I've been working on this for a while, and just published it tonight. It's for new riders that want to start out with a sportbike. If you have 7-10 minutes, take the assessment and see how you do. As far as the guy riding in the background video...I don't know nothin'.

What sportbike should I begin with?

I scored an 8, I guess I'm keeping the 14! lol

In question 14 you give a high score for frequently panicing in high stress situations, and a low score for never panicing. Should be reversed.

Seems to me alg8tr is right on that. I would say a tendency to panic causes one to not think and not react.

If a rider is a risk taker, there are all kinds of dangerous things that a smaller bike is better suited for than a 14. If that's you, you'll learn better on a 600 and have a lot more fun when you master your skills. ...and you can still do about 160 which is about as fast as most ever push the 14 anyway.

Thanks for the input alg8r. The test is correct, I don't expect it to make sense to you unless you study it carefully considering how the factors affect each other. If you think it's wrong, use a spreadsheet creating a few profiles of people you know and run them through the test. Then get back with me, and show me the numbers of how it doesn't work out. The assessment is more objective than subjective.

I'm interested in your score and impression of the test than whether you think the values are wrong or whatever. If you didn't even bother to score yourself, then your comment is pointless.

The assessment is more objective than subjective.

Same thing with riding a smaller bike for riskier riders. Sure you can corner like a wild man and you can still go very fast in a straight line. but at least you have the advantage of less weight for braking or leaning and you don't have the added risk of the massive acceleration. If you are going to ride like that anyway, you're safer on a 250 or a 600 than you would be a 1400.

I scored a 6.7 answering honestly and considering my driving history before owning the 14. So I guess I was ok to start on a 14. Since I'm no longer a beginner, I don't know if the test applies to me anymore. Things change throughout your riding history. If I answered this questionaire according to my history after owning the 14 for 6 years, I would have come up with a slightly lower score. Without a doubt, I am a less safe motorist now. I still drive like a granny but I go fast on my sportbikes sometimes. I did have one citation for a major infraction. No accidents at all though. ...and I tend to panic over stupid things like loosing my wallet or the kids left their earrings at someone else's house...but not life threatening stuff. Pretty funny, hey?

* Last updated by: Rook on 7/25/2014 @ 4:33 PM *

Nice rook, imo that's a great score to get. I score a 7.9 today. Luckily in the last 7 years i've actually got a couple tickets (this means I'm willing to take some risk), and also i don't tend to panic. If I go back to when I was early 20s and fist got my M, I had a 7.0. In developing the test, Developing the test and I had a 7.3 because I kind of mixed a couple of my answers.

The test is really only meant for new riders who want to start on a sportbike. To some extent, it might be applicable for an experienced rider (lol maybe a part deux? advanced riders!?). Many youtuber riders have made videos on the subject, this is my video on the subject. I actually watched a few of the current popular youtube videos on the subject. For the most part, they're just some guy babbling on their bike for 35-45 minutes and they never really get to any meat of the subject. That's one reason I saw the need for something a little more thorough, and definitive.

As far as higher scores, there's a point people get to be overly cautious and become afraid to make a move. Having my bike again, I've got scared a couple of times in situations that I know at least some riders would've failed. Where the ending shot in that video is, my first ride (again) I was doing about 80 and partly left the road. At a point the bike was heading towards the onramp-median area. Fortunately, my instinct (to try to stand the bike up and make it turn) was over ridden by my brain and I held it through and came out ok, just a couple brown stains in the under shorts. There's no doubt many riders would've ended up having a very bad day in that same circumstance, considering this was on the interstate around traffic, possibly death.

Thanks for giving it a chance, I hope your score is somewhat accurate to what you'd expect.

