Help with first bike

[BlackForestWhiteXJ]

Now I'm honestly not sure if I should be posting my newbie question here, but I figure most of you guys know a decent amount so maybe you could help me,

Summer is pretty soon and I'm about to purchase my first bike. I'm almost dead set on an R6. First of all, I was wondering how many of you are 6'4''+ and ride bikes (not cruisers), how awkward does it feel/do you look? I'm a pretty big guy and I have yet to see how big I am compared to a bike. Secondly, is an R6 a good starter bike? I've heard two sides of the story, one of my buddies that has been riding for his entire life says an R6 will be fine, on the other hand a buddy of mine whom I'm getting my license with says that any R's or RR's handle/ride much differently than typical bikes (he's the "know it all type").

So what are your thoughts? Will an R6 be "too much bike" for me to handle? Will I tip the scales in the people to bike ratio and have it look like I'm riding a pocket bike?

Any input is much appreciated

[Joker]

I don't think an R6 will be to much of a bike, but being 6'4" I'd be more worried about how comfortable you'd be on a bike like that.

I'd look like a gorilla humping one of those pocket bikes. lol :flipoff2:

[Hayes]

you'll be fine. The R6 is a great track bike, but not the best street bike. The powerband is way too high for street driving, imho. I had a 07 ZX6R and that thing was beautiful on the street, power when and where you needed it.

[Camp]

I think the R6 would be a good starter bike. What do you weigh? 6'-4" is pretty big and it will be critical to go sit on a few bikes and see what fits you best. I am 6'-2" but, have a significant ape index and some bikes feel really crunched up due to the length of my arms. Just for point, a long time ago when the Ducati Monster's first came out, I was working as a Ducati mechanic. I thought I really wanted one of those when I saw pictures and read about them but, once we had one in the shop and I sat on it, I knew it wasn't a bike for me as the distance from the seat to the bars was way to short and made me feel like a circus clown on a tricycle.

Do you have any previous motorcycle experience of any sort? Do you actively ride bicycles, road or mountain?

[Colo.TJ]

An R6 might be too much bike. What experience do you have w/ motorcycles? An R6 is around 110hp(rear wheel) on around 375lbs. of bike. This is in excess of an F1 race car as power to weight are concerned. Would you put a new driver behind the wheel of an F1 race car? Things can happen very quickly on bike that can hit 100mph in under 7 sec. A bike that can run 170 mph(08' R6). No sealt belts, no air bags, and a helmet if you choose.

If you have zero motorcycle experience swallow your pride and get a smallish cruiser or a Ninja 250. Get real world experience and then move up. This can be a life and death decision.

BTW my personal experience w/ motorcycles; First motorcycle when I was 12 (39 now). I've had no fewer than 12 motorcycles, both street and dirt. I've owned an CBR 600 F2(over 155mph indicated), track time on a GSXR 750R, and most recently a CBR 900RR.

My last advice is if and when you do get your bike; ride w/ your head on a swivel and always assume no one else knows you're there.

[JeepWheelin02]

My last advice is if and when you do get your bike; ride w/ your head on a swivel and always assume no one else knows you're there.

Best advice I have seen yet.

[Tiffany]

I am from the school of learn smaller...I started on a ninja 250 and am very happy I did. Grabbing a handful of throttle on that thing may scare you, but is less likely to be the death of you. Handful of throttle on a R6...well the end results could be ridiculously sad. I rode my 250 for a season (not a lot of time in reality, but...) then jumped up to my current Ninja 750...major major major difference in every aspect of riding, but the fundamentals were there and that is important.


The new '08 Ninja 250 has been complete redesigned to not look so geekish...it looks like a real bike (which was a big deal for a lot of people and their pride):

http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/2007/images/2008Ninja250R.jpg

[ColoradoXJ]

i started on a 2002 zx6r and :eek:

a 600cc street bike is a LOT of bike, whether or not you initially think it. i agree that you should start with something smaller and easier to handle, get some experience, then sell/trade it in for a bigger bike. think of it this way, how many of us on the board STARTED with a fully-built rig??? yes, there will be a few, but most of us started in stock vehicles as we built our skills, and THEN started making the rigs more capable. same concept, different vehicle. a 600cc can get you into trouble REAL quick.

[Camp]

Bah, use your brains. My first street bike is a Ducati 916 with a 955 stroker in it, putting down 155hp at the wheel :D Sure I've dropped it twice but, neither time had anything to do with horsepower or size of the bike. Once because the throttle stuck open at about 30% coming into a corner (bad tps) on fresh unscuffed tires and the other time was me being too lazy to get off the bike and drag a knee in a big sweeper, causing me to lay it over far enough to run out of back tire when the turn got tighter. Size of bike would not have effected either of these situations because neither time was I going all that fast.

I do have years of racing motocross and riding plenty of other bikes on the road under my belt before I bought it though.

[Joker]

I'd say go with the 600 first thing. You're a big guy will out grow anything smaller than that way to fast and be unhappy that you dropped coin a toy bike.

My first was/is a 1200cc, but like Camp I have a lot of years on dirt bikes.

