I have been thinking about it for a long time and i have decided to get a bike this year. Last weekend I spent about two and a half hours at a local dealership looking at bikes, sitting on a bunch of them, and talking to some guys about riding. I have decided to go with a used GSXR600 after sitting on and researching a bunch of bikes. I know I'll get heat for it, but none of the other bikes I sat on were comfortable with my back (I had a really bad skiing accident last year and some sitting positions really bug me). I have developed a lot of self control after having my Mustang for almost 2 years (mostly from getting in all the trouble i have with it) and I don't want to get a bike to learn how to do wheelies and endos all day long, i just want to enjoy myself, i have no desire to keep up with anyone on a 1k or do 130 on the highway. Besides state bike safety courses, would it be a good idea to go to a riding school after i've logged a decent amount of riding hours? I mean something like the Kevin Schwantz School listed on the suzuki website.
Another thing i was wondering about was insurance, how many people get full coverage on a paid off bike?
Sorry for the long post, just trying to figure some stuff out before i go spend $4k+ on a bike.
thanks

Read this thread (http://www.gixxer.com/forums/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000052) and then tell me why you will not end up as a statistic like the 95% or more others that by a sports bike as their first bike. graemlins/flipoff.gif

Hey great attitude. I think the 600 is a great learning bike. The gsxr 600 is still a fast bike, don't think it's not. Last time on the track there were a couple 600s passing 1ks all over the place. Bike power only, doesn't make you fast, smoothness does. I think that a riding school is the best way to learn how to really ride your bike, and what it was made for. Most importantly, it will teach you how to be a better rider, and therefor a SAFER rider. Although I've not taken one myself, I do desire to. There is a thing called "Pace" riding. It's an old "group riding" technique that will help you to learn Safely. Get with a good group of experienced riders, and talk about the pace ride. Explained simply, - The lead rider sets a pace that everybody can keep up with. A pace that doesn't have some of the group raceing between turns to catch up. The #1 reason for crashes in the mountains is ENTERING THE TURN TOO FAST. It's all about the set up. Set up with the proper speed, and angle. Look for your apex, and exit, make sure it is safe, and then go for it. You can have just as much fun, and get just as much lean, without racing in the straights. Raceing in the straights only gets you hurt, or a ticket. My friends and I actually try to hit the brakes, going uphill, as little as possible. This doesn't mean we are slow, just smooth. We know our local mountain, and have learned the turns, and know how much speed we can carry into each turn, and still be in control.
If you have time, you should be able to find a website which goes into greater detail about pace riding. Sorry for the long post, but I just watched a guy blow through a right hand turn, and almost kill himself. I hate to see that shit. Have fun, and ride safe. graemlins/bounce.gif

With a bad back I would say a GSXR is an awful bike to ride period. The seating is so aggresive it is not even funny. It may feel comfortable at the dealer without riding it but 20 minutes into a ride you will be feeling it.
If you are totally fixed on getting a race replica you might look into a Honda F3, F4, F4i. They are not as forward leaning as the GSXR or Yamaha's.
As for courses take the MSF course. I would not really worry about any other courses for about a year besides the MSF advanced course. Learn the rules of the road before you learn to go faster.
IMHO none of the race replicas are good to learn on even with a solid head on your shoulders. Tiny little mess ups on a race replica are far worse than with a bike that is not geared all torward speed. I will save you a huge lecture though. But with a bad back I guarantee that the GSXR will be very uncomfortable for you.
Other bikes to look at (just FYI)
Honda VFR
Kawi EX500
Suzuki SV650
Suzuki Bandit 600

Be sure to figure about an extra 1000 for gear. IE; Full face Snell certified helmet, Leather jacket, Gloves, Boots ect.
images/icons/smile.gif

jontflesh

fraggle: i completely understand what you are saying, and when i said i have self control i was not kidding. i have gotten 2 tickets in my mustang totalling almost $600 and i got charged with criminal racing over the summer. i can't afford anything else and i have no desire to go through what i did over the summer again. so i'm not kidding, i'm not getting a bike to ride around like a retard. just want to have fun.
hayama: thanks for the support with what i said
and jon: my back is wierd,. i can only sit with my back and theighs at certain angles. i can't be sitting upright, the cbr had my back aggravated quite quickly. i forgot to mention that i'm a bit over 6'4". i sat on an r6 (which i would never think of buying for a first bike) and it wasn't as comfortable as the gixxer. i'm going to have to go back again, and go through everything to make sure it wasn't just that day.
thanks to everyone, anyone else have opinions ?

