The idea of "keeping up" isn't just for small displacement bikes. I daily a GSX-R750 and there's this Z900 on my commute that I can't keep up with. I learned, there are fast bikes and then there are fast riders.
The fun part of fast cornering on a lower power motorcycle is that you usually don't throttle yourself off of the side of the tire. You get into the corner a little too hot. You just hold throttle or ease off just a little and let the bike slow itself down. On a high powered bike, you can run the bike right out from under you real quick.
Exactly. I have a cbr650r - I can keep up with anyone I would want to keep up with. It’s a sport, NOT a “supersport” and doesn’t have a lot of low torque. But you can “cruise” all day from 80 to 110. (And no, I don’t get to triple digits very often🤣) If you’re among 90+ percent of the motorcycle riding population if you’re in a GROUP that is exceeding 100 mph regularly then death is likely near.
Maybe wide open on a Nevada highway it won't keep up. But in the real world with cars, trucks, stoplights, corners, curves, etc it will definitely keep up. 😅
Had my 300 on track a few times last season and wasn't the least bit worried about who was on a bigger what. I still have R6 envy and fight that urge daily... then I remember I'll get to get my bike back on track again next season and know for certain there's still lots to improve in my riding on track with my little bike. There no reason for me to go faster on the road than I already can.
My RC390 has about 44HP. When I red line it in all 6 gears, through the twisties, I'm nowhere near the big bikes....they're somewhere far behind, but I'll wait for them. This tiny bike is faster than my Yoshimura GSX-R 750 under 110mph.
I experience the same on my Duke390. Swapped a lot between that bike and my street triple rs and there have been a lot of roads where I’m faster on the duke. It’s so light and agile.
@wernerxldata my son has a Duke 390 and a Z-650. I've got a Kawasaki W800Cafe and an HD 1200 Nightster. The KTM is the most fun to ride ,but my 100 mile jaunts go by too quickly w/ the highest average speed. The RC puts out the same HP as my 800cc Kawasaki and weighs 1/2 what the Harley does.
My 400 and 450 can easily run the speed limit. In Twisties I'm faster than most. Big bikes are great for speed pulls, but any a-hole can do a buck plus in a straight line.
You'd be surprised what good tires, suspension and some trail braking, proper body position can accomplish on dirty roads. Most people I see crash out from target fixation and hitting corners hard with 0 body position adding way too much lean on the street.
@@samanthagregoryurich4167 I'm out here hitting corners hard on dirty Texas roads with dirt driveways and poor road conditions. You only need to watch out for excess gravel/liquids in a corner.
Your location and what you want to do with the bike is the most important factor on what you choose. I live in nyc so 1000cc bike makes absolutely no sense in stop and go traffic, unless you use it constantly on highways outside of the city limits
Any group ride leader worth a shit knows that the pace of the group is always determined by the slowest riders on the ride. There are times during the ride when it’s appropriate for every man / woman to wring out the cobwebs but, generally speaking the idea is to keep the group together.
The way we do it is Fast in the front so we haul ass in corners but kinda slow down on straights for slower riders and smaller bikes to catch up so we can all kinda get some fun time in. Riding a 1000 at below 60mph all the time is insanely boring because you're only using 1/8th throttle or so.
You hit the nail on the head yammie. Being in the mindset of trying to keep up is dangerous. A couple buddies of mine and I blast through the twisties in the hill country all the time. One of my friends has an mt09. She’s fast in the twisties. Some roads I can keep up with her on and some I can’t and vice versa. On roads I’m not familiar with I scale it way back and I let her fly and I catch her on straightaways as I have a cbr1000rr and a rocket 3r. Other roads she can’t hang with me on. Neither one of us try keeping up with the other. We ride how we’re comfortable and we make it Home each day safely with huge smiles on our faces ready to ride another day. Most folks would have a huge problem with the fact that a female on a smaller bike can be faster than them. We have zero ego when we ride with one another and a couple other buddies. We have fun and everyone respects and praises the other’s abilities.
Yammie one thing you didn't consider, rider weight on a small displacement bike. Take a 350 lbs bubu from Texas and stick him on a 451cc bike he wont be keeping up
Weights definitely a factor too 🤣, I can tell ya as a big guy upgraded and proper suspension makes the biggest difference ever for cornering speed and I wish I would've done that on my previous bikes as a fat dude (XSR700/900). Currently have Ktech front and rear on my MT10 and it's worth it! You'll just have to focus on carrying massive corner speed.
hellou from spain!! I just purchased a new duke 125 and is really fun, not only in the city but in the twisty roads too! I would like to grow up to 400s but no rush...
It is the rider more than the bike! I have seen several videos showing a pro MX guy on an 80cc dirt bike whipping a local “expert” rider on a works 250cc bike! Same for cars. I did high speed DE instructing at race tracks in Texas for 6+ years. It was always the driver and never the car! By the say that little Ninja makes nearly the same HP that my ‘88 Hurricane 600 made back in the day! The Hurricane was winning ALL the races back then, so you know on a track that Ninja is going to be plenty fast in the hands of a talented trained rider!
