basically i want a sports bike, i have no riding experience and i wanted to get the ninja 250 but its too weak if i wanted to carry another passenger and the ninja 500r is too ugly so i wanted to know if a 600 cc bike is too much for a new rider?
skittlesV1
First bike? A few thoughts...
DO NOT START OFF WITH A SPORTBIKE. If you have little or no saddle time, you are asking for an early reunion with your dearly departed relatives. Start off with something that's a little more durable and has slightly less power and quickness. Motorcycles, by definition, are going to be quicker than cars, so it's a small price to pay.
GET PLENTY OF SOLO SADDLE TIME BEFORE RIDING WITH PASSENGER(S). Nothing is less sexy or fun than road rash from a noob acting squiddy (otherwise known as an inexperienced show-off). Once you're confident in your riding skills, that confidence will transfer to your passenger, who can then ALSO enjoy the ride. Also, sport bikes aren't the greatest for passenger comfort...another reason to hold off on the sport bike thing.
In short, get experience AND TRAINING on something a little less squirrel-y, and you'll enjoy the experience a lot more.
DO NOT START OFF WITH A SPORTBIKE. If you have little or no saddle time, you are asking for an early reunion with your dearly departed relatives. Start off with something that's a little more durable and has slightly less power and quickness. Motorcycles, by definition, are going to be quicker than cars, so it's a small price to pay.
GET PLENTY OF SOLO SADDLE TIME BEFORE RIDING WITH PASSENGER(S). Nothing is less sexy or fun than road rash from a noob acting squiddy (otherwise known as an inexperienced show-off). Once you're confident in your riding skills, that confidence will transfer to your passenger, who can then ALSO enjoy the ride. Also, sport bikes aren't the greatest for passenger comfort...another reason to hold off on the sport bike thing.
In short, get experience AND TRAINING on something a little less squirrel-y, and you'll enjoy the experience a lot more.
No. Some motorcycles are more dangerous than others. Not inherantly.....the danger lies not in the machine itself, but rather with the rider. I urge you to beg, borrow, or steal a copy of the Hurt report and read the statistics. You will find that the majority of accidents happen not with the brand-new rider, but rather with the low-time rider whose confidence level has overshadowed his skill level, and usually he is riding a machine with no built-in governor to curb his enthusiasm. The results are predicable..and painfully so! Start with a smaller, less aggresive machine and master it fully before moving up to a bike that will carry you to the scene of the accident.
G
Take a peek at the 600cc naked bikes, Bandit, FZ6, etc. It's 90% of a sportbike without the uncomfortable seating position and peaky powerband. Insurance will be cheaper also.
Seriously, i highly recomend you get somethin like a 250cc. my first bike was/is a 2003 yamaha R6 and i love it. but on the other hand my buddies all had dirtbikes all through high school and i used to ride their bikes. and dude don't lie, you're a guy you are gonna want to race a sports bike. you are gonna want to see how fast it'll go cuz we all do, we all have opened our bikes up on a deserted straight road to see how fast we can get it up to, it's in our genes so you may say that now but once you get on a sports bike and get a little experience you will want to open it up and trust me, i'm speaking from experience here....a 600cc bike has plenty of power. you definately want to get some experience though and be careful
Alot of people make alot of good points as to why you shouldn't get a 600 racing bike. If you have never in your life rode a bike an used a clutch then a 600 sportbike is def not for you. But if you rode a dirtbike growing up and you took a motorcycle training course and just take it slow you will be ok on a 600. The bike will only go as fast as you make it go. If your a nut who cant control himself and you have no experience then you will end up dead fast. But my first bike was a 600rr and im still alive, I just don't have the money to be throwing out on all kinds of starter bikes. So take your time borrow a bike to learn take a motorcycle course and respect the power you will be ok.
