going from gs500 to a litre bike...

[hsvLS1255]

Hey Fellow LS1 riders

so i am off my Provisionals in about 4 months and its time for an upgrade to the GS500.

Would have been riding for about 1.5yrs by the time i am off my Ps and am curios to see if anyone else went straight to a litre sportsbike

i am not to worried about doing anything stupid as i am old enough to understand the bike has way more potential than i can ever dream of having but more concerened that i would be too scared nervous to actually enjoy riding the thing.

for those that did make the move how long did it take for you to get used to and comfortable with the bike. Also any tips to make the transition smooth

am looking at getting an 1198... also the v-twin are a little diff to the inline due to the torque correct??

[fritter]

Well I went from an RGV250 (2 stroker woohoo) to a VTR1000. Took me about 2 weeks to get used to the difference in power. Biggest difference was not having to change gear every 5 seconds hehe. I had previously had the occasional blat on a mate's 750 though before I bought the thou.

As long as you aren't silly with the throttle around a corner, you shouldn't have any problems mate.

Personally I found little difference between the (newer) litre fours and the twins other than the fours having more power up high as well as down low (went from the VTR to an R1 - since then I've had a mix of litre twins and fours - they are both awesome and you really need one of each I reckon hehe). The twins are a little more forgiving (for me at least) if you are mucking about. You won't honestly find a huge difference in the torque between a twin and a four - the fours pull hard from about 4k, and twins from maybe 1.5 or 2k lol. The four gets to 4k so fast though that you've barely let go of the clutch and you are honking. You'll notice the fours DO need a bit more gas before you let go of the clutch though. That's about the only real difference... except for the sound... you'll love that duke :)

This is just my opinion from my riding experience, before anyone starts bleating about dyno figures etc. Both have their merits and both are farkin awesome. Once you've gone litre you'll find it hard to go back to anything else :)

[JJW501]

This will probably be a risky period in your riding career.

A GSXR/1098 style of bike will build speed faster and be slower to initiate a turn relative to your 500. so you can see how poeple get into trouble.

i rode dirt bike all my life, but my first road bike as an R1. i knew it was a handful and was determined to ride it slow until i got used to it. its too easy to get on a bike like that and run it through the gears, and go splat under an armco railing.

your number one goal should be just to NOT CRASH for 3 months. there is no way you will 'master' a bike like that in a short period, especially on the road. if you want to get stuck into it, go to the track.

i'm now on my 3rd 1000cc road bike. i have had plenty of close calls. i have one one crash at low speed on a damp round about on my way to work.....i think i was half asleep and touched the throttle accidentally and was on my arse quicker than you can imagine. you have to maintain a high degree of concentration to ride these things.

i am at a point where i really don't enjoy the putty rd etc. too many idiots and i have observed too many crashes in recent times. i still ride to work, its only a short distance, but i am spending more time at the track. its the only place you can appreciate a superbike.

having said that, i have enjoyed plenty of rides cruising along country roads. if you treat these bike with respect, they are relatively easy to ride in my opinion. but don't go thinking you can grab it by the scruff of the neck......

JJW

[DaveHAT]

Simple rule ... use your brains and not your heart.

Ride a few and the one the "feels" right is the one you buy, NOT the one with the flashest paint or best specs.

Bike choices are very individual and don't try and convince yourself that bike "X" is the right bike for you just because that's what you've told yourself all along.

The GS500 is a very tame bike in "big bike" terms so I'd be treading very cautiously with your next choice. Many smaller bikes will outgun it in the performance stakes unfortunately.

If you want torque buy a V or parrallel twin ... top end usually = "sports bike" with inline 4. Make a list of potentials and RIDE THEM ALL. Once you chose the bike ... dial yourself in gradually to the various foibles that it has. Being a litre or there abouts bike it'll spit you off mighty quick if due respect isn't paid.

Best of luck.

[CunningStunter]

It really depends how experienced you've become on the GS500. Either way, the performance on offer from any modern litre bike will obviously, totally smash the GS500 so be very careful.

Get yourself to some track days - not to try and be a hero and go fast or anything like that, simply to gain some confidence and if need be and you go too hot into a corner you can ride off the track without hitting tree's, light poles, on coming cars etc and most times just keep riding no problems.

I am still not sure why ppl persist with buying 1000cc bikes and using them on the road. They are SOOOOO fast that you spend all your time cruising around at low RPM, basically just stick the thing in 4th and ride around in 1 gear...! Also a x 1 rear tyre worth $350 that lasts 3000-5000kms. . . . .

250cc bikes are THE way to go and TEACH you so much more about riding and in the twisty stuff a good rider on a 250 (4 stroke) will rape nearly every other bike out there......

I stunt ride and race bikes and have ridden alot of bikes in last 30 years and so this is experience talking.

Also, consider these things:
Tyre costs differences - $180/year for the 250cc - thousands for the 1000cc
Rego - $170/year 250cc - anything above 301cc is crazy.

Can't use all that power, if you do it won't be long before you feature on ACA and you're thrown in jail.

I would perhaps consider a 600cc sports bikes for the road but even then they are still bloody fast. 1000cc are a complete waste of time on the road. Most ppl get em are only interesting in bragging to their mates 'O h look here I have the latest/fastest bike on the planet' sorta stuff and most of em can't ride to save em selves. Iv'e had these said bikers, esp the born agains at track days where you can chose the group you wish to ride in, white is slow, yellow is slow/intermediate, green is intermediate/fast and red is race group. These guys, 20years off bikes all on R1s, GSXR1000s etc all doing 2:10 at EC and they somehow think they should be in race group?! 30seconds a lap slower me thinks not. They WOULD have been faster on a CBR250.....

