Looking at first motorcycle update sep 22 bought one!

[roguerower]

I've already got a semi quick car ... this is just to have 'fun' maybe save some MPG and free parking at school, haha. I don't plan on forcing myself to keep up if I can't handle it.

I am thinking I will look at CBR 600, FZ6R, SV 650S, 6R, what else am I missing in the middle range?

What makes them super quick, the HP? These being 90, and the 646/GSXR being 130~?

1. They rev quickly. You go over a bump and aren't expecting it and you twist the throttle and away you go.
2. They have pretty decent brakes. Hit a corner too fast and brake too hard and let it out too quickly and you've high-sided.
3. Insurance costs are pretty high, because they get wrecked pretty quickly.

I started out on a GS500, rode it until I got good, then bought my dreambike. I'd start on the SV650 and then upgrade when you get comfortable. I'd also wait and buy the bike in November/December when the prices are low.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I've already got a semi quick car ... this is just to have 'fun' maybe save some MPG and free parking at school, haha. I don't plan on forcing myself to keep up if I can't handle it.

I am thinking I will look at CBR 600, FZ6R, SV 650S, 6R, what else am I missing in the middle range?

What makes them super quick, the HP? These being 90, and the 646/GSXR being 130~?

Cars are no comparison to bikes - period.

What makes supersports dangerous as first bikes is the power delivery. 600's in particular... Their power curve is up at like 8-9k rpm. So rather than a gradual boost of power you get nothing.. nothing.. then smacked in the face with >120hp

In my opinion, an SV650 is a big first bike unless you're pushing 200lbs.


Bikes are easy to resell. It's the time of year where everything is dirt cheap, and easy to turn around for a profit in the spring.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Are you willing to become hamburger meat because a texting teen or senile grandma tbones you at the intersection?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

So, so much of this. I have had this debate too many times to count, and expect to see the 'regular' OFT and other two who will come in here claiming that a literbike etc is just fine for a first bike.

As someone who rode for ~10 years, tons of trackdays, countless days up in the mountains, owned almost every brand and make from GS400 vintage up to a 1098......... A supersport 600 is a fucking terrible idea for a first bike.

That $5k seems like a great deal until you're stuck in a hospital for a few weeks or worse.

Im actually against street riding, period. I'd feel much safer with a trail bike riding trails or on a track with a sv or a 600cc tearing it up. That's the only way I'll ride again. Riding on the street is too boring and much more dangerous. There are just too many idiots out there for me to feel comfortable. They don't give a flip about motorcycles. If you're not driving a full sized SUV good luck even being spotted by these idiots. Best of luck on a little sport bike.

 

[pauldun170]

What rider classes have you signed up for?
Basic MSF course is a given.
What advanced courses have you signed up for?
What brand of helmet will you be buying?
What brand of gloves will you be buying?
What leather\textile jacket have you picked out?
What brand of riding boots?
Have you priced out pants?

Insurance is there for a reason. If you have basic liability then you cover the damage that you cause to others. Thats it.
If you drop it...WHEN you drop it and have to a $$$ on new body work, bent levers broken pieces you will be responsible to cover the fruit of your fuck up.

I hear claims on motorcycle insurance are in sanely bad for you, and rates triple/quadruple with one.

You should stop listening to doochebags.


Lets establish something.
You will crash the GSXr600 in great condition with the great price.
You will turn it into a broken mess and will spend a bundle on getting it back on the road.

 

[halik]

I have driven dirt bikes, road bikes (smaller ones when I was younger -250/150), so I understand how they work, have not been on a highway before though.

More recently I have driven a buddies 09 SV 650S and 07 ninja 636, I thought they were fun to drive, and not TOO difficult to menuever.

So I was thinking I might get a 07 gsx-r600, a friend is selling it for 5k, only has 4k on the clock ... pretty new tires, ready to go.

Is this TOO much bike? I plan to be insanely defensive, and will drive very little until I actually take the class.

You're on the right track, clearly turbo busa for the win.

Radial mount calipers, inverted shocks, radial levers, FI throttle response... pretty much everything you need as someone that's never really ridden before.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I've already got a semi quick car ... this is just to have 'fun' maybe save some MPG and free parking at school, haha. I don't plan on forcing myself to keep up if I can't handle it.

I am thinking I will look at CBR 600, FZ6R, SV 650S, 6R, what else am I missing in the middle range?

What makes them super quick, the HP? These being 90, and the 646/GSXR being 130~?

Car experience does not translate to riding motorcycles AT ALL. They are completely different animals.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Car experience does not translate to riding motorcycles AT ALL. They are completely different animals.

I never meant to say it's the same experience.

I am setting aside 600-800 for gear when I find the right bike, so with all of the downsides everyone seems to have on bikes, what are the upsides?

