what should i do?

[miataman05]

i am new to the motorcycling. i am scheduled to take the motorcycle safty course in aug. i have been looking around at some bikes. yamaha r6, kawasaki zzr 600, kawasaki ninja, honda cbr 600. What would you all recomend for someone who is starting out?

[firebos7]

i am new to the motorcycling. i am scheduled to take the motorcycle safety course in aug. i have been looking around at some bikes. yamaha r6, kawasaki zzr 600, kawasaki ninja, honda cbr 600. What would you all recommend for someone who is starting out?

none of the above

Personally I'd recommend looking at the Ninja 250, Ninja 500, GS 500

SV 650 and Ninja 650

All the 600cc sportbikes are a little powerful for someone that is brand new. They are all quite literally high powered racing bikes with some lights and reflectors bolted on (yes even the ZZR is powerful...).

[schmidty86]

Agreed with Firbos, I started with the Ninja 250 and couldn't be happier with it. If I could do it all over again I'd probably have gone with the 500 though just for freeway power but any speeds under 65 mph the 250 does just fine, and I got 55mpg my last tank of gas too! Not to mention the fact that I am still alive to tell the tale.

[miataman05]

thanks yall! here is my delema. i love the style of the new ninja 250 but i think in a few months id get bored of it. the ninja 500 looks (in my opion)wierd. i want something that will keep me interested for a long time and something that looks sporty like the r6's and other sport bikes. what would you all recomend?

[iamgumby]

I thought the SV 650 firebos suggested would fit the ticket. How about the Suzuki DL 650 V-Strom? Ain't gonna get bored and walk away from that one!

[firebos7]

how does this
http://www.kliktronic.co.uk/Suzuki%20SV650%20side.jpg
(sv 650)

or this
http://www.bowcycle.com/bm06/images/201_EX650A7F_40103_R.scale.jpg
(ninja 650)

look?

Both of em are powerful enough to last well as long as you want (as long as you treat em well)...

[Nitelord]

Any of the bike suggested would be great.

A year from now you will still be learning what the bike can and can't do. :)

[miataman05]

the sv 650 def fits the bill! :D. thanks yall!

[TFee3]

miataman, do you have a Miata? I have a Merlot Edition 1995. But, back to motorcycles! I never have bought the idea that a new rider should buy a little bike. In my humble opinion, it's a waste of money, because the new rider won't be happy very long with a little bike. Very soon, he will be wanting to get out on the highway and go places, and little bikes just don't do that very well. Spend your money on something that will keep you happy for a very long time, and, learn to control your right wrist! That's the real problem - newbies seem to lose control of their throttle hand!

[firebos7]

miataman, do you have a Miata? I have a Merlot Edition 1995. But, back to motorcycles! I never have bought the idea that a new rider should buy a little bike. In my humble opinion, it's a waste of money, because the new rider won't be happy very long with a little bike. Very soon, he will be wanting to get out on the highway and go places, and little bikes just don't do that very well. Spend your money on something that will keep you happy for a very long time, and, learn to control your right wrist! That's the real problem - newbies seem to lose control of their throttle hand!

I wouldn't consider the SV 650 a small bike... I've seen professional races on them, they certainly aren't going slow.

[gammaqueen]

I agree with TFee3. I would get something you will be happy with, but I also don't think a 650 crotch rocket is small, a 650 cruiser definately is too small for my taste.

[firebos7]

I agree with TFee3. I would get something you will be happy with, but I also don't think a 650 crotch rocket is small, a 650 cruiser definately is too small for my taste.

That's true... Sometimes I sit on the Vulcan 800 even (yes I ride it occasionally) and think to myself... you know what? We need a bigger bike (course it's not my bike... mines the ZZR so it's not up to me :P)

[TFee3]

firebos, I've seen races on 650's, too, but I doubt very much that they're stock bikes, maybe so, but I doubt it. I've discovered that people jumping on someone else's bike, unless it's just like theirs, have trouble handling them. It's all what you get used to. I had a devil of a time with my new C90T, but in a week, I never thought about how big it is.