[ColoradoXJ]

I do have years of racing motocross and riding plenty of other bikes on the road under my belt before I bought it though.
does the OP have this same experience though??? :shrug:

I'd say go with the 600 first thing. You're a big guy will out grow anything smaller than that way to fast and be unhappy that you dropped coin a toy bike.

My first was/is a 1200cc, but like Camp I have a lot of years on dirt bikes.

1200cc cruiser, or a liter-bike crotch rocket??? obviously there is a big, big difference there. a cruiser, sure go as big as you want, but on a crotchrocket, my advice would be start small... just my .02

[hightimes2]

I agree with camp go with the 600. I bought my 03 zx-6r a couple of years ago and it was my 1st bike with no riding exp. before and If I had to do it over again I would

[ZappBranigan]

I'm with Tiffany and ColoTJ here. A 600 supersport is a hell of a lot of bike and will actually make it more difficult for you to learn the skills you need to ride.

Remember it's a lot more fun to ride a slow bike fast than to ride a fast bike slow. Those 600 supersports have very high revving engines and brakes that can get you into a lot of trouble in a hurry.

My recommendation for any starting rider is to repeat this matra:

Small
Cheap
Used

The Ninja 250 is actually a pretty amazing bike for its size and weight. But an equally good starter bike would be a Ninja 500 or Suzuki GS500. Another thing to remember is that you will almost certainly drop your new bike, probably more than once. Those drops hurt a lot less if it's a used bike than they do if it's a new bike.

If you can find a clean used bike you can ride it for a season or two and then sell it for damn near what you paid for it. That's like getting to ride for free.

You didn't give your age but if you are under 25 (as I suspect you are) then getting an insurance quote on full coverage for a sportbike should be a sobering experience. Numbers in the range of $2000/year are not unusual.

Motorcycling requires a whole new skill set. It's not like driving a car, nor is it like riding a bicycle. Starting out on a 600 supersport would be like never having driven a car and getting into a Ferrari or a Porsche as your very first car - not a good idea. :tisk:

[Joker]

1200cc cruiser, or a liter-bike crotch rocket??? obviously there is a big, big difference there. a cruiser, sure go as big as you want, but on a crotchrocket, my advice would be start small... just my .02

Buell Lightning.....not really a cruiser

[Joker]

Another thing to remember is that you will almost certainly drop your new bike, probably more than once.

Why in the world would you say something like this? I've NEVER dropped my bike and most first time owners I know have never dropped their bike either.

That's a very broad and silly thing to say.

[PhantomD AKA Zach]

Zapp I totally agree...

I started on a 250 (which I am about to sell) and I am VERY glad I did... I ride a Yamaha YZF600R now (think r6 without the back ache) and I am VERY happy I learned on a bike that could not get me in trouble as fast as this one...


after next week (annual moab trip) I will be getting my 1988 VTR250 ready to sell, it's not pretty but it runs pretty well and is a BLAST to ride in the canyons, it's so damn "flickable" I was thinking about $1000 if you are at all interested... let me know, they are a bit rare too...


think about it... I have not heard anyone say they regret starting on a small bike, they only regret buying a NEW small bike.

dont be a squid either, gear up! I have spent about $600-$700 in protective gear alone and I want more!



GO SMALL TO START YOUR LIFE WILL THANK YOU!!!

-Zach

[87xj]

Honestly yes your a big guy.. But i deff wouldnt go with a 600 inline to start have you thought about a sv650 or a honda 599 ? The sv is a great handling bike and decent power it is a vtwin. Those to are naked bikes but for the sv650 you can get lower fairings.. I am more of a naked bike i have a 919 and i am in love and i dont fit in wit the crowd of full fairing bikes! What ever you get becareful and get use to it first. Dont try wheelies or see how fast it goes lol

[Colo.TJ]

Heh if he's ridden a bicycle I guess he's ready for a full race ready motorcycle. I mean they both have two wheels so he's got plenty of experience right?

Here's a training video for you. Go be a hero.
http://www.break.com/index/insane-motorcycle-rider-dash-cam-footage.html


BTW when you do get a litre bike your dick doubles in length and there is not a woman who can resist your charms.

[Warrlord]

Since it's your first ride, why not go for a used dual sport like a Honda XL600-650, Kawi KLR650, or a Zuk DR model? It's pretty easy to get your money or close to it out of a used one after about a year. Learn the fundamentals on one of those, then upgrade to what you really want when you feel you're ready to.

Some advantages to a dual sport is...........

Insurance is cheap even for a young, newbie rider.

Pretty light, easy to handle.

A 600cc thumper has plenty of nuts to ride on the highway, But nowhere near as much "top end" nuts as a 600cc sportbike.

You can ride it to some trails to scout them out for wheeling.

Usually around 60 mpg.

If you get one as your starter bike, who knows?.........You may decide to keep it when you get your street bike.

It's just my opinion but I think a used dual sport makes a good starter bike.

[87xj]

i have a 99klr also i only pay 76 dollars a year for insurance! And its a blast to ride.. its not fast at all means but it is fun for trails or trips! I would keep that in mind. And for how tall you are it will fit you perfectly! My uncle is 6'6 and he has one and it fits him just fine!

[Tiffany]

My N250 cost me $600 with a busted ignition switch...I sold it a year later for $1800.