I think theres a definitional difference between "quick" and "fast" when it comes to bikes. Skills will make do with "quick", bravery will long for "fast".😂
Yams you are making a good point about keeping up hope one day I can get a bike to ride so being on disability it’s gonna take me a while but these new riders need to learn how to ride first thanks for the video and stay safe god bless you
Listen, I recently got myself a Classic 350 to get around town. I got to admit; it’s my favourite rig. Everything on this bike is buttery smooth. So…Ride your own ride.
Unless a person is routinely going to a racetrack, owning an open class sportbike is a bit like living in a studio apartment with no yard and having a Great Dane as a pet. It just makes no sense. There is an old adage that says, “It’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast than riding a fast bike slow”. Since most folks that buy sportbikes will never turn a wheel on a racetrack, this adage is spot on. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing like the feeling of being shot out of a cannon when twisting the throttle on a 1000+cc motorcycle. I completely understand that feeling. A person has to ask themselves, “Is that feeling worth paying more money for? (Insurance, fuel, tires, brake pads, chains, speeding tickets, etc)” Depends. All the 400/500cc sportbikes are capable of 110-115mph. Collide with a guardrail, tree, car, truck at those speeds and you’ll be just as dead as the guy doing the same at 160+…..so go ahead, try and keep up. What could happen.
When you are in a group, EVERYONE has to have the ‘group mindset’… it’s not the time to go crazy on the highway… way way too dangerous. Solo rides are the time to open it up when the conditions allow for it …or MAYBE with one other rider that you can trust in their decision-making ability highly AND would be willing to forgive if the absolute worst were to ever happen. Which is a uniquely special riding partner. So solo rides might be the only viable time for most to open it up.
I really agree with on the streets it's how brave you are i was smoking a 1000 sport bike on my adv in the twisties, then he started overtaking cars around blind corners the wrong was and i was like oh naw you can win I'm not following.
Whatever bike you've got, get out there and ride! Put those miles in and hone your skills so others worry about keeping up with you! Stop watching Yammie, get out there and ride!
Had a chick I met online, invite me for a ride on Lime Creek road. Felt like she was trying to get someone ended. Last time I rode with anyone I barely know.
I find that keeping up is just a bad idea ride at your own pace. If you don’t you’re not going to have fun or you’re going to have a very bad day if you’re around to see tomorrow. Most of my bikes are little beginner bikes I have a couple of rockets but most of the time Im on my r7 it’s my got it to bike for making the big boys feel small and when I really want to piss them off I take my little r3. My ride skills really improve when I’m on the little bike I really don’t like riding in a group for the reason the really fast guys don’t take into consideration, the skill levels of the other riders and some of the other just don’t have the brain matter to figure out it just not worth it. RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE. STAY ALIVE!!!!❤
when they say 500 is a little bike 🤣 I am very happy zooming around on my 250 and it feels fast. ( mostly driving in the city) maybe next year ill upgrade to a 'little' bike and get a 500 or 600
I used to ride a 400 in the socal mountains. It was kinda sketchy initiating a pass, on a car, cause the bike has no balls. Much safer on a faster bike.
I live in hilly countryside in Europe. Enjoy my sm690 but overtaking on it can be quite dangerous as all turns are blind, usually tightening, few open gaps, lots of slow traffic. Feel more safe on 1290sdr. Outside of traffic and highways 690 is as much fun.
I grew up in some of the smallest twistiest roads in the world where bikes are limited to 150cc and everyone rides recklessly passing. Just have to know how/when to do it and don’t go into anything blind.
Im about to start riding, id like to have an H2 one day and be able to max it out. So im going for ninja 500 and work into zx4r, then zx6r, zx-10r, and finally when i feel ready get the H2. U have to start at the bottom and work ur way up, just like anything else.
Yamm, no one who would consider buying a 500cc bike cares about keeping up with the 1000 supersport bikes. Of all the ppl who wants to buy a bike, just a few are ultra high speed addicts. Most of us prefer to maintain speeds between 85-95 mph, even in wide and clear highways.
The rules will depend on the group, if you're in a group that wants to go as fast as possible everywhere they're not gonna let the dude on a R3 lead, if you just wanna chill with friends without getting split up then they're probably gonna let the slowest bike (or least experienced rider) lead. However I can also see people not applying that rule because the slowest guys might want to go as fast as possible and push beyond their limits causing a wreck, so they might choose to have an experienced rider lead to set a decently fast but safe pace everyone can ride
@@robinv2758 Here in the UK it was normally a case of an experienced rider leading but controlling the speed to suit slower bikes/riders but anyone wanting to ride faster could do so and then wait at the next junction for the group to catch up again.
I dunno, man. The MT-09 is an AMAZING bike. But I also live in a place where I have to make REALLY long rides fairly often and the power and comfort on the highway is essential.
@@master_ranch_of_the_runnin7289 while I can agree fundamentally, those of us who commute on a “four lane” for a pretty good bit need something that “cruises” a little faster than that. My cbr650r is still in the “same vein” as those ninjas with a bit more power.
Funny how people so worried about keeping up. Who you got to keep up with? People need to stop ego tripping. If people are constantly leaving you in the dust, then that tells me you're better off riding alone.
