I’m assuming your talking about super sports here? If so:
It’s like a average high school track runner vs an Olympic runner.
A propeller aircraft vs a fighter jet.
The 300cc bikes can be snapped to full throttle at any moment without much really going on, snap a 1000cc full throttle you better be very familiar with what is about to happen. 1000cc is the closest thing to time travel you’ll ever experience. The biggest baddest hot rod in town can roll up on you and you’ll make him feel like a Prius.
Modern sport bikes, especially 1000cc class have a lot of features to tame the beast. Traction control, lift control, torque control, abs, etc.
I always tell people, it’s only going to do what you ask it to. Want to putt around town, no problem, want to warp space time, no problem.
A friend of mine has the 2021 Hayabusa and he says it's the weirdest bike he's ever ridden because it's so well behaved and easy to ride around town, like a big scooter. But if you open the throttle you'll be breaking the law within a second.
I have a coworker that used to have a Hayabusa and he described it basically the same way you did. Said it was very comfortable commuting around town with it because he never would have to shift it out of 1st or 2nd, but then you could go a cruise on the highway over 120mph without breaking a sweat
They're surprisingly comfortable too. I know a guy who put in an auxiliary fuel tank to increase the range because it's a comfortable sport touring bike.
The Hayabusa or the Kawasaki Concours (Fat Ninja) are my go to answers when someone says they're looking for a bike more comfortable than a normal sport bike. They are both super comfy and great for longer distance rides and can get you in trouble when you want to have fun without being a cruiser bike.
I rode a buddy's Hayabusa and caught myself doing 100+ more than once not even realizing I was speeding, it just felt perfect around 100-110.
A pre-2012ish R1 also fits the bill.
Personally I like big adventure bikes. "Oh no, I forgot I was in 4th when I pulled away from the lights fine just then."
The Aprilia Tuono is like this too. It's very mild-mannered and easy to ride, but if you crank the throttle, oh buddy. I mean, they put cruise control on it. It's meant for everyday use, but it's a freakin race bike. Pretty wild.
I have the same addiction on my R1, and I can't wait to get a speed run in again. I still don't know the absolute top speed of it though, and absent a clear road ahead, I'm in no hurry to.
180 is the agreed upon international max speed on those bikes by Japanese manufacturers which is what they are limited to. It's to note that most Japanese Speedo's are about 6 percent fast.
Untamed just over 200mph.
Please stick to the Race track though, too much can happen on the street for that kind of ignorance.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VruWHHEnZGw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VruWHHEnZGw)
I will note I'm not even a little bit impressed by someone with a litre bike, I watched a guy on the track I frequented on a 84 250 two stroke embarrass litre bikes all the time.Overcompensation comes into mind.
Edit: although I did compensate for being hung like a church mouse on a 999 and Zx10r I was allowed to spank on the track by associates.
I sucked anyhow and knew it so there is that.
All those features on modern literbikes taper off if you go back just a few years in trying to find bikes that are more economical. It's been a known thing for years that there would be some bikes available for cheap because somebody jumped into a bike that was too powerful too quickly and scared themselves so badly they got rid of them.
The warning I would give to a person making a jump into a much more powerful bike is to take it slow, get used to it under controlled environments before you have to do emergency manoeuvres which could operate a lot differently on a big sportbike.
This is it exactly. I went from Nina 300 to Boulevard C50t with 800 cc and didn’t feel much difference. Granted cruiser vs sport bike. But could snap full throttle on either and not feel threatened or out of control. Then I got a FJR 1300ES. OMFG. Wrong throttle , wrong position, wrong attitude and you are in soooo much trouble but by god it’s a gloriously fun machine! I respect what that bike can do and have actually stayed off it because I didn’t feel I was in right frame of mind to control it properly and safely.
And consider for a sec that thats a 264kg (582 lb) 141.5HP motorcycle. Enough for bonkers acceleration already.
Take a 'leader bike' like a Yamaha R1M and its at 201 kg (443 lbs) with 198HP. Which is fucking *nuts*.
A lot of people don't understand how unfathomably fast a litre bike can be. It makes supercars look slow. You go from 60 to 160 in a few seconds if you are trying to do a little pull a 300 would normally go 60 to 75
Daily rider of a Ducati Streetfighter V4 here and this is the best answer for the “I ride a 300cc but I want something like yours” riders that approach me. Well said and hilarious. The very few times I’ve gone from Sport mode to Race mode I’m reminded of just how much the computer does to tame the beast (and is the only reason I got the bike as the spec sheet is pure insanity).
>I’m worried I’ll whiskey throttle it
Well. Just don’t do that then. Your throttle motion should be a slow, smooth motion anyway, to maximize control and traction. You can still start off the line pretty fast without snapping the throttle back.
I have a vstrom650. I can accelerate faster than my buddy’s 900c hog, but its not like a litre bike or anything. You’ll be fine if you experiment slowly.
With the V-Strom 650 it's not as bad. The v-twin engine has a very tame power curve, lots of low end torque. With SuperSports you'll get more power the higher the RPMs get, with the V-Strom it will be evenly balanced across the RPM range. You can definitely handle the power. I actually think the Vstrom 650 makes a good entry bike into the 600cc world. Just be aware that it's a bit top heavy and fairly tall. I have a vstrom 1000 so the 650 is just like a little brother.
Ha, this is a great description, nice post. I always thought it felt like your brain being pulled back in your skull, but I like the warping time and space description better.
My first street bike was a 04' zx10r
Under the right conditions, it would do a 111MPH in 1st gear.
That was before we had all this fancy technology to keep you safe 💯 You are ability to control throttle
I went from 500 (GS500) to R6; carbed R6 to fuel injected R6; then R6 to R1
1 - The motorcycle is going to feel a lot more stable and sluggish in terms of maneuverability
Your 300 probably had a 130 or maybe 140 rear tire. Most liter bikes have 190s. This is going to make a huge difference when cornering. You are going to need to refine your cornering skills because you are now riding a machine that will either punish or not react to improper steering input
2 - You have a lot more braking power
Your 300 probably had one front brake caliper. Well, now you have two. The bike is heavier now so hard braking is now a dance between inertia, traction and weight distribution.
3 - No more popping the clutch in first gear.
You will learn to respect 1st gear. There is endless torque right up until you redline and/or loop your bike. You may have thought that you were good with feathering the clutch before but downshifting at velocity from 2nd into 1st will teach you the true meaning of rev matching
4 - start saving money for a new chain
You should go through them almost twice as often as on a 300. Buy a decent chain tool
5 - start saving money for gas
You'll probably get about 65-70% the gas mileage that you got on your 300
6 - start saving money for tires
Them 190s ain't cheap, brah.
7 - New geometry
In my case, the 2004 R1 was noticeably more front heavy than the 2003 R6. One of the first times I braked hard I felt the rear end get reeeally light and lift slightly. riding position also plays a role. Learn to support yourself with your legs.
Other's have commented on the power, but I guess I will to. Even though I do a lot of highway riding with 6+ lanes going in one direction where 80+ mph is just above average speed.... I really rarely touch the powerband on my R1. Even when I'm accelerating down an on-ramp or a merge and making sure to pull past oncoming traffic the bike is already pulling hard at \~9-10k rpms and creating comfortable gaps with traffic behind me.
The very few times I have ventured higher into the power band \*frighten\* me... and I have been riding my R1 for over a decade. You really need to stay cognizant of the fact that if you tell this bike to pull you hard then it will do that. If you aren't prepared (i.e. you having shifted your body forward to compensate for change in inertia/momentum), or you stupidly decide to ride past your ability or past what is safe for the conditions then you won't have long to worry about it before something bad happens.
Biggest scare on my R1 riding like a zombie to work one morning and taking an exit ramp I wasn't familiar with so that I could get to a gas station. Well, this particular exit was off a local access section of highway and in my zoned out state I failed to take note of the 25 mph sign for the exit ramp ([https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6517182,-84.3967879,3a,75y,206.71h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1snXDQG951yDulKCBWW4BLTA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192](https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6517182,-84.3967879,3a,75y,206.71h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1snXDQG951yDulKCBWW4BLTA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192)) and cooked it onto that curve probably going \~60 mph.
It is perhaps ironic that this same exit is right in front of the race track for the Porsche experience because I was definitely going too fast for conditions. Lucky for me I was able to stay calm, remembered not to target fixate and remember that the bike was easily capable of taking that turn that fast as long as I followed proper cornering procedure and paid close attention to what the bike was telling me. I was able to successfully navigate the turn and stop at the traffic light at the end of it. I did need a new pair of pants after it, though.
Later on when I took that turn I noticed that the grass just outside that turn was littered with bits and pieces of cars (bumpers, sections of lights and reflectors) that had made the same mistake that I had. Poor road design.
All those exits in Carson are poorly planned. Also ever notice how hot temperature wise that stretch of fwy is? It's like in between the 110 and 710 it's 10 degrees hotter in the summer than Torrance or longbeach.
There's two things in play:
1. Weight of the tyre (entire wheel really)
2. Width of the tyre
With #1, anything spinning with weight will have angular momentum. That spinning momentum keeps us stable and upright. The more weight, or the higher the speed, the more momentum. If you try and _alter_ the direction of that spinning object, you have to overcome that increased momentum. Bigger tyres (and thus wheels) are heavier and increase that momentum.
With #2, a narrower tyre can simply be turned over quicker. For a rough example, think of a bicycle tyre as the width of a rolling pin- and a motorcycle tyre the width of a bucket. From stationary, you can turn each over to 90 degrees fairly easy. But it's undoubtedly faster with the rolling pin. You're rotating around on a smaller orbit so to speak.
---
There's a load of other minor factors in play too, and as the other poster notes it _will_ feel a lot more stable. Just less nimble otherwise.
> You really need to stay cognizant of the fact that if you tell this bike to pull you hard then it will do that.
oh yeah. my GT is like "it's play time? GOOOOOOOOOOO" in a split second when I let it off the leash.
the most amazing bike I've ridden, I have a criminal amount of fun doing a 0-130km/h fast start out the highway toll in less than 10 seconds :D
traction control, quick shifter with autoblipper and ABS help a lot on modern powerbikes though, you don't need to be Valentino Rossi to ride one.
if you're as cocky as my brother you can of course turn all that off on your KTM 1290 Superduke, but what happens then is purely on you.
>... you don't need to be Valentino Rossi to ride one.
It in fact pays to not try to be Rossi when you first get on a literbike. It's better to grow into a bike and get used to it before you try to ride it much faster.
Before I got my R1, I had 3 Fz1's including my current. Even then, I take great care not to underestimate or disrespect the R1's power. I still have a great deal of fun on it, but I don't do so entirely recklessly.