Don't think I wasted any money on my smaller starter bike

[hightimes2]

Learning how to ride a bike is not hard. If the 600 is the bike you want get it and just take it easy until you get the feel of it.

[Colo.TJ]

Learning how to ride a bike is not hard. If the 600 is the bike you want get it and just take it easy until you get the feel of it.

That's like giving a virgin Jenna Jamison and telling him to just finger her till he's ready for her. Kinda hard to resist.:)

[hightimes2]

That's like giving a virgin Jenna Jamison and telling him to just finger her till he's ready for her. Kinda hard to resist.:)

:laughing:

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones that didn't kill myself riding my death trap :shrug:

[Colo.TJ]

:laughing:

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones that didn't kill myself riding my death trap :shrug:

Yeah we are some of the lucky ones. Let's try and keep our OP from ending up like this.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/tulsacrash.asp#photo3

[hightimes2]

Instead of getting a smaller bike maybe everyone should learn on 1 of these 1st http://www.trikeshop.com/

[hightimes2]

Yeah we are some of the lucky ones. Let's try and keep our OP from ending up like this.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/tulsacrash.asp#photo3


small or big bike if your going over a 120 this stuff can happen

[Colo.TJ]

small or big bike if your going over a 120 this stuff can happen

My point exactly. Either a 1000RR or a 600RR are capable and encourage fast speeds. Both actually "feel" better at high speeds.

A Ninja 250 or a 500-600 cc cruiser/dual sport would be the more appropriate choice for a beginner to become better acquainted with the motorcycle/rider relationship in real world conditions.

[Joker]

My point exactly. Either a 1000RR or a 600RR are capable and encourage fast speeds. Both actually "feel" better at high speeds.

A Ninja 250 or a 500-600 cc cruiser/dual sport would be the more appropriate choice for a beginner to become better acquainted with the motorcycle/rider relationship in real world conditions.

So you can't die on a Ninja 250 or a 500-600cc cruiser?

So what the hell is the difference if he gets what he wants or kids bike?

[CLYDE]

Whatever size bike he gets, I cant stress enough, GO take the rider safety courses at your local comm. college, or one of the dealerships, it will help you a lot, and its a good way of getting your endorsement, and also will make your ins. cheaper.

[Colo.TJ]

So you can't die on a Ninja 250 or a 500-600cc cruiser?

So what the hell is the difference if he gets what he wants or kids bike?

Of course he can die on any bike of any size. Things happen much faster on a motorcycle designed and built for use on a track.

The point is that he's a beginner. A beginner type bike is appropriate. After he becomes more experienced he then can move up to a bike of his skill level.

He's a beginner asking for advice. I have 27 years experience riding many types and sizes of motorcycles. I'm giving experienced advice. He can choose to take whoever's advice and buy whichever bike he wants. It's his money and his a$$ on the line.

[Tom N]

One of the first bikes I rode was a friends 82 Yamaha 650 seca turbo. I could never get past 3rd before chickening out and getting off the throttle when seeing how fast off the line it was . But in corners I would be scraping my toes it handled so well, so in that regard sportbikes are very fun to ride.
Just pay attention because no one sees you even when you are sure they have too. I started with an enduro dirtbike because I was young and cheap, now I have an Enduro for trails and an old Cruiser for commuting mainly. I would rather have uncool bikes then no bikes.

[Keyton]

x10^23 on the MSF course - here's (http://nm.msf-usa.org/msf/ridercourses.aspx?pagename=RiderCourse%20Info) a list of upcoming classes

[Camp]

Heh if he's ridden a bicycle I guess he's ready for a full race ready motorcycle. I mean they both have two wheels so he's got plenty of experience right?

Here's a training video for you. Go be a hero.
http://www.break.com/index/insane-motorcycle-rider-dash-cam-footage.html


BTW when you do get a litre bike your dick doubles in length and there is not a woman who can resist your charms.

I glad you picked up on my bicycle questions and understood that by me asking if he has any two wheeled experience, he is obviously ready for a full race prep bike and should head straight to the track...:rolleyes:

Obviously the bigger displacement the bike, the bigger your johnson gets. :rolleyes: Yet another great deductions from our suggestions that don't agree with yours.

Of course he can die on any bike of any size. Things happen much faster on a motorcycle designed and built for use on a track.

The point is that he's a beginner. A beginner type bike is appropriate. After he becomes more experienced he then can move up to a bike of his skill level.

He's a beginner asking for advice. I have 27 years experience riding many types and sizes of motorcycles. I'm giving experienced advice. He can choose to take whoever's advice and buy whichever bike he wants. It's his money and his a$$ on the line.

So are we but, if our advice doesn't agree with yours, it is obviously deserving of an attack upon via sarcasm in an attempt to belittle our opinions. Got it, thanks ;)

[BlackForestWhiteXJ]

Wow, thank all of you for sharing the wealth of experience, however conflicting it may be ;) , I've tried to hit most of the posts (posters) and share a bit more information that I original excluded,

you'll be fine. The R6 is a great track bike, but not the best street bike. The powerband is way too high for street driving, imho. I had a 07 ZX6R and that thing was beautiful on the street, power when and where you needed it.

The guy who told me to get a 600 was basically born on a motorcycle so I can see how the bias transfers, he said the R6 might be a bit steep but to look into the 636's which to be honest, I'm starting to like.

