Can you do a video comparing the Belt driven and chain driven scooters? Is there a certain CC rating that belt can no longer handle? Harleys have belts.
Hey Yam, you've got a number of people that have been trying to contact you via your support email and phone number to no avail about continuous charging for already cancelled subscriptions. You should check on that before someone ends up going a more litigious route considering the hundreds of dollars that you've snagged from that rather bad business practice.
Yeah. Power / torque curves in general, much more important than peak figures that are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things anyway. And GEARING is arguably more important than engine performance! If you have a good engine but a subpar gearing, you‘ll have a meh bike.
@@logangodofcandya lot of reviewers mention/discuss it, but the companies rarely describe the power curve. A good example is the GSX-S 1000 GT and Ninja 1000SX. Both are comparable, but the GT has higher peak power and torque at the end of its power band and the SX has better power and torque throughout most of the usable power band; however, the GT doesn’t feel like it’s lagging behind (according to reviewers) likely due to gearing. There are some other notable considerations on how the bikes feel, but neither of those engine characteristics are accurately represented on the websites. Since most of us watch UA-cam commentators anyway we’re usually knowledgeable about these things. But spec sheet warriors existed before UA-cam, so oversimplifying to peak power and torque is all anyone looks at.
All figures on motorcycle spec sheets are misleading, be it torque and power, capacity, weight, steering geometry, wheelbase, seat height, gear ratios... you name it. None of those numbers mean a thing in isolation. A motorcycle is a package. It's how the manufacturer puts all the numbers together that makes a good bike. And simply adding up all the best "numbers" doesn't necessarily make the best or fastest bike, and it certainly doesn't make the best bike that suits your use case or riding style. One man's trash is another man's treasure when it comes to motorcycles. A bike that you ride well in your use case might be an absolute dog to me in my use case. It also mightn't be the right fit, ergonomically. Spec sheets are good for lighting fires or making paper airplanes out of and nothing else... except bragging to your friends, maybe.
I can see the same sentiment that this video has with modern cars. Everyone obsessed with "features" and meaningless things yet no one makes an actually better car than the ones they sold in the 2010s or even the 2000s
Peak was really the 90s imo. As much as the farkles are nice for day trips where I don't know the local roads... it's so much more relaxing driving my 92 Toyota around locally. No screens. Shift by the sound. I don't even know what speed I'm going (speedometer is in km). I can just drive.
That’s not true at all. Vehicles are continually getting more power, but better fuel mileage. Backup cameras. Adaptive cruise. Small displacement turbocharged engines. Heated and cooled seats. Bluetooth capable infotainment systems. These are all improvements we’ve seen become more common in the past ten to fifteen years, and they all make the driving experience more enjoyable. Ac systems are also far, far more efficient than they used to be.
@@thagingerninjer5391 Do you really need heated and cooled seats or steering wheels for that matter? Or infotainment systems with big screens to distract you? I'll grant you back up camera's if your neck is so buggered that you can't turn around to look behind you or are too stupid to master the art of using your side view mirrors while backing up or are driving a massive boat/SUV/Cyber Fruck with limited or even no rear view visibility. Adapted cruise simply tells me you have zero throttle control skills. When you are driving, you are meant to not only be in control of your vehicle, but also to be paying 100% of your attention to your environment and what is going on around you outside of your vehicle. It's call situational awareness and lately we have been passing off too much of our own responsibility over that to questionable tech......both the motorcycle and auto industries have not just forgotten the KISS Principle, but are actively trying to curb stomp it to death.
Hey Yammie, The problem with adding features on small bikes and advertizing gas milage is not the fact that americans need it, it's other asian countries, Especially india, Coming from an RS457 Owner, Which costs about 6000$ On road in my city and gives me 58MPG, and it's seen as a gas guzzler and impractical. Speaking of beginner bikes is Somewhere about 100-200CC here, so 400-500 CC is basically viewed as superbikes here, So if a bike doesn't give us decked out features people here will not buy them as u can buy bikes with zero features and extremely good gas milage (140MPG) for about 2000$. This is just my take, Please feel free to tell me your perspective of my comment
Furthermore, it depends on the use case of the bike. If you're mainly going to be using your bike for commutes in a city, having a high MPG bike makes more sense since they typically correlate to smaller bikes that don't need all the extra power since you'll be going slow enough that the top end doesn't likely matter. Also, fuel price can play a decent role in determining the 'maintenance' cost of a bike. Back in the early 2000's when the hybrid cars starting hitting the market, the mark-up on having a higher MPG than the standard gas versions made it so you'd have to drive roughly 25k miles a year to break even... with motorcycles, the higher MPG bikes tend to be cheaper than the gas guzzlers, further enhancing how much money you'll save over the life of the bike. Sure, people like the thrill of the ride, but you can value economy at the same time. ...Also country restrictions on MPG/emissions drive the trend and messaging for all vehicles, so regardless of personal reasons it will get toted!
right. no idea why he said it's $1k more expensive, it is the same price as the 400 was. and like the other comment said, you get 52cc free, with an updated dash
One of the best videos you've made, really good information on things to take into account when buying a motorcycle, specially as a beginner. Thanks for the video. I love when Yammie gets serious.
I saved for months for after starting my own business for a new Hoosqvarna 401. I got tired of waiting and asked for a loan, that I couldn’t get because I just started a business. What!? Dejected, I passed by an 07 Honda VTX 1300T on the way home with 14k on it, insured it online that night, paid cash for it the next day and rode it home! That was four weeks ago, I have 1865 new miles, a self done engine and gear oil change and LED bulb swap on her. Some old dude at the Quiki-stop said he put 75,000 on his! I got riding because Yammie told me to! Thanks, Papa!
I ride what they call an adv bike, not because I hope to ride crazy places, but because I want something that can jump, and also handle Michigan potholes. Being more offroad capable than the police bikes is a nice bonus.
Comfort updates would be huge. I love my naked bike cause its comfy in daily riding. I wish more sport bikes besides just the gsxs8 were more upright with mid controls
My friend "upgraded" from an r3 to a Triumph 765. He misses the R3 because in his words "It was more fun, easier to ride, faster around town, better in the twisties, and I could thrash the living daylights out of it without killing myself or losing my license."
I'm with you, especially if you've ever run out of fuel on a motor bike. It's a great indicator for how well the engine turns dinosaurs into power, too.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 I had to ride a bike with no ABS and one with ABS during my license practice and exam. I'm not even considering bikes without ABS, it's a no brainer.
@@Mucky_Muck ABS, ABS, ABS. Why do people not understand what it is? If your braking technique is good enough, you'll never know that it's there. If it's not, it might save your life. Good luck with finding a bike. My top tip: Ignore spec sheets... power outputs, weight, steering geometry, top speeds etc. Test ride bikes and find a one that fits YOU. Just because some knob jockey wannabe racer journalist says "blah", means nothing, either. As Einstein famously said, "You can't judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree". Look for a bike that suits what you'll actually use it for, not the dreams that you have or the visions in your head. Be realistic. Sports bikes aren't for going to work on and scooters aren't for race tracks. There are a plethora of good "middleweight" bikes on the market that will see 9 out of 10 riders out, if they're honest.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 I know what it is. I have personally felt the effects of it having vs not having. As a beginner with limited skill I want something that won't kill me, and ABS is one of the things that will help me live a little bit longer.
One point: while mileage is still kind of important to me, I quickly realized that the tank range is pretty much unimportant. Like, at all. Not only are the ranges similar but because of the weather, hydration, a nice stop on the road or ton of other reasons you usually stop every now and then anyway.
Weekend rider, 2016 Yammy V star 650. The lowest range I ever got was 92 miles. I fuel up every 100, or every time i run errands. It takes 5 minutes, i dont see how people complain about it so much at 150 miles of range on their bikes
I get your point but I love my 300nk and the added peace of mind from the rider app and gps monitoring is just icing on the cake. At the end of the day, just get something you like, something you can afford and something that ideally won't kill you.
I have a 2019 ATAS with standard transmission. I had previously had the opportunity to ride a friend's AT with DCT. It was great. I chose the standard transmission because the DCT adds 22 lbs to the weight. That was more than I was willing to take. All else being equal, I might have taken the DCT. You can alter shift points through driving modes on the DCT. You can also manually shift the DCT. Works as good or better than a quick shifter.
