Okay, I'm setting this aside for everyone to give some advice to people looking at, buying or riding their first bike. Information, experiences, whatever.

Okay, from me: You've all heard get a 600, get your gear, whatever. I'm going to deal with the 600 part.

Yea, someone, somewhere, will try and make fun of you because you bought a 600. Deal with it and don't worry about it. These are the same guys who buy a 1000 just to say they did. A true rider knows that a better rider can hand him his ass on a 250.

The GSX-R 600 isn't a joke, it isn't a small bike and it isn't a wuss bike. This is a track bike with lights so it's street legal. (this goes fro the 99 style and the 2K1, ridden them both). I've been riding since I was 12 or 13 and I'm 29 now. I've ridden twins, V4's, dirt bikes, street bikes, quads, you name it. The GSX-R 600 isn't something to play with though.

I've had mine for almost a year now and am finally in a groove with it. And I'm learning day by day that power doesn't not make up for a lack of skill, it just amplifies your errors later. The 600 will keep up with the bigger bikes and is slightly more forgiving then the 1 liter bikes. But it takes more skill to get it to the same place (shifting, braking, etc) and you'll learn a lot faster. You won't have the extra power to mask your errors or to help you keep up.

It is the kind of bike that will scare you on a daily basis though. Not a bad scare, usually, but it will wake you up if you start daydreaming. Twist the throttle a bit to much in a low gear...Heh, you'll feel the front end unload and the back tire dig in. It's a fun ride, if you're ready for it. If you're not...Well, just be ready for it. images/icons/wink.gif

Anyway, as far as starter bikes go, the GSX-R 600 isn't really a good starter bike. But you could do worse. Would I recommend it as a first bike? Only to someone who is against bikes like the SV650s and such.

Okay, I've rambled enough. I'll let the more experienced riders speak now. graemlins/bounce.gif

[ 04-11-2002, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

The 2K1 GSX-R600 is my first bike and I've had it for a year now. I have to say that a year in I'm really just starting to feel comfortable on it and only now truly believe that I can operate it safely within MY limits. I also believe that being I have to row the gearbox a bit more on a 600, teaches me more about where I should and shouldn't be with regards to thottle and breaking as opposed to just "muscling" my way in and through corners.

I received some invaluble advice the other week from BMF, 1liter and gixxerfever while out on the road.

1. Go at your own pace and not to try to keep up to anyone.

2. Keep it within your limits, it takes a while to really get the hang of it.

3. The more you come out, the more you will learn.

With that said, the gixxer6 is more than enough for a first bike. If they weren't fast... they wouldn't race them. I'll be keeping mine for a couple of more years
graemlins/thumbup.gif

[ 04-11-2002, 04:07 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Good post Pulse, will be going to the FAQ images/icons/smile.gif
Although I would like to add...

GSXR600 is not a good learner bike images/icons/tongue.gif

Anyone looking to start riding should not ride any type R bike, big ass Hardley, or anything above 600cc's.
That being said some good learner bikes are:
Buell Blast
Kawisaki EX500
Kawisaki EX250
Honda Nighthawk 250
Honda Rebel 250 (I rode for 2 years happily)
Suzuki Bandit 600
Suzuki GS500
Suzuki SV650

Sportbikes require alot of respect. Now that doesn't mean that no one has started on a sportbike and ended up fine but if you want to learn the correct way, and the fun way go cheap and go used. Learn what a more standard bike can do. There is plenty of time to build from there.
I have said this many times. Everybody drops thier bike while learning. Not crash but drop. Slow turns, manuvering the bike in a garage are all big time places where this happens. Sportbikes have so much easily breakable plastic parts that are very pricey to even mess with.

Buy one of those bikes used. Even the 250 is a good bike for people 150lbs or less. I personally have rode with a couple guys on EX250's that would smoke alot of riders in the twisties. Learn what you can on that more forgiving bike. Sell it after a year for close to what you payed and get whatever you want images/icons/smile.gif

jontflesh

[ 04-11-2002, 04:10 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

absolutly
get an ex 500 to start with or somthting of that nature they are great starter bikes,

[ 04-11-2002, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Let the people know Tom!!!!!!!

It's just too bad that none of the manufactues make 400cc for the US market. There perfect starter bikes. I rode a Honda CB-1 forever when I first started riding. It was perfect. Cheap, reliable, and forgiving.

Beat the shit out of it, crash it, Flip it over backwards. Great bike.

The best part about a 400 is that it forces you to learn the skills to go fast. Corner speed, brakes, and exit speed. If can go fast on a 400, you can go fast on anything.

So, anyway Tom, When are you gonna get off that bitch bike and get a 750? You do know your girl has a bigger bike than you right? images/icons/wink.gif

[ 04-11-2002, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

anyone can learn on any size bike....myself, i learned on a '93 CBR 600. i thought it was perfect for me. i was not stupid and didnt crank the throttle when i first got it.

i think as a "general rule" a 250-600 is a great starter bike....but a bike is only as powerful as how much you give it gas. so as long as someone is smart and goes slow, a 1000 could be a learner bike. i have been riding for just over 3 years, so im not an expert, but i went from a 600 to the 1000 without a problem. im not into tricks that much yet, so mabye thats why i was fine with a 600...yea, we all dream of doing stand ups and 60mph stoppies, but if you wait 5 years to try that, you will be a much better rider. my theory is get to know the bike first, once you are comfortable with it, respect it and then start to LEARN the stunts, do DO the stunts and I think if you stick with this kind of theory then riders will have far less accidents images/icons/smile.gif

Chip....i bet i can get him on a 750...one day this summer ill let him ride mine...after that it will be history...hes gonna have to have one.

[ 04-11-2002, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Any person that makes fun of a rider for riding a 600 is a moron. The 600 isn't the most powerful machine out there, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't deserve respect.

[ 04-11-2002, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Argh, I'm trying to keep from going bigger yet. images/icons/smile.gif Figure once I can toss the 600 around like it's a BMX bike then I'll be ready to move up.

Seriously though. Almost a year into it and I'm starting to feel completly fine with my bike. Twisties are a lot of fun and, from the few times I've done it, I've learned a lot from them. Things come up fast at highspeeds though and if I didn't have a lot of the skills down to an instinct I'd probably be decorating a tree by now. I took it real slow for the most part. Didn't ever let myself get into an uncomfortable situation for long and never tried to keep up with the pack leaders. Now I can hang through the turns with the better riders and can keep up, or lead if need be, when I want to. I'll be the first to admit that my wheelies are garbage but they are fun. graemlins/bounce.gif My stoppies aren't bad but I don't like what they do to the bike so I don't do them often.

Anyway, I guess what kept me rubber side down was the basics (most of which I'll admit I learned here).

1) Don't try to impress someone. Dead people aren't impressive.

2) Learn at your own pace and don't let ANYONE try and push you.

3) Find good people to ride with. And don't be afraid to not ride with people who make you uncomfortable.

4) Keep your eyes and ears open. Both on the bike and off of it. This will keep you alive while you are on the bike and help you learn while you are off of it.

5) Learn from others mistakes. If someone went wide in turn 2 and lost it. Ask him what he feels is wrong. Or if you hear someone mention why they looped their bike, listen so you don't do the same.

6) Lastly, don't be the quiet one. Ask questions to the point of annoyance, meet as many riders, with as many kinds of bikes, as you can. ASK QUESTIONS. Ignorance can bring death as fast as a SUV going the wrong way.

Okay, enough spam for now. graemlins/bounce.gif

[ 04-11-2002, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

I think 90% of new riders will get big liter bike as a first bike just for pose factor no matter what we say. They think the learning curve is analagous to driving a car but it's not at all. Call me a slow rider but I started out on dirt bike, rode a 500 for a few years, an SV650S and now a 1000. I try and ride within my limits. I'm a good steet rider and am just now learning how to handle twisties (new for me cause my experience riding is all dirt jumps/streetbike). I'm glad I waited to get a big bike like I have now but that's just me. the years on smaller bikes have helped me immensely learn to respect liter bikes.
BTW I think 600 are wicked fast too...it's the rider not the newbie on a 1K.... gotta go

[ 04-11-2002, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Originally posted by Pulse:


1) Don't try to impress someone. Dead people aren't impressive.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I dont mean to be a douchbag, but i understand your point completly, but you can be just as dead on a 600 as a 1000.

[ 04-11-2002, 04:16 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Originally posted by divein6:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Pulse:


1) Don't try to impress someone. Dead people aren't impressive.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I dont mean to be a douchbag, but i understand your point completly, but you can be just as dead on a 600 as a 1000.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">That was more of a general thing. It had to do with not trying to impress people while you are riding, not impress them with what bike you pick. Sorry, I should have specified. graemlins/bounce.gif

[ 04-11-2002, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

I'm starting to feel completly fine with my bike. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You have now entered the danger zone Tom.

Be careful Pulse, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders and some good advice. Use them.

Good luck my brothers.
-D

Great post! I started on my gixxer 600 but I had about 10 years motocross experience. (I know ill get flamed for this) I felt that even though they are 2 different types of bikes it still did teach me some of the basics, like how important body positioning is and to respect the power of the bike. Its been about a year now and im starting to finally feel at home on my 600. images/icons/grin.gif

Originally posted by criminalspeed:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I'm starting to feel completly fine with my bike. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You have now entered the danger zone Tom.

Be careful Pulse, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders and some good advice. Use them.

Good luck my brothers.
-D</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Guess I should be clear here too. images/icons/smile.gif I mean that I now feel comfortable with knowing my limits and the bikes. Granted, it wakes me up daily, but I do stay on my toes.

I know that I've used the bike to, maybe, 65-70% of it's potential. But every ride I scrape a little more out of it. images/icons/grin.gif

[ 04-11-2002, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Well, this is my first bike, and I guess I do all right on it. There have only been two times that my heart started to race. I feel very comfy on my bike. IMHO I think it was a good bike to learn on. Hell, I am still learning. Probably will be all my life.
As for ppl making fun of others riding a 600...they are not only morons, but they are not true riders if you ask me. I really doubt they would still be laughing about it when their buddy on the 600 crashes and dies.
As long as ppl ride within their limits then it really doesn't matter what bike they are on. Just my $.02.

[ 04-11-2002, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Nice post, Pulse. Sounds good to me. I've been riding since 1983, gone through a few bikes, starting really small. 83 Honda MB5 (50cc), 80something honda twinstar 250, 82 Yamaha Seca Turbo (650cc turbocharged), 97 yamaha yzf 600, 01 gsx/r 1k. I started small and cheap, but it was (like you said) much easier to learn all the other things you need to know. From what I've seen/heard (my opinion) I don't know that I would really recommend any of the new 600cc sportbikes as beginner machines with the possible exception of the yamaha yzf 600r. Even with as forgiving as they are, they can get new riders in over their heads and quick.
Of course, heres where I prove my Squidlyness. I went from a 600 to the 1k, because I wanted a bit more power. I was having trouble keeping up with some of my riding partners (r6, r1, rc51, cbr900 (2),gixxer 600) mostly on the straights, I could close the gap in the corners though. Of course, now that I'm in Fl there are no corners. (Used to live in Maine, some great roads in New England)
So I went and threw down on the 1k. Why, I did this made sense to me then. I didn't want to go from a 600 to one that made 10 hp more. Only suzuki makes a 750. The honda 929 didn't feel comfortable to me. then I looked at the 1K's, the R1 and the mighty Gixxer. The yamaha was just missing something, that I cant place. I tried the 750 and the 1K, they feel the same in sitting on them, and for the $900, I figured what the hell (poser value) and got the 1k.
Hell, I can catch anything in a straight line now, but the corners is where I lose time now (pussy factor?)
All I can say is that a newbie on a 1K is most likely an accident looking for a place...
I've been caught out on the 1K, this has so much potential. Of course, I've never ridden a machine that will do fourth gear power wheelies before, especially one that does it with so little persuasion.

One of my neighbors kids wants a sportbike big time, and I've become #1 on her shit list by getting a new bike, that she now has to hear about. (No, I didn't offer to sell my YZF600 to him) I keep telling him that most of the sportbikes are not for beginners and that he should look at either the gs500/550's or the ex500 ninjas. As they are more forgiving and cheaper in most aspects (insurance, crash repair, etc)

Thanks for the great post. Maybe we can lower the nuber of "CRASHED MY BIKE TODAY" and "ANOTHER BROTHER WENT DOWN" posts.

Originally posted by Jon T. Flesh:
Good post Pulse, will be going to the FAQ images/icons/smile.gif
Although I would like to add...

GSXR600 is not a good learner bike images/icons/tongue.gif

Anyone looking to start riding should not ride any type R bike, big ass Hardley, or anything above 600cc's.
That being said some good learner bikes are:
Buell Blast
Kawisaki EX500
Kawisaki EX250
Honda Nighthawk 250
Honda Rebel 250 (I rode for 2 years happily)
Suzuki Bandit 600
Suzuki GS500
Suzuki SV650

Sportbikes require alot of respect. Now that doesn't mean that no one has started on a sportbike and ended up fine but if you want to learn the correct way, and the fun way go cheap and go used. Learn what a more standard bike can do. There is plenty of time to build from there.
I have said this many times. Everybody drops thier bike while learning. Not crash but drop. Slow turns, manuvering the bike in a garage are all big time places where this happens. Sportbikes have so much easily breakable plastic parts that are very pricey to even mess with.

Buy one of those bikes used. Even the 250 is a good bike for people 150lbs or less. I personally have rode with a couple guys on EX250's that would smoke alot of riders in the twisties. Learn what you can on that more forgiving bike. Sell it after a year for close to what you payed and get whatever you want images/icons/smile.gif

jontflesh<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">John-

Ill add another bike. Im still on my first bike, a Ninja ZX-6. Its not the 6R. I feel the zx-6 is a good bike to learn because it doesnt jump right away but can keep up(for the most part). I know its a kawi but hell its still a bike adn its better than not riding at all.

graemlins/thumbup.gif For all of the above graemlins/thumbup.gif

May i suggest a restriction on what bikes learners can ride in their first yr [Like what other countries have] ? Based on power - weight ratio. images/icons/smile.gif

KaTz

[ 04-11-2002, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

May i suggest a restriction on what bikes learners can ride in their first yr [Like what other countries have] ? Based on power - weight ratio. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Katz, They will bringing this law in to Victoria very soon. I have a friend who works at a car dealership and they got a fax saying that thee will be a 500cc limit, not to sure on the power to weight tho. I'm guessing that it wil rule out RGV's and CBR 250's.

Typhon

Actually, I think power restrictions for people new to class M DL's (which would have included me as mine had lapsed years before I got my current one) would be awsome. But I don't even want to know the kind of hell that would cause here.

To many people down here think driving/riding whatever they want is their RIGHT. They do not understand that they don't have any constitutional right to drive/ride. graemlins/bounce.gif

Anyway, I think it's an awesome idea, and would keep people alive, but, sadly, I don't see it happening. images/icons/frown.gif

[ 04-11-2002, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Good points by all...

I've had my 600 for nearly a year now, and just when I've started feeling comfortable on it I've noticed that when drivin correctly, wow.. my 600 is a ravenous beast.. I've never pegged the throttle in 2nd or 3rd even with the tach over 8-9 grand.. holy cow does that thing pull.. Definitly killed the urge I had to upgrade until I've been on it at least 2-3 years now.. Gotta get rid of those chicken strips too images/icons/smile.gif (hey, I'm working on it, lay off!!)

- Gary

[ 04-11-2002, 04:19 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

Originally posted by Pulse:
Actually, I think power restrictions for people new to class M DL's (which would have included me as mine had lapsed years before I got my current one) would be awsome. But I don't even want to know the kind of hell that would cause here.

To many people down here think driving/riding whatever they want is their RIGHT. They do not understand that they don't have any constitutional right to drive/ride. graemlins/bounce.gif

Anyway, I think it's an awesome idea, and would keep people alive, but, sadly, I don't see it happening. images/icons/frown.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The idea of regulation to save lives is downright scary. When does regulation stop?
graemlins/idea.gif Maybe all people should ride bikes less than 600cc's. Certainly an experienced rider would be safer on this than a larger bike.
Basing rules on the time a rider has been licensed is a mess! It should be based on experience, maturity, and ability. Unfortunately I know far too many guys who have great abilty and experience but little in the way of brains...

I've had my "little" 600 for 4.5 years now and I see no need to upgrade. For the few occasions when I'm actually flat out, an indicated 160mph is quite nice, thanks. I don't even get left very far behind my mate's TL-R's in a straight line.

As for cornering, well, I don't ride the wheels off it yet. I ride for my own enjoyment, am happy to be the slowest rider in the group as long as I'm having fun. And I won't always be the slowest rider images/icons/wink.gif

When I can ride the shit out of my 600, then I'll upgrade, and not before.

