[SunGawd]

I am actively searching for my first bike…I do have a budget. Many have advised beginning with the Kawasaki ZX3R or Honda CBR500R. One friend told me, I will sell my 300/500 in 6 months to a year anyway and assured me that if I respect the bike, I will be okay…always easy for truly experienced riders to say.

My total lack of skill, suggests the best move is the 300/500cc. However, there are tons of low miles 600cc bike out there under $3500. The 300/500s are $4500 - $5000. Thus, I’m not quite sure what I should do.

Has anyone encountered this dilemma? What did you decide?

 

[CrazyNinja650R]

Think of it this way....
On a 600 cc bike if something happens to where u get scared, and by chance u crank that throttle..... Ur really gunna go for a bad ass ride n most likely get really hurt.
On a 250/300/400 cc bike u may recover that one tenth of a second n gain control again....maybe...
Not on a 600+CC bike.....

 

[SunGawd]

Thanks...Crazy Ninja!!! My life for an extra $1500...seems fair

I guess you would recommend the Kawi 3r over the Honda 500r

 

[CrazyNinja650R]

If u have no experience at all on a motorcycle.....
I'd go with a good used bike in around a 250-400 CC class if looking at sportbikes.
I'f looking at cruiser type bikes u can go bigger, but they will be heavier.
A Ninja 250R can outrun a 350 HP car till about 80 MPH...
Then the car wins....
The smaller bikes are also much more fun in the twistys.....
U should take a safety course if u haven't already...

 

[CrazyNinja650R]

I started on my first bike at around 9 years old.
My dad put a small chainsaw engine on a bike....
Rigged it all up to work n off i went....
Been riding bike sence.....
I'm now.....60....
Yes...i have crashed a few bikes......
It is no fun at all.....
Buy decent gear.......
I have the scars from not using gear back then.....
Now i wear gear......

 

[Unkle Krusty]

Size matters

I have been riding for a long time, and still ride an 83 Yamaha XS400.
I do have some bigger bikes, but the 400 is the most practical for everything except long highway cruising.
All the 600s are for sale for a reason. They are not that much fun to ride.

Unkle Crusty*

 

[Harley65]

Baby steps grasshoppa!

 

[CrazyNinja650R]

Baby steps grasshoppa!

:71baldboy:

 

[SunGawd]

Thank you...I will crawl, first!!!

 

[CrazyNinja650R]

I have been riding for a long time, and still ride an 83 Yamaha XS400.
I do have some bigger bikes, but the 400 is the most practical for everything except long highway cruising.
All the 600s are for sale for a reason. They are not that much fun to ride.

Unkle Crusty*

The supersports sure aren't on long trips......
But they sure are fun on short speedy trips....
But a lot get rid of them cause....
They get caught n loose points......
Then they go to supamotoes....LOL
Which is just a dirtbike with street tires......

 

[hogcowboy]

I have been riding for a long time, and still ride an 83 Yamaha XS400.
I do have some bigger bikes, but the 400 is the most practical for everything except long highway cruising.
All the 600s are for sale for a reason. They are not that much fun to ride.

Unkle Crusty*

Completely agree with that statement. I'm not totally convinced every new rider should go with a 400 but for the most part most can. I'm personally glad I went smaller before going to a 400 because of that throttle control part. There were a few times I think even the 400 would have got me hurt before I could regain mind control. It's very hard to make yourself let go of throttle in panic mode sometimes.

 

[soupy1957]

Huh?! I'm confused...........

If you can DROWN in a teaspoon of water, what's the logic in saying that on a 500cc, you are less likely to die?!

-Soupy

 

[CrazyNinja650R]

It all depends on the 500cc bike......
500cc cruiser HP Verses 500cc crotch rocket....
Big diff.....

 

[Dodsfall]

The 500cc or 650cc motorcycles are generally twin or single cylinder engines. These are decent motorcycles to learn on. Engine configuration determines the amount of horsepower generated more than displacement.

There are a lot of sportbikes built with a nice flat power curve that are great for newer riders. The 250/300 class is not the only reasonable option.

 

[CrazyNinja650R]

True....
Just saying the 250/300 mite be a bit less likely to toss someones ass to the ground then a 400/500 would.
Specially when they are in panic mode wide open headed for the guardrails.
It also depends a lot on the person in control.
Myself.....I always recommend to begin on a smaller dirtbike in a field for that first time on a bike...
Softer landing.......
Once mastered...time to move up.....
ZX 10Rrrrrr

 

[ShortCake]

If I may chime-in here..if you are a total newbie I suggest maybe a dirt or all purpose? Not pretty but not that much to destroy if you go down. I greatly suggest this if you do not plan on taking part in any safety riding courses.

I rode dirt and 4-wheelers in my teenage years so I understood the clutch, etc. but the valuable time in the seat with a state trained instructor speaks volumes. I enjoyed the course so much that in the 10 yrs I have had my license, I have taken it 3 times. It's getting more and more dangerous out there with more people texting, not paying attention, etc. The only way to survive is to be defensive and expect the unexpected.

Look into the MSF courses in your area. They are fun & I met some great people. Good Luck!

 

[Bines]

Get whatever bike is sized to fit the roll you want it for. Unless you intend to go from MSF to superbike drag racing. Then, have someone post the video. You may not want a Goldwing on day one, either.

I went from MSF straight to a C50; 805cc cruiser. Nothing bad happened.

Consider more the power output and style of bike than the size in cc. Less cc doesn't mean slower or safer. More don't mean faster or more dangerous.

 

[RobMoore]

Gee, I can't figure out why a used 600 cost less than a brand new 300. So odd.

 

[wadenelson]

Let's face it. 600's, 750's, and 1000cc crotch rockets are race bikes. They're designed for the track, even if they're homologated and sold for the road.

They're faster than Jesus, expensive to insure, and not all that comfortable. Scaring the @#$ out of yourself is what they do best. Impressing OTHERS is why a lot of young men buy them. They look cooler than Luke!

If you want to get around, to cruise, to tour, to run errands, almost ANY bike is a better choice than a 600cc crotch rocket. Even a scooter!

Now if tearing up some twisties is all you wanna do.... there ain't nothing finer than a R6 or 600RR.

But for LEARNING on? No way!

Every YOUNG RIDER at SOME point gets into this mode where they think the answer to every traffic problem is to zoom around it. They start doing it instinctively. And then ONE day zooming is exactly the wrong answer --- taking you into even BIGGER trouble - except now you're carrying 50% more speed!

Hopefully you survive that day, and begin asking yourself, "Zoom or brake?" when situations arise

A 600cc rocket will kill you on that day.

 

[CrazyNinja650R]

Yeppa....what he said.....