Were you faster or slower

Larry
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Larry
Edited Date/Time 1/26/2012 11:13pm
On a brand new bike? Alot of times it took me a couple of rides to get comfortable on a new bike. But that was in the old days and there could be quite a bit of difference between model years and between brands.
That seemed to change around the mid 80's. My best new bike race was in 84 when I unloaded my 250 YZ and pulled the holeshot in the second moto. Led to A riders for about 4 laps and finished 3rd with a HUGE gap on 4th.
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blankplate 9/26/2008 7:20am
9/26/2008 7:20am
For some reason, I always got good starts on a new bike.......and I suck at starts.
bogdan912
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bogdan912 9/26/2008 7:24am
9/26/2008 7:24am
I don't know about faster but confidence always goes up with a new bike.
ctaylor209 9/26/2008 7:50am
9/26/2008 7:50am
I always feel a lot better on a new bike. The mint brakes, smooth clutch, perfectly aligned front end, true wheels, etc.. seem to make the bike a lot easier to ride. The motor on a brand new stock 250f is surprisingly fast too. It's amazing what 20 or 30 hours on a bike will do to it. Not sure about being faster on it though. In 07 I compared lap times with my stock race bike which had 2 hours on it and my bone stock practice bike which had over 50 hrs on it and the times were within 1/2 a sec of each other. But then again, I know that practice bike like the back of my hand haha
Tiki
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Tiki 9/26/2008 8:47am
9/26/2008 8:47am
Spankin brand new - no way slower. After it has gone into ground once I pick up speed.