I think the R6 would be a good starter bike. What do you weigh? 6'-4" is pretty big and it will be critical to go sit on a few bikes and see what fits you best. I am 6'-2" but, have a significant ape index and some bikes feel really crunched up due to the length of my arms. Just for point, a long time ago when the Ducati Monster's first came out, I was working as a Ducati mechanic. I thought I really wanted one of those when I saw pictures and read about them but, once we had one in the shop and I sat on it, I knew it wasn't a bike for me as the distance from the seat to the bars was way to short and made me feel like a circus clown on a tricycle.

Do you have any previous motorcycle experience of any sort? Do you actively ride bicycles, road or mountain?

I'm at about 225 now, probably 240 or so by summer. I'm going to head to Rocky Mountain Cycle Plaza later this week and jump on a few bikes and see how they feel, of course, cruisers are not out of the question. I have very little experience with dirt bikes but I understand the very bare bone basics. I have never ridden one on the road however, mostly because I was about 8 when I first jumped on one. I'm not an avid bicycle rider but I have hit a few trails with my Trek.

I am from the school of learn smaller...I started on a ninja 250 and am very happy I did. Grabbing a handful of throttle on that thing may scare you, but is less likely to be the death of you. Handful of throttle on a R6...well the end results could be ridiculously sad. I rode my 250 for a season (not a lot of time in reality, but...) then jumped up to my current Ninja 750...major major major difference in every aspect of riding, but the fundamentals were there and that is important.


The new '08 Ninja 250 has been complete redesigned to not look so geekish...it looks like a real bike (which was a big deal for a lot of people and their pride):


I do wish you still had this motorcycle, I would most likely purchase it from you. I'm a college student and I really don't want to keep throwing money at this situation, I'm not buying this as a toy, I plan to use it as my summer DR (daily rider?) due to gas prices and the mileage I get out of my Jeep. I can't find many running cycles that are less than 2k.

An R6 might be too much bike. What experience do you have w/ motorcycles? An R6 is around 110hp(rear wheel) on around 375lbs. of bike. This is in excess of an F1 race car as power to weight are concerned. Would you put a new driver behind the wheel of an F1 race car? Things can happen very quickly on bike that can hit 100mph in under 7 sec. A bike that can run 170 mph(08' R6). No sealt belts, no air bags, and a helmet if you choose.

If you have zero motorcycle experience swallow your pride and get a smallish cruiser or a Ninja 250. Get real world experience and then move up. This can be a life and death decision.

BTW my personal experience w/ motorcycles; First motorcycle when I was 12 (39 now). I've had no fewer than 12 motorcycles, both street and dirt. I've owned an CBR 600 F2(over 155mph indicated), track time on a GSXR 750R, and most recently a CBR 900RR.

My last advice is if and when you do get your bike; ride w/ your head on a swivel and always assume no one else knows you're there.

Like I said just before this; I have ridden before but not much and definitely not enough to qualify me as someone who knows the full fundamentals of riding. I also mentioned I'm not closed to cruisers, nor other models, I have been looking into some other cycles suggested by posters. I have looked at the Suzuki S40 which seems like a pretty good choice in both size/price. Most likely a better alternative than my premium choice cruiser - Yamaha Road Star Warrior.

Bah, use your brains.

Thank you. I do get that a lot but I tend to be pretty conservative on the throttle and using this as my main transportation during the warmer months/when the Jeep is under the knife, that gives me more motivation to lay off the accelerator.

I'd say go with the 600 first thing. You're a big guy will out grow anything smaller than that way to fast and be unhappy that you dropped coin a toy bike.

My first was/is a 1200cc, but like Camp I have a lot of years on dirt bikes.

Many guys on other boards tell me I will most likely get "bored" with it after a while. I think that although learning on a smaller bike would be the smarter more efficient route, buying a bike that I can ride for years will be better. Like I stated previously, I am taking a rider safety course, some of you may know it - it's at the Chapel Hills Mall and it lasts a weekend long.

Since it's your first ride, why not go for a used dual sport like a Honda XL600-650, Kawi KLR650, or a Zuk DR model? It's pretty easy to get your money or close to it out of a used one after about a year. Learn the fundamentals on one of those, then upgrade to what you really want when you feel you're ready to.

Some advantages to a dual sport is...........

Insurance is cheap even for a young, newbie rider.

Pretty light, easy to handle.

A 600cc thumper has plenty of nuts to ride on the highway, But nowhere near as much "top end" nuts as a 600cc sportbike.

You can ride it to some trails to scout them out for wheeling.

Usually around 60 mpg.

If you get one as your starter bike, who knows?.........You may decide to keep it when you get your street bike.

It's just my opinion but I think a used dual sport makes a good starter bike.

Much like cruisers, I have looked into dirt bikes, enduro and dual sport bikes too. I really like the whole on/off road usage that I can get out of them, I will definitely look into them.

That's like giving a virgin Jenna Jamison and telling him to just finger her till he's ready for her. Kinda hard to resist.:)
:spit:

Whatever size bike he gets, I cant stress enough, GO take the rider safety courses at your local comm. college, or one of the dealerships, it will help you a lot, and its a good way of getting your endorsement, and also will make your ins. cheaper.

