Stretched bikes.....why?

[Knock Sensor]

Cue the Clint Eastwood get off my lawn pics, cause here it comes.


Quite a few people on facebook that I know have picked up sportsbikes for the summer/spring. Half of them are stretched out R1s, GSXR1000s, CBR1000s. And I just don't get it. None of them drag race other than brnging it out one time for the hell of it. Is it for looks? Are the new 1000cc bikes such animals that they need 6 inch stretches to keep the front down? Doesn't the handling go to hell?

Personally I think it looks stupid stupid stupid. Buy a $10,000 big road dog hog chopper if you want to bomb around the boulevard. And I've ridden a 2011 zx10r, and had no trouble keeping the front down.

Or maybe I'm just getting old at the tender age of 23...

edit: I refrain from commenting on their pictures as the majority have never ridden before and surprise surprise that 160hp rocket is their first bike.

[Spectaculiciousnes]

I can answer your question with one word...POKE. Why do idiots run tires that are way too small for the rim? It makes it handle worse & looks like ass IMO, yet they do it because it's the "cool" thing to do. Same with stretched swing arms. They started for drag racing but then moved to poser status. & yes, you lose all of the bikes natural cornering ability with them. Most people that own stretched swing arm bikes can't ride worth a s**t other than in a straight line
I'll also add that it seems to be much more prevalent the farther east you go

[dav1d]

Don't they stretch bikes for drag racing? Maybe it's to help them launch faster?

[joefrompa]

All ruined.

Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2

[Silly_me]

I always wanted to try a stretched bike just to see how it handles. Wouldn't it be reallllly slow to turn in?

Also, around here the trend seems to be extreme rearsets where you look like superman flying down the road

[leaftye]

Their side walls look dull. Please advise them to shine those before their next ride.

[Spectaculiciousnes]

Don't they stretch bikes for drag racing? Maybe it's to help them launch faster?

yes & yes. But those are for DRAG bikes. Most of the ones you see on the street never get there. They are pure poser mobiles

[MeineFolks'wagen]

I can answer your question with one word...POKE. Why do idiots run tires that are way too small for the rim? It makes it handle worse & looks like ass IMO, yet they do it because it's the "cool" thing to do. Same with stretched swing arms. They started for drag racing but then moved to poser status. & yes, you lose all of the bikes natural cornering ability with them. Most people that own stretched swing arm bikes can't ride worth a s**t other than in a straight line
I'll also add that it seems to be much more prevalent the farther east you go

Don't forget putting 24 inch rims with four inch lifts on beat up ex police Crown Vics, Grand Marquis, or 1980's era Cutlass, Monte Carlo, etc. I'm not saying what demographic, but I think y'all can figure it out. Oh wait, I'm not allowed to profile

[turbinepowered]

Mild.

There's some kid running around on campus with, I kid you not, what must be almost 9" of stretch on the back of his "rocket." 'busa of some ilk. He can't even fit into the generously long motorcycle parking spaces we have on campus anymore, sticks almost half the front tire out into the lane.

I have had the pleasure of watching him try to maneuver. Now I know why he comes to class early and always picks THAT parking spot...

[dk58]

Well, I've got an even better one for you guys:

I might as well let you read the CL ad as well

I have a 2008 ninja 250r . Ok to start its not your average ninja 250. Lowered to the max. Vortex clip ons lowering links and no spring its a hard tail with a 6" ext swingarm with that said I HAVE STOCK SWINGARM AND REAR SPRING so u can put it to stock if u wish . Dbl bubble smoke windscreen. Rhino lined than painted on top black and yellow . Custom seats and foam on rear that your passenger will thank u for . insted of gauges i instaled a head unit and 3 1/2" speakers i had to take one out due to water damage and i have a rear cowl i started to glass a 6 1/2" in but never finished . I still have the gauges and every thing goes with bike $3000 OBO nice bike alot of work done

[turbinepowered]

Well, I've got an even better one for you guys:

Yep, that's about how it looks.

I can't understand it either...

[edit]Bet all the stretched bike riders are like mine, too: no helmet (or helmet racked on the back all the time), shorts, backwards ballcap or buzzed/shaved hair, t-shirt, sometimes flipflops sometimes boat shoes (BOAT SHOES! ), loud-ass exhaust...

[joefrompa]

Don't forget putting 24 inch rims with four inch lifts on beat up ex police Crown Vics, Grand Marquis, or 1980's era Cutlass, Monte Carlo, etc. I'm not saying what demographic, but I think y'all can figure it out. Oh wait, I'm not allowed to profile

i was going to say......anytime i see a bike like this for sale... its in the city

[Spinnaker]

so they have an excuse for not being able to turn

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

And I've ridden a 2011 zx10r, and had no trouble keeping the front down.

You said it. It's not necessary but has become a issue of style for some.

[Patrick Schmidt]

Here's a pic I snapped of my coworker's Hayabusa. 16 over swingarm with primary/secondary chain and a 330 tire. The front billet wheel only has provisions for one rotor as well.

[GoFaster]

I always wanted to try a stretched bike just to see how it handles. Wouldn't it be reallllly slow to turn in?

Also, around here the trend seems to be extreme rearsets where you look like superman flying down the road

Stretched/lowered is done for drag racing and it makes sense for that.