Even when I can Why would I be stupid enough to ride in a 65mph zone 130mph That’s such a hazard 80-85 absolutely not an issue on any motorcycle over 400cc
Keeping up, group riding, what next no gear because every one else in the group isn't wearing gear? Peer pressure? That's why I encourage men to spend a lot of time on their own. Peer pressure is acceptable for children but for a man you stand to lose a lot if people keep making your decision for you.
In the twisties (crazy tight mountain gap roads where I live) a Ninja 500 with a skilled rider will have no issue keeping up with any other bike… point and case, we randomly hooked up with a dude on a ZX6R and his girl on a Ninja 400. We hit the “App Gap” here in VT and she was on his tail having to brake in the corners cause she was entering faster than him…
That's all situational, if you ride with a group of all skilled riders the 1000s are walking them unless all the corners are 60mph. There's a reason you see all the fast canyon guys on 1000s and not 400s anymore.
@ I don’t think you understand how tight these switchbacks are. You aren’t cornering a heavy liter bike as fast as a lighter 400 or 600, it’s not gonna happen. These corners are 30 mph corners max, maybe 40 out of a professional…
I’m old and boring. A 300cc is capable of breaking every speed limit in the country. If you can’t keep up on a 300cc you need to be asking if these are people you should be trying to keep up with.
In corners small capacity has a huge problem: liter bike will overtake you on straight then slow down on braking too much, breaking down you entry corner speed, annulling your only advantage then accelerate away on exit. As someone who raced liters for years and had one season on 636. I had same lap time on 636 as on r1 on empty track but with a bunch of people in practice or race it was a misery. Every slow liter bike rider who has balls to brake hard will kill your lap time. Needless to say I returned to liters next season with zx10r..
Don't get me wrong because I've had this issue a ton on trackdays, but if you're a racing wouldn't you just be able to adjust your line a bit and outbrake them anyway? My main reason for not outbraking most people is because I'm still a relatively inexperienced rider and have a RC390 so usually I feel like the gap is just too large for me to safely pass them on the brakes because they're mostly inexperienced riders so I don't know how they will react if I pass them on corner entry. It's not that I can't do it but I just don't want someone to panic and wreck because of me flying up the inside at the last second. However in racing I see a more aggressive approach as more doable because the riders are usually pretty experienced and obviously you're racing so people should expect others to make moves on them and react accordingly. Now I know not every track is the same and every situation is different but I'm genuinely curious as to why you wouldn't be able to do so. I know my local track has their own racing series and before 600s and 1000s were split up into different classes there were regularly 600s on the podium, but after the classes split the fastest riders all moved to 1000s so the 600s is more of the "amateur class" now so the lap times they're setting are nowhere near as fast as they used to be. I digress, I don't want to come off as negative or belittling you because I can guarantee you're way faster than me, I'm simply curious as to why you weren't able to get around them under braking. Maybe I'll learn a couple things from your explanation too and become a better rider because of it.
@ it’s not about out braking, it’s about overtaking you on straight, braking, closing the line for you and forcing to brake more. You want to enter fast, so you don’t want to outbrake them, you want to go in faster than them. If it’s one guy it’s usually manageable but usually it’s a bunch of them, trying all lines to overtake each other on brakes. Of course if you are slow you will be at the back and not have this problem. If you are in a middle you will get this every corner. If you manage to overtake they pass you on straight and history repeats. I was extremely annoyed. Yeah you may go to 600 only race but the problem there most of 600 riders are small. Heavier guys race 1000. And you are not a short little dude you won’t have any chance as 600 lacks torque to exit corners. 1000 usually has more torque you can safely use anyways so extra dozen or two pounds really makes no difference. Honestly I like more 600 in race as I love going fast in the corner, 1000 is more drag race and hell yeah braking, slow entry and full gas again. However I know some very fast riders on 1000 who go now almost like 600 in corners with all benefits of power. They are gods of racing. But when they fall they fall hard. Last time I was on track one of them from our box was airlifted to hospital I was helping around his girlfriend to manage logistics. Interestingly enough I was trained by professional riders more than few times, guys like Simon Crafar or MotoGP, Michal Drobny of Superstock1000 SBK, even Troy Corser of SBK. They all tough very differently but most dominant idea is to brake hard, square off and spend as much on full throttle as possible. Now with everyone racing latest 1000 with electronics guys open up full throttle in apex and just go ballistic, use cornering abs to ham the brakes while leaning in. This is to the argument you can ride fast on older bike. Fast enough yeah but nowhere near to competitive level even in club racing. You will high side guarantied if you try to do that on 10yo bike against a mediocre dude on fresh M1000RR. Seen that.