 

[sze5003]

Well if you havent ridden in a while I don't know. I would say start off with a 250. I have a 09 250 SE with 1300 miles on it. Riding a bike is completely different. You need to be on it all the time. I passed the course and got my license easily. But being nervous , the first time I.got on MY bike, I grabbed the front brake out of panic I believe I wanted to shift up and I got nervous since I cared about the bike. I dropped it with minimal damage, nothing big at all.

But the point is if you do get a bike, drive it and be careful of cars. I almost got run over by an suv almost rear ended me. In a car you would say who cares its their fault. On a bike, you will be flying into the street and possibly hit by oncoming traffic.

You need all gear, boots, jacket, gloves, helmet. All the time. If I had.not had my gear on that first time I would have been road rashed.

Too bad my gf doesn't let me ride as much so the bike.has been sitting most of the summer. That and I don't go far because the only streets I can go are ones where its like 6 lanes of cars doing 50+ driving like idiots and I'm still new.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I never meant to say it's the same experience.

I am setting aside 600-800 for gear when I find the right bike, so with all of the downsides everyone seems to have on bikes, what are the upsides?

It is literally an experience that is unexplainable. You either "get it" or you don't. For me, it was worth the risk for a long long time, basically until I got old and wise.

If I could go back I'd do it all over again....... but I never got seriously hurt either.


My suggestion is to sign up for the MSF. All you need is a helmet (also leather gloves, boots, but doesn't have to be bike specific). It will at least let you get a feel for what it's like to be on a bike.


The biggest new rider mistake I see is impatience. It's almost someone in a similar situation to you.. sorta thought about getting a bike, see a great deal, and jump right into it trying to save $1000 on bike costs.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

It is literally an experience that is unexplainable. You either "get it" or you don't. For me, it was worth the risk for a long long time, basically until I got old and wise.

If I could go back I'd do it all over again....... but I never got seriously hurt either

What happened? You quit riding? Wreck? Just curious.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Just remember if this happens on a bike -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anoseay3qSY

You won't come off as well as the douche in the video.

On race reps things can go wrong quickly, as others have said. A bit too much throttle, or in opportune throttle, or a bit of target fixation and you can be off the road.

The plus sides of bikes are they are awesome. Much more involving that cars, much more visceral, you can feel the wind blasting past you and the sun on your face/back.

Damn now I want to get back into biking...

 

[JulesMaximus]

I never meant to say it's the same experience.

I am setting aside 600-800 for gear when I find the right bike, so with all of the downsides everyone seems to have on bikes, what are the upsides?

No, of course not. That would be ridiculous.

Upsides? They are a lot of fun. Riding a motorcycle is a very visceral experience. It takes great concentration but is greatly rewarding at the same time. Your entire body and mind is immersed in the experience. It is much more like riding a horse than driving a car.

You probably won't save a whole lot of money by riding unless you are riding something that gets over 50mpg and doesn't require a lot of maintenance. You will need to factor in that bikes need more maintenance than a car and will also require tires much sooner. I get about 5,000 miles out of a set of tires on my bike but it is sport oriented rubber so I expect that.

 

[sze5003]

Yeh I agree its a you get it or you don't. With cars you get a learning curve. You go too fast on a turn in a car or something you break, you have 4 tires. Trial and error. On a bike there is no trial and error. It's either you do it right or you end up screwing yourself up or the bike.

And having a bike is not saving any money on gas, it actually costs more. Plus the good thing is you just need.to learn to do all work on your own.

 

[JulesMaximus]

It is literally an experience that is unexplainable. You either "get it" or you don't. For me, it was worth the risk for a long long time, basically until I got old and wise.

If I could go back I'd do it all over again....... but I never got seriously hurt either.


My suggestion is to sign up for the MSF. All you need is a helmet (also leather gloves, boots, but doesn't have to be bike specific). It will at least let you get a feel for what it's like to be on a bike.


The biggest new rider mistake I see is impatience. It's almost someone in a similar situation to you.. sorta thought about getting a bike, see a great deal, and jump right into it trying to save $1000 on bike costs.

The biggest mistake I see is target fixation and not being smooth with your inputs. Probably 2 of the most dangerous mistakes you can make on a motorcycle too.

It is really easy to get in over your head when riding and new riders tend to make the wrong moves in those situations which just leads to disaster. I know of a rider who was killed a couple years ago that way. He was a new rider and was on a GSXR750.

 

[ViviTheMage]

wow, you both used the term visceral to define it, haha.

I am used to needing new rubber often, my 135i eats up pilot super sports...

I have ridden before, I get what is so great about it, I have always been worried about other drivers, and being young and dumb and wanting to go faster then I should. Which is why I have been hesitant to this point, waiting until I was a little older.

 

[sze5003]

wow, you both used the term visceral to define it, haha.