Telling someone not to buy a sport bike as the first one is completly stupid. All machines going highspeeds are dangerous. Its the person on the bike doing stupid things that cause the accident. I just got my first bike a kawasaki ninja 636 and its completly fine for me. But i only did the smart thing and took the safety course and im practicing on neighborhood roads first. Now how can you say me getting the sport bike was a bad idea. ALL BIKES ARE DANGEROUS TO SOME DEGREE
sport bikes ARE NOT beginner bikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Ninja 636 is so much bigger than the 650r. The 650r, contrary to popular belief, IS NOT a sport bike. Yes, it is a crotch rocket, but it wont be too much (atleast for me). The 636, if i'm not mistaken has well over 100HP and the 650r is about 75.
There is no good reason to start on a 600. Get a used 250 or 500 or something, ride it for a year, sell it for $100 less than you bought it for and THEN get what you want.
You said you don't want a 500 because you think it's ugly. It doesn't matter what bike you're on and whether it's ugly or beautiful, if you don't know how to ride it you will still look like an idiot. You aren't going to get any more respect out of anyone because you're a newb with a 600 compared to being a newb with a 500.
You should be able to get a used 250 for under $2000, a used 500 for under $3000. After a year of riding it you can sell it for almost the same price you bought it, you'll be a better rider and you will be able to handle a 600 with confidence and knowledge of your own limitations.
I'd post a link to a youtube video showing what can happen to squids, but I can't post links because I just joined this forum. Just search "suzuki crash first ride" on youtube.
You said you don't want a 500 because you think it's ugly. It doesn't matter what bike you're on and whether it's ugly or beautiful, if you don't know how to ride it you will still look like an idiot. You aren't going to get any more respect out of anyone because you're a newb with a 600 compared to being a newb with a 500.
You should be able to get a used 250 for under $2000, a used 500 for under $3000. After a year of riding it you can sell it for almost the same price you bought it, you'll be a better rider and you will be able to handle a 600 with confidence and knowledge of your own limitations.
I'd post a link to a youtube video showing what can happen to squids, but I can't post links because I just joined this forum. Just search "suzuki crash first ride" on youtube.
Im gonna buck the trend here, with a few exceptions...
I agree, take a beginners course, then make up your mind. Some people just have more co-ordination than others. If you're one of those gifted people, then go ahead. Im a newbie myself. I took the course and did very well. I felt exceptionally comfortable on the 250 they taught me on. I knew I wanted a sportbike, so I got one! Now, I ride within my limits and am practicing the same skills, decision making, and restraint as I would have on any other kind of bike. Some people that make poor decisions may get a sportbike and immediately decide to see how fast it goes. Thats a fault of the rider, not the bike!
Gauge your stature. If youre 'small', then start small. You'll have more control of the lighter bike. (Im 6'3" 200 lbs)
Bikes have throttles for a reason. If they just had a button that opened it up full then Id say yes get the smaller bike. But they dont. Throttles give the ability to allow the rider to gently accelerate. Use this benefit!!!
I can only speak from my own experience, and maybe time will tell that the older and wiser were right. But for now, Im doing fine on my first bike, a 600cc!
(It should also be mentioned that I have a 15 yo bike that may not have the horsepower of a new one)
I agree, take a beginners course, then make up your mind. Some people just have more co-ordination than others. If you're one of those gifted people, then go ahead. Im a newbie myself. I took the course and did very well. I felt exceptionally comfortable on the 250 they taught me on. I knew I wanted a sportbike, so I got one! Now, I ride within my limits and am practicing the same skills, decision making, and restraint as I would have on any other kind of bike. Some people that make poor decisions may get a sportbike and immediately decide to see how fast it goes. Thats a fault of the rider, not the bike!
Gauge your stature. If youre 'small', then start small. You'll have more control of the lighter bike. (Im 6'3" 200 lbs)
Bikes have throttles for a reason. If they just had a button that opened it up full then Id say yes get the smaller bike. But they dont. Throttles give the ability to allow the rider to gently accelerate. Use this benefit!!!
I can only speak from my own experience, and maybe time will tell that the older and wiser were right. But for now, Im doing fine on my first bike, a 600cc!
