Is it just me?
 

Is it just me?
As, I begin to slowly look at other makes and models, after a season of riding the GZ250......I find they all strike me as big.....to be exact "wide".

Where I mean wide is at the seat and tank areas. They kinda intimidate me a bit as I look at their widths. They kinda push my legs apart further than the GZ. I'm not sure I like that. Is that just something I need to get over?

I looked at a Kawasaki Vulcan 500 today. And have also looked at Honda Shadow and Star VStar 650. they visually hit me the same way.

Is it just me?

All of those are wider than the GZ. They are all alot more cc's and major weight difference. The HD 1200 is not as wide as other HD's or the other bikes mentioned. It has a nice fit and does not feel like that big of a bike. With that said, I can not see spending that kind of money for the bike and insurance for the kind of riding my Grandson and I do. Insurance jumps way up when HD is mentioned and when you go over 650cc's. The GZ is nice for in town riding and country roads. Riding the Yamaha 650 is fun, but more of a work out in town riding for me than the GZ. I agree, For what ever reason, I feel more in control with the position of my legs on the GZ than the others.

Wide bikes are a refection of their intended purpose due to many factors. Greater sized tanks to increase the range, keep the design flow coherent and match the general appearance. A H-D Sportster is a slim bike with a short range tank. An Ultra model has a larger tank for touring and to match the overall size of the bike.
The GZ has nice lines and fits well with a decent sized tank for long rides.
The one thing I was surprised with and should have realized was the tank on my Vstrom 650. 22 liters will take the bike a long way but it will be a handful till you get used to all the weight so high after a fill up. Cruisers aren't quite as noticeable after a fill up but the Vstrom was an eye opener initially.
Bikes like a Gold Wing have the tank much lower in the body work and are very nimble due to this and some very good overall design.

Thanks guys for some of those insights. I didn't consider most of them.

You do get used to it though. I felt the same way when I switched from the GZ to the Vulcan 800. Now I don't even notice it.

Check out the new 2017 Kawasaki versus 300-just about right

The Versys 300 looks to be a nice bike. Sort of a smallish adventure bike with the proper sit up and beg position. There is also a BMW G310GS coming on the market soon. The manufacturers are finally getting the right idea. Give the folks a good smaller caliber bike that is capable but not overwhelming to a new rider or an older rider who just want to ride without straddling a monster. The number of new smaller bikes is really good. And the availability will get better once people realize there is a size and power for each of us.

Bigger is not always better, it is what fits you, your riding desires, needs and of course how many $ you are willing to pay. My present Honda CTX700 weighs in at 500 lbs. I fully expect my next bike to be lighter, more agile and more expensive overall at purchase time but not as costly to make it mine with expensive seats and add-ons to drain my slush fund.

Why did I buy the Honda you might ask. Why not, never had a Honda before and it was a great price with a good following of CTX700 forum members who really like the bike.