Slow bike fast

This morning on my way into work, I realized just how much I've been loving riding my KLR 650 on the street. 37 hp and 400 lbs might not be a crotch rocket, but it's so fun to be able to take a sweeping turn leaned way over and with heavy throttle without coming out of it at 100mph. I feel like it's a philosophy choice and am really warming to this one. Not that I've ever owned a superbike, but at this point I wouldn't want one for commuting duties. This thing is great. You'd think that two years and thousands of miles would have made me come to this realization sooner, but sometimes you realize just how great what you've got is.

It's like a Miata, being able to wail on it and not end up at double or triple the speed limit. In fact they're not so different, acceleration and top speed wise. The KLR is a bit faster 0-60 but the Miata probably tops out higher.

Anybody else like riding a slow bike fast?

I have been dailying my wifes 81 KZ440 for about 2 months and I love it! almost 50 mpg, a blast to throw through corners and enough power to get me around but not in trouble!

I love my RD 350. Top end just a hair over 100 mph, with great acceleration and beautiful music.

I am loving my XS400 for the same reasons, small enough to not get away from me, big enough to keep up.

Used to commute on a DRZ400SM. The KTM 690SMC I have now is almost too fast to be considered slow, but it's certainly not sportbike fast, in that one can actually see 6th now and then without being incarcerated.

And my RD400 is awesome.

The KTM sounds like a great bike!

I think my EX500 fits into this category.

Really, I wish it had a quieter exhaust than the Kerker its got... Feels like the noise it makes advertises intent to have too much fun even if the resulting velocity isn't that high.

I have a KLX 250s. With all the usual stuff done to it, it's still only a 25 HP bike, but I have a great time with it, and there isn't anywhere I can't go.

There's a (national series) hare scramble loop about 10 minutes from my house, and at least once a week, my after supper ride consists of riding over to the course, running a 2 hr hare scramble, then riding back home for cold beers. I've put about 6000 KM on the bike in that loop. I'm looking at a vintage 175 2 stroke enduro right now for the street.

My Hawk (when it was running) might have been making 55hp. Rode the wheels off that thing - long trips, track days, daily commuter in all weather - and modded the hell out of it. Fantastic bike. I used to love going around the outside of guys on their literbikes at trackdays, see them disappear down the front straight, then reel them back in in the twisty bits.

Went from that to a TL1000-S streetfighter, which has just ungodly power (although 120hp ain't much by modern superbike standards, it's nothing to sneeze at). I've never been more torn over a vehicle. I like having the power, but I certainly don't need it - nobody needs it. I'm only human, so it's all too easy to do Bad Things with the TL. I haven't tossed it down the road yet, so I think I'm in the clear, but it just doesn't jibe with me (aside from the stupid grins that are only a wrist-twist away). In fact, I've been trying to sell it to buy a KLR. But I have this bad feeling in the back of my mind that I'll regret selling it.

Zomby woof wrote: I'm looking at a vintage 175 2 stroke enduro right now for the street.

CT3! I will finish mine one of these days.

93EXCivic wrote: CT3! I will finish mine one of these days.

77 Can-am qualifier

You want Slow Bike Fast?

THIS is slow bike fast!

Morbid wrote: I am loving my XS400 for the same reasons, small enough to not get away from me, big enough to keep up.

I likes your new pic

Yep, my Pacific Coast is a bit slower than I expected. My last bike was an old Suzuki GS450, which was a great combination of being pretty light while having decent power. The PC is near 600 lbs, and has about 46 hp, but it is balanced much better than the old bike, so carving corners under loaded acceleration is a lot more fun.

fasted58 wrote:

Morbid wrote: I am loving my XS400 for the same reasons, small enough to not get away from me, big enough to keep up.

I likes your new pic

Thanks! I ref for the roller derby league I used to play for and we just got our program photos back

There is a part of me that wants a thumper cafe bike for hooligan acts. While my 600 is a detuned GSXr motor, it's plenty fast.

SR500 is the cure for what ails you, man. That or a sumo'd XR600 (which may be my next little project).