(It should also be mentioned that I have a 15 yo bike that may not have the horsepower of a new one)
I'm sure there are those that started on a 600 or larger bike and survived but many of us know it is not a good idea. Depending on a riders age can have a lot to do with it too. I started out on a scooter at 12 & on dirt roads and worked my way up to 125 and 250 dirt bikes before going to street bikes. Then I had a 500cc about 30HP and 650cc 45 HP and finally bigger bikes. I was lucky to have older riders to teach me safe riding skills. After 15 years of riding a friend was selling a Kaw 500 tripple, the fastest bike going at the time, 1972 , so I had to buy it. Boy was I in for a new experiance. After a day of taking it easy I found a safe road to play. I had never had a bike that could get away from me so fast. In second gear it suddenly went verticle. I took it easy again for a long time. Months later at over 100 MPH the engine locked up. My next bike was a similar 500 Kaw and on it the steering locked up at 60MPH getting onto an interstate road. If I had been a new rider those would have been sad days. I feel it is best to work your way up slowly learning as you go. We all will make mistakes and it is best to be going slow when we do it.
After not riding for over 25 years, I started with a Nighthawk 550 and it was almost too much to handle!!
A lot of us older fellows road when a 350 cc was a "BIG" bike. Times have changed and become a LOT more dangerous. The bikes are more powerful and a lot faster. There's a lot more traffic with a lot of inattentive idiots in the vehicles.
While we have a whole lot better safety equipment, nothing beats experience! When I started back riding, the first thing I did was to go to a secluded road close to home and practice slow manuevering. Heck, anyone can jump on a bike and go 70 mph, but get in a little downtown traffic and you'd better be able to handle the bike. I fell my first time out and broke my hand...sure am glad I wasn't in some curve doing 60.
After I began to get the "feel" of the bike, I signed up for one of the motorcycle safety courses. Not only did it teach me some stuff I had forgotten, it taught me some stuff I never knew and when I finished the course, I get a discount on my insurance (every little bit helps)!
Make sure your bike fits!! That's right! Just because you want a big bike doesn't mean you can physically ride one safely. If you have to tippy toe at stoplights, you're going to have problems with the bike falling over on you when you get on or off. Stopping on a slope running from left to right will probably cause you to topple over because you can't touch the ground with one foot!
Seriously though, ride a bike that is comfortable...don't let the bike control you because of its size or motor.
Even the best riders have mishaps due to faulty equipment or other factors beyond their control (i.e. oil spills!!). But remember, the greatest number of accidents happen as a combination of two things...speed and stupidity!!
Safe riding,
CD
A lot of us older fellows road when a 350 cc was a "BIG" bike. Times have changed and become a LOT more dangerous. The bikes are more powerful and a lot faster. There's a lot more traffic with a lot of inattentive idiots in the vehicles.
While we have a whole lot better safety equipment, nothing beats experience! When I started back riding, the first thing I did was to go to a secluded road close to home and practice slow manuevering. Heck, anyone can jump on a bike and go 70 mph, but get in a little downtown traffic and you'd better be able to handle the bike. I fell my first time out and broke my hand...sure am glad I wasn't in some curve doing 60.
After I began to get the "feel" of the bike, I signed up for one of the motorcycle safety courses. Not only did it teach me some stuff I had forgotten, it taught me some stuff I never knew and when I finished the course, I get a discount on my insurance (every little bit helps)!
Make sure your bike fits!! That's right! Just because you want a big bike doesn't mean you can physically ride one safely. If you have to tippy toe at stoplights, you're going to have problems with the bike falling over on you when you get on or off. Stopping on a slope running from left to right will probably cause you to topple over because you can't touch the ground with one foot!
Seriously though, ride a bike that is comfortable...don't let the bike control you because of its size or motor.
Even the best riders have mishaps due to faulty equipment or other factors beyond their control (i.e. oil spills!!). But remember, the greatest number of accidents happen as a combination of two things...speed and stupidity!!
