I'd like to start out by saying:
1 I have no illusions about my riding ability, I've already taken the MSF course (passed with flyin colors) and
2 I've been driving a sports car with over 320 hp for 2 years and I never push the limits of my car. (Yes I'm a sane driver, yes I know any bike makes that look slow)

So, my question is assuming I have very good self restraint (which I do), can a novice rider handle a gixxer 1000?

Please Note: I wouldnt try to find the bike's limits, I wouldnt do wheelies, I wouldnt do stoppies, I'd spend my 1st month going up and down some tiny street getting the shifting and turning right. Then the next month on back roads. Then... well you get the idea. I know I wouldn't go crazy. I just dont want a bike I'll be bored with in a year. (Also I dont see how riding anything but a sport bike would prepare you for riding a sport bike.)

I'd really appreciate your input

Thanks,

Justin

Novice said:

I'd like to start out by saying:
1 I have no illusions about my riding ability, I've already taken the MSF course (passed with flyin colors) and
2 I've been driving a sports car with over 320 hp for 2 years and I never push the limits of my car. (Yes I'm a sane driver, yes I know any bike makes that look slow)

So, my question is assuming I have very good self restraint (which I do), can a novice rider handle a gixxer 1000?

Please Note: I wouldnt try to find the bike's limits, I wouldnt do wheelies, I wouldnt do stoppies, I'd spend my 1st month going up and down some tiny street getting the shifting and turning right. Then the next month on back roads. Then... well you get the idea. I know I wouldn't go crazy. I just dont want a bike I'll be bored with in a year. (Also I dont see how riding anything but a sport bike would prepare you for riding a sport bike.)

I'd really appreciate your input

Thanks,

Justin



You want the truth ?

"So, my question is assuming I have very good self restraint (which I do), can a novice rider handle a gixxer 1000?"

Short answer ?
NO

Long Answer ?

You will probably get people that say yes you can, and the real off a story about starting on a ferocious sports bike. Take a look at the post count, and take a look at the answers from us old bastards.

The power is not the whole problem, the bikes dynamics are a major "problem" for a new rider.

Then there is the power.

Yes people have survived for a few hundred miles, or maybe even a couple of thousand miles, but frankly, they have survived, not thirved.

An EX500 will run you 320hp car ragged, it will wipe the floor with it, and embrass it under almost any test.

An EX500 is newbie friendly

If you are looking for justification, you will not get it from me......

Thanks

Next Q: Does the same apply for a 600, and if I get an EX500 how long would it be before I could get on a 600 or 1000? (and could I go from a 500 to a 1000?) Btw is a GS500 a good starter bike? I just checked and there's a 2000, for sale at my local dealership (its 2500 good deal?). I'm thinking of making a deal with a dealership where I'd trade in the 500 in a few months (or a yr) for what I paid and get a gixxer. Think its possible?

Oh and yes I know any bike can make a car with 320hp look like it's a 1985 civic with no floor. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(I'm not nuts, I'm not suicidal, and I DO listen to advice.)

Going from an EX500 or GS500 to a GSXR600 is a failry decent sized step.

Going from nothing to either is a very big step too.

I know very many people that have reached a GSXR600 and simply stayed there.

A good time scale ?

Maybe 10,000 miles ?

Maybe less if you take in a lot of training - track school etc.

But, what worries me here, is the "rush" you exhibit to get a GSXR1000.

Yes its the Baddest bike on the block, yes you will score huge posing points if/when you get one, but, and this is a huge "BUT". Unless you have tens of thousands of miles experience, and a HUGE amount of natural talent, you will not even get close to being able to exploit its performance.

Start with small steps, and build up to a GSXR600 in maybe a couple of years.

A well ridden 600 will beat a reasonably well ridden 1000 in all but a roll-on http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

A 1000cc is not a wise choice for a first bike. I've been riding for 8+ years and have never had anything bigger than a 600. todays 600 are incredible machines. I can easily stay ahead of some of the 1000's. If you master a new 600 in one season you should be racing. I was going to get a 750 this season but my local dealer did not have my colour choice. I love the 600's. If you are a new rider you will get raped on Insurance on a 1000. For a first bike an EX 500 is pretty good, cheap to maintain, insure, and hold their value. Where in Ontario are ya?

I think we have all seen the relatively new guys at the track that show up on a liter bike, flog it down the straight like its a drag race and then are painfully slow through the corners. I was on my 600 last year chasing a guy on what I thought was a 250cc two stroke. We were really cooking.http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif When the session was over I stopped to talk to him and found out it was a 125cc two stroke!!! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I would rather ride a bike that I could ride hard at the track then ride something I've always have to be carefull about rear wheel spin coming out of the corners.

I would start no bigger than a SV 650.

http://kneespeed.com/prodth/sldr-AG-Alien-01.jpg

I'm a newer rider have about 5000 miles under my belt i started on a 2k ZX-6R And i do own a 1000 now. BUT i agree with all these guys I didnt buy my GSXR 1000 I got it in a trade I would have never purchased this bike. But i just can t seem to get rid of it I'm planning on getting a SV650 Next year for a track bike so i can learn to ride. For now i am nothing but a poser with a GSXR 1000 and it doesn't feel good http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I'd rather learn to ride right and no way I can do it on this bike its just way to much bike for me. But i got it free and clear with no payments so I'm just going to use it as a cruiser for this year http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif and i feel bad for the poor bike http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif

Get an SV 650 And learn to ride the thing They are cheap to buy hold there value pretty well and with the money you save goto a Superbike school and learn to ride. Also in my plans for next year http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You'll get more respect being able to ride the hell out of a SV 650 then you would posing on a GSXR 1000 http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Unless getting the attention of http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/squid.gif is your goal

I'm in the GTA

Fragle is spot on.........getting a 1ltr as a first bike is madness. If you never owned a dog before would you go out and buy a bloodthirsty Rottweiler as your first dog ??...of course you wouldn't. Well it's the same thing with bikes. I bought a 1ltr after only 1yrs experience and I can tell you it was no fun at all, I never felt I had full control over the bike, also getting my ass kicked by every other bike out there was pretty humiliating.
Get something like an SV or Honda Hornet.

