From: rich@grebyn.com (Richard Lawrence)
Subject: Re: what is Too Much Power?
Keywords: this is not bait
Organization: Grebyn Timesharing
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 05:36:45 GMT

Well hell, I'll play this Ed Green "we can recapture the rec.moto & DoD
spirit" game.

In article <1350@emoryu1.cc.emory.edu> pdomain@emory.edu (Mike Mitten) writes:
>So, I took the MSF Rider Course in August, and I've been looking to

Good start.

>get my first motorcycle.  Indications seem to be that I should
>start with something 500cc or under.  Now, I've got a line on a
>bike for a *very* good price, but it's an 850.  What I'm wondering
>is, why shouldn't I get it?
>
>Am I going to panic, twist the throttle open, and perform a
>motorcycle/operator inversion?  Am I going to get out on the
>Interstate, open it up to DoD nominal, and implant myself into the
>back door of the nearest tractor-trailer?  I think I can keep my
>squidley-gene in its natural recessive state.

Note the following: cubic centimeters * fudge factor = real power

That is, there is not a linear progression of power/speed to cubic
centimeters, much as the advertising people would like you to think so.
It is possible to tune a bitty 250 to the point it has scary power and
ripping acceleration; or to have a 1200 that could be described as
"lazy" by the kinder critics. There are *plenty* of mighty dangerous
500's, for example, so don't settle on a particular range and think
"that's safe".

As for your 850, what kind of bike is it? If it was designed primarily
as a sport bike, then yes, I think 850 is a little large for a beginner.
However, if you happen to be a moron you will be able to kill yourself
with any displacement. :-)

To answer your questions, you'd be surprised how much effort it takes to
flip a bike, even one with good power - studly poser comments aside, you
usually have to mean to (there are exceptions). If you spend lots of
time at DoD nominal anywhere near tractor trailers, then it was nice
knowing you. The natural state of the squidly gene is not necessarily
recessive. 

>Is it a question of handling the mass of a larger bike?  I guess
>the bigger they are, the heavier they are, but I'm not sure what
>that will mean for a first-time rider.

The bigger they are, the heavier, but the better designed, the less you
feel it. You shouldn't go hopping on the nearest leadwing, but keep this
in mind. Also, cc's doesn't imply weight. The CBR900 weighs less than
most 600's. LIGHT DOES NOT EQUAL SAFE. In fact, excessively light and
responsive bikes can be quite dangerous to the neophyte rider because
beginners tend to overcompensate for errors. Super handlers are not
forgiving of mistakes. For that matter, no bike is, but what the hell.

>If it helps, my main uses for the bike will be getting around town,
>and getting out of town.  Either getting a mountain bike to the
>mountains, or getting myself somewhere for vacation.

There's a mess of really good bikes out there. Welcome to the fold, just
try not to get the sheep too excited in your new role as the wolf.
>
>Thanks for any insight you can give (and Ed, this is not bait :-).
>
>  -Mike
>
>Mike Mitten - pdomain@emory.edu - Irony is the spice of life. - DoD#522
>I do not speak for Emory University, nor for Public Domain, Inc.


-- 
Rich Lawrence, Synoptics Systems Engineer  DOD#9630  rich@grebyn.com
     '92 Seca II "Yuri"  CI$:71101,2272  GEnie:R.LAWRENCE14
   216 years ago my government gave me certain inalienable rights.
     Since then, they've been trying to correct their mistake.