[ 04-11-2002, 04:20 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

I agree with a lot with what was said on this post being that I ride the "lil" 600 too.

I learned on a NInja 750 but I don't think that means jack. I don't think that a 600 is a good bike to learn on being that the new 600 cost so much money. Yeah if anyone takes their time they will do just fine I agree with that too.

Why risk it? Just get a more forgiving bike that you can make mistakes with to grow from and learn.

If anyone there will always be people that break out of the norm and more power to them. I will just try to help my friends take it slow.

[ 04-11-2002, 04:21 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

I feel all warm and fuzzy inside, finally posted something worth a damn here. graemlins/bounce.gif

[ 04-11-2002, 04:23 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

I started on a 2002 Kawasaki EX250...I would reccommend that to anyone. I learned exactly what to do and what not to do on that thing. Within the first hour that I had it, I crashed. Well I popped the clutch and the bike went left and I went right...can you say "high side fall???" After that I learned that I had to respect the bike, and for that matter any bike that I may be riding. I had that bike for about 6 months, in the winter none the less, and I put up over 3K miles on it. You don't learn without riding...

I now have an 02' Gixxer 600, and I love it. Now that I know the in's and out's of riding, I can completely enjoy riding my bike.

I'll never "dog" anyone for riding a 250 or 500, I look at it as, hey you've gotta start somewhere. I ride for the shear pleasure of feeling the wind in your face...It's something that I do by myself,for myself, and with myself, it reflects my independence. I ride for those people out there who are paralyzed, or can't walk or can't see. For my friend that doctor's tell her will be lucky if she can walk in 5 years. These people who can't have that rush...that feeling.

I started on a 2002 Kawasaki EX250...I would reccommend that to anyone. I learned exactly what to do and what not to do on that thing. Within the first hour that I had it, I crashed. Well I popped the clutch and the bike went left and I went right...can you say "high side fall???" After that I learned that I had to respect the bike, and for that matter any bike that I may be riding. I had that bike for about 6 months, in the winter none the less, and I put up over 3K miles on it. You don't learn without riding...

I now have an 02' Gixxer 600, and I love it. Now that I know the in's and out's of riding, I can completely enjoy riding my bike.

I'll never "dog" anyone for riding a 250 or 500, I look at it as, hey you've gotta start somewhere. I ride for the shear pleasure of feeling the wind my your face...It's something that I do by myself,for myself, and with myself, it reflects my independence. I ride for those people out there who are paralyzed, or can't walk or can't see. For my friend that doctor's tell her will be lucky if she can walk in 5 years. These people who can never have that rush...that feeling.

now this makes me think of stuff the site needs

we need well written ARTICLES!

posts like this are great, but newbies will never find them images/icons/frown.gif

I think that Pulse makes a really good point about riding within your limits. I'm a living example to all of you...My gixx 600 was my first bike...learned on it and all. I thought I was the shit. Well don't ever underestimate the power of 600 as I promptly looped my bike in a wheelie and highsided chasin an R1(what was I thinkin). I've seen guys on 600's dust 1000's on twisties. Some guys get the bike just to have it and say they have the baddest bike out their. I've been riding 3 yrs. and have been comfortable with it for 1 1/2 yrs. now. Time for me to upgrade to a 750...but thats just me. ohhh and another benefit of starting out low on the cc's...INSURANCE. given it is a hassle to get a begginer bike and learn then sell it and refinance to get another bike it's probably worth it in the log run. images/icons/wink.gif

I'd add a used Katana 600 to the list of decent bikes to learn on. It's nice in the sense that it has decent power and looks without the jaw-dropping power curve. Much more forgiving than the racer-replicas. I had a Katana way back in 1988 when they first came out as Suzuki's first 600 sportbike. It was a great bike and would even be good to learn some basic stunting on.

That damn thing was so heavy though...balancing point wheelies and 12 o'clocks were basically the same thing. I think I'm getting a little sentimental thinking back on it. graemlins/crying.gif Why someone stole that after 25,000 hard miles back in '91 is still a mystery to me. Man, that was a long time ago. I'm starting to show my age.

I just did a track day on Sunday. The track is the fastest in the country. The average lap speed is 170 km/h. There were a few guys on Honda RS 125s. They beat more than 90% of the riders. Their cornering speed is so high even mighty Hayabusas could not catch them on the straights. I had my knee down doing about 170 km/h when this tiny 125 came flying past me on the outside as if I was standing still.
Forget all the hype about new bikes in the magazines. Only true racing experts can notice the difference between a R1 and a GSXR1000 performance wise. The majority of us is faster on a smaller bike. I myself was fastest on a GSXR400. I'm actually slower on the 1100.
Think about it.

Originally posted by Kennedy:
Any person that makes fun of a rider for riding a 600 is a moron. The 600 isn't the most powerful machine out there, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't deserve respect.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I agree. I had several friends tell me that I should not get a 600 as a first bike, and that I should start with at least a 750. I bought the 600 anyway and after the MSF and 4000 miles on that bad boy under my belt, I was handing them their asses on their 750's and their 1000's. . .

As others have said an advanced rider on a 600 or less will hand a mediocre rider on a 1000 his ass. . graemlins/bash.gif

I've had my gix for almost a year now and i've still not gotten the full potential out of it.I can wheelie a little and stoppie's i'm working on. i'm just now feeling like the bike is part of me but still have plenty to go. The six was my first bike the only other thing i had expeirecne with is quads.(totally) different. I never road anything smaller then a 600 and i feel it was a pretty decent starter bike i mean i know the smaller ones would help with the learning aspect of it but if you do what i did wich was ride i don't wanna say in fear but ride alert and you will do just fine. i myself have no problem keepin up with 750's r1's whatever can't beat em but i can hang it just takes time. i do however feel if i had bought a 1000 i think i would've looped it in the process of learning wheelie's the 6 rips em fine and if i had my buddy's R1 for the first bike 2 weeks and i bet i'd be down just from lack of expereince the big toys are for big boys not just some punk kid thinkin he's gonna blow evryone's doors off and pull the meanest wheelies casue if that's the case order yourself a tombstone before you go for your first ride. not sayin you can't get a 1000 for first bike but you gotta 99% chance of wreckin have fun payin for plastics. sorry about the ranting and ravin that's my $02

First bike ????........you can't go wrong with a Honda Hornet 600. They look good, easy to ride, reliable, fast (..enough), cheap to buy, and even when you get a bit of experience they're still fun to ride. If u want something a bit tasty get a Ducati Monster...they cost a bit more though.

Originally posted by mtmra70:
anyone can learn on any size bike....myself, i learned on a '93 CBR 600. i thought it was perfect for me. i was not stupid and didnt crank the throttle when i first got it.

i think as a "general rule" a 250-600 is a great starter bike....but a bike is only as powerful as how much you give it gas. so as long as someone is smart and goes slow, a 1000 could be a learner bike. i have been riding for just over 3 years, so im not an expert, but i went from a 600 to the 1000 without a problem. im not into tricks that much yet, so mabye thats why i was fine with a 600...yea, we all dream of doing stand ups and 60mph stoppies, but if you wait 5 years to try that, you will be a much better rider. my theory is get to know the bike first, once you are comfortable with it, respect it and then start to LEARN the stunts, do DO the stunts and I think if you stick with this kind of theory then riders will have far less accidents images/icons/smile.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">very well said like me i am going to learn on an 03 r6.a lot of the people i know has started out on the r6,gsx-r600,i don't think not one of them has yet to lay their bike down.sept one which wasn't his fault.i have a level head and i don't like pushing my limits.that is the reason why i won't ride with other people.oh i am takeing the msf cource b4 i jump on any bike.well i have said my .02 .

See, you are talking like you want to act responsible, and that you will, but you are on ly 15 years old, and your signature is "when in doubt...gas the mofo"...where do you get that kind of reasoning with exactly 0 experience??? You don't even have a drivers lisence to operate a car...and now you say that you want to start on an R6???? What is your problem??? How big are you, meaning how tall are you, how much do you weigh...if you are big enough, shit why not try and conquer an R1??? If you are going to be so ballsy, and not listen to what other people that have been riding longer than you have to say, then don't come back here bitching when you drop that motherfucker and land your ass in the hospital. When I started to learn, I tried on a gixxer 750, thinking I was soooo bad ass, and didn't listen to people that told me it was too big of a bike(and i'm six foot tall)...even the sv650...is stiill a bigger bike, but easier to manage when you are just starting out. At 15, yeah it would be nice to have a brand new '03 R6, but not if it's only going to last a week.

Ouch, harsh reply above me...sheesh. Anyways, I started with a brand new 2002 gsxr600 and am thankful I did. I originally was going to take the "learn it slow and be safe" road, and get a ninja250 or something, but thankfully I realized that I would tire of that very quickly.

For those of you that are serious about buying your first bike, I would recommend going new. For one, with a new bike, you have the break in period. This was so nice for me to get used to the bike for the first 500 miles, keeping the rpms below 5000. Imagine if I had bought a used gsxr600? I remember the first time I really got on it, I about pissed myself. Now think if I hadn't gotten used to the bike for a good 1000 miles before that? I'd probably have died. Now I realize that people say "everyone drops their first bike, so why make it a new, expensive one?" Well to you i say BULLSHIT. Not everyone drops their first bike. My bike doesn't have a scratch on it *knock on wood*, I've never dropped it *knock on wood*, never laid it down *knock on wood*, and don't plan to. If you're careful with your bike like I am (i mean cmon, an 8000 dollar toy you'd better fucking be careful) you probably will be fine.

I don't know, the '02 gsxr600 is a bad ass bike, and can take me as fast as I want to go. I will definately be with her for another year, if not 2 more. So I think if you can get the money, go new, it will force you to not get on it until you're atleast somewhat used to the bike.

Originally posted by margolik:
Ouch, harsh reply above me...sheesh. Anyways, I started with a brand new 2002 gsxr600 and am thankful I did. I originally was going to take the "learn it slow and be safe" road, and get a ninja250 or something, but thankfully I realized that I would tire of that very quickly.

For those of you that are serious about buying your first bike, I would recommend going new. For one, with a new bike, you have the break in period. This was so nice for me to get used to the bike for the first 500 miles, keeping the rpms below 5000. Imagine if I had bought a used gsxr600? I remember the first time I really got on it, I about pissed myself. Now think if I hadn't gotten used to the bike for a good 1000 miles before that? I'd probably have died. Now I realize that people say "everyone drops their first bike, so why make it a new, expensive one?" Well to you i say BULLSHIT. Not everyone drops their first bike. My bike doesn't have a scratch on it *knock on wood*, I've never dropped it *knock on wood*, never laid it down *knock on wood*, and don't plan to. If you're careful with your bike like I am (i mean cmon, an 8000 dollar toy you'd better fucking be careful) you probably will be fine.

I don't know, the '02 gsxr600 is a bad ass bike, and can take me as fast as I want to go. I will definately be with her for another year, if not 2 more. So I think if you can get the money, go new, it will force you to not get on it until you're atleast somewhat used to the bike.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">i learned on a gixx750; i have a year of streeting, and 9 years dirt; im getting a USED gixx600 (00-01) for the first bike i will truly own all by myself. Dirting does not help as much as many people said; to me, they are two different animals.

I love the streetbikes and have ridden a cornucopia of varieties. I can push the 600's a little, but i dare not all-out open up the 750. images/icons/tongue.gif

I didn't particularly choose to learn on a 750, it's all that was available. But i'm happy moving down to a 600. images/icons/smile.gif

My first bike was a 1996 katana 600 when I was 19. It taught me a lot. What are your guys' opinions about starting on a bike like that? I ask because I have a friend that wants to buy the katana from me now that I have my gsx-r 750. I don't want to sell it to him if it won't help him at all. P.S. i rode dirtbikes for years before i got the katana so i at least had riding knowledge

I agree that most people will not listen to your cries about starting on a reasonable bike, but if its any consolation to you; this newbie is listing very closely. I&amp;#8217;m just now getting into the whole biking world and I am taking the advise of you and all those who urge caution by planning to get a sv650 and start out slow.

ther are all good tipes i have a friend that wants to get a new bike and i thought that if he read this he would get a good idea. so i printed it out for him .. thanks fellas!!! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

I feel the same way mxsuzuki does.

I've been riding MX since 1987 and you do actually learn a lot from riding motocross. I understand they are completely different animals in most senses, but sometimes not. You still have to use the clutch, modify the power delivery (with or without clutch) and body positioning is a factor. That would even help you avoid something in your way on the street. I understand things happen pretty damn quick on the street that you have to react to, but in actuality, it's the same in MX. Ever try to miss a downed rider right in front of you? Your instincts take over and you manuever the bike to miss that person (well you hope you miss them). I feel a lot of that transfers over to a street bike.

Does this make me an expert? FAAARRR FROM. I still have TONS to learn on a street bike, however, what I have learned from MX experience is to be careful, respect the bike, respect the others around you and look where the hell you're going and don't do anything stupid. heehehhe http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Well, that's my $0.015 cents. I'll put the other half a cent in some other time. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

hello, well i consider myself to be one of the lucky few, bought my first bike gsxr6, 99' and loved the damn thing to death. logged 10,000 total miles without dropping or crashin an' although i wouldn't ever recommend anyone ever doing it like i did, i learned to ride carefully and slowly over hours and hours of continuous riding (not just gettin on to work). I would ride for 12 hours every day stopping only to eat, sleep et c. ( kissd and hugged the thing at night wouldve slept with it if i couldve rumored that i wore a groove in the seat!). I dont think that gettin on for short periods does any good, doesnt give u the feel that u are one with the bike and feel the road. And i met lots of other riders during that time that didnt have their bikes for very long because they couldnt really handle them. Choose who u ride with carefully too, if you ride with a ego you might eventually be brought down by em' too. I dont ride next to idiots. you are the company u keep. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

i agree with flyin^^ i wouldnt wanna ride with anyone who woyuld put me in danger... http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/nono.gif

my first bike is an 01 gsxr 600, i can ride fine and thats the bike i learned on, if you respect the bike and stay within your limits its a fine learning bike and then once your good and ready will scare you on a daily basis as someone said before.....im just curious, all the guys who say so start out on an sv650 or a bandit or anything like that...what did you guys start on? i bet a bunch of you started on a 600

The SV650 is a great bike to start out on since it is very forgiving and easy to ride and has enough power to keep you happy if you want to go fast. It will power away from alot of 4 cylinder bikes off the line but they will catch you and pass you at speeds that are starting to get scarry. If you read the articles on it it is a great bike in the twisties.
When I got mine I was doing wheelies by accident until I got used to it. I even had it doing a small wheelie going from 4th to 5th gear off the line one day. didn't realize it until I hit 5th and the wheel came back down. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I traded bikes with a guy on a Katana 600 and it was so lame off the line that I wouldn't be happy on that bike. funny thing was, he got off my bike and said "that was scarry".
I also didn't like the feel of the Bandit 600 since it was almost 100lbs heavier and seemed top heavy. like most of the "R" bikes , I can put the SV between my legs when stopped and bounce it back and forth without it getting away or dropping it.
Before you buy any bike, call and get a price on insurance first. I'm 42 and progressive wanted $340 for a Bandit 600, $750 for the Katana 600 and $1000 for the SV650S http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. I called Formost and got the SV650S for $340 with 3 times the coverage that progressive was giving.
Sorry for the long post but I hope this helps anyone.

Had a friend just get his new bike, a Ninja 250. He asked me what I thought both before he got it and after I rode it one night, and I told him both times that for him and for a first bike he made an excellent choice. He is too short for anything much bigger, and he has no other motorcycle experience other than the basic knowledge of what controls do what. It is a very forgiving bike that will definatly not overpower him in the enigne department. Those of you that started out on an "R" bike and are still here today without mishap are in the vast minority. Everyone has to start somewhere, it just isn't always in the same place. No matter what your first bike is, be careful, learn the basics, and as someone said above, DON'T let anyone push you.

The reuglations here are a little over the top.

16-17 --&gt; 50cc moped
17-19 --&gt; 125cc (restricted to 16 hp)!!! (though most play around with the restrictor)
19-21 --&gt; 125cc (unrestricted)

21 you are deemed old enough to attempt killing yourself.

I think this discourages all but the most hardcore people to give it a try.
(might be a good thing)

Anyways, after a few years on a zxr400, I can afford to move up! (around 3 years after bans http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

Do you think I should go for a 600 or the whole hog to a litre??

i may be a bit out of tune here but i started out on a gs 750 e and after riding that for a while learning the basics i bought a gpz 900 r and i must admit although it was a small step cc wise i was overwelmed by the power the first months i had it,.

so i guess after you learned the basics on that you could easily take the step tot a 1000 just make sure you're not over confident and respect the power at hand

i was reading your post and i dissagree. it was some good advice so i dont know if it is me or not but i recently bought a 2003 gixxer6 and i have had no problems on it. it is my first street bike but i have been riding dirt for a while now. i think its all in the rider and how he precieves his own skills. but it was very intresting and thank you.

i was reading your post and i dissagree. it was some good advice so i dont know if it is me or not but i recently bought a 2003 gixxer6 and i have had no problems on it. it is my first street bike but i have been riding dirt for a while now. i think its all in the rider and how he precieves his own skills. but it was very intresting and thank you.



