What Qualifies As A Big Bike?

[poanoi]

uhh, hear ya !

[yankee99]

Stupid thread, or am I just stupid for reading it and replying?

IMHO thought in terms of weight, over 400-450 pounds is a big bike. Over 650 lbs, hog....

Harley riders were shaken after riding my tuned 500 2 stroke dirt bike, a 225 lb bike, which was all crazy peaky power band (I still dream about that bike). And, at the same time, I was nervous riding their Softtail/sportster/FatBoy because of the weight.

Best definition I heard in Thailand: if your Thai mother in law can't pick the fallen bike up, than it's a big bike.

you. sure do reply enough to a stupid thread?

[Fishenough]

Stupid thread, or am I just stupid for reading it and replying?

IMHO thought in terms of weight, over 400-450 pounds is a big bike. Over 650 lbs, hog....

Harley riders were shaken after riding my tuned 500 2 stroke dirt bike, a 225 lb bike, which was all crazy peaky power band (I still dream about that bike). And, at the same time, I was nervous riding their Softtail/sportster/FatBoy because of the weight.

Best definition I heard in Thailand: if your Thai mother in law can't pick the fallen bike up, than it's a big bike.

you. sure do reply enough to a stupid thread?

I blame my stupid smart phone, this has happened on other occasions when I posting using my HTC.

But how da heck to I fix it on ThaiVisa, easy to do on other forums. Help

[mania]

I blame my stupid smart phone, this has happened on other occasions when I posting using my HTC.

But how da heck to I fix it on ThaiVisa, easy to do on other forums. Help

You cannot fix it.

Just forget it & the page will turn shortly

alternatively you can ask a mod to delete it but,

not really a big deal....sh1t happens

[AllanB]

I guess this is a small.bike?

What is my ex-Mrs doing on that guys bike...glad to see she has lost weight?

A big bike is one that has power/grunt, so forget anything under 400cc, should sound good too

[submaniac]

In Thailand-->anything over 250cc is a "big bike".

In USA-->basically 1000cc and over is a "big bike".

600cc-750cc are still considered "middleweight". And that's because in the USA there aren't that many 250cc street legal bikes (the Kawasaki 250cc was pretty much the only game in town for nearly 30 years) since the 250cc's didn't really have the power for the freeways (and really the 250 Kawasaki or Honda CBR250 doesn't have freeway power for the United States). In the United States, the larger displacement is necessary because on the freeways you need to be able to do sudden acceleration to evade the cars changing into your lane. In Thailand, bikes aren't even allowed on the tollways, so you really don't have stretches of open road where the displacement will really become useful.

[Fishenough]

In Thailand-->anything over 250cc is a "big bike".

In USA-->basically 1000cc and over is a "big bike".

600cc-750cc are still considered "middleweight". And that's because in the USA there aren't that many 250cc street legal bikes (the Kawasaki 250cc was pretty much the only game in town for nearly 30 years) since the 250cc's didn't really have the power for the freeways (and really the 250 Kawasaki or Honda CBR250 doesn't have freeway power for the United States). In the United States, the larger displacement is necessary because on the freeways you need to be able to do sudden acceleration to evade the cars changing into your lane. In Thailand, bikes aren't even allowed on the tollways, so you really don't have stretches of open road where the displacement will really become useful.

I was in LA last month taxi'ing between 3 different locations; I saw 2 new CBR250's on the freeways. Most likely commuters. The WR250r is a very in-demand bike south of the border (US).

Not enough good bikes under 600 cc in north America for the road period.

[mania]

Not enough good bikes under 600 cc in north America for the road period.

I think as we continue into the era of past peak oil & fuel prices continue to rise we might see more small displacement bikes.

( 150-400cc ranges )

Hopefully it also spurs the manufacturers to increase the power of the smaller displacements with simple

improvements that they use to employ but stopped for reasons unknown...Except to maybe push customers to bigger

more costly machines.

[smedly]

In Thailand-->anything over 250cc is a "big bike".

In USA-->basically 1000cc and over is a "big bike".