I have a street legal bike that I occasionally take to the test-and-tune (I'm not good enough at it to do any more than that) and it's fun to play around with. But ... it's only a mild stretch (about 5") and it is NOT excessively lowered. Full suspension travel is still available front and rear, and the limit on suspension compression is the actual hydraulic and mechanical travel limit built into the fork and shock just like the way it's supposed to be ... not the front fender colliding with the upper fairing or radiator and not the exhaust or oil drain plug smashing into the ground. But all this is because I understand (mostly) about how this stuff is supposed to work. And because I've taken care to maintain proper function, it still handles acceptably during normal riding. Cornering clearance is decent (more than I'll ever use on the street), turn-in feels normal, if perhaps with maybe 10% more effort than standard, the steering is nice and neutral (it doesn't want to stand up, it doesn't need huge force on the bars to force the bike to lean in corners), the license plate is mounted correctly (I cannot use the stock location but the way I have it is close enough to "look stock to a cop"), the license plate has white illumination, and all the DOT-marked reflectors are there (the rear one isn't the stock one but it is DOT marked as it should be ...)

If really pushed, a stretched bike will always want to slide out the rear end when accelerating hard out of corners because of less-than-optimal weight transfer under those conditions. This can actually be kinda fun to play with (but it is certainly NOT the fast way around a roadrace track or even a gnarly twisty road which is why this sort of thing is not suitable for those conditions). You CAN still ride my bike on twisty roads and I do it (mostly to shut people up who think a stretched bike is good for absolutely nothing!) but you DO have to be careful exiting corners.

Signs of "bling" and "poser" ...

Rear wheel width more than stock. Excessively wide rims have too much inertia to be used for what this type of bike is really meant for (drag racing) and slow you down.

Excessive stretch. More than about 4 - 6 inches will prove unusable unless you are using really sticky drag-racing slicks that are ONLY suitable for that purpose. Not enough weight transfer to make the tire grip without doing a burnout first and even then, maybe not enough.

Excessive lowering. If the forks are slid too far up the triple clamps, probably the suspension travel will be the oil drain plug, the exhaust, or the fender colliding with something. All bad. If the rear has been excessively lowered without the front, the bike will handle like a tank, with really heavy steering. Pure drag bike, this might be acceptable, but for a street bike, it means unsafe handling characteristics.

Signs of "serious" ...

Not excessively stretched, Shinko Hookup or 003 rear tire on an OEM rim size (no wider than stock), minimal bling appearance crap, quick-shifter or an air shifter, kill / tether switch on the handlebar (needed for tech if faster than 10.0 IIRC), proper lengthened chain guard (to pass tech), signs of considerably shortened gearing (big rear sprocket), brackets on the front brake calipers for strapping down the front end, possible power adders (but not really needed), 1000cc or bigger bike (there's no point doing this stuff to a smaller bike) = DO NOT MESS WITH

[dk58]

I guess the ninja 250 I posted falls under the poser category. Except you didn't mention stretched hard tails

[GoFaster]

Here is an example of the "do not mess with" category - a stretched bike being used for what it's meant for.

(Not me, I am NOWHERE NEAR this fast ... this guy was really moving)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBqNG2xhyq8

[OLD-GTI]

because racebike

[AshyLarry]

poser mobiles

That's it right there.

[MRVW00]

\Bet all the stretched bike riders are like mine, too: no helmet (or helmet racked on the back all the time), shorts, backwards ballcap or buzzed/shaved hair, t-shirt, sometimes flipflops sometimes boat shoes (BOAT SHOES! ), loud-ass exhaust...

I'm with you 100000%

We're getting old.

[nosrednug]

From killboy.com's facebook page. Stretched 'busa at Tail of the Dragon. Why?

[Spinnaker]

My buddy says he goes on rides with a group and there's a stretched SV650

[GoFaster]

Note the almost complete lack of cornering clearance (means it's near useless as a street bike except for puttering around slowly) and the excessively wide rear tire (means it's useless as a drag bike, all that extra weight is all rotating weight and slows you down).

USELESS.

Wish I had my Honda CBR125 there at the same time, it would probably be faster through that road and certainly safer (cornering clearance) and more fun (better turning). I'd love to chase that thing down with only 12 horsepower ...

[turbinepowered]

I'm with you 100000%

We're getting old.

Don't remind me. I'll be 28 this year, Goldwing territory for sure!

[Spinnaker]

Don't remind me. I'll be 28 this year, Goldwing territory for sure!

Cup holders and heaters? I would unashamedly rock a Goldwing.

[turbinepowered]

Cup holders and heaters? I would unashamedly rock a Goldwing.

Don't forget about the reverse gear! And now airbags...

[Spinnaker]

Don't forget about the reverse gear! And now airbags...

That's right! Though I hear they are re-engineering the reverse gear to be in the tank to blow up in your chest vs your face.

[atomicalex]

.... re-engineering the reverse gear to be in the tank......

Air bag, right? Or do Goldwings have glass transmission cases and output shafts?

edit - so are these the donks of motorcycling?

[SlowMotion]

I've riding my friends GSX R and it's stretched 6" on a 200 rear tire, air shifter and strapped front and that thing is no joke, but I rode very cautious around some twisty and it felt slower than my R6.


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[turbinepowered]

I've riding my friends GSX R and it's stretched 6" on a 200 rear tire, air shifter and strapped front and that thing is no joke, but I rode very cautious around some twisty and it felt slower than my R6.

Air shifter? pushbutton shifting? Booooooooooooring. And talk about lazy! Can't even bother pulling up a foot...

[turbinepowered]

After all the Goldwing talk in here, I perversely want to see a stretched 'wing.

[veedub87]

I'm not even kidding when I say that the looks of these stretched monstrosities literally makes me sick to my stomach. They are that hideous.

[freedomgli]

They are pure poser mobiles

This. It is squidly people trying hard to look cool but anybody with good taste and common sense knows these people are the kind to be avoided like the plague.

[freedomgli]

Stretched 'busa at Tail of the Dragon. Why?

Because group think, more money than brains, money can't buy taste, etc.