I've been reading all these posts about 600 vs 1000 and where to start and why. I'm going to go in a different direction...

I started out riding dirtbikes (Honda of course XR100 to CR125 to CR250) back in 5th grade. There is nothing that will prepare you for riding on the street like learning how to ride a dirtbike to its limits. Learning to wheelie, jump, control powerslides and when to put a foot down are all invaluable to those crisis situations you encounter on the street that either lead to a brilliant save or an expensive (& painful) wipeout.

I'm not saying that one is a substitute for the other by any means; but for me, being totally comfortable in the dirt has given me a hand up on street riding.

What does everybody else think?

 

i also rode dirt bikes when i was a kid, and i'm sure it helped, although the putting the foot done is a really hard habit to break and doing that on the street is a great way to break an ankle and crash your scoot. I think from a balance and knowing the controls perspective dirt bikes are a great place to start, and almost prerequisite for learning to do wheelies, but beyond that, the skillsets are really different, not mention the ergonomics and surfaces. Countersteering is not as critical on a dirt bike, and you rarely lean too far with out a foot down. One thing for sure though, i'd rather crash on a dirt bike than a street bike any day...and you'd be hard pressed to find an easier bike to ride than an enduro (some motocross bikes sit so high, they are harder to ride) unless you had a rebel or other 250 cc bike. Bottom line is you have to get experience some where, and truth be told, while you can, and many do buy a 600 or 1000 as their first bike and never have a problem, it really isn't the right place to start, no modern sport bike is. Forget the power, and how touchy the throttle and handling can me, sport bike ergos are not a normal, nor comfortable position for the body to be in, and really help newbies look down instead of up....which we all know spells instant trouble....best to learn on a comfortable bike, and once you have a basic skillset and are dying to go fast, then learn how to ride a sportbike. I guess it's really personal preference, and no one ever buys any bike with the intention of crashing (excluding squids)

 

I can agree with that. Surface conditions become one less thing to worry about.