Rookie Question

[Drewski]

OK, Serious question here. I would appreciate serious replys only. I just passed the MSF course today and want some real advice on the best kind of bike to get some experience on. I have my wife's, (Duffy), '99 R6 available to drive around the neighborhood and town but I really don't want to be underexperienced on an overpowered bike and make her a widow. All help is appreciated. Thanks.

[drop]

[Doc]

If she can ride it so can you!

Seriously? How do you do on the R6. Does it feel like too much power? Do you like the power of an inline 4 or do you think you might like a twin?

My personal opinion is cheap (but safe) bike for a first bike, trade up in a year or 2 after you get the fundamentals down.

Ah Fuck it, Get a Busa! (Or a Gixxer!)

[Marksie]

You wouldn't happen to have taken it in Acton would you?

[Drewski]

You wouldn't happen to have taken it in Acton would you?




No, took it N. Andover. Was a great class and we all passed.

[csmutty]

Get an EX500..or a Hawk. Then track it. And never trade up. You'll never use all that power.

[MysteriousR1]

I can hear the responces now....But, I started on a 96 Honda F3 and personally though it was the perfect bike to learn on. Plenty of power to keep you entertained, but nothing crazy. Put about 15k on it and wish I had kept it. IMO if you can keep that wrist tamed, you can start on just about anything.

[Wanderer]

Used KLR 650

[Drewski]

If she can ride it so can you!

Seriously? How do you do on the R6. Does it feel like too much power? Do you like the power of an inline 4 or do you think you might like a twin?

My personal opinion is cheap (but safe) bike for a first bike, trade up in a year or 2 after you get the fundamentals down.





Thanks Doc. I have been on it a couple times just to get the feeling of being on a bike and working the clutch. She had two years on a Ninja 250 before she made this jump and I don't have that experience yet. I do respect the power of the R6 and know that I need to take it slow here at first.

Not sure what the difference is between an inline 4 or a twin.

[ilikenapalm]

Any motorcycle can get you in trouble. Its more about the rider than the ride. If you're cautious, you'll do fine.

[Marksie]

No, took it N. Andover. Was a great class and we all passed.

Congrats. I just passed as well but in Acton. Good luck with the bike choice. My .02 cents, for what its worth, possibly less than .02 cents, get whatever is comfortable for you.

[Drewski]

Congrats to you as well Marksie. Was a great class and I was amazed at how much we covered in such a short amount of time. Did you do it in two days or three?

[Cheese]

OK, Serious question here. I would appreciate serious replys only. I just passed the MSF course today and want some real advice on the best kind of bike to get some experience on. I have my wife's, (Duffy), '99 R6 available to drive around the neighborhood and town but I really don't want to be underexperienced on an overpowered bike and make her a widow. All help is appreciated. Thanks.

Mmmmm K, I'll play too.

Don't buy new and don't buy expensive. That's probably good advice for your first 2 bikes and those 2 bike purchases should be 30K miles apart.

[Doc]

Thanks Doc. I have been on it a couple times just to get the feeling of being on a bike and working the clutch. She had two years on a Ninja 250 before she made this jump and I don't have that experience yet. I do respect the power of the R6 and know that I need to take it slow here at first.

Not sure what the difference is between an inline 4 or a twin.

I like twins, I like Torque, I find them easier to ride. An inline is good, just kinda peaky with a different type of power delivery, How do I explain it, Just when you think you are out of throttle it kicks into overdrive.

Nothing wrong with starting on a 250. Although you might do well on a 500, 600, 650

What is your budget and what is out there?

[OreoGaborio]

Congrats on passing MSF! Who were your instructors? I teach at that location as well.


What's "good" for a first bike really depends on the person that's going to be riding it... their level of skill, their level of self control, their budget, etc.

So of you're lacking in budget & confidence or don't have very good self control, an old 250-500cc beater bike would fit the bill.

Or if you've got a little more money to spend, are reasonably confident in your abilities and aren't tempted to go wide open throttle with your hair on fire, then maybe you'll be alright on a 600cc race replica. They're certainly not the most practical to learn on, but some people, like myself, did alright jumping right into the fire, so to speak.