I'm doing this course during this upcoming weekend:
http://www.motorcycletrainingacademy.com/

[Colo.TJ]

I glad you picked up on my bicycle questions and understood that by me asking if he has any two wheeled experience, he is obviously ready for a full race prep bike and should head straight to the track...:rolleyes:

Obviously the bigger displacement the bike, the bigger your johnson gets. :rolleyes: Yet another great deductions from our suggestions that don't agree with yours.



So are we but, if our advice doesn't agree with yours, it is obviously deserving of an attack upon via sarcasm in an attempt to belittle our opinions. Got it, thanks ;)

You first suggest the R6 is the right choice of motorcycle for this beginner asking for advice. You then ask what bicycling experience he has. I connected the two. Why would he not connect the two? It's seemed to me that you also relate both experiences to be similar. If it was unrelated to his original question and you thought it the right time to query him about his interests in bicycling then my apologies.

My reference to the size of your dick was not directed to you nor anyone else. It was a general statement based on some men's insecurity with the size, or lack of, of their own penis and how these men try to compensate for their insecurites by projecting manliness with objects such as motorcycles, sports cars, boats, lifted 4x4 vehicles etc.

I no nothing of your personal experience with motorcycles only mine. I believe wholeheartedly in my advice given. If I offended you in my attack of your opinion and in defense in mine I cannot offer an apology for that as I believe your opinion on this matter wrong. I will in the future choose my words more carefully as not to offend you again.

[Tiffany]

Wow, thank all of you for sharing the wealth of experience, however conflicting it may be ;) , I've tried to hit most of the posts (posters) and share a bit more information that I original excluded,





I do wish you still had this motorcycle, I would most likely purchase it from you. I'm a college student and I really don't want to keep throwing money at this situation, I'm not buying this as a toy, I plan to use it as my summer DR (daily rider?) due to gas prices and the mileage I get out of my Jeep. I can't find many running cycles that are less than 2k.




Yeah I wish I did too...I am selling my current ride, ZX-7R (Ninja 750) for $2500...and I have had it for sale for a while. Having a concience(sp?) has prevented me from selling the bike to several of the newb riders who have come to look at it. I don't want it on my mind that I just sold some kid a loaded gun of a bike that they can't handle and the go out and kill themselves on it. It's a LOT of bike...a whole LOT of bike.

Take long consideration in whatever you choose. I side with Jeff (Colo.TJ) on this, but everyone has to do what they feel is right for them.

[Camp]

You first suggest the R6 is the right choice of motorcycle for this beginner asking for advice. You then ask what bicycling experience he has. I connected the two. Why would he not connect the two? It's seemed to me that you also relate both experiences to be similar. If it was unrelated to his original question and you thought it the right time to query him about his interests in bicycling then my apologies.

Two wheels is two wheels. I have been doing both very many years. That is my experience. You will also notice that I asked about his motorcycle experience, BEFORE I asked about being on a bicycle. If you don't believe there is any connection, so be it but, it was an experience question that I feel is legit and related.

My reference to the size of your dick was not directed to you nor anyone else. It was a general statement based on some men's insecurity with the size, or lack of, of their own penis and how these men try to compensate for their insecurites by projecting manliness with objects such as motorcycles, sports cars, boats, lifted 4x4 vehicles etc.
I agree, many feel this way but, it is a vastly overused adage. How is this comment any more related to this thread than my asking for additional two wheeled experience answers? :shrug:

I no nothing of your personal experience with motorcycles only mine. I believe wholeheartedly in my advice given. If I offended you in my attack of your opinion and in defense in mine I cannot offer an apology for that as I believe your opinion on this matter wrong. I will in the future choose my words more carefully as not to offend you again.
You didn't offend me, I was pointing out that in order for you to justify your opinion, you felt the need to attack others opinions. Why people find the need to justify their opinions by attempting to use sarcasm to discredit others is beyond me. Nobody was asking you to believe their opinion here, we were all sharing it with the poster, along with our experience, just as you have done.

By the way, I also quantified my opinions and suggestions by stating my experience level so the original poster could take those things into consideration.

[sweater]

I'm going to head to Rocky Mountain Cycle Plaza later this week and jump on a few bikes and see how they feel, of course, cruisers are not out of the question.

So, I'm back on a bike after a few years - and those earlier years were when I was mentally and physically indestructible, of course. Inevitably, I ended up totalling my GS500E, which (thank god) couldn't make enough power to put my danger.

(there are a lot of tongue-in-cheek parts to that paragraph above, of course)

So I've recently gotten back onto a Suzuki DL650 Vstrom (http://www.suzuki.co.nz/motorcycles/bike.gallery/dl650k7.m.jpg). While I'm not going to try and sell you on that specific bike, I will tell you why it was the PERFECT bike for me to get back into riding a motorbike as much as possible:

It's not a cruiser. I'm more of a Long Way Round (http://www.longwayround.com/lwr.htm) sort of guy than Easy Rider (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064276/). :D
It's roomy. You're not bent over the bars looking back over your shoulder or through your armpit to check traffic. Swiveling your head is easy, so for me - it's safer.
It's power curve is way up there - you have tons of room in the throttle before you feel like the bike's gonna jump out from underneath you.
It handles well and is wicked forgiving.
There's a huge aftermarket and loyal following of them, so support/forums/service is clear sailing and easy. Their first maintenance comes at 24k (valves).