heh heh, with that driving record, your insurance is going to be horrific on anything over about a 50cc Vespa images/icons/wink.gif

yeah yeah i know what you mean. right now my mustang is around 2800 a year (which at least insures me as a regular driver on the rest of the family's 7 cars) and my mustang is only a 6 banger! that's why i was askin about the full insurance. i was quoted only around 250 a year not including collision, which is what i think i'd like to do. i'll pay cash for the bike, so i won't have a bank telling me i have to get full insurance.

get full coverage. you can not control all aspects of riding on the road.

These are always great posts to read. Everybody definately has some good advice and here's my .02. Just because you drive a mustang and you think you have "self control" doesn't have anything to do with a motorcycle. First off, a track day riding class will do you no good to start with. You need to take the MSF course and really pay attention. It takes alot of time and miles under your belt to be able to ride in the conditions that today roads offer. You don't have to worry about your "self control" so much as you have to worry about the Cager pulling out in front of you and you not jamming 50 pounds of pressure on the back brake. And another item that interests me is you say "i sat on an r6 (which i would never think of buying for a first bike)". I don't quite know what that means, but any Sport, SuperSport Bike, Race Replica is a very dangerous machine to the untrained and ill experienced rider. You can have all the "self control" in the world but when you go into a corner to hot and you've been riding for a whopping 2 months, you may end up eating some dirt or asphault and a smaller starter bike will be alot more forgiving than that 400 pound racing machine your looking at. Lastly, (I don't mean to lecture)...if you get a bike get full coverage insurance. Bike parts can be very expensive when you wreck them all at once.

2003 Gixxer 600 is sitting at the dealer with 253 miles on it because some squid said he was gonna take it easy and he didn't need a smaller bike. He's dead and his bike is totaled, anybody need some parts??

the reason why i said i wouldn't get an r6 is because a gsx-r600 is already more than powerful enough. another 20 horsepower is more than what i want to deal with.
i'm not saying that simply by having a mustang has developed self control, but it made it so damn easy to do stupid crap. it has gotten me into a lot of trouble and i regret all of it, but it has taught me some lessons, the biggest is not pushing the limits anymore. i've done some stupid things in my car, and i'm sure i'm not the only one on that, but i gotten screwed and i don't do that anymore.
like i said before, i don't want a bike to go rip through turns or fly around a track, i'm more than happy to save that kind of riding for down the road, i have plenty of time and nothing to prove. i want to have fun, but i need a bike that is going to handle easily and that i can be comfortable on, and the gsx-r is the most comfortable for what i've seen so far.

erm, you do realise that an R6 and a GSXR600 are pretty much equal in all respects ?

they are similar i know, but i also understand how big of a difference 20 horsepower makes on a bike that light. now i may be wrong in my assumption but i can only look at the numbers and with my butt on a 380lb bike with 100 hp, its 5.8lbs/horse and with 120 hp that drops to 4.8. that's what i was basing my statement on.

Originally posted by fRaGgLe:
erm, you do realise that an R6 and a GSXR600 are pretty much equal in all respects ?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I'm going to have to agree with this one. I think the GSXR is a little more torqueish too. So, I don't know where he's getting the R6 is more powerfull than the GSXR-600. Any experts shed some light?

Originally posted by Sergeant Nic:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by fRaGgLe:
erm, you do realise that an R6 and a GSXR600 are pretty much equal in all respects ?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I'm going to have to agree with this one. I think the GSXR is a little more torqueish too. So, I don't know where he's getting the R6 is more powerfull than the GSXR-600. Any experts shed some light?</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yamaha propoganda ?

Actually I think that the gix makes a couple more ponies than the Yam.

