Are heavy bikes bad?

[Bike Breaker]

Even a lightweight feels excessively heavy when you've protected it from harm by throwing yourself underneath it.
Trust me. I know these things.

[Horse]

Actually, yes.

They claimed that UJMs suffered from reduced weight over the front at speed.

Ahh, the police bikes had heavy gear stored in the rear panniers with some bikes, weaved over the road a bit.
Can't remember if it was the BMWs or the Pan Ams or both.

Almost all of them

R80RT
Pans - certainly the 13

When it was the R80, I talked with a guy who was involved with a court case, from a Uni. He reckoned it was the rigid radio mounting. Civvie panniers and topbox flex, but the rigidity and weight set the rear swinging.

[Skub]

Actually, yes.

They claimed that UJMs suffered from reduced weight over the front at speed.

Ahh, the police bikes had heavy gear stored in the rear panniers with some bikes, weaved over the road a bit.
Can't remember if it was the BMWs or the Pan Ams or both.

A friend of mine was in the black rats at the time of the new ST1300 and he threw his up the motorway after a terminal weave. He said the ST1100 was ok but the police gear badly effected the 13.

[Rockburner]

I read somewhere the fairing was designed to create downforce at speed.

BMW were doing that from the old air-cooled R100RS onwards. That fairing had winglets 30 years before the grand prix mob.

First proddy bike with a wind tunnel tested fairing,wasn't it?

I think Guzzi can claim that, they had their own wind tunnel in the 30s.

The BM likely had better analysis of the testing though.

[The Spin Doctor]

Actually, yes.

They claimed that UJMs suffered from reduced weight over the front at speed.

Speed and a BMW RS in the same sentence?

[Noggin]

I guess that after 6 months on a heavy 600 then 8 years riding a Blackbird as my first bikes, I found the TLs and ZX10r lighter than I should!!

I am not bothered about the weight of a bike - till I drop it!! I wouldn't have been able to pick up any of my bikes alone (except one - see next line!)

Apart from the 390 Duke being the most fun and laughs of any other bike, it was also the only bike I've owned that I could pick up!!

But, that won't stop me getting another big (heavy) bike in the future - just need to learn to manhandle it round hairpins!!

Heavy bikes are just different, they can still be a load of fun when ridden the right way.

Zackerly!!! I never realised the Blackbird was 'that' heavy (had not bike experience really) and definitely didn't realise that it 'doesn't go round corners'

[Horse]

Actually, yes.

They claimed that UJMs suffered from reduced weight over the front at speed.

Speed and a BMW RS in the same sentence?

Fair point. If a 'BMW' then probably 'making safe progress' might be more appropriate?

[rodbargee]

THE ZZR1400 is 220 KG which is heavy but it doesn't feel heavy, the KZ1300 felt really weighty by comparison and much more precarious. edit Just checked the KZ 1300 weighed 297 KG no fucking wonder it felt heavy

[MingtheMerciless]

My ZH2 is a heavy lump (240kg wet), it is a bit of a pig paddling around at walking pace but once on the move it carries its weight well. I suspect on track it’d be tiring but it’s fine on the road.

[mangocrazy]

THE ZZR1400 is 220 KG which is heavy but it doesn't feel heavy,

Kawasaki's web site quotes the kerb weight (wet weight) as 261 kg. That's h e a v y (maan...)

[rodbargee]

THE ZZR1400 is 220 KG which is heavy but it doesn't feel heavy,

Kawasaki's web site quotes the kerb weight (wet weight) as 261 kg. That's h e a v y (maan...)

seems t'internet has a few all up weights for the zzr

[Taipan]

For me a lack of steering lock/movement worsens the weight. If you have to shunt a bike about to park it and its got no lock its seems to get heavier with every step!

I had a K100RS years ago. Lovely bike on the open road but commuting on it was a nightmare. It was just so heavy and I could see gaps that I could easily fit through but the bikes weight killed its manoeuvrability as you couldn't shunt it back and forth to make the turn iyswim?

My NCX is no lightweight and sometimes that hampers it, but I can flick it about surprisingly well, although I often see gaps I'd have already been through on a scooter. But I love the NCX and it has the perfect riding position for me, so I'd forgive it most things.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Why would you want a heavy bike if there was a lighter bike that did the same job, though heavy bikes can have shit suspension and still be okay as the ratio of sprung to unsprung weight is heavily in favour of the sprung.

[Dickyboy]

though heavy bikes can have shit suspension and still be okay as the ratio of sprung to unsprung weight is heavily in favour of the sprung

Hmm, had the new to me 1200gs two up & panniered up for the first time yesterday and despite winding the peload right up & setting the tyre pressure the extra weight really made it wallow around the bends might have to get the scales out as max load is 219kg...

BM is 256kg & guzzi is 235kg but that extra 20kg and higher up def seems more, would def prefer something sub 200kg