Right on.. its all a matter of attitude. You can preach SV650 or ninja 250 all day.. but you can take one of those out, think your a badass and your still gonna end up gettin hurt. I learned on a cbr900rr.. what a horrible choice.. but i did spend *weeks* riding figure 8's in parking lots and up and down a driveway.. slow turning.. and admitted that i didn't know ANYTHING about really riding a streetbike, and let my friend with 10+ yrs of riding experience teach me.. eventually i took his 900 out on the road and everything went fine... It can go fine if you respect it... I respected it because i knew it WOULD kick my ass. I put more miles on his bike than he did till he got rid of it recently. never droped it.. 2 yrs later i I just got my first bike (first one i owned, not first one i rode of course).. i got a gsxr-600.. everyone says its a bad choice, but i respect it and i haven't went down yet.. i know i will though.. i have never went down so i know my time is coming, everyone goes down, but its getting back up that counts. Instead of just preaching about not getting an 'R' bike, preach about attitude... The guys that don't know anything and think because they see all these kickass bikes going down the road its not that hard and want the bike today and plan on driving off the lot straight to join the big group of riders, are the ones who are screwed.. The dealer can talk them into gettin an sv650 but it can still end up a nice tree ornamant. I know i still have a lot to learn, but i haven't/don't regret learning the way i did.. In 2 yrs i have never rode with other people.. so i guess i may just suck and have gotten lucky all this time.. but riding alone is great, take everything at your own pace, go where you want to go and wave at all the other riders http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/punk.gif

I'm happy with my 600.. i think its hella nice and comfortable.. I doubt i will upgrade for a long while no matter how much of the bike i feel like i am using.. why do u need to go faster than 150? But looking back.. i think the sv650's are kinda dope now.. Maybe when i get some more flowage i will grab one and turn it into a track bike.. But anyways.. don't let dumb people hurt themselves on a smaller bike.. if they are gonna be stupid, they are gonna be stupid no matter what kind bike they are riding.. If they last for a while with a ninja 250 and go get their first R bike.. they are gonna eat there ass.. its more about attitude and respect than it is the type of bike you get.

imma go ride now http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif

be safe

A 1000 is not to be taken lightly if you can ride one "well" you can ride them all. Notice I said well. Start low and work your way up. It does make a difference gain experience on a smaller bike, the throttle on a bigger bike is very unforgiving and it isn't as easy to sling around in turns. Respect is one thing being thrown into a situation to make a decision on a big bike is another. You have to be able to ride because a lot of drivers in cars do not pay attention and do not see us. You can never have anough training.

The GSXR600 is no learner bike... Mabye in the states where roads are straight and wide then blasting for miles in a straight line may be fun (for a while). Come visit Scotland to find some of the best roads in the world with the fewest number of speed cameras in Europe.
On the narrow twisty A roads arround Loch Lomand the Gixxer 6 will keep up with the biger litre bikes no problem. Keep it near the top end and it is as nervous as a coke head at the policemans ball.
Even to go from a learner bike (125cc in the UK) to the Gixxer 6 has to be done with a totaly new mindset. Way too much power for a newbye (new bee) if its to be ridden properly in the twisties.

Number one rule mate... Never race the locals

Go as fast as you dare but never go into the bend too fast... You only scare yourself and fixate on one point of the bend (where you look you go) instead of the vanishing point.

Anyone who thinks they can learn to ride a bike safely on a sports 600 is likely to end up a statistic. A GSXR600 is, for Suzuki, the pinacle of performance for a bike in the 600 class. What you ride on the road is more or less what you race on the track. Do Suzuki advertise the Gixxer 6 as a learner bike? No, its a race rep. Its function is not to putter about. It was bred to be thrashed to the very limit of its existance to give all the performance it could.

I just bought a gsxr600 7/24/03 . 4 my first bike at age 25. B4 that I had practicly no experience besides many hours as a kid on a little Rupp at my grandmas cottage. Well anyways its sweet but wish i got the 750. Took me an few hours to feel confortable in tight turns. Just have to trust your bike and take it slow at first.

my first bike was a 750 00' and i never rode a bike in my life except a damn scooter. fucking loved that thing untill i crashed it a year later though. got me a 600 now. almost as fast and easier to do tricks

thats true man a 600 is more of a race rep

Another great bike is the Honda Nighthawlk 450. I learned to ride on that bike, great bike and very easy to ride. I also like most people dropped it in my garage and dropped it on the street on a slow turn out of a parking lot. These are things that just happen, to everyone. A nice GSXR would cost some money to have fixed, but with this type of bike (nighthawlk) it dosn't matter. After that I bought a Honda CBR 600 1992. This was another great transition bike because it had some power, but not that of the more modern 600's especially Suzuki. I rode this for a couple years and now I just bought a 1997 GSXR 6 and I love it. The 1997 has more power than my Honda and is much more nimble. Starting out slow is just the way to go and if you are told anything less than that person is crazy, or just watched Biker Boyz and thought it was real. In real life your "life" is on the line and a 600 will take it from you just as easy as a 1000 would. You have to respect the bike you ride no matter what it is. A 6 is big enough for anyone, I have never seen someone that is so good that a 6 will just not do, and when I hear this type of bull shit that a 6 is just too small, thats all it is, is bull shit.

this site tends to view people new to bikes as total dumbasses, it groups everyone together as a dick who has no idea about how a bike works.any one with a touch of common sense will realise that the throttle of a gsxr is connected to a ballistic missile and will slowly learn how to control it. if they do not they would probaly kill themselves crossing the road.my brother is a pilot but the thought of him getting on my 1k has him pissing himself. so come on treat us like adults. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/piss.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/piss.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/piss.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/piss.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/nono.gif

Valid point, but at the same time, there are 500 people who want to be "adults" who do get killed from their stupidity. Last week an 18 year old boy who had his mother sign his loan papers wrecked on his way home from the dealership. 130 mph and guardrails don't mix. He was dead less than two miles from where his mother had yet to get in the car. If advice doesn't apply to you, get over it. There are plenty of people it does.

Thanks for all the information guys, much appreciated. I am thiking about getting a bike for the first time.

Taking it SLOW of course, I think it may be nicer to learn at an older age, Im a little more careful in everyday life, actually understanding I can die or break my body at any moment.

Im 23, 6'5 about 275 pounds living in Los Anegels. I was thinking about learning on an older Suzuki 600 maybe a 91-98. Possibly a Honda or Yamaha 600's as well.

A few questions:

With the above weight and hieght in mind. Are there any suggestions as to what bike I should get? Im a big guy(still want a "sport bike")....want to be safe but dont want to l be a "fat guy on a little bike"
Whats the biggest low powered sport bike for a tall guy?

Is it possible to raise the height of a bike for a taller rider?

Is an older 600 safer than a newer one?

Thanks for all the help guys.

5'6 - 145 lbs. - 16 yrs. old - fair build - city of Chicago resident - COMPLETE newbie &amp; trying to find out everything I can - like my skin, don't like the idea of crashing

So you've got a basic understanding of who I am.

My plan is to get an M class license (my state's motorcycle license requirement) within the next year, and get a motorcycle within the next two years. It will be my first, and I have NO motorcycle experience. I haven't even driven a scooter, though I'd never want to be seen in public on one of those pussy-mobiles. I'll also look for all the free safety courses I can before buying a bike, particularly the MSF course that I hear so much about. The last thing I want to hear are accusations about having been too naive while buying a motorcycle, so I'm annoying every good motorcycle site I can find.

The hardest part though is that I'm not even nearly a car guy, so I'm usually in over my head when I start reading messages by life-long riders who know how to compare every spec and ratio on their car or bike. What I've picked up so far: Bikes are classified by their cubic centimeter displacements, and most good bikes fall between 600 and 1000 ccs. There are basically three types of bikes: Morotcross types, Sport bikes, and Cruisers. I'm most interested in sport bikes, as most teenagers and new riders probably are. From what I've read here and heard from other places, 600s are probably the best starter bike. Though they're powerful, it sets you up for more power without actually pumping 1000 ccs out of your ass. Plus, one person I talked to seemed very convinced that 500s and under felt nothing like 600s and over. He said somethin' like, once you've ridden a 600, you'll be more comfortable with more power, but if you start with 500s then you'll feel like a newbie all over again when you hop onto a 600+. He advised me to test drive both a 500 and 600 to note the difference.

Anyway though, I'm mainly here to try and understand what makes 1000s so much faster and powerful compared to the 500s. When I buy a bike, it will probably be based mostly on the cool look of the bike, because I don't need to race anyone [don't know anyone I could race], and I'm not too worried about looking like a beginner on a used bike, because at 5'6 and 18 years old (age I'll probably be when I buy the bike) I don't think I could avoid looking like a newbie if I tried. So I don't need something super powerful, though I'd still like to feel a little pride in case I pull up next to anoter rider. 600 seems like the best choice for me. I need to understand more about ccs though, and the difference between R types and non-R types. Hell, I don't even know what torque and clutch mean, let alone a bore x stroke ratio. Can anyone offer explanations to a future rider? I'd REALLY appreciate it. This place was recommended for knowing everything about bikes, and I'm desperate to figure out all the corners of any bike I ride. I want to be able to look at a bike on the street and recognize it, and understand what I'm looking at when I look at the motorcycle's guts and engine. If I have to become the stereotypical car guy, so be it, but I want to know everything about motorcycles, and then learn more.Thanks for reading such a long post, and thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

Dont know what laws they have in victoria but i know here in NSW they just bought in up to 600cc of course with power and weight limits though. But RGV's are definalty ruled out here but cbr 250's are fine... I can't believe every state here has totally different rules for motorbikes etc... http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

I agree that its all a matter of a persons attitude and respect towards the bike. I had a friend who got a cbr954 for his first bike. Stepped up from a cr125 and has been fine. In fact, he even rode it home from the dealership. He is not the average rider. He was able to stay smart, controlled, and within his limits. The first time I ever rode was on a yzf600r. My friend briefly explained how the controls worked and I went around the neighborhood a few times. With practice I became a little more comfortable. It's all about attitude, but most people would not be ready to start out on a R bike. I do recommend taking the msf course before you make any decesion on a bike. Don't make a judgement if you've never been on a bike, because it's not a toy.

I started on a zx6 d about six years ago, I rode that for 6 months. then i joined the Army and was bounced around for 5 years. I recently 3 months ago purchased a gixxer 1k. Yeah an 03. And i feel comfortable on it. I'm 29 and Not crazy on it. Although i have done a couple of wheelies here and there for the most part I have not gotten too crazy with it and do understand this thing can at any time kill me. My "friend" really a guy I work with purchsed a 93 modified gixxer 750 4 or 5 weeks ago. He's put 3000 + miles on his first bike and can ride the gas tank and wheelie all day long. His confort level is very high. He just seems to be a natural. A little crazy maybe but he rides well. I believe that people who know there limits and are comfortable exploring them in thier own time can successfully transition to 1000's. hell I feel way more comfortable on my 1000 then my friends r6.

Alot of good reading on owning a new bike!

I've had a few previous bikes when I was younger, small dirt bikes, enduro's and a yamaha 650 street bike (older one). 2 Wrecks in my youth, a slide out with road rash and I hit a truck that decided to turn around in the middle of the road just over top a small blind hill at 75mph breaking 14 bones. (yes I was on it and hilltopping to get some air)


Just turned 40 and was getting the itch to own another bike have always liked the sport bikes. Interestingly enough I was considering a 600cc class but none of the local shops let you "test drive" motorcycles. Previously owning an older 650 I was worried about the 600 sport bikes not being enough for highway stretches (boy was i wrong). So I settled in on and bought a GSX-R 1000.

Alot of the comments here are very true on this bike, insanely fast, handles and brakes well and not for the timid. I could not have picked a better bike in this class and am absolutly crazy about the bike. A little nervous on it af first but once you adjust to it and gain confidence in the bike and your ability to ride it your all set. One thing for certain, this bike is not for someone who is out of control and insane, you have to respect it for sure and use good judgement when riding, especially when hammering through the curves and making wide open throttle runs. Just using good judgement as you would with any speed activities will help keep you alive. No more blind hill hilltopping stunts for me!

Once you adjust to the horsepower but respect and have confidence in yourself as a rider and the bike you can't beat it. Last weekend went on a skyline cruise through the Shenedoa mountains and got in the back of the sport bike rider group. They where leaving me in the banked curves but after I gained confidence and smoothness I was right with them and enjoying every minute of it!

If your young, never owned a bike and are wild and crazy, I wouldn't recommend the GSXR 1000 as a beginner bike, but if your responsible, respect the road and horsepower then I would definitely recommend a GSXR 600 or 750 as entry into the sport bike scene. Just incredible. Be aware these bikes where not designed for highway long distance cruising comfort either. Riding all day cruising the mountains for 11 hours really took it's toll on my wrist, elbows, shoulders, palms and legs... But it only took a good nights sleep to recouperate. Then again I'm 40 and I would just back on and go again today if I heard a bunch of guys where rolling out.


Rob

I've been riding since the ealy / mid 70's and I'm of the opinion that new riders should not be allowed to own high performance bikes until they aquire the skill needed to handle them without getting killed. I started on a Honda 305 and worked my way up gradually. In my younger and more foolish days I've outran many a liter bike and 750 on my 500 (a GL500 no less) due to knowing how to ride. I did a little racing in the 80's and the current crop of 600's would outrun, outbrake &amp; outhandle anything I had back then. As was stated in earlier posts if you're a good rider you aren't at much of a disadvantage on a 600. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum and I really need some advice!!!! I have never driven a bike before and I was wondering what is the best bike to start out on? I have read the previous posts and searched but I guess I would feel better about the situation if I had someone reply to my question specifically! I really know nothing about riding, I'm more of a technical kind of person! I know a lot about cars but I know that bikes are VERY different and I want to be able to purchase a bike that I can learn on!! I would love to buy a 1000 but I know that for me that would be a terrible thing considering I know nothing about riding!!! Every body always says that since I race 3rd gen rx7's, that I should easily master riding a bike but I personally think that they are talking out of their asses! It took me 3 years to master to technique of racing autocrossing my rx7 and I still feel like I have a lot to learn! Point being, I know that cars are NOTHING like bikes when it comes to driving one and it would great to chat with some of you guys about what I should start out on and what I need to know about riding!!!!!

Thanks a lot
Nicole http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

sexxyrx7@msn.com

newbs pick this up

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Being a new rider, I like your post, I am on a Ninja 250 and I absolutely love it. It is perfect for learning.... http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif My hubby bought it for me (for my 30th http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) and he is kickin ass on teaching me how to ride..... he is on a Gixxer 600 -- someday I will get one, but not for a LONG time...

Starting out in a huge parking lot and I feel comfortable, just afraid to go on the road -- http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I have been riding for only a month and I LOVE it.... I am so proud of myself -- http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif
Hubby (Pogueboyy) has me shifting, doing figure 8s and I am building confidence...He says I am a natural http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif but I don't want to get to comfortable - don't want to dump it!!

Hey I welcome any and all advise.... Thanks http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

Let me add to this. I went shopping 4 years ago during the winter for a 4 wheeler with my uncle. When we got there it was the first time both of us saw a sport bike up close. Up till then I really did see to many sport bikes on the highway's where I lived. Maybe I wasn't really looking for them. I was 19 when I was in that shop.

Well the shop was a Honda shop and they told us the skinny of the costs of insurance and the dangers of sport bikes as a first bike. Well my uncle and I both got F4i's He got the Red/Black and I was getting a white/red one. Well that was Saturday and Monday I lost my job. So needless to say that I told them I didn't want it. But not after I had already started the purchase and with that dealership they had gotten two seats at the local MSF course for the upcoming weekend.

My uncle got his bike Saturday and left it at the dealership for the week until we took the course. The course was awesome and taught me so much, not just about bikes, but about general driving and things. Monday after the course my uncle and I met at the DMV to take our written test. Passed all the questions correctly and received my Class M which is what VA requires to drive a motorcycle.

It was raining that day... But it was a great day. Got my first bike a GSX-F 750 1991 3 weeks later. It was a great bike put 26k on it before it blew a rod, engine had 58k on it.