600cc-750cc are still considered "middleweight". And that's because in the USA there aren't that many 250cc street legal bikes (the Kawasaki 250cc was pretty much the only game in town for nearly 30 years) since the 250cc's didn't really have the power for the freeways (and really the 250 Kawasaki or Honda CBR250 doesn't have freeway power for the United States). In the United States, the larger displacement is necessary because on the freeways you need to be able to do sudden acceleration to evade the cars changing into your lane. In Thailand, bikes aren't even allowed on the tollways, so you really don't have stretches of open road where the displacement will really become useful.

but a 250cc will outperform a 1000cc + Harley so your logic doesn't really fit

Bikes not being allowed on tollways in Thailand is understandable when you consider the law was in effect to stop 100cc bikes swarming the highways but in my opinion this law needs some revision as the are now many legal large displacement bikes more than capable of maintaining highway speeds, I'd like to see the law revised to allow bikes of 600cc or more to use tollways although the exception to this rule might possibly be Harleys, on the rare occasion I've been riding and seen Harleys they tend to cruise at sub 80kmph speeds and this could be a danger on the tollways, my cruising speed is between 130 and 160kmph with over 300kmph available, not picking on HD's but that is my experience

[Gweiloman]

I agree with you that the law should be revised to allow some bikes to use tollways / bridges as these bikes are more than capable of keeping up with the traffic and in fact would be able to go faster than 95% of other vehicles using the same road. However, the criteria is key here; how many cc? My bike is 650 - so I have no issue with your criteria. But what about a CBR500 rider? He can easily fulfill the speed requirement as well as most 250 bikes.

[KRS1]

I think a big bike can be defined as something that can cruise at freeway speeds of 120kph comfortably without the engine stressing , with ample power for further acceleration.

Not to sure the CBR 250 should be considered a big bike, you have to redline in order to be up to speed. Whoever said all the power is down low in the CBR 250 must have been joking.

[smedly]

I think a big bike can be defined as something that can cruise at freeway speeds of 120kph comfortably without the engine stressing , with ample power for further acceleration.

Not to sure the CBR 250 should be considered a big bike, you have to redline in order to be up to speed. Whoever said all the power is down low in the CBR 250 must have been joking.

agree 100% but the problem here is that as I pointed out above some large displacement bikes would have problems maintaining safe highway speeds and what makes it even worse is that these types of bikes often cruise in large groups at low speeds effectively creating a dangerous hazzard on highways/tollways, I'd like to possibly see a trial for a few months for 600cc and above and see how it goes

[KRS1]

I think a big bike can be defined as something that can cruise at freeway speeds of 120kph comfortably without the engine stressing , with ample power for further acceleration.

Not to sure the CBR 250 should be considered a big bike, you have to redline in order to be up to speed. Whoever said all the power is down low in the CBR 250 must have been joking.

agree 100% but the problem here is that as I pointed out above some large displacement bikes would have problems maintaining safe highway speeds and what makes it even worse is that these types of bikes often cruise in large groups at low speeds effectively creating a dangerous hazzard on highways/tollways, I'd like to possibly see a trial for a few months for 600cc and above and see how it goes

There would be some, but not all wouldnt be able to maintain highway speeds. I think slower big bikes can be considered the same as slow drivers or slow cars. There will always be some.

[wantan]

I think a big bike can be defined as something that can cruise at freeway speeds of 120kph comfortably without the engine stressing , with ample power for further acceleration.

Not to sure the CBR 250 should be considered a big bike, you have to redline in order to be up to speed. Whoever said all the power is down low in the CBR 250 must have been joking.

agree 100% but the problem here is that as I pointed out above some large displacement bikes would have problems maintaining safe highway speeds and what makes it even worse is that these types of bikes often cruise in large groups at low speeds effectively creating a dangerous hazzard on highways/tollways, I'd like to possibly see a trial for a few months for 600cc and above and see how it goes

There would be some, but not all wouldnt be able to maintain highway speeds. I think slower big bikes can be considered the same as slow drivers or slow cars. There will always be some.

Yep, this is why in most countries there is simply a maximum AND minimum speed on highways/tollways. It has nothing to do with cc of the engine. The problem are not "slow" vehicles that don't go faster than 100-120kmh. The problem are vehicles that don't stick to the speed limit and go much too fast, creating dangerous situations

[BSJ]

IMHO thought in terms of weight, over 400-450 pounds is a big bike. Over 650 lbs, hog....

Harley riders were shaken after riding my tuned 500 2 stroke dirt bike, a 225 lb bike, which was all crazy peaky power band (I still dream about that bike). And, at the same time, I was nervous riding their Softtail/sportster/FatBoy because of the weight.

Best definition I heard in Thailand: if your Thai mother in law can't pick the fallen bike up, than it's a big bike.

Unless she watched this how to video!

At the Victory dealership in Melbourne (Australia not Florida) a salesman showed me how to do the same thing with a Vision.

[dagling]

A big bike starts from 1600cc ;.))) All the rest is a small bike;-)))

[Gweiloman]

A big bike starts from 1600cc ;.))) All the rest is a small bike;-)))

For underpowered cruisers and Harleys...............

[poanoi]

Most clubs has 650 cc limit for membership, alas the question is answered

[macknife]

I think a big bike can be defined as something that can cruise at freeway speeds of 120kph comfortably without the engine stressing , with ample power for further acceleration.

