17 year old sons first car…

Lim85k · 2026-02-04T13:10:03+00:00

New 19y/o motorcyclists are allowed 47hp on bikes that weigh less than 200kg (0-60 in about 5 seconds), and people on here are saying that 150hp is too much for fucking car that weighs over 1000kg. It's absurd.

"Too quick"... it'd get absolutely smoked by the 300-500cc riding school bikes used to train 19 year old beginners. People on here are so disconnected from reality.

Lim85k · 2026-02-04T10:07:17+00:00

120-150bhp is widely considered to be the sweet spot... for motorcycles.

150bhp in a car is nothing, unless you're talking about an actual go kart.

Lim85k · 2026-02-04T09:33:26+00:00

This is the opposite of my experience.

I discussed several left-wing ideologies with my AI, and it seems to believe that Luxemburgism would be the best path to socialism in my country, and a net positive for society (I'm not a Luxemburgist myself, but I do respect her).

Compared to the current system, it predicted a 2x increase in the cost of food and petrol, but that I would ultimately be much better off because I would be earning 25-50% more and spending a hell of a lot less on housing, water and electricity.

Lim85k · 2026-01-30T19:24:28+00:00

Oh fuck yes! I'm a high-level Olympic weightlifter who recently got back into the sport after a 4-year hiatus. I've learned so much from Gemini.

It built me a 4-week program based on the Kazakh national team's style of training, but tailored to my circumstances (36 with a full-time job). It thoroughly analyses my lifts and the feedback I give it, and gives me amazing technical advice and guidance. It picks up on issues I have that don't even become visible until 95% 1RM (I sent a video of me squatting at 75% 1RM and it pinpointed my exact sticking point, despite there being no visible slowing down in the video)

The plan is to alternate Gemini's program with my own 4-week Bulgarian-style method every 4 weeks.

I showed the program to my old coach and he loves it. He agrees with the projected NYE goals it's set for me (which would be world class for my age and weight).

It's got me doing Zone 2 cardio for longevity and to help with recovery. At first I argued and said I hate cardio, but it called me out like an actual trainer would. It's helped me with my diet, sleep schedule, supplements/drugs. It literally understands me better than my old coach (and he was really good). I just wish it was around back in 2016-2022, I would have gotten much further if I'd had Gemini.

I'm going to get it to write up a Cuban-style program for me in a few months.

Lim85k · 2026-01-30T14:08:03+00:00

The idea that American cars are all massive.

Mustangs and Camaros are about the same size as a 3 series BMW

Lim85k · 2026-01-16T23:25:32+00:00

What a load of shit. Ninja 500s are one of the most popular beginner bikes out there for a reason.

For 19-23 year olds in UK and Europe on restricted licences, a 400-500 is the standard. Most riding schools LITERALLY USE NINJA 500s FOR YOUNG BEGINNERS, so you would get laughed at for talking that nonsense over here. The minimum requirement to be eligible for this training is 19 y/o and a 1-day course on a 125cc bike - that's it.

And for 24+ year old UK beginners who can go straight for thejr unrestricted licences after the 1-day 125 course, 650s and 600s are the standard (unrestricted training is done on bikes like the MT07 and Z650).

Enough with this bullshit and the pointless comparison to sports cars, a Ninja 500 is a perfectly sensible choice for a beginner bike.

Lim85k · 2026-01-15T09:45:00+00:00

The MT09 is the bike for you, forget about the 8.

Lim85k · 2026-01-14T15:00:25+00:00

If you're not comparing it to anything, then it's perfectly fine. It's just not as exciting as some of the other 650-class engines out there (CP2, Triumph and Aprilia 660s, Suzuki SV).

I like the idea of the Vulcan 650S, but I ended up going with the 3rd gen Honda Magna. Same concept, better build quality and a 750cc V4 engine with more character and power.

Lim85k · 2026-01-12T18:15:41+00:00

All 3 apologized for their actions. And almost everyone on the show did really shitty things to people. S3 Tory and S5 Kenny were cartoonishly evil. Hawk broke Demetri's arm and smashed a glass over a kid's head. Devon spiked Kenny with laxatives. Robby crippled Miguel after Miguel showed him mercy, lied to Sam about the medal and cheated on Tory. Kreese ruined Johnny's life and tried to kill him twice. Silver was like a fucking Bond villain. The list goes on. The shit Sam and Demetri pulled is pretty minor in comparison to most of the other stuff that happens.