@ oh yeah if it's mostly groups then it's gonna be impossible to pass them all and they're gonna be in your way all the time, I'm also very familiar with the overtaking someone in a corner just to get outrun in a straight, you can probably imagine how well my little 390 fares on the straights against all the 600s and 1000s I come across during trackdays. I've done a couple classes to get familiar with track riding and while they don't teach it yet because it's mainly basics they do all say that ideally you're always either braking or accelerating. Modern bikes do definitely make that a whole lot easier with all their electronics. And I definitely understand preferring a 600 over a 1000 for fun, you hear that a lot and while I haven't tried one yet I can imagine that a 600 would be more enjoyable than a powerhouse of a 1000. Thanks for the explanation and have a nice day
Ive got 800 miles on my ninja500 and im already bored. Maybe being 210lbs and having the bike thrown around in miami wind is affecting me. That new 25’ Panigale at 120bhp looks good
I was going to buy a ninja 500 to have a light and easy to ride bike also but was afraid of getting bored with it. I bought a z900 and am happy with it. It is easy to handle, light and still has good power. Have had 2 zx14's before, and have a triumph rocket 3 touring.
i take out my cb 600f inline 4 out in our group rides and we have 2 guys that keep up with me one is on a r6 the outer guy is on a bmw 1300cc and they tell me i'm fast on mine lol if you know your bike and can use it it still is only so much power you can use w/o jail/death be safe & have fun lean your bike before you push it i'm also on my 16th bike in my 40 years i started in dirt at 5 race'n dirt so that helps lol
I will increase my skill set first before getting a bigger more expensive bike. You may have a GS 1250 but your skill set is barely for a Ninja 400 only . . .
Short answer: no Lol You can keep up in tight twisties but you'll have to keep the revs in the sweet spot all the time and change gears often cuz it prolly doesn't have much guts down low. On the bright side, you'll get real gud at downshifting, rev matching and clutch slipping.
The ninja 300, ninja 400 and the zx 400 rr are respectable motorcycles; the ninja 500 is 10-percent short of its "displacement call", even the Himalayan 450 single cylinder is larger displacement. I'd be ashamed to own a 451cc "500", what a blatant rip-off...
For the same reason, I sold my Triumph Rocket. Despite many attempts, I was unable to get beyond earths atmosphere. The shame of it all was just all too much but at least my therapist says my ego can be repaired.
Why would anyone want to ride in a group? It’s just annoying. Motorcycles are about freedom. If I want to have to deal with a bunch of assholes I’ll play golf, or go to work. Preferably work.
Yam i recently crashed my mt07 and had to ride my father's duke 390 around everywhere and my god is it ever so slow you barely need to use the brakes, i finally got my mt07 back and running and i will say the bottom line for power has to be about 60hp 😂
The CP2 is a good street motor if you ride below 90mph all the time tbh. Those bikes just need upgraded suspension/eventually brakes and they're solid. R7's can carry pretty good corner speed.
tHE BIGGEST problem this guy has is referring to bikes at 500cc as little bikes, or beginner bikes. He is a huge part of the problem of the youtube scene and this downcast of how certain riders look at lower capacity bikes. Maybe one day he'll grow up, probably not.
Most would suggest 400 -500cc as a good first bike .if you have zero experience, a smaller bike is more forgiving to rider errors . Yes, some people start out on bigger bikes, but it's usually not that easy
The idea of "keeping up" isn't just for small displacement bikes. I daily a GSX-R750 and there's this Z900 on my commute that I can't keep up with. I learned, there are fast bikes and then there are fast riders.
And there are fast riders on fast bikes.
The fun part of fast cornering on a lower power motorcycle is that you usually don't throttle yourself off of the side of the tire. You get into the corner a little too hot. You just hold throttle or ease off just a little and let the bike slow itself down. On a high powered bike, you can run the bike right out from under you real quick.
Ride your own ride 🤷♂️
Exactly. I have a cbr650r - I can keep up with anyone I would want to keep up with. It’s a sport, NOT a “supersport” and doesn’t have a lot of low torque. But you can “cruise” all day from 80 to 110. (And no, I don’t get to triple digits very often🤣) If you’re among 90+ percent of the motorcycle riding population if you’re in a GROUP that is exceeding 100 mph regularly then death is likely near.
Shit i could rip an moped and still have fun 🤣
@@BeardedStigghey man don’t sleep on them scooters 😂 they’re super fun to rip around the streets in Thailand!
@@PrestoninParadisusman get a pit bike so much fuckin fun to rip around and they weigh so little so you can do some crazy shit on em 😂
The biggest thing a newbie should worry about is keeping upright. Worry about keeping up later.
Best comment.
That’s right! 💯🙌🏼
Maybe wide open on a Nevada highway it won't keep up. But in the real world with cars, trucks, stoplights, corners, curves, etc it will definitely keep up. 😅
short answer is yes, after you learn all the basics and then perfect trail braking and body position you can get fast on these.
Helps to have upgraded brakes/suspension too. Suspension makes a MASSIVE difference especially if you're not 120lbs.
Had my 300 on track a few times last season and wasn't the least bit worried about who was on a bigger what. I still have R6 envy and fight that urge daily... then I remember I'll get to get my bike back on track again next season and know for certain there's still lots to improve in my riding on track with my little bike. There no reason for me to go faster on the road than I already can.
My RC390 has about 44HP. When I red line it in all 6 gears, through the twisties, I'm nowhere near the big bikes....they're somewhere far behind, but I'll wait for them. This tiny bike is faster than my Yoshimura GSX-R 750 under 110mph.
I experience the same on my Duke390. Swapped a lot between that bike and my street triple rs and there have been a lot of roads where I’m faster on the duke. It’s so light and agile.