I rode an R6 and a GSXR600 back to back, and both are like riding razor blades with jet engines. The Gix has a little more torque (it has some), and both rev to infinity images/icons/wink.gif Both will push 160mph, and neither one are learner machines.

screw it. later

[ 01-28-2003, 09:19 PM: Message edited by: sixstang ]

Originally posted by sixstang:
screw it. later<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hey fragle, I can't believe you admitted you road an R6 graemlins/laugh.gif Just kidding bro..

The problem with kids today is they just refuse to listen. Sixstang said "srew it, later". That to me sounds like somebody that's not looking for advice. One thing this forum is full of is great advice from experienced people. Personally I think the Bike shops shouldn't be allowed to sell anybody a sport bike until they've completed an MSF course at a minimum. But then again, everbody want's to make some money. Well, Sixstang, if you do intend to purchase a GSXR-600, ride safe and give me your email address so I can have a contact for some cheap parts.

wow you guys are assholes, you refuse to believe that any new rider can be responsible. i find that amazing. i want advice, that's why i have been reading this board for a while and i decided to post. that backfired. i don't want to go out and kill myself, but if i get a cbr anything, or anything relatively upright, i'll be selling it in a month because i won't be able to ride it. i learn fast, but i also realize that its going to take me a long time to get good at riding and be able to really ride a gsx-r hard. i enjoy speed, whether i'm on my skis going down a trail at over 50, crossing the 1/4 mile marker close to a hundred, or weaving through a slalom course at an scca event at 50. but i know when enough is enough and its time to take it easy, most of my friends can't grasp that concept, pretty much everyone that i've talked to bikes about lately has told me how fast a gixxer will run the 1/4 or hit 60 or that i can ride a wheelie on the highway. i don't give a shit about that stuff, if i haven't made it clear. it may be hard to believe but i don't plan on practicing endos and wheelies any time soon, i have nothing to prove to my friends and i'm not getting a bike to impress girls. i've driven some really fast cars but i've also learned my limits and i always start off slow.
if this isn't enough to make anyone even slightly believe that i can be responsible, i'll stop wasting your time and find another board to ask for help on.

graemlins/squid.gif , listen bro. We're not saying YOU'RE f#@kin irresponsible. It's not about what you say you're going to do and not going to do. I don't wheelie, endo, burnout, or show off for girls. That has nothing to do with what we're trying to get through your head. On a road there are so many factors that come into riding a motorcycle it often gets compared to flying a plane. So what if you've went down a hill on some slats of wood and so what if you've drove some Mustanky in the quarter mile. Have you ever had a car pull out in front of you when you're setting up for a corner and your entry speed is 80mph? What do you do in that situation? You have no freaking idea. So what we're saying is, if you're on a bike other than a sport bike or super sport bike and you're trying to get some experience you may have a better chance at surviving the wreck, that is most likely going to happen to some new guy with a mere 200 miles under his belt. And this is one example of the millions of things that can and will happen. Does anybody remember that Chris kid that died last summer in St Pete near the bayside bridge? 21 years old, just started riding...decided to buy an R6 because he could handle it. Was riding with some buddies across the bayside bridge and went up on this overpass ramp. Next thing you know he's over the rail about 30 feet down the embankment. He died that night or the next. ANyways....I'm done ranting and raving. Nobody in this forum is an asshole except the assholes who can't take some constructive fuckin criticism or advice.

the fact that you even ask the question about a car pulling in front of me at 80. i don't even go 80 in my fucking "mustanky" let alone do i plan on doing on 2 wheels. i haven't even thought about highway riding, i'm gonna to take it rediculously slow, its not going to be my only ride, so i don't need to get good fast. i am perfectly comfortable with spending a while in parking lots and in residential neighborhoods.
i definitely plan on doing an msf course before i get a bike, and that will probably influence my decision, i also defintiely want to ride a gsx-r 600 before i buy a bike.
but come on man, please don't spend a whole post telling me how i'm gonna find so many ways to kill myself on a fast bike. i'm asking for some help, i really do want to become a good rider, but maybe explaining why a good handling bike is bad would help. why would i want a heavier bike or one that doesn't turn as fast? this is the kind of stuff i was hoping to learn. but if you don't want to help, fine. sorry i called you an ass and got pissed but it feels like you haven't read anything i've posted , its just frustrating. just want to learn.