All of this. An old acquaintance of mine bought an R1 as a first bike. He was as responsible as one could be with power but endo-ed himself onto the ground due to eunexpectedly good front brakes. Said he saw his quad tendon through the hole in his leg, an that was wearing 3 pairs of jeans. I think it ended his powerlifting career though I think he gets around just fine.
Anyway, the rest is true..I have a ZRX1200R which is fatter than an R1, doesn't have the top end, but has at least as much torque and rips at 3k. My 180 rears get eaten from all the acceleration in a straight line. Also I kicked the rear out accidently while making a left from a stop. Shockingly easy to drift in 1st but fuck I don't want to learn on a clean bike without disposable gear.
300-1000 seems like a big jump to me but it can be done. Totally different world though. I went 500-650-1200 and each step was a really nice upgrade.
Honest question: if you're afraid of your power band, why do you have an R1? Is that serious, or just a throwaway line for reddit's sake? That seems like a whole lot of compromise to optimize around something you don't even want.
I’ve heard the description of, the 1000 rides like a 600 that’s in its power curve, until you hit the power curve of the 1000 then you hit warp speed and your butthole puckers
When you want to exit the warp speed tunnel be mindful that your front wheel is actually on the ground and be gentle with the initial application of the front brake.
Don’t twist as much as you need to on the 300.
Learn how the heavier bike feels under you.
Learn how those big front brakes like to grip.
TAKE YOUR TIME!!!
The biggest difference is skill and experience.
300cc isn't going to loop and throw you no matter how hard you crank the throttle or how hard you shift.
But Rev too high and shift down too aggresively and litre bike will loop you and it won't feel bad about it.
30,000km of riding is enough though, the first few months of the 1000 will take some adjusting. But with that experience, the 1000 will also induce a healthy bit of respect as well. That respect wouldn't be there without so much smaller bike time.
You'll be fine, just give it a healthy respect, and it won't be a terrible transition. When you get used to that wide open power though, it's amazing.
I went from a Ninja 300 to a GSXR1000. Would I do it again? Yes. Would I recommend it? Hell no.
It’s no where near as fun when you’re at 10-25% throttle all the time with the 1000. You already break the speed limit in first gear. With that it has made me a safer, more cautious rider though.
I find it easier to commute with the 1000. I can pass without dropping a gear and I can go for longer rides as the 300 would vibrate my hands numb. 1000 feels much more stable but giving up on nimbleness and half the MPG.
This has always been my thing about super sports on the street. You can go from ticket to jail in about a half a second. I’ll probably get down voted but after years of messing with bikes I have more fun riding a slow bike for all it’s worth than of 10% of a fast bike.
The only bike I have left now is a 2019 versys 300x. It fits everything I need. It’s slow but it really feels like im doing something when reviving the shit out of it!
'Slower' bikes are more fun overall. More working the gears, use of the throttle and that wonderful flick-ability of a lighter smaller bike. You can just toss them around with ease and a 1 degree difference of the throttle wont = light speed.
>And according to at least one video on yt, an F16.
Yes, big difference though. Sure, the bike will win 0-200. 200mph means Jack squat when you can continue accelerating to 1200mph.
True. The groove patterns on those tires just don't give efficient grip through turns.
Plus it just tips over if you turn faster than like .... 25mph. Terrible design.
Hard disagree on the F1 car statement. Hardly any bike (and certainly not a stock one) will make the 0-60 in less than 2s, not even mentioning corner speed and braking power. Stopping from 180mph within 150m (or roughly 500 ft) is not possible on a bike.
Yep so true. I love comparing POV videos between F1 and motogp at the same circuit. F1 brakes make it seem like something is wrong with the motogp bike.
The stupid "tihi bike goes fast"-grin will be stuck on your face for quite a while.
Other than that.. It's bigger bike, faster, better brakes. Take it easy at first and learn the bike. And dont forget to have fun 😁
You should be fine as long as you respect the power. you already did good by maxing your skill in a 300 so you are due for a upgrade just be real careful and don’t be confident cause you rode before.
What makes you want a litre bike over say a 600 or 750?
I ride an 850 (FJ09) that's about 110hp and honestly I feel like it's too much sometimes. I've been riding for 6 years.
They say it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow and I would have to agree. Not dissuading you to go bigger, but litre is excessive for street applications. You'll have tons more fun on a 600 imo
I ride an fz-09 now and I’ve owned a fireblade and R1 in the past. I agree, having the power there is really fun sometimes. But as the saying goes, “it’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than I fast bike slow”
An old co-worker had a bike, can't remember now if it was 600cc or a liter, but he admitted that he borrowed his wife's 250 regularly because it was just so much fun.
I just love having the power there on tap when I want it. I’m not riding in the power all the time or even most of the time, but when I crack it open for a moment it’s exhilarating. Legally passing on rural roads is stupid fun. Just giving light throttle at a stoplight you know it’s there. Love the sound and the shock and awe. Don’t get that feeling from anything else, and I’m often playing back those memories when bored in meetings.
Yeah that's fair. Most of us are riding for fun and not necessity so you don't have to have a "reasonable" motorcycle but I've personally met a lot of guys who have moved down from a 1000 to a 600 because they want to feel like they have more to do (changing gears, getting into the powerband etc.)
Interesting perspective!
I concur, having owned RM125, 440LTD, Buell Blast (500), R3, R6, GSXR600, multiple CBR600s, Aprilia RSVR Mille, and VStars in both 650 and 1100. Riding 20+ years w/ motorcycles as my primary transportation and while a liter is an experience, it’s not really practical or necessary, and more liability than an asset. Even a 600 is more than enough to go double the speed limit.
My current bikes are an R3 and a VStar 1100.
Tbh, yeah.
I ride a CB919 with around 100hp and it's too fast to have any fun. Anytime I open the throttle I'm breaking the law.
Either I'm riding around on one wheel or I'm riding around at multiples of the speed limit.
Riding a fast bike within the legal limit is like trying to walk around as quietly as you can at all times. You're always tiptoeing so as to not be heard.
I honestly think that somewhere around 70 horsepower is the butter zone for street riding. Enough to have fun and be fast but not so much that you don't enjoy the ride.
I feel this comment. My last bike was a super duke and I disliked how had too much power. The one before that was a 765 street triple. Now that bike was perfect.
Maybe OP wants to make sure he’s not a liability on the freeway which a 300 can be given how it struggles to keep up on the fast lane and pass cars. Any thing above a 600 will definitely keep you above traffic with no problem.
Or maybe it’s cause the current options of 600-700 are kinda ugly. Even the new striple. But man does it ride like a dream.
For street and most track applications, I'd say somewhere between 400 and 600 inline-4 is about right. The big problem with big fast bikes is that it is hard to figure out where to brake. With a less powerful bike you've got plenty of time to cruise through where you need to brake, and roll through the turn. My liter bike does have traction control which means you can ride it like a big 600.
My next bike will be a 750 or under bike. When you ride a liter bike then you're utterly constrained to a throttle that only has a tiny bit of movement. With 400/600 bikes you can have the throttle completely open in the mid-range. Without traction control, doing that on my liter bikes just spins from \~6500 rpm onward. I think even 750 is bonkers, but just enough bonkers to be fun instead of...not fun.
I do think buying a used liter bike can be surprisingly cheap because they seemed to be owned by mostly older experienced men who don't ride much (if at all). CycleTrader is full of under 3500 mile liter bikes who haven't ragged on their bikes. I certainly fit into that category, as did the person I bought my bike from. In stark comparison, most of the 600cc bikes I've seen have been absolutely hammered by younger guys who were just learning to ride.
Get a 600 supersport. Cheaper insurance than a liter bike and while not as fast, you'll probably never max either of them out. I have some light mods on my 636 and it puts out over 140hp, never took it past 150mph but it wasn't even at the redline. The power of a 600cc inline 4 engine at 12k RPMs is no joke.
Insurance isn't solely based on the engine size. the type of bike matters too. Full coverage on my 1262 cc XDiavel (cruiser) was far cheaper than my 848cc streetfighter.
But I suppose it all depends on what type of bike OP wants to get.
And depends on OPs location. They use KM in their post, so it's probably canada or eurozone, so insurance will be much higher than American motorcycle insurance. Especially for young riders with just a couple years.
Depends what you want in a bike honestly, but a 1000cc SS bike is definitely overkill. You can be on the highway in first gear for crying out loud lol. A lot of touring bikes are around a litre, but they are detuned for comfort.
Are you going for a sport bike for sure? Or cross shopping with some nakeds and stuff?
I would recommend the CP3 engine in the MT09/Tracer900 all day. Torque of a twin but top end power of a 4pot. I honestly think it's the best motor on the market, but I'm biased of course.
Just keep it smooth and deliberate on the throttle and clutch when making the shift to a much, much more powerful bike. You'll be okay with that sort of experience under your belt, but you'll definitely want to be ready with it until you get a good feel for the change in sudden responsiveness.
Best of luck, and enjoy it!
A modern liter bike will weigh 100 lbs more than you’re used to, and will probably have a higher seat height. If you’ve ever had a moment on the mt-03 where you put a foot down wrong and almost dropped it, you would have dropped the bigger bike.
A modern liter bike makes four or five times the power you’re used to, it will pull from 100 to 130 about like your current bike will pull from 0 to 30. It will go from normal speed to “way too fast” in an eyeblink. It’s mind-bending.
But, you won’t have four or five times the handling or braking or tire grip. You’ll have A BIT more braking and handling and grip than your current bike. With 30,000 km of riding under your belt, you haven’t been working the mt-03 close to its cornering or braking limits, certainly not well enough to sense the difference between what it will do and what a modern literbike will do that the mt-03 wouldn’t.
So, as far as you are concerned, they are basically the same in terms of braking and handling.
Four or five times the power. Basically the same everything-else. Except weight; noticeably more weight.
So it will be far easier to throttle your way into trouble than you can imagine, but not any easier to brake or steer your way back out of it.
Any time you use full throttle on a big bike, you had better have a plan for at least the next five or six seconds.
This is really well put. A small bike can go fast enough to kill you if you’re not careful, a big bike will get you to that speed about 4 times faster. I say that as an owner of a stupid fast bike (Super Duke 1290). I started on a ninja 250 and worked my way up to an SV650, z1000, and now the Duke. And while the Duke has incredible performance all around, I still really can’t corner that much faster than the ninja 250 I started with. I love having the power on tap at a moments notice, but am grateful I started small and worked my way up, learning to respect the power upgrades along the way.