I am used to needing new rubber often, my 135i eats up pilot super sports...

I have ridden before, I get what is so great about it, I have always been worried about other drivers, and being young and dumb and wanting to go faster then I should. Which is why I have been hesitant to this point, waiting until I was a little older.

You just need to take it easy. Getting older won't do anything if you have been used to riding that way. My buddy that helps me take the bike out to a lot each week , well know he rides his and I take mine..he never wears anything but a helmet. And shorts. And here is me looking like a power ranger.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

What happened? You quit riding? Wreck? Just curious.

I just had one too many close calls. Even up in the mountains people are intentionally disrespectful and dangerous. There are so many idiot sportbike riders that even the responsible ones end up getting caught up in crap. I was getting pulled over for completely BS reasons at least once a month.

Long story short, I just wasn't having fun anymore. Every single time I rode, there was *some* major issue... whether redneck running me off the road, cop illegally pulling me over, bimbo putting on makeup and bumping into me, etc etc and it got to where I started to feel like my 'time was up' as far as an accident is concerned.

I sold all of my bikes about a year or two ago and really haven't missed them much. I could definitely see myself getting back into it in a few years, just at this point in my life it wasn't what I felt like doing. I started driving my car more, and while a totally different experience it's still very enjoyable without the frustrations.

 

[Fenixgoon]

how is the Fz6r compared to the GSXR600 or SV 650S even?

Maybe I should try something slower and more comfortable...like a CBR/SV 650

the FZ6R is more of a standard. it's meant to compete against the Ninja 650R, GS650F, and other bikes along those lines.

It has a detuned R6 engine (600cc inline 4), but still is plenty quick (0-60 in <4s, low 12's 1/4 mile. I personally did a 12.8 quarter mile my first time at the drag strip)

here's one review on it: http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-out...suzuki-gsx650f-vs-2010-yamaha-fz6r-89460.html

it's essentially yamaha's entry level sportbike - it has the full fairings like a sportbike, but doesn't have the race-tuned ergos and chassis. but it's no slouch on the corners or the track

feel free to head over to fz6r-forum.com and check out what the guys say (i post there as well). i don't know of any major issues with the fz6r. i've had my bike for 2 years and have 10k miles on it without any problems.

 

[ViviTheMage]

thanks fenix, you still ride a FZ6R?

 

[consolibyte]

I am setting aside 600-800 for gear when I find the right bike,

Go you! *applauds* Seriously, gear is the best investment you can make - it's great to see someone starting off on the right foot!

so with all of the downsides everyone seems to have on bikes, what are the upsides?

It is the most fun you can have with your pants on, bar none.

Especially the track - once you have some riding experience, find the closest track near you, and go for a track day. It's a blast!



As a side note, you definitely won't save any money with a motorcycle - any money you save on gas you'll spend on tires, insurance, gear, and go-fast parts. But it's totally worth it - motorcycles are crazy fun.

 

[Fenixgoon]

thanks fenix, you still ride a FZ6R?

hell yeah! i'm looking to get a supersport, primarily for the track, but the FZ6R makes a great DD.

and i don't baby it either. track days. drag strips. plenty of commuting too. i'm taking a road trip next month to go meet up with a friend for a track day. it's a champ

 

[JulesMaximus]

hell yeah! i'm looking to get a supersport, primarily for the track, but the FZ6R makes a great DD.

and i don't baby it either. track days. drag strips. plenty of commuting too. i'm taking a road trip next month to go meet up with a friend for a track day. it's a champ

Like FG I rode a smaller (read not a supersport) SV650 for 3+ years and just under 17,000 miles. Never got bored with it. It's a great bike and a lot of fun to ride. Now I have a Ducati Monster 1100 which I absolutely love but I kind of wish I still had the SV. It is a little more civilized for the daily commute, got better mileage, and was easier on the wallet when it came to maintenance. I have almost 9,000 miles on the Ducati in a little over a year of ownership.

Despite being 50cc's larger displacement than a 600cc supersport, it is a V-Twin so it makes about the same torque which is great for around town but less hp. The SV650 is around 75hp where the 600cc sport bikes are putting down over 100hp.

 

[ViviTheMage]

hell yeah! i'm looking to get a supersport, primarily for the track, but the FZ6R makes a great DD.

and i don't baby it either. track days. drag strips. plenty of commuting too. i'm taking a road trip next month to go meet up with a friend for a track day. it's a champ

sweet, what kind of MPG were you getting?

 

[z1ggy]

How many miles did you put on the 636? You say you rode it... but was it just around the block? If you rode it for a little while and you felt okay, the gsxr600 I think will be okay, as you said you have other experience as well.

If not or it didn't feel safe/comfortable the SV650 or the FZ6R will probably be a lot better until you decide you want to go for a real sport bike (if you ever did).