Totally agree with you on the pushing more power and tech just to try to push people into buying a newer model next year. What they’re really doing is driving up prices and bloating a good product eventually ruining what made it good. When if ALL automotive manufacturers would STOP THAT CRAP. And focus on making a quality product that does what it does WELL, and the. Mass producing and fine tuning and perfecting the hell out of the design, and what I mean is if a part could be made to last longer and not cost more, DO THAT, if it can be made less expensively but to the same quality and durability, DO THAT, etc. the. Prices would drop significantly and parts availability and compatibility would go through the roof! Sells would may slow slightly but less over head I think would compensate at least in part if not full, and it’s a pretty much win win for everyone!
Gas tank range isn't about desolate areas.... I ride my motorcycle to work a few days a week. 70 miles round trip. I DO NOT want to stop every day or two for gas. It's annoying needing to fuel twice or three times a week!
I will disagree on the fuel range bit. The vast majority of my riding is commuting to work. My car can go 350-400 miles on a tank, so I only have to gas up once a week. I know it's minor, but I do wish I could go that far on my bike without having to pull over and get gas in rush hour traffic every 2-3 days.
I've been looking at a Z500 for awhile now and even the Z400/Z500 prices are basically the same. $300 more for an extra 52cc. Which is pretty negligible. Weird hill to die on. Yammie has some pretty weird and uneducated takes.
What pisses me off are bikes that set off a fuel light when the things still have another 100* miles to go before empty! My Vstrom has like 4 or 5 large bars and it’s easy to tell when you need fuel, my buddies older bmw has 10 tiny fuel bars and the thing makes you think you’re about to run out of gas when it still has a half tank left, super annoying!
Thanks for this review. I'm unsurprised with the marketplace but it's great to have your experienced perspective. Best advice "Just get out there and ride" 👍
while I am getting up there in years.....I am very happy to have a blipper on my motorcycle. It is faster and less distracting....ie, I do one thing vs two, I just shift. It is still "manual"....I just don't use the clutch as much. I will also admit that I do have nerve damage in my left hand so having the blipper has helped with general pain in my hand while riding, let alone hours later.
Buyers who are beginners shouldn't even buy a brand new bike from a dealer. Paying $5000-7500 for a new bike as a beginner seems like a terrible investment. There's plenty of used bikes out there for under $2500 that can be ridden by beginners.
Amen. Expect to drop that beginner bike at least twice the first year - one of those being in a garage and once in public. That will depreciate the bike A LOT. Also, beginners move up to bigger bikes within six months to two years and need to sell that first bike. If you are at least 5'10", (1.8 meters) tall, the Kawasaki KLR650 makes an excellent beginner to midtier bike. It lets you try all the styles in one bike - city, highway, commute, dirt roads, gravel, dual track, fire roads, and riding to the North Pole, as a Japanese rider did years ago. Kawasaki flooded the market with KLR bikes starting in 2021, so there's a ton of value to be had for $2500 - $5000 USD. They really are Lego kits also, easy to upgrade and DIY. Ultimate motorcycle learning platform.
I've bought 3 bikes in my life, and all of them have been brand new. Reason 1: I'm financially able too. 2: Warranty. When I was a beginner rider I didn't want someone elses problems or janky workmanship. I wanted to make sure the bike would be as safe as possible and reliable and if something broke prematurely, I could just go "here, you fix it".
This is a great and very courageous video Yammie. Considering part of your income and opportunities likely come from these manufacturers, it’s courageous of you to point out the blatant flaws in their strategy. Good on ya
Range is important. I had a V-Strom 650. I now have an Africa Twin. They each have a range of about 250 miles. I have challenged that range on a few occasions. Less than a range of 250 miles requires at least the ability to carry spare fuel. Between the V-Strom and the ATAS, I had a DR-Z400. Stock range was about 120 miles. I swapped the tank for a large Safari tank. The range tripled. It was great. I stopped when I wanted, not when I needed. On a long trip, I would often go a full day without fueling. Every rider has a story about nearly running out of gas. Range is important.
The biggest reason y i commute on my zx14r instead of my 1980 GS750L suzuki. 225mi/tank vs 95mi/tank. Gets annoying needing to fill up every single day. And about twice the mpgs.. 😂😂
One thing I noticed riding my bike 162 miles round trip to work at least 3 days a week and a major misconception I had when starting riding : you WILL NOT save money riding a bike. Every penny you save in gas will be multiplied by 10 and spent in maintenance
Experience with Fuel Economy here. I've owned bikes in the range of 125cc to 900cc and they all sit in the 50-65mpg range and can do 150-200 miles on a tank, the only time I can imagine mpg being important is if you have a mini moto or supermoto that only has a 1 gallon tank
I remember seeing a beginner bike from Suzuki which is about a hair over $2000. It's available here in the Philippines but I don't know if it's available in other country. Sure it's a measly 150cc but considering the fact that you can't really squeeze the full potential of anything over 200cc in Philippine roads, it's a good deal. It's about the same price range as a infamous Suzuki Raider R150 which is an underbone motorcycle, the most famous type of motorcycle here.
I learned to ride on a carbureted 250cc V-Star. One of the bikes I had the most fun with was a SR400 with a stone-aged engine that'll probably burn and run on anything vaguely flammable and doesn't have a repair job that can't be done with shoe string and duck tape. Electric start was not an option, and it didn't even have auto compression release for easier kicking; quite frankly, I'm surprised I didn't have to fill up the headlamp with acetylene. But I miss that simple little bike.
I don't like the direction new bikes are going, so much so that recently I was looking to buy a new used road bike again and despite having enough money to buy pretty much any reasonably priced used bike I wanted, I ended up buying a 2019 sv650, because its not so powerful that redlining it in first gear will cause you to loose your license, and it doesn't have any riding aids, just ABS, which I disabled by pulling the fuse, many new bikes have traction control, riding modes, and so on, and if you want to disable them they just get reset again as soon as you turn the bike off, what a pain in the ass, give me an old school early 2000's bike any day.
I hadn't ridden for a few years. I thought I'd be smart and start back with a bike with more modest power and no nonsense. My plan was to ride the bike for 4-6 months and then "upgrade". I ended up buying a 2015 Kawasaki W800 with barely any mileage on it. That was a year ago. I have no intention of "upgrading" at all. Bikes like that and the SV650 just do the motorcycle "thing" so well in the real world. And you can give them a good nudge without losing your life or license.
Clean and lube the chain every 300-600 miles. Check and tighten the chain every 600-1,000 miles. Change oil and filter every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Check your tire pressures often and everytime the normal temperature changes significantly. Check your clutch lever free play adjustment every so often. Generally lubricate stuff. Inspect and replace as necessary brakes, fluids, fork seals, rubber bits, hoses, tightening of everything periodically, usually at least every oil change. READ YOUR BIKE'S MANUAL AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. Have the major services (valve clearance checks and adjustments, for example) done by a reputable mechanic, unless you're really qualified and prepared. Self-educate on YT and forums and online and learn new things. Don't trust one source too much blindly; lots of myths are perpetuated even by experienced and educated riders . Good luck and have fun!
There are countless videos and websites with all the info on preventative maintenance for whatever bike you are looking for, separated by mileage at your finger tips my friend. Yam probably has a video on exactly that I'm sure, stay safe out there.
I started out with a Suzuki Burgman 200 scooter after not riding since 1990. Then I got a Burgman 650 . I am not any faster in the corners on either. The 650 would win in a race since it can accelerate better. I was wearing out harley riders on the Dragon with it. It does 111 while the 200 does about 80. Both are incredibly comfortable and I just don't feel comfortable having to operate a clutch in the twisties I love so much. At 53 year old, I don't know why anyone would want to have to switch gears using a clutch if they didn't have to. And like you said, most people can't drive a manual car either. I'm keeping my 200 as a local run about. It is a complete blast to ride hard. It is nimble as all get out but lacks passing power. My mountain running machine is going to be a Honda 650 automatic. The price tag does suck but this is a bike that I will ride to work some times and I plan to have it for a very long time. 120 is fast enough but I think I will slow it down a bit since I won't feel that I will have to prove what my 650 scooter can do. I like the smaller bikes. I love to lane split. I am literally that motorcyclist that everybody hates. The 400 ninja with the slipper clutch is the only other choice for me but I really don't want to use a clutch. Maybe if I was 40 but not now.