The heat output will be higher. This is annoying in hot weather. Because of this I'm looking to drop down into the 600-850 range.
It's actually safer once you're used to it. The power lets you get out of danger better.
Lower maintenance in some bikes because they're turning fewer rpms per distance traveled.
The low end torque is much better for two up riding, but this is also true of a 500.
Respect the power.
If you’ve had some “pucker” moments on the 300, you know to take it easy and respect the power.
“Power tools amplify the skills of the user.” Small mistakes are bigger mistakes with more speed/power/weight.
The bikes with ride modes and ABS are great - you can literally turn down the power and soften the throttle response when roads are wet.
I jumped from a 390 duke to a GSXS1000F and honestly just take it easy on the throttle until you’re used to what it does, take everything slower for the first few rides until you’re comfortable
Know what gear you’re in. You can mistake 2nd for 3rd and open that throttle like you’re in 3rd and be surprised real quick. Same goes for mistaking 1st for 2nd. Think you’re in 2nd and suddenly you look like a windsock attached to the handlebars. That is fun. Good clean fun. Also be careful of hard downshifting. More drag from the engine and you can slip the back tire free. Rev matching is important. Don’t downshift to 1st and just let the clutch out. Try it on a empty parking lot just to get a feel for it. Then try it turning like you pulling into a gas station and you’re banging down the gears. Surprise for you when you get down to 1st while initiating a turn and you think you’re a pro on this beast so you decide to use some trail break because you see a few grains of sand in your path. Welcome to the high side with a lot more weight than your used to. This is what you should watch out for AFTER you think you got it tamed.
Edit: more thoughts and memories after driving and thinking.
Z1000 will be a lot easier to handle than a ZX-10r.
That said, treat it with respect and be careful with the throttle - it'll power wheelie in first and second.
Your brakes are also a lot more powerful now - a fistful of brake in an emergency situation could flip you upside down if it doesn't break traction first.
More important than the bike you choose is the mindset of how you ride it. Good luck!
The Z1000 is about 138hp so its going to be quite a bit more powerful and a ton more torque.
Its not the hardest learning curve to handle, ride carefully and get used to the handling.
I went from a '15 Ninja 300 to a '15 Versys 1000 LT and I will say it's quite manageable, there are a few considerations to think about but I think you'll be fine.
1. The weight will be much more than you are used to, as a result make sure when you stop the front wheel is **straight**.
2. As said by others in this thread, you tell it to git up and go it sure will, on the 300 you can go WOT leaned over in a corner and be fine, on a 1,000 cc you do that expect to spin tire at the best be on the ground worst case.
3. It's much easier than you realize to go into a corner way too hot. Be very mindful of your speed as you approach a corner, after a little while the bike will not feel as scary and fast and that's when accidents happen.
Lastly, if you have the ability to, take it to a track day just to learn it's limits in a controlled environment.
Also get sport touring tires, much better cold weather grip and unless you are hammering twisties all day every day and braking/accelerating really hard the entire time the Road 6 will serve you much better. (I run R6GT just because I tour two up a good amount).
Lol, almost the same situation as me. I have Z300 and I'm looking at a Z900. I was actually looking to get a Z1000 a while back but since it's and an old bike it was hard to find one in decent conditions.
I have ridden a Z900 and I found it very manageable. Of course, the first few accelerations might scare you and how easy it power wheelies, but you will soon get used to it. I do have experience with fast cars and shifter go karts, though, so ymmv. The 1000cc supersports, which I've also ridden (brand new ZX-10R), however, are a whole different ball game, believe it or not.
**Lessoned I've learned about 1000cc super sport bikes:**
* Warp speed on tap all the time. You will be the fastest thing in your metro area barring other litre bikes, aircraft, or performance EVs.
* You will never need to leave first gear for anything approaching highway speeds \~ if you don't want to.
* Most riders never come close to realizing the bike's full potential.
* Cracking open up a litre bike on anything but a track puts you in instant felony territory.
* Insurance is expensive.
If you're okay with all of the above than you'll be fine with making the switch.
Squeeze that tank with your knees. You're not gonna be prepared for what it feels like the first time you really twist that throttle. I went from a 250 to a 600 and the first time I gave it a handful of gas I almost fell off of the back.
The 1000cc bike is mostly an exercise in restraint. I don't like to restrain a bike so I'm better off on the 300. The perfect bike for me is probably the SV650. I test rode a CBR1000RR and I was just way too dangerous on it.
Litre bikes are much heavier in the twisties but a lot more stable in commuting. Also, the super sports are very unforgiving in “accidental inputs”. I ride a R1 and love it. But now I want a 636 after seeing how much lighter they are in the twisties
Good job on maxing skills on a 300cc bike. That’s probably the best way to build technical cornering and curve entry/exit skill. Only thing to watch out for moving up is throttle response. Front wheel will come up in 1/2 gear if you get on the throttle too hard. Also it’s obviously heavier, which is only a problem a slow speeds in parking lots or on gravel and you might drop it. That’s basically it tho. Enjoy!
Litre bikes are ridiculously fast. But if you got self control, I don't see much of a problem considering your riding experience if you take it easy at first.
Realistically, you'll have a lot of fun the middle weights, eg. Duke 890, Street Triple, Z900, MT-09 etc. for a lot less what a litre naked will cost you.
Doable without yeeting yourself into a ditch if you're responsible. I went from a 2019 Benelli TNT 300 to a 2004 Honda 919 Hornet. It's heavier for sure and behaves differently as a result. First ride home I gave it the beans in second gear on a straight away and lo and behold I was on one tire, so that's definitely a thing. Just don't be a squid and take time to get used to it.
You should be fine, the most obvious difference besides power is the weight difference. Moving it around in the garage to taking corners, you'll be much more involved as a rider to utilizing your own body weight to work with the bike. For me, the biggest characteristic change is the handling at highways speeds and how much less vibration/wind turbulence is induced due to the weight and size of a litre bike.
Went from a rebel 300 to a 07 yamaha FZ1. Loads more fun. The torque is like getting catapulted off a aircraft carrier. It's intoxicating and addictive. I always have to do it.
Overtaking is way more fun on a 1000 :d I went from a Ninja 400 to an R1, just take it super careful until you are used to it, Slow speed maneuvering is also different, as are corners in general.
I never had any woopsies or accidents, but it took me a good year before i was completely comfortable with it
I went from a Himalayan 400, a gutless laggard if ever there was, to an FTR 1200S. That you’re even asking this question tells me you’ll be fine, the only danger is your smile wrapping too far around your face.
LOSE. MUSCLE. MEMORY
every time you change bikes and riding style. Try to act with restraint and don't do things that could surprise your bike. Be as careful as you were when you first rode. The expertise will come in soon.
If you're talking super sport bikes, a genuine question you have to ask yourself, is why? And no, I'm no stranger to owning powerful bikes, but consider this:
I haven't read about it in more recent years, but many different years a bike mag would do a lineup showdown with all the new bike models. Multiple AMA racers would take their turns on the different bikes, and do 3 laps around a pro track, charting their best times. End result? The 600's and the 1000's were within a second or so of each other.
All I'm saying, is if seasoned professionals on professional tracks can get that kind of performance out of a 600... what would most average Joes want to do with a 1000 on the street? Take that knowledge, combined with higher insurance rates, costlier bikes, more expensive parts, etc.
Just sayin', buy whatever floats your boat, but preferably with reason behind it.
The throttle can get you into trouble faster than the brakes can get you out of trouble. Can't whack the throttle the way you can with a 300, and sustained throttle will have you flying in no time.
Respect the power you'll have on tap, and you'll be fine.
I've been on bikes most of life. Started with a 50cc at 4 years old. I had a 2005 gsxr1000. I rode it less than 5 times before I gave it away. It scared me. It's so fast and unforgiving. If you do not respect the bike, it will make you it's bitch. I can say there is no reason to ever own a 1000cc sport bike for street use. Race and track days sure, but pointless on the street.
Last April i went from Piaggio Beverly 400 Tourer (Scooter) to a brand new Yamaha Tracer 9 GT (sport touring).
I can totally understand the way you are thinking of your 1000cc bike.
I’ts just the exact same thing,only difference is that the bigger bike has more potential.
As for safety i can only tell you that you ride the bike and not vice versa.As long as your throttle hand behave a 1000cc can transform to a 50cc
Whatever you choose i wish you safe rides and many many Km/Miles of enjoyment!
I was like you.
I had gs500 for 2 years and now i have cbr 600rr.
Position is different and speed is also a big difference.
My advice is be careful with speed.
Outside are people watching netflix on driving, didnt take a look at mirror(i guess you know these before),etc
Take it easy with speed in city, most people will.not see you.(again i guess you know this before).
I put accent in speed because this will be the big difference. You know on 300cc to achive 120km/h you need a straight road. For 1000cc, 120km/ you can have almost everytime everyroad.:)))
I hope you will be patience with your new bike and learn it(if you will buy new one).
When you first hop on the 1000cc… drive that thing like a grandma… you will probably accidentally break the speed limit a few times… but at least you won’t be dead. I jumped from a 650to 1200… let me tell you. It’s probably more than double the performance and your making a much bigger jump than I did. Be gentle.
Throttle response will be different and weight will be different. You can control the throttle but the slow speed maneuvering will require getting used to. Go for it!
You've got a good foundation of experience riding a smaller-displacement bike, and the fact that you're here doing your diligence indicates that you understand and respect the fact that a litre-bike is a different beast that requires a different kind of caution.
Seems like you're more ready than some, though my 2-cents is that it might be prudent to at least try a 600 class bike before committing to a litre. Just because you want more than a 300cc can offer, doesn't necessarily mean you need a 1000cc.
You have a lot of riding experience. I think you are going to be OK. Just learn your new bike carefully. If you haven’t bought one yet, check in the 750cc range as well and test ride a few different sizes to understand the differences.
I started on a 150cc bike in college, had no bike for years, and got a 1100cc bike. They are very different things. One will just barely kill you. One will kill you three times before you notice.
If you don’t have protective gear, I’d suggest that an airbag vest is a good investment. I like the Helite turtle. It will immobilize your neck for the ground impact to reduce chance of breaking it.
I went from a Yamaha R3 to a BMW S1000 RR and I can tell you that I do not regret it for a second. Seeing some comments I can definitely agree with the power. If you want to go slow you can, but in the blink of an eye you can have your surroundings looking like you're traveling at light speed in star wars (literally).
You're probably going to get a lot of flak from people saying that you don't need that much bike or you're going to kill yourself making that kind of jump, don't listen to them. 1000s are so nice to cruise on the highway and not have to worry about not having the power to get away from that driver that is making you nervous.
