Newbie ..pleeease help

There should be no 'IF'

ix888 said:

I know this question crops up often but bear with me please.

Im in the market for my first bike and am really not sure what to get. A friend of mind got himself an CBR600RR and he advises me to go along the same lines. If i did the MSF course and took it reeeal slow for the first few months is it still a bad idea??

If so, what sorta bike should i look into....The Ninja 500 seems to get punted quite a lot.....what about bikes like the ZZR 400, FZR 400 or suzuki RF?? Are these bikes still too much for me??

thanks for your patience

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First there should be no 'IF I did the MSF...' . As a first time rider you need every advantage to become a sucessful rider. I took the MSF course with 36 years of experience riding and learned some things I did not know. You should consider the MSF a mandatory step. The MSF course makes it easier to get your driving competency test out of the way in the class in most states. It can provide you with up to a 10% insurance discount. At what I suspect your age to be AND the fact you are a brand new rider that could be significant bucks! If you buy new, some dealers/manufacturers will pay all or part of the class fees!

As far as the specific MC or style you seem to have already limited your choices. Don't buy a MC just because your friend has that one, or that folks here on the forums recommend a specific model or size!

Your MC must fit you correctly. It is the ergonomics of a MC that is the second most important issue in choosing a ride. How well you fit the MC and its controls is paramount to safety, success, and enjoyment of MCing.

Ergonomics on a sportbike is a little different from Cruisers. Ability to reach controls is usually not as much of an issue. But being able to reach the ground with both feet flat when stopped is still very important. Ability to USE shift, rear foot break brake effectively is very important.

CCs on any MC, to me, are not of high in importance for the most part. On sports bikes, again to me, it is very unimportant. Most of the sportbikes are engineered and geared to achieve high speeds even in the smaller CC classes. A 600cc Sportbike will out run a 1500 cc cruiser in the short run, hands down! (But like the Tortoise & the Hare... we'll get you in the long haul.)

You may also find the lesser CCs you get may have a significant benefit on your insurance! Perhaps others can comment on that!

The #1 most important factor in MC safety and success is the rider/operator.

If you are not experienced with a clutch, a sportbike IS NOT the place to learn. Try to get a standard or cruiser bike to learn on. If you can't use a Standard style MC to learn and practice on... Use a manual transmission car to learn how to operate/coordinate a clutch and throttle. The principle is the same!
Learning clutch basics in a car is much less intimidating!!!

I think especially on sportbikes rider maturity, self control, restraint are key to your safety as well as that of other road users.

I think in very general terms, my OPINION is that these type MC are more appealing and more widely ridden by very young people. I know in my youth I thought I was 'mature', thought I had it all under control. But the fact is that I was extremely responsive to and negatively influenced by peer influences. I was infact dumb as a brick!!! I did many things that I now enjoy telling funny stories about, but privately puzzle over my survival.

Good luck choosing you new MC! I hope it will provide much enjoyment and satisfaction.

Ride safe & long,
Colorado Fats

well if you insist!

ocryan1 said:

Would you like to share some of those funny stories now?

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There is one posted under Motorcycle Accessories right now.

Which ones you want to hear?

Side swipped a car 2nd day I had my license
Got knocked off another guys scooter at 25-30 mph
Rode into the side of a mountain 2nd month I was licensed
Jumped a car accidently
Rode over/off a 30 ft embankment (injury still hurts me)
Slid under a moving semi
KIcked a empty box while doing 30-40 mph...Still have lingering damage
Rode MC backwards to impress others
Rode on pedals standing on one side of the MC
Rode with 6-8 people on my MC
Rode MC like a Skateboard standing on seat showing how cool I could be
Tried to see if my Harley could really do 120 with bad front tire and a passenger that did not like MCs.
Flipped a MC with passenger on it
Caused my girlfriend fall off the back and dragged her for 1/2 block
Rode across a 2x6 over an irrigation ditch
Played flatten your friends tires while riding.

See, I was not kidding about being an idiot in the past! Somehow I survived becoming the intelligent, suave, articulate safety proponent I am today. Somehow I keep the love of the ride alive in my soul and want to share riding tips with other riders. My luck ran out years ago, since then I have to depend on skill, long term experience, self control to the keep the shiney side up.