Thank you for this video. I myself am guilty of being a spec sheet warrior and keep debating which bike to get and own. I shall listen to your advice and just get the damn bike I want, need to stop overthinking it. (I’m buying a bike next year)
ADV... what do I use one for? going to work! this was my main reason for wanting a bike, to cut down how much congestion affects my commute. the ADV was just the best physical fit. and it came with benefits I haven't had since my last 4wd vehicle with all terrain tyres. so I have the ability to go where street bikes can't, and I'm going to use that fun little benefit every chance I get! It wasn't the intended purpose... just a Plus! Older riders grown tired of shifting? Many would consider me old, and the majority of my cars have been manual... the current car is auto, simply because stop start motorway crawling sucks, and automatics are better for it... But I love having gears to play with when I don't have to stop and crawl along behind other traffic. (just go straight through it all) You won't catch me riding an automatic bike until I need a wheelchair to get from my bed to the Bathroom! and by then it would likely be a conventional trike, not a reverse trike! And the two totally different food types in the same restaurant not being "stellar" yeah,,, ever tried Butter chicken Pizza? WTF and WHO TF thought that shit up? it's one or the other... not both!
I long expected a video about the nonsense craze with ADVs. It's all about the image. I'm tired of seeing GS's and the like riding highways. I wanna shout to them, "What do you think you're doing?". Manufacturers are trying to make a certain type of bike do sth it wasn't built for...and then owners discover that they have to get a taller screen, a wider seat plus side bags, etc to make it look like a Sport-Tourer. But it will never be no such thing because its build is not made for highways-what with the higher center of gravity which impacts turning ability, wind exposure and so on. Hey guys, get a Sport-Tourer-it was built for highways right from the start. ADVs are simply jacks of all trades and masters of none! Great video!
I think there is a potentially huge market for automatic transmissions on cruiser bikes. The thing is that cruiser guys love the big clunk when the engage first, so we would need to have that same sound when they put their automatic into drive. In fact making every gearshift clunky might be a wise marketing decision.
I was always attracted to motorcycles and was honestly gonna go with a DCT Rebel because I was afraid of the manual transmission. I bit the bullet and got a ZX-6R. I went to a couple training courses with my wife and I’m happy I did. Half of the fun is shifting gears. That being said, I still see the appeal to automatics for new riders, city commuting, and maybe older riders that just want the wind in their hair. I still hope to be shifting gears when I’m older though!
im new to riding and my first bike is a 1989 honda nx 250 dominator, although it does lack power for some things but its really fun for what i want it to do, i dont expect anything special from it and never did
I am a German sports tourer guy (ironically, I currently own a Tuono V4). I thought the same about ADVs untiiiil I went to Southern France. I can make 2400km in 4 days on a naked or sports tourer on even roads and Alpine mountain passes, no problem. But maaan, those roads simply defeated me on my VTR1000F. I can't do more than two hours a day like that! They simply demand an upright rider position which means you need an ADV for that purpose. I stick to North Europe ever since lol
And there's road surface to consider, too. I'm in Australia. Not only do our prescribed speed limits mean that it's just about faster to walk than it is to ride or drive, our roads are rubbish. They're like sealed goat tracks. ADV's make a lot of sense on our roads.
Just a thought to bear in mind, in the developing market world (India, China, etc) the 500(ish) class isn't for beginners but an aspiration class for the beginnings of a motorcycling-for-leisure buyer. The tech, winglets, etc are to give a competition vector in markets where no one is looking at 600 or above
The Ninja 500 (aka. 52cc more) is producing close to 58hp/34ft-lbs, compared to 53hp/28ft-lbs produced by the 400. It is still a good amount of potential performance. I think the Aprilia RS457 is the next ceiling of the “beginner's bike”. The number of rider aids, thick aluminum frame instead of steel, 41mm USD fork we dream of on the 400, and radially mounted front caliper. It is basically the RC390 with a twin motor upgrade. Not to mention that it is cheaper than the 500.
On the first point, I’ve been loving the hell out of my CB500X. 13,000 miles since November 2023. I feel like the Honda 500 works better as the X than the R. I want to upgrade to the Transalp 750 for the 2-up highway power, once they decide to release the white in the states. (Oh yeah, I actually have it for off-roading lmao, recently did some casual Canyonlands trails)
I have a friend who bought a z500. With in a few months of riding, maybe one or two thousand miles, he purchased our friends Z900. I was felt he should have waited at least until end of the season, but whatever. At least complete your first riding season on a low CC bike to experience some stuff that you can barely get away with on a low CC bike before you hop on the big bike. I personally spent about a year and a half on the small CC stuff before moving up to the 8R. And I'll probably stay on it for at least a year or end of next riding season before I go after my forever bike... A busa. Not because I have a lust for speed, but because I want to be able to tour and still enjoy a corner properly.
I think the biggest reason sport bike sales are tanking is because they are built for 5'8" and anyone else is either not touching the ground at a stop or crouched in the fetal position when running.
Exactly. I'm shy of 5'5". Though I'm not on point like a ballerina on my R3, I'm not exactly flat footing it either. So dreams of upgrading to a 6 or 700cc are out the window without adjusting the suspension. Ergo, affecting the handling.
Thanks. Probably the best summation of motorbike BS that I’ve watched. After nearly 30 years of riding and many bikes, I completely agree with all your points. Wished I’d had something like this to watch when I first started out. Also should have listened to some of my wiser friends and their advice.😢
my first real bike was a 2013 CBR500R and it ACTUALLY maxed out the A2 licensing (by 1hp). It cost me $4500CAD, had no extra whistles (was pre-ABS and TFT display) and had plenty of power to keep me happy (until I bought my R6 and never looked back). Yeah it was a little on the heavy side but I have no regrets. I'd say the 650 class of sport bikes is actually the real scam.
Hey can you PLEASE do a video on calling bullshit on the “had to lay’r down” crowd that actually believe that this is somehow an option and voluntary choice in an emergency situation and not simply a result of poor decision making and lack of skill. Nobody lays it down intentionally and I think you would agree. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Love the channel.
DCT bikes are appealing to me because I have a paralysis on my left hand and can only grip (I have trouble opening my hand) I'm thinking of saving up for a rebel dct or a ctx 700 dct to save money. I would love a ninja 400, if maybe someone sold a clutch delete, or maybe something to transfer the clutch to the right hand.
I fully agree to the "the newest tech doesnt give you more enjoyment" sentiment. I will bet you everything i have that my 1982 Suzuki GS1000L with its 90HP will create at least as much enjoyment in the twisties as any newer litre-bike with their 180+HP. Sure, i aint doing wheelies and i aint beating you in any type of race, but thats not the point. Its just me and my carbeurated block of anger underneath me. No driving assists, all feel. And when you get the feeling for it, its just so, so amazing to ride.
Fully agree. After 40 years of sportbikes I bought myself a 1994 BMW 1100GS and it is all the bike I need. When touring I do a comfortable 850 km/day, it's an easy bike to work on and parts are easy to get. Personally I do like the fuel injection because there is no more need for re-jetting when going from sea level into the mountains and back. It's 90-ish HP is more then enough to carry me and full camping gear around, torque beats HP in real life. i can't even imagine myself on one of those newer disco bikes.
I have a 2006 R6, what is your honest opinion on my particular bike? Do not be biased. I'm a 48yo and started out on a 1987 Ninja at the age of 18. I've never looked back for cruiser.
Motorcycle companies developing automatic transmissions see the future. With the car market getting rid of the majority of manual transmissions, the majority of people that drive will eventually not have any concept of a manual transmission. If the motorcycle industry doesn't develop automatic transmissions the number of people who would even take on the challenge of learning to shift on a motorcycle will be so small that motorcycles could go away. There will be a need over the next 15-20 years to provide a fully automatic solution for riders who have never been exposed to manual transmissions. I think this is the key reason you see some motorcycle manufacturers starting to dabble in this space.
listen I completely agree with what your saying about the 500 not being a worthy upgrade form the 400, but as someone starting on a ninja 500, man I love it so much. Got it Monday, mainly off ur reviews for the 400 and couldn't be happier (minus the dealer fees those hurt lol)
I’ll tell ya right now Yams, if the big 4 made their most popular bikes of each type in a automatic/DCT version, im super sure there will be a decent sized consumer pool. There’s a good deal of people not only intimidated by manuals but UNWILLING to operate em. and some even physically/mentally unable to operate that many controls at once
Completely agree in terms of the 500 class bikes. The ONLY reason I have my cb500f it's because I got it for $5900 out the door with only 28 mi on it. Brand new after fees it would be over 8,000 out the door. When you can just spend a couple Grand more and get something like a Ninja 650 brand new. Not a big jump in horsepower but still worth it to me.