[firebos7]

firebos, I've seen races on 650's, too, but I doubt very much that they're stock bikes, maybe so, but I doubt it. I've discovered that people jumping on someone else's bike, unless it's just like theirs, have trouble handling them. It's all what you get used to. I had a devil of a time with my new C90T, but in a week, I never thought about how big it is.

That's very true but I just like to recommend a smaller bike because people my age are too tempted to use the power and even in my area we've lost some people already because they were brand new, got a bike that was too big and were going too fast.

I'm not trying to ruin their fun, I just want them to still be here next year and the one after that (and so on) So I recommend what I think has plenty of power for well anything besides actual track racing, is built solid to handle people dropping em (like most newbies do, which is why I really recommend the GS 500 all the time since it's friggin bullet proof (maybe not literally) ) and have great resale value for when they've had their first drops and beginner mistakes and want a pretty new bike they can take to the track and go like a bat outta hell.

[NHRABill]

I am going to pickup a small buell Blast ...
Speed is not my concern when it comes to a Bike I got a Fast car. Riding is just to cruise and enjoy the road...

To each their own I guess

[TFee3]

firebos, I certainly understand what you're saying, because here in Missouri, we have the highest motorcycle fatality rate of any state in the Union.

I wonder how many young people really want to go to the race track. I know I didn't. I might be wrong, but I'm thinking most young people who buy bikes are more interested in riding around the streets showing their new bikes to their friends. I like to cruise down the interstate on my bike at about 85 mph, because I like speed, but at the same time, I've never even thought about getting into racing. It would be interesting to see how many young people do want to race.

[firebos7]

firebos, I certainly understand what you're saying, because here in Missouri, we have the highest motorcycle fatality rate of any state in the Union.

I wonder how many young people really want to go to the race track. I know I didn't. I might be wrong, but I'm thinking most young people who buy bikes are more interested in riding around the streets showing their new bikes to their friends. I like to cruise down the interstate on my bike at about 85 mph, because I like speed, but at the same time, I've never even thought about getting into racing. It would be interesting to see how many young people do want to race.

Well I would love to race but I can't really afford too many track days (got to do my first this year at a racing school and I loved it, hope to do the second phase next year (out of 3 phases)) I would never race on the street but ya sometimes I might go as fast as about 85 (course that's only when everyone else happens to be going that fast, it's safer to go the flow of traffic then be the one guy going 60 when everyone else is doing 80) on the big wide 4 lane highways (4 lanes per side so I guess technically 8 lane highway... w/e)

It's a shame so many kids don't take it to the track, just a week or two ago we lost someone with 1 month riding experience on a new CBR 600 racing on the street, hit a pole, that was it.

[miataman05]

tfee3 i own a 05 mazdaspeed miata. but anyways i went to my local dealer this afternoon and sat on all of the bikes. i found that i felt most comfortable and confident on a gsxr 600. I fit me perfectly. my feet touched the ground fully with room to spare. the seat also fealt really comfortable. i also agree with tfee3 i would just like to cruse and not race! what do you all think?

[firebos7]

tfee3 i own a 05 mazdaspeed miata. but anyways i went to my local dealer this afternoon and sat on all of the bikes. i found that i felt most comfortable and confident on a gsxr 600. I fit me perfectly. my feet touched the ground fully with room to spare. the seat also fealt really comfortable. i also agree with tfee3 i would just like to cruse and not race! what do you all think?

It's manageable as long as you are incredibly careful. Normally I wouldn't recommend that bike as a beginner bike but I can't deny it is a nice bike.

You had just better be aware this bike really truly is a purpose built racing machine and that insurance will not be cheap.

This bike has incredible acceleration and braking so emergency braking or cranking the throttle too hard can be disastrous.

I'd personally still feel better if you started on one of the 650's or smaller to start but if you really have your heart set on it, well it's up to you and as long as your happy and you do completely understand how powerful this machine is. (to put it into perspective the bike has roughly the same horsepower as a 98 Toyota Camry but weighs about 1/10th the weight.

CycleWorld Specs:
for 2007
GSXR 600: 0-60mph - 3.0 sec.
1/4mile e.t 10.56 sec.
Top Speed 155 mph