Other bikes in that same category, for me, would include a Yamaha FZ6 (http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2006models/2006-Yamaha-FZ6b.jpg), Suzuki SV650 (http://www.sv650.org/gallery/pic23/Suzuki_SV650N_2003_st1mz.jpg), or a Kawasaki Versys (http://www.bright.ne.jp/lineup/versys/imge/07_versys__og1024.jpg) if you can get over the headlight. A friend of mine just got a Ducati Monster (800?) as a first-ever bike, and I've been watching him struggle with it somewhat. His biggest complaint is feeling hunched over and not feeling like he can look around enough to keep himself aware of traffic - and he's a 6'2"-ish sort of guy.

Let us know what you're looking at - you can split the difference between a cruiser and an R6, I think. Hope this helps...

- mike

[Jeffro600]

Whatever size bike he gets, I cant stress enough, GO take the rider safety courses at your local comm. college, or one of the dealerships, it will help you a lot, and its a good way of getting your endorsement, and also will make your ins. cheaper.

HUGE echo of that!!

A 600 supersport bike is nothing to take lightly. They are fast, unforgiving and can and will hurt you if you dont know what your doing. Most are VERY "pipey" and you have to keep them wrapped up pretty high to keep them ridable. Personally, i would never recommend anything CBR, GSXR, Yamahas R series or Ninjas in the 600 or larger flavor to a new rider. They literally are full on race bikes with a little bit of tweaking and are not for the inexperienced. Id be looking for something in the same size CC rating, but a bit detuned. Yamaha's YZF600's are a great first bike as are their FZ series. Suzuki has their SV line which are also very easy to ride and will teach you the ins and outs of riding quickly. Honda has their 599 and superhawks that are pretty new rider friendly. This all assuming your wanting something more sport oriented and not a cruiser. They will provide you enough performance to give you some room to grow but arent totally unforgiving and are easier to ride.

Heres what id do...go take your MSF cource, get your license and go find a dealership that will let you test ride bikes. Interstate Honda has no problems tossing you all the keys you want. Find something that interests you, go take it out and see how it feels. Take note of the riding position, how you feel on the bike and its performance and base your judgments against that.

[BlackForestWhiteXJ]

So, I'm back on a bike after a few years - and those earlier years were when I was mentally and physically indestructible, of course. Inevitably, I ended up totalling my GS500E, which (thank god) couldn't make enough power to put my danger.

(there are a lot of tongue-in-cheek parts to that paragraph above, of course)

So I've recently gotten back onto a Suzuki DL650 Vstrom (http://www.suzuki.co.nz/motorcycles/bike.gallery/dl650k7.m.jpg). While I'm not going to try and sell you on that specific bike, I will tell you why it was the PERFECT bike for me to get back into riding a motorbike as much as possible:

It's not a cruiser. I'm more of a Long Way Round (http://www.longwayround.com/lwr.htm) sort of guy than Easy Rider (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064276/). :D
It's roomy. You're not bent over the bars looking back over your shoulder or through your armpit to check traffic. Swiveling your head is easy, so for me - it's safer.
It's power curve is way up there - you have tons of room in the throttle before you feel like the bike's gonna jump out from underneath you.
It handles well and is wicked forgiving.
There's a huge aftermarket and loyal following of them, so support/forums/service is clear sailing and easy. Their first maintenance comes at 24k (valves).

Other bikes in that same category, for me, would include a Yamaha FZ6 (http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2006models/2006-Yamaha-FZ6b.jpg), Suzuki SV650 (http://www.sv650.org/gallery/pic23/Suzuki_SV650N_2003_st1mz.jpg), or a Kawasaki Versys (http://www.bright.ne.jp/lineup/versys/imge/07_versys__og1024.jpg) if you can get over the headlight. A friend of mine just got a Ducati Monster (800?) as a first-ever bike, and I've been watching him struggle with it somewhat. His biggest complaint is feeling hunched over and not feeling like he can look around enough to keep himself aware of traffic - and he's a 6'2"-ish sort of guy.

Let us know what you're looking at - you can split the difference between a cruiser and an R6, I think. Hope this helps...

- mike

I got the day off so I figured I would research some bikes, compare prices, dimensions, and other options - like cruisers.

I'm actually really starting to like the dual sports but since I haven't jumped on one I don't *really* know.

The V-strom isn't bad looking, I'm comparing it to my other dual purpose option, the KLR (these things still have carburetors?!) which IMO, looks a whole lot better than the Versys (The Versys' engine/suspension looks to be damn fine though). The fact that the KLR has a carburetor doesn't make too much sense to me, or maybe I'm just reading it wrong but it doesn't look like the "Keihin CVK40" is a fuel injection system.

I checked out the FZ-6's too, I really like the older ones - the 1998's and lower really do it for me, the dual round headlights remind me of the older Yamahas and the 80's GSXR's. They seem to go for a pretty decent price too, ~$1500 or so, which isn't bad at all. Any positive/negatives on the older ones? Are these bastards carb'ed too? On the newer ones it looks like they accentuate the mirrors too much.