Safe riding,
CD
If I were to start over, or point a noob down the right path, if money wasn't a problem, this is the path I would recommend.
Ninja 650 or GS500 or Bandit 600 for 2 years
Bandit 1200 for life
R6 or R1 as second bike after 2 years on the Bandit 1200
I have owned probably at least a hundred different bikes in my life. My all time favorite is my 99 Bandit 1200 with a Corbin seat (with removable sissy bar for the wife) with the exact same mods as the Holeshot Bandit 1200. But the bike is weak for track days even with RaceTech Gold Valved and progressive sprung forks, progressive shock and 150hp. So I bought a 2003 R6 and liked it so much I upgraded to a 2007 R6 and most recently added a 2006 R1!
So out in the garage sits my 99 Bandit, 06 R1, 07 R6, and since my wife wanted a cruiser, we got her a 2000 Vmax (which sounds like a built V8 muscle car). It's nice to have a bike to match just about every mood.
IMHO, nobody should own JUST a cruiser. You just miss out on so much riding has to offer. To me, a cruiser is the pick-up-truck of motorcycles. If you like trucks, that's cool, but you should own a Z28 Camaro, a Vette, or a Mustang GT at least once. It's not that cruisers are boring, it's just that they take a lot of the table as far as capabilities are concerned. If you want a cruiser, you should buy a second bike at the opposite of the spectrum. Say a Boulevard and a Busa or Gixxer, a Road Star and an R1. Then toss in a KX or CR250 for good measure. LOL
My only problem pointing people toward the Ninja 250 is even noobs outgrow it soooooo fast. Then they end up out-riding the bike and get hurt (or hurt the bike). They wanna work on wheelies but can't unless they wind it up to 11k and drop the clutch and end up in a ditch with bones sticking out of their pants.
Ninja 650 or GS500 or Bandit 600 for 2 years
Bandit 1200 for life
R6 or R1 as second bike after 2 years on the Bandit 1200
I have owned probably at least a hundred different bikes in my life. My all time favorite is my 99 Bandit 1200 with a Corbin seat (with removable sissy bar for the wife) with the exact same mods as the Holeshot Bandit 1200. But the bike is weak for track days even with RaceTech Gold Valved and progressive sprung forks, progressive shock and 150hp. So I bought a 2003 R6 and liked it so much I upgraded to a 2007 R6 and most recently added a 2006 R1!
So out in the garage sits my 99 Bandit, 06 R1, 07 R6, and since my wife wanted a cruiser, we got her a 2000 Vmax (which sounds like a built V8 muscle car). It's nice to have a bike to match just about every mood. IMHO, nobody should own JUST a cruiser. You just miss out on so much riding has to offer. To me, a cruiser is the pick-up-truck of motorcycles. If you like trucks, that's cool, but you should own a Z28 Camaro, a Vette, or a Mustang GT at least once. It's not that cruisers are boring, it's just that they take a lot of the table as far as capabilities are concerned. If you want a cruiser, you should buy a second bike at the opposite of the spectrum. Say a Boulevard and a Busa or Gixxer, a Road Star and an R1. Then toss in a KX or CR250 for good measure. LOL
My only problem pointing people toward the Ninja 250 is even noobs outgrow it soooooo fast. Then they end up out-riding the bike and get hurt (or hurt the bike). They wanna work on wheelies but can't unless they wind it up to 11k and drop the clutch and end up in a ditch with bones sticking out of their pants.
I started out on a 550 nighthawk. For the first month or so that bike owned me. The throttle is so responsive that one involuntary movement causes you to gain significant speed and get thrown back. Needless to say this messes with your balance. I was always able to keep it under control, but there were a few corners where I twitched my wrist and the thing took off.
What I'm trying to say is start small and work up. You're not prepared for what these things can do to you. I think someone else already touched on it, but smaller bikes will be way more forgiving in an accident situation.
What I'm trying to say is start small and work up. You're not prepared for what these things can do to you. I think someone else already touched on it, but smaller bikes will be way more forgiving in an accident situation.