Novice said:

So, my question is assuming I have very good self restraint (which I do), can a novice rider handle a gixxer 1000?




This is a joke, right? RIGHT? http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

Nope Dingo it wasn't a joke (I really didnt know if it was a persons tendancy to want to go fast that was dangerous or the bike).

I'm going to go for a 500 (650 If i can find one), and when I can safely ride the hell outta it I'm going to move up to something bigger.

Thanks everyone (fraggle im in your debt)

Justin

i agree that a 1 liter would kill u. i would at the least-start on a gsxr 600. i learned to ride on a 02' triumph daytona 955i but the fastest i ever went was about 30 mph. a few months later i bought my gsxr600 and i was very comfortable on it after a while. anyway, i went up to Santa Cruz where my uncle lives with the daytona about a monthafter i bought my 600 and i tried to ride that 955i and i couldn't believe how different and harder it was. i barely hit the throttle on that thing and u can just feel the incredible amount of power that thing has. i think if i had a liter bike it would suck cause i couldnt ride. it would ride me.

in about a year or 2 i will hopefully be moving up to a 750.--maybe

let me goive you some info. There was a report done recently on the life span of a GSXR 1000.

It was something like 10-15 days. That means that on average, A new gsxr 1000 is wrecked within 10 -15 days.

I've got a 1000 and I love it. I can ride the crap out of it and I do it on a daily basis. However, I still want to get me one of those 2003 Honda CBR600RR. It is such a great looking bike and I am sure that I could spank a lot of 1000's in the twisties. The newer 600's have more power than the 1100's did in the mid 90's. I think that the GSXR600 is in the 125HP range and the new Honda CBR600RR is in the 135 range as far as power. I could be wrong. I rode a trackday last month and spanked a few 1Ks on the ol' SV650 in the corners really well. I even caused a few ego tripping guys to run off the track trying to stay up with the SV650. I just shook my head thinking what a moron. If I were you, I would go for the EX500 or the SV650. I really like the SV650 cause you can use the motor to slow yourself down without even needing to touch the brakes. And the V-twin power is something else. Tons of fun...Also, if you decide to step up the daily driver bike in power, you can always turn the SV650 into a racebike or a trackbike.

At least you listen to reason and are sensible...commendable.

Novice: I sent you a private message.

What if I get an old Gsxr600? Like '97 or '96. They're cheaper than the GS650
I think they have like 90hp.
I have already passed the Safety Course. Here in Quebec,Canada , u have to pass a 22 hour class before getting your licence. And you don't get your licence in one shot, you have to pass 3 exams (Computer, Closed Circuit, Road). 8 months total mandatory wait between the three exams.

I also rented a '99 CBR400RR for 3 days, and rode it in lots of traffic and curvy mountain roads.

fRaGgLe said:

Going from an EX500 or GS500 to a GSXR600 is a failry decent sized step.

Going from nothing to either is a very big step too.

I know very many people that have reached a GSXR600 and simply stayed there.

A good time scale ?

Maybe 10,000 miles ?

Maybe less if you take in a lot of training - track school etc.

But, what worries me here, is the "rush" you exhibit to get a GSXR1000.

Yes its the Baddest bike on the block, yes you will score huge posing points if/when you get one, but, and this is a huge "BUT". Unless you have tens of thousands of miles experience, and a HUGE amount of natural talent, you will not even get close to being able to exploit its performance.

Start with small steps, and build up to a GSXR600 in maybe a couple of years.

A well ridden 600 will beat a reasonably well ridden 1000 in all but a roll-on http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif





Sorry about quoting this in whole, but I can personally attest to the above comments. I started on a 92 F2 (and it was too powerful a bike to start on in my opinion), and I am still riding (after 15k mi) within the 600 class. Going from a 95 F3 to the 02 GSXR600 was a pretty big step (as anyone who's tried that sort of change can attest). I don't need anything bigger because 90% of my riding is in town and the rest in the mountains. What am I going to do with another 400cc? Do 120 between lights? I find the GSXR line to be a set of machines that require an experienced touch. From power to performance characteristics these are not bikes to learn on. Everyone thinks they can reign in that voice that tells them that they can control the throttle. Whatever. Anyone who's honest (and in some respects lucky) will tell you that they tried it before they were ready. From your posts you sound like you've got a level head; so listen to these guys here who've got a lot of miles on two wheels. In my opinion its better to learn to ride a lower cc bike well (and fast), than to be scared witless on a new bike because the bike is controlling you (and not the other way around as it should be). Anyway, my .02

the best way to answer your question is to get the gixxer 1k and just find out. that's what i did but on a six. learning to ride on a gixxer six i've slid out a couple times but nothing major. if that's the bike you dream about you won't be happy with anything else. i've ridden my squid friend's sv650, although it's a good bike, it feels like a scooter compared to a gixxer.