I can not explain how thoroughly I enjoy my 31HP boulevard s40. Single cylinder air cooled and absolutely no tech. I've drive then 200hp bikes but I love this more
Bro, i am currently riding my beginner bike (09 500r) and the ONLY reason im selling it is because my best friend saw me riding my 500 and is sooo down. I told him screw those 3 or 4 hundy bikes. Even 8 years old you cant sell them for 1/4 of what you buy them for. If not for him, id keep it. Its not intimidating, it is forgiving, but screams and likes it...think ya missed the mark on the 500s specifically on the kawa 500r. Great bike, fun as hell, good for beginners, and peppy as all heck.
I’m thinking about buying my first ever motorcycle and I’m torn between the Ninja 500 and the CF Moto 450SS. On the one hand, the 450SS seems like a better bang for buck, but on the other hand I’m a bit skeptical of a relatively unknown Chinese manufacturer. Any advice?
Im currently searching for an A2 bike (48HP) and want as much power as possible. Do I notice a difference between like 40HP and 48HP? Right now my favourite bikes in this class are the Aprilia RS457, Ninja 400, KTM Duke 390 (RC) and the Honda cbr500r. Can someone help me with a decision or even suggest better models. Thinking of getting a sport bike or maybe naked bike.
Some people say they can't tell but they are usually talking about 1 hp missing from 180, that's less than 1% and you won't notice that, but 40 vs 48 is a 20% increase in power. On low capacity bikes you can tell if even a single hp is missing, but more important than that is the weight, or more specifically the power to weight ratio. It's no good having a bike that makes 20% more power if it weighs 30% more, it's going to be 10% slower.
Old man, here. I don't agree with memitim's hypothesis at all. Ignore spec sheets. Use them to light a fire with, make a paper plane out of them or just crumple them up and throw them in the bin. Power, torque, weight, steering geometry, wheel size, gear ratios... whatever, none of it means a thing in isolation. Motorcycles are a package. The trick is to find a package that suits you and your use case. One man's trash is another man's treasure when it comes to bikes. Just because one bike is lighter than another and more powerful doesn't necessarily means it performs better than another in the environment that you're operating it. And just because someone else rides a particular bike faster than another doesn't mean that you will. Different bikes suit different riders. And different bikes fit different riders. We're all different shapes and sizes. Fit means a lot. You might find that a 40 hp bike that's a bit heavier has more bottom end power than a more powerful lighter bike and is much easier to get off the line quickly and effortlessly. Yes, the more powerful bike is going to have a higher top speed, but really, who cares. In the "real world", 100, 105, 95, they're all the same thing. They're all speeds that you'll probably only do once unless you ride on an autobahn or have no regard for your license. Horse power isn't king. If you're racing, it's a whole different matter. The best thing that you can do is set yourself a budget and test ride everything that you can get your hands on. When you narrow it down, then do a bit of research on common problems, reliability issues, serviceability etc. The seat of your pants is the only way to measure a bike's performance. Specs sheets were designed by marketing men, not engineers and definitely not experienced riders. Get out there and test ride a few and ignore the numbers. They mean nothing.
I own a Honda scooter, silver wing 600. The stats on that and the ninja 500 are almost identical also automatics/twist and go is to compete with electric motorcycles
1 - Winglets serve two purposes, first of all they sell bikes becayse people think it will make them the next Rossi. Even my Tracer 9 has hidden winglets for god's sake. Their second purpose is that for superbike racing homologation is required, if winglets aren't on the bikes sold they can't be added for the racers that can actually use them. 2 - Adventure bikes are better the smaller they are. I run off-road 'Scramalayan' introduction days for Royal Enfield Himalayans and Scrams and riders of larger bikes comment that they wouldn't want to bring their 'big' adventrure bike on them. 3 - The horsepower chase is good for sales. If BMW make 2 BHP more than Honda the bike magazines will say how much better it is. This leads to increased sales to riders that will buy one, ride 1000 miles, crap themselves because they can't handle the bike and then do a few hubdred miles for the next couple of years before selling the bike...probably for the new 'most powerful' one.
I've never understood why anyone buys a brand new beginner bike when facebook marketplace is loaded with $1500 Ninja 250s that have already been dropped and probably won't depreciate any further. You're going to sell it in six months anyways.
The market for automatic transmission are for developed country where people use more bike than car, like indonesia, where i live. So more people use it for daily, like moms, teens, old man, etc.
Fuel range... I ride an MT10. It's the first bike in 30 years of riding and new bikes every 2 years or so where it's actually got annoying. But even then? It's only annoying, it doesn't impede touring or anything.
Lol, my bike has to be cheaper on fuel than my 1.6 xsara that runs on lpg. They're not toys here in south Europe, they get us to and from work in half the time because of all the traffic, and they'd better do it with less money on fuel, or they're useless. Hence why the Crypton S is so popular, 115cc, 9 hp, 100kg wet, 2,2lt/100km or 110mpg consumption, top speed of 110kph. Now that's a good bike. Plus 4 speed clutchless, what more do you need? For bigger bikes we have our transalp 500 and cb500. And maybe a few hornets and r1...
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Can you do a video comparing the Belt driven and chain driven scooters? Is there a certain CC rating that belt can no longer handle? Harleys have belts.
you are the only one who i enjoy sponsors for, because its something I'm accualy gonna buy once I get a bike :)
Hey Yam, you've got a number of people that have been trying to contact you via your support email and phone number to no avail about continuous charging for already cancelled subscriptions. You should check on that before someone ends up going a more litigious route considering the hundreds of dollars that you've snagged from that rather bad business practice.
Dirt Bikes are for kids .
Wingslets are called cat fish whiskers or car door handle catcher. What squid wants a wider bike?
I know a guy with a Ninja 500 who replaced the tail '500' decal with a '451' decal, because others riders kept saying, 'You know that's a 451, right?'
🤣
What a sheep
An accurate one @@SludgedB
@@wlt3585 so would you also prefer Gixxer 1000 riders to update their graphics to 988 or 999 to be accurate?
@@SludgedB I don't give a shit either way, I'd just point out it's technically more accurate if someone were to bring it up ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Peak torque figures without any mention of how it’s spread out through the rev range is a HUGE mislead
Yeah. Power / torque curves in general, much more important than peak figures that are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things anyway. And GEARING is arguably more important than engine performance! If you have a good engine but a subpar gearing, you‘ll have a meh bike.
Are we not looking at these sorts of things? I didn't know anything about bikes before I bought mine and I was looking into that
@@logangodofcandya lot of reviewers mention/discuss it, but the companies rarely describe the power curve. A good example is the GSX-S 1000 GT and Ninja 1000SX. Both are comparable, but the GT has higher peak power and torque at the end of its power band and the SX has better power and torque throughout most of the usable power band; however, the GT doesn’t feel like it’s lagging behind (according to reviewers) likely due to gearing. There are some other notable considerations on how the bikes feel, but neither of those engine characteristics are accurately represented on the websites. Since most of us watch UA-cam commentators anyway we’re usually knowledgeable about these things. But spec sheet warriors existed before UA-cam, so oversimplifying to peak power and torque is all anyone looks at.
This is all car / motorcycle stuff. Why don't they publish the Integral (area under the curve) instead of peak numbers?
All figures on motorcycle spec sheets are misleading, be it torque and power, capacity, weight, steering geometry, wheelbase, seat height, gear ratios... you name it. None of those numbers mean a thing in isolation. A motorcycle is a package. It's how the manufacturer puts all the numbers together that makes a good bike. And simply adding up all the best "numbers" doesn't necessarily make the best or fastest bike, and it certainly doesn't make the best bike that suits your use case or riding style. One man's trash is another man's treasure when it comes to motorcycles. A bike that you ride well in your use case might be an absolute dog to me in my use case. It also mightn't be the right fit, ergonomically.
Spec sheets are good for lighting fires or making paper airplanes out of and nothing else... except bragging to your friends, maybe.
I can see the same sentiment that this video has with modern cars. Everyone obsessed with "features" and meaningless things yet no one makes an actually better car than the ones they sold in the 2010s or even the 2000s
Honestly that's everything these days, beyond the scope of vehicles even
Peak was really the 90s imo.
As much as the farkles are nice for day trips where I don't know the local roads... it's so much more relaxing driving my 92 Toyota around locally. No screens. Shift by the sound. I don't even know what speed I'm going (speedometer is in km).
I can just drive.