@wernerxldata my son has a Duke 390 and a Z-650. I've got a Kawasaki W800Cafe and an HD 1200 Nightster. The KTM is the most fun to ride ,but my 100 mile jaunts go by too quickly w/ the highest average speed. The RC puts out the same HP as my 800cc Kawasaki and weighs 1/2 what the Harley does.
My 400 and 450 can easily run the speed limit. In Twisties I'm faster than most. Big bikes are great for speed pulls, but any a-hole can do a buck plus in a straight line.
Catching up in the corners on the road seems like a really bad idea. Because...road.
The road's surface always makes me hesitate on leaning hard into a turns.
You'd be surprised what good tires, suspension and some trail braking, proper body position can accomplish on dirty roads. Most people I see crash out from target fixation and hitting corners hard with 0 body position adding way too much lean on the street.
@@ganuvien Hmm...what makes you think I'd be surprised?
@@samanthagregoryurich4167 I'm out here hitting corners hard on dirty Texas roads with dirt driveways and poor road conditions. You only need to watch out for excess gravel/liquids in a corner.
Your location and what you want to do with the bike is the most important factor on what you choose. I live in nyc so 1000cc bike makes absolutely no sense in stop and go traffic, unless you use it constantly on highways outside of the city limits
I live in NYC an have a 1000 it's all the same my boi
in nyc, a scooter makes sense😂
@ its really not but do you my boi, be safe
On the street usually the “fast riders” are the ones who want to take the most risk, not the most skilled. But otherwise great chat 😂
Any group ride leader worth a shit knows that the pace of the group is always determined by the slowest riders on the ride. There are times during the ride when it’s appropriate for every man / woman to wring out the cobwebs but, generally speaking the idea is to keep the group together.
The way we do it is Fast in the front so we haul ass in corners but kinda slow down on straights for slower riders and smaller bikes to catch up so we can all kinda get some fun time in. Riding a 1000 at below 60mph all the time is insanely boring because you're only using 1/8th throttle or so.
You hit the nail on the head yammie. Being in the mindset of trying to keep up is dangerous. A couple buddies of mine and I blast through the twisties in the hill country all the time. One of my friends has an mt09. She’s fast in the twisties. Some roads I can keep up with her on and some I can’t and vice versa. On roads I’m not familiar with I scale it way back and I let her fly and I catch her on straightaways as I have a cbr1000rr and a rocket 3r. Other roads she can’t hang with me on. Neither one of us try keeping up with the other. We ride how we’re comfortable and we make it Home each day safely with huge smiles on our faces ready to ride another day. Most folks would have a huge problem with the fact that a female on a smaller bike can be faster than them. We have zero ego when we ride with one another and a couple other buddies. We have fun and everyone respects and praises the other’s abilities.
Yammie one thing you didn't consider, rider weight on a small displacement bike. Take a 350 lbs bubu from Texas and stick him on a 451cc bike he wont be keeping up
Weights definitely a factor too 🤣, I can tell ya as a big guy upgraded and proper suspension makes the biggest difference ever for cornering speed and I wish I would've done that on my previous bikes as a fat dude (XSR700/900). Currently have Ktech front and rear on my MT10 and it's worth it! You'll just have to focus on carrying massive corner speed.
Not on a ninja 500... But I saw some dudes on liter bikes sweating because of a ZX4-RR
hellou from spain!! I just purchased a new duke 125 and is really fun, not only in the city but in the twisty roads too! I would like to grow up to 400s but no rush...
It is the rider more than the bike! I have seen several videos showing a pro MX guy on an 80cc dirt bike whipping a local “expert” rider on a works 250cc bike! Same for cars. I did high speed DE instructing at race tracks in Texas for 6+ years. It was always the driver and never the car! By the say that little Ninja makes nearly the same HP that my ‘88 Hurricane 600 made back in the day! The Hurricane was winning ALL the races back then, so you know on a track that Ninja is going to be plenty fast in the hands of a talented trained rider!
I ride a 60 hp metric cruiser ...plenty of power for what I need to do.....I got nothing to prove to anyone
I think theres a definitional difference between "quick" and "fast" when it comes to bikes. Skills will make do with "quick", bravery will long for "fast".😂
Iwould like to see a manufacturer make a TRUE 500 cc bike with max speed and power without an A2 license design in mind 💯
Yams you are making a good point about keeping up hope one day I can get a bike to ride so being on disability it’s gonna take me a while but these new riders need to learn how to ride first thanks for the video and stay safe god bless you
I will probably buy my second motorcycle next year after not driving for 12 years.
Listen, I recently got myself a Classic 350 to get around town. I got to admit; it’s my favourite rig. Everything on this bike is buttery smooth. So…Ride your own ride.
Videos like this make me happy I live in an area that is curve country.
Keeping up with me means riding for 6 -7 hours at a good fun pace, not just 1 hour going crazy.
