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Offline Conan The Librarian

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Motorcycle weight
« on: July 18, 2011, 12:08:06 PM »
I did all my riding back in the 70s and fully enjoyed touring. Back then, my bike weight 450 pounds dry, and it was a pretty substantial bike. A H-D dresser weight about 600 and was considered mammoth.
 
Word has it that a lot of today's road bikes weigh about 900 pounds, and some weigh over 1000. How widespread is that? One guy I talked with said he had dropped his bike but it was easy to pick up because the weight was so low in the frame. He also said his dad has a Harley that weighs about the same but takes two guys to pick up because of the way weight is distributed.
 
What can you tell me about today's road bikes, and the weights, and how they handle with all that weight.
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2011, 03:23:32 PM »
I had a Yamaha Midnight Venture.  I loved that bike, had everything you could want except a sixth gear.  That was my only dislike with it, till I dropped it in the driveway one morning.  I fought with it for an hour trying to get it back up on it's wheels.  I could not lift it off the crash bars.  When my son came home, (22yr old, 180lb body builder), he walked up and lifted it like it was nothing.  He looked at me and said, "Dad you need to get a smaller bike".  I agreed, and sold it the next day.  When i took it in to the Bike Shop, the owner informed me the Midnight Venture had the highest center of gravity of any bike on the market.  It weighted just over 800 lbs, but the engine sat real high.  It was also taller than other bikes of it's type and size.

I then got a Honda 750 Shadow Aero.  Now I have dropped it, and I was able to pick it up by myself, without hurting myself.  The Honda is much lower, as well as being lighter weighing 553 lbs. 
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Offline pastorp

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2011, 04:40:40 PM »
Know what you mean, I droped my Vulcan mean streak, 1600 in the yard twice. both times I had to call for help to lift it back up. I'm thinking about a lighter bike myself.. :o   ;)
 
Regards,
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Offline highwayman

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2011, 05:01:53 PM »
drop my 1100 shadow saber in some loose gravel and was able to lift it without too much trouble.
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Offline Spanky

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2011, 05:06:50 PM »
My old Triumph Bonneville weighs 370 pounds. Luckily I've never dropped it but it'd be alot easier to pick up than some of the big bikes.
 
 
 
Spanky
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2011, 06:47:12 PM »
The lighter bikes don't get away from you and get dropped like the heavy ones.  Actually I did not drop my 750 Honda.  I had parked it at my Aunts farm house, leaning on the left side kickstand.  One of her huge guard dogs ran up and jumped up on it, pushing it over enough for it to fall on it's roght side.  It fell on a grassy slope, with the handlebars down slope.  I picked it up by myself, noting no damage was done in the heavy grass.

That 1300 Yamaha was so top heavy I struggled at stop lights to keep it upright, if my feet came down on gravel or sand.  Many times I came close to losing it out on city streets. 
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Offline pastorp

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2011, 09:00:52 PM »
Years ago I rode a Honda CBC750. I think it was my favorite bike out of the dozen or so I've owned. I also rode a CB900 with the high/low range tranny. Nice bike too. I just think at 800 lbs & with a pretty high center of gravity my vulcan 1600 is too heavy for me now at my age.  ;)  I'd trade it but there is no dealer here to trade it to & it cost me $800 freight to get it here from the dealer in Anchorage, so I'm not going to ship it out. I may ride it out some day soon though.
 
I also have a honda metropolitan scooter that I bought for my wife 3 years ago. She never rides it so I've started riding it around the village. It's light & easy to handle but of course to small for highway speeds. Works great in a alaskan bush village though.  :o
 
Regards,
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Offline guzzijohn

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2011, 02:38:44 AM »
They don't all have to be real heavy. My new 1200cc Moto Guzzi Norge weighs in a 604# with all fluids and the six gallon tank full.

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Offline Cheesehead

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2011, 03:09:49 AM »
My Harley Fatboy tips the scales at 714 pounds, full of gas and oil. I dropped it in the garage and it was held up by the engine guard, so I could pick it up.
 
The Motoguzzi is a very interesting vtwin.
 
Cheese
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2011, 09:06:53 AM »
My Suzuki LC1500, the Gray/Silver one, goes around 800 wet.  Don't think I could stand it up anymore...  :-[
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Offline Spanky

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Re: Motorcycle weight
« Reply #10 on: July 19, 2011, 11:31:34 AM »
Quote from: guzzijohn on July 19, 2011, 02:38:44 AM
They don't all have to be real heavy. My new 1200cc Moto Guzzi Norge weighs in a 604# with all fluids and the six gallon tank full.



 
That Guzzi is a nice bike. I love the V7 Classic too. ;)
 
 
 
Spanky
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