That’s not true at all. Vehicles are continually getting more power, but better fuel mileage. Backup cameras. Adaptive cruise. Small displacement turbocharged engines. Heated and cooled seats. Bluetooth capable infotainment systems. These are all improvements we’ve seen become more common in the past ten to fifteen years, and they all make the driving experience more enjoyable. Ac systems are also far, far more efficient than they used to be.
Or even the 1990's or even the 80's. Hell even many 80's cars had ABS which in my humble opinion is all you really need.
@@thagingerninjer5391 Do you really need heated and cooled seats or steering wheels for that matter? Or infotainment systems with big screens to distract you? I'll grant you back up camera's if your neck is so buggered that you can't turn around to look behind you or are too stupid to master the art of using your side view mirrors while backing up or are driving a massive boat/SUV/Cyber Fruck with limited or even no rear view visibility. Adapted cruise simply tells me you have zero throttle control skills.
When you are driving, you are meant to not only be in control of your vehicle, but also to be paying 100% of your attention to your environment and what is going on around you outside of your vehicle. It's call situational awareness and lately we have been passing off too much of our own responsibility over that to questionable tech......both the motorcycle and auto industries have not just forgotten the KISS Principle, but are actively trying to curb stomp it to death.
Hey Yammie, The problem with adding features on small bikes and advertizing gas milage is not the fact that americans need it, it's other asian countries, Especially india, Coming from an RS457 Owner, Which costs about 6000$ On road in my city and gives me 58MPG, and it's seen as a gas guzzler and impractical. Speaking of beginner bikes is Somewhere about 100-200CC here, so 400-500 CC is basically viewed as superbikes here, So if a bike doesn't give us decked out features people here will not buy them as u can buy bikes with zero features and extremely good gas milage (140MPG) for about 2000$. This is just my take, Please feel free to tell me your perspective of my comment
Furthermore, it depends on the use case of the bike. If you're mainly going to be using your bike for commutes in a city, having a high MPG bike makes more sense since they typically correlate to smaller bikes that don't need all the extra power since you'll be going slow enough that the top end doesn't likely matter. Also, fuel price can play a decent role in determining the 'maintenance' cost of a bike. Back in the early 2000's when the hybrid cars starting hitting the market, the mark-up on having a higher MPG than the standard gas versions made it so you'd have to drive roughly 25k miles a year to break even... with motorcycles, the higher MPG bikes tend to be cheaper than the gas guzzlers, further enhancing how much money you'll save over the life of the bike. Sure, people like the thrill of the ride, but you can value economy at the same time. ...Also country restrictions on MPG/emissions drive the trend and messaging for all vehicles, so regardless of personal reasons it will get toted!
As a Filipino, a fellow Asian, I will agree with this
My Can Am riker gets 24mpg in eco mode. My burgman 200 can keep up with it.
You win the award for most prolific use of the word “farkle”
And you, for the word prolific🤣
The base price of a Ninja 500(451) is the same price as a Ninja 400… That was a nice move by Kawasaki!
exactly, i don't know why everyone pissed about the 500, its literally 50cc for free
right. no idea why he said it's $1k more expensive, it is the same price as the 400 was. and like the other comment said, you get 52cc free, with an updated dash
Yes, it’s an outstanding value.
Especially the SE comes with mostly everything you would do to a bike
@@oldcowbb50 cc, the same HP, and slightly more torque, but it's heavier. I think it's a slight downgrade ngl
One of the best videos you've made, really good information on things to take into account when buying a motorcycle, specially as a beginner. Thanks for the video. I love when Yammie gets serious.
I saved for months for after starting my own business for a new Hoosqvarna 401. I got tired of waiting and asked for a loan, that I couldn’t get because I just started a business. What!? Dejected, I passed by an 07 Honda VTX 1300T on the way home with 14k on it, insured it online that night, paid cash for it the next day and rode it home!
That was four weeks ago, I have 1865 new miles, a self done engine and gear oil change and LED bulb swap on her.
Some old dude at the Quiki-stop said he put 75,000 on his!
I got riding because Yammie told me to!
Thanks, Papa!
Hell yea brother. Rode my 07 vtx1300c to work today. Great bike and gets more chicks than my street bike ever did lol
I ride what they call an adv bike, not because I hope to ride crazy places, but because I want something that can jump, and also handle Michigan potholes. Being more offroad capable than the police bikes is a nice bonus.
Comfort updates would be huge. I love my naked bike cause its comfy in daily riding. I wish more sport bikes besides just the gsxs8 were more upright with mid controls
I went with a r3 because a ninja 400 comes in monster energy drink cans colors and didn’t appeal to me.
Same, it's just too edgy.
Yes love my r3
If yamaha made an R450 it would wipe others out of the competition
you know green is not the only color option right
My friend "upgraded" from an r3 to a Triumph 765. He misses the R3 because in his words "It was more fun, easier to ride, faster around town, better in the twisties, and I could thrash the living daylights out of it without killing myself or losing my license."
6:49 My KTM 390 ADV gets 78 mpg. I reckon that's worth tooting.
me getting 120+ mpg on honda unicorn india a 160cc bike
I'm with you, especially if you've ever run out of fuel on a motor bike. It's a great indicator for how well the engine turns dinosaurs into power, too.
@@puneetsharma1437 That's worth supertooting
My CB500X gets that in city riding no problem. I’ve gotten it as low as 45mpg going from SLC-Boise (80mph speed limits) with a 25-35mph headwind.
Yep rc390 is a perfect commuter as far as gas goes.
No one likes traction control on their bikes… until the time they need it.
Or ABS, for some strange reason.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 I had to ride a bike with no ABS and one with ABS during my license practice and exam. I'm not even considering bikes without ABS, it's a no brainer.
@@Mucky_Muck ABS, ABS, ABS. Why do people not understand what it is?
If your braking technique is good enough, you'll never know that it's there. If it's not, it might save your life.
Good luck with finding a bike. My top tip: Ignore spec sheets... power outputs, weight, steering geometry, top speeds etc.
Test ride bikes and find a one that fits YOU.
Just because some knob jockey wannabe racer journalist says "blah", means nothing, either.
As Einstein famously said, "You can't judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree".
Look for a bike that suits what you'll actually use it for, not the dreams that you have or the visions in your head.
Be realistic. Sports bikes aren't for going to work on and scooters aren't for race tracks. There are a plethora of good "middleweight" bikes on the market that will see 9 out of 10 riders out, if they're honest.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 I know what it is. I have personally felt the effects of it having vs not having.
As a beginner with limited skill I want something that won't kill me, and ABS is one of the things that will help me live a little bit longer.
One point: while mileage is still kind of important to me, I quickly realized that the tank range is pretty much unimportant. Like, at all. Not only are the ranges similar but because of the weather, hydration, a nice stop on the road or ton of other reasons you usually stop every now and then anyway.
Weekend rider, 2016 Yammy V star 650. The lowest range I ever got was 92 miles. I fuel up every 100, or every time i run errands. It takes 5 minutes, i dont see how people complain about it so much at 150 miles of range on their bikes
I picked an R1 for the sound. Listening to it while I ride brings me happiness.
The fuel stop after 200 miles on a long trip is a welcome break and a ritual.
There's a guy out there adventuring a Goldwing. If that ain't indicative of Yammie's point, idk what it
But also loads of people on old 5/600cc Thumpers like the Xt/XL and DR. Or heck even old cruisers/Harleys. 20/30year old bikes are perfect for it
I get your point but I love my 300nk and the added peace of mind from the rider app and gps monitoring is just icing on the cake.
At the end of the day, just get something you like, something you can afford and something that ideally won't kill you.
I have a 2019 ATAS with standard transmission. I had previously had the opportunity to ride a friend's AT with DCT. It was great. I chose the standard transmission because the DCT adds 22 lbs to the weight. That was more than I was willing to take. All else being equal, I might have taken the DCT.
You can alter shift points through driving modes on the DCT. You can also manually shift the DCT. Works as good or better than a quick shifter.
Totally agree with you on the pushing more power and tech just to try to push people into buying a newer model next year. What they’re really doing is driving up prices and bloating a good product eventually ruining what made it good. When if ALL automotive manufacturers would STOP THAT CRAP. And focus on making a quality product that does what it does WELL, and the. Mass producing and fine tuning and perfecting the hell out of the design, and what I mean is if a part could be made to last longer and not cost more, DO THAT, if it can be made less expensively but to the same quality and durability, DO THAT, etc. the. Prices would drop significantly and parts availability and compatibility would go through the roof! Sells would may slow slightly but less over head I think would compensate at least in part if not full, and it’s a pretty much win win for everyone!
