Might get a 2011 Honda CBR250R

[user removed]

I'll probably top it off today with close to 120 miles on the ODO. It still has below 1000 miles on the ODO. The single cylinder does let you know if you let revs fall too low, the threshold is about 28-2900 RPM if you are just maintaining speed.

recommended up shift points
1-2 12mph
2-3 19 "
3-4 25"
4-5 31"
5-6 37"

downshift
6-5 28mph
5-4 22mph
4-3 16mph

regards
Mech

[jkv357]

Originally Posted by dcb

FYI, I've gone to the stops with the gear changes on my 250 and my 125 and it is no problem for commuting purposes (I'm not small either)

took my 250 from a 47 tooth rear to a 37, no prob once you are used to it. The problem seems to be mostly one of perception.

took my cb125 from a 15 front to a 17 no prob, and have a 34 tooth rear en route(was 40). Here's some chicken scratch on gearing changes FYI (though I'm sure Old Mechanic has it all sorted out)
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ges-18082.html

Perception of what? A lot would depend on where you live and ride (commute).

Driving a CB125 in traffic in some areas of the US would border on insanity, gearing it up 10 teeth would be lethal.

Performance is safety in some situations.


Jay

[user removed]

Not bad, mostly my normal routes, some high speed but mostly averaging about 35 MPH. I can do better if I keep the average speeds fairly low.

Shifting at 5k the RPM drop is about 8-900 per gear as an average.

I did tuck some at higher speeds. Driven conservatively on my local route I might get close to 100 MPG after she gets a few more miles on her. The Rebel is on craigslist since the mileage is comparable, I don't need to pay other taxes and fees on 2 bikes. The insurance alone on the Rebel would get me about 2400 miles worth of fuel. I should clear enough profit on the Rebel to pay for 150 gallons of gas or another 12,000 miles over the insurance.

regards
Mech

[user removed]

Originally Posted by jkv357

Perception of what? A lot would depend on where you live and ride (commute).

Driving a CB125 in traffic in some areas of the US would border on insanity, gearing it up 10 teeth would be lethal.

Performance is safety in some situations.


Jay

I guess you could equate performance with safety. I got my M endorsement on a Kawasaki 125 Eliminator and had no problems as long as I stayed off the Interstate.

Got my drivers license in a 59 Volkswagen, made the 125 Kawa look like a rocket ship except for top speed which was pretty close.
I live and ride in the Hampton Roads Va area which has traffic as bad or worse than probably 98% of the country.

regards
Mech

[jkv357]

Living and riding in the Chicago metro area like I did for 20 years I wouldn't even consider anything with less performance than a stock 250. Gearing it up significantly would have created safety issues IMO.

Where I live now I could get away with it.

I'm just saying making a major gearing change that affects acceleration significantly doesn't work in every environment.


Jay

[dcb]

Originally Posted by jkv357

Perception of what? A lot would depend on where you live and ride (commute).

Driving a CB125 in traffic in some areas of the US would border on insanity, gearing it up 10 teeth would be lethal.

Performance is safety in some situations.


Jay

But that is merely perception, and helps demonstrate my point

You perceive performance as a safety issue, I see performance getting a lot of squids into bad situations. A lot of people see motorcycles themselves as lethal (though personally I blame cars more often after you survive being a squid). Some think you are insane if you don't have a helmet, etc, etc.

Your best safety equipment is your head, if you had a vw bug, you don't merge when there isn't enough room. Performance isn't a safety issue unless you are impatient, which is the bigger issue and can still get you killed if your Hurricane skips a beat when pulling in front of that semi (and bogs down to VW acceleration momentarily).

No, no correlation between performance and safety, just as likely to get you killed from my perspective. The only thing performance seems to help is in burning more gas, which is a conflicting goal on this site. I wouldn't trust "instincts" on this one. You wrap someone in a cage, they get complacent, you put someone on a rocket, they go faster and encounter more problems, sooner.

I'm from chicago area too, and I say try it, it is a cheap experiment. You hopefully still know how to downshift when you need to

[jkv357]

Originally Posted by dcb

But that is merely perception, and helps demonstrate my point

You perceive performance as a safety issue, I see performance getting a lot of squids into bad situations.(SNIP)

For living in the same area, we sure have different views on things!

Being able to accelerate out of a bad situation is often better than maintaining speed or slowing - that's why it's a safety benefit.

Well I'm not a squid, so the performance hasn't gotten me in trouble - but it has helped get me out!

I don't think we'd be good riding buddies...


Jay

[dcb]

Originally Posted by jkv357

I don't think we'd be good riding buddies...

Do you drive for economy? Or what are you here for, to protect the status quo and existing perceptions?

I don't ride for fun, well I choose to ride because it is a hell of a lot more fun than a car and more economical, but I am usually commuting or running an errand, some utility, not using it to be buddies with anyone, unless we happen to be going the same way at the same speed

Let me put it this way, safety lectures about performance and loud pipes and etc with no facts are tedious, the ones with facts even more so.

[alvaro84]

Originally Posted by dcb

I don't ride for fun, well I choose to ride because it is a hell of a lot more fun than a car and more economical, but I am usually commuting or running an errand, some utility, not using it to be buddies with anyone, unless we happen to be going the same way at the same speed

You're pretty much like me Except I ride for fun too - it's mostly touring. But I rarely ride with anyone else (except my girlfriend), almost no one could stand my pace

In the beginning I had the choice either to buy a cage or a bike - now I've been riding for 3 years, and I have no cage. Well... I'll probably buy in the not too distant future, but I'll rarely use it, only for occassions when I have to go with more than one passenger, or large/heavy luggage. Or it's too cold. I don't really ride under ~-3C (~26F) nor in the snow. You can call me a pansy.

With this mindset 650cc may be too much, but I don't really care: Teresa is not worse at FE than many 250cc bikes, and I got quite attached...

[jkv357]

My apologies to Old Mechanic for making this a pissing match between dcb and myself.

Unfortunately it seems to happen every time I decide to comment here.

I really do want to see what you can do with your new CBR.


Jay