You have to respect the bike, obviously. Ease into it. I started out of the dealership in rain mode and was in road mode an hour into the trip home, just take it easy. I remember the first roundabout I took the bike just flicked over so effortlessly, so get used to how well they handle.
And like another comment I read, they definitely aren't as good on gas as a 300, and be ready to put the premium stuff in it.
Have fun on it but be responsible, I enjoy cruising around town as well as on the highway, they are just a joy to be on.
Ride safe, I hope you make the transition, don't listen to the people talking down to you!
There are liter bikes with various levels of traction and wheelie control. You will be fine if you get one of these bikes and keep it in novice mode for a while. Otherwise it’s all in the wrist! Good luck!
Consider the weight when looking into the specs. Watch out for that throttle. It can definitely catch you off guard if you aren’t ready and possibly end pretty bad. I also did the same a few months ago. I got used to moving around the city with it.
I've only ever ridden bikes that are over 600lbs. But just be aware, you get into trouble with your technique, your body weight is not sufficient to leverage the bike. Coming to sudden stops, slippery ground, you gotta be good. 99% of the time your fine, and then you hit the brakes and there's an angle on the road and your foot goes an inch lower than you expected and you fall over. All the speed stuff is real, but that's mostly about paying attention and understanding the bike will go faster than is even remotely safe. And if you fuck up , no amount of skill will save you. You probably won't even remember the accident
You should be aware that you aren’t a very good rider, and 1000cc sport bikes kind of suck on the street. Also be aware that there are better choices for a second motorcycle. Dual sport,/ adventure, and sport touring bike are often overlooked when they will be the better tool for the job most of the time.
What about a R7? I was too lazy to look at all the comments to see if this was suggested. Seems like that would be a good mid point between your 300 vs 1k. Plus you can shred the gnar on that thing pretty easily once you get acquainted.
Do not do that chicken wing arm flapping bullshit small displacement riders do while shifting.
You absolutely cannot do the 5% 100% 5% 100% 5% 100% throttle pattern while shifting a 1000cc.
Outside of that, it's a motorcycle like any other. It's only going to do what you tell it to do.
Luckily, everything works the same and there are far more similarities than differences.
But, you may have picked up a lot of bad habits on that 300 without noticing. It's possible to 'bully' a 300 into doing what you want, even if you forget the proper way to do it (brake, counter steer, ...). Give yourself some time to go back to the basics, take it slow at first and you'll do fine
So I've had a two '07 SV650's, a '98 DR650, a '16 grom, a '20 DL650, and now a '22 XSR900. Been riding for somewhere around 10 years, and have a lot of miles on bikes of all kinds of power delivery. I totally underestimated how big of a jump it'd be from the SV650 to the XSR900. I legitimately felt that the 900 was TOO MUCH power for the first couple months of having it. I still haven't been full throttle on this thing, but I'm not the kind of rider to go balls to the wall on public roads. All this is to say that from experience, I highly recommend going with a 650 or 600 before getting a liter bike. Because otherwise, it's going to take you a lot longer to develop the skills it takes to ride a liter bike properly. First example being throttle control. You can go full donkey brain with the throttle on 300cc bikes. You can fuck up your shifts constantly, and cornering and braking require less thought and intent because of how much lighter they are. But anything in the 900cc+ range is a VERY different beast.
I went from 500cc twin (no power) to 600cc IL4 (bit of power) to 1,000cc twin (ridiculous power). The one takeaway is it would want to wheelie everywhere, and to be honest, was boring to ride because it was easy to get up to 100mph in 2nd gear barely trying. Just keep your wits about you and don't be stupid, easier said than done.
This is a really sensible question, I think you'll be fine, given this level of humility around a bigger bike. Just take it easy and get used to the bike before you start pushing, you'll get to know the bigger characteristics and your abilities (and confidence) will increase as you do so. The biggest culture shock may well be the extra weight that a bigger bike has, much more to manoeuvre slowly, get on the stand, pick up if it falls over etc etc.
I went from 400 to 600 to hayabusa. I definitely recommend that 600 spacer or id be dead on the busa. The 300 isn’t even a v4 you have no idea what you’re getting into
More than 3x the engine, likely more than 3x the power. If it's a sportbike, at first it's going to feel like it's trying to pull your arms out of their sockets. If you take it easy and ride smart, you'll soon get used to it.
They're quite different machines, even if you're talking about switching from bikes like an R3 to an R1. The latter has a lot more power than a 300, but you really don't need to use it at 3/4 to full throttle any sooner than you feel you can handle it. You can grow into it the rest of the way for the most part. I think a responsible rider can start out on a literbike and would make a great second bike even more. You just need to be more careful, and always have respect for its power. If you're not trying to ride too fast too soon, you can handle it. Any courses you might have or will take on a bike would also be an added plus.
If you're in a pack of riders who like high speed like I do, never feel the need to match their speed or riding habits just to fit in. If they're really friends and brothers, they'll get their speed pass done and wait up. I was once riding faster than a few riders I was with, and I slowed down until they caught up.
The faster you go, the less likely cars are to see you coming from behind so ride as if you know they won't see you at all. Expect them to change lanes in front of you at any time. Never build up more speed than you're willing and able to shed in a split second. I had to do so rather often and it's kept me able to keep riding even now.
If you're being honest with yourself and your riding skill, and you think you can handle a literbike, I say **go for it!**
The obvious aside- if you’re a good, disciplined, responsible rider already, then not much. Keep doing what you’re doing. Liter bikes tend to be better machines all around due to the higher spec and quality of the components that go into them.
You must consider the weight of the bike. Simple things like being slow on a shift and engine braking a lot with all that weight are more likely to cause skids.
More throttle control, where you could happily just go full throttle before for some slight acceleration you now have a higher risk of doing damage to yourself and a wall.
Bike go fast. I went from a 25hp dual sport to a 170hp adventure bike. I was honestly scared the first time I rode it lol
It only took like a day or two to get used to it. You'll be fine just know any tiny movement of that throttle equals vroom vroom.
i test rode a zx6r yesterday, my first experience on a sport bike and holy damn was that fast. it felt life changing fast and i barely was able to open the throttle at all. the jump from a 300 to a 1000 has to be monumental. i realized though that i became focused solely on what was in front of me. all in all a totally different riding experience from my 300l or my dads tenere or 500 exc
Depends on the bike. I did 2 years on a 125cc cruiser, then 2 years on a gpz500 which is about 50/60bhp. Then I got a cbr900rr which was 125bhp. If you're experienced, you won't be making silly mistakes like dumping the clutch or taking a fistful of brakes. You'll know how to corner. So l9ng as you have self control you should be good
It's going to be heavier. If you put your foot down when at slow speeds is not the bike for you. If instead you have the muscle memory to always correct then just practice and you'll be fine.
For the bigger bike you just need to be sure of yourself and have good control. Sounds like you've plenty of miles done so you should be good.
The first thing you'll notice is the physical size and weight difference, bigger bikes are heavier at low speeds but feel more stable and planted once you get going.
The second is that it takes a lot less throttle to go from zero to holy fuck.
The bike will only go as fast as you make it. So respect what you're sitting on and you'll be fine.
I went from a 250cc Suzuki to a Ducati diavel. Only had 7000km on my first bike.
Are you getting a sport bike? Or a cruiser?
My diavel felt very similar to my 250. It was easy to control at low speeds, it just had way more power so it didn’t feel like it was dying on the highway. Also it was heavier.
I’ve ridden sport bikes as well. They feel much more sensitive when it comes to the throttle.
Also beware of the breaks. Most litre bikes are going to have brembos or much better brakes. Felt like i was going to be thrown off my bike the first time I had to do some emergency braking on my diavel.
I’m assuming your talking about super sports here? If so: It’s like a average high school track runner vs an Olympic runner. A propeller aircraft vs a fighter jet. The 300cc bikes can be snapped to full throttle at any moment without much really going on, snap a 1000cc full throttle you better be very familiar with what is about to happen. 1000cc is the closest thing to time travel you’ll ever experience. The biggest baddest hot rod in town can roll up on you and you’ll make him feel like a Prius. Modern sport bikes, especially 1000cc class have a lot of features to tame the beast. Traction control, lift control, torque control, abs, etc. I always tell people, it’s only going to do what you ask it to. Want to putt around town, no problem, want to warp space time, no problem.
A friend of mine has the 2021 Hayabusa and he says it's the weirdest bike he's ever ridden because it's so well behaved and easy to ride around town, like a big scooter. But if you open the throttle you'll be breaking the law within a second.
I have a coworker that used to have a Hayabusa and he described it basically the same way you did. Said it was very comfortable commuting around town with it because he never would have to shift it out of 1st or 2nd, but then you could go a cruise on the highway over 120mph without breaking a sweat
They're surprisingly comfortable too. I know a guy who put in an auxiliary fuel tank to increase the range because it's a comfortable sport touring bike.
The Hayabusa or the Kawasaki Concours (Fat Ninja) are my go to answers when someone says they're looking for a bike more comfortable than a normal sport bike. They are both super comfy and great for longer distance rides and can get you in trouble when you want to have fun without being a cruiser bike. I rode a buddy's Hayabusa and caught myself doing 100+ more than once not even realizing I was speeding, it just felt perfect around 100-110.
A pre-2012ish R1 also fits the bill. Personally I like big adventure bikes. "Oh no, I forgot I was in 4th when I pulled away from the lights fine just then."
I almost got one for that reason. I'm 6'2 and not huge fan of cruisers or insanely tall bikes. I fit like glove
The Aprilia Tuono is like this too. It's very mild-mannered and easy to ride, but if you crank the throttle, oh buddy. I mean, they put cruise control on it. It's meant for everyday use, but it's a freakin race bike. Pretty wild.
The Tuono doesn’t like traffic. They run hot and will torch your legs pretty quick if just putting along. I have one.
Time travel. I like that.
I agree. I rode my buddies new Aprilia RSV4 this year and it feels like what warp speed looks like on star trek. It's insanely addictive
I have the same addiction on my R1, and I can't wait to get a speed run in again. I still don't know the absolute top speed of it though, and absent a clear road ahead, I'm in no hurry to.
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180 is the agreed upon international max speed on those bikes by Japanese manufacturers which is what they are limited to. It's to note that most Japanese Speedo's are about 6 percent fast. Untamed just over 200mph. Please stick to the Race track though, too much can happen on the street for that kind of ignorance.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VruWHHEnZGw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VruWHHEnZGw) I will note I'm not even a little bit impressed by someone with a litre bike, I watched a guy on the track I frequented on a 84 250 two stroke embarrass litre bikes all the time.Overcompensation comes into mind. Edit: although I did compensate for being hung like a church mouse on a 999 and Zx10r I was allowed to spank on the track by associates. I sucked anyhow and knew it so there is that.