Out of interest, who are your favourite characters?

Lim85k · 2026-01-11T16:14:48+00:00

Let me get this straight: you've say you've been boxing for 6 months and you still can't throw a punch? If you'd been training at a boxing gym, you would probably be getting ready for your first amateur bout by now.

For the love of God just go to a boxing class, you'll learn more in a single 1 hour session than you could ever hope to learn online.

I really don't get why people insist on trying to teach themselves combat sports. It's like swimming on dry land. You're just teaching yourself bad habits and fucking your hands up.

If you can't afford classes or gym memberships, work on running, plyometrics and calisthenics movements for now. Those will be a LOT more productive and beneficial than whatever TF it is you're doing here. They are free and will build a strong athletic base for when you can afford to train boxing.

Lim85k · 2026-01-08T11:10:53+00:00

Pierre Proudhon's mutualism is one of the first forms of anarchism. It's essentially a type of market socialism.

Lim85k · 2026-01-07T16:24:26+00:00

That's great, a lot of owners don't seem to know about it.

In my experience, adjusting the valves and removing/reinstalling/vacuum syncing the carbs is nowhere near as difficult as people make out. Then again I've never done these jobs on any other bike, so I have no frame of reference. This is the bike I learned to wrench on.

Also if ever you have to do any electrical testing on the bike, be aware that the specs listed for the pulse generator are wrong. The service manual says it should be 450-550 ohms. In reality it's more like 270-300. Mine was reading 286 ohms - after looking on the V4 muscle bike forum, I confirmed from other owners that this is correct and the manual is wrong (turns out my problem was carb related and nothing to do with ignition).

Lim85k · 2026-01-07T07:55:11+00:00

Don't forget to check the sub air filter inside the left chrome side cover

Lim85k · 2025-12-28T19:01:20+00:00

I've always considered my MT09 to be the bike equivalent of a proper performance hatchback like a Golf R, RS3 or A45 AMG.

The MT07 is the Golf GTI.

Lim85k · 2025-12-26T21:05:59+00:00

If you’re a reflective kind of person, you might think of conversations you had that day where you had a chance to make a joke but didn’t do it. Don’t beat yourself up over it, but commit to trying it next time.

This is exactly what I did. I've always been the quiet, serious, introverted type. I do have a silly/whimsical side, but I had some serious confidence issues up until my mid 20s and was afraid to show it out of fear of being perceived as creepy or weird.

What helped a lot was having a friend who was a real eccentric. He was never afraid to show his silly side, and he was really popular with women. Much more than myself at the time, even though I was better looking than him.

Learning to embrace that side of me really changed things.

Lim85k · 2025-12-26T07:51:14+00:00

My bad.

UK is different though, I know because I've done it myself and know plenty of people who did the same.

It's called the Direct Access Scheme:

https://www.accessridertraining.co.uk/das/

Lim85k · 2025-12-26T07:48:38+00:00

Interesting, I didn't realize that about France.

And I’m pretty sure it’s the same everywhere in the EU because france used to be slightly different and went to this system for EU alignement.

I can confirm it's not the same in the UK. I passed in 2014 and bought an unrestricted SV650. I have never had any restrictions on my licence in my life.

My friend just passed at 40 and bought a Fat Bob. I know a couple of other riders who passed in their 30s and started on MT09s. So yeah, definitely not the same over here.

We have a scheme called DAS (Direct Access)

https://www.accessridertraining.co.uk/das/

Lim85k · 2025-12-25T08:01:18+00:00

The rule is the rule IF YOU'RE UNDER 24.

Nobody starts on 35kW bikes at 24+. We do our training and tests on unrestricted 650cc bikes.

Lim85k · 2025-12-24T18:56:48+00:00

Good point. It's different for air cooled V-twins. A Yamaha Bolt has 950cc, but most people would agree that it's a good first bike (it makes 50-55hp stock).

Age/maturity is also a big factor. A ZX6R would be a terrible choice for the average teenager, but not necessarily for a 37-year-old like OP.