Aren't is base MSRP of the Ninja 500 and 400 the same? Where is the extra $1000 figure coming from?
that's what I am wondering too. he's just making stuff up now seemingly to trash talk kawasaki and the 500. it's the same price as the 400
Gas tank range isn't about desolate areas.... I ride my motorcycle to work a few days a week. 70 miles round trip. I DO NOT want to stop every day or two for gas. It's annoying needing to fuel twice or three times a week!
Yeah, my least favorite thing about my bike is the small gas tank, and I don't use it for commuting at all
I will disagree on the fuel range bit. The vast majority of my riding is commuting to work. My car can go 350-400 miles on a tank, so I only have to gas up once a week. I know it's minor, but I do wish I could go that far on my bike without having to pull over and get gas in rush hour traffic every 2-3 days.
I engine break a lot and that alone keeps me away from automatics. Plus it's fun to shift
DCT engine breaks the same as a manual tho 🤷🏻♂️
am I stupid or is this a reupload, I swear I have seen this title/video
The Ninja 400 and 500 are the same exact base price! There is no $1,000 discrepancy. What are you talking about?
it's like he's making stuff up just to trash talk kawasaki and the ninja 500
I'm glad someone is awake.
I've been looking at a Z500 for awhile now and even the Z400/Z500 prices are basically the same. $300 more for an extra 52cc. Which is pretty negligible. Weird hill to die on. Yammie has some pretty weird and uneducated takes.
What pisses me off are bikes that set off a fuel light when the things still have another 100* miles to go before empty! My Vstrom has like 4 or 5 large bars and it’s easy to tell when you need fuel, my buddies older bmw has 10 tiny fuel bars and the thing makes you think you’re about to run out of gas when it still has a half tank left, super annoying!
Thanks for this review. I'm unsurprised with the marketplace but it's great to have your experienced perspective. Best advice "Just get out there and ride" 👍
while I am getting up there in years.....I am very happy to have a blipper on my motorcycle. It is faster and less distracting....ie, I do one thing vs two, I just shift. It is still "manual"....I just don't use the clutch as much. I will also admit that I do have nerve damage in my left hand so having the blipper has helped with general pain in my hand while riding, let alone hours later.
Buyers who are beginners shouldn't even buy a brand new bike from a dealer. Paying $5000-7500 for a new bike as a beginner seems like a terrible investment. There's plenty of used bikes out there for under $2500 that can be ridden by beginners.
Amen. Expect to drop that beginner bike at least twice the first year - one of those being in a garage and once in public. That will depreciate the bike A LOT. Also, beginners move up to bigger bikes within six months to two years and need to sell that first bike.
If you are at least 5'10", (1.8 meters) tall, the Kawasaki KLR650 makes an excellent beginner to midtier bike. It lets you try all the styles in one bike - city, highway, commute, dirt roads, gravel, dual track, fire roads, and riding to the North Pole, as a Japanese rider did years ago. Kawasaki flooded the market with KLR bikes starting in 2021, so there's a ton of value to be had for $2500 - $5000 USD.
They really are Lego kits also, easy to upgrade and DIY. Ultimate motorcycle learning platform.
In my area I'm seeing used bikes starting at $4k. With that in mind you're better off buying a new, basic unit.
I've bought 3 bikes in my life, and all of them have been brand new. Reason 1: I'm financially able too. 2: Warranty. When I was a beginner rider I didn't want someone elses problems or janky workmanship. I wanted to make sure the bike would be as safe as possible and reliable and if something broke prematurely, I could just go "here, you fix it".
This is a great and very courageous video Yammie. Considering part of your income and opportunities likely come from these manufacturers, it’s courageous of you to point out the blatant flaws in their strategy. Good on ya
Range is important. I had a V-Strom 650. I now have an Africa Twin. They each have a range of about 250 miles. I have challenged that range on a few occasions. Less than a range of 250 miles requires at least the ability to carry spare fuel.
Between the V-Strom and the ATAS, I had a DR-Z400. Stock range was about 120 miles. I swapped the tank for a large Safari tank. The range tripled. It was great. I stopped when I wanted, not when I needed. On a long trip, I would often go a full day without fueling.
Every rider has a story about nearly running out of gas. Range is important.
The biggest reason y i commute on my zx14r instead of my 1980 GS750L suzuki. 225mi/tank vs 95mi/tank. Gets annoying needing to fill up every single day. And about twice the mpgs.. 😂😂
The biggest lie i was told about motorcycles was that my phone wont fly off its holder.
One thing I noticed riding my bike 162 miles round trip to work at least 3 days a week and a major misconception I had when starting riding : you WILL NOT save money riding a bike. Every penny you save in gas will be multiplied by 10 and spent in maintenance
Experience with Fuel Economy here. I've owned bikes in the range of 125cc to 900cc and they all sit in the 50-65mpg range and can do 150-200 miles on a tank, the only time I can imagine mpg being important is if you have a mini moto or supermoto that only has a 1 gallon tank
Kawi saw that Honda was still scamming people with their 500, so they just had to hop on the train too.
Check out the gas price outside Amurica, some places are insane and you definitely would care about the mileage
I just bought a 2024 Fantic Caballero 500. It has ABS… period. That’s it =)
I remember seeing a beginner bike from Suzuki which is about a hair over $2000. It's available here in the Philippines but I don't know if it's available in other country. Sure it's a measly 150cc but considering the fact that you can't really squeeze the full potential of anything over 200cc in Philippine roads, it's a good deal. It's about the same price range as a infamous Suzuki Raider R150 which is an underbone motorcycle, the most famous type of motorcycle here.
I learned to ride on a carbureted 250cc V-Star. One of the bikes I had the most fun with was a SR400 with a stone-aged engine that'll probably burn and run on anything vaguely flammable and doesn't have a repair job that can't be done with shoe string and duck tape. Electric start was not an option, and it didn't even have auto compression release for easier kicking; quite frankly, I'm surprised I didn't have to fill up the headlamp with acetylene. But I miss that simple little bike.
I don't like the direction new bikes are going, so much so that recently I was looking to buy a new used road bike again and despite having enough money to buy pretty much any reasonably priced used bike I wanted, I ended up buying a 2019 sv650, because its not so powerful that redlining it in first gear will cause you to loose your license, and it doesn't have any riding aids, just ABS, which I disabled by pulling the fuse, many new bikes have traction control, riding modes, and so on, and if you want to disable them they just get reset again as soon as you turn the bike off, what a pain in the ass, give me an old school early 2000's bike any day.
I hadn't ridden for a few years. I thought I'd be smart and start back with a bike with more modest power and no nonsense. My plan was to ride the bike for 4-6 months and then "upgrade". I ended up buying a 2015 Kawasaki W800 with barely any mileage on it. That was a year ago. I have no intention of "upgrading" at all. Bikes like that and the SV650 just do the motorcycle "thing" so well in the real world. And you can give them a good nudge without losing your life or license.
Yammie, what is all the regular preventative maintenance I need to know how to do and when to do it before I purchase a motorcycle?
Clean and lube the chain every 300-600 miles. Check and tighten the chain every 600-1,000 miles. Change oil and filter every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Check your tire pressures often and everytime the normal temperature changes significantly. Check your clutch lever free play adjustment every so often. Generally lubricate stuff. Inspect and replace as necessary brakes, fluids, fork seals, rubber bits, hoses, tightening of everything periodically, usually at least every oil change. READ YOUR BIKE'S MANUAL AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. Have the major services (valve clearance checks and adjustments, for example) done by a reputable mechanic, unless you're really qualified and prepared. Self-educate on YT and forums and online and learn new things. Don't trust one source too much blindly; lots of myths are perpetuated even by experienced and educated riders . Good luck and have fun!
There are countless videos and websites with all the info on preventative maintenance for whatever bike you are looking for, separated by mileage at your finger tips my friend. Yam probably has a video on exactly that I'm sure, stay safe out there.