Unless a person is routinely going to a racetrack, owning an open class sportbike is a bit like living in a studio apartment with no yard and having a Great Dane as a pet. It just makes no sense. There is an old adage that says, “It’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast than riding a fast bike slow”. Since most folks that buy sportbikes will never turn a wheel on a racetrack, this adage is spot on. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing like the feeling of being shot out of a cannon when twisting the throttle on a 1000+cc motorcycle. I completely understand that feeling. A person has to ask themselves, “Is that feeling worth paying more money for? (Insurance, fuel, tires, brake pads, chains, speeding tickets, etc)” Depends. All the 400/500cc sportbikes are capable of 110-115mph. Collide with a guardrail, tree, car, truck at those speeds and you’ll be just as dead as the guy doing the same at 160+…..so go ahead, try and keep up. What could happen.
When you are in a group, EVERYONE has to have the ‘group mindset’… it’s not the time to go crazy on the highway… way way too dangerous.
Solo rides are the time to open it up when the conditions allow for it
…or MAYBE with one other rider that you can trust in their decision-making ability highly AND would be willing to forgive if the absolute worst were to ever happen. Which is a uniquely special riding partner. So solo rides might be the only viable time for most to open it up.
I really agree with on the streets it's how brave you are i was smoking a 1000 sport bike on my adv in the twisties, then he started overtaking cars around blind corners the wrong was and i was like oh naw you can win I'm not following.
Whatever bike you've got, get out there and ride! Put those miles in and hone your skills so others worry about keeping up with you! Stop watching Yammie, get out there and ride!
Stop watching Yammie Noob! Stop watching Yammie Noob!
Had a chick I met online, invite me for a ride on Lime Creek road. Felt like she was trying to get someone ended. Last time I rode with anyone I barely know.
I find that keeping up is just a bad idea ride at your own pace. If you don’t you’re not going to have fun or you’re going to have a very bad day if you’re around to see tomorrow.
Most of my bikes are little beginner bikes
I have a couple of rockets but most of the time Im on my r7 it’s my got it to bike for making the big boys feel small and when I really want to piss them off I take my little r3. My ride skills really improve when I’m on the little bike
I really don’t like riding in a group for the reason the really fast guys don’t take into consideration, the skill levels of the other riders and some of the other just don’t have the brain matter to figure out it just not worth it.
RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE.
STAY ALIVE!!!!❤
when they say 500 is a little bike 🤣 I am very happy zooming around on my 250 and it feels fast. ( mostly driving in the city) maybe next year ill upgrade to a 'little' bike and get a 500 or 600
Lovin' the Haga replica!!
Keep up with yourself
I used to ride a 400 in the socal mountains. It was kinda sketchy initiating a pass, on a car, cause the bike has no balls.
Much safer on a faster bike.
I live in hilly countryside in Europe. Enjoy my sm690 but overtaking on it can be quite dangerous as all turns are blind, usually tightening, few open gaps, lots of slow traffic. Feel more safe on 1290sdr. Outside of traffic and highways 690 is as much fun.
I grew up in some of the smallest twistiest roads in the world where bikes are limited to 150cc and everyone rides recklessly passing. Just have to know how/when to do it and don’t go into anything blind.
@ sure, you can pass but you will either have to wait sometimes many miles or go crazy and trust your fate.
cope af
@@carbq5280 or get a powerful bike and enjoy life lol
Im about to start riding, id like to have an H2 one day and be able to max it out. So im going for ninja 500 and work into zx4r, then zx6r, zx-10r, and finally when i feel ready get the H2. U have to start at the bottom and work ur way up, just like anything else.
Depends on the riders ability
Yamm, no one who would consider buying a 500cc bike cares about keeping up with the 1000 supersport bikes. Of all the ppl who wants to buy a bike, just a few are ultra high speed addicts. Most of us prefer to maintain speeds between 85-95 mph, even in wide and clear highways.
Speak for yourself. Most riders do not prefer to ride 85 to 95 mph.
@kc4sox you're right most riders prefer 50mph
What happened to 'small bike leads'? I'm sure I've heard of that rule, but don't see it or hear about it anymore.
The rules will depend on the group, if you're in a group that wants to go as fast as possible everywhere they're not gonna let the dude on a R3 lead, if you just wanna chill with friends without getting split up then they're probably gonna let the slowest bike (or least experienced rider) lead. However I can also see people not applying that rule because the slowest guys might want to go as fast as possible and push beyond their limits causing a wreck, so they might choose to have an experienced rider lead to set a decently fast but safe pace everyone can ride
Usually the person(s) with the small bikes are also the last experienced; you don't want them leading.
@@robinv2758 Here in the UK it was normally a case of an experienced rider leading but controlling the speed to suit slower bikes/riders but anyone wanting to ride faster could do so and then wait at the next junction for the group to catch up again.
@@Jim-nm1en I feel like that's the safest approach, having someone inexperienced at the front is gonna end badly
Hey Yammie, any updated video on your filming/motovlogging gear? Or any amazon links would also be appreciated!
Keeping up see the reason I got my bike was the ride alone😂
Great vid, great advice.
Giveaway a Ninja 500, nice. Does that include shipping to the UK?
On streets absolutely, unless it’s a straight line, in race - absolutely no
Good luck to everyone
One little thing to mention if you ride with a passenger the 500 wont pull, you can not overtake its a one person bike
put the slower/inexperienced riders at the front of group rides so they don't feel like they need to keep up
Pretty much the reason for the R7
If everyone took their ego out of the equation, we'd all be on ninja 400/500s.
