MC endorsement vs. current ride

[Trapper]

Just a thread to see what you all took the road test on vs. what you ride now.

test- Suzuki DR650
now - Suzuki Marauder 800

[DrBob]

Took the test originally in New Hampshire on a 1976 Honda CB 750 F. Twenty years and ten bikes later I am on an Intruder 800.

[RookWV]

Katana 600

GSXR 750

[themeatmanlandry]

GZ 2-fitty
I ride a Bandit 600S.

The two-fitty was a real nice machine. I'd actually like to have one for just tootiin' around, but I'd probably never use it.

It was very different (for me) riding the Bandit. It's WAY taller, it has more power, it handles much better (I guess . . . never really got that GZ up above 30 or so, as I remember), and everything is harder to pull (brakes, clutch). Also, the GZ would rev up like a muscle car (long rev . . . hung around before dying out), whereas the Bandit has a quick, snappy rev (quickly revs to redline, then dies off just as quickly). This must mean that the GZ had more crankshaft/piston mass (and thus, momentum) than the Bandit has.

[EDIT: Read that last sentence, keeping in mind that the GZ has a single-cylinder, 250cc engine, and the Bandit has a four-cylinder, 600cc engine. I must be wrong. Can that single 250cc-displacement piston and its rod weigh more than four 150cc-displacement pistons and their rods? It just can't be.

. . . and . . . if the Bandit does, in fact, have more rotating crank mass . . . how do you account for the revving differences? Valve train? Bearings? Lupus? Is it lupus?

Maybe I haven't put enough thought into this . . . or maybe I'm thinking too much, what do I know?

Anyone?]

[axel_2078]

Test: Honda Nighthawk 250

Now: Suzuki Marauder VZ800

[bandit12]

Tested on a KZ 550
Now have a 1200 Bandit S

[St0nkingByte]

Test: Yamaha XT225 Dual Sport

Now: Marauder 800

The knobby tires were especially unnerving in the dual u-turn part

[c50tiger]

Originally licensed in Alabama on an old Yamaha 250. No road test.
Moved back to NC and road tested on an '81 Honda CM400.
Now: C50 (duh)

[tlwisner]

Tested in Kentucky on an '02 Suzuki GZ 250. I still have it, gathering some dust. Current rides are my '94 Kawasaki Concours ZG1000 and my '05 C50. See them all at www.wisner.us

I did my riding test and got my "M" a while before I took the MSF class, since I had previous experience on dirtbikes, scooters, etc.

The MSF classes and the motorcycle driving test both show the ability to drive around an empty area at 20 mph or less.

[ozbound]

Test Kawasaki Z1000

Now Suzuki GSX1400

+ my commuter a Suzuki 1200S

[Va bene]

MSF Course/Test: Suzuki GZ 250
(took the test and passed at the end of the MSF course using their motorcycle; had never been on a motorcycle as a rider before the course)

Learned on the Road/Ride Now: Suzuki Savage LS 650
(knew I needed more power than a 250 and love the peppy ride of a thumper)

[Nexus242]

Buel Blast

SV650

[YellowJacket]

Kaw 125
S50

[Gixxerdale]

Then 1972 Ducati 450
In between, to many to list. Some Good, some bad.
Now Gixxer 1000
Next Busa for retirement riding!

[Phease]

Test: Honda CG125

Now: GSX600F

[Louis]

Test: Suzuki Savage 650

Now: Kaw GPz 550

[Clint]

Tested on a 1989 Yamaha Radian (600).

Meatman, other factors include length of stroke, compression, flywheel mass and diameter (which I think makes the difference here), and total friction. The single was probably designed with a big flywheel to keep it idling well, and since it's less powerful it winds up (and down) less quickly. The Bandit makes more power, may have a smaller/lighter flywheel, a shorter stroke, and more friction due to the much more complex valvetrain.

Also, it could be lupus.

[themeatmanlandry]

Flywheel!!!

Yes!!

That's it. Forgot about the flywheel. Doh!!

Thanks, Rowdy. I'm glad we ruled out Lupus (or . . . did we?).

[c50tiger]

Yo Meat - in re your new avatar and such... it's spelled Lancashire - and now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall

[FIVEINCH]

2004 Suzuki GSX-R600

MSF Course Qual'd.