I started out with a Suzuki Burgman 200 scooter after not riding since 1990. Then I got a Burgman 650 . I am not any faster in the corners on either. The 650 would win in a race since it can accelerate better. I was wearing out harley riders on the Dragon with it. It does 111 while the 200 does about 80. Both are incredibly comfortable and I just don't feel comfortable having to operate a clutch in the twisties I love so much. At 53 year old, I don't know why anyone would want to have to switch gears using a clutch if they didn't have to. And like you said, most people can't drive a manual car either. I'm keeping my 200 as a local run about. It is a complete blast to ride hard. It is nimble as all get out but lacks passing power. My mountain running machine is going to be a Honda 650 automatic. The price tag does suck but this is a bike that I will ride to work some times and I plan to have it for a very long time. 120 is fast enough but I think I will slow it down a bit since I won't feel that I will have to prove what my 650 scooter can do. I like the smaller bikes. I love to lane split. I am literally that motorcyclist that everybody hates. The 400 ninja with the slipper clutch is the only other choice for me but I really don't want to use a clutch. Maybe if I was 40 but not now.
Thank you for this video. I myself am guilty of being a spec sheet warrior and keep debating which bike to get and own. I shall listen to your advice and just get the damn bike I want, need to stop overthinking it. (I’m buying a bike next year)
ADV... what do I use one for? going to work! this was my main reason for wanting a bike, to cut down how much congestion affects my commute. the ADV was just the best physical fit. and it came with benefits I haven't had since my last 4wd vehicle with all terrain tyres. so I have the ability to go where street bikes can't, and I'm going to use that fun little benefit every chance I get!
It wasn't the intended purpose... just a Plus!
Older riders grown tired of shifting? Many would consider me old, and the majority of my cars have been manual... the current car is auto, simply because stop start motorway crawling sucks, and automatics are better for it... But I love having gears to play with when I don't have to stop and crawl along behind other traffic. (just go straight through it all)
You won't catch me riding an automatic bike until I need a wheelchair to get from my bed to the Bathroom! and by then it would likely be a conventional trike, not a reverse trike!
And the two totally different food types in the same restaurant not being "stellar" yeah,,, ever tried Butter chicken Pizza? WTF and WHO TF thought that shit up? it's one or the other... not both!
Gunna buy a bike with winglets and rev it up in Yammie's driveway just to hear him say "wing-guh-lets"
Yeah, and then I’ll wave by raising my hand instead of lowering two fingers.
I long expected a video about the nonsense craze with ADVs. It's all about the image. I'm tired of seeing GS's and the like riding highways. I wanna shout to them, "What do you think you're doing?". Manufacturers are trying to make a certain type of bike do sth it wasn't built for...and then owners discover that they have to get a taller screen, a wider seat plus side bags, etc to make it look like a Sport-Tourer. But it will never be no such thing because its build is not made for highways-what with the higher center of gravity which impacts turning ability, wind exposure and so on. Hey guys, get a Sport-Tourer-it was built for highways right from the start. ADVs are simply jacks of all trades and masters of none! Great video!
My Tuono V4 gets about 80 miles per tank, I stopped riding it because I have to get gas on every single commute.... So range does seem to matter...
I think there is a potentially huge market for automatic transmissions on cruiser bikes. The thing is that cruiser guys love the big clunk when the engage first, so we would need to have that same sound when they put their automatic into drive. In fact making every gearshift clunky might be a wise marketing decision.
I was always attracted to motorcycles and was honestly gonna go with a DCT Rebel because I was afraid of the manual transmission. I bit the bullet and got a ZX-6R. I went to a couple training courses with my wife and I’m happy I did. Half of the fun is shifting gears. That being said, I still see the appeal to automatics for new riders, city commuting, and maybe older riders that just want the wind in their hair. I still hope to be shifting gears when I’m older though!
The Ninja 500 cost the exact same as the Ninja 400. They made some small improvements at no additional cost.
I’ll buy a Yammie shirt when it comes with winglets 😗
im new to riding and my first bike is a 1989 honda nx 250 dominator, although it does lack power for some things but its really fun for what i want it to do, i dont expect anything special from it and never did
I am a German sports tourer guy (ironically, I currently own a Tuono V4). I thought the same about ADVs untiiiil I went to Southern France. I can make 2400km in 4 days on a naked or sports tourer on even roads and Alpine mountain passes, no problem. But maaan, those roads simply defeated me on my VTR1000F. I can't do more than two hours a day like that! They simply demand an upright rider position which means you need an ADV for that purpose. I stick to North Europe ever since lol
And there's road surface to consider, too. I'm in Australia. Not only do our prescribed speed limits mean that it's just about faster to walk than it is to ride or drive, our roads are rubbish.
They're like sealed goat tracks. ADV's make a lot of sense on our roads.
Fuel range matters. When I was commuting 54 miles a day round trip it was annoying having to stop and get gas several times a week.
Question. How many race stickers will it take to make a 400 into an r1?
Just a thought to bear in mind, in the developing market world (India, China, etc) the 500(ish) class isn't for beginners but an aspiration class for the beginnings of a motorcycling-for-leisure buyer. The tech, winglets, etc are to give a competition vector in markets where no one is looking at 600 or above
14:00 My father used to ride the same Honda when I was little, so I am into bikes now. :)
This is exactly what I was thinking when the 500 came out glorified 450 you never get the cc value of what's advertised
The Ninja 500 (aka. 52cc more) is producing close to 58hp/34ft-lbs, compared to 53hp/28ft-lbs produced by the 400. It is still a good amount of potential performance.
I think the Aprilia RS457 is the next ceiling of the “beginner's bike”. The number of rider aids, thick aluminum frame instead of steel, 41mm USD fork we dream of on the 400, and radially mounted front caliper. It is basically the RC390 with a twin motor upgrade. Not to mention that it is cheaper than the 500.
On the first point, I’ve been loving the hell out of my CB500X. 13,000 miles since November 2023. I feel like the Honda 500 works better as the X than the R.
I want to upgrade to the Transalp 750 for the 2-up highway power, once they decide to release the white in the states.
(Oh yeah, I actually have it for off-roading lmao, recently did some casual Canyonlands trails)
I have a friend who bought a z500. With in a few months of riding, maybe one or two thousand miles, he purchased our friends Z900. I was felt he should have waited at least until end of the season, but whatever. At least complete your first riding season on a low CC bike to experience some stuff that you can barely get away with on a low CC bike before you hop on the big bike. I personally spent about a year and a half on the small CC stuff before moving up to the 8R. And I'll probably stay on it for at least a year or end of next riding season before I go after my forever bike... A busa. Not because I have a lust for speed, but because I want to be able to tour and still enjoy a corner properly.
If you want to see superfluous electronic features on a motorcycle, you need to review the 15hp Yamaha YZF-R125, which comes with traction control.
11:19 I bet my svartpilen 401 has seen more adventure than the big adventure bikes I see on my daily commute lol.
And my grom seen more then the 401 😂
I think the biggest reason sport bike sales are tanking is because they are built for 5'8" and anyone else is either not touching the ground at a stop or crouched in the fetal position when running.
Exactly. I'm shy of 5'5". Though I'm not on point like a ballerina on my R3, I'm not exactly flat footing it either. So dreams of upgrading to a 6 or 700cc are out the window without adjusting the suspension. Ergo, affecting the handling.
Thanks. Probably the best summation of motorbike BS that I’ve watched. After nearly 30 years of riding and many bikes, I completely agree with all your points. Wished I’d had something like this to watch when I first started out. Also should have listened to some of my wiser friends and their advice.😢
my first real bike was a 2013 CBR500R and it ACTUALLY maxed out the A2 licensing (by 1hp). It cost me $4500CAD, had no extra whistles (was pre-ABS and TFT display) and had plenty of power to keep me happy (until I bought my R6 and never looked back). Yeah it was a little on the heavy side but I have no regrets. I'd say the 650 class of sport bikes is actually the real scam.
Always fun to watch your Show sir. Took me down for the MT 09.
Hey can you PLEASE do a video on calling bullshit on the “had to lay’r down” crowd that actually believe that this is somehow an option and voluntary choice in an emergency situation and not simply a result of poor decision making and lack of skill. Nobody lays it down intentionally and I think you would agree. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Love the channel.
Taking MSF this weekend after taking a 1hr intro 2 weeks ago and having a blast.
Tuono 660, XSR 900, or ZX6R ? I'm leaning towards the Aprilia...
Timely update! Back to considering Speed 400, MT-03 and Squirtpeeler 401.
DCT bikes are appealing to me because I have a paralysis on my left hand and can only grip (I have trouble opening my hand) I'm thinking of saving up for a rebel dct or a ctx 700 dct to save money.
I would love a ninja 400, if maybe someone sold a clutch delete, or maybe something to transfer the clutch to the right hand.