Edit: exhibit A: These replies
I dunno, man. The MT-09 is an AMAZING bike. But I also live in a place where I have to make REALLY long rides fairly often and the power and comfort on the highway is essential.
Agreed
@@master_ranch_of_the_runnin7289 while I can agree fundamentally, those of us who commute on a “four lane” for a pretty good bit need something that “cruises” a little faster than that. My cbr650r is still in the “same vein” as those ninjas with a bit more power.
well 600cc in line 4 min lol
na 600cc lol
Are you still giving bikes away? Im in Austin and I need to be one of those lucky peoples
Funny how people so worried about keeping up. Who you got to keep up with? People need to stop ego tripping. If people are constantly leaving you in the dust, then that tells me you're better off riding alone.
Tight twisties, prepare for being humbled by a super moto converted from a dual sport.
Yall think Honda vfr800 is a good first bike? 6th gen
If you can handle the weight. It's a great 1st bike. Super reliable and fast enough to never get bored with it
The only rider I try to keep up with is me.
Even when I can
Why would I be stupid enough to ride in a 65mph zone 130mph
That’s such a hazard
80-85 absolutely not an issue on any motorcycle over 400cc
Does anyone have the link to the tire inflator sponsor that I’ve seen in some videos? I can’t seem to find which video I saw it recommended in
Keep up is a subjective term. Bottom line is that Rossi or Stoner would probably outrun you if they were on 250s and you were on a litre bike.
Depends on the road
@ the more corners the better for them
Keeping up, group riding, what next no gear because every one else in the group isn't wearing gear? Peer pressure? That's why I encourage men to spend a lot of time on their own. Peer pressure is acceptable for children but for a man you stand to lose a lot if people keep making your decision for you.
Should I get a Ninja 500 or ZX-4RR? I currently have a Z125.
Yall think a samurai-400 is a good first bike?
Rs 457
Slowest rider should always lead group
Not a good idea. Peer pressure will make them ride faster than their talent can handle.
In the twisties (crazy tight mountain gap roads where I live) a Ninja 500 with a skilled rider will have no issue keeping up with any other bike… point and case, we randomly hooked up with a dude on a ZX6R and his girl on a Ninja 400. We hit the “App Gap” here in VT and she was on his tail having to brake in the corners cause she was entering faster than him…
That's all situational, if you ride with a group of all skilled riders the 1000s are walking them unless all the corners are 60mph. There's a reason you see all the fast canyon guys on 1000s and not 400s anymore.
@ I don’t think you understand how tight these switchbacks are. You aren’t cornering a heavy liter bike as fast as a lighter 400 or 600, it’s not gonna happen. These corners are 30 mph corners max, maybe 40 out of a professional…
@sleeper.simulant7327 ah yeah anything like the Tail of the dragon a smaller bike is better.
Nice bike
Unless you’re riding absolute full throttle on open roads anyone with enough skill and/or stupidity can keep up with just about anyone else.
I’m old and boring. A 300cc is capable of breaking every speed limit in the country. If you can’t keep up on a 300cc you need to be asking if these are people you should be trying to keep up with.
In corners small capacity has a huge problem: liter bike will overtake you on straight then slow down on braking too much, breaking down you entry corner speed, annulling your only advantage then accelerate away on exit. As someone who raced liters for years and had one season on 636. I had same lap time on 636 as on r1 on empty track but with a bunch of people in practice or race it was a misery. Every slow liter bike rider who has balls to brake hard will kill your lap time. Needless to say I returned to liters next season with zx10r..
Don't get me wrong because I've had this issue a ton on trackdays, but if you're a racing wouldn't you just be able to adjust your line a bit and outbrake them anyway?
My main reason for not outbraking most people is because I'm still a relatively inexperienced rider and have a RC390 so usually I feel like the gap is just too large for me to safely pass them on the brakes because they're mostly inexperienced riders so I don't know how they will react if I pass them on corner entry. It's not that I can't do it but I just don't want someone to panic and wreck because of me flying up the inside at the last second.
However in racing I see a more aggressive approach as more doable because the riders are usually pretty experienced and obviously you're racing so people should expect others to make moves on them and react accordingly. Now I know not every track is the same and every situation is different but I'm genuinely curious as to why you wouldn't be able to do so. I know my local track has their own racing series and before 600s and 1000s were split up into different classes there were regularly 600s on the podium, but after the classes split the fastest riders all moved to 1000s so the 600s is more of the "amateur class" now so the lap times they're setting are nowhere near as fast as they used to be.
I digress, I don't want to come off as negative or belittling you because I can guarantee you're way faster than me, I'm simply curious as to why you weren't able to get around them under braking. Maybe I'll learn a couple things from your explanation too and become a better rider because of it.
@ it’s not about out braking, it’s about overtaking you on straight, braking, closing the line for you and forcing to brake more. You want to enter fast, so you don’t want to outbrake them, you want to go in faster than them. If it’s one guy it’s usually manageable but usually it’s a bunch of them, trying all lines to overtake each other on brakes. Of course if you are slow you will be at the back and not have this problem. If you are in a middle you will get this every corner. If you manage to overtake they pass you on straight and history repeats. I was extremely annoyed. Yeah you may go to 600 only race but the problem there most of 600 riders are small. Heavier guys race 1000. And you are not a short little dude you won’t have any chance as 600 lacks torque to exit corners. 1000 usually has more torque you can safely use anyways so extra dozen or two pounds really makes no difference.
