[Awnryprincess]

Glad I found this post. I just bought a GSXR600 - first bike (bought before reading this). I'm definitely going to take the MSF rider's course before I ever get on my bike and I have a lot of friends whom also ride who are very supportive. All are willing to ride with me once I get ready to actually get on her & the biggest thing I've been told is ride to your ability - don't worry about slowing anyone down - if they are bothered you don't need to be riding with them anyways. Just having my bike has given me a new respect and appreciation for her - and I haven't even started her myself yet!

 

[doggymaster]

Very good, Well done, lets hope that will save some lives if they really listen to it . :cheers

 

[Mangombia]

I have to totally concur in the originator's post. I started riding an old Honda CB350 around Phoenix in the late 80's - early 90's without incident. With that little bike you really couldn't get yourself in too much trouble. Came back east and got off bikes for about 15-years then picked back up in 2005 on a V-Star 650, but took the MSF course before getting back on. That V-Star is a forgiving platform and it took me about 3-years to put 11k on it. Moved up to a Bandit 1200, a much less forgiving platform than the V-Star, but a lot more fun to ride in which I put about 10k miles on in approximately 14 months. I also attended the Experienced Rider MSF course and a Lee Parks Total Control course about a year after getting the Bandit.

I just acquired a K7 600 in January and have put about 1.5k miles on it since. I am glad for my progression of bikes, I believe it has made me a better rider and more respectful of what this bike is capable, and where my skill level resides in comparison. I firmly believe that jumping on this platform Day 1 with no instruction would be dangerous and a ticket to ruination. I also believe that a true rider can never get enough education -- thus I'll be attending Keith Code's California Superbike School at Barber in June as well as a couple of Sportbike Track Time sessions at Nashville throughout the year.

 

[killertofu808]

So i rode a 250cc for like 2 months got sick of it and its lack of power bought a gixxer 600? am I still a fool?

 

[Swbd4L]

I agree with everything the OP said, but there are always a few amount of people that are quick learners and understand what feels right and wrong and you correct mistakes and build up on the good. I may have bought a R bike as my first but in no way will I regret it because I have no intention to be immature with my riding, anybody can be safe on any motorcycle it all depends on YOU and how you want the bike to ride. Big thing I noticed not to do is never drop your throttle, always roll off of it. and learn the rear brake and low speeds when your comfortable with the bike itself, and build up from there. Sure taking corners at a high lean angle looks cool and feels awesome but is is smart on the street? no, unless you know precisely what you are doing. Ive only put 400 miles on my bike and have not laid it down, I also aced the MSF training class and got my license. My best buddy bought a gsxr 600 as his first bike and never took the MSF training course, he taught himself and has put 5000 miles on his bike the first year. he has not laid his bike down but has had some close calls. I think a lot of close calls related to YOU functioning the bike itself can be avoided if you READ, and get educated and then take words and put them to action. I am strongly for saying NO as getting an R bike as your first bike but I must say it will vary between the person. Are you a responsible driver not easily prone to anger? usually how you drive can reflect your same actions on a motorcycle even though its a completly different machine in every way.

 

[D1N0]

Epic Post. Great read.

 

[Godshammer]

Well said.

 

[camshaftgsxr]

So i rode a 250cc for like 2 months got sick of it and its lack of power bought a gixxer 600? am I still a fool?

it depends was it an 08-09 250 ninja? if so yes you sir are a poser and a straight line wannabe, stick to hondas :dunno

if not you probably weigh 300+ pounds and the 250 couldn't move your fat ass :dunno


flaming... nom nom nom :biggrin

 

[devour]

it depends was it an 08-09 250 ninja? if so yes you sir are a poser and a straight line wannabe, stick to hondas :dunno

if not you probably weigh 300+ pounds and the 250 couldn't move your fat ass :dunno


flaming... nom nom nom :biggrin

baha, that's pretty much hitting the nail right on the head for me. i rode an 07 ninja 250 for 3 months (mar 7 to jun 12 - i've got an amazing memory) and literally just bought an 06 gsxr 600 on saturday. i way 300+ pounds.

definitely don't regret starting on a 250 though. i took a lot of ridicule from the guys that don't know me (fat guy on a liiiiiittle biiiike) but all of my friends that ride respected (and even supported) my decision to go small. i'm sure i could have used a couple more months on the 250, but i think i made the right decision :cheers

 

[[email protected]]

get whatever bike you want just dont be dumb an try to push your limits. shouldnt a sport bike be better to learn on with better handling, better brakes, smoother throttle response, ect. i started on a 600 and did fine i learned my limits and slowly pushed them till i got better an better the bike only does what you make you do

 

[nannynooch]

Great post makes perfect sense. I often have kids tell me they want a Hyabusa or an R1. I usually tell them that they will die. I started on a very old honda snoopy talk about oldschool it was my grandpa's. My first street bike that I owned was a sv650s. I thought it was a great first street bike because of the more upright seating and the V-twins low end torque.