For being a wheeler I actually place a hell of a lot of emphasis on appearance. I know many of you will hate me/disregard my opinion from here on out but I really dislike the "angry cyclops" eye on motorcycles.
Angry Cyclops:
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/031004_5.jpg

The R6/CBR/ZX's with the angry eyes really work out though, if they made a normal 600 that looked like one of those, it'd be all over.

Enough of my whining about looks :flipoff2:


My cruiser options are open to almost anything, what would be a decent engine size for one of these? About 1000 or so? I know they're a hell of a lot heavier than street bikes, and I also hear they're almost completely different to ride. I think that I'll like the heavier bike though, it actually feels like I'm on something, not an aluminum frame with a rocket engine.
What I've seen and what I really like are the following (I know, some of them have 1500 cc + engines on them, help me understand the differences in engines/weight on cruisers vs. street bikes)

- Kawasaki 900 Classic
- Honda VTX 1800F
- Suzuki Boulevard M109's and M50
- Yamaha Midnight Warrior, Warrior, basically all the V-Stars
- Any Victory's
- Harley VRSC (The SC doesn't stand for what I think it does ... does it?)

[BlackForestWhiteXJ]

HUGE echo of that!!

A 600 supersport bike is nothing to take lightly. They are fast, unforgiving and can and will hurt you if you dont know what your doing. Most are VERY "pipey" and you have to keep them wrapped up pretty high to keep them ridable. Personally, i would never recommend anything CBR, GSXR, Yamahas R series or Ninjas in the 600 or larger flavor to a new rider. They literally are full on race bikes with a little bit of tweaking and are not for the inexperienced. Id be looking for something in the same size CC rating, but a bit detuned. Yamaha's YZF600's are a great first bike as are their FZ series. Suzuki has their SV line which are also very easy to ride and will teach you the ins and outs of riding quickly. Honda has their 599 and superhawks that are pretty new rider friendly. This all assuming your wanting something more sport oriented and not a cruiser. They will provide you enough performance to give you some room to grow but arent totally unforgiving and are easier to ride.

Heres what id do...go take your MSF cource, get your license and go find a dealership that will let you test ride bikes. Interstate Honda has no problems tossing you all the keys you want. Find something that interests you, go take it out and see how it feels. Take note of the riding position, how you feel on the bike and its performance and base your judgments against that.

Thats definitely my plan for Monday, wheres Interstate Honda located? I'm sure they have other makes of motorcycles there too, correct?

[CLYDE]

- Harley VRSC (The SC doesn't stand for what I think it does ... does it?)
Nope

[CLYDE]

stands for V-Twin, Racing, Street, Custom

[Camp]

For being a wheeler I actually place a hell of a lot of emphasis on appearance. I know many of you will hate me/disregard my opinion from here on out but I really dislike the "angry cyclops" eye on motorcycles.



Me too, that's why I ride something with two eyes :D

Looks like you are doing some good research. I'll be curious to see what you end up with. When I was working as a motorcycle mechanic in college, I almost bought an older Kawasaki GPZ 550. Kind of wish I would have as it would still make a great commuter bike.

:beer:

[CLYDE]

Camp I had a gpz750turbo, brand new. That little bike would absolutely smoke the 1100s, and was a blast to ride, however thats the bike that almost killed me, and killed any desire to ever own another jap bike, or ride like a maniac.

[Jeffro600]

Thats definitely my plan for Monday, wheres Interstate Honda located? I'm sure they have other makes of motorcycles there too, correct?

Just noticed your down in the springs...interstate is located in Ft Collins. They are good people though and may be worth the drive...im on my 3rd bike from them and theyve always been the best deal in CO by far. They are mainly a Honda dealership and all their new bikes are only Hondas...but they do have used ones of other makers. Fort Collins motorsports has a TON of bikes from different makers and almost all of them are used, but their pretty stingy when it comes to test rides and their pretty proud price wise of their offerings too but would be a good place to go see alot of bikes in person.

[Jeffro600]

The R6/CBR/ZX's with the angry eyes really work out though, if they made a normal 600 that looked like one of those, it'd be all over.

Ohh i completely agree!! The GSXR's and other bikes with the single headlight look retarded to me....

But the twin headlights with the aggressive look...SEXAY!

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e40/Jeffro600/DSC_0948.jpg:drool:

[fifthcircle]

So, I'm back on a bike after a few years - and those earlier years were when I was mentally and physically indestructible, of course. Inevitably, I ended up totalling my GS500E, which (thank god) couldn't make enough power to put my danger.

(there are a lot of tongue-in-cheek parts to that paragraph above, of course)

So I've recently gotten back onto a Suzuki DL650 Vstrom (http://www.suzuki.co.nz/motorcycles/bike.gallery/dl650k7.m.jpg). While I'm not going to try and sell you on that specific bike, I will tell you why it was the PERFECT bike for me to get back into riding a motorbike as much as possible:

It's not a cruiser. I'm more of a Long Way Round (http://www.longwayround.com/lwr.htm) sort of guy than Easy Rider (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064276/). :D
It's roomy. You're not bent over the bars looking back over your shoulder or through your armpit to check traffic. Swiveling your head is easy, so for me - it's safer.
It's power curve is way up there - you have tons of room in the throttle before you feel like the bike's gonna jump out from underneath you.
It handles well and is wicked forgiving.
There's a huge aftermarket and loyal following of them, so support/forums/service is clear sailing and easy. Their first maintenance comes at 24k (valves).