Next bike was a 99 zx-6r, put 10k miles on it before I sold it due to me breaking my wrist snowboarding. After surgery I went through rehab for months lost the whole summer not being able to pull a clutch lever. Got my 01 750 day after christmas.

The power between the bikes that I have had were all different. If you respect your bike and your own lack of skills it will keep you up longer, but not forever. Having a good idea of what your getting into is the most important. Don't hold out to take the class it can teach you in a few days what can take you a long time to learn on your own. I still remember the instructor saying "look more, lean more, go more"

Anyway I'm off to the movies. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

hello all

"""I'm mainly here to try and understand what makes 1000s so much faster and powerful compared to the 500s."""

The difference is of course raw power, but when we speak of power if you have not ridden a sportbike or a drag car you don't have any experience to understand howmuch power. When I bought my GSXR1000 I told my wife if she realized how much power it had she would not have been so willing to let me have it. She simply can't compehend that much at the throttle. A dirt bike will power slide by rolling the throttle far enough to brake the tire loose. The result is a controllable slide. The 1K sportbike will also power slide on pavement even accidentally. The result will be a highside when the tire regains traction. Highsiding a dirt bike results in scrapes and bruises. Highsiding on the street at 100mph (yes it will break the tire loose at that speed) will result in a hospital visit or worse. Some people simply have greater co-ordination and can pick up the quick responses neccessary to keep a bike upright in surprise situations, but most cannot. Therefore the best advice is to buy small until you unconsciously learn the right responses. I raced a friend on an R6 with my F4 and when he power shifted he pulled the front wheel up. He says he will never do that again. His first wheelie was on an R6. Since he has been riding dirt bikes for years he had the unconscious response to roll the throttle off in time. Others would have been all the way over before realizing the front tire was in the air.

My First bike is a GSX-R 600. I've had it for a month now and i drive like a grandma! I swear i think i'm the only motorcycle in the los angeles area who get's overtaken by the bus! But i figure why push it until i'm comfortable. The way i see it as long as i respect my bike and treat her good she'll do the same for me. Still haven't gone to the canyon's yet, but when i do, i'll be a grandma there too!! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/squid.gif

the only bike i have ridden on is a 97 cbr600 f3, and i am getting a gixxer for my first bike (hopefully)

of course it will be a 600, im not stupid. i dont want a bike to speed around and be a jackass on, i want to be able to go riding, i want the freedom. i would also be riding with my girlfriend on the back sometimes, and obviously i dont want to lose her.

i like my life.

but i agree with whoever has "its not that im too young to die, its im too young not to live" in their sig.

iwannagixxer said:
i am getting a gixxer for my first bike (hopefully)



Good Choice! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/applause.gif

I really don't see the problem of getting a 600cc or even a 750cc if you have previous experience on cycles, along with a smart head on your shoulders. I don't have a bike yet, but I am in the market for one, and I have been racing two stroke dirtbikes since i was 10 and im now 14, I would love to experience all this power every single day. I have ridden a gsx-r 1000 and the thing is if you ride smart, and don't do anything beyond your riding abilities then you can handle these machines if taught properly.That's just my opinion.

Just curious about this..

They're both no slice-of-pie, but hear me out.. Which would be "easier" to learn to ride on?

A Kawasaki ZX-7R - 8 year old motorcycle design, (was still in production, but dicontinued for 2004, only thing that changed each year was the paint scheme, no engine statistics, it was introduced in 1996) 748cc engine, but lower BHP than modern 600's, and top speed not as high either

OR

A newer '01-'04 GSX-R600/ZX-6R, more expensive, quicker, higher BHP and top speed, but a 600cc engine..

If you HAD to pick one, which would be your pick?

had three bikes, never more than 600cc, first was a cb360, then the yamaha yzf600, and now the gsxr. when i got my gixxer 600, some people were anoying me with questions like, why bother going from one 600 to another, or after all these years isn't it time to "step up". and many, many other comments from various people (funny how most of them were people that don't ride, or those that have been riding a 1000cc bike for years, and still have about 3inches of chicken strips). I feel like i am still nowhere near the FULLl potential of that bike, and it just seems like a waste, plus the extra insurance money. BTW it's also so much more fun to blow by the guys on new Gixxer100, R1, 954, RC1, and so forth while on the track with my "little" 600.

i like 600's http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

if you think you are going to want a bigger bike just buy the biggest you can afford. i bought a busa for my 16th b-day and now I'm dead, its the coolest!!! Heaven rules!!! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

great post...i agree totally http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

i dont want any of those...the gixxer is to much power for a squid such as myself, the other one is to fugly...im getting a 04 suzuki sv650s...has the nice sportbike appeal, but not the 4 cylinder monster that comes with it...plus lower initial cost of the bike, and insurance...plus right now i dont think i need to be going like 160mph, or have a big ass 1000 and get killed in 2 seconds...just my 2 cents

Good post. I started on a 600 sport bike and it is plenty fast to get into trouble if you don't respect it. For people who say they need a liter bike so they wont have to trade up when stunting consider this. Everyone knows a liter bike can wheelie up easily. It takes skill to pull up a 600 in 3rd gear and hold a 12 o clock... http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

I Live in Australia and im just about to get my first bike. Down here you're not allowed to get anything bigger than a 250 for your first bike.

Hello everyone. New to the site and semi new to street bikes.
I got my 2004 GSXR 600 about 6 days ago. I have put over 600 miles on it already. The only other bikes i have owned or rode were dirt bikes and a YZF600. My GSXR feels very comfortable. The bike handles great, has good acceleration. I will be happy to see what it will do once it is completely broke in. I respect it. Have not laid it down. Although i did drop it two times today just doing stupid things in this big parking lot by my house. Both times doing indos. Frame sliders caught almost all of the damage. Crank housing got a few small nicks. Overall I am very satisfied with it. Handles great, all the power I need right now. Enjoying the cornering ability. Few hunderd more and I believe I will be a little more trusting of it.

I got my first bike 2 years ago, it was a VFR800. Great bike, very fast and all. It took me 3 month to bring it down and end up in the hospitol for a month, why? Because after hitting a couple of coners pretty fast and doing a couple of wheelies you feel like you own the world and you know everything about everything. Well, that's not the case and I got scars to prove that.

Now 1.5 years later I finally got another bike, an 03 GSXR600. You better belief that I have all kinds of respect for this bike now. It is wicked fast. You can do anything you want on it. 600s are every bit as good as bigger bikes, my friend has a R6 and he can beat the crap out of a lof of guys on liter bikes. It's not the bike, it's the rider and it takes a while to become a great rider.

Anyways, just my 2 cents.

Hello..I am new to this site and just joined a couple of mins ago. I am 21 and looking to buy a used gsxr600, (1998-2000). I am from S Cali and hope to meet some people from here. Just saying hi to everyone.

This is some excellent info. I'm gonna pass this info to some of my friends who are looking to buy bikes this Spring.

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

Hiya new guy here lol im 23 from glasgow scotland iv never realy giving bikes that much thought til a little while ago. Iv always been in2 cars had a few sports 1s like escort rs turbo and so on. Now all i can think about is bikes im desperate 2 learn 2 ride i wouldnt say im the kind of guy who will speed or be stupid on a bike id like 2 think im more cautious if thats how u spell it lol when i saw the gixxer r600 i fell in love. makes me wish i got in2 bikes be4 cars iv been reading all the posts on here and id like 2 say thanks 4 all the advise u guys seem 2 know wot ur talking about an i think if i got a question i know where 2 come . cheers maybe let u know how im going in the future

hey ya'll. I'v wanted a bike ever since i could remember adn have finally savd up enough money to get one. I was considering the 250 kawi, but im about 6' 2" and 170#s. I dont want to get hte bike, go out riding for a day and then realize that its the most uncomfortable thing in the world because of my size. Any input would be grealty appreciated

Jimi Ho

Have you sat on the 250R? Or the 500R? I believe the 250R has a 31" seat height. Its a tall bike, and your weight wont be a problem.

I learned my lesson the hard way the first day that I bought my bike. Had a helmet and jeans but nothing else. Hadn't bought leathers yet and figured it wouldn't hurt to take it around the block. Well, it did. A lot actually. Wasn't even my fault. Some dude pulled right out in front of me. I tried to stop really fast, but went down and slid probably 50 feet. I don't really remember much of what actually happened. I now have a nice scar on my arm to remind me to wear my leathers. Have fun and be safe. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/arm2.jpg

I have a Katana 600 and I am getting a gsxr-600 next year, I started riding since the begining of april and have already taken the kat to its full potential pretty much, the gixxer wont be too much of porblem right?

I finally gott my first bike last july, I love it, haven't been hurt yet. I decided the gixxer 1000 because of my size was a good first choice. I love it!

I got my first bike 2 years ago and I love it. I have a gixxer 600 and it has all the power that I could ever need. Every time I ride, I always wear my gear. Scars can't be washed off.

I bought a 98 gsxr 750 as a first big bike and is so happy with it.BUT I RESPECT THE POWER.I'd rather be 5 minutes late then not arriving at all.

hey all...i have a 600 and i am not a moron! seriously, i started out on a ninja 250..what a great bike that was..it got dropped, ended up in a ditch, a rose bush ( yep...now that was moronic ! ) etc...but a real trooper. as a side note.. my son has been riding for about 6 + years ..he started on a harley sporty..he rides an sv1000 as his commute bike and a 2003 1K for sport. he tells me that that bike still intimidates him..intimidates the hell out of me!

IM thinking about getting a bike but I never rode before. My friends tell me to start with a 750 but im thinkin a 600. Im into racing import cars but i want to try somthing new and get a bike. Any suggestion???

okay, maybe I'm weird, but I read all these post saying that it takes a while to be comfortable with your bike, and really start pushing yourself. I've had My 04 600 for 2 months now, and it's like laying in a bed to me. I am very comfortable on my bike, yeah it still supprises me, but I've pushed my bike to the best of my limits, (meaning my skills of driving).

I've raced dirt bikes and quads. I have always adapted very quickly. I race my bike very often, and I've taken several ZX-9s, and other bikes much larger than mine.

Maybe I'm different, has anyone else ever heard of this?

I started on an '83 Suzuki Tempter 650. It felt fast enough at the time. The best part about starting with a smaller bike is that you get to go through the whole learning process again when you move up to something bigger. You get that same feeling of pulsing adrenaline when roll back on the throttle that you had when you got the first bike.

Hey everyone. I am new to this site and have a couple of questions. I currently own a Kaw Vulcan 1500 (cruiser) and want to get rid of it and get a gixxer. I have been riding for about 2 yrs and the Kaw was my first bike. I am very comfortable on my bike and push it a lot harder than I should. I am looking at the 600 and 750. Considering my riding experience which of the two would you recommend? Also what are some good riding gear brands? Eventually I want to learn to race and go to track days so I want something that will hold up to a track environment. Thanks in advance for any help given.

i have 2 questions.

1) if i buy a 02 gix 6 next month paid FULLY in cash, do i have to insure it right away or can i wait till may to insure it?

2) i live in philadelphia pennsylvania and am only about 10 mins frome delaware. delaware does not have sales tax. im windering if i can go buy the bike in delaware tax free even tho i am registering the bike in PA??

thanks
steve

SRADman said:
newbs pick this up

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I have been reading that for the last few weeks. Lots of good general info about bike history and tips. It will make a big difference in the first bike that I buy. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I've had a 02 Katana 750 for about 2yrs. I've only put 2k miles on it cause I don't have that much time to ride but I do feel very confortable on it so now I'm moving up to the 1000. Is this too soon because I don't have thousands of miles on my Katana? http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/sleep.gif

I have been ridding my 2K4 600 for 3 months. Its hard trying not to take off on these guys that think their too fast and furious, but they aren't worth dropping my baby. I knew I was not ready for a 1000 ( my 79 honda weighed a lot less), experience can't be bought, but you can pay for it the hard way!

the 600 is not a small bike. its a very peaky racer.
The 1k is faster, the 750 is faster, but that doesnt make
the 600 slow. Besides, when you start driving, you shouldnt really be thinking about handing anybody their ass.
Learn to drive your bike. Get to know it, well enough to
let your spinal cord do the braking in an emergency and still not lock the front. Drive until you feel comfortable, and remember, this is when people start flicking that wrist too much. People who are afraid of their bikes ("afraid") usually dont lowside. Remember to use your head, just cause you know your bike better than when you bought it, doest make you rossi.
I started out on a 50cc moped (if this even counts)
when you are sixteen you can drive 50cc "moped" or
"small bikes" upto 125cc and 15hp.
its not the bike, its the rider. You can outdo some fricker (nice censorship, right? http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) on a 125 with a 50(knee down and everything http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif you know, 16 years, adrenalie &amp; testosterone flowing freely http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)
fast riders are fast on C90's.
its better to learn on a nice and slow bike. Even a dirtbike.
Something that will put a lid on you throttle-mania, cause
it isnt always so easy to do this yourself.
We all know that superman feeling that comes creeping
every once in a while..

Just got an "04" GSX-R 600 for starter bike. Seems to me my many years of rideing Dirt bikes and BMX even have laid some basic fundamentals for me. NOt saying it taught me how to ride a sport bike well but, it helped me learn fast. Been rideing for about a few weeks now and still learning. 600's are no play toy and im glad i went with it instead of the 750 or 1000.

i hear all u guys talkin about how dangerous 1000's are and i believe u. im startin to worry about gettin a gsxr 600 for my first bike now that ive read all these posts, but its hard not to want one instead of an ex500 or sv650. the gix just looks so much damn sexier u know. i dont know what to do, but i have experience on dirt bikes so if i take a motorcycle saftey course and take it slow shouldn't i be ok with the gsxr600? or am i being irresponsible?

gixx82: Resist the urge to start on a new bike. Even on a sport bike. Ride a piece of crap for a few months. You will probobly crash it! Statisticly, you will freak out in a left turn and put it in a ditch/yard/parking lot/woods. Provided you have some semblance of gear (another topic entirely), you will cuss for a minute, inspect your scuffs, say ow a few times, then ride your sligtly bent bike home. $100 for new lbrake,clutch levers, mirrors, handlebars, and find 2 posts close to eachother to straighten out your forks, and you can do it again.

Try that on a 600cc sportbike, you'll hear things ike "write-off" and "salvage title", and greatly increase the chance of serious injury due to undeserved confidence.

Seriously, a 1974 CB360 has the levers in the same places as an 04 gsxr600. The reflexes you need to build are the same. The physics are the same. People will u-turn their minivans in front of you, they will change lanes on top of you, and cross the center line towards you. Sexy won't help you.

The SV650 is a great Second bike. They are a LOT more versatile than a GSXR600. Many people who own them came from sportbikes, or have it as a daily rider and a sportbike parked next to it collecting dust. I cannot reccomend them highly enough... as a Second bike!

I agree with a couple people in here. You can learn on any bike just as long as you respect it. Why not get a bike that you want to eventually work up to to begin with. My first sportbike was a 96' gixxer 750 I rode that a year or so and then bought a 03' 1000. MAN WHAT A BIKE!!! I took it easy until I felt comfortable with riding it not doing wheelies or endos or showing off to the girls walking down the sidewalk! I am comfortable with the 1000 and stay within my limits and little by little I become faster and better. Well thats my take. Have fun! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/punk.gif

I learned how to ride on my dad's 95 Suzuki Intruder 800. 800cc V-twin. I took the DMV test on that too. Cruisers make it so much easier with their lower center of gravity, and since it's a carbed V-twin the throttle is forgiving over my 04 gixxer. I was pretty comfortable on that up and down my street, and my friend bought a Ninja 500R (another great choice for a starter bike) and I taught him how to ride in his parent's HUGE yard. Like all newbs, he did drop it once, and killed it a million times, but it was in the grass so all we had to do was straighten the rear brake lever out and he was set to try again. I rode his bike every now and again when he was out, and then I bought my own bike. The 04 GSXR-600. I was paranoid as shit on the bike the first few weeks I went out. I bought the bike June 1, 2004 brand new with 0 miles, and it now sits in my garage with 6,000 miles on it. I got left behind so many times when riding with the local group, but that's what happens when you're new and don't want to push it beyond your limits. Hell, I'm still not an awesome rider, but I am a lot more comfortable on the bike, in traffic, around turns, thru sweeping corners, etc...Like Luv2ride said, stay within your limits and you'll slowly get better. I know I did. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/punk.gif

heres my question.
i myself have never rode a bike or even rode bitch on one, however i seemed to by a bike last month from a bike shop here in buffalo ny. i havent yet rode it just sat on it a few times they are doing a valve and ring job due to low compression. it is a 1990 gsx-r 750 witch im sure is a lil more then i can handle or alot more than i can handle. i am fully aware that i can easily kill myself on it and that i'll prolly drop it a few times thats why i chose this bike because its three diffrent colors due to the previous owner so i dont think i'd get to mad in the event that i scratch the side fairing off. anyway i am big on hotroding and know that i will deffinitley paint it and make it all pretty soon enough. so my ? to u is that how should i go about learning on this paticular bike i dont want my fam and friends grieveing over me and i really dont trust myself to take it slow the whole time im learning because i am oh so amazed by the almighty wheelie.
i basiclly need a few pointers on the what to and what not too's on this bike.
thanx in advance \

I am new to riding. The last thing I rode was a 50cc Honda minibike 10 years ago. My Dad has been riding most of his life but I am not sure what kind of bike to start with. I have heard alot of people on the forums say ex 500 or 250. My dream is to own a GSX-R 750 someday. But I dont want to buy that now and never really learn how to ride or total the biek and myself. I am looking to ttaking a rider safety course soon. Does anyone have any suggestions for what is going to be my first bike and what would be a good amount to spend on one? I appreciate any advice given.

