Big Bike Syndrome: Why Beginners Often Choose Displacement Over Skill

It’s just ego talking. Most bigger motorcycles are flashier and have more features, and yeah, most people are gonna like them more.

I imagine myself in the U.S. with about $17,000 burning a hole in my pocket. Right in front of me is a Kawasaki ZX-6, and it happens to be the perfect price. Just by looking at it, it’s badass — dual front discs, a powerful 600cc inline-4 engine. Design-wise, it looks even cooler, and the sound it makes? Way more satisfying. So of course I’m gonna buy it.

And that’s the main issue, especially in developed countries: motorcycles are cheap, and most people can easily get their hands on one. I mean, at that price point, who wouldn’t pick a faster bike? Slow bikes get boring pretty fast. Like, nobody really wants to stick with a slow motorcycle. Okay, sure, a few people might — but you get what I’m saying.

The choices for smaller motorcycles in the same class are pretty limited. Most bikes under 250cc usually have single or twin-cylinder engines, which are kinda underwhelming. If you want a bike that sounds good and actually performs, you're better off going for something over 400cc.

That said, there's the Kawasaki ZX-25R. It’s got a 250cc inline-four engine, which is cool, but its features aren't as complete as the ZX-6R’s. Sure, the price is way cheaper, but it just doesn’t give me the same satisfaction, and honestly, I don't think it looks as good either. Obviously, I lean toward the bigger bikes — mostly because of ego.

Manufacturers could build smaller bikes with inline-fours, but the performance wouldn't be that impressive. So when people have the chance, they usually go for faster models, even if their skills aren't quite there yet. I guess that’s why a lot of beginner riders end up picking bigger bikes, even when they’re not really ready for them.

Mid-level bikes usually come with way better features compared to beginner models — like faster engines, better suspension, stronger brakes, and a bunch of other stuff that really makes a difference. If beginners have the cash, they’ll almost always pick the bigger bikes, even if it means they’ve got a lot more to learn to handle them properly.

On the other hand, it’s pretty easy for a beginner to pick a bigger bike over a smaller one, especially in a developed country. I mean, you can grab a 2010s Yamaha R1 for under $10,000 in the US, and in some ways, it’s not that much different from a brand-new 250cc sportbike. As far as I know, the MSRP for a Kawasaki Ninja 300 was around $4,200. So by tossing in another $3,000 or so, you could snag a decade-old supersport with way more features. Pretty tempting, right?

New riders usually fall into this trap because the price is cheap—they’d rather get a bigger used bike than a brand-new smaller one. And honestly, it makes sense: if you can get a “better” bike for the same price, why wouldn't you? But that’s where the danger creeps in. You shouldn’t be riding a machine you’re not ready for, especially one with that much power. Those 1000cc supersports aren’t toys —they’re serious machines, and not just anyone should hop on one.

Some people lean toward bigger motorcycles because of the features and power. Plus, like I said, the price difference isn’t always huge compared to smaller new bikes. But honestly? I think a lot of it comes down to ego. Most of us like a good challenge, and let’s be real — fast, cool-looking bikes are way more popular than smaller ones that seem less impressive.

Unfortunately, that's just ego talking. When you’re shopping for your first bike, you’ve got to remember: you can tame those beasts, but it takes time. And it only takes one bad twist of the throttle to wreck everything. So choose wisely. Learning to crawl is way better than trying to sprint right out of the gate.