Look man, this is my last reply for this topic. There are alot of people in here that know what they're talking about because they've been riding for yearS. Alot of them have made mistakes and have been subject to some serious wrecks. So when a new guy comes on talking about his first bike being a SUPER SPORT then we have to let you know why it's not a good idea. So go out and get your Gixxer 600. They are awesome bikes. I ride mine almost everyday no matter what is going on. The fact that I've logged 5000 miles on this bike in 3 months tells you how much I love the Gixxer. It is a great bike, but it's also very dangerous.

Sixstang get the gix 600 and learn the hard way. images/icons/rolleyes.gif Whether you're careful or not the fact is you're a rookie riding a super sport. Hopefully when you go down you'll be able to walk away from it, and learn something. Good luck....

learn to ride before you try to hoist that gix

graemlins/thumbup.gif graemlins/thumbup.gif

I swear to god,nobody fucking knows how to take constructive criticism anymore! images/icons/mad.gif Sixstang,you ask for our advice,then you get into a pissing match with someone trying to give you some?Your starting off great here bro...I also think it's funny and a little ironic that you say your 'Stang is a 6cyl,but you manage to get into all kinds of trouble in it anyway.Who the fuck streetraces a 6cyl.Mustang?? images/icons/rolleyes.gif I guess it's a good thing you didn't buy the Cobra S.V.T then.Well maybe you'll understand this above all else:Think of that S.V.T. as a GSXR 600(both vehicles for HIGHLY SKILLED operators)now think of your 6 banger as an SV 650.You see where I'm going with this?It doesn't take the fastest bike/car out there to get into a world of shit.You've managed to have a fair share of it in that slow-ass Mustang,I can imagine what you'll do on a GSXR.

The razor sharp handling the 600 offers will WORK AGAINST you if you've never ridden.That bike handles so fucking good,you'll think your Nicky Hayden after a few rides.Thats all fine and good.But.Wait till you get a little cocky(which will be easy on this bike)and now you think you know whats up..thats when you overcook it into a decreasing radius turn and end up another statistic.Basically what everyone is trying to pound into your head is that the GSXR 600 is just too good of a bike for a beginner.You'll never learn the bike by"driving in a parking lot",so why even bother?Anybody can go fast on this bike...only skilled riders will enjoy it and keep the shiny side up.Good luck.

[ 01-29-2003, 04:19 AM: Message edited by: oldgixxer ]

Originally posted by sixstang:
wow you guys are assholes, you refuse to believe that any new rider can be responsible. i find that amazing. i want advice, that's why i have been reading this board for a while and i decided to post. that backfired. ................................ i've driven some really fast cars but i've also learned my limits and i always start off slow.
if this isn't enough to make anyone even slightly believe that i can be responsible, i'll stop wasting your time and find another board to ask for help on.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Two things.

1) We are not all assholes, Hunter is an asshole, and he has not yet posted in this thread.

2) You came here to ask advice, and almost everyone that posted in your thread told you that a GSXR600 is not a newbie bike.

The only car comparrison that holds true is comparing a GSXR600 to a Formula 3 Race car.

Now ask if that would be a good first car images/icons/wink.gif

The chances are that you or I could drive it at about 75% of its potential within a few laps, but put a student driver in it, and stand back. All the simple little mistakes will be amplified 10X, too many revs pulling away, and it will flick sideways, not enough, and its stalls.

Too much power, too early on the exit of a corner, and you are flying off the track, backwards.

Its exactly the same issue on a GSXR600. Only the consesquences are somewhat deadly.

re-read the thread about the dealer I spoke to - of around 150 new riders, only a very small number made it past their first year without destroying theor bikes, three of them died.

Car experience counts for nothing at all in the biking world. Even the physics are totall different.

For instance, you have to educate your mind to actually steer the wrong way at speed graemlins/icon_wtf.gif Beyond about 30mph, you steer right to go left.

You also have to educate yourself to use your right hand to slow you, rather than your foot on the brakes, use the back brake only, and you are heading for disaster, fast.