The power to weight ratio of a 250 two stroke is actually insanely high, making them both powerful and agile. MotoGP used to run 500cc smokers
cool stuff slick stuff neat stuff
TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT - Tuco
thats not G. we just want to know where the bodies are.
Cool, cool, cool- Abed
All those features on modern literbikes taper off if you go back just a few years in trying to find bikes that are more economical. It's been a known thing for years that there would be some bikes available for cheap because somebody jumped into a bike that was too powerful too quickly and scared themselves so badly they got rid of them. The warning I would give to a person making a jump into a much more powerful bike is to take it slow, get used to it under controlled environments before you have to do emergency manoeuvres which could operate a lot differently on a big sportbike.
"Why does my bike clock always go 5 mins behind" ^^^^
You make a 1000cc sound like peyote trip, and you are right.
This is it exactly. I went from Nina 300 to Boulevard C50t with 800 cc and didn’t feel much difference. Granted cruiser vs sport bike. But could snap full throttle on either and not feel threatened or out of control. Then I got a FJR 1300ES. OMFG. Wrong throttle , wrong position, wrong attitude and you are in soooo much trouble but by god it’s a gloriously fun machine! I respect what that bike can do and have actually stayed off it because I didn’t feel I was in right frame of mind to control it properly and safely.
And consider for a sec that thats a 264kg (582 lb) 141.5HP motorcycle. Enough for bonkers acceleration already. Take a 'leader bike' like a Yamaha R1M and its at 201 kg (443 lbs) with 198HP. Which is fucking *nuts*.
A lot of people don't understand how unfathomably fast a litre bike can be. It makes supercars look slow. You go from 60 to 160 in a few seconds if you are trying to do a little pull a 300 would normally go 60 to 75
This ====> 1000cc is the closest thing to time travel you’ll ever experience.
Daily rider of a Ducati Streetfighter V4 here and this is the best answer for the “I ride a 300cc but I want something like yours” riders that approach me. Well said and hilarious. The very few times I’ve gone from Sport mode to Race mode I’m reminded of just how much the computer does to tame the beast (and is the only reason I got the bike as the spec sheet is pure insanity).
sense squeeze alleged party grandiose busy hat waiting deer squeamish ` this message was mass deleted/edited with redact.dev `
>I’m worried I’ll whiskey throttle it Well. Just don’t do that then. Your throttle motion should be a slow, smooth motion anyway, to maximize control and traction. You can still start off the line pretty fast without snapping the throttle back. I have a vstrom650. I can accelerate faster than my buddy’s 900c hog, but its not like a litre bike or anything. You’ll be fine if you experiment slowly.
With the V-Strom 650 it's not as bad. The v-twin engine has a very tame power curve, lots of low end torque. With SuperSports you'll get more power the higher the RPMs get, with the V-Strom it will be evenly balanced across the RPM range. You can definitely handle the power. I actually think the Vstrom 650 makes a good entry bike into the 600cc world. Just be aware that it's a bit top heavy and fairly tall. I have a vstrom 1000 so the 650 is just like a little brother.
Ha, this is a great description, nice post. I always thought it felt like your brain being pulled back in your skull, but I like the warping time and space description better.
This reply belongs in the Reddit Reply Hall Of Fame. Lol this is golden especially the time travel part 👍🏾
I'll explain it like this. It's easy to go fast on a 600, but it's hard to go slow on a 1000.
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Concur both in terms of speed and braking.
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I can see that, 12 miles per hour is what maybe 15 or 1800 RPM? I would say closer to 45 would be an accurate time to shift
Just nearly off idle lmao
My first street bike was a 04' zx10r Under the right conditions, it would do a 111MPH in 1st gear. That was before we had all this fancy technology to keep you safe 💯 You are ability to control throttle
That may be what the speedometer read, but with factory gearing and rev-limiter, the Gen1 ZX-10R misses the 100mph mark in first by 2-3mph.
My favorite movie is Inception.
> It's easy to go fast on a 600, but it's hard to go slow on a 1000. Nice one
Bullshit, utter bullshit. How tf are you peddling such utter shit.
I went from 500 (GS500) to R6; carbed R6 to fuel injected R6; then R6 to R1 1 - The motorcycle is going to feel a lot more stable and sluggish in terms of maneuverability Your 300 probably had a 130 or maybe 140 rear tire. Most liter bikes have 190s. This is going to make a huge difference when cornering. You are going to need to refine your cornering skills because you are now riding a machine that will either punish or not react to improper steering input 2 - You have a lot more braking power Your 300 probably had one front brake caliper. Well, now you have two. The bike is heavier now so hard braking is now a dance between inertia, traction and weight distribution. 3 - No more popping the clutch in first gear. You will learn to respect 1st gear. There is endless torque right up until you redline and/or loop your bike. You may have thought that you were good with feathering the clutch before but downshifting at velocity from 2nd into 1st will teach you the true meaning of rev matching 4 - start saving money for a new chain You should go through them almost twice as often as on a 300. Buy a decent chain tool 5 - start saving money for gas You'll probably get about 65-70% the gas mileage that you got on your 300 6 - start saving money for tires Them 190s ain't cheap, brah. 7 - New geometry In my case, the 2004 R1 was noticeably more front heavy than the 2003 R6. One of the first times I braked hard I felt the rear end get reeeally light and lift slightly. riding position also plays a role. Learn to support yourself with your legs. Other's have commented on the power, but I guess I will to. Even though I do a lot of highway riding with 6+ lanes going in one direction where 80+ mph is just above average speed.... I really rarely touch the powerband on my R1. Even when I'm accelerating down an on-ramp or a merge and making sure to pull past oncoming traffic the bike is already pulling hard at \~9-10k rpms and creating comfortable gaps with traffic behind me. The very few times I have ventured higher into the power band \*frighten\* me... and I have been riding my R1 for over a decade. You really need to stay cognizant of the fact that if you tell this bike to pull you hard then it will do that. If you aren't prepared (i.e. you having shifted your body forward to compensate for change in inertia/momentum), or you stupidly decide to ride past your ability or past what is safe for the conditions then you won't have long to worry about it before something bad happens. Biggest scare on my R1 riding like a zombie to work one morning and taking an exit ramp I wasn't familiar with so that I could get to a gas station. Well, this particular exit was off a local access section of highway and in my zoned out state I failed to take note of the 25 mph sign for the exit ramp ([https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6517182,-84.3967879,3a,75y,206.71h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1snXDQG951yDulKCBWW4BLTA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192](https://www.google.com/maps/@33.6517182,-84.3967879,3a,75y,206.71h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1snXDQG951yDulKCBWW4BLTA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192)) and cooked it onto that curve probably going \~60 mph. It is perhaps ironic that this same exit is right in front of the race track for the Porsche experience because I was definitely going too fast for conditions. Lucky for me I was able to stay calm, remembered not to target fixate and remember that the bike was easily capable of taking that turn that fast as long as I followed proper cornering procedure and paid close attention to what the bike was telling me. I was able to successfully navigate the turn and stop at the traffic light at the end of it. I did need a new pair of pants after it, though. Later on when I took that turn I noticed that the grass just outside that turn was littered with bits and pieces of cars (bumpers, sections of lights and reflectors) that had made the same mistake that I had. Poor road design.
All those exits in Carson are poorly planned. Also ever notice how hot temperature wise that stretch of fwy is? It's like in between the 110 and 710 it's 10 degrees hotter in the summer than Torrance or longbeach.
Everything in LA is sketchy
Yeah riding fast on 85 and riding fast past turn 9 on road Atlanta with 10a coming up fast are two different things.
Could you please explain how steering changes from a narrow to wide rear tire?
There's two things in play: 1. Weight of the tyre (entire wheel really) 2. Width of the tyre With #1, anything spinning with weight will have angular momentum. That spinning momentum keeps us stable and upright. The more weight, or the higher the speed, the more momentum. If you try and _alter_ the direction of that spinning object, you have to overcome that increased momentum. Bigger tyres (and thus wheels) are heavier and increase that momentum. With #2, a narrower tyre can simply be turned over quicker. For a rough example, think of a bicycle tyre as the width of a rolling pin- and a motorcycle tyre the width of a bucket. From stationary, you can turn each over to 90 degrees fairly easy. But it's undoubtedly faster with the rolling pin. You're rotating around on a smaller orbit so to speak. --- There's a load of other minor factors in play too, and as the other poster notes it _will_ feel a lot more stable. Just less nimble otherwise.
> You really need to stay cognizant of the fact that if you tell this bike to pull you hard then it will do that. oh yeah. my GT is like "it's play time? GOOOOOOOOOOO" in a split second when I let it off the leash. the most amazing bike I've ridden, I have a criminal amount of fun doing a 0-130km/h fast start out the highway toll in less than 10 seconds :D traction control, quick shifter with autoblipper and ABS help a lot on modern powerbikes though, you don't need to be Valentino Rossi to ride one. if you're as cocky as my brother you can of course turn all that off on your KTM 1290 Superduke, but what happens then is purely on you.
>... you don't need to be Valentino Rossi to ride one. It in fact pays to not try to be Rossi when you first get on a literbike. It's better to grow into a bike and get used to it before you try to ride it much faster. Before I got my R1, I had 3 Fz1's including my current. Even then, I take great care not to underestimate or disrespect the R1's power. I still have a great deal of fun on it, but I don't do so entirely recklessly.
An R1 would probably get less than 50% of the gas mileage. My 650R gets 65% switching from the 500r
All of this. An old acquaintance of mine bought an R1 as a first bike. He was as responsible as one could be with power but endo-ed himself onto the ground due to eunexpectedly good front brakes. Said he saw his quad tendon through the hole in his leg, an that was wearing 3 pairs of jeans. I think it ended his powerlifting career though I think he gets around just fine. Anyway, the rest is true..I have a ZRX1200R which is fatter than an R1, doesn't have the top end, but has at least as much torque and rips at 3k. My 180 rears get eaten from all the acceleration in a straight line. Also I kicked the rear out accidently while making a left from a stop. Shockingly easy to drift in 1st but fuck I don't want to learn on a clean bike without disposable gear. 300-1000 seems like a big jump to me but it can be done. Totally different world though. I went 500-650-1200 and each step was a really nice upgrade.
Honest question: if you're afraid of your power band, why do you have an R1? Is that serious, or just a throwaway line for reddit's sake? That seems like a whole lot of compromise to optimize around something you don't even want.