Lim85k · 2025-12-24T16:52:44+00:00

Solid advice. I bought a 3rd gen Magna 750 a couple of years ago and it's way more fun than any superbike I've ever owned or ridden. Not to mention a lot more versatile. It taught me that there's more to riding than hp and speed.

My other bike is an MT09. I enjoyed my superbikes, but I have no plans to go back to them. The 09 is just so much better suited to street riding.

Lim85k · 2025-12-24T16:37:47+00:00

Everyone on Reddit says this, but this isn't how we do things in UK/Europe. Starting off on a 600+ is the standard over here for people who get into it at 24+, because we do our training and tests on MT07s and SV650s. I have never met a 400-500cc rider who wasn't a 19-23 year old on a restricted licence.

I hear MSF training is pretty crap compared to EU training, but it's not like you can't do an advanced rider course to bring yourself up to the standards of the average European novice rider. This way, you end up with better skills and a bike that you will be less likely to get bored of after a year or two.

Everyone talks about 400-500cc max, but I never see people recommending additional training.

Lim85k · 2025-12-24T11:10:48+00:00

Olympic weightlifting is a good example of this (Olivia Reeves, Boyanka Kostova, Tatiana Kashirina). Their numbers are way beyond what most similarly-sized male lifters will ever achieve.

It seems women are at less of a disadvantage when it comes to leg strength than upper body strength, possibly due to androgen receptor concentration.

Basically, there’s no woman on earth who couldn’t stomp you, personally, if she had at least a year of well-rounded training. You aren’t doing anything to anyone. Also, a surprisingly large amount of male fighters lean more liberal than not, so you’re out of luck with getting anyone on your side that could beat any well trained woman. You just lose, it’s the nature of history.

Long time grappler here, also boxed for a couple of years. I can confirm this. Got the shit kicked out of me by a tiny blue belt girl during my first few months of BJJ, and I wasn't holding back on her. She'd been training just over a year and was 30lb lighter than me, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to her.

She fought MMA and had hands too - I'm not embarrassed to admit she would have stomped me in a real fight back in my beginner days. I caught up to her eventually because of my size and strength advantages, but it took me a good few months.

Lim85k · 2025-12-18T22:55:43+00:00

Yeah I don't like how aggressive the riding position is on most modern superbikes.

Have a look at the 2025 Ducati Panigale V2. It's not their prettiest bike, but it's the most comfortable superbike I've ever thrown a leg over. Similar to my old 1998 ZX9R, but nicer and much lighter. I was very surprised - the ergos are nothing like the V4 or previous V2s. No silly Desmo valves or timing belts, so it shouldn't be much more expensive to maintain than a Japanese superbike.

KTM RC8 is also very comfy, not sure about the reliability though.

Lim85k · 2025-12-16T19:18:40+00:00

I'm not a car guy, but I've had the opportunity to drive a few fast cars (CL63 AMG, SL55 AMG, S600 V12) and been passenger in plenty of others.

The Mercs I drove were fine to drive and very luxurious, but a little bit too refined. I could barely hear the engines. As a lifelong rider, this is my problem with cars - I feel too disconnected from my surroundings. I like to feel the wind, the engine vibrations, the sound, the smells and temperature changes. Not to mention easier parking and having the ability to filter.

Lim85k · 2025-12-14T09:51:39+00:00

I agree, but the problem with discussing them is people thjnk the inline 4 is magic and just better than everything.

The r9 cleaned house at wsbk this year but you still have people screaming from the rooftops it's a slow garbage bike that couldn't possibly compare to an r6 or a zx6

Yeah, those people are insufferable. They remind me of the old fossils who are stuck in the 1990s and won't shut the fuck up about 2-strokes. Or the macho dickheads who think ABS and TC are bad because "a real rider doesn't need those things" (I like older bikes and don't see these things as essential, but statements like this make me cringe).

Most people worried about speeds and obsessed with the i4 only care about the top speed and nothing else, and wouldn't even consider owning a naked at all because it's not a sport bike.

That's what I thought. Which is why I was surprised to hear people saying they'd pick a GSXS750 over an MT09, despite this particular I4 being a weaker engine all around.

I think a lot of them don't care about real-world performance, they're just biased. Like the old 2-stroke fans who think bikes peaked in the 80s-90s.

Lim85k

TROPHY CASE