You need to make these mistakes on something that is forgiving, not something that is razor sharp, scre up on an EX250, and it bites a chunck out of your leg, do the same trick on a GSXR600, and you lose the leg.....

i dont know if you read other posts here, so I'm going to paste this from another thread.... I'm in your same situation so maybe some advice from here might sink in.

maybe I'm a newb.... and sure i've never riden, but this is my thought.

respect fades fast, it quickly go to obcession, and then to just tollerance.... as an example to wat I think will happen (and will prolly happen to myself as well) is that he will get a bike (gixxer or not) and be very careful.... he might be too careful and drop it going too slow in a turn in a parking lot.... after the immediate intimidation wears off the shit hits the fan.

this reminds me of when i went from a thunderbird to a mustang GT... sure i was intimidated at first, but once comfortable with the power i stressed it harder and started to "play" with it.. after taking a few turns and going WOT in the apex and having my ass spin around, getting really sideways and then over correcting and going off the road, and finally when drag racing a trans am hitting a dip in the road and losing control into a horrid spin... since then i've calmed down and gotten a TRUE respect for the GT... but that is After a long time and finding its limitations with nobody around.... now i can drive it hard and safely and make it do tricks....

thing being is i got lucky... i lost control and because of the tuned suspension i didnt flip and could recover... on a bike you do not have that luxury.... I'm not old by any means, but going through some ordeals will put age on real fast...

i dont really know why i wront all that, so disregaurd if you want...but to actually have a point... after he gets comfortable i can see him taking chances because the feeling he gets from it will be irresistable... (dreaming back to when i first got my stang) and at that point mistakes happen because you are careless... there is not much you can do... its a factor of being young and wanting to try thing... that being said..

get a used bike, period. if you want a gixxer6.... go for it... but before you lay hands on it, get your helmet, gloves, jacket, and pants. icon has good gloves and pants for cheap that are also good looking. they also have boots that i'd recommend. so when you do mess up you will come out in better shape. if at all possible, get a SV650s or below.... they handle great in turns to keep you happy, but dont have near the top end a gixxer has... a lot more torque for great jumps off the line and quick boosts... but not the high speeds of the gixxer..

second reason is because the bikes are cheaper... the SVS has les fairings on it so when it is dropped or slides a ways there is less plastic damaged.... also the bike its self is cheaper, on insurance too....

do yourself a favor.... do more research... hit a few MORE forums. talk to some bike guys at work, or school or whatever and get their advice if you disregaurd ours... this is just a bit of what I've learned on my quest for a first bike... be extremely careful... and take notice of when you relax... because when you do finally relax you will get nailed... always expect to get rammed by a car... get a cheap bike to start, get some frame sliders, get good gear to keep you alive...

this is a long ass post, but just thought I'd give another "newbie" opinion.

Torinalth

Originally posted by sixstang:
wow you guys are assholes, you refuse to believe that any new rider can be responsible. i find that amazing. i want advice, that's why i have been reading this board for a while and i decided to post. that backfired. i don't want to go out and kill myself, but if i get a cbr anything, or anything relatively upright, i'll be selling it in a month because i won't be able to ride it. i learn fast, but i also realize that its going to take me a long time to get good at riding and be able to really ride a gsx-r hard. i enjoy speed, whether i'm on my skis going down a trail at over 50, crossing the 1/4 mile marker close to a hundred, or weaving through a slalom course at an scca event at 50. but i know when enough is enough and its time to take it easy, most of my friends can't grasp that concept, pretty much everyone that i've talked to bikes about lately has told me how fast a gixxer will run the 1/4 or hit 60 or that i can ride a wheelie on the highway. i don't give a shit about that stuff, if i haven't made it clear. it may be hard to believe but i don't plan on practicing endos and wheelies any time soon, i have nothing to prove to my friends and i'm not getting a bike to impress girls. i've driven some really fast cars but i've also learned my limits and i always start off slow.
if this isn't enough to make anyone even slightly believe that i can be responsible, i'll stop wasting your time and find another board to ask for help on.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Jesus, you cry worse than a 4 year old images/icons/rolleyes.gif
I guarantee all the other sites out there are gonna give you the same feedback.