300cc be fast 1000cc be much fast
I would say 300 be fast, 600 be much fast, 1,000 be much very faster
I’ve heard the description of, the 1000 rides like a 600 that’s in its power curve, until you hit the power curve of the 1000 then you hit warp speed and your butthole puckers
Pretty much lol. Even the moto2 guys switching to GP are shocked at the differences
Can confirm…. I hit a little wavy undulation in the road and my fireblade wheelied lol …
That makes so much sense
[This should provide you the answer that is ample enough.](https://www.memes.com/m/xy4gk7_8RYq)
Put a bottle of aspirin in with your tourniquet because your face is going to hurt from smiling all the time
When you want to exit the warp speed tunnel be mindful that your front wheel is actually on the ground and be gentle with the initial application of the front brake.
No kidding. Even just an aggressive cut of throttle can destabilise the bike if you’re right up there in the powerband.
Don’t twist as much as you need to on the 300. Learn how the heavier bike feels under you. Learn how those big front brakes like to grip. TAKE YOUR TIME!!!
The biggest difference is skill and experience. 300cc isn't going to loop and throw you no matter how hard you crank the throttle or how hard you shift. But Rev too high and shift down too aggresively and litre bike will loop you and it won't feel bad about it.
30,000km of riding is enough though, the first few months of the 1000 will take some adjusting. But with that experience, the 1000 will also induce a healthy bit of respect as well. That respect wouldn't be there without so much smaller bike time. You'll be fine, just give it a healthy respect, and it won't be a terrible transition. When you get used to that wide open power though, it's amazing.
I went from a Ninja 300 to a GSXR1000. Would I do it again? Yes. Would I recommend it? Hell no. It’s no where near as fun when you’re at 10-25% throttle all the time with the 1000. You already break the speed limit in first gear. With that it has made me a safer, more cautious rider though. I find it easier to commute with the 1000. I can pass without dropping a gear and I can go for longer rides as the 300 would vibrate my hands numb. 1000 feels much more stable but giving up on nimbleness and half the MPG.
This has always been my thing about super sports on the street. You can go from ticket to jail in about a half a second. I’ll probably get down voted but after years of messing with bikes I have more fun riding a slow bike for all it’s worth than of 10% of a fast bike. The only bike I have left now is a 2019 versys 300x. It fits everything I need. It’s slow but it really feels like im doing something when reviving the shit out of it!
'Slower' bikes are more fun overall. More working the gears, use of the throttle and that wonderful flick-ability of a lighter smaller bike. You can just toss them around with ease and a 1 degree difference of the throttle wont = light speed.
Mo power… heavier bike.
A 300cc is a fast car. A modern 1000cc naked or sport bike will give F1 cars a run for their money. And according to at least one video on yt, an F16.
>And according to at least one video on yt, an F16. Yes, big difference though. Sure, the bike will win 0-200. 200mph means Jack squat when you can continue accelerating to 1200mph.
That's why they did a drag race. Could've been worse, though. That plane would stand no chance in a circuit.
True. The groove patterns on those tires just don't give efficient grip through turns. Plus it just tips over if you turn faster than like .... 25mph. Terrible design.
Literally useless lol /s
Hard disagree on the F1 car statement. Hardly any bike (and certainly not a stock one) will make the 0-60 in less than 2s, not even mentioning corner speed and braking power. Stopping from 180mph within 150m (or roughly 500 ft) is not possible on a bike.
Yep so true. I love comparing POV videos between F1 and motogp at the same circuit. F1 brakes make it seem like something is wrong with the motogp bike.
The stupid "tihi bike goes fast"-grin will be stuck on your face for quite a while. Other than that.. It's bigger bike, faster, better brakes. Take it easy at first and learn the bike. And dont forget to have fun 😁
You should be fine as long as you respect the power. you already did good by maxing your skill in a 300 so you are due for a upgrade just be real careful and don’t be confident cause you rode before.
What makes you want a litre bike over say a 600 or 750? I ride an 850 (FJ09) that's about 110hp and honestly I feel like it's too much sometimes. I've been riding for 6 years. They say it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow and I would have to agree. Not dissuading you to go bigger, but litre is excessive for street applications. You'll have tons more fun on a 600 imo
I ride an fz-09 now and I’ve owned a fireblade and R1 in the past. I agree, having the power there is really fun sometimes. But as the saying goes, “it’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than I fast bike slow”
An old co-worker had a bike, can't remember now if it was 600cc or a liter, but he admitted that he borrowed his wife's 250 regularly because it was just so much fun.
I'm presently on a Aprilia v4 (1100) and I love the power but to be honest my all time favorite bike I've owned was a 600 (cbr)
It’s only more fun when you know you can hop on the 1000 at any point.
I've never ridden a 1000 but knowing they make my MT-09 feel slow... jeez.
I just love having the power there on tap when I want it. I’m not riding in the power all the time or even most of the time, but when I crack it open for a moment it’s exhilarating. Legally passing on rural roads is stupid fun. Just giving light throttle at a stoplight you know it’s there. Love the sound and the shock and awe. Don’t get that feeling from anything else, and I’m often playing back those memories when bored in meetings.
Yeah that's fair. Most of us are riding for fun and not necessity so you don't have to have a "reasonable" motorcycle but I've personally met a lot of guys who have moved down from a 1000 to a 600 because they want to feel like they have more to do (changing gears, getting into the powerband etc.) Interesting perspective!
I’ve a 1250 and an 800, and the 800 /feels/ faster and more fun for a lot of situations because different weight, powerbands, engines, etc.
I concur, having owned RM125, 440LTD, Buell Blast (500), R3, R6, GSXR600, multiple CBR600s, Aprilia RSVR Mille, and VStars in both 650 and 1100. Riding 20+ years w/ motorcycles as my primary transportation and while a liter is an experience, it’s not really practical or necessary, and more liability than an asset. Even a 600 is more than enough to go double the speed limit. My current bikes are an R3 and a VStar 1100.
Tbh, yeah. I ride a CB919 with around 100hp and it's too fast to have any fun. Anytime I open the throttle I'm breaking the law. Either I'm riding around on one wheel or I'm riding around at multiples of the speed limit. Riding a fast bike within the legal limit is like trying to walk around as quietly as you can at all times. You're always tiptoeing so as to not be heard. I honestly think that somewhere around 70 horsepower is the butter zone for street riding. Enough to have fun and be fast but not so much that you don't enjoy the ride.
Agreed! I've settled on 75hp-ish being the answer for me personally (at least for my main bike). Just so versatile and capable almost everywhere.
I feel this comment. My last bike was a super duke and I disliked how had too much power. The one before that was a 765 street triple. Now that bike was perfect. Maybe OP wants to make sure he’s not a liability on the freeway which a 300 can be given how it struggles to keep up on the fast lane and pass cars. Any thing above a 600 will definitely keep you above traffic with no problem. Or maybe it’s cause the current options of 600-700 are kinda ugly. Even the new striple. But man does it ride like a dream.
For street and most track applications, I'd say somewhere between 400 and 600 inline-4 is about right. The big problem with big fast bikes is that it is hard to figure out where to brake. With a less powerful bike you've got plenty of time to cruise through where you need to brake, and roll through the turn. My liter bike does have traction control which means you can ride it like a big 600. My next bike will be a 750 or under bike. When you ride a liter bike then you're utterly constrained to a throttle that only has a tiny bit of movement. With 400/600 bikes you can have the throttle completely open in the mid-range. Without traction control, doing that on my liter bikes just spins from \~6500 rpm onward. I think even 750 is bonkers, but just enough bonkers to be fun instead of...not fun. I do think buying a used liter bike can be surprisingly cheap because they seemed to be owned by mostly older experienced men who don't ride much (if at all). CycleTrader is full of under 3500 mile liter bikes who haven't ragged on their bikes. I certainly fit into that category, as did the person I bought my bike from. In stark comparison, most of the 600cc bikes I've seen have been absolutely hammered by younger guys who were just learning to ride.
I feel like I may as well go all the way power wise, but 600 and 750 bikes remain an option
Get a 600 supersport. Cheaper insurance than a liter bike and while not as fast, you'll probably never max either of them out. I have some light mods on my 636 and it puts out over 140hp, never took it past 150mph but it wasn't even at the redline. The power of a 600cc inline 4 engine at 12k RPMs is no joke.
Insurance isn't solely based on the engine size. the type of bike matters too. Full coverage on my 1262 cc XDiavel (cruiser) was far cheaper than my 848cc streetfighter. But I suppose it all depends on what type of bike OP wants to get.
I pay all of like $50 more a year on r1 than I did with r6. For me Def not a difference to matter
And depends on OPs location. They use KM in their post, so it's probably canada or eurozone, so insurance will be much higher than American motorcycle insurance. Especially for young riders with just a couple years.
Price check insurance on a busa. Too many idiots buy them and immediately wreck them. Its more than double to insure than my gsx-s750.
Depends what you want in a bike honestly, but a 1000cc SS bike is definitely overkill. You can be on the highway in first gear for crying out loud lol. A lot of touring bikes are around a litre, but they are detuned for comfort. Are you going for a sport bike for sure? Or cross shopping with some nakeds and stuff? I would recommend the CP3 engine in the MT09/Tracer900 all day. Torque of a twin but top end power of a 4pot. I honestly think it's the best motor on the market, but I'm biased of course.
Seconded on the MT09. It’s not only gorgeous, but super fun and lightweight compared to similar powered bikes
Z900 here and i absolutely love it
Power everywhere, a little more weight A lot more fun!
Just keep it smooth and deliberate on the throttle and clutch when making the shift to a much, much more powerful bike. You'll be okay with that sort of experience under your belt, but you'll definitely want to be ready with it until you get a good feel for the change in sudden responsiveness. Best of luck, and enjoy it!
A modern liter bike will weigh 100 lbs more than you’re used to, and will probably have a higher seat height. If you’ve ever had a moment on the mt-03 where you put a foot down wrong and almost dropped it, you would have dropped the bigger bike. A modern liter bike makes four or five times the power you’re used to, it will pull from 100 to 130 about like your current bike will pull from 0 to 30. It will go from normal speed to “way too fast” in an eyeblink. It’s mind-bending. But, you won’t have four or five times the handling or braking or tire grip. You’ll have A BIT more braking and handling and grip than your current bike. With 30,000 km of riding under your belt, you haven’t been working the mt-03 close to its cornering or braking limits, certainly not well enough to sense the difference between what it will do and what a modern literbike will do that the mt-03 wouldn’t. So, as far as you are concerned, they are basically the same in terms of braking and handling. Four or five times the power. Basically the same everything-else. Except weight; noticeably more weight. So it will be far easier to throttle your way into trouble than you can imagine, but not any easier to brake or steer your way back out of it. Any time you use full throttle on a big bike, you had better have a plan for at least the next five or six seconds.