Other bikes in that same category, for me, would include a Yamaha FZ6 (http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2006models/2006-Yamaha-FZ6b.jpg), Suzuki SV650 (http://www.sv650.org/gallery/pic23/Suzuki_SV650N_2003_st1mz.jpg), or a Kawasaki Versys (http://www.bright.ne.jp/lineup/versys/imge/07_versys__og1024.jpg) if you can get over the headlight. A friend of mine just got a Ducati Monster (800?) as a first-ever bike, and I've been watching him struggle with it somewhat. His biggest complaint is feeling hunched over and not feeling like he can look around enough to keep himself aware of traffic - and he's a 6'2"-ish sort of guy.

Let us know what you're looking at - you can split the difference between a cruiser and an R6, I think. Hope this helps...

- mike



BIG +1 for all of the abaove.


I have a 650 v-strom. Love it. Same engine as the SV650, just "tuned" a little different.


I am part of a big forum called Adventure Rider. (www.advrider.com) If you were to ask this same question over there, you would get two answeres:

1) Busa!!!

2) Take the MSF course. Get a used 500cc or smaller bike to beat on and learn for a year. Then get whatever you want.

The first answer obviously being a joke.

-Kurt


Ohh i completely agree!! The GSXR's and other bikes with the single headlight look retarded to me....

But the twin headlights with the aggressive look...SEXAY!


Too bad most of the sportbikes with two headlights only have one on while on "low beam".....not SEXAY!

[sweater]

The V-strom isn't bad looking
No, actually it's kinda ugly. This was one thing I failed to mention, kinda on purpose. :D
I'm comparing it to my other dual purpose option, the KLR (these things still have carburetors?!) which IMO, looks a whole lot better than the Versys (The Versys' engine/suspension looks to be damn fine though). The fact that the KLR has a carburetor doesn't make too much sense to me, or maybe I'm just reading it wrong but it doesn't look like the "Keihin CVK40" is a fuel injection system.
I was actually looking for a KLR when I got the DL650. I had wanted one forever - the whole rugged outback offroad whatever. Then I realized that they're geared all wrong for 75mph and I'd never get a girl on the back of one. They'd be hella fun offroad, but I've spent 99.9% on pavement so far and that'll probably continue...
For being a wheeler I actually place a hell of a lot of emphasis on appearance. I know many of you will hate me/disregard my opinion from here on out but I really dislike the "angry cyclops" eye on motorcycles.
Whatever - we're all just riding to get laid anyway. :flipoff2:

- mike

[Jeffro600]

Too bad most of the sportbikes with two headlights only have one on while on "low beam".....not SEXAY!

So just do what i do....leave them on high all the time. :shrug: I do alot of night riding and ive NEVER been flashed.

[Colo.TJ]

So just do what i do....leave them on high all the time. :shrug: I do alot of night riding and ive NEVER been flashed.

I believe it is also legal to run high beams on a motorcycle after sunrise and before sunset.

[Jeffro600]

I believe it is also legal to run high beams on a motorcycle after sunrise and before sunset.

I dunno if its legal or not, but half the crap on my bike aint legal anyways so its the least of my worries. The low beams on MOST bikes are totally worthless beyond a very short distance anyways and if your doing more than maybe 35-40 MPH, highs become pretty much a necessity to see whats up ahead. Besides, ive ridden around many, many cops and as long as your not acting like a fool around them, they usually could care less.

[BlackForestWhiteXJ]

Figured I should post an update:

- Took the course
- Got my license
- Went to Rocky Mountain Cycle, felt some bikes
- Haven't rode anything over a 250 yet :D
- Somewhat finalizing my decision on a starter bike, let me know what you all think:

http://w1.bikepics.com/pics/2002%5C05%5C03%5Cbikepics-24832-320.jpg
http://i1.ebayimg.com/08/i/000/e7/b6/41d3_1.JPG
('97 FZR600 and '97 YZF600)
I love the look of the "older" bikes with the dual round headlights, they're also pretty inexpensive, I assume since they're a bit older the engines won't have as much "go" as the newer 600's but since both have the Genesis engines, they certainly won't lack power. The only trouble is finding one. I've hunted down a few on craigslist in good condition for decent prices.

[ZappBranigan]

If you're going to go with a 600, an older one is probably a better bet. For one thing, you won't pay as much, so that helps a bit.

Make sure the previous owner didn't wreck it or damage it doing stupid stunts. That's always a hazard with sportbikes.

[salsashark]

didn't read every post in here (I have a short attention span and am easily distracted by shiny objects), but it sounds like you're on the right track with the safety class and all. I know many people who love the older fizzers, and can ride circles around any squid w/ a gixxer...

While I'm not into the whole start small and move up, I believe you need to get what is the most comfortable for you. My first sport bike was a liter bike and they've only gotten bigger since then... currently on a zx-14. My best advice is to leave your ego in the garage and ride like you're invisible, not invincible.