Thankx
---------------
Ride it like you stole it!!!

I am new to riding. The last thing I rode was a 50cc Honda minibike 10 years ago. My Dad has been riding most of his life but I am not sure what kind of bike to start with. I have heard alot of people on the forums say ex 500 or 250. My dream is to own a GSX-R 750 someday. But I dont want to buy that now and never really learn how to ride or total the biek and myself. I am looking to ttaking a rider safety course soon. Does anyone have any suggestions for what is going to be my first bike and what would be a good amount to spend on one? I appreciate any advice given.

Thankx
---------------
Ride it like you stole it!!!


Read the REST of the stickys in this forum. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif EX500, GS500, SV650, a few suggestions. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

i didn't read this article to just now and i got my 05 600 about a week and 1/2 ago. this is my 1st street bike and i agree with what most of you are saying as far as start off on a smaller bike. Im not saying mine is to much for me, but i know my limits right now and i know my bike will go way over my limits. Everyone just needs to ride to their capabilitys and watch out for other drivers especially in the early season in the upper states where you cant ride all year round do to weather. Now that its spring we are all getting the bikes out and other drivers havent had to watch for us all winter so their not paying as close of attention now as they will be in a few months (No matter what time of year it is watch the other drivers)

This will be my second year riding. I started off on a Yamaha Seca II. I just purchased a GSXR600 and have already realized that there is going to be new learning curve. The power change is nothing to shake a stick at.

My first bike was a 1969 scrambler.. I was on that for about 3 months and went to a 03 GSXR600. I am reckless I risk my life on a daily basis with triple digit speeds on 35mph roads. After reading this forum and another one about a guy going down at about 100mph and seeing pictures I have decided that I need to rethink my actions. I have been riding for about a year now and being cockey will cost you alot on a R type bike..

Well I just bought a new 04' gsx-r 600... Ill be pickin it up fromt the dealership in a few days.. I am a rookie rider but have rode 650 enduros a few times and felt comfortable on them. Hopefully this bike isnt too much for me like alot of people say they are.

ive neva sat on a bike a day in my life....dirt, cruiser nothing other than a bmx of course....but i dont have the money to be buying a learnin bike....i was shootin for a 98 750 but after readin these forums, i think i may opt for the 600 to start....i am a father of 2 and a truck driver....so my license is my livelyhood...i dont plan to speed, neva been into that...other than my my hybrid b16a2 powered civic...but that was prechildren pre cdl thing..im 32 now and mature..and im takin that damm brc course too....150 dollars...grrr

Well I just bought a new 04' gsx-r 600... Ill be pickin it up fromt the dealership in a few days.. I am a rookie rider but have rode 650 enduros a few times and felt comfortable on them. Hopefully this bike isnt too much for me like alot of people say they are.


If anyone says any bike is too much for you tell them to shove that 400lb beast up their ass.
If you doubt you have control over your machine you will probably lose control.
Crash 'n Burn
-Nimrod http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif

My question is this...

Im 6 foot 4 250lbs 30 years old. I dont think a bike with a smaller displacement would move me worth a damn. Ive ridden a bit before, but not sportbikes. I am also signed up for the msf at the end of this month. Im buying my bike probably today... and its probably going to be a 600 or a 750. Since my bank wont finance anything less than 10k for 5 years... i may as well get a 750. Otherwise, i need to buy someone elses junk. I dont really feel comfortable with that.

Suggestions?

Bought a 05 gsx-r 600 as my 1st bike this Feb. Was VERY nervous about getting started on it, but was extremely surprised on how easily it handled and balenced. After only 4 months and 1200 miles of riding I am comfortable on it, although i have not "pushedit" yet, and probably won't for a while until I get more experienced. The only thing I do NOT like is that at 5'9" I am a little too short I feel for the bike. When resting I am not flat footed on the ground, which makes me a little unstable coming to stops and such.

Ahhh well.....overall I say that I am glad I learned on my 600

i started on an cbr F2, worked like a charm, but even that old of a sportbike packed a punch..

I haven't purchased my bike yet but after reading through the forums, I think the SV650 will be a good choice. They don't look bad either.

I mentioned in another thread, I had not ridden in 10years. I took the CC RIDER/Motorcycle Safety Class and they gave a lot of useful information. I recommend anyone who is a beginner to shell out the $200 and take the course. The Gixxer 600's are quick bikes and deserve respect.

i am new to riding completely and just last month bought a 03 gixxer 750 . i have felt that in some aspects of riding it has been somewhat easy learning on it, because im still unaware of the potential that exists

new to the site and i gotta say this is one hell of a site. i just read all 13 pages and that was a good read. alot of good information for us newbs. im looking into buying my first bike 98+ gsxr 600 or 750. i have no riding experience but alot of my friends have bikes so it wont be to hard to get on a bike and practice. ill probably be getting the 600 or 750 near the end of our riding season. i cant wait

Odd, I just bought a 00 gixxer 750 and it's my first bike as well, pick it up in a week. I would never get a liter bike as my first though. Although some people say the 750 is not too far off. I'm confident that I am a smart driver. Never had an accident or ticket so I hope to keep the same record with the bike.

I guess I'll put my .02 in. Unfortunately for me, I found this site after I purchased my first bike on my birthday in March '05. I most likely would have gotten an SV650 or GSX-R600 instead of the new 04' 750 I have. As much as I love the look and feel of my Beebee, my bike is a BEAST which I am very (I will repeat) VERY VERY FAR from coming close to taming and I'm not afraid to admit it. On a regular basis, just when I think I'm getting the feel of it, my bike reminds me how much of a rookie I am and injects a scare (which is ok) into me. This is not a bike I would recommend to any first time rider (like myself) to learn on no matter how smart, safe, or fast you think you are at learning new things. I ride around close friends and family, all of whom have been riding 10+ years and have 1000's and and they tell me i'm catching on but far from tapping into my bike's potential. Yes I get left by them at times but one person stays to help me "push" my bike a little without making me bite off more than I can chew. Do I regret buying my bike? No, it's a beautiful machine and I will probably keep it for a long time. Would I buy a different bike for my first time if I could do it over agin? Absolutely. Don't get peer pressured into buying a bike you can't handle out of fear of being teased for the bike you bought. You will be teased even harder looking like a bigger fool on a bigger bike and will only be putting yourself at greater risk.

By the way, I had a little oopsy lay down the first week (literally) the first day I rode the bike at about 15-20mph. Thankfully, my cousin was in my ear the whole time at the dealer about buying and having the dealership install sliders on my bike PRIOR to us taking it off the lot. Saved me a bunch of money on a fairing and who knows what else since the slider ate the pavement and I suffered a minor scratch on the side. DO NOT RIDE WITHOUT SLIDERS IF YOU'RE A NEWB. Its not a question of if you'll go down its just a matter of when.

I guess I'll put my .02 in. Unfortunately for me, I found this site after I purchased my first bike on my birthday in March '05. I most likely would have gotten an SV650 or GSX-R600 instead of the new 04' 750 I have. As much as I love the look and feel of my Beebee, my bike is a BEAST which I am very (I will repeat) VERY VERY FAR from coming close to taming and I'm not afraid to admit it. On a regular basis, just when I think I'm getting the feel of it, my bike reminds me how much of a rookie I am and injects a scare (which is ok) into me. This is not a bike I would recommend to any first time rider (like myself) to learn on no matter how smart, safe, or fast you think you are at learning new things. I ride around close friends and family, all of whom have been riding 10+ years and have 1000's and and they tell me i'm catching on but far from tapping into my bike's potential. Yes I get left by them at times but one person stays to help me "push" my bike a little without making me bite off more than I can chew. Do I regret buying my bike? No, it's a beautiful machine and I will probably keep it for a long time. Would I buy a different bike for my first time if I could do it over agin? Absolutely. Don't get peer pressured into buying a bike you can't handle out of fear of being teased for the bike you bought. You will be teased even harder looking like a bigger fool on a bigger bike and will only be putting yourself at greater risk.

By the way, I had a little oopsy lay down the first week (literally) the first day I rode the bike at about 15-20mph. Thankfully, my cousin was in my ear the whole time at the dealer about buying and having the dealership install sliders on my bike PRIOR to us taking it off the lot. Saved me a bunch of money on a fairing and who knows what else since the slider ate the pavement and I suffered a minor scratch on the side. DO NOT RIDE WITHOUT SLIDERS IF YOU'RE A NEWB. Its not a question of if you'll go down its just a matter of when.

At least u took the first step and thats admiit u made a mistake.Next is learn from that mistakeEither sell the 750 and buy SIX and bank the extra money.(probably not, since ur already hooked http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)Second is too take a MSF course and pace ur self when riding.You seem too have a level head and that should take u a long way into enjoying ur GIXXER(as long as u ride within ur limits)By the time u know it you'll be carvin up the pavements!!! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/hip.gif

My '05 600 is my first bike, and I am a brand new rider. About two weeks in, the bike is more than I could have ever asked for. My friends all have 1000's, and for everyday riding I am able to stay with them just fine. It has more power than I'll ever need for a while, and it is comfortable and easy to manuever for a new rider. This is defintly a bike I will have for a few years until my confidence outgrows it, but I am completely satisfied with this bike.

My first bike was (and still is) a 2003 Gsxr-600 alstare. I had never been on a bike previous to this, with the exception of a 125cc dirt bike once. I thought I could ride a sportbike just as well as anyone else could, but I soon found out different. Pulling out of the dealership I about jumped the curb across the street. I had no idea that I had to lean in-order to turn. That first turn knocked me back into reality and I took it very slow on side streets for awhile. It is now 3 summers later and I have yet to lay the bike down, but I always approach every turn or intersection with extreme caution. My advice to other newbs like myself is dont ever get too cocky or over confident! My best friend just bought his first bike today ('05 gixxer600) and I nervous about him crashing. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/nono.gif Everyone is cocky until they get that first reality check, but for some it is too late. You can have fun with out doing wheelies and 170mph. Ride safe and keep it on two wheels. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

well, after reading all of this, i have one massive headache. my main question is what bike would you really reccomend for me, i am a big guy, 6'4 and 260lbs, a 250cc sounds like a nice deal because its so cheap, but i cant see myself on such a small bike, i really want a gixxer 600, but im kind of hesitant to ride a 600, i've seen people go highside on a 250 just riding normally, i know im not going to push the bike, most of the riding i do will be highway riding to get from home to school, and work, and there isnt really a lot of traffic in crawfordville. i dont even know where i would go and buy one to be honest, i've only seen 1 bike shop around, and they only have 2 sport bikes. i have ridden bitch on a few cruisers, but it wasnt fun, even they can scare you.

Try a Katana 600

well, I'd like to start out on a 500 or 600, something small. I like sportbikes and I want to learn on one. Like mtmra, I am not intrested in full throttling it, just riding at a medium speed along open, curvy roads trying to get to know it. I want to keep it out of traffic . I would sure as hell respect the bike and the things it could do so I wont move too fast. By the way, i'm a female and i stand at about 5'3.. I have ridden a GSXR 400 (yes, while i was in japan) I liked the bike soo much, I dreamt of it all the time. I wish it was a little lower so my feet could be 3/4th's or all the way on the ground instead of 1/2 of the way touching.

I noticed that people have been saying that a gixxer6 isn't a good starter bike. It just so happens i just bought a bike this year and it happens to be just that. Although, my reasoning was it was a 600 and i figured that i didn't need a bike any bigger than that for a starter. Also, i just have heard that gixxer's are really good bikes which i've kinda been gettin impressions of over the past couple of years. but all in all you think it was a bad buy? cuz personally i'm loving it i think it's a sweet little bike that i wouldn't mind keeping for a while cuz the thing gets up and runs when i want it to. not like i care about that though cuz i just want a bike that i can ride which is why the next bike i would like to get would be a harley, cuz i don't care about speed all that much i just want a bike that i can enjoy riding.

Well i've had my 05 gixxxer 600 for about 4 moonths now. Couldn't be happier with it. My first bike ever. Never ridden a dirt bike or nething. My buddy talked me into gettin it. I will admit I was scared as hell when I first started drivin the thing...........but now i'm startin to get comfortable with it. Mind u I still won't push myself to keep up with the other good riders, i'll stay within my limits, and gradually get better at drivin it. I've taken it to Deal's Gap,Tail of the Dragon, or U.S. 129..........whatever u prefer to call it...........2 times now and it hasn't let me down yet. Went today for that matter. Hell even popped my first wheelie today as well......not much to u experienced riders but.......for me its an accomplishment. But its a good bike non the less.

Like a previous poster said he was riding at about 15-20 mph and laid his down, I did the same at the same speeds in my first curve within 5 mins of riding. I have a 99 750, which is a heavier bike so it helps more than the new gixxers, but still powerful as crap. Everytime I get on it I ride in a jacket and helmet (maybe not the jacket sometimes) and Im constantly anticipating someone pulling out or going through a light or not seeing me. Its nerve racking but its a good habit im teaching myself that may save me some downtime on my bike. Also I have a DD pipe which is EXTREMELY LOUD pass 5k rpms. Loud pipe, save a life!.
But I think riding within my limits I wont have any problems, I can accelerate now but i still havent went pass 60 mph on it yet (yeah call me a pussy) and wont take major interstates for a while!

Well I definately do not fit the norm first bike owner! One I am 6'7" tall and nearly 260lbs so I didn't want a 600 or even 750 like some suggested. I have always liked the older Gixxers for some time, so I got the 92 GSX-R 1100. For most I know this bike is not their dream, and certainly most would go for a lighter, and less powerful bike to start with, but I like to go all out. I plan on learning in my neighborhood road first since it is a quiet street, then progress out to easy roads until finally hitting the interstate in a few months.

I agree with most people in this thread though that for most people a 600cc or less is ideal especially if your are not a jolly green giant like i am. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Jared

i just bought a used 2000 gxsr 750 never rode any advise
i wish i new about this website before i bought this bike

i just bought a used 2000 gxsr 750 never rode any advise
i wish i new about this website before i bought this bike



Park the bike, get some gear and take the MSF course. Then maybe buy an old 500-1000$ beater to get the basics down on, then sell it again for the same. Rather invest that money in experience than spending it on repairs and hospital bills... Dropping a sport bike quickly runs over 1000$ in repairs - just for the plastics, maybe 500-1000 in other parts... Double that if you flip or roll the bike, damaging both sides... http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/plthumbsdown.gif

BE CAREFUL!
I literally dropped mines in 5 mins of having it. Go practice in some empty lot or dead highway, and the cluth is your friend. Better than brakes half the time. Just things that I learned recently. BTW I dropped mines being stupid and Im pretty level headed and practical so if you are a stunt devil def get some gear and practice on a empty street to get your first drop out of the way. Other than that, dont be afraid of it or panic. I have learned if you coming up on a hair situation, taking your time and making a good decion will do you waaaayyyy more good than locking up your rear brakes hoping you stop in time. You have a sports bike, its made for nimble manauvers and recovery. Believe in it, when you take the curve to fast, pull your clutch, lean into ther curve and itll pull right through. Vs hitting your brakes and going into the grass (hopefully grass). Anything Im learning along the way, Im putting it right onto the site and any other newbs out there with hairy stories please share so itll help someone else.

Hello all, I've been doing a lot of reading for the past year on different forums. I don't have a bike YET, because I'm doing my homework...as you can see. I just want to thank all for the good tips, advice, warnings. I will frequent this site (cuzz my girl talked me into an R-600 compared to an R6) daily instead of doing my homework...that's how much I like the site. Anyways, I'm going to buy us both the MSF beginner course before I really think about buying a bike. I'm saving up too which is going to take a few months. Anyways, just saying hi and thanks.