I still can't believe you think the GSXR is comfortable

Crybabies graemlins/piss.gif

jontflesh

John,

I too find my GSXR comfortable images/icons/wink.gif

But not as comfortable as my old FZR1000EXUP images/icons/wink.gif perhaps that old barge would make a good starter bike ?

About your back, my best friend's father-in-law (also a bike rider) is doctor that works with people with Osteoporosis (I know I didn't even come close to spelling that right) and states that cruisers or Harleys are the worst type of bike due to slouching. He states that sportbikes, if you are sitting properly, with your upper body leaning forward at the waist and not trying to tuck behind the windscreen going 40mph graemlins/squid.gif , are quite comfortable. The Gixxers have more aggressive ergos than the Honda, Yama, Kawis. I can ride 200+ miles a day on my bike and not feel a thing.

jon, you bought your gsx-r because it was uncomfortable, right? why is it hard to believe its comfortable for me? yeah i have a back problem, but only at certain angles/sitting positions. i found the gsx-r to put me into a great position where my back wasn't compressed and my hips were at the right rotation for what i need.

since i don't want to buy new, can someone give me info on previous sv650's? when did suzuki make them, are they only a fairly new model? maybe something about lower handle bars and moving the brake and shifter back (i was told something by the dealer about being able to do this on the gsx-r's). the sv650 didn't feel right for me but maybe i can change the right things about it to make it better.
is anyone reading this post that is around my height? (6'4"-6'5") what are you comfortable on?

rearsets will bring the pegs up and back, usually up to about 1.5" on adjusatables, and you can also get different angle clip-ons to change the bars around.

However, what feels comfortable in the shop will feel very different on the open road.

As for SV650's - I think that they where introduced in late 99 or early 00 at a guess.

And you are looking for an SV650S, not the unfaired one I take it

Originally posted by sixstang:
jon, you bought your gsx-r because it was uncomfortable, right? why is it hard to believe its comfortable for me? yeah i have a back problem, but only at certain angles/sitting positions. i found the gsx-r to put me into a great position where my back wasn't compressed and my hips were at the right rotation for what i need.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Comfort was not what I was looking for. I had rode for about 8 years when I decided to go for my first sportbike. I wanted performance and that was it. I could have cared less how uncomfortable the bike was as long as it performed like a champ. I rode a Honda Rebel 250cc for 2 years and a Honda Magna 750cc for the remainder until I got the GSXR600 (HUGE difference from the Magna 750). Took me months to figure out how to actually sit right on the bike so my forearms, legs and back were not killin me.

Sorry to be such an ass but you come in and ask for opinions which you get from people who have rode for years, then you get bent outta shape when their opinions were the opposite with what you wanted them to say. Chaps my hide man.
Just FYI I am a little girly man 5'9" 136lbs.
Another bike you might entertain looking at would be a Ducati Monster (Duc's naked bike) - After the influx of Insurance rates(It is sick for any R bike right now) lately this is definatly a bike I am gonna look at in the future to ride on the street.

jontflesh

i'm not concerned about the fairings. yeah they look good, but that's not why i want the gsx-r. i didn't start to consider it becasue it looks good, but it was comfort and recommendations from, yes, the dealer.
the sv650s does look better, the headlight design is much more attractive, but whatever, i'll worry about that after i learn.

is it common practice for bike dealers to let bikes out on test rides? or is that generally not allowed?

also what can i expect to spend on a 99/2k sv650/sv650s? and am i right in factoring roughly a grand for gear? (helmet, a pair of jackets for hot and cool weather, maybe pants, boots and gloves) i'd like to be able to get everything for around 5-6 grand, less is better.

a ducati? what's a monster 600ish (i know the new one is a 620) going to run me used?
what about ducati's 620sport, its half the power of the r6 and gixxer600, so it should be a lot more manageable. ducati doesn't list a price, but they say its the "economical choice for those wishing to enter the Ducati family of sports motorcycles." is that economical relative to the new 999r or is it actually reasonable and something to consider?

when i said i don't care about fairings i meant engine fairings, i would definitely like a handlebar fairing at the least, just so the windshield is incorporated a bit better and for a bit of protection from crap in the air.

sorry i was a prick to everyone, just felt like nobody was listening and i was having a crappy day.