Si,
The throttle on the 550 Nighthawk is set up so you can't put 5 mm of play in the throttle. The setup is a push pull counter cable and will not allow for slack.
lennort,
As you know, the grips on the 550 are small in diameter and made out of pretty hard rubber. I took mine off and got grips that are at least twice the diameter of the originals. With the originals a 1/4" movement would jerk your head off. The larger grips make throttling much easier and smoother.
CD
The throttle on the 550 Nighthawk is set up so you can't put 5 mm of play in the throttle. The setup is a push pull counter cable and will not allow for slack.
lennort,
As you know, the grips on the 550 are small in diameter and made out of pretty hard rubber. I took mine off and got grips that are at least twice the diameter of the originals. With the originals a 1/4" movement would jerk your head off. The larger grips make throttling much easier and smoother.
CD
how about looking at my bike, it is a 650, but a great starter bike
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130197321607&ih=003&category=6708
hope that helps. I disagree with the above, a 600 is not too much, but a 4cyl crotch rocket is too much. They are accurately discribed as twichy. The Hawk I am selling is not twitchy at all. I have owned 10 or so bikes. My first bike was a CB500.
Jeff
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130197321607&ih=003&category=6708
hope that helps. I disagree with the above, a 600 is not too much, but a 4cyl crotch rocket is too much. They are accurately discribed as twichy. The Hawk I am selling is not twitchy at all. I have owned 10 or so bikes. My first bike was a CB500.
Jeff
The cable simply goes around a round channel. It is strickly a push pull setup.
If you loosen either if the cables the idle and aceleration is totally messed up. They've got to have equal tension for the proper operation of the grip.
CD
If you loosen either if the cables the idle and aceleration is totally messed up. They've got to have equal tension for the proper operation of the grip.
CD
I believe the main factor to be considered is your own self control and maturity level. A beginner could start off with a 1300cc sportbike if he has the patience with the throttle and doesn't have the mindset of "Lemme see how fast this baby can go." the first time they get on a bike.
250cc bikes are good beginner bikes if the new rider isn't sure of his/her abilties, but are quickly outgrown. 600s are great for the beginner I believe. Not overpowered, yet a bike you could keep for awhile even once you get some experience.
I wouldn't even worry about passengers. If you are a beginner, you shouldn't even think of having anyone else on the bike with you for a long time.
250cc bikes are good beginner bikes if the new rider isn't sure of his/her abilties, but are quickly outgrown. 600s are great for the beginner I believe. Not overpowered, yet a bike you could keep for awhile even once you get some experience.
I wouldn't even worry about passengers. If you are a beginner, you shouldn't even think of having anyone else on the bike with you for a long time.
First ride,
The most important thing to consider is training. Good habits from the very begining of your rideing will last forever. Picking out a bike that you want to ride is important, thats why your getting into the sport. Sport bikes are powerful and need to be respected at every turn. If you buy somthing small and grow out of it your need to turn it over, this is ok if you got the $, but most of us don't. Pick up a training course and educate yourself, and buy what you like. HOWEVER stay within your riding comfort zone. I rode my first bike early on Sunday mornings to practice my good habits for a time until i gained confidence. Then when that first situation occured my habits kicked in and i was ok. Training course and common sense on a powerful machine will go a long way. Enjoy riding not hitting mach speed through that turn be safe!
The most important thing to consider is training. Good habits from the very begining of your rideing will last forever. Picking out a bike that you want to ride is important, thats why your getting into the sport. Sport bikes are powerful and need to be respected at every turn. If you buy somthing small and grow out of it your need to turn it over, this is ok if you got the $, but most of us don't. Pick up a training course and educate yourself, and buy what you like. HOWEVER stay within your riding comfort zone. I rode my first bike early on Sunday mornings to practice my good habits for a time until i gained confidence. Then when that first situation occured my habits kicked in and i was ok. Training course and common sense on a powerful machine will go a long way. Enjoy riding not hitting mach speed through that turn be safe!
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