cruising range, there isn't much power.It's where you downshift too hard or miss a shift and don't realize that your are at 12k when you twist it, and THERE is the 123 horsepower. Someone who has ridden knows about this and probably has experienced it, but the noobie who just started riding will get a BIG suprise.

For me with this bike the suprise is how controlled the power is when you twist the throttle. I really expected the bike to buck or rip my arms out with torque but with an "experienced" (a combination of over all riding and with a particular bike) twist of the throttle you can make the bike speed up very quickly without getting throwing off even on a large cc bike. Maybe it was just me having a "mental block" because I was thoroughly convinced that I would never have a 1000cc bike ever in my life due to the sheer power alone. I thought that I would never be able to handle the power of a litre--fortunately Kawi has a bike that has very nice power delivery with spec's that fit my riding style exactly.

 

[ervins]

It's all a matter of being confident, competent, and comfortable -but not too much of 1 and 3.

Amen! No one ever mentions confidence when riding...You can not ride scared that is for sure.

 

[aftermath4788]

i felt scared as hell when i first stepped up on the CCs i rode a 250 for a year before i got my big bike. it was a 91 zx11 with a top speed of about 176mph. it made me so nervous i knew from experience on the 250 how to control throttle and clutch and all that but man just knowing that this bike has wwaaayyy more power made me so scared. i was so scared in fact that i wouldnt ride it until i let my father ride it to see what she will do. when i first got on it, i stalled out trying to give as little throttle as possible. then i reved it up to see how fast she gets up there and how much throttle she takes to do it. then i figured out that it only takes just a bit to get her going and then i took off rode it around the parking lot to get a feel for the power. finally got it on the road almost a week later. i trailered it home by the way. rode it once around the parking lot and just couldnt get the courage to get on it again. finally i got on it and took it on the road. all that nervousness for nothing. yeah it had a lot of power but i realized that all needed to do was control the power and i would be good.

 

[atomic47]

you don't understand what i am saying. on the street, things happen fast for the new rider. Practice all you want in a parking lot, but you cant see every pothole or puddle around the bend. The new guy especially. The extra power is just unnecessary and just wasteful to them. Like When I teach my friends to ski I start them on the bunny hill, not the black diamond. If they skied the expert stuff first they wouldn't ski again.

 

[ervins]

Yeah there seems to be a misconception here that big bikes are killers and that the power is useless to have...Well, I live in the top 5 markets in the USA...I have thousands and thousands of cars, traffic, hills, fast highways to deal with...After riding my 10R I could always see myself having a large bike for my commute and a small one for the twisties...But if I had only one choice, I would take the big bike.

Also, you are right most people think you twist that throttle and your arms go straight and you are flying 100mph...Yes, you can, but if you are riding it in control, that is not the case. My 10R is smooth in acceleration...Smoother than the two 600s I owned. Which again is nice in stop and go traffic...Where cars are rushing to GO.

yes the gears and speeds are awesome in a large bike...As some of the small bike riders are giddy that the 250 can go 80mph...True it can but at how much you weigh and how fast you can go sorta puts all that into high gears and revving like a blender...On a big bike you are at a speed and then accelerate to get to a higher speed, then gear up to smooth it out so you are not riding it at 10k RPM but 5k...This is where my 10R shined compared to my 600s. I liked that everything was done with ease. I am not trying to say that a 250 sux...I am just trying to convey how nice it is to have a lot of power...I will say it again...It is nice having a lot of power.

As far as needs, you are in LA? Yeah so you are in a large city as well...The power a larger bike has is awesome. That is why I can not imagine anyone owning anything smaller than a 500 in a large city.

By the way, the bike won't kill you...You will. How is the seat height treating you so far? You can shave the seat you know.

That point that I bolded really "hit home" with me; yeah, no matter what gear you're in and what rev's the bike is at, twist the throttle and there's just more power "on tap". I'm not "babying" the engine during break--in meaning that I'm not staying below 4k for the first 500 miles and then below 6k for net 500 miles--I'm just keeping it below 8k and I'm making sure to vary the rev's by shifting on the freeway every couple of minutes even if I'm going the same speed (though that would be very easy to keep the bike below 4k on the tach because cruising on the freeway at 60mph in 3rd gear is nothing to the Z--the 500R in 3rd gear would be like at 7 or 8k on the tach which is a lot for that little parallel-twin). Breaking in the engine this way is quickly teaching me how the bike reacts at different rpm's in different gears at different speeds' a nice counterpart to breaking in an engine this way. It's also how I learned about/was amazed at how much power the engine has in reserve. Knowing what your rev/gear/speed options are is kind of like knowing different fingerings for chords on the guitar...the more you know, the more options you have.



For me with this bike the suprise is how controlled the power is when you twist the throttle. I really expected the bike to buck or rip my arms out with torque but with an "experienced" (a combination of over all riding and with a particular bike) twist of the throttle you can make the bike speed up very quickly without getting throwing off even on a large cc bike. Maybe it was just me having a "mental block" because I was thoroughly convinced that I would never have a 1000cc bike ever in my life due to the sheer power alone. I thought that I would never be able to handle the power of a litre--fortunately Kawi has a bike that has very nice power delivery with spec's that fit my riding style exactly.