[ 01-29-2003, 03:07 PM: Message edited by: sixstang ]

I bought my wife a Ducati 600SS back in the UK, she only rode it a few times though images/icons/frown.gif

I rode it a lot, and apart from it running out of breath beyond about 100mph it was a great bike, I was riding a 916 at the time, and I can hinestly say that the little 600SS was mosre fun around town.

Obviously things changed as the road opened up, and the 916 would leave it for dead, but it was a lot of fun, and handled real sweetly.

The 600SS never officially made it to the US, the smallest we got here was the 750SS, and they are a relative bargain, again they are not really powerfull, but they handle well, and they are a striking alternative to the Japanese 600's

the 620sport is listed on ducati.com
http://www.ducati.com/bikes/my2003/ducatiModel.jhtml?modelName=620Sport-03

it's not availible in the states? or was the 600 just not availible? i'm calling my local ducati dealer in the morning to ask about the new bike.

does this seem like a much more reasonable first bike, albeit a bit expensive?

Originally posted by sixstang:
the 620sport is listed on ducati.com
http://www.ducati.com/bikes/my2003/ducatiModel.jhtml?modelName=620Sport-03

it's not availible in the states? or was the 600 just not availible? i'm calling my local ducati dealer in the morning to ask about the new bike.

does this seem like a much more reasonable first bike, albeit a bit expensive?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The old 600SS was not available.

personally I would try not to buy a brand new bike as a first bike.

the Ducati's major disadvantage will be running costs, they are not as cheap to look after as a Japanese bike, BUT they are cooler, and sweet to ride too ......

The best places to figure out pricing on any used bike are:
http://www.ebay.com
or your Local paper. Just read the classifieds everyday on the shitter for a few weeks and just look around and the differen't prices throught a certain time images/icons/smile.gif

jontflesh

i'd really rather not buy a new bike for a first bike, i don't know what i'd do if i dropped it.
but damn, ducatis are really good looking.

last question, promise. when is the best time to buy (besides fall or early winter, i've heard that a bunch of times)? should i try to buy asap, or wait a bit? thanks to everyone that posted

Best time to buy ?

The day after you finish your MSF course images/icons/wink.gif

Best time of year is possibly now though - buy last years model, and you will get a discount (hopefully)

*this thread has turned out pretty well*

ok i lied, here's another one. dealer or private? i know some people recommend when buying privately to look everything over and have it checked out by a mechanic, but i don't know any mechanics that know japanese bikes well, and beyond a little bit about cbr 600 motors, i'm not very knowledgible (sp?) about bikes.
there are a lot of dealers in my area, so i can look around, but am i definitely going to pay a large amount more or should i suck up the price hike to not worry about something going wrong right away?

Most people here will tell you that a GSXR is not a good starter bike and recommend a SV650 for a novice.
I am firmly convinced that even a SV650 is too much for a person who has never ever ridden a bike before.
It takes a very long time to gain the experience necessary for long term survival on the street.
A friend (30+ y/o) learned to ride on a ZXR250 four sportsbike. Things went well for him over 1 year on the bike. His speeds got faster and faster...too fast!!! One day a car pulled out in front of him and he nearly got killed when he hit the car. It was very clear for me at the time that if he had had more experience he could have swerved and avoided the car. What had happened was that he had become cocky and thought that he was now an experienced rider. That was not the case. He learned his lesson the hard way.
Let me tell you again and again that it takes a long time to develop the 6th sense and road craft necessary for survival on public roads. There are sooo many idiots out there!!!
Riding a m/c on the street is like playing a game of chess. You always have to concentrate hard and assume that everybody is trying to kill you.
If you want to do things right then start small and work yourself up (learn consistently).
Ride a low performance 250cc (not a sports 250!) for about a year and then move up to something like a SV650. Ride that SV for 2-3 years ideally daily.
You are now ready for a GSXR600.

THERE ARE NO SHORT-CUTS WHEN IT COMES TO GAINING EXPERIENCE!!!