Honestly I like more 600 in race as I love going fast in the corner, 1000 is more drag race and hell yeah braking, slow entry and full gas again. However I know some very fast riders on 1000 who go now almost like 600 in corners with all benefits of power. They are gods of racing. But when they fall they fall hard. Last time I was on track one of them from our box was airlifted to hospital I was helping around his girlfriend to manage logistics.
Interestingly enough I was trained by professional riders more than few times, guys like Simon Crafar or MotoGP, Michal Drobny of Superstock1000 SBK, even Troy Corser of SBK. They all tough very differently but most dominant idea is to brake hard, square off and spend as much on full throttle as possible. Now with everyone racing latest 1000 with electronics guys open up full throttle in apex and just go ballistic, use cornering abs to ham the brakes while leaning in. This is to the argument you can ride fast on older bike. Fast enough yeah but nowhere near to competitive level even in club racing. You will high side guarantied if you try to do that on 10yo bike against a mediocre dude on fresh M1000RR. Seen that.
@ oh yeah if it's mostly groups then it's gonna be impossible to pass them all and they're gonna be in your way all the time, I'm also very familiar with the overtaking someone in a corner just to get outrun in a straight, you can probably imagine how well my little 390 fares on the straights against all the 600s and 1000s I come across during trackdays.
I've done a couple classes to get familiar with track riding and while they don't teach it yet because it's mainly basics they do all say that ideally you're always either braking or accelerating. Modern bikes do definitely make that a whole lot easier with all their electronics.
And I definitely understand preferring a 600 over a 1000 for fun, you hear that a lot and while I haven't tried one yet I can imagine that a 600 would be more enjoyable than a powerhouse of a 1000.
Thanks for the explanation and have a nice day
Ive got 800 miles on my ninja500 and im already bored. Maybe being 210lbs and having the bike thrown around in miami wind is affecting me. That new 25’ Panigale at 120bhp looks good
I was going to buy a ninja 500 to have a light and easy to ride bike also but was afraid of getting bored with it. I bought a z900 and am happy with it. It is easy to handle, light and still has good power. Have had 2 zx14's before, and have a triumph rocket 3 touring.
You made the right decision lol. How are you dealing with the wind at Triple digit speeds on that naked ?
i take out my cb 600f inline 4 out in our group rides and we have 2 guys that keep up with me one is on a r6 the outer guy is on a bmw 1300cc and they tell me i'm fast on mine lol if you know your bike and can use it it still is only so much power you can use w/o jail/death be safe & have fun lean your bike before you push it i'm also on my 16th bike in my 40 years i started in dirt at 5 race'n dirt so that helps lol
Doo i have chance too win living at canada quebec !!!😮😊
I will increase my skill set first before getting a bigger more expensive bike.
You may have a GS 1250 but your skill set is barely for a Ninja 400 only . . .
I want to get into riding I’ve been doing all my research I would really like to win this as my first bike ever please🙏
Ninja 500 is a bike wherby its easy to use on tracks since its light and libol and doesn't produce a lot of horse power
Short answer: no
Lol
You can keep up in tight twisties but you'll have to keep the revs in the sweet spot all the time and change gears often cuz it prolly doesn't have much guts down low.
On the bright side, you'll get real gud at downshifting, rev matching and clutch slipping.
The ninja 300, ninja 400 and the zx 400 rr are respectable motorcycles; the ninja 500 is 10-percent short of its "displacement call", even the Himalayan 450 single cylinder is larger displacement. I'd be ashamed to own a 451cc "500", what a blatant rip-off...
For the same reason, I sold my Triumph Rocket. Despite many attempts, I was unable to get beyond earths atmosphere. The shame of it all was just all too much but at least my therapist says my ego can be repaired.
Why would anyone want to ride in a group? It’s just annoying. Motorcycles are about freedom. If I want to have to deal with a bunch of assholes I’ll play golf, or go to work. Preferably work.
1st comment?
Yam i recently crashed my mt07 and had to ride my father's duke 390 around everywhere and my god is it ever so slow you barely need to use the brakes, i finally got my mt07 back and running and i will say the bottom line for power has to be about 60hp 😂
The CP2 is a good street motor if you ride below 90mph all the time tbh. Those bikes just need upgraded suspension/eventually brakes and they're solid. R7's can carry pretty good corner speed.
@ganuvien it's actually really really good that torque goes a long way
Can you recommend a good crash school? I've never dropped a bike, much less crash one so I could do with some decent training.
tHE BIGGEST problem this guy has is referring to bikes at 500cc as little bikes, or beginner bikes. He is a huge part of the problem of the youtube scene and this downcast of how certain riders look at lower capacity bikes. Maybe one day he'll grow up, probably not.
Yall think Honda vfr800 is a good first bike? 6th gen
Most would suggest 400 -500cc as a good first bike .if you have zero experience, a smaller bike is more forgiving to rider errors . Yes, some people start out on bigger bikes, but it's usually not that easy