- This topic has 6 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 11 months ago by highfade.
New Bike Question
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May 7, 2009 at 6:41 am #2789highfadeParticipant
Hello all, I have been researching bikes for quite some time and am set on purchasing in the next month… I come seeking some advice because i have a bit of a problem, I definitely want to start small (i love sportbikes, always have) like a kawasaki 250 or hyosung but i just dont fit well on those bad boys… I am 6’7″ and 210lbs… I fit just fine on a number of 600’s but being new and reading everything on this site and others i am concerned… A buddy of mine who used to race Ducatis and know bikes very well having been around them for years suggested something that i think is very interesting… He said why not get a bike that is larger that i fit on and install a governor/rev limiter… that way i have the best of three worlds, a bike that fits, a bike that is safe power wise and i bike that i can grow into and enjoy for years… basically a homemade version of suzukis s-dms system… i think it is a great idea but i wanted some expert opinions before i do anything stupid… thanks ahead of time
May 7, 2009 at 10:48 am #18221MunchParticipantI’d look into a couple of things with that..1) the additional extra costs to add it in there. 2) Exactly what is it limiting..just top end?
An option for you would to find an older 500 if you could. You sound like you have your head screwed on straight and have the responsibility to keep both wheels on the ground. Maybe some of the Sport bike guys/gals can chime in with some other options that are cost effective for you.May 7, 2009 at 12:42 pm #18223DKParticipantJust speculation, but the rev limiter would really be just changing the direction in which you fly off your bike when you make that uncorrectable throttle error. Have you ever ridden in a car that uses a rev limiter to protect the engine? Under fast acceleration it results in a very uncomfortable (think whiplash) jolt as your acceleration drops to zero almost instantly.
May 7, 2009 at 3:46 pm #18228Clay DowlingParticipantThat’s a fairly tall-sitting bike, looks good, definite sport bike.
May 7, 2009 at 9:43 pm #18242SantaCruzRiderParticipantI like Munch’s idea of the used 500:
1. A bike that fits
2. Safe powerwise
3. Something you can use for years to come and then sell for close to what you paid and move on to what you’re ready for.I do like where you’re going on the rev limiter. Some bike makers use a similar set up on their kid’s dirt bikes and ATVs. It probably could be used to avoid some of the high risk acceleration issues. But lots of other intro-phase issues are caused by not being used to a bike’s weight, balance or negotiations of turns. In a lot of these situations, acceleration is not the prime issue (speed may be, but a governor won’t solve that). In most situations, a smaller bike is more forgiving.
May 8, 2009 at 12:44 am #18243bigguybbrParticipantI smell another shameless plug for my bike! I’m a similar height (6’5″ with a 36″ inseam) and my favorite bike fits just fine. Sit your butt on an FZ6R. Yes it’s a 600, but it’s pretty tame aslong as you stay below 5000 rpm. It is a beginners bike with room to grow and you’ll fit on it very comfortably.
As for doing a rev limiter aka remapping your ecu or adding a piggy back ecu, I don’t know that I would go for that. The bike just isn’t going to handle correctly and with the rev’s limited you won’t learn proper throttle control, so in reality you will be limiting yourself. There are times with an inline 4 where you really need the upper rev range such as passing going up hill. Keep your displacement a little lower and get to really know your new found riding skills.
In reality, liter sport bikes won’t do that much more for you (legally) on the streets than their supersport 600cc counterparts, they really only stand out performance wise on the track, which I wouldn’t suggest for you till you have a bout 1000 miles under your belt and then sign up for one of the Californina Superbike School courses (http://www.superbikeschool.com/). Think of it as the BRC for going really fast.
May 8, 2009 at 5:01 am #18248highfadeParticipantI just wanted to thank everyone for the responses… great info as always and i truly appreciate it
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