first bike recommendation

[6 Fingered Man]

No way, its got a pipe and power commander. Its pushing 150hp easy. I can do 220mph all day long on it.

Good sence of humor or good imagination??

["Dangerous" Dan K]

19 years old? Inexperienced? Wants a faired twin? Simple, a used Ninja 500. Anything more and he'll probably end up in trouble....not that you can't get in trouble with a Ninja 500....but they are fantastic daily drivers, maintenance free, perform admirably, and retain their value well. If he keeps it rubber side down, he will be able to sell it, get most of his money back, and move up in a year or so.
JMO.

My first street bike was an old Ninja 750. 87 I think. Cheap as dirt (mine looked showroom when I got it and was $750 with an HJC Snell helmet that was still in the box). Granted a 750 is quite a bit of bike, but the old ones didn't make much HP. Any modern sport 600 would eat that thing alive. Very predictable power. Easy to ride. About as difficult to get into trouble with as any sportbike can be. Comfortable riding position too, more sport touring than modern sport, but you could still tuck in on it when you wanted.

[Pittenger5]

Good sence of humor or good imagination??

Read 98% of the posts on craigslist. Youll get the joke.

[akira700]

Maybe just jet him buy a 748.

Then he can either learn the hard way or become way cool and awesome !
He seems like he knows what he wants from what you've said.

[Doc]

An older 750ss might fit the bill.

Tell him to stop being a poser and just learn to friggin ride before he gets a "pretty" bike.

All namby pamby like.

[6 Fingered Man]

My first street bike was an old Ninja 750. 87 I think. Cheap as dirt (mine looked showroom when I got it and was $750 with an HJC Snell helmet that was still in the box). Granted a 750 is quite a bit of bike, but the old ones didn't make much HP. Any modern sport 600 would eat that thing alive. Very predictable power. Easy to ride. About as difficult to get into trouble with as any sportbike can be. Comfortable riding position too, more sport touring than modern sport, but you could still tuck in on it when you wanted.

I crashed that one also..... don't let me on any more of your ninjas.

But realy any old 4 is a good starter bike. as long as it is in decent shape I started on a fzr600 it was great.

[6 Fingered Man]

Read 98% of the posts on craigslist. Youll get the joke.

Thats what I figured, it will be listed right next to the 2001 F4I "mint" for $7900 "winter special".

(by the way I ride a 35hp honda and am proud of it)

["Dangerous" Dan K]

I crashed that one also..... don't let me on any more of your ninjas.

Yeah, you noticed that disclaimer "looked showroom when I got it" On the bright side, I don't think I crashed that one, and even with the cosmetic damage I managed to trade it for a dirt bike that was worth more than I paid for the Ninja when I was done with it.

Not letting you on any more of my Ninjas could be an issue, considering we're both planning on you doing trackdays on my EX.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

Tell him to stop being a pussy and buy my 636

+1

Just let him get what he likes, If he is a smart and cool headed he wll be fine. If he is a meathead he will wad up anything he has anyway.

[richw]

Dead punk riding

He will go down, God bless only the bike will be trashed.

The insurance on any superbike should make his anus pucker.

Used 500 twin for 1st 2 years take extra money and buy
full armor and some track days.

Will he be cool no but neither will his body temperature

Tell him the part of his brain that does consequences is not developed yet so he needs to listen to his elders to survive.



UNless you don't like him then read down

[gs500fast]

in all seriousness. GS 500

[crowspeed07]

Yes



And No
Go back to around 2000 they only made about 100 HP, and are realy kind of tame.

for a 19 yo kid whose never had a bike before thats alot of power. show him the new ninja 250r he doesnt like it or thinks its slow. set him free on the internet to see stories/pics of people who got them selves in to deep.

[GixerJockey]

asshole[/B] decides to throw his Aprilia into the trees a week after buying it...

i agree.... and who trashed their ape?

The "asshole" that typed the post above yours...

[schleppy]

Ninja 650 ftw?

[BCT748]

19 year old kid with no experience and most likely no money wants a 748? Tell him that every 12,000 miles he's looking at $800 for the scheduled tune up and about $300-$400 every 6,000 miles for the valves. If that doesn't scare him off tell him about the charging problems. If he still wants it tell him about the flaking rockers. If he still wants it after all of that then I guess just let him learn the hard way. The 748 is a fun bike and makes very good torque but if he doesn't have the money to keep it running right or the mechanical ability to do the work himself he is going to be in for some heart ache. The 748 isn't very beginner friendly anyway so even if it was mechanically perfect he should start on something else.

[Omahastylin16]

19 year old newb rider doesnt want a gixxa? damn my world is turning upside down

[nerijusj]

19 year old newb rider doesnt want a gixxa? damn my world is turning upside down

[Ryno]

too bad he's turned off on the SV, it's a great starter bike that is still fun down the road

[nerijusj]

+1

Just let him get what he likes, If he is a smart and cool headed he wll be fine. If he is a meathead he will wad up anything he has anyway.

P.S. DB you still have your 636 I think it's destiny is to stay with you for life

[rlee02135]

I'm selling my '06 F4i, it's not exactly a "recommended" starter bike, but it was my first bike.
Should be fine if you know how to handle the power. (I've never wheelied, only went 100 twice on the highway)
It's not as powerful as the newer 600 sportbikes (600rr, gixxer, r6 etc.) and the riding position is a bit more relaxed for a beginner.
After riding on that bike I've moved on to a Ducati 749.

[Pittenger5]

P.S. DB you still have your 636 I think it's destiny is to stay with you for life

Yup, such is my life. Guess Ill hafta track it.

[banzairx7]

Ninja 650 ftw?

Was my first bike and I lived to tell the tale. I was 31 when I got it though. The 09's are big improvement in looks over the previous generation IMO. They also fixed the insane wind noise off the windshields of the 06-08's.

[OreoGaborio]

All you have to say is this... "Is this gonna be your FIRST bike or your LAST?"

And I don't mean "last" in a terminal sense, I mean "last" as in who the fuck says you need to hold onto the same bike forever??? Get a bike for a season, sell it, get another... they're dispensable items. Every new rider's concern is "I want a bike that I won't out grow".... What about "I want a bike that I can learn on & doesn't cost much to buy, fix or maintain"?

Tell him to get a bike that he can afford to throw down on the ground & not be emotionally or financially traumatized.... ride it for a year, learn the ropes & then get whatever his heart desires. At the very least it'll give him time to do more research & still having the ability to go riding.

[nerijusj]

Yup, such is my life. Guess Ill hafta track it.

Definitely fun bike for track. In spring it should sell tho.

[catch2otwo]

19 year old kid with no experience and most likely no money wants a 748? Tell him that every 12,000 miles he's looking at $800 for the scheduled tune up and about $300-$400 every 6,000 miles for the valves. If that doesn't scare him off tell him about the charging problems. If he still wants it tell him about the flaking rockers. If he still wants it after all of that then I guess just let him learn the hard way. The 748 is a fun bike and makes very good torque but if he doesn't have the money to keep it running right or the mechanical ability to do the work himself he is going to be in for some heart ache. The 748 isn't very beginner friendly anyway so even if it was mechanically perfect he should start on something else.

exactly what i'm trying to tell him.


To those saying just let him buy it, id love to do that, but i cant watch my brother do somethign so stupid. I just dont want to turn him away from the sport of motorcycling because his first season sucked ass.

on a better note, i think i have him turned back onto the sv's. he rode my ex500 today around the block and was gettin it loose on the sand and came back grinning ear to ear. got him thinking about an sv and some trackdays.