If you plan on riding at the track then go nutz but all bar Phillip Island 600cc are usually better than the bigger bikes and FAR easier to ride.

Have fun! :goodjob:

[steve_t]

I love everything about my ZX6R except the exhaust note. The v-twins just sound cooler - they have more character.
I'm also of the opinion that on the street, a 130hp 180kg bike is quick enough. For the track, I'd maybe look at a litre bike but as it is, my bike will do 130+km/h in first gear and I can't even get to the power band around the city streets

[spank]

ive had few 1000cc bikes, from a 98 TL 1000 and 2002 VTR 1000 to brand new CBR1000RR, all of them i liked and they all had thier own pluses and minuses, all of the 1000 cc bikes are far quicker than you will ever really need and far quicker than the law allows, like a couple of the guys have already said, ride the ones you have in mind and pick the one you feel most comfortable on, i had my heart set on a 1198 and was ready to buy it, had the cash on me, until i sat on it, i didnt even bother to ride it, i knew straight away i was to cramped on it. just dont rush into it, these bikes can be animals that bite, and they can bite hard if you dont respect them.

[vscorsa]

I was similar to others in terms of going from trail bikes to a litre bike.

Ultimately you are the only person who can answer whether you should get one. If you have the brains to realise that they are extremely fast and you need to be sensible on it you will be fine. If you think you may see the red mist once in awhile litres bikes are very unforgiving.

I end up keeping my litre bike for the road and ran with a race prepped ZX6RR for the track, best of both worlds.

[cam502]

Im going from a Ducati 620 Monster to a 2009 Ducati Streetfight. The streetfighter is in the garage already but have to wait 2 months until im off my P's. Love Ducatis!

[hsvLS1255]

thanks for all the replys guys... all were very informative and a lot have said what i have been thinking. the 1198 is a beautiful bike but it is overkill and then some.

was speaking to a mate who rides and does many many track days.... he told me to keep the GS 500 for a while longer and to get myself a track bike for 3-4k and learn on the track how to ride. he says you learn a hell of a lot more on the track then the road.

his logic is no point getting a nice bike and be scared to ride it and not enjoy yourself. better to learn to ride well first and then go the nice bike.

i think he has the right idea.... maybe i will just get a monster 1100... the price diff between that and the 1098 will get me a track bike and the monster is not as hardcore as the 1098 and can use it as a stepping stone for a few years. plus been reading they are a great bike to ride

the 1198s corse will have to wait a few years i think.... oh but she is such a thing of beuaty

[nnickn]

There are many valid points in all the above posts. The first question you need to answer correctly is what type or riding do you do? Is all about short distances carving corners? Are you into long distance sport touring? Is comfort important to you? Is fuel range important? Are excessive servicing costs a consideration? Do you need 300km/hr? Do you have a bad back or weak wrists?

The power of a bike is just one consideration, there is handling, comfort, and ease of operation. Every bike is different but the trick is to match the bike to what you want to do with it and what feels good to YOU.

We all study ride reports on the latest and greatest with a view to buy the right bike, but then you actually ride them all and find that the bike with the poorest form feels the best. Thats the nature of bikes, its a very personal thing. You need the right tool for the job.

What kind of riding do you intend on doing?

[Scommo]

If your really killing for a hardcore bike get a 600 mate. Teach you alot more than a 1000 ever would, but I agree with others in just learning on how to ride bikes poperly, tracks are awesome particularly when you can thrash your older slower bike instead of tippy toeing on your litre bike...

That said, can't wait to get my Ls and then eventually a nice gix750 :)

[vscorsa]

If you are going to ride it on the road then I wouldn't get anything smaller than a litre bike, the 600's are a pain in the ar-se because you have to keep the motor on the boil all of the time.

As for track bikes they are perfect, good on tyres, lighter, turn faster, less 'likely' to high side.

I have never owned a Duc but from what mates have said they are hard to ride in the city, clutchs don't like stop start, hot with underseat exhaust etc. However on country runs they are awesome.

I guess one last point is if you decide to hang onto your gs500 and get a track bike what are you hoping to learn. Your bike control, braking etc will improve dramatically but if you are only into heading out with your mates for a cruise do you really need to have race craft under your belt?

(PS Once you go to the track you will find that you don't won't to go quick on the street anymore...there is nothing like coming hard into a corner taped in 6th with 4 other bikes all around you while trying to out brake the other guys into the turn...all bikes squirming under brakes!!!)

[Scoots]

You'll love it, its not just the capacity that makes it good

[RSVDon]

I've ridden a Duc 1098s and an 07 CBR1000RR, and my current ride is an Aprilia RSV1000.

I have to say, between those three, the Duc was the most explosive and most mental of the group. Also the biggest handful. First off, keeping the front end down on the Duc in any gear lower than 4th can be hard. It goes exactly where you want it to, steering is light and communicative, but it does not suffer fools at all. Would I want it for my first liter bike? Probably not. 190 hp and 95 lb-ft of torque is a lot to deal with.

The Honda was actually quite a civil bike to ride surprisingly. Very comfortable , tractable power, brakes that were progressive and didn't feel like they were going to throw you off at first touch (unlike the Duc's monobloc Brembos), and the steering was just as good as the Duc. It was easy to go fast on the Honda because it made you feel safe and in control. The 1098 just wants to rip your arms off and leave you on the side of the road, somewhat like riding a bull.

All that being said, I do love my RSV. It's down on power compared to both the Honda and the Duc, but the V-twin is glorious and it has plenty of power for normal roads. It's a bike that you can jump on and just go fast. Has a super stable chassis and does what you tell it to without issue. Plus the depreciation hit means used ones are nice and cheap. (at least here in the states they are)