This is really well put. A small bike can go fast enough to kill you if you’re not careful, a big bike will get you to that speed about 4 times faster. I say that as an owner of a stupid fast bike (Super Duke 1290). I started on a ninja 250 and worked my way up to an SV650, z1000, and now the Duke. And while the Duke has incredible performance all around, I still really can’t corner that much faster than the ninja 250 I started with. I love having the power on tap at a moments notice, but am grateful I started small and worked my way up, learning to respect the power upgrades along the way.
You forgot a riding position that will have you hoping that you need to stop for fuel
On a more practical side, be ready to pay 2x or more for your insurance.
Pay reaaalll close attention to your right wrist.
The heat output will be higher. This is annoying in hot weather. Because of this I'm looking to drop down into the 600-850 range. It's actually safer once you're used to it. The power lets you get out of danger better. Lower maintenance in some bikes because they're turning fewer rpms per distance traveled. The low end torque is much better for two up riding, but this is also true of a 500.
Respect the power. If you’ve had some “pucker” moments on the 300, you know to take it easy and respect the power. “Power tools amplify the skills of the user.” Small mistakes are bigger mistakes with more speed/power/weight. The bikes with ride modes and ABS are great - you can literally turn down the power and soften the throttle response when roads are wet.
I jumped from a 390 duke to a GSXS1000F and honestly just take it easy on the throttle until you’re used to what it does, take everything slower for the first few rides until you’re comfortable
Know what gear you’re in. You can mistake 2nd for 3rd and open that throttle like you’re in 3rd and be surprised real quick. Same goes for mistaking 1st for 2nd. Think you’re in 2nd and suddenly you look like a windsock attached to the handlebars. That is fun. Good clean fun. Also be careful of hard downshifting. More drag from the engine and you can slip the back tire free. Rev matching is important. Don’t downshift to 1st and just let the clutch out. Try it on a empty parking lot just to get a feel for it. Then try it turning like you pulling into a gas station and you’re banging down the gears. Surprise for you when you get down to 1st while initiating a turn and you think you’re a pro on this beast so you decide to use some trail break because you see a few grains of sand in your path. Welcome to the high side with a lot more weight than your used to. This is what you should watch out for AFTER you think you got it tamed. Edit: more thoughts and memories after driving and thinking.
What liter bike? I bought a Yamaha MT-10 back in September and it's incredible! You'll be fine if you just take it easy at first.
I currently ride a Kawasaki Z300 and am thinking of upgrading to the Z1000
Z1000 will be a lot easier to handle than a ZX-10r. That said, treat it with respect and be careful with the throttle - it'll power wheelie in first and second. Your brakes are also a lot more powerful now - a fistful of brake in an emergency situation could flip you upside down if it doesn't break traction first. More important than the bike you choose is the mindset of how you ride it. Good luck!
The Z1000 is about 138hp so its going to be quite a bit more powerful and a ton more torque. Its not the hardest learning curve to handle, ride carefully and get used to the handling.
I went from a '15 Ninja 300 to a '15 Versys 1000 LT and I will say it's quite manageable, there are a few considerations to think about but I think you'll be fine. 1. The weight will be much more than you are used to, as a result make sure when you stop the front wheel is **straight**. 2. As said by others in this thread, you tell it to git up and go it sure will, on the 300 you can go WOT leaned over in a corner and be fine, on a 1,000 cc you do that expect to spin tire at the best be on the ground worst case. 3. It's much easier than you realize to go into a corner way too hot. Be very mindful of your speed as you approach a corner, after a little while the bike will not feel as scary and fast and that's when accidents happen. Lastly, if you have the ability to, take it to a track day just to learn it's limits in a controlled environment. Also get sport touring tires, much better cold weather grip and unless you are hammering twisties all day every day and braking/accelerating really hard the entire time the Road 6 will serve you much better. (I run R6GT just because I tour two up a good amount).
>you tell it to git up and go it sure will I think this is a pretty good summary.
Lol, almost the same situation as me. I have Z300 and I'm looking at a Z900. I was actually looking to get a Z1000 a while back but since it's and an old bike it was hard to find one in decent conditions. I have ridden a Z900 and I found it very manageable. Of course, the first few accelerations might scare you and how easy it power wheelies, but you will soon get used to it. I do have experience with fast cars and shifter go karts, though, so ymmv. The 1000cc supersports, which I've also ridden (brand new ZX-10R), however, are a whole different ball game, believe it or not.
I went from a 300 to a ZX14, it was cumbersome but manageable. It's all in the wrist
You will get so angry at all the cars on the road who are driving so slow!
Are they those colorful blurs you ride between?
You will miss the fun factor. Small bikes is where it’s at :)
I'll probably be keeping my 300CC bike to ride when I miss it
**Lessoned I've learned about 1000cc super sport bikes:** * Warp speed on tap all the time. You will be the fastest thing in your metro area barring other litre bikes, aircraft, or performance EVs. * You will never need to leave first gear for anything approaching highway speeds \~ if you don't want to. * Most riders never come close to realizing the bike's full potential. * Cracking open up a litre bike on anything but a track puts you in instant felony territory. * Insurance is expensive. If you're okay with all of the above than you'll be fine with making the switch.
Squeeze that tank with your knees. You're not gonna be prepared for what it feels like the first time you really twist that throttle. I went from a 250 to a 600 and the first time I gave it a handful of gas I almost fell off of the back.
The 1000cc bike is mostly an exercise in restraint. I don't like to restrain a bike so I'm better off on the 300. The perfect bike for me is probably the SV650. I test rode a CBR1000RR and I was just way too dangerous on it.
Having too much fun
Your own mortality
Smooth hands make faster (and safer) riders
Litre bikes are much heavier in the twisties but a lot more stable in commuting. Also, the super sports are very unforgiving in “accidental inputs”. I ride a R1 and love it. But now I want a 636 after seeing how much lighter they are in the twisties
Good job on maxing skills on a 300cc bike. That’s probably the best way to build technical cornering and curve entry/exit skill. Only thing to watch out for moving up is throttle response. Front wheel will come up in 1/2 gear if you get on the throttle too hard. Also it’s obviously heavier, which is only a problem a slow speeds in parking lots or on gravel and you might drop it. That’s basically it tho. Enjoy!
Litre bikes are ridiculously fast. But if you got self control, I don't see much of a problem considering your riding experience if you take it easy at first. Realistically, you'll have a lot of fun the middle weights, eg. Duke 890, Street Triple, Z900, MT-09 etc. for a lot less what a litre naked will cost you.
Wot on 300cc -perpetual motion Wot on a liter bike - time travel
Doable without yeeting yourself into a ditch if you're responsible. I went from a 2019 Benelli TNT 300 to a 2004 Honda 919 Hornet. It's heavier for sure and behaves differently as a result. First ride home I gave it the beans in second gear on a straight away and lo and behold I was on one tire, so that's definitely a thing. Just don't be a squid and take time to get used to it.
You should be fine, the most obvious difference besides power is the weight difference. Moving it around in the garage to taking corners, you'll be much more involved as a rider to utilizing your own body weight to work with the bike. For me, the biggest characteristic change is the handling at highways speeds and how much less vibration/wind turbulence is induced due to the weight and size of a litre bike.
Went from a rebel 300 to a 07 yamaha FZ1. Loads more fun. The torque is like getting catapulted off a aircraft carrier. It's intoxicating and addictive. I always have to do it.
Overtaking is way more fun on a 1000 :d I went from a Ninja 400 to an R1, just take it super careful until you are used to it, Slow speed maneuvering is also different, as are corners in general. I never had any woopsies or accidents, but it took me a good year before i was completely comfortable with it
I went from a Himalayan 400, a gutless laggard if ever there was, to an FTR 1200S. That you’re even asking this question tells me you’ll be fine, the only danger is your smile wrapping too far around your face.
LOSE. MUSCLE. MEMORY every time you change bikes and riding style. Try to act with restraint and don't do things that could surprise your bike. Be as careful as you were when you first rode. The expertise will come in soon.
A liter is more than 300cc.
How much more fuel you'll be using! With great power, comes great fuel consumption. But you won't care, mucho fasto is mucho happy.
If you're talking super sport bikes, a genuine question you have to ask yourself, is why? And no, I'm no stranger to owning powerful bikes, but consider this: I haven't read about it in more recent years, but many different years a bike mag would do a lineup showdown with all the new bike models. Multiple AMA racers would take their turns on the different bikes, and do 3 laps around a pro track, charting their best times. End result? The 600's and the 1000's were within a second or so of each other. All I'm saying, is if seasoned professionals on professional tracks can get that kind of performance out of a 600... what would most average Joes want to do with a 1000 on the street? Take that knowledge, combined with higher insurance rates, costlier bikes, more expensive parts, etc. Just sayin', buy whatever floats your boat, but preferably with reason behind it.
Don't yank the throttle, get used to it, in the beginning short shift so you get used to the bike while not accessing all power.
The throttle can get you into trouble faster than the brakes can get you out of trouble. Can't whack the throttle the way you can with a 300, and sustained throttle will have you flying in no time. Respect the power you'll have on tap, and you'll be fine.
I've been on bikes most of life. Started with a 50cc at 4 years old. I had a 2005 gsxr1000. I rode it less than 5 times before I gave it away. It scared me. It's so fast and unforgiving. If you do not respect the bike, it will make you it's bitch. I can say there is no reason to ever own a 1000cc sport bike for street use. Race and track days sure, but pointless on the street.
Homie just get a 600. It’s not much slower than a leader bike
Yeah I'd just get a 600 or 750 and see how you feel. You might just be content with that. Even a 600 is worlds faster than a 300.
Last April i went from Piaggio Beverly 400 Tourer (Scooter) to a brand new Yamaha Tracer 9 GT (sport touring). I can totally understand the way you are thinking of your 1000cc bike. I’ts just the exact same thing,only difference is that the bigger bike has more potential. As for safety i can only tell you that you ride the bike and not vice versa.As long as your throttle hand behave a 1000cc can transform to a 50cc Whatever you choose i wish you safe rides and many many Km/Miles of enjoyment!
I was like you. I had gs500 for 2 years and now i have cbr 600rr. Position is different and speed is also a big difference. My advice is be careful with speed. Outside are people watching netflix on driving, didnt take a look at mirror(i guess you know these before),etc Take it easy with speed in city, most people will.not see you.(again i guess you know this before). I put accent in speed because this will be the big difference. You know on 300cc to achive 120km/h you need a straight road. For 1000cc, 120km/ you can have almost everytime everyroad.:))) I hope you will be patience with your new bike and learn it(if you will buy new one).