Some assorted modern sport bikes to look at, from easiest to more challenging:
Kawi Ninja 250
Suzuki GS500 or GS500F
Kawi Ninja 500
Kawi 650R or Suzuki SV650
Yamaha FZ6 or Suzuki GSX650F
An older (90's - '00) 600cc inline 4 from any of the "big four" (kawi, suzuki, honda, yamaha).
Newer 600's

The list goes on...

My recommendation to most people would be to start with something from the top 1/2 of that list and don't spend more than you're willing to walk away from should it get trashed. Head to local dealerships, throw a leg over any bike you can and see what YOU'RE comfortable on, not what the dealer says you're comfortable on. Remember, it's your first bike, not your last... you can always get something nicer, faster & shinier later once you've honed your skills.

Good luck w/ the search.

[Drewski]

OreoGaborio
Full Tilt Posting Slut
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Topsfield MA
Age: 30
Posts: 25,300


Re: Rookie Question

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Congrats on passing MSF! Who were your instructors? I teach at that location as well.


What's "good" for a first bike really depends on the person that's going to be riding it... their level of skill, their level of self control, their budget, etc.

So of you're lacking in budget & confidence or don't have very good self control, an old 250-500cc beater bike would fit the bill.

Or if you've got a little more money to spend, are reasonably confident in your abilities and aren't tempted to go wide open throttle with your hair on fire, then maybe you'll be alright on a 600cc race replica. They're certainly not the most practical to learn on, but some people, like myself, did alright jumping right into the fire, so to speak.




I had Chris Park as a primary instructor and someone named Tony, (shaved head and goatee), as the range second.

[Drewski]

and thanks....

[OreoGaborio]

Hint... use the button instead of copy/paste. Also, I edited my post a bit if you want to take another look.

I had Chris Park as a primary instructor and someone named Tony, (shaved head and goatee), as the range second.

Chris & Tony C! Good guys! They were in my RiderCoach Workshop, we got our certifications together.

[Marksie]

Congrats to you as well Marksie. Was a great class and I was amazed at how much we covered in such a short amount of time. Did you do it in two days or three?

Thanks man. I took the two day session. It was an awesome class and even at the pace we were going I know I learned a lot.

[KawiSmurf]

I usually refrain from giving any direct suggestions on the matter, but here's some helpful resources to browse through. These may help you, they may not. But they're worth a read.

How to choose the motorcycle that's right for you - AMA

Before You Buy Your First Motorcycle - about.com

Choosing Your Ride and not someone else's (part of the larger Beginner's Guide to Motorcycling - totalmotorcycle.com)

Choosing a Motorcycle

[JonT]

buy a Hyosung

but a nice (older) 500-600 bike would be a good start. like stated earlier, buy cheap. you will drop/crash it.

i would personally try and stay away from an R6, their throttle is very touchy and may make you nervous. but obviously you already ridden one.

and the only way you get experience is by riding. so dont be scared just be respectful of its power.

other than that, have fun! and i know ever since i got my bike, i think i been spending a lot more time on my bike than with my girl....so make sure you take her with you or she will get mad!

[curiouser]

Get something cheap enough so that you a) have plenty of $$$ left over for quality gear, b) won't make your wallet cry if you dump it, c) is easy enough so that you can concentrate on the road rather than the bike itself.

The good news is that the more beginner oriented bikes (e.g. used ninja 250/500) are inexpensive to run and insure. There's usually a constant demand for these and can be used for a season or two and then sold for basically what you paid, since they depreciate slowly (after the first owner anyway).

[Doc]

Dude, Just get a Gixxer 1k and ride it, don't be a pussy. Plus you don't want to look like a dweeb riding a little 500 do you?

[darkduc7]

dood, learning on a 600 should be no sweat. the power is only there if you tap into it, its plenty docile otherwise. anything smaller and you'll probably outgrow it and have to trade up within a year. like doc said tho, get a twin

[zachary6]

Busa!









Sorry, someone had to say it.