I scored an 8, I guess I'm keeping the 14! lol

Toon thanks for taking the time to do this. Any thoughts on whether you think it's good/bad, or does it make sense? If no comment, cool just wondering. Developing the test, I had a 7.3 (kind of mixed my history a little), but actually going strictly by the rules I had a 7.9 today, and when I first got my M I would've been a 7.0 flat

I hadn't done strict scorings until just now. But honestly I would say it's fairly accurate for me. I'm definitely more cautious than when I was younger. For example, I've ridden 3 short rides with no helmet or protective gear, and this was mainly because I was drying the bike from washing it. Back then protection was a short sleeve shirt, a condom in my wallet, and actually tying my gym shoes!

I purposely didn't ask any questions about protective gear, because it's an area I think people would've had a hard time being honest with themselves. Also a new rider might have intentions to wear it, or not wear it, and end up doing the opposite. My reply to rook, I joked about maybe an "advanced rider" test. That might be a good test to include something about riding gear.

Then why is it stated in the 6.0 to 8.0 results:
"If you do get into trouble, your temperament is such that you do NOT panic. You remain calm and collected, reacting to the situation."
And in your reply to rook: "Luckily in the last 7 years i've actually got a couple tickets (this means I'm willing to take some risk), and also i don't tend to panic."
It still seems contradictory to me to give a higher score to someone that panics frequently in a high stress situation, going by your own statement, not my opinion, but yours. I did take the test, and scored a 7.4.
I also don't understand why "willing to take some risks" has anything to do with getting tickets, or whether you qualify to get a bigger bike. I take a lot of risks, I'm just lucky, or smart enough not to get tickets. To me someone that is good at sports (coordinated, fast reflexes, quick decisions), and has some riding experience (MSF course, dirt bike), and is reasonably intelligent, is free to go big. None of the above, proceed with caution.

A higher score isn't desirable so that is why the max points are given for being prone to panic. I had to answer "sometimes" to that. I think the idea of the test is that there is a middle ground for handling risk which is desirable for riding the largest bike. Too risky or too cautious, you will be safer with a smaller bike (and IMHO, have a bike better suited to the riding style you will probably develop).

ok, watched the test again. I scored a 6.8 for my current riding history. There are a couple questions that overtly pertain to risk. Other questions seem to pertain to risk in a more roundabout way. "do you study? Do you practice? Do you plan?"

I'm giving away the test. Nobody will answer it honestly now.

* Last updated by: Rook on 7/26/2014 @ 5:03 AM *

I just took the test pretending I am Kruz.

Kruz gets a 6.05555556

What score do I get for not answering any of the questions and just watching the video in the background?

That's a zero. You ride a tricycle on the sidewalk.

Hahaha. I'd mod that tricycle out.

I got a 7.7. and the 14 is not my first bike by any means nor my first sportbike.
FWIW, I thought that the conclusions that you came up with for the scores were right on the money.

alg8er wrote:
Then why is it stated in the 6.0 to 8.0 results:
"If you do get into trouble, your temperament is such that you do NOT panic. You remain calm and collected, reacting to the situation."
And in your reply to rook: "Luckily in the last 7 years i've actually got a couple tickets (this means I'm willing to take some risk), and also i don't tend to panic."

Since a new rider has no motorcycling experience to go by, the only things that can be assessed are the attributes they are likely to employ while motorcycling. Since the question is what type of sportbike should they start with, only the aspects which make a difference should be examined.

The reason a rider needs to take some risks is because if they do get over-their-head, their decision to continue with the committed action requires that risks taking, especially in the case pushing the bike harder in a turn, or say coming to an abrupt stop.

A high risk rider is actively seeking being over their head. An entry level bike will get them there, just not quite as dangerously fast as a supersport. A 100 mph is 100 mph, the only thing that can be done is to try to slow down the rider with the equipment.

An overly cautious rider on the other hand, is better off never getting in over their head. An entry level bike will let them ride cautiously and not react as fast to inputs (particularly acceleration) as a supersport, providing a large comfort zone and predictability. They may still find themselves as deer-in-headlights if something happens that scares an experienced rider.

rook wrote:
Too risky or too cautious, you will be safer with a smaller bike (and IMHO, have a bike better suited to the riding style you will probably develop).

rook wrote:
I just took the test pretending I am Kruz.