Hey I've been reading the newbie stuff on here, and seeing people say get a SV650, 500, or a 250 as a first bike. But me, I've taken the course, even though I went out and bought my bike before I took it. I got a '01 GSX-r 600. This bike has all the power I need. I passed my MSF course, with of course a couple of points taken off on slowing down on corners and that damn figure 8 http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/plthumbsdown.gif, But the saftey course is the best thing coming from a newbie. After I passed it, I still took my bike on an empty lot, still learning the shifting and handling of the bike. I have people teasing me about...all man all you got was a 600, I'm like, yup, that's all I need. I feel more confident on riding on the street now, but I know my limits. I'm not doing a buck 50 on no 495, 95, or any 95, because it's always a rider going down here in MD/DC. So my suggestion, get what ever is comfortable for you to learn on, because that throttle will make you think about a lot of things. Another suggestion, take the course. This will help you in the long run, and live to see plenty of days. Take it from a newbie.

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I purchased a used 04' gixxer 1000 as my first bike and I could not be happier. I have put about 6500 miles on it this riding season. My only training has been the weekly rides with my more experienced riding buddies which I am generally faster than now. On the other hand I have a friend who purchased a 05 1000RR

FINISHING THE PREVIOUS THREAD

The friend who purchased the 1000rr repsol edition didn't even make it to the 70 mile mark before a crash which cost 3500$ to repair. I feel that any of these bikes takes a great deal of skill to ride and that it should be taken on an indivdual basis which bike is best. Unfortunately some people will always make the wrong decision which is best for them and will have to live with the consequences. Hopefully some of us " beginners" will do some research and make a sound decision when purchasing their first motorcycle.

a bit late to the party but my gsxr600 was my first bike. Probobly a poor idea, but it could have been worse.
I was NEVER a retard on it and spent the first few weeks in a parkinglot.
I probobly would have been better off on a smaller bike to be honest though. Christ that bike scared the crap out of me every time I rode it.

Im getting another 600. fuck that 1 liter nonsense- i'm not even tempted to get a liter bike.

The 01 R6 is 120hp... fucking insane and my friends first bike. my other friend who, from time to to time, is a space cadet(sp?) behind the wheel just got a 600. Kind of scary, the kid that turned around to say "I'm NOT a bad driver" as he ran through a stopsign on a bike....

ohh yeah. in chi-town my friends and I spotted a whole sport bike crew at the gas station.
They were leaving as we were filling up and we all did nothing but laugh at them. Not because they were newbs, but because they were all riding busas, 1000's etc and could barely balance the bike off the line (you can spot a new rider by how long he keeps his foot down or if he keeps both feet out).

We were laughing at them for being retarded posers with ugly hoes on the back. Good work, wear full leathers and get a girl on the back in tank top and skirt. retard. $10 says at least 1/3 of those guys have organs in different people right now.

Hey peeps, hows it goin. I just bought a '97 gsxr600 this week. I have yet to get on it. I have ridin bikes before, buts its been a few years. Most of my experience comes from riding dirtbikes... small ones at that. Basically, I know what all parts of the bike do, and how to use them. The only thing I dont have is time behind the "wheel" I did see on here many of you said that the gsxr600 is and is not a good starter bike. Is there anything about in particular about the year i bought that i might want to know, as opposed to a later model? Also... I just join gixxer.com today. Just wanted to say thanks for having me! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm in the same boat as you. I rode motocross (raced) for 7 years. I just recently had to hang up the boots after snapping a couple bones too many for my dad. I've been looking for a new hobby, as well as a better way to save gas and the thought of owning a street bike came to mind. I want to start off small, yet respectable. I am looking at getting a newer 600 right now. I've ridden my friends bike around a parking lot a couple times and must say, it's a completely different world compared to a dirt bike! I definitely have respect for motorcycles after all of the broken bones they've contributed to. Fuck street racing, i've heard too many stories of teens splattering on the pavement

had my CBR 600 RR for three years, then got a GSXR 1000 its like night and day, the power is freaky, just takes getting used to and getting to know whatever you ride, just like women!! ;)

Well I am not sure if I did the best thing but my first bike is a K6 GSXR-1000. I know it is a lot of machine that can be unforgiving but I am doing the smart thing and taking classes to learn to become a better rider. I have been riding for 26 days now and each day I learn something new with this bike. I never ride above my limits even when I go with other riders. I wear all of my safety gear at the bike meets even though I think I am the only one doing it but better safe then sorry.
Dewayne

Thank you guys from a newbie Gsxr 2006 600 owner .Al what you gentle men have said is very true . This is my first sport bike that Ive owned and it does demand respsect .Im no bitch when comes to speed or power ,after owening a1989 427 twin turbo mustang .The bike well scare the hell out of you .Sothankyou for 6000 gixxer rider support.

Hi! I am a noob, but a very nice noob;) I don't know much about bikes, except how to get on the back of one while someone else is driving it. I am always willing to learn new things:)

Welcome SexyMysty.....u can find a lot of info on this board as well as good people! anything specific u wanna know?

Yes:) What kind of bike do you own? ;)

2005 Gsxr 750

Okay..... I have a real question~~ What if you are going 100mph and have to sneeze? :|

are u serious?, well u jsut sneeze, but to be honest, i don't recall every havin to sneeze when ur REALLY ridin the bike.....guess ur mind jsut shuts shit like that off. now i have sneezed while jsut cruisin around and if theres time, u flip the visor up and kinda aim outwards.....if not, better pull over and wipe ur visor!

No, I'm not really serious..... Where is that other thread you were talking about that was "Sapish" ?

MMC in the Northeast forum

Are you going to follow me there? :|

ladies first! LOL

wow you cant be serious, just sneeze. ive sneezed at 100 +. unless you sneeze like a mental kid. ur fine lol

guess das my problem...i sneeze like dee dee dee! LOL

glad i could help lol

i am startin with gsx600 ~~~yeah love that bike man

Any person that makes fun of a rider for riding a 600 is a moron. The 600 isn't the most powerful machine out there, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't deserve respect.

[ 04-11-2002, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: Jon T. Flesh ]

EXACTLY, there is NOTHING slow about the newer 600cc bikes...especially the r6, gsx-r 600, 636, etc...they are VERY powerful bikes.

Look at it this way....

2006 gsx-r 600
quarter mile: 10.641 @ 132.71
60-80: 3.93 seconds
80-100: 4.4 seconds.

2006 gsx-r 750
quarter mile: 10.443 @ 135.6
60-80: 3.59 seconds
80-100: 4.26 seconds.

2006 gsx-r 1000 does
quarter mile: 9.774 @ 148.69
60-80: 2.46 seconds
80-100: 2.57 seconds.

those are some stats for you to think about.

I don't know if anyone has ever made a 10.4-10.6 pass in a car with a cage, the first time you do that....it's scary the first couple of times. Guys who run their cars that fast KNOW how to drive, it doesn't just come with throwing someone in a fast car with no experience and letting them run 10's. the car is FAST...not quick, speedy...but DOWN RIGHT FAST when it gets into the 10's.

Now, this is done on two wheels with no cage, no windows, no metal surrounding you. Just two wheels, air, jacket, leather, and your internal organs that keep you alive.

So if someone says something about your 600 as a first bike, tell them to fuck off and don't ride with them because they are irresponsible to ride with and they care at all about your life. You shouldn't ride with them AT ALL! I know a bunch of guys who had 600's for a LONG time and could ride them like there was nothing to it. VERY experience and skilled riders. They went to a 1000cc bike and within 6mths to a year, traded it back for their 600 because they wanted a bike they could actually RIDE! So there is no shame in it. I also know guys who have beaten 1000cc bikes on 600cc bikes until the 600 topped out because the 1000cc bike rider couldn't handle/ride/have the skill to REALLY RIDE the bike.

A 600 IS a good bike as your first bike. It is DEFINITELY fast and not to be taken with a grain of sand, but like has also been said....the bike is only going to be as fast as you ride it. However, if you dig deep into the throttle on a 600...it's going to react very differently then a 1000cc or even a 750cc. Less torque and power....so you will be safer.

If i went to something like a 1000cc on my first bike i would of probably gotten very hurt. I came from cars and my natural reaction to acting quick was to grip the steering wheel tight to get a good grip and go from there to avoid whatever....same thing when you get tence...what happens you want to get stiff and make a fist. that's a NO NO on a bike. if you get tence and try and grip the front brake while, of course, having your hand on the throttle you are going to grip it, which is going to apply the brake some but also roll back the throttle. that happened a couple times when i FIRST started riding a while back....i was on something MUCH slower so it didn't do what a powerful 1000cc would do or even a 600.........but you get my point. This like this is why you don't need to jump into something big, because you don't mean to hurt yourself. If something like this happens you can be going 2mph, get tense, SQUEEZE the brake lever instead of pull it and crack open the throttle and there goes the bike.

I'm not a teacher and not too good at explaining things, but you get the point and idea. A 600 is NOT slow by no means, maybe compared to your buddies with 5 years under their belt on 1000cc bikes, but in your world, as a new rider, coming from cars....it's faster then many of you have ever went in a car.

OK, I got it.

Unfortunately the '07 GSX R600 IS my first bike. I have ridden moderately before. My brother had a V4 Interceptor that I rode a lot. I have to deal with the fact that the Gixxer is my first bike. I'm 41 years old. I fully accept the fact that I may spend the first few months I own the bike doing figure 8's in an empty parking lot. This is not a primary mode of transpo, merely a toy. I am in no hurry to master the Gixxer. I will not be riding in the city, nor in traffic. I own 2 other cars, so I'd have to be really down on my luck to have to start commuting on my bike.

NOW THAT SAID----

Can someone give me advice that isn't "YOU'RE GONNA DIE MAAAAAN"?
Riding tips, etc? If anyone is in Northern Cali /Sacramento area, I'd even buy lunch for some tips, pointers, and riding partner...

well i dont know if anyone is gonna respond to this (old thread), but Im a noob (with a brain).

so i didnt do much studying about beginner bikes until after i bought my k7 gsx-r 600 (sweet!!!!!):punk

the point is everyone says dont start on an R-type bike, but its too late. my bikes almost broken in and i love it. ive had one close call locking up the rear brake gettin off the freeway.:eek

so i have an R-type for my first bike, now i need some advice other than "take it easy" and "don't ride beyond your limits" cuz thats all common sense.

so about the rear brake: it seems that it doesn't offer too much stopping power, and locks up fairly easily. (could be just my inexperience).

The MSF rider course and the DMV say use both brakes at all times. most of the experienced riders i talk to say they almost never use their rear.

so any advice on riding practice techniques, and input on the rear brake subject would be appreciated. -thanks:)

from my experience ive been riding since i was 6 yrs old and im 23 now so you do the math. If its one thing I cant stress enough!! If you have never ridden anything in your life get on a dirtbike first ground hurts alittle less than asphault. ask any person thats been down on the road they will agree. plus if you trash a dirt bike your now out a crap load of money. Second LISTEN to the experienced riders that you are around. Dont be billy bad ass cuz you got a bike. Take the time to learn the proper way. Third is no matter how big or little the bike is if you dont respect it it will disrespect you in return. (r.i.p. J) Last but not least enjoy that thing if you like your bike thats all that matters not what others say about it.

The MSF rider course and the DMV say use both brakes at all times. most of the experienced riders i talk to say they almost never use their rear.

so any advice on riding practice techniques, and input on the rear brake subject would be appreciated. -thanks:)[/QUOTE]


Its pretty simple to be honest the back brake is mainly for (trying to help) you stop i think the most effective use for the back brake is wheelie control and sliding around corners but other than that dont really use mine much. OH almost forgot its also good for acting like a little kid on a bicycle and leaving skid marks:punk

Hey every one...2006 GSXR 600 Rider here (first bike).... I have done very little riding and i am a little scared of my bike but the one thing that i have noticed is that when you are doing a fat slowdown with my rear break..... the rear wheel skids.... i am trying not to use my rear break as much for fast stops but i use it enought to keep my rear wheel on the ground so i am not slamming the front breaks to do an endo.

With that being said i choose the 2006 GSXR 600 because of the look and the feel. The pegs move around (great for me... i am 6'1" and the weight is 185-195lbs) and i found that the CBR600RR was for a short person and the ZX6R was not the look and not as comfortable as i wanted, Same with the R6.

TO BE 100% HONOST I am scared sh*tless of my bike. So i know that i ride in my limits and i have to.... i just spent $10K(CDN) for my brand new bike(2006 GSXR600) and that is an investment that i will have for a long time. ALSO i did not cheep out n the gear...Shoie X-11 helmet, Joe Rocket Speed master jacket and pants, boots and gloves (total biull after tax and the bike and EVERYTHING $13K CDN). I personaly do not think that i will ever do the leap to the 750 or the 1000cc.... if i do it will be a Ducatti 998 or the Ducatti 749... both so damn expencive, almost not worth it!(i can't belive that i just said that :()

So what i am getting at is you should know your limit, ride within it and if you know that you wil not be able to resist the temptation for ripping down the street.... mabey let your ego take a hit and ride a old bike for a while untill you have atleast the skill set to rip around on a leathal machine like a GSXR.

Remeber a car is alot bigger then you, and i ride like they are all trying to run me down... that is how i stay safe.


James Mramor

ok yeah i agree with all of you some what... but no its bs to say a young rider cant handle a 1000 and be ok with it...it all depends on who you are, we arnt all the same riders... some mature more quickly...but yes i do agree to stay within your means when you are riding it...and if you are riding with some else who takes corners and what not at 80 and you arnt comfortable...dont do it...my first bike was a gs500..and i hated it...i had it for 2 months...and traded it in for a 05 gixxer 1000...and i love the bike...i live in tucson...and its the worst traffic in the world to deal with...and im perfectly fine...so dont go scaring young riders into staying away from the big bikes...if you arnt scared and you know you can handle it...i say go for it...just dont try going motogp right away...

It's just too bad that none of the manufactues make 400cc for the US market. images/icons/wink.gif

i absolutely agree!
i rented a cb400rr in thailand 8 years ago. that was when i knew i needed a new sportbike [mine was very old].
yes it is a shame. those high revving 400's were awesome!!!:punk

I think the main thing is here.....

DO YOU HAVE ANY BIKE EXPERIENCE, then go into what bike for first bike....
A guy who's been riding from an early age on the dirt will have bike time....that's not to say they are a gp pro....but never the less they have had experience.

The biggest variable here is that most are asking what bike for 'FIRST' bike, now first bike can mean the abslute first ever two wheeled motor driven vehicle you've ever sat on, or it can mean your first bike since riding off road, (dirt bikes), or basic riding skills attained over the years by whatever way. The crucial point is that what experience if any DO YOU HAVE.

This in mind, it's all well to say I'm getting a 1000 to start with, if you have riden before and have a fair amount of time on a two wheeled machine, then you have the 'basic' skills to go and stop and maybe more.
If you are confident, (not over confident), feel you can cope with the size and power of one of these machines then go take a test ride.......If you don't scare the living shit out of yourself then you know you can start out on that bike and hone your skills over time, doing all safty test's or whatever the norm is in the USA, get some track experience and above all listen to the experienced riders around you, they are not mocking you, they are helping you to stay alive and have the best time you can......

And if you think the 1000's are just too big, bulky or just a little daunting then try a 600, they are not too far off on performance, but are easier to handle. Do the same thing, go for a test ride, see what YOU think, then decide.......

Even a 750, try as many as you can or feel comfortable with...

BUT if they all scare the living crap out of you, get something more sedate first, or take up dirt bikes untill your used to them, because as mentioned in this thread and a few others, dirt does not hurt as much as tarmac and you have the added bonus of no cars or related obsticles to hit or be hit by.

And if you have never been on a bike, please don't try and justify your urge to get a 1000cc machine because you'll look cool........'look's can kill'........:nono

Just be sensible, ride with what YOU feel is comfortable and what YOU feel happy about riding, and if anyone takes the piss out of you then they are not worth knowing, as those people are the ones who end up pushing people to do things they can't do.......you get the picture.....:shifty

In summery,

If you have no experience at all, then go and get some, buy an old wreck, thrash the knackers out of in on the dirt, fall off, get a few 'war wounds', have a good time, and yes wear a helmet and boots, (more if you can), get someone who has bike experience to teach you, then you will have some basic skills to work from and can have some confidence to get on something bigger. But only do this when you are ready and competent to do so................................................ ....................:punk

If you have experience then use YOUR judgement on what YOU feel comfortable with as a first bike, be sensible and you will have many years of fun riding ahead of you.:biggrin

And remember it's not how big it is, it's what you do with it that counts:cool

So do yourself a favour and think before you post, what is your level of experience. Try letting everyone know where your at with that, then you'll get a more apt answer on what first bike to get................:D

just a little foot note to the guy who's been forced to start out on a 600..........:wtf
You'll probably love it, what better play thing than a 600.......agile, FAST and real sexy looking.......

Ride Hard, Ride Safe:cheers

And on a good note, after reading through various threads, i found one by fRaGgle.