Not to sure the CBR 250 should be considered a big bike, you have to redline in order to be up to speed. Whoever said all the power is down low in the CBR 250 must have been joking.

I've always considered you very knowledgeable about bikes, but in this case you don't know what you're talking about.

A CBR 250 or even a new CBR150 can easily cruise at 120kph and be nowhere near the redline.

[dagling]

A big bike starts from 1600cc ;.))) All the rest is a small bike;-)))

For underpowered cruisers and Harleys...............

And you called a 1700cc Roadstar for "underpowered"??? It`s all about the torque my friend when we talk about big cruisers, not even Harley`s can match the torque from a 1700 Roadstar;-)))

[smedly]

A big bike starts from 1600cc ;.))) All the rest is a small bike;-)))

some things had four wheels - two very large at the rear and then the rest - it's xalled a tractorharley owned by Davids son

Edited February 16, 2013 by smedly

[smedly]

A big bike starts from 1600cc ;.))) All the rest is a small bike;-)))

some things just need four wheels - two very large at the rear and then the rest - it's called a Harl..... but some <deleted> decided to cut the farming machine in half and now everyone thinks it's a cool motorbike at a million baht but really it's half a farming tool

just kidding

Edited February 16, 2013 by smedly

[smedly]

A big bike starts from 1600cc ;.))) All the rest is a small bike;-)))

For underpowered cruisers and Harleys...............

And you called a 1700cc Roadstar for "underpowered"??? It`s all about the torque my friend when we talk about big cruisers, not even Harley`s can match the torque from a 1700 Roadstar;-)))

and you are towing a caravan ?

too funny - I recently had a couple of noise makers big torque machines race me off the lights several times - straight road and what did the torque and noise accout for..... zilsh

If you understand torque and we were towing a caravan I would lose (wouldn't want to) - but single seat or with passenger I will reach 110kmph in 1st gear in less than 3 secs and 2nd gear is beyond any Harley on the road and I still have 4 gears to go but that said our bikes are about enjoyment and what rocks your boat, did anyone see the big ride around Pattaya today - wow

pretty cool

[smedly]

and just for info, I believe the torque master is a vmax - if you want to tow a caravan that's the best option

[smedly]

I believe there's a harley in there with loads of torque - who needs a tent

[NeverSure]

Completely arbitrary. Personally I feel it's 400cc. When I had my NSR150, it was referred to as a "big bike" by Thai's. Back in the states a bike must be 250cc or larger to be driven on the highways.

Depends entirely on the state. Some even regulate wheel size.

It's the land of the free

No, it's the land of reasonable and enforced traffic laws, and safe driving. There is also a minimum speed on freeways. You can't drive a big truck without a license for that. You need a motorcycle endorsement to ride one.

When it comes to driving, Thailand is the land of the (free for all.)

[BSJ]

Whatever Smedly is taking.......I want some! But maybe not as much.

[smedly]

ha ha too late to edit lol, way too much nectar last night

[Gweiloman]

A big bike starts from 1600cc ;.))) All the rest is a small bike;-)))

For underpowered cruisers and Harleys...............

And you called a 1700cc Roadstar for "underpowered"??? It`s all about the torque my friend when we talk about big cruisers, not even Harley`s can match the torque from a 1700 Roadstar;-)))

Good point! Before I continue further, I would like to excuse myself in that I'd consumed about half a bottle of black label so I will have deniability if required

There is no doubt that some cruisers are extremely powerful (with lots of torque) and can potentially hit high speeds. However, the genre of these bikes gives the game away - cruisers - i.e. they are built to CRUISE and to be extremely comfortable in doing so. So what does CRUISE mean to the layman? First words that come to (my) mind - smooth, comfortable, effortless (much like when I engage my cruise control in my car).

Next - bikers - what comes to mind? Rebels, idiots, out to kill themselves, druggies, hippies, slackers, good for nothing etc etc etc.

So - do bikers ride cruisers? IMHO, NO! Who rides cruisers? Lawyers, doctors, accountants, the list goes on but essentially white collars. Now, what has this to do with the topic in question? Absolutely F.A. Except that if you want to know what a big bike is, you don't ask a doctor or lawyer or accountant (which sadly, I admit to being) but you ask a biker (which is what I aspire to be).

To sum up, a big bike is a bike which makes you take a deep breath before you swing you leg over, a deeper breath before you press the start toggle and a silent prayer before letting off the clutch (naturally, the cc, weight, height etc of the bike varies from rider to rider). A cruiser? Hell, that ain't a bike, that's merely a form of transportation

p/s: please take the above in good spirit as no offense is intended. Would love to ride with you one day. IIRC, you're somewhere in Isaan, near Ubon?

[DiNiro]

I always wanted a Harley but was too shy to dress up like a pirate.