[ 01-30-2003, 04:38 AM: Message edited by: Wolf1100L ]

Sixstang,

Here are my recommendations:

First, like everyone else has said...start small. One bike that I can back up is the GS500. I'm 6'1", 220lbs, and yes it is small, but a HELLUVA lot more comfortable than a GSXR 600. It's close to an SV650, but smaller...and CHEAP. This way if you dump it doin 20, you may scrape your knee, but you don't really care about the bike.

As far as where to buy it, I would go to a private party with a checklist that you can get from many websites.

Also, if there ever may be anything ever to happen that may require repairs, there are forums everywhere, where people basically go out of their way to help you find a problem and fix it. There is a lot of information out there, you just need to find it.

I have been riding the GS for three years now, and I am just now ready to upgrade after 13K miles. You may want to check out www.gstwin.com (http://www.gstwin.com) forums. They have a lot of information and everyone in the forums stands by the GS's 100%.
I would give it at least a couple years on a small bike and possibly a couple MSF courses.

Just do everyone a favor, and don't become a statistic.

thanks a lot guys, i'm going to go looking around again this weekend and i'll keep everyone's recommendations in mind.

I'm a rookie to motorcycles too and want a gsx-r600 i'm pretty much in the same boat Sixstang is with experience riding. I talked to a friend of mine and he said a 600 was a good bike to start on. I'm taking one rider class offered by the MARINE CORPS and one out in town.I'm totally healthy and want to stay that way. any advise?

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/nono.gif
uh uh, click the link from jedi master fraggle's first post in this thread, 600 race replicas make shitty first bikes, period. Then read the rest of the stickies on the starting line board.

if you read those an still want to buy a gsxr600 for your first bike, let me know and i'll bet you a dollar it hits the ground in the first year. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

::EDIT:: the link fraggle posted doesn't work for me anymore, but just read the stickies in this forum, they're there for a reason

Definetly take the saftey course... also in Cali, the DMV has their saftey course which is very good I believe the number is (800) CC Rider. Do remeber though u WILL drop your first bike, so make sure u consider that before u spend alot on a nice looking bike. I say get what u feel u can handle (without ur ego in the way). It is always easier to upgrade. What ever u do, enjoy and be safe.

fRaGgLe said:
&lt;/font&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial"&gt;quote:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"&gt;Originally posted by Sergeant Nic:
&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/font&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial"&gt;quote:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"&gt;Originally posted by fRaGgLe:
&lt;strong&gt;erm, you do realise that an R6 and a GSXR600 are pretty much equal in all respects ?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"&gt;I'm going to have to agree with this one. I think the GSXR is a little more torqueish too. So, I don't know where he's getting the R6 is more powerfull than the GSXR-600. Any experts shed some light?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"&gt;Yamaha propoganda ?

Actually I think that the gix makes a couple more ponies than the Yam.

I rode an R6 and a GSXR600 back to back, and both are like riding razor blades with jet engines. The Gix has a little more torque (it has some), and both rev to infinity &lt;img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" /&gt; Both will push 160mph, and neither one are learner machines.



DITTO!!!!! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

well i agree with everyone but at the same time disagree. i had a yahama exciter 250 for like 2 months and it got in me in lots of trouble. under powered bikes are not the best thing to get. im not saying that they arent good bikes. i would never have just bought my gixxer 6 right away. i rode one right after i took the course and felt the pull in every gear. and thought hell no is this going to be my 1st bike. the 250 was a great bike to learn the shifting and counter stearing. basic riding. but never would i have taken it out on the high way. main streets even scaryed me it was such a light bike wind pushed me everywhere. i am 5:9 145 pounds so im not a big guy. i would recemend buying a small bike maybe a ninja 250 even those are fun bikes. i think the GSX-R 600s and even the SV 650s are over powered for a beginner. i dont know about the monsters but i do know if he buys a new bike he has to break it in and that takes like 1000 miles at least. so it gives him time to learn on any new bike. but i think a ninja 250 would be good.i

Ninja 250 is a good bike to start on but it will not make you smarter.... it may make you more experience but for example I have a friend that rides a Ninja 250 but he is still a squid ... not wearing gear, riding like a dumbass, doesn't know the first thing about being smart in traffic conditions. It is whats in your head that makes a rider safer and a better rider. I hardly ride with the guy anymore because he puts me at danger. Get the 250 and be smart with it.