Things No One Will Tell You Before Buying A Sportsbike

Owning a sports motorcycle is like dating a supermodel. It looks glamorous, sounds amazing and makes everyone jealous. But behind the glitz and adrenaline is a side no one talks about. It’s the part you discover after clocking a few hundred kilometres on the saddle, usually when your shoulders start feeling like they’ve done a gym session and your pillion is plotting revenge for their aching back.

Let’s start with the rider’s posture. Sports bikes demand an aggressive stance, designed more for slicing through the air than for comfort. It feels exhilarating for the first 150 kilometres but after that? Your shoulders and wrists might start a protest that’ll make you question your life choices. Add a pillion to the mix and it gets even more interesting. Sports bike rear seats are not just small, they’re borderline decorative. They’re perched high, leaving your passenger clinging to you for dear life, especially if you dare to hit speeds over 120 km/h. Imagine a backpack that leans, shifts and occasionally squeezes, welcome to pillion dynamics on a sports bike.

And then, there’s the road. Sports motorcycles are built for smooth tarmac, not the patchy, pothole-riddled surfaces we often face. Loose concrete or gravel becomes a villain, especially if your bike is fully faired. That gorgeous belly fairing that makes your bike look race-ready? It’s also a magnet for scrapes, cracks and all kinds of road damage.

Let’s not forget the practicality or lack of it. Need to carry luggage? Good luck. Sports bikes laugh in the face of saddlebags. Planning a long ride? Prepare to stop frequently for breaks because your body will demand them.

Sports bikes are not just about the speed or the sleek design that turns heads; it’s a relationship, one with its fair share of compromises, quirks and, of course, a lot of love. But like any relationship, the more you uncover its hidden challenges, the more you learn to appreciate the ride. Whether you’re on a big, fire-breathing Ducati Panigale V4, an entry-level Yamaha R15, or something in between like the Suzuki SF Gixxer 250, there are a few things no one tells you about owning a sports motorcycle. Let me share them with you.

Not great for long rides

Let’s start with one of the biggest misconceptions: sports bikes may look amazing and feel like they can outrun a bullet, but they’re far from ideal for long journeys. I tested this first-hand during a 570-kilometre ride on my Suzuki SF Gixxer 250, taking only two small breaks along the way. Now, the Gixxer doesn’t have the most aggressive riding posture; it allows you to sit slightly upright. But even with that slight relief, the clip-on handlebars are positioned close to the body. This creates a forward-leaning posture that puts constant pressure on your wrists and shoulders. After a couple of hundred kilometres, you can feel your upper body begging for mercy.

It’s not just your hands and shoulders that take a hit. Your thighs and legs bent into a crouched position, don’t get the proper rest they need. As a result, fatigue sets in far earlier than you’d expect. While the ride may start with the thrill of hugging corners and feeling the engine roar, it quickly turns into a battle of endurance.

The belly battle

Now, let’s talk about the underbelly of your beautiful machine, the part that often suffers the most, especially on Indian roads. Many of our roads are built with subpar-quality concrete, leaving loose chunks scattered across the surface. These rogue bits of debris become villains, chipping away at the belly fairing of your motorcycle. The damage is even worse if you’re tempted to take your sports bike off-road. While some enthusiasts might boast about off-tracking their machines, it’s rarely a good idea. These bikes are built for the smooth, sophisticated race tracks, not the bumpy, uneven terrains we encounter daily.

Ground clearance is another Achilles’ heel for sports motorcycles. Their low-slung design enhances aerodynamics on the track but becomes a curse on the undulating and often pothole-ridden roads we navigate. Hitting even a minor speed bump can feel like a mini heart attack as you cringe, hoping your bike’s underside survives the ordeal.

Small fuel tanks and range anxiety

We often hear about ‘range anxiety’ in the context of electric vehicles, but sports bike riders know this feeling all too well. Imagine cruising on the highway, the wind rushing past, when suddenly the fuel indicator starts blinking. Your heart skips a beat as you realise you’re running low on fuel and there’s no petrol station in sight.

This isn’t uncommon because most sports bikes come with small fuel tanks, typically around 12 litres. These bikes are built with performance in mind, not long-range practicality. And let’s not forget the mileage. Once you rev the engine to experience that intoxicating wind blast, fuel efficiency takes a back seat. It’s not just a ride; it’s a calculated gamble with every kilometre.

The love for overtaking

Of course, not everything about sports bikes is a compromise. When it comes to performance, sports bikes act like thunder. Whether you’re on a quick weekend ride or weaving at everyone in traffic, the compact design and high-powered engines make overtaking feel effortless. You can feel the mighty power at your fingertips; it’s nothing short of addictive. For short rides, sports bikes are like pocket rockets, they pack a punch that’s hard to ignore.

Final opinion

After completing a couple of hundred kilometres and 8 hours of drag in city traffic and on the highway, I have felt that you shouldn’t play with the DNA of sports bikes. No matter what your favourite company claims, keep sports bikes for short rides, tracks, or fun drags, but never dare to take these machines on a long stretch.

You may call yourself an Iron Man and survive everything but also think about the ‘belly-ache’ of your lovely sports bike.