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newmann
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newmann 9/26/2008 9:45am
9/26/2008 9:45am
A few years back I cleared a triple on my 74 CR250 vintage racer with 4 inches of suspension that I never attempted on my modern YZ250F. Call me weird, but when you find your level of comfort and confidence things happen. Something about a brand new bike though, always exciting even if it turns out to be a turd in the end.
BobbyM
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BobbyM 9/26/2008 9:48am
9/26/2008 9:48am
I was always slower after a good endo...newness was irrelevent. Smile
davis224
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davis224 9/26/2008 10:18am
9/26/2008 10:18am
Switching from my KTM 125 to my new 250f, and from C to B, I was a top 5 C rider, first race on the 250 in B I came from the back of the pack to almost catch 2nd place in my first moto. It was a mix of being brand new and switching from KTM to honda I guess.
gt80rider
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gt80rider 9/26/2008 10:50am
9/26/2008 10:50am
new bike ='s new bike smell ='s same pace but smells cool
TeamGrnRacer99 9/26/2008 10:56am
9/26/2008 10:56am
the first year i went from a KX250 to a 450 i was slower. took me awhile to adapt to the 4 stroke. even though i had 2 years on a 250f while i had my 250 smokers. took awhile to adapt to the 450.
AMA714
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AMA714 9/26/2008 11:01am
9/26/2008 11:01am
I am on my 4th Honda 450 so there is no transition to get acclimated. Brain always thinks the new bike feels faster... doubt that it is though.
Craze
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Craze 9/26/2008 11:28am
9/26/2008 11:28am
Call it weird but when I used to race I was always faster when I was recovering from being sick (i.e. Flu, cold,hangover) during the week leading up to a race, Possibly because I was so well hydrated trying to recover as quickly as possible. I'm slower after a nasty crash or a good scare!!!
Jabjr222
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Jabjr222 9/26/2008 11:39am
9/26/2008 11:39am
Nothing beats a new bike, especially if you keep one for a few years. The motors are fresh and I know that feels faster. But I think it's like everything, you have to adjust and bond.
Blackopsrider7 9/26/2008 11:54am
9/26/2008 11:54am Edited Date/Time 9/26/2008 11:57am
I hate to state the obvious(I know I will get some smart ass remark), but, if you maintain your ride and keep it clean, it will be a new bike everytime you ride it!! Oh and to answer the OP's question, I was faster the first time I rode a friend's YZ250F(he insisted I ride it), sold my 125 shortly after that!!
ctaylor209 9/26/2008 12:06pm
9/26/2008 12:06pm
Blackopsrider7 wrote:
I hate to state the obvious(I know I will get some smart ass remark), but, if you maintain your ride and keep it clean, it will...
I hate to state the obvious(I know I will get some smart ass remark), but, if you maintain your ride and keep it clean, it will be a new bike everytime you ride it!! Oh and to answer the OP's question, I was faster the first time I rode a friend's YZ250F(he insisted I ride it), sold my 125 shortly after that!!
I will disagree with you on that one. yes, maybe if you have a factory mechanic living with you, but not if you are an everyday novice, intermediate, or pro rider on a realistic budget.. If you have found a way to keep the brakes on your bike feeling new after 100 hours of motos then I would like to know your secret. In order to keep a bike feeling brand new, you would have to dump about $1000 of parts into it every couple rides. Top End, clutch, clutch cable, brake rebuilds, tires, muffler packing, suspension fluids, motor oil, oil filter, etc...
rockcrawlerdude 9/26/2008 1:34pm
9/26/2008 1:34pm
in the day of modern 4 strokes i know im faster on a newer machine, do to the ability to turn better on the newer models... hard to go fast if your crashing in the corners....Laughing
Blackopsrider7 9/26/2008 1:38pm
9/26/2008 1:38pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2008 1:40pm
Blackopsrider7 wrote:
I hate to state the obvious(I know I will get some smart ass remark), but, if you maintain your ride and keep it clean, it will...
I hate to state the obvious(I know I will get some smart ass remark), but, if you maintain your ride and keep it clean, it will be a new bike everytime you ride it!! Oh and to answer the OP's question, I was faster the first time I rode a friend's YZ250F(he insisted I ride it), sold my 125 shortly after that!!
ctaylor209 wrote:
I will disagree with you on that one. yes, maybe if you have a factory mechanic living with you, but not if you are an everyday...
I will disagree with you on that one. yes, maybe if you have a factory mechanic living with you, but not if you are an everyday novice, intermediate, or pro rider on a realistic budget.. If you have found a way to keep the brakes on your bike feeling new after 100 hours of motos then I would like to know your secret. In order to keep a bike feeling brand new, you would have to dump about $1000 of parts into it every couple rides. Top End, clutch, clutch cable, brake rebuilds, tires, muffler packing, suspension fluids, motor oil, oil filter, etc...
You wait 100 hours to do your brakes?!!! Sorry I couldn't resist, lol. seriously though I keep my bikes fresh, I enjoy wrenching on them as much as riding.You are right though, for pro rider, they are a lot harder on bikes than me a vet C rider. Funny you mentioned brakes, I think one's ability to stop is as equally if not as more important to going fast!!
BDOG
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BDOG 9/26/2008 1:46pm
9/26/2008 1:46pm
Depends on if it was a good bike or not and if I was confident on it or not.
ActionKawasaki 9/26/2008 1:52pm
9/26/2008 1:52pm
I was always faster on a new model year bike.

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drummer dude
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drummer dude 9/26/2008 2:50pm
9/26/2008 2:50pm
doesnt matter if im on a old bike or new bike,im just slow.period!!!!!
Larry
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Larry 9/26/2008 2:58pm
9/26/2008 2:58pm
drummer dude wrote:
doesnt matter if im on a old bike or new bike,im just slow.period!!!!!
Smile but I always felt faster on a new one at least untill the race started.
Deetsmx
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Deetsmx 9/26/2008 2:59pm
9/26/2008 2:59pm
Suspension is new, brakes are new, and engine is fresh. I don't think it's unrealistic to think that after you adjust you could knock a bit of time off your lap, however minimal it may be. Brakes and suspension allow you to charge just a bit harder and feel more comfortable doing so. Also, the frame hasn't stretched yet so it feels more precise and tight, although I think that's not as much of a problem now as it was on the steel frames. Not too mention the added motivation and excitement that comes with throwing a leg over your new steed for the first time.
dr516
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dr516 9/26/2008 3:14pm
9/26/2008 3:14pm
good tearoffs and a clean dt1filter never hurt
Rooster
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Rooster 9/26/2008 4:06pm
9/26/2008 4:06pm
I think I went faster on my 125's. I know it sure as hell felt faster.

I actually holeshot my age class twice at the Washougal amateur day against an open class.

Something about the sound of that 125 screaming just made you want want to hold it WFO just a little longer.

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