This dude has written a great piece that all of you should read if you are new to bikes, 'First Bikers'...............

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28

It's under essential knowledge..................Now most would probably skip this one and go right in on this thread, (for people new to bikes), or why not an 'R' bike etc.....

My suggestion is READ THIS FROM fRaGgle, then make your mind up about what bike.......As he's from USA, I'm not so don't know your licence procedures........


Above all Ride Hard, Ride Safe...:cheers

im just a noob

I started on an SV 650 V-twin and now I ride a '07 GSX-R600 (the SV had no power compared to this:sleep ) but then again my other half has a '06 Busa 1300 with a big bore kit on it w/ extened swing arm... I rode that and of course it puts my to shame with the power:punk .. It's funny cuz sometimes we'll race and he gives me a head start and still blows me away, but I try...anyway I like my 600 it's lite and corners really well.

I started on an SV 650 V-twin and now I ride a '07 GSX-R600 (the SV had no power compared to this:sleep ) but then again my other half has a '06 Busa 1300 with a big bore kit on it w/ extened swing arm... I rode that and of course it puts my to shame with the power:punk .. It's funny cuz sometimes we'll race and he gives me a head start and still blows me away, but I try...anyway I like my 600 it's lite and corners really well.


You sound just like me. My hubby has the whole 9 yards including Busa, big bore, nitrous etc. I love my 600, I love cornering and I don't want to have to muscle my bike. It fits me perfect. Everyone I ride with including women have 1300s but I keep up just fine. If they tried to leave me they could but in the corners I would catch up or at least keep up. The 600 is a fun bike and plenty of power for the street, especially at my height and weight.

You sound just like me. My hubby has the whole 9 yards including Busa, big bore, nitrous etc. I love my 600, I love cornering and I don't want to have to muscle my bike. It fits me perfect. Everyone I ride with including women have 1300s but I keep up just fine. If they tried to leave me they could but in the corners I would catch up or at least keep up. The 600 is a fun bike and plenty of power for the street, especially at my height and weight.

I love my 600 too... I've rode the busa and it does corner hard... he wants to put nitrous on his too... men... kidding.... at least you have other women to ride with on sport bikes... all I ever see around here are women on crusiers... which sucks.. I do have one gal that used to ride with me, but I haven't seen her forever... so I just ride with all the guys.... ride safe.

A great starter bike, i was taught, was somewhere in the 400-500 range, and that was NOT on a sportbike. A starter bike on a Gixxer 600? You've got balls. I started on an '81 Honda CX500. NOT A SPORTBIKE, yet enough bike to learn on. It took me 15 years to brave the sportbike. Any of you who have STARTED on a sportbike of any size have my respect!!!

I have to agree with everyone on here, people just buy that 1000 for the bragging rights. I started on a 600 which was plenty and i can still ride it harder in the twisties then i can my new 1000. To all you new riders out there goo 600 or less and a non R bike. Learn to ride it well and you will have more bragging rights then anyone on a liter bike.

alright this is my view on the topic, im going to be going to college for powersport technician
i havent been able to buy a my own bike yet, but i think i am going to get a GSXR-750
yes i know about the whole "its too much power for a new rider" and what not, but i have a good head on my shoulders and i do not act stupid trying to impress anyone for anything, I know for a fact a 1000 is too fast as is the 750 and probably even a 600 but im a huge person and when i get my first bike im going to take it slow until i truely feel i can ride to the best of my ability. Picture a 6' 3" 275 plus rider on a bike smaller than a 600, and maybe when i get my bike i may be reluctant to buy 750 and get a gsxr 600, my brother has a k7 gsxr 600 blue/black, and he tells me he partly regrets getting the 600 and sometimes wishes he would have started on a 750, I think that sounds reasonable, i know im going to catch some shit for this post but im just speaking my opinion.. thanks

I'm just curious if people get really bored with their first bikes. I'm 18 and I'm going to take the MSF class in the spring. I love gsxrs, and I had planned to get a gsxr600 as all my friends have gotten r6's and cbr600s. I'm taking advice to heart and really am considering getting a smaller bike, but I'll have to suck up my pride because all my friends picked up their 600s without a hitch. I may end up on a 2008 Ninja 250r, but most of me really wants that gsxr. Is the gsxr insanely different from the other 600cc sportbikes on the market?

I'm just curious if people get really bored with their first bikes.

I've ridden on the street for about 10 years, over 100000 miles, ridden track (road course) for 5 years and on my 3rd season of racing - and I still love my '99 SV650S which wasn't even my first bike but my second. Yeah, it doesn't have a whole lot of power but it's damn fun in the twisties - and that is what motorcycles are really about, turning. The ones that "get bored" with 600s and 750s have no clue about really riding - it's much more than twisting the throttle on a straight road ;)

Picture a 6' 3" 275 plus rider on a bike smaller than a 600,

600s and 750s are physically the exact same size and the 1000s are very close. If it's comfort you are after in relation to your size, get a standard bike. They are bigger.

I guess it all depends on what kind of riding you like to do. The K7 600 is my first bike and I love it. I don't see myself going up to a 1000 till I'm riding in the advanced groups at track days.

If racing in a straight line/drag racing with your friends is your thing than more power to you for getting a larger than 600cc bike. But if you love hitting the track or canyons a 600cc bike is more than enough. Hell even if you stunt a 600cc is good enough. To me there's nothing more satisfying than outriding someone else on a liter bike with my puny 600. :biggrin

that sounds about right, i can fit a 600 so maybe thats what ill get, the thing is as sitting on the 600's and 750's at the shop i thought the 750 felt a bit more comfortable, but i dont want to kill myself, ill just lose some weight or something to fit a 600 a little bit better.

the thing is as sitting on the 600's and 750's at the shop i thought the 750 felt a bit more comfortable,

It's all in your head - most parts are the same, frame, tank, seat, bars, pegs, etc. If anything the pegs may have been adjusted differently on the 750 - but that's adjustment :D

ok thanks for the help, maybe that was it, can you re-adjust the pegs to fit you better?

how do you think the new ninja 250r stacks up against the sv650s for a first bike?

Just an fyi I'm 6'1 and 195lbs

I have read through this whole thread and I agree with what everyone is saying about having a smaller bike to start on, but my take on it is if you want to start on a bigger bike, why not? Just cause they are new to riding doesn't mean they won't be able to learn and not hurt themselves. Of course there is going to be the jackasses that think they are tough shit and go out and get hurt, but so what. There fault for not respecting the bike and they got what they deserved. I started on a 2001 zx-6r. I learned just fine on it. I went down one time because my friend ran into me when I was turning, and it sucked even tho we were going slow:hammer, but for the most part I was fine. I just bought an 01' gsx-r 600 this year and it's my first bike. I love to corner more than anything, so thats why I got a 600. I'm not trying to talk shit, I just think people should be alowed to do what they want without people telling them they are wrong for it.

I have read through this whole thread and I agree with what everyone is saying about having a smaller bike to start on, but my take on it is if you want to start on a bigger bike, why not? Just cause they are new to riding doesn't mean they won't be able to learn and not hurt themselves. Of course there is going to be the jackasses that think they are tough shit and go out and get hurt, but so what. There fault for not respecting the bike and they got what they deserved. I started on a 2001 zx-6r. I learned just fine on it. I went down one time because my friend ran into me when I was turning, and it sucked even tho we were going slow:hammer, but for the most part I was fine. I just bought an 01' gsx-r 600 this year and it's my first bike. I love to corner more than anything, so thats why I got a 600. I'm not trying to talk shit, I just think people should be alowed to do what they want without people telling them they are wrong for it.

i know what they are talking about by growing up to a larger bike but not everyone has the same goals. sure you will learn faster and probably be a much faster rider but for the people that going fast is not their main priority it is sorta a preference on what to buy first.
i do also agree that not every new rider is capable of handling a 1000cc as a first bike but thats not for anyone on a web forum to judge. that should be the rider and knowing what is best for him.

I'm just curious if people get really bored with their first bikes. I'm 18 and I'm going to take the MSF class in the spring. I love gsxrs, and I had planned to get a gsxr600 as all my friends have gotten r6's and cbr600s. I'm taking advice to heart and really am considering getting a smaller bike, but I'll have to suck up my pride because all my friends picked up their 600s without a hitch. I may end up on a 2008 Ninja 250r, but most of me really wants that gsxr. Is the gsxr insanely different from the other 600cc sportbikes on the market?

Don't worry about what your friends think, or have to say. If you know that you are taking the right steps to being the best rider you can for years and years to come, that is all that matters. Learn on the smaller bike until you can handle it in any circumstance and then move up. I am starting out on a Gixxer 600 and honestly would have been better off on a ninja 250 or 500. I realize now that I will not be ready to handle all that my gixxer has to offer for a year or two anyway, so it would have been far cheaper to repair the right side fairing if I had been on a used ninja 250, as opposed to the street bike that I foolishly lowsided due to my own lack of expierience. Their is nothing that you SHOULD be doing starting out that you won't be able to do on 250 or 500! Take everyones advice and start slow trust me your pride won't mind as much when you tell your buddys about your 250 as it will when you tell them you wiped out your 600; and your wallet will thank you too!

Well I'm 20 and have just ordered my gear, which incidently is taken rather long to arrive...
Anyway, I am intending to buy a Gsxr 600 03/04 as my first bike, which as I live in the Uk will have to be restricted to 33bhp for the first 2 years, or until I feel ready to remove it myself ;) Now i have a brain, so I'm not going to be going full throttle from the word go but work myself up to it, and most importantly, gain confidence on the road. By adopting this kind of attitude i think any 600 sports is suitable for a first bike as it will only go as fast as you make it, it is all a learning curve...

Peace out.

I am 21 i just bought my first bike a 99' 750.. Bought some gear, jacket, helmet, and gloves. I rode motocross for a few years. Street is alot different than dirt and I'm sure less forgiving..I just want to be a good rider so I think that I will take it slow this year and learn the curves of my lady.

I started with a 250 Ninja in college and graduated to my 750. I didn't want a liter bike becasue I seen and heard to many horror stories. Plus I have my hands full with my 750.

Whats up, I'm new at this so bare with me please. If I am posting in the wrong forum let me know.
I just bought the new Harris GsxR handle bar grips and I just wanted to ask what the best way to put it onto the throttle side? I got the grip on the other side with ease, but messed up the throttle one. Got another set and wanted to get this one right.

Whats up, I'm new at this so bare with me please. If I am posting in the wrong forum let me know.
I just bought the new Harris GsxR handle bar grips and I just wanted to ask what the best way to put it onto the throttle side? I got the grip on the other side with ease, but messed up the throttle one. Got another set and wanted to get this one right.

this thread should help you out nicely :cheers

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182095&highlight=tips+for+grips

this thread should help you out nicely :cheers

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182095&highlight=tips+for+grips

Thanks for the link. Helps out a lot.

i just want to agree with what was said at the beginning. i started riding last may on a 250 rebel. wanted to go more the cruiser route. rode it for about 4 months and decided to move up. went to a 750 shadow and loved it. all the power i needed. then i found out i was going to germany and if i was gonna take a bike i wanted one i could move on so i sold the shadow and moved to a 2005 gsxr 600 (the bike that made me want to start riding several years ago.) i have been on it for about 4 months now and absolutely love it. i have to agree with the guys earlier saying that it is definately not a starter bike. i think if i would have started on it i would probably be dead now.

Good Stuff

I bought a ninja 250 as my first bike in may and I'm so glad I did. Everything about it helped build my confidence instead of scare the crap out of me. Once you learn the basics of riding, it's up to you to ride within your abilities. Do that, and you should be fine.

I've been riding for 1 season now first bike i ever drove (minus the one from MSF course) is a 08 FZ6 Yamaha. It's fast, comfortable, and forgiving, and very smooth to drive. I would recommend it to another start to try.

Rode my 2005 Kawasaki Ninja 250R for a year and 'upgraded' to 1994 GSX-R 750. And all I can say is two sides of the earth. The bike scares the living sh*t out of me whenever I ride it, I feel like some stableboy who jumped onto a wild stallion just for the hell of it. Yes, I will get used to it, but it's all about taking it slow, not taking those chances, and wondering why I didn't get the 600. Shoulda-woulda-coulda.

I rode a Suzuki Across 250 for about 18 months. We had '250cc' laws for beginners in Queensland at that time (it's changed slightly since). It was well fast enough at the time.

I then went to a '98 ZX6R. It was so much quicker. Not only was it more powerful, it was a 'proper' bike. What I mean by 'proper bike' is that it had 'proper' suspension, 'proper' brakes, 'proper' handling.

Probably the best thing I thought at the time was the improvement in these areas (after I got over how quick it was..).

From there I moved to an '03 R1, then '06 Speed Triple. Then I missed sportbikes so went with an '06 GSXR1000.

This process was over a period of 10+ years.

I started out on a gs500e. It was a good bike and plenty fast enough!! Top end was around 110-120, more then enough for the beginner rider. I split w/the ex and decided to get a gsxr 750 96 srad. It scared the hell out of me, it seemed all my friends were good riders so.... i was always playing the catch up game. Well had it for about 2 months and got stupid. I took a turn at 140mph, but there was a bump in the middle of the turn. I slid off the road and strait into a tree. Split the bike in 2 and lost both legs above knee. Now i just got a 97 750gsxr, needs some work to get it ready but in time and money it will be good as new. I guess what i am saying is know your roads, limits, and respect the bike!! If not things can god bad quickly!!
Vinny

shit vinny, thats a terrible story. i was watching superbikes the other day and they had this guy on there that had lost both of his legs in riding accident. he still loved riding so i think he purchased a trike and after that, custom made a sportbike to have training like wheels that would deploy when he stopped or slowed. Awesome Guy!! im glad to hear your still riding! Major props to you sir!

I wish all the people who keep saying they want a liter bike had people like i did to keep me in the low cc's. Put me on my 250, and then on a GSXR 600 or 1000... bet I go faster in the twisties, and come home in 1 peice on the 250... :flipoff

Thanks Beaker... and dont forget Matt!

Oh, and the million dollar question: why do these little 18 year old posers think they know more than people who have been riding for 20+ years? Parents need to beat there kids asses more often... No one respects wisdom anymore... :dissapointed

whats goin on guys? Thanks to everyone that has posted on this thread. Im looking to get my first bike come spring and I've already eliminated the gsxr600. someone posted on here with a list of bike that were good beginners. one was the Suzuki SV650. i looked it up and really liked it. its 649cc tho. after reading on this it seems like it could be to much power. i dont plan on going crazy im going to take it slow till i master it. The one problem is im 5'5 so i don't think i could go any bigger then a gsxr600 lol. doesn't seem like there's a need to anyways. so i guess i just want to see if the SV650 SF would be a good starter bike for me? any comments are greatly appreciated. thanks everyone!

I'm 5'5" also and started on VLX shadow with low 26.5" seat height in 2004 after finishing MSF course. After a year attended experienced rider course and upgraded to Vstar 1100 Custom. And Feb this year bought my 07 GSXR 750 blue/white lowered with Soupy's lowering link. Its better to hone in your skills first on lower cc bike and onced your comfortable with your skills then upgrade. Good luck.

Great info. I started out on an 2000 R6, just sold it to get a 07 gsxr 600. I can definently tell the difference between the two bikes. Im about 5'3" and the r6 was lowered. I cant flat foot the gsxr but for the time being i see no reason to lower it.

I Just Bought A 05 Gsxr 1000. I Do Agree That Small More Docile Bkes Are Better Suited For Beginners. I Never Owned A Sportbike. I Had A Yamaha Seca 750 Back In The Day And Rode That Less Than A Year. My Experiences Were With Multiple Dirtbikes And Enduros. I Started Out Riding A Buddies Busa While He Rode His Zx-10. After Riding It A Few Months, That Was The Bike For Me. It Was Comfortable As Hell And The Power More Linear Than The 1000, Which Can Be Violent. Bottom Line Is Stay "within Your Lane," Learn Your Bike, Respect It, Be Vigilant, And Practice Emergency Manuevers. To Tell You The Truth, I Fell More Confident On The Busa With Its Long Wheelbase And Heavier Wt.

whats goin on guys? Thanks to everyone that has posted on this thread. Im looking to get my first bike come spring and I've already eliminated the gsxr600. someone posted on here with a list of bike that were good beginners. one was the Suzuki SV650. i looked it up and really liked it. its 649cc tho. after reading on this it seems like it could be to much power. i dont plan on going crazy im going to take it slow till i master it. The one problem is im 5'5 so i don't think i could go any bigger then a gsxr600 lol. doesn't seem like there's a need to anyways. so i guess i just want to see if the SV650 SF would be a good starter bike for me? any comments are greatly appreciated. thanks everyone!

