Starting Out With A Super-Bike

Background

As a former regular biker myself, the term super-bike always seemed a bit hyped.

Had two 10-12 BHP bikes for 10 years, a ~15 BHP bike for 6 years, a 25 BHP bike for 9 years, and now a 47 BHP bike for the last 3 years.

The last two actually had plenty of power for any kind of city usage, and most highway usage as well.

But after having finally moved to a 200+ BHP super-bike after 30 years of biking, one has to admit that there are significant differences in the categories.

It's simply not the same kind of machine.

It's not even the same world!

And I've barely even scratched the surface of what this bike can do.

First Week

Break-In

First of all, here are my personal notes from the first week of a complete by-the-book break-in.

BTW, that is something I've done for all five new bikes I've had.
Regardless of whether the bikes need it anymore, I believe the riders still do. 

That would also explain why even bikes that cost as much as several cars are still required to follow a break-in, while cars are not.

Seat Design

To start off, I'd never realized why super-bikes have the difference in seat heights between the two seats.

Now it all makes sense!

Without the little back support for the rider seat, with a flat seat and even moderately hard acceleration, the bike will leave without you. No joke!

It's mostly just a lot of holding on for dear life 😂

You understand why bikers use the term haul-@$$. Half the time it's like the bike is transporting you somewhere Trekkie-style, or just trying to leave you behind.

The new bikes are designed to be very manageable at low revs, but cross 5000rpm and the kitten abruptly transforms into a hungry lion! 😺 to 🦁

Even the engine refinement is incredible.
Butter-smooth is the exact term that comes to mind.

Makhan!

Wind Blast

Then there were odd terms super-bikers used to use, such as wind blast. 

You didn't realize how much of a factor these things are until you start hitting 200kmph regularly.

Heat

My other bikes tend tend to heat up too, especially the bigger ones.

But the heat from a Supersport is something else. 

The bike literally relaxes more when you go faster. Cross 200kmph and it's cool as a cucumber.

But in the city...

One thing I'll mention though is the heat is not just a function of revs. The bike will often cool better at higher speed on the same gear, especially on the higher ones.

Then there's fan coming on only at 95kmph.

Someone should probably do the math on the ideal speed to gear ratio for ideal cooling.

Also noticed that the bikes heats more on very low revs. Think it's because the oil cooler only works properly at mid range.

Seems like the bike cools better when you ride it harder, even at the same speed.

Power

With regular bikes, you have to push the bike a bit to go fast, even with the faster ones.

With these bikes, there's more power than you'll ever need anywhere except on a full racetrack.
So it's all up to you to control yourself and the bike.

Had an AMG Merc try to race me yesterday on the highway, but decided to let him go.

It's strange riding something that can take on anything on four wheels.

Ferraris and Lamborghinis are laughable in comparison. See the top gear video below. 

Even the F1 car didn't stand a chance if not for the corners. The bike in the video wasn't even a race version like the two cars. Just a regular sports bike!

It's simply incredible that you can beat multi-million dollar cars for a few thousand dollars of motorcycle.

Also, the AMG in my story got left behind at the toll booth anyway.

Weight

I remember a decade ago when several of us were riding similar 25 BHP bikes, that some guys consistently got better results than others.

These guys often gave advice on how to accelerate correctly etc.

It was only a few months later that it because apparent that the performance was directly correlated with body-weight.

The lightest guy was up front, the heaviest out back. The others, spaced out proportionally in between.

Remember that every extra pound makes a difference with bikes. So if you're thirty pounds heavier than the next guy, it's definitely going to show in a straight line.

If you want to really show your skills, get on a track with similar bikes and beat them on the curves.

Baiters

On two occasions, people have come and hit my 47 BHP GT from behind while I was standing in traffic.

With the new bike, it's now people riding too close or cutting you off or blocking your passage etc.  

Just ways to make a quick buck, when someone sees an expensive-looking bike.
You just have to move on.

Luckily most people can't tell how different the bikes are in cost. 

I have been able to get away with claiming half the cost for the new bike when asked, and people still nodding impressively.

Cruise Control

A friend with a Tuono mentioned this too - you wouldn't think of cruise control as something that would be helpful on a bike.

But try it once on the highway and you're hooked.

As a friend with a Busa mentioned, you get to rest without stopping.

Advice From "Elders"

Finally, here's some advice from the experienced friend above who has had his Busa for almost a decade.

I was looking for this kind of information online, but finally got it much closer to home.

Power

Get to know the acceleration, braking, engine braking etc. Basically get used to this level of power and brakes.

You should know where the bike will do a wheelie, or where it will do a stoppie.

Once I just accelerated hard (his words), and did a power wheelie. I didn't lose my balance luckily, but did get hella scared.

Eyesight

Your eyes have to get used to that kind of speed.

Beyond 220 kmph, the brain can't calibrate overnight. At least for me (his words again), it took lots of time.

Preferably learn alone, as you don't get tempted by other riders' speed.

Final Thoughts

Even the Top Gear video below mentions that bikers are wired a little differently.

Thought Process

I remember thinking something the first time I rode a super-bike, an old fire-blade, a decade ago. I never told anyone what I thought. 

But then years later, I was speaking to someone else and mentioned how incredible the experience was.

He said the exact same thing I had thought. It's better than $3x, right? 😂

Being Sensible?

Then I was speaking to the Busa friend above and mentioned why I had gotten a bonkers super-sport instead of a slightly more practical Tourer.

He got it immediately.

"Very sensible! We can always downgrade in future.  But with age, we can't upgrade. I mean there isn't really any upgrade available from these levels."

You have to be wired differently to both agree that 200 BHP is more sensible than an already unusable 150.

Let Them Go

Remember, the only place to push these bikes is on the track.

On the roads, let the tough guys go ahead and ride for yourself.
The toughest thing to do always, is to what's right without caring what anyone else thinks.

Ride safe!