 

[spydigtconv149]

'93 gs500e was my first tought me some do's and don'ts.

 

[naigaboy]

Hmmmm, so I am one of those that started with 2006 GSX-R 750. This is indeed a very good post and i would not like to say im an exception to the rule, but prolly out of luck and paying constant attention, i havent dropped my bike yet or had any mishaps.

A couple of things i did do, was go to the MSF course (every rider SHOULD attend), buy my safety gear and made myself a couple of rules to stick apply while riding. Before finally deciding to go through with getting my license and riding, i spent a whole day looking at pictures of bike accidents and the injuries that followed. I made a point to understand why these accidents occured and what experienced riders mentioned could have prevented the incident. The most common thing mentioned was panicking.

Giving myself a 12-24 sec time for opportunity and space to react to others on the road has definitely helped. Also, as you can see coming back to forums like these to read more info from experienced riders helps quite a lot. So to other noobs/newbs out there trying to figure what to consider your first bike, do some real research on your own and check your level of comfort. Safety should be your biggest concern, learn your bike before you put it on the road/ in traffic and always wear all your safety gear.

 

[moorespeedr]

I found this post AFTER buying a Gixxer 750 as my first bike. I damn near bought a CBR1000RR. I am glad I bought the Gixxer, but wish I had read this post first. Great info, and it makes perfect sense.

 

[Specter]

i spent 4 years on an old shitty honda XL250 to learn how to ride down at the river and screwed myself up plenty of times! so then i decided to buy a gixxer thou....

(jokes)
got a 07 ninja 250 to do my licenses on had it for 2 odd years and have had great memories of keeping up with bigger bikes through the extreme twisties, but now im on my full it was time i got me a gixxer!

 

[mw121]

Learnt on a drz400, then rode a bmw r65 for a year, then bought a motard wr426 which was a lot of fun, looking to buy a k6-7 gsxr6 and feel like I am ready. Still intimidated by it but like everyone has said its about progression be it on the 600 or on a 250. Start within your limits (capacity of bike and speed/cornering).

I think the biggest problem is that the majority are not aware of their limits until they find them out the hard way, and from what I have read from everyone and in my own opinion, a bike on a public road is a VERY hard way to learn. It's either serious injury or DEATH! Plain and simple.

Why do people take up apprenticeships and traineeships when starting a new profession? To LEARN. Take a 250 as an apprenticeship. When you are comfortable with the bike and feel like you can ride it to the limit, then you have finished your apprenticeship and are ready to move up.

At the end of the day you are all playing with your own lives and everyone here is just trying to look out for the new riders when saying shy away from the 600+ bikes. So, in the end make up your own mind but at least take into consideration everything that has been said. And last but not least, all my respect to those that have ridden within their limits and progressed while on a bigger bike. Enough said sorry for the long post.

 

[arjunsingh]

Ride 1 i have few questions for you if you would be kind enough to answer them. My son wants me to buy him a bike and he is a beginner. He wants a yamaha r6 and wants to get it restricted. After reading your post I can still see a problem with the brakes being too powerful for him. Is that correct?

Can you please list a few 'sportbikes' (When i say this i mean bikes which look like sportsbikes that you would recommend for safety keeping in mind his generation care ALOT about looks. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Gantt]

I started on an '03 katana 600. I got picked at because it wasnt a gsxr or a larger bike. But over 8 months and 22,000 miles I love the tuna can more than any other bike. And it felt so good to bet a 1000 in the turns. A bike doesn't make the rider, a rider makes the difference.

 

[Gantt]

Ride 1 i have few questions for you if you would be kind enough to answer them. My son wants me to buy him a bike and he is a beginner. He wants a yamaha r6 and wants to get it restricted. After reading your post I can still see a problem with the brakes being too powerful for him. Is that correct?

Can you please list a few 'sportbikes' (When i say this i mean bikes which look like sportsbikes that you would recommend for safety keeping in mind his generation care ALOT about looks. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

A Suzuki katana 600. 2003 katana withe decent miles will cost about $2500. Enough power to have fun on, but still predictable. That was my first bike.

 

[wisegunner]

Great stuff! I agree!
I had a dad that made me ride dirt bikes since I was 5 or 6. I am lucky. I have known people that buy sport bikes because they have a lot of money and they like to go fast, but they have no fundamentals. I always tell people to buy something older and not so sporty, cuz I could probably ride better than them on a '79 Honda twinstar(I had one, it was fun as hell) and keep up against them if they rode my GSXR...
These bikes are not necessarily dangerous, but inexperienced riders are.