Kruz gets a 6.05555556

lol

zone5 wrote:
I got a 7.7. and the 14 is not my first bike by any means nor my first sportbike.
FWIW, I thought that the conclusions that you came up with for the scores were right on the money.

wow thanks!

Here was my mistake. I took the test, saw that the low score was entry level, then 6-8 supersport. I stopped the video there thinking it was done. I didn't realize there was a higher score going back to entry level. Thanks for the explanation. However, I don't think you'll ever change the mind of a new rider set on buying a superbike for their first bike by having them take a test. Maybe the first question should be "Do you like to take tests?", and the second "Would you accept the results as a viable evaluation?".

* Last updated by: alg8er on 7/27/2014 @ 1:10 AM *

I knew ONE person who had owned sportbikes and for the life of him, he couldn't persuade me to buy a used 600 or even a 1000. Looking back, I think a good used 600 would have been an excellent choice but the experience of owning exactly what I wanted would have made owning the bike far less exciting.

I knew ONE person who had owned sportbikes and for the life of him, he couldn't persuade me to buy a used 600 or even a 1000. Looking back, I think a good used 600 would have been an excellent choice but the experience of owning exactly what I wanted would have made owning the bike far less exciting.

I thought you've been riding for a while, and a lot changed from when I started riding around 15+ years ago. Even the newest 600s at the time were no where near the machines they are today. 600s were just hitting the lower 11 seconds quarter mile when I was riding. I think at some point the (late 90s, early 2000s) Kawi ZX-6R even broke 11 seconds. It mattered to me because my bike was rated at 10.9@124 mph, and wondering when the newest 600s would be able to beat me in the quarter (theoretically at least). Street or strip I would probably had the advantage cause my VF1000 had good low and upper end power. Today I think all the supersport 600s are under 11 seconds, some even mid 10s. 600s are so powerful today, there basically is no 750 class because the 600s are what 750s were back in the day. I think Suzuki may still make a GSXR 750, not sure though.

At any rate, my point is just that some who gets a newer 600 supersport that's going to go out and redline it (high risk rider), or may unintentionally hit the powerband (overly cautious rider) could really be surprised by the 600s powerband. I've got 1250 miles on my 14, and even taking it somewhat cautious am still getting surprised stretching further into the bike's performance. To this point I've still only gassed it once in 1st, and that's mainly because I wasn't quite honestly expecting to do a full on wheelie.

I've only been REALLY riding since 08 when I got the 14. Some years earlier, I rode a cruiser for a year and hopped on the cruisers my father owned through the years once in a while. When I was about 10 I had a little dirt bike and I enjoyed that for a few years until I felt I had outgrown it. I would have loved to own a sportbike in HS but unfortunately, a car was more practical.

In my early teens I hung with older guys. They all had "bikes". I bought a Honda 50 stepthru from a buddy for $25, rode it a couple months, knew I needed bigger. Bought a dirt bike, rode it a couple months and hated it. Waited 3 years till I was 16 and bought a '73 Honda 750. Rode that fat pig for a year and couldn't stand it anymore. Then I bought a KZ900, and spent many years in love with that beast. Every bike taught me things about riding, even though I didn't know it at the time. The 50, how to be smooth to maintain speed. The dirt bike, how to put my foot down and slide around a corner. The 750, bike maintenance, plan moves ahead of time, and watch out for morons. The 900, going fast is fun, but be careful, and pick your spots. If I would have started with the 900, I would have been in over my head.

I never had any power sport stuff as a child, but I had a couple friends with them. I never drove one, but rode passenger sometimes. I had ridden passenger on a couple street bikes as a kid, but nothing even in my teens. I recall my dad had a small honda when I was very young. I was 20 I think when I got my first bike. My group of friends just got to talking about it, and 5 close friends that we all got them about the same time. Liter bikes were considered experienced rider territory at the time. Going through MSF was my first exposure to operating a cycle.