I guess I should not refer to them stories...more like lessons of the very lucky!

Probably not of interest to most posters/readers. If you have read my post you know I am a long winded, wordy SOB. So I would not want to waste time and space on forums unless there is a specific lesson to be learned.

Ride safe & long,
Colorado Fats

Late starters are Good!

ix888 said:

for the info Cofats...yea I was def gonna do the MSF course before i even considered getting a bike. The thing was originally i wanted a CBR600 but was told it was waaaaay to hot for a newbie, regardless of how sensible or restrained he was. I was just wondering if the 400s that i mentioned above were more suitable or if I should go even lower.

ps Im a 31yr old, so a late starter i guess..

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It actually works in your favor. Insurance will be a little less cause of your 'old' age status. Having survived to the ripe old age of 31, I am a little less concerned about your peer influences. You know... the brain is not fully developed until your thirties!

Otherwise all the things I mentioned still apply. Your fit on the MC is most important! Without knowing your physical stature, I think a 500 cc or larger might be ok. Unless you are a very small guy a 400 sounds a bit small.

I see many recommendations for Ninjas on the forums and the 500s receive a lot of good raves.

I am not a sportsbike fan, so I'd actually try to talk you into a cruiser! Sportsbike boys get girls on the back, but Cruiser men get babes on the back! (Don't tell my wife I said that!!!)

Ride safe & long,
Colorado Fats

Gotta know more about you first

ix888 said:

Thx cofats

If you were trying to twist my arm into getting a cruiser as a first...which models would you recommend??

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Oh yes, I'm already liking you!

In order to recommend some Cruisers (or any specific MC) I need to know your physical size, budget, and perceived use of the MC ( town cruiser or roadwarrior bike or combination, with or without passenger).

Trust me once you provide these facts you will have no shortage of recommendations on this forum!

If you get a cruiser, then I'll show you the secret handshake (we don't share this with those Sportbike people), the classic 'coded' cruiser wave signal, and all the other rutuals that the Brotherhood of Cruiser (real) men share!

Ride safe & long,
Colorado Fats

85 kg?

ix888 said:

Well im bout 5"8....85kg (not sure what that is in pounds. Obviously im not gonna be tearing down the interstates for awhile, initially just cruise round my hood till i get a liitlle confident than progress from there.
Budget, im pretty flexible, but as its my first bike ill prob go second hand.

look forward to your suggestions.

ps. sounds like learning the ways of the cruiser brotherhood's gonna be tougher than mastering my new ride lmfao

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I have no idea what 85kg is in Amuri-cun!

But the 5'8" inches helps. First, I am assuming you are here in the States and therefore have all brands available to purchase?

As you are a shorter rider there are a few MC that could work well for you. First lets start with previously owned.

I really like the Yahama Virago series. For you the 750cc may be a good choice (possibly the larger 1100CC). These are really nice MC if you can find a clean used one. Very good looks, well balanced, solid dependable. For the past few years they have only made them in a 250cc version so we are defintely talking used for a Virago in the 750cc size.

While on the subject of Yahama, I also like the V-Star 650s alot. Also good looks, in a Harley kinda way (there Uesque I said it again), well balanced, low center of gravity, dependable, good but not overwhelming power, well priced (new or used).

On the Honda side the 750CC Honda Shadow is a stylish looking, dependable, ride. A little higher center of gravity, meaning the rider has to be a just little stronger to balance it when stopped. Also slightly more expensive both new and used than the Yahama MC I noted. I would not recommend the 1100 cc model, seat hight not good for your height and much heavier feeling with that higher center of gravity.

I am hearing more and more about the Suzuki C50 (800 CC)and C90 (1500 cc)cruisers from owners. I don't have any direct experience with those MC, but I bet you'll get some recommendations from owners. Not sure where they fit pricewise either. I think the C90 may be a little high in the saddle for a 5'8" rider. So you'll have to ask the Suzuki owners about fit for you.

I am totally ignorant regarding Kawasaki, and I am not a HD fan so I'll let those folks try to sway you on those MC.

Don't for get whatever cruiser MC you choose, the added benefits of the Secret Society of the Brotherhood of the Cruisers? Don't listen to those evil Sportbike people! You would really look good on a cruiser, really good!

Ride safe & long,
Colorado Fats