For those that bought a 600cc or bigger first bike...

[Doc]

If they made these in the US would you have bought one instead of your 600?

[Stoneman]

Nope. I've never owned a streetbike smaller than a 750...

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

Doc I can see it now, in the pitswaving your disaproving finger as the Am Middlewieght superbike goes through 1A

[*GhostRide37]

i dont really know what your asking, but out of those pictures i wouldnt want any of them. i dont like the look of them. my 1st was an fzr600 (last pic) but without the stupid decal and paint design stuff

[RyanNicholson]

....maybe 10 years ago

[Tricky Mike]

Unless they can make it look exactly like a current model year supersport I don't see any of those selling to the demographic you have in mind...

[Doc]

Ok so I couldn't find any current pics.

My point being is it the looks or the performance that made you decide?

[Honclfibr]

I bought a 500cc bike as my first bike, but if I could do it all again I'd buy a literbike just to piss you off.

[Doc]

:

[*GhostRide37]

i like the cbr400 look the most out of those exact pics...but im pretty sure back then the fzr600 was at the top of its class performance wise so i wouldve bought that

[MotoFreak]

all of you are fools...regarding this thread anyway!

400cc Street Bikes from the late 90's would be The Tits!!!!

Ill take a ZXR400 and the GSXR400 please!!!

[Zolden]

No. My first and still current is a '95 ZX750 and though it is a massive, hulking beast I find that it was perfect to start on. Definitely not too powerful to learn the street on, but I rode dirt for 7 years.

I'm sure it would be a different story with, say, a '03+ gsxr750 or something.

[schleppy]

If I liked super sports I would buy one, no question. Thankfully I've never been obsessed with the size of a motor. If I like the looks of the bike and I know it will be fun (so pretty much any modern bike), I'm cool with it. 250, 400, 500, whatever.

[brady]

I'd buy one now.

[RyanNicholson]

i worked at the track when i was like 14 and after working a souvenir booth during a classic weekend (back when AMA was here)....thats what got me into bikes. Since then I've always wanted bikes like theirs, and i've always wanted to race them. The first time I got onto that same track I watched the AMA guys race on was one of the most exciting moments of my life haha.

So because of that the supersport bikes were always what i've had my eye on. Until I bought my R6 I always thought the liter bikes were the best thing ever, now i have absolutely no interest in ever owning one (I4 anyway)

[Ericthejet]

BAck home in Canada we had a few euro small fry bikes make it over.
Honda VTR 250(Mini-miniceptor)
Kawasaki Gpz 305
Honda CB-1 400cc, liquid, bike brakes.
Yamaha TDR 250 (Yummy)

[GixerJockey]

As a motorcycle dealer... primarilary sport bikes. I would think that those would be a very hard sell in the US market.

Soccer moms drive Suburbans despite $3.50 a gallon fuel, my town is full of 5000+ sq. ft. houses for a family of four, and not a week goes by that I don't sell a 1000cc sportbike to a newbie rider.

We like things bigger and better...

[newgixxerchic]

i was somewhat into looks, but my whole thing was how I fit on the bike. Some of the smaller sized bikes have a much different stance than what I wanted... Course I don't think that a 600 is "too much" for a first time street rider; however, I did have a long history of dirt riding and I knew that if I was comfortable on the 250, it made no sense to get a 500 or something similar that I didn't like the look or feel of just becase a 600 was "too big" for my first street bike.

[highsider]

I bought a 500cc bike as my first bike, but if I could do it all again I'd buy a literbike just to piss you off.

+1 What the fuck are you doing today Doc, a scientific study???

I'd have bought any one of those bikes then, and would like one even more so now for a track bike. If that helps your study.

[a13x]

VFR400 (RVF) is a amazing looking bike.

[Honclfibr]

VFR400 (RVF) is a amazing looking bike.

I'll take one of each please.

Also, the FZR4 was imported here from 87-90 I believe.

Nobody boughted them.

[KillBill]

I would have rocked this one

for sure



maybe paint it black though

[markbvt]

I like the idea of lightweight, small displacement bikes with excellent handling. I don't need to go 180mph in a straight line. I'm much more interested in going around bends.

I'd love to build a 500cc single (think updated Manx Norton) for blasting the App Gap and other twisty roads.

If I could get my mitts on one of these, I'd be a happy boy:



--mark

[Honclfibr]

That's the RVF400 (NC35). Modelled after the RC45 and the sexier younger sister of the VFR400 (NC30). Both were grey market imported into the US in fairly decent numbers, so if you're determined you can find them. The RVF is more spendy.

[Ryno]

My first race bike was an FZR 400. They were popular at Loudon before the SV's.
You had to absolutely ring it's neck and it still didn't go very fast. They handled OK, but.......