I fully agree to the "the newest tech doesnt give you more enjoyment" sentiment. I will bet you everything i have that my 1982 Suzuki GS1000L with its 90HP will create at least as much enjoyment in the twisties as any newer litre-bike with their 180+HP. Sure, i aint doing wheelies and i aint beating you in any type of race, but thats not the point. Its just me and my carbeurated block of anger underneath me. No driving assists, all feel. And when you get the feeling for it, its just so, so amazing to ride.
Fully agree. After 40 years of sportbikes I bought myself a 1994 BMW 1100GS and it is all the bike I need. When touring I do a comfortable 850 km/day, it's an easy bike to work on and parts are easy to get. Personally I do like the fuel injection because there is no more need for re-jetting when going from sea level into the mountains and back. It's 90-ish HP is more then enough to carry me and full camping gear around, torque beats HP in real life. i can't even imagine myself on one of those newer disco bikes.
I have a 2006 R6, what is your honest opinion on my particular bike? Do not be biased. I'm a 48yo and started out on a 1987 Ninja at the age of 18. I've never looked back for cruiser.
****MSRP for the 500 is only higher on the SE models, the regular non ABS and ABS models maintained the same pricing
Motorcycle companies developing automatic transmissions see the future. With the car market getting rid of the majority of manual transmissions, the majority of people that drive will eventually not have any concept of a manual transmission. If the motorcycle industry doesn't develop automatic transmissions the number of people who would even take on the challenge of learning to shift on a motorcycle will be so small that motorcycles could go away. There will be a need over the next 15-20 years to provide a fully automatic solution for riders who have never been exposed to manual transmissions. I think this is the key reason you see some motorcycle manufacturers starting to dabble in this space.
listen I completely agree with what your saying about the 500 not being a worthy upgrade form the 400, but as someone starting on a ninja 500, man I love it so much. Got it Monday, mainly off ur reviews for the 400 and couldn't be happier (minus the dealer fees those hurt lol)
He didn't say that they were a step down, either.
I’ll tell ya right now Yams, if the big 4 made their most popular bikes of each type in a automatic/DCT version, im super sure there will be a decent sized consumer pool. There’s a good deal of people not only intimidated by manuals but UNWILLING to operate em. and some even physically/mentally unable to operate that many controls at once
Completely agree in terms of the 500 class bikes. The ONLY reason I have my cb500f it's because I got it for $5900 out the door with only 28 mi on it. Brand new after fees it would be over 8,000 out the door. When you can just spend a couple Grand more and get something like a Ninja 650 brand new. Not a big jump in horsepower but still worth it to me.
I can not explain how thoroughly I enjoy my 31HP boulevard s40. Single cylinder air cooled and absolutely no tech. I've drive then 200hp bikes but I love this more
Winglets had to be added to street-going bikes in order to be homologated to the race bikes
Bro, i am currently riding my beginner bike (09 500r) and the ONLY reason im selling it is because my best friend saw me riding my 500 and is sooo down. I told him screw those 3 or 4 hundy bikes. Even 8 years old you cant sell them for 1/4 of what you buy them for. If not for him, id keep it. Its not intimidating, it is forgiving, but screams and likes it...think ya missed the mark on the 500s specifically on the kawa 500r. Great bike, fun as hell, good for beginners, and peppy as all heck.
I’m thinking about buying my first ever motorcycle and I’m torn between the Ninja 500 and the CF Moto 450SS. On the one hand, the 450SS seems like a better bang for buck, but on the other hand I’m a bit skeptical of a relatively unknown Chinese manufacturer. Any advice?
Im currently searching for an A2 bike (48HP) and want as much power as possible. Do I notice a difference between like 40HP and 48HP?
Right now my favourite bikes in this class are the Aprilia RS457, Ninja 400, KTM Duke 390 (RC) and the Honda cbr500r.
Can someone help me with a decision or even suggest better models. Thinking of getting a sport bike or maybe naked bike.
Some people say they can't tell but they are usually talking about 1 hp missing from 180, that's less than 1% and you won't notice that, but 40 vs 48 is a 20% increase in power. On low capacity bikes you can tell if even a single hp is missing, but more important than that is the weight, or more specifically the power to weight ratio. It's no good having a bike that makes 20% more power if it weighs 30% more, it's going to be 10% slower.
Old man, here. I don't agree with memitim's hypothesis at all. Ignore spec sheets. Use them to light a fire with, make a paper plane out of them or just crumple them up and throw them in the bin. Power, torque, weight, steering geometry, wheel size, gear ratios... whatever, none of it means a thing in isolation. Motorcycles are a package. The trick is to find a package that suits you and your use case.
One man's trash is another man's treasure when it comes to bikes. Just because one bike is lighter than another and more powerful doesn't necessarily means it performs better than another in the environment that you're operating it. And just because someone else rides a particular bike faster than another doesn't mean that you will. Different bikes suit different riders. And different bikes fit different riders. We're all different shapes and sizes. Fit means a lot.
You might find that a 40 hp bike that's a bit heavier has more bottom end power than a more powerful lighter bike and is much easier to get off the line quickly and effortlessly.
Yes, the more powerful bike is going to have a higher top speed, but really, who cares. In the "real world", 100, 105, 95, they're all the same thing. They're all speeds that you'll probably only do once unless you ride on an autobahn or have no regard for your license. Horse power isn't king. If you're racing, it's a whole different matter.
The best thing that you can do is set yourself a budget and test ride everything that you can get your hands on. When you narrow it down, then do a bit of research on common problems, reliability issues, serviceability etc. The seat of your pants is the only way to measure a bike's performance. Specs sheets were designed by marketing men, not engineers and definitely not experienced riders. Get out there and test ride a few and ignore the numbers. They mean nothing.
I own a Honda scooter, silver wing 600. The stats on that and the ninja 500 are almost identical
also automatics/twist and go is to compete with electric motorcycles
500cc bikes tend to have a flatter torque curve, meaning it's more accessible, and it's hp that's limited in Europe
So true!!, the content is great, also I think that something like a penrltigale v2 is more than enough for street riding.
1 - Winglets serve two purposes, first of all they sell bikes becayse people think it will make them the next Rossi. Even my Tracer 9 has hidden winglets for god's sake. Their second purpose is that for superbike racing homologation is required, if winglets aren't on the bikes sold they can't be added for the racers that can actually use them.
2 - Adventure bikes are better the smaller they are. I run off-road 'Scramalayan' introduction days for Royal Enfield Himalayans and Scrams and riders of larger bikes comment that they wouldn't want to bring their 'big' adventrure bike on them.
3 - The horsepower chase is good for sales. If BMW make 2 BHP more than Honda the bike magazines will say how much better it is. This leads to increased sales to riders that will buy one, ride 1000 miles, crap themselves because they can't handle the bike and then do a few hubdred miles for the next couple of years before selling the bike...probably for the new 'most powerful' one.
*me with my 1982 yamaha 650 with like 33mpg zero safety features and 5 drive modes, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th gear*
I've never understood why anyone buys a brand new beginner bike when facebook marketplace is loaded with $1500 Ninja 250s that have already been dropped and probably won't depreciate any further. You're going to sell it in six months anyways.
It's now a software race. Every road test begins & ends with "features." Like buying a phone with wheels.
How many non-Adv bikes offer the same level of comfort for 2 up touring? The few I can think of are at least 10k more expensive 😊
The market for automatic transmission are for developed country where people use more bike than car, like indonesia, where i live. So more people use it for daily, like moms, teens, old man, etc.
Does Yammie have an SCL 500 review? Asking because I am more interested in Cruisers and Scramblers.
Paying attention Murica?
World standards set by EUROPE.
HD needs to play this game soon
HD is too busy with R&D on the they/them friendship cruiser
There would be a lot more used bikes and training classes if we did it like you guys. Probably
Fuel range... I ride an MT10. It's the first bike in 30 years of riding and new bikes every 2 years or so where it's actually got annoying.
But even then? It's only annoying, it doesn't impede touring or anything.
Lol, my bike has to be cheaper on fuel than my 1.6 xsara that runs on lpg. They're not toys here in south Europe, they get us to and from work in half the time because of all the traffic, and they'd better do it with less money on fuel, or they're useless. Hence why the Crypton S is so popular, 115cc, 9 hp, 100kg wet, 2,2lt/100km or 110mpg consumption, top speed of 110kph. Now that's a good bike. Plus 4 speed clutchless, what more do you need?
For bigger bikes we have our transalp 500 and cb500. And maybe a few hornets and r1...
No clucth on bikes in not a new thing. DYK, Honda had the CB750A Hondamatic in the late seventies. Not quite automatic but two speed without a clutch.