Mikee Minute # 5 -- A change in perspective

[mikenixon]

I continue to work in the powersports industry, going into my 40th year in the industry, and I have been thinking, as I am working on a 76 GL1000 right now, and have been test riding it, how light these bikes seem today! They were *big* back in the 70s, but today, a decent big bike is at least 1400cc. So a 1000cc bike is almost a middleweight today!

[Sagebrush]

I ride a full blown toured and tricked out GL1800 and whenever I get on either of my 1100s I think of them as quite handy and light. They don't compare to the smoothness of the 1800 though.

[Rat]

I remember thinking of a 650 twin as a BIG bike.

Gord

[delling3]

Yep. Without a doubt. My first bike (33 years ago, in high school) was a Suzuki 125. .

Next up was an early 70's CB500. Bike seemed huge - who could need more?

Then a FT-500 (only bike I ever bought new). Smaller than the CB, but still more than enough.

Then came a wife, kids, house, etc. 25 years passed without two wheels.

4 years ago, I picked up a Yamaha XS750F. Bike seemed huge. Couldn't imagine needing more. Then, 2 years later, a CB900F. Found myself wondering why Honda dropped the 900F for the 1100F.

Now the Gold Wing. I tell my wife that this is the end of the line for me, but, who knows?

delling3

[mikenixon]

Chris, naw, you know it isn't... . I rode a B44 (BSA 441cc, in my case, Shooting Star) for a few years, on L.A. freeways and all. It was plenty adequate, though a bit small dimensionally for my over-6 ft frame. Later I had an A10 Super Rocket (nother Beezer) and it was a hotrod to me at the time. Yet today's 600/650 bikes are now considered entry level. One of the difficulties manufacturers have today is that in the U.S. at least (outside is different, smaller bikes are in many cases the majority, and in all cases much more in use) small bikes are denigraded, "girls bike," "beginner's bike.". Related to this is how many folks buy bikes they shouldn't. 80 percent of the people buying their first Japanese road bike choose a 600 supersports machine making 130hp and capable of 160 mph out of the box. It's a strange thing that has happened.

[delling3]

Mike -

I know what you mean. I watch all the squids riding a wheelie while weaving between rush-hour traffic and know that it's just a matter of time.

I am also a sailor. Similar scene there. I started on a little boat as a kid, and have worked my way up from there. My first "big boat" was a 26 footer. This is considered by many to be too-small to be an entry-level boat by the majority of first-time buyers these days. 26 footers are being cut up for scrap these day as there is no market. The lead in their keels and aluminum in their masts are worth more at the recyclers. Kinda sad really.

delling3

[mikenixon]

[zman]

I was always a light bike rider until I bought a KZ1000back in the 80`. I remember my first impressions were that my legs were too short, at 5-10 I thought maybe I bought something too big, second was the power of the bike, not something you can let loose on like the 500 and 650`s I was more familiar with.
I think in a way it took some of the fun out of riding, It became something that demanded more attention and care , things like going into corner,and out, hitting the brakes early to stop the extra weight, making sure there wasn't an oily surface before I put my foot down at a light, with a smaller bike I could still save it from the pavement.
A whole lot of other little things I`m sure you guys all know.
I took on allot of responsibility with that big bike, made me a better rider but the fun was diminished somewhat.
I still like riding the smaller bikes even though I need the GL for comfort on longer rides I plan on selling one of them and finding a little around town bike just for fun.

[IndianaJohn]

I can remember when the 450 Honda and 650 Triumph were considered to be "big" bikes, and the 175-350 cc was the "average". Then Honda introduced the CB750 and all the rags of the day were calling it a "superbike". Nowadays the 700-750 class are almost beginner bikes. Those were the days..............

[grizzly]

[quote="delling3"]Yep. Without a doubt. My first bike (33 years ago, in high school) was a Suzuki 125. .

Next up was an early 70's CB500. Bike seemed huge - who could need more?

Then a FT-500 (only bike I ever bought new). Smaller than the CB, but still more than enough.

Then came a wife, kids, house, etc. 25 years passed without two wheels.

4 years ago, I picked up a Yamaha XS750F. Bike seemed huge. Couldn't imagine needing more. Then, 2 years later, a CB900F. Found myself wondering why Honda dropped the 900F for the 1100F.

Now the Gold Wing. I tell my wife that this is the end of the line for me, but, who knows?

delling3[/quote]
==================================================
I told my wife the same thing..But I have (with her blessing) a 2013 soft tail slim on order.

[avg_joe]

My wife and I are in our early forties. When I talked her into learning how to ride, a few years ago, I settled on the FT500 for an ideal starter bike. Then as luck would have it, she found a pair of them for sale on the internet.
One slated as a runner, and the other slated as unknown. Got them both running, and they seem to be the perfect 'small bike'. She is completely happy with it's capabilities, and has no desire to 'trade up' to a bigger bike yet. I am also really happy with the performance of my FT500. It has enough power and speed to get me a 'fast driving award' on any MN roadway, and quick enough to get up to hiway speed almost as fast as the 'big' bikes...I just don't have as many gears left over. It's seat height is low enough that I can easily get feet on the ground, and light enough to muscle around if necessary. Simple, reliable, fun!

Ever since I got my 77 GL running this spring, I have been riding that quite a bit, and really like it. But I have been neglecting my poor FT. I think I will fire that one up for the ride to work tonite.

Ride on,
avg_joe

[Sidecar Bob]

My first real motorcycle was a '78 GS400. It weighed around 400 Lb and was rated at 35 HP and it seemed huge & powerful to me. After a couple of years I added a sidecar and before I was done with it I had added over 80,000 Km to the odometer.

Even with the sidecar it could "do the ton" (160 Km/h) and I frequently cruised at 135-140 Km/h with an adult passenger.

Its odd - at the time I was in a mixed brand bike club. When I first joined a few subtle comments about its size were made by some of the Harley guys but after a few road trips together none of them ever said anything about it being "small". How could they when they couldn't keep up with it?

When I got my first 'Wing there were really only 2 things I liked better about it: 1) It was more stable in crosswinds and 2) it was much less cramped.

Today I have the 'Wing mostly because it just worked out that way and the CX650E based sidecar outfit because anything bigger would be too heavy to push out of snowbanks. I don't think anyone has ever called either of them "small" when I was around to hear.

I can understand why 500-650cc bikes drifted from "big" to "mid sized" as highway speeds (actual speeds, not what the signs say) and average operator girth increased, particularly here in North America where distances between places are often so great. But I do not understand why anyone needs to play in traffic on a 400 Lb 130 HP 600 or why a an 1800cc cruiser would sell in any sort of numbers when a 750cc version would do just about everything better.

[Whiskerfish]

Interesting thoughts in this thread. I always wondered why there is so much talk about increasing the displacement of the big Wings when 98% of the riders out there have never seen the wide open throttle stop on them. I believe the current 1800 is tuned to about 105-118 hp depending on who you listen to with 90 some at the rear wheel. I strongly suspect that Very Very few ever use more than about a third of that for their cruising/ touring.

[Rat]

I don't think R2B (80 GL1100) sees WOT more than once or twice a season .... or a week .... or a day

Gord (gettin old) Jones

[delling3]

Sidecar Bob makes a great point. I have never been a small guy. That said, I am quite a bit more of a load than I was 30 years ago. At 6'3", and 300 lbs., I really appreciate the GW's size. I still think that a 750 is fine from a power standpoint, but the ergos of the GW fit my expanded mid-section, long body and arthritic knees far better than a 750.

delling3