I wanted a big bike, but I also was aware of my personality. I knew I wasn't a (overtly) thrill seeker, and that I could just drive the bike and have fun doing that, learn, practice and not push it too far beyond my abilities. I got the VF1000F, my best friend got a VF1000R. The others got FZR 600 (we went through MSF together), Hurricane 600, VF500F, and CBR600F2.

I had my license through MSF before buying my VF1000F. I bought it from a private owner, a younger guy maybe in his later 20s, or maybe early 30s. I forget why he was selling it. He let me test drive it, I think he just asked if I had my license. It was the first time I drove a bike outside of MSF! I rode it, gently, around his neighborhood, and ironically just about like my 14R that was enough! Bought it, rode it home, and my tale of many adventures on the VF1000 began!

I bought my first sportbike 21 years ago, so for question #18 "How long have you been considering buying your first sportbike?" I guessed that I should answer how long I considered it back then? In reality I wanted a sportbike ever since I could see one and understand what it was! So, maybe age 8? But since I seem to remember contemplating actually buying one for some number of months I answered "8 - one to six months". Let me know if I'm thinking incorrectly about that one.

Anyway ... I scored a 102. 102 divided by 18 = 5.67, and the vid tells me "entry level" even though I've ridden motorcycles since about age 9 or 10 (I'm 45 now) and have had 5 different sportbikes since 1993: 1) Yamaha FZR600 2) Honda CBR900RR 3) another Honda CBR900RR 4) Honda RC51 5) Kawasaki ZX-14R. I've ridden for thousands of miles, hauled my bikes from FL to the NC mountains, and never had a crash and never had a ticket. I just like sportbikes, but I don't tend to push their limits. I do like straight ahead speed blasts, and I can corner pretty well, but I'm not one who's likely to ever slide a bike, and I'll probably always have at least a little chicken strip left.

So, what do we make of this? Am I just an oddity? Or am I really 'entry level'?

I'll be glad to post all my responses if you want to see them.

* Last updated by: ZX14R on 7/28/2014 @ 8:04 PM *

zx14R wrote:

I bought my first sportbike 21 years ago, so for question #18 "How long have you been considering buying your first sportbike?" I guessed that I should answer how long I considered it back then? In reality I wanted a sportbike ever since I could see one and understand what it was! So, maybe age 8? But since I seem to remember contemplating actually buying one for some number of months I answered "8 - one to six months". Let me know if I'm thinking incorrectly about that one.

Anyway ... I scored a 102. 102 divided by 18 = 5.67, and the vid tells me "entry level" even though I've ridden motorcycles since about age 9 or 10 (I'm 45 now) and have had 5 different sportbikes since 1993: 1) Yamaha FZR600 2) Honda CBR900RR 3) another Honda CBR900RR 4) Honda RC51 5) Kawasaki ZX-14R. I've ridden for thousands of miles, hauled my bikes from FL to the NC mountains, and never had a crash and never had a ticket. I just like sportbikes, but I don't tend to push their limits. I do like straight ahead speed blasts, and I can corner pretty well, but I'm not one who's likely to ever slide a bike, and I'll probably always have at least a little chicken strip left.

So, what do we make of this? Am I just an oddity? Or am I really 'entry level'?

I'll be glad to post all my responses if you want to see them.

I don't expect you to understand the assessment or how it works. Why certain questions are asked? In what ways can you identify that a question such as how long did it take for a person to make a decision ]be relevant to motorcycling? HINT 1: the manner in which I've asked this question is a huge hint HINT 2: this question is in the PERSONALITY section of the assessment

As far as your other questions, are you the target audience of this assessment?

* Last updated by: VicThing on 7/28/2014 @ 8:44 PM *

You seem somewhat defensive. I meant nothing negative. Was just providing my results and asking about my seemingly unusual result.

As far as your other questions, are you the target audience of this assessment?

I guess not? Although others here took it, so I thought I would, too.