What Qualifies As A Big Bike?

[poanoi]

You get used to it somewhat, it helps to drink beer & hang out with bikers, it sorta become the norm,

-at least enough to encourage you to wear it

[JonnyF]

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

Option 2 - Cowboy

Option 3 - The Village People

It's a pretty flexible dress code when you think about it Seriously though, I've ridden cruisers but never owned one. I've considered buying one many times but then I think of the speed, reliability, brakes etc. of a sports bike and it becomes hard to justify spending big bucks on a bike that a 250 will out perform. Unless it's the image you want - but in my case that 'Wild Hogs' image that comes to mind when I see/hear these bikes is an unfortunate drawback of a cruiser rather than something I would really want to be associated with.

[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.

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.

I have a CBR 250 and have been experimenting with it since Friday. If you look in the classifieds you'll see my post looking for one.

I said, it should be able to cruise, plus have ample acceleration at that cruising speed. CBR 250 does not have ample acceleration after 110 kph unless you push it to cut out rpm at 10.5 rpm, which is redline.But i guess that depends on personal opinions of how fast acceleration should be, for me its just not enough.,

Bike doesnt come alive until 8.5k rpm, then ecu cuts out hard at 10.5k rpm.

I'll be experimenting with this bike to see what i can pull out of it, cheaply.

Bike handles great though, and ive been able to hit 155kph downhill with the wind so far...hopefully that will change to 170 kph soon.

Edited February 18, 2013 by KRS1

[BSJ]

We really haven't settled this argument have we!

Maybe we can all agree this is an old steam locomotive, yes?

[loserlazer]

Ok then. I say any bike with clutch and above 148 cc is a big bike here in Thailand.

Start to count from cbr150 and go up.

[poanoi]

It is settled as far as bike clubs goes, the lower limit is 650cc, or you arent welcome in the men's club,

join the thai boys

[smedly]

A different way of thinking - I'll throw a stake in the ground - when you can do 280kmph and still have a gear to go then we can count backwards from that in ever decreasing circles - it's up to each individual where they think they fit in the scale of things

just sayin

[YipYipYa123]

Unless it's the image you want - but in my case that 'Wild Hogs' image that comes to mind when I see/hear these bikes is an unfortunate drawback of a cruiser rather than something I would really want to be associated with.

i am not a harley fan but i can see they have appeal to some as a brand with heritage or a lifestyle statement

some owners here maybe attention seeking with low speed and insane noisy exhasusts but many thais also own powerful 1000cc+ supersports and dont really go anywhere ,except maybe to show it off at starbucks or outdoor bars at esplanade / rca / sukhumvit etc

not like its just harley owners though ,plenty of young thai guys with new ktm and ducattis use em as fashion statements and park on the footpath by the door of trendy nightspots athough there is a secure attended car park at the back

(but nobody would see or know who owns it if it they parked it there )

if it helps them get more face or girls or whatever ,i suppose thats reason enough and id rather see em using bikes for posing than getting killed speeding on a 1 litre bike that they have not nearly enough skill and exprernce to handle

my wife worked in a uk hospital once and motorcyclists were referred to as "organ donors" by the staff

heres a nice entertaining video for anyone who doesnt like harleys though ....

[Neilly]

The law in UK used to be (still?) that nothing under 250 was allowed on the Motorways and that you couldn't ride a bike over 250 until you passed your test (I know that bit changed years and years ago)...so the UK set the limit at 250cc

[JonnyF]

It is settled as far as bike clubs goes, the lower limit is 650cc, or you arent welcome in the men's club,

join the thai boys

I'm guessing these bike clubs wonder what happened when something like an R6 or the new ZX636 blasts past them, still accelerating at 250kph

I guess it doesn't really matter how your bike is classified, as long as it's capable of what you need it for...

[NeverSure]

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

If you want to ride a few thousand miles with your lady up, and your luggage on board, and drive at legal speeds while climbing the steepest grades in the Rocky Mountains, you'll appreciate low end torque. After a few days with 8 hours in the saddle, you could get sick of that 8,000 RPM buzzer. You could also get sick of your riding posture. There are legitimate reasons for cruisers.

Just because a guy has what he thinks is a fast bike doesn't mean he knows how to ride it. Watch a very skilled rider on a fairly stock Harley Wide Glide run away and hide from an S1100RR BMW sport bike in the REAL dangerous twisties.

This is a climb of one full mile in elevation, through steep 180 degree sharp turns with drop offs over the sides of thousands of feet. The kid with the camera on the BMW is scared chitless and the old man in front on the Harley is chilled out, riding a nearly perfect line and countersteering. This is the prime example of "Old age and treachery will overcome youth and inexperience every time."

This is the real world.

[smedly]

I'm lucky that I have a reasonable amount of low down torque, very seldom have to change gear to pass - it pulls from about 3-4k revs, my mate has a 1000RR and he's pissed off changing gear to keep up - one of the many reasons I bought my current ride

[poanoi]

It is settled as far as bike clubs goes, the lower limit is 650cc, or you arent welcome in the men's club,

join the thai boys

I'm guessing these bike clubs wonder what happened when something like an R6 or the new ZX636 blasts past them, still accelerating at 250kph

My best guess is they wonder over the sex of that'un flaunting his/her ass,

and get naughty ideas on the fetal position

Edited February 28, 2013 by poanoi

[rookball]

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.

being a seasoned and spoilt xr400 rider, my balls were never the same after i took my mates ktm300 for 3 laps. cant imagine what a 500 2 stroker would do cr500?

[Fishenough]

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.

being a seasoned and spoilt xr400 rider, my balls were never the same after i took my mates ktm300 for 3 laps. cant imagine what a 500 2 stroker would do cr500?

KTM 500 MX, 65 hp stock, but I bought one tweaked with new carb and pipe. At the time desert racers could get 100 hp out of the engine, actually the chap that bought mine built it into a paddle tired thing. Was an easy to control bike if you were used to 2 stroke MX'ers, but it you worked the fairly wide power band it was addictive. All 225 lbs of it. Honestly did feel it should be used where there was no corners and trees, it could build speed wonderfully/crazy quick.

Guess it's like; "once I dated a porn star, and......"

[poanoi]

"once I dated a porn star, and......"

Not uncommon in LOSTD, i dont know anyone who didnt

[Fishenough]

"once I dated a porn star, and......"

Not uncommon in LOSTD, i dont know anyone who didnt

Ron Jeremy was never my type.

[BSJ]

"once I dated a porn star, and......"

Not uncommon in LOSTD, i dont know anyone who didnt

Ron Jeremy was never my type.

What! Maybe you like the more refined type do you?

[ilovemotorbikes]

Big bikes to me are 600cc up, but here in thailand anything which isnt a scooter is seen as a "bigger bike" In USA its much easier to own a big bike especially if its a cruiser, i drive my 1200cc there with ease. thai traffic and road conditions make big bikes harder to live with especially in urban traffic. nimble bikes are amazing for avoiding that rush hour traffic in bangkok and increasingly pattaya.

check out my black phantom in the classifieds, its got plenty of that big bike attitude for a smaller bike.