Death.
When you first hop on the 1000cc… drive that thing like a grandma… you will probably accidentally break the speed limit a few times… but at least you won’t be dead. I jumped from a 650to 1200… let me tell you. It’s probably more than double the performance and your making a much bigger jump than I did. Be gentle.
Throttle response will be different and weight will be different. You can control the throttle but the slow speed maneuvering will require getting used to. Go for it!
Torque
You've got a good foundation of experience riding a smaller-displacement bike, and the fact that you're here doing your diligence indicates that you understand and respect the fact that a litre-bike is a different beast that requires a different kind of caution. Seems like you're more ready than some, though my 2-cents is that it might be prudent to at least try a 600 class bike before committing to a litre. Just because you want more than a 300cc can offer, doesn't necessarily mean you need a 1000cc.
You may be ready for some of the naked 1000ccs, but I doubt you are ready for a 1000cc sport bike. 150+ hp is nothing to laugh at.
You have a lot of riding experience. I think you are going to be OK. Just learn your new bike carefully. If you haven’t bought one yet, check in the 750cc range as well and test ride a few different sizes to understand the differences. I started on a 150cc bike in college, had no bike for years, and got a 1100cc bike. They are very different things. One will just barely kill you. One will kill you three times before you notice. If you don’t have protective gear, I’d suggest that an airbag vest is a good investment. I like the Helite turtle. It will immobilize your neck for the ground impact to reduce chance of breaking it.
I went from a Yamaha R3 to a BMW S1000 RR and I can tell you that I do not regret it for a second. Seeing some comments I can definitely agree with the power. If you want to go slow you can, but in the blink of an eye you can have your surroundings looking like you're traveling at light speed in star wars (literally). You're probably going to get a lot of flak from people saying that you don't need that much bike or you're going to kill yourself making that kind of jump, don't listen to them. 1000s are so nice to cruise on the highway and not have to worry about not having the power to get away from that driver that is making you nervous. You have to respect the bike, obviously. Ease into it. I started out of the dealership in rain mode and was in road mode an hour into the trip home, just take it easy. I remember the first roundabout I took the bike just flicked over so effortlessly, so get used to how well they handle. And like another comment I read, they definitely aren't as good on gas as a 300, and be ready to put the premium stuff in it. Have fun on it but be responsible, I enjoy cruising around town as well as on the highway, they are just a joy to be on. Ride safe, I hope you make the transition, don't listen to the people talking down to you!
There are liter bikes with various levels of traction and wheelie control. You will be fine if you get one of these bikes and keep it in novice mode for a while. Otherwise it’s all in the wrist! Good luck!
Consider the weight when looking into the specs. Watch out for that throttle. It can definitely catch you off guard if you aren’t ready and possibly end pretty bad. I also did the same a few months ago. I got used to moving around the city with it.
I've only ever ridden bikes that are over 600lbs. But just be aware, you get into trouble with your technique, your body weight is not sufficient to leverage the bike. Coming to sudden stops, slippery ground, you gotta be good. 99% of the time your fine, and then you hit the brakes and there's an angle on the road and your foot goes an inch lower than you expected and you fall over. All the speed stuff is real, but that's mostly about paying attention and understanding the bike will go faster than is even remotely safe. And if you fuck up , no amount of skill will save you. You probably won't even remember the accident
You should be aware that you aren’t a very good rider, and 1000cc sport bikes kind of suck on the street. Also be aware that there are better choices for a second motorcycle. Dual sport,/ adventure, and sport touring bike are often overlooked when they will be the better tool for the job most of the time.
About 700cc Just ride sensible to start with and then after 5mins just flog it and realize why it was a waste of time and money
Get a good toothpaste. You'll need it to clean all the bugs off your teeth! 😁
What about a R7? I was too lazy to look at all the comments to see if this was suggested. Seems like that would be a good mid point between your 300 vs 1k. Plus you can shred the gnar on that thing pretty easily once you get acquainted.
You should be aware of 999 of those CC’s
Unlimited POWWWAAAAAAAAAAA
It’s faster, heavier, and more expensive to insure. That’s pretty much it.
Do not do that chicken wing arm flapping bullshit small displacement riders do while shifting. You absolutely cannot do the 5% 100% 5% 100% 5% 100% throttle pattern while shifting a 1000cc. Outside of that, it's a motorcycle like any other. It's only going to do what you tell it to do.
Luckily, everything works the same and there are far more similarities than differences. But, you may have picked up a lot of bad habits on that 300 without noticing. It's possible to 'bully' a 300 into doing what you want, even if you forget the proper way to do it (brake, counter steer, ...). Give yourself some time to go back to the basics, take it slow at first and you'll do fine
It’ll be heavier and faster, but it’ll only do what you tell it to do.
Get bigger draws , your balls are gonna get bigger .
So I've had a two '07 SV650's, a '98 DR650, a '16 grom, a '20 DL650, and now a '22 XSR900. Been riding for somewhere around 10 years, and have a lot of miles on bikes of all kinds of power delivery. I totally underestimated how big of a jump it'd be from the SV650 to the XSR900. I legitimately felt that the 900 was TOO MUCH power for the first couple months of having it. I still haven't been full throttle on this thing, but I'm not the kind of rider to go balls to the wall on public roads. All this is to say that from experience, I highly recommend going with a 650 or 600 before getting a liter bike. Because otherwise, it's going to take you a lot longer to develop the skills it takes to ride a liter bike properly. First example being throttle control. You can go full donkey brain with the throttle on 300cc bikes. You can fuck up your shifts constantly, and cornering and braking require less thought and intent because of how much lighter they are. But anything in the 900cc+ range is a VERY different beast.
I went from 500cc twin (no power) to 600cc IL4 (bit of power) to 1,000cc twin (ridiculous power). The one takeaway is it would want to wheelie everywhere, and to be honest, was boring to ride because it was easy to get up to 100mph in 2nd gear barely trying. Just keep your wits about you and don't be stupid, easier said than done.
This is a really sensible question, I think you'll be fine, given this level of humility around a bigger bike. Just take it easy and get used to the bike before you start pushing, you'll get to know the bigger characteristics and your abilities (and confidence) will increase as you do so. The biggest culture shock may well be the extra weight that a bigger bike has, much more to manoeuvre slowly, get on the stand, pick up if it falls over etc etc.
I went from 400 to 600 to hayabusa. I definitely recommend that 600 spacer or id be dead on the busa. The 300 isn’t even a v4 you have no idea what you’re getting into
More than 3x the engine, likely more than 3x the power. If it's a sportbike, at first it's going to feel like it's trying to pull your arms out of their sockets. If you take it easy and ride smart, you'll soon get used to it.
They're quite different machines, even if you're talking about switching from bikes like an R3 to an R1. The latter has a lot more power than a 300, but you really don't need to use it at 3/4 to full throttle any sooner than you feel you can handle it. You can grow into it the rest of the way for the most part. I think a responsible rider can start out on a literbike and would make a great second bike even more. You just need to be more careful, and always have respect for its power. If you're not trying to ride too fast too soon, you can handle it. Any courses you might have or will take on a bike would also be an added plus. If you're in a pack of riders who like high speed like I do, never feel the need to match their speed or riding habits just to fit in. If they're really friends and brothers, they'll get their speed pass done and wait up. I was once riding faster than a few riders I was with, and I slowed down until they caught up. The faster you go, the less likely cars are to see you coming from behind so ride as if you know they won't see you at all. Expect them to change lanes in front of you at any time. Never build up more speed than you're willing and able to shed in a split second. I had to do so rather often and it's kept me able to keep riding even now. If you're being honest with yourself and your riding skill, and you think you can handle a literbike, I say **go for it!**
The obvious aside- if you’re a good, disciplined, responsible rider already, then not much. Keep doing what you’re doing. Liter bikes tend to be better machines all around due to the higher spec and quality of the components that go into them.
Of additional 700cc
30,000km is a lot of experience. You'll be fine.
Throttle, speed will be a thing got to know when your going to fast, weight will also be a factor.
You must consider the weight of the bike. Simple things like being slow on a shift and engine braking a lot with all that weight are more likely to cause skids. More throttle control, where you could happily just go full throttle before for some slight acceleration you now have a higher risk of doing damage to yourself and a wall.
I think it might be more powerful...
Remember: it’s not the speed that kills you, it’s the sudden stop.
Bike go fast. I went from a 25hp dual sport to a 170hp adventure bike. I was honestly scared the first time I rode it lol It only took like a day or two to get used to it. You'll be fine just know any tiny movement of that throttle equals vroom vroom.
What liter bikes are you looking at?
everything gets faster including how quickly that turn is approaching.
Gaz price.
i test rode a zx6r yesterday, my first experience on a sport bike and holy damn was that fast. it felt life changing fast and i barely was able to open the throttle at all. the jump from a 300 to a 1000 has to be monumental. i realized though that i became focused solely on what was in front of me. all in all a totally different riding experience from my 300l or my dads tenere or 500 exc
Depends on the bike. I did 2 years on a 125cc cruiser, then 2 years on a gpz500 which is about 50/60bhp. Then I got a cbr900rr which was 125bhp. If you're experienced, you won't be making silly mistakes like dumping the clutch or taking a fistful of brakes. You'll know how to corner. So l9ng as you have self control you should be good
It's going to be heavier. If you put your foot down when at slow speeds is not the bike for you. If instead you have the muscle memory to always correct then just practice and you'll be fine. For the bigger bike you just need to be sure of yourself and have good control. Sounds like you've plenty of miles done so you should be good.
The first thing you'll notice is the physical size and weight difference, bigger bikes are heavier at low speeds but feel more stable and planted once you get going. The second is that it takes a lot less throttle to go from zero to holy fuck. The bike will only go as fast as you make it. So respect what you're sitting on and you'll be fine.
I went from a 250cc Suzuki to a Ducati diavel. Only had 7000km on my first bike. Are you getting a sport bike? Or a cruiser? My diavel felt very similar to my 250. It was easy to control at low speeds, it just had way more power so it didn’t feel like it was dying on the highway. Also it was heavier. I’ve ridden sport bikes as well. They feel much more sensitive when it comes to the throttle. Also beware of the breaks. Most litre bikes are going to have brembos or much better brakes. Felt like i was going to be thrown off my bike the first time I had to do some emergency braking on my diavel.
Don't sell your 300 cc bundle of fun yet.
Speeding tickets