Hi guys, I'm new to all of this so please bear with me... My first bike was a SV650s (my husbands cast-off when he bought a GSXR-750) It was a nice bike, but wasn't for me. I found the Twin thing a little too different to the bikes I learnt on, so just didn't get on with it very well. I think it's all down to personal choice at the end of the day. Try them all, before you buy. I know havea GSR600s K8. I love it. It gives me the grin factor whenever I am out on it, but I am still learning. Good luck...:biggrin

The new k8 Gixxer 600 is good to learn on because you can first learn it in C mode which is the same as a Suzuki GS500. then move your way up. Can't wait till riding season starts. I will take it easy even if all my friends leave me in the dust lol.

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and fairly new to riding. I personally went against all of this advice i read just now. I bought a Gixxer 1000, first bike. Never been on a dirt bike, in fact, I had to teach myself to ride on that bike. Bought it before i knew how to start the thing. I Love my bike. It's a ton of power, but does need to be respected. Learned that fast. Within the second week of riding i was on a fairly busy street stopped at a stop light next to a honda civic occupied by 4 gorgeous girls. "Gotta show off" lol... Light changed and i hit the throttle. Didn't matter... stalled the bike. car rolls away. So i restart and take off. First gear the bike poppeed up around 50 and before i know it I'm riding a wheelie down the road. Scared the shit out of me. Gained a lot of respect for the bike, after i was finished having a heart attack. rode it for a good 20 seconds. Totally accidental, but nobody watching needed to know that =) All said and done, i think a 600 or so would be easier to learn on, but i won't ever give up my 1000. i love the decision i made.

I just want to say that I appreciate all of the fine advise given here in this thread.

I've been toying with the idea of buying a bike for the past 7 years now and am finally in a position to do so. I have decided on a 98 GSXR 600... I first learned to ride on a 01 GSXR 600, my friends bike which I dropped... I also have had the pleasure to ride two other R6's; so I'm not a complete newbie.

I have already ordered my helmet and gloves, and I refuse to ride without getting boots, a jacket, and under armour.

Riding a motorcycle takes loads of respect for the machine and common sense(never ride in anyone's blind spot, don't take off before looking for oncoming traffic in intersections, etc.). I feel that I have both and will remain vigilant at all times. I will also be taking the BRC class as well as the advanced class later in the summer. I will be around more often and hope to get to know all of you better.

Ride safely!

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and fairly new to riding. I personally went against all of this advice i read just now. I bought a Gixxer 1000, first bike. Never been on a dirt bike, in fact, I had to teach myself to ride on that bike. Bought it before i knew how to start the thing. I Love my bike. It's a ton of power, but does need to be respected. Learned that fast. Within the second week of riding i was on a fairly busy street stopped at a stop light next to a honda civic occupied by 4 gorgeous girls. "Gotta show off" lol... Light changed and i hit the throttle. Didn't matter... stalled the bike. car rolls away. So i restart and take off. First gear the bike poppeed up around 50 and before i know it I'm riding a wheelie down the road. Scared the shit out of me. Gained a lot of respect for the bike, after i was finished having a heart attack. rode it for a good 20 seconds. Totally accidental, but nobody watching needed to know that =) All said and done, i think a 600 or so would be easier to learn on, but i won't ever give up my 1000. i love the decision i made.

seriously?

Welcome dude!

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and fairly new to riding. I personally went against all of this advice i read just now. I bought a Gixxer 1000, first bike. Never been on a dirt bike, in fact, I had to teach myself to ride on that bike. Bought it before i knew how to start the thing. I Love my bike. It's a ton of power, but does need to be respected. Learned that fast. Within the second week of riding i was on a fairly busy street stopped at a stop light next to a honda civic occupied by 4 gorgeous girls. "Gotta show off" lol... Light changed and i hit the throttle. Didn't matter... stalled the bike. car rolls away. So i restart and take off. First gear the bike poppeed up around 50 and before i know it I'm riding a wheelie down the road. Scared the shit out of me. Gained a lot of respect for the bike, after i was finished having a heart attack. rode it for a good 20 seconds. Totally accidental, but nobody watching needed to know that =) All said and done, i think a 600 or so would be easier to learn on, but i won't ever give up my 1000. i love the decision i made.

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and fairly new to riding. I personally went against all of this advice i read just now. I bought a Gixxer 1000, first bike. Never been on a dirt bike, in fact, I had to teach myself to ride on that bike. Bought it before i knew how to start the thing. I Love my bike. It's a ton of power, but does need to be respected. Learned that fast. Within the second week of riding i was on a fairly busy street stopped at a stop light next to a honda civic occupied by 4 gorgeous girls. "Gotta show off" lol... Light changed and i hit the throttle. Didn't matter... stalled the bike. car rolls away. So i restart and take off. First gear the bike poppeed up around 50 and before i know it I'm riding a wheelie down the road. Scared the shit out of me. Gained a lot of respect for the bike, after i was finished having a heart attack. rode it for a good 20 seconds. Totally accidental, but nobody watching needed to know that =) All said and done, i think a 600 or so would be easier to learn on, but i won't ever give up my 1000. i love the decision i made.Just be smart and careful.

seriously?


LMFAO.

600 are a Great first / second bike....etc I still have 600's 2 of them, why because 150mph just to prove you can do it....lol But the Point of this is Stopping a ^
600R when little johnny run in the street or someone cuts you off is a point that the 1000/ full litre bikes can't do,and until your a Nicky Haden.....and after 15 years i am still NOT...you can enjoy the same Not to mention the Insurance savings...just a thought

zaz

I am a new rider. I took the ABATE class in september of 08 and bought a 05 GSXR600 in October. I laid it down the third day I had it. I was turning at less than 10 mph and hit a gravel patch that I didnt see until too late. Im not sure if more experience wouldve saved it or if thats just the reality of a bike not have 4 wheels of stability. I rode it thru my neighborhood whenever the temp was near 50 and have had it out on the streets for over a month now. I have fun riding it but sometimes I do get scared on it when the wind blows real hard or I hit a small hole on accident and dontknow how the bike will react to it. I ride it smart and safe and have never been over 80 and that was the speed of traffic at the time. A 600 is an ok bike to start on as long as you take the safety course and ride it like a mature adult that values life. Im trying to figure out how far I can lean now because I want to be able to take sharp turns sometime this summer. Its a lot of bike to learn.

First, welcome.

Second, sorry to hear about the shitty beginning - better luck in the future.

The general consensus here seems to be that the best place to "figure out how far you can lean" would be on the track. I look forward to my first track day this year. Unfortunately that won't be until the middle of July for me.

Hi, i am new to this site. I just wanted to say i bought a Ninja 250 as my first bike, i never rode a bike in my life, they laughed at me at the bike dealer when i told them i fdidnt know how to ride and they put the bike in the back on my truck. i taught myself in 2 days, then i moved to a honda shadow spirit 750 cruiser and took the MSF safety course.
Well this sat i am picking up a brand new 2008 GSXR 600, it is new in the crate and has 0 miles. i am so excited and a little nervous of the power.
So bottom line, the ninja 250 was a perfect bike for me to learn, i rode for a year on that bike before i felt it was getting too small for me.

I believe on what everyone has said. The only thing that I think is the weight of the person..... When I first got my bike it was a GSXR1000 and I was about 210lbs. I work out alot and was in the Army so I figured I could handle a bigger bike for being pretty big guy. I never had a problem with my 1000. I took it easy watched what I did and slowly improved on it. I have only been riding for about 2 years and I would have to say it also depends on the persons size!!!!

I'm 5'7" 150, Tip toes are enough right? LOL. I wondered what some of the other shorter guys have to deal with . I have an 03' GSXR 600.

um, oops! i learned to ride on a gsxr 750, so when i went to buy my own i was like, "i'll get a gsxr 600, that's SMALL!"

well, it's not so small. i have had it a year and haven't crashed it yet. but i HAVE gone way too fast many times, and i HAVE locked up the rear brakes but managed to save it. and yes i've scared myself on it a few times. i'm trying to take it slow and learn, but that throttle is mighty tempting. i'm learning how to ride the track from an experienced racer, though, so good instruction might have something to do with the fact that i haven't cracked up yet.

although the bike is undeniably fun and I love it, here are 2 things that i find irritating:

1) the cheapest insurance I could find was $89 per month with a $1000 deductible, and that does not include uninsured motorist!!!

2) the maintenance schedule is ridiculous, you never stop working on it. and especially if you take it on the track a lot, then you have to cut your maint. schedule in half. and it's so expensive to have mechanics do it that i started doing all my work myself!

Just a quick chime in here. I noticed that some folks didn't mention the importance of a rider course. We all acknowledge that our hobby is a dangerous one and like every dangerous activity - football, driving, marksmanship, etc. training and practice are required to do these things safely. Add in the fact that there are an increasing amount of idiot cagers who text while driving and more inexperienced drivers during every season, the more skill you have will serve you better and keep you safe. Shoot, we can all get killed crossing the street. Yes, I also agree that 600s are more than capable bikes. They have 1/4 mile time and speeds that make your head spin: 11 sec. @ 130+ mph!!!

Greetings all, I was told to not post a new thread...I am a first time bike buyer 2006 GSXR K600R with 1126 miles.

Can anyone help me with terms being used here, such as stoppies and such? I am a safe rider and full of good intentions at this point.

May I ask if anyone can share anything to a new rider that will help me be a safer rider? I am interested in being able to react to unforseen circumstances that may arise from being a first time rider?

Peace all,

WhiteDog1

this is a very good thread. I have been riding dirty bikes and raced motocross since i was in sixth grade. I am now about to be 27 years old, and i just got my first bike. I bought a gsxr 750. I have rode street bike before, and they only went as fast as i made it go. But this is the first bike i actually owned.

I started on a 600 a few years ago. I put about 1000 miles or so on it before I got hurt (not on the bike) and couldnt ride for a while. I took a safety course earlier this year and bought another used 600 and put 2000 miles on it in about 2 months. I just bought a GSXR-1000. I was really nervous when I first got on the bike, thinking if I looked at the throttle wrong I would be on my back, but I really practiced my cluch and throttle control (and I still do) and it has really helped. I have never had a TRUE sportbike (last two bikes were a FZR 600 and a YZF 600) so I am still trying to get comfortable on it. I am also a big guy (6'2 255) and the reason I went with a 1000 vs a 750 was because I didnt fit on the 750 comfortably. The 09 Gixxer I bought has 3 engine modes that dumbs down the torque so it is a bit more forgiving. It still scares me but im not the kind of person that goes 150mph on one wheel in nothing but a pair of cargo shorts and flip flops (to old for that crap!) I always wear full gear and I know my limits and comfort zone.

I am also going to sign up for a track class and advanced rider course. The big thing I learned so far is if you respect the bike it will respect you. Also, YOU are responsible for your safety, no one else!

Hello all am new around here,

Am 18 just starting to get into the Sportbike world, and i think as a first bike i will choose the 600 gixxer i know i will get flamed for that :P but the problem is were i living its VERY VERY hard to sell a small bike as a ninja 250 or a YZF R125 and also they are very expensive (For the Yamaha the dealer wanted 5k Euros.. and i can find a brand new gixxer 600 or 750 for about 10k Euros) the thing i would like to know is what exatcly are the "programs" that gixxers have those A, B, C as far as i know they are about kinda limiting the bikes power?:scratch

Also as a bit of my thinking : isnt better to buy a new bike so that you MUST be obligied to go slow at the beginning to settle down the engine, even if you drop it okay you will pay some cash to fix it but at least u wont be 6 feet under !

thanks in advance. :punk

EDIT: also my only driving experience is 2 years of riding a peugeot speedfight 2 100c 2stroke :P-i kow its a whole different level of riding but mentioning just for the record ;p

the thing i would like to know is what exatcly are the "programs" that gixxers have those A, B, C as far as i know they are about kinda limiting the bikes power?



The way it was explained to me is basically "A" is track mode, highest throttle response across the board. "B" is for regular street riding and is not far from "A" mode, just a little less throttle response. "C" mode is for rain or low traction. It basically dumbs down the power. I have been riding in C mode while I break in the bike and while it is responsive, it feels like my old 600.

hey, Dklo thanks for explaining really appriciated

No prob Paragon. Enjoy the new bike!

Hey guys.. im really new to this stuff so ill take my beatings as they go... I am currently deployed to Iraq right now for the second time, and i own a 2008 GSXR600 that I loved to ride. I had my eyes dead set on getting a 1000 but my friend talked me out of it seeing as how I had only ever rode dirtbikes before my 600. I am really interested in getting the 2k9 1000. I have heard nothing but great things about. I have a great feel for the 600, i mean i never took it to a track and raced it but i have an over all understanding of my limits on it. I plan on getting the 1000 when I get back from Iraq. Do you guys suggest that I ride around on it for a while before I but money into it?

Hey guys, im new to the site and just saw this thread so i thought ill write something. I bought a 04 GSX-R 600cc last year and have only ridden it a few times. Seeing as how i have no license yet... it was scary at first but i got the hang of it in a couple of days and now im going to the MSF riding course next week to get my license. i cant wait to get out and start riding, ive waited all year to really get into it and cant wait. im not one of those guys that need to show off doing wheelies and etc. im gona take it slow and wear full gear even if i have to go across the street.

this website looks like a great place for me to learn about gixxers, thnx again!!!

Okay, so my sick boyfriend brought me home a GSXR600.
It is a beauty. Am I sic enough to ride it as a starter bike? Probably.
Any advice is welcome.

im about to get my first bike and its going to be a 600 gsxr, and the guy sellin it to me is i guess a friend of mine, and he says he will teach me how to ride it and install anything on it for me for free, and he says i should stretch it 6in. what do you think about that? would it be a bad idea for a new rider? and its lowered 2in but can be lowered 3in or raised back to stock, what would be best for a new rider?

Fairly new to the site registered a while ago, but never really posted. Ridden dirt all my life since I was 5, and got into road riding a little over a year ago when I got my bike licence, riding a drz400 now, great bike to learn on, and its getting me used to all the rules of the road.. I rode my buddys 05 ninja 636r today, and man do they rip. Can't wait to get myself a 600 next summer.

Hi all. I am not really new to bike, nor this forum, but then again, i kind of am. I used to ride a cbr1000 back in 2002 - 2003, so I didn't really visit this site much. Now i have a naked 2007 gsxr 750 that I bought for $2600. I didn't know where else to introduce myself, so I'm doing it here. I hope to have many great discusisons with you guys/gals in the future and hope i can offer some of my knowledge up as well. Thanks.

^^That's exactly what "The Starting Line" is for. You create your own thread to introduce yourself but since you did it here. Welcome back to GDC. :cheers

Welcome back to the GDC family!:cheers

Well, here goes nothing, keep in mind that I try to respect others in the traffic and the lives of other people alot. But when it comes to myself, driving on a countryside back road with seemingly no traffic on it. I do take unneccessary risks that are more or less calculated, usually the latter I'd say.

I try to be cautious but you never know, when you get in a smooth groove, what exactly pops up behind the next corner. Of course, life's all about taking such risks knowledgeably in a somewhat controlled manner. If you let it get out of hand, do it all the time without preparing for the worst and keep pushing it on the public roads or even the track, or you're just thinking that it happens to idiots who can't drive or ride. You just might be one of those idiots.

Heck, I'm pretty sure I'm one of those morons, and end up having my ride as a nice tree ornament and myself semi-paralyzed hanging on some treetop.

Anyhow, now that you know that I'm a total loonie :wacko On to the actual question:
I've been training on a Kawasaki ZR-7 (98 or 99 I think it is), and that thing feels way too heavy. I mean when it gets up to speed it's just fine, but around 12-14mph and under I don't get a clear feedback of where the balance point is, up into the point that you feel it's going to drop you on your side. That's making operating it slow, U-turns and so on, a bit hard and awkward.

I'm 5'9" and around 150lb and I'm wondering what to start with? I'm definately looking at something that would be atleast 30-40lb lighter than that bike, guessing it's around the 400lb mark...
So I was looking at some of the following to start with, learn with, get in trouble with, fall with, and hopefully get up and ride on with:
-SV650S '01 Seems light and they're quite cheap here
-GS500F ´04 Looks good, but that is just expensive plastics that will break
-Kawasaki ER 5 Twister '01 Cheap as anything
-gsx 600F -01

Those at the moment seem to be the only reasonable (read: cheap) options at hand.

Or, since winter is coming up fast again I might opt for something to be able to train in the winter too like a Yamaha XT 600e, a Kawasaki KLE500 or a Honda dominator 650 (don't actually know if Suzuki has a cross/tourer) witch I might be able to enjoy in the end of this summer and in the winter, to keep me riding and putting the rubber side up :banghead

Thanks for any advice in advance, and if this post is too long, don't read it, delete it, ban me, whatever. Cheers!