A Bit Quicker.

tenderbehind

Pedelecer
Oct 31, 2008
159
0
I still very much like the e bike, Wisper 905se, but.... I've just bought a motorbike.
A Kawasaki Ninja 250R, in the race colours of lime green. With fuel injection, and the latest engine design it goes, as you might expect like the proverbial rocket, though along the ground not above it, well, not normally.
I had threee bikes years ago, a Francis Barnett, can't remember the model, and two Hondas, a CB125 and a CB 200. I went miles on all, in one same day from Bournemouth up to the smoke of London and then to the peace and quiet of rural Devon, then back to Bournemouth. Not particularly a great distance but the contrast of the two places, Devon and the City of London in the same day was interesting.
I just recently, after about 20 years, fancied another bike, and Kawasaki seem to be one of the few manufacturers to make a 250, I didn't want or need a 600 or more, this is fast enough, 0 - 60 in about 6 seconds, for one who keeps almost religiously within the national speed limits, and it's economical, giving around 80 mpg so far.
I've been down to Exmouth in Devon, Lyme regis, West Bay near Dorchester, Southampton etc.
I can only describe the feeling of riding a bike as a ''buzz'', a raw feeling of travel. An idea was to ride up to places like the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Scotland etc, places where I've seldom been, but the reality now of all that riding seems a lot of work ansd exposure to weather in covering all those miles, what I might do is to transport the bike and then ride round when I get there.
It's a great bike and I'm enjoying it, and apart from a bit of a squeak which the dealer promises to sort out, I'm enjoying it.
Won't forget the e bike though, still using it for peace and quiet and good exercise, it's given me a good ''apprenticeship'' for the m/bike, ie a help in how to handle the exposure and vunlerabilty to traffic. It will be ridden around Llangorse near the Brecon Beacons in early September. No doubt there's others with Motorbikes on here.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,203
30,604
I was a life-long motorcyclist up to 5 years ago, but sold my last bike, a CB500R when the last of the 60 limits disappeared round my area. Living south of London with the South East roads almost entirely with low speed limits now, it's not much fun owning any fast bike and I was getting less and less use of it

Of course, having started my motorcycling at the start of the 1950s when the roads were almost empty and there was no national speed limit of any kind, today's extensive speed limits and restrictions are even more irksome than for most, so I prefer the almost legislation free e-bikes.

We do have many members who still motorcycle, so you'll be far from alone with your Kawasaki. Enjoy! :)
.
 

flash

Pedelecer
Apr 1, 2009
194
83
69
CW12 Congleton
I am also a lifelong motorcyclist. I have 3 motorcycles all of them old MZ two strokes. I have owned quite a few large bikes, but I have now gone back to the faithful MZs for the same reason as Flecc gave up. It still allows me to enjoy motorcycling and belong to a great club, the MZ riders club. MZ Riders Club 2009
I think bicycling and motorcyling go very well together and having recently discovered the Ebike I am now going through a second childhood and having wonderful experiences through the country lanes of Cheshire and Staffordshire.
However I still love the smell of two stroke in the mornings:eek:
 

summers

Finding my (electric) wheels
May 27, 2009
6
0
Just off for an early morning ride on my BMW R1200RT up to the Trough of Bowland. Living in Liverpool we are really lucky with North Wales, the Peak district and places like the Trough in easy reach with such fabulous roads.

Peter
 

piotrmacheta

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 23, 2009
316
0
I too have a 250cc bike I bought 6 months ago for the same reason. As you say there isn't much choice and I went for the only other chice - the Yamaha WR250X - a supermoto with modern fuel injected engine giving 80mpg and very nippy handling. I nearly went for the Kawasaki but they could not get me one as all the allocation was sold.
As for travelling to work I use the motorbike one week and cycle the next. I will be buying an electric bike for the 3rd week! - just not sure which one yet as I can normally cycle between 18 and 23 mph and don't want an electric bike to slow me down! I have heard that the Cytronex will let me go faster and so will the Heinzmann but I need to try them out first.
As an aside I see that 50cycles are selling the Zero S electric motorbike - now that does sound ideal - but I need to save up a bit for that as it's 8k.