I wasn't trying to be mean. I went from a Nighthawk 750 with a jetkit and exhaust to an RC51 as my first sportbike, and that first ride on the 51 freaked me out! Let me re-iterate my point: a liter bike is a handful for any newbie. It's bad enough that you've got to deal with all the idiots on the road that won't "see" you, gravel or sand in the middle of a curve, and all the other stuff any motorcyclist deals with daily, but you've also got to deal with learning the basics of braking, accelerating and turning on a bike that can get you into trouble real fast if you're not careful. Just be as smooth as possible with your inputs, whether it's gas, brakes or turning, and be careful![sm=icon_cheers.gif]
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Congrats, picked mine up 3 months ago, was on a 12 year break. It's true....the technology has changed a bit, but you dont forget how to ride. It one of the fastest grocery getters out there!

 

First, My first sport bike was the 2000 Blackbird. I had always ridden bikes but was on a break for about 8 yrs. I came off a Honda 500 Ascot.

Like the man says, he plans to respect it. I did with mine. Did most of the riding by myself for about the first 8,000 miles, then I moved to Central Florida and that all came to an end quickly. I now have over 51,000 miles on the XX and can ride it like most of the liter bikes handle in the curves. I have the holes in my fairings to prove it.

Congrats on the new ride, Just take your time in the parking lot. That's what I always recomend to new riders to get use to the gas and the brakes. But the best place to go is to a track school and learn how to really handle the bike.

I would advise that you get some frame sliders as soon as you get the bike. Being your first bike, you will drop in very soon as most people do, and if you do you will be glad that the frame sliders saved you alot of damage.

 

Enjoy your bike but don't go beyond what you feel comfortable with. I have seen more accidents happen because people get scared and lock up their brakes, don’t let yourself panic. These bikes and tires are very good and can pretty much go where ever you aim them. Always look where you want to go, NOT where you don’t want to go. You’ll naturally steer where you are looking so in tough spot look at the way out, not the objects you want to avoid

 

Thanks for feedback, both positive and negative. All is good because my end all goal is to be safe and enjoy my bike. It won't get here until next week (waiting for Helis to get here and be installed), so any other advice (comments) before I get on is surely appreciated.

 

There's a huge difference between an RC-51 and a CBR1000. I don't know that you can draw the same comparison. SOOOOO much torque on an RC51 at low RPMs would make it a major challenge to for a novice to ride safely. But he didn't get an RC51, he got a CBR1000.

Congrats on the bike dude. I'm sure you will love it. I road an F4i as my first sport bike for a year and then decided to get a new 1000RR this year. I had a lot of reservations but in all honesty the 1000RR is a lot easier to ride. The power is great, but you still have to twist the throttle to get to it. So if you're afraid of too much power in your early days, don't twist the throttle that much. As far as handling, the 1000RR handles SOOO much better than the F4i, and is way easier to ride.

I've since had the 1000 on the track and have done things that I never could have done on the F4i. But yet, I still feel as safe as I ever did.

Utlimately it comes down to the individual. Sensibility, some mechanical knowledge, and an appreciation for safety are key ingredients for being safe and enjoying your bike, regardless of its size. If you have these things you're golden. Just make sure that you invest in proper gear.

Welcome, and enjoy!

 

This topic always gets the emotions flowing.....bottom line, you buy the scoot you want, take your time learning to ride it safely, and don't stress so much about whether or not the bike is 'too much' bike. Any bike can be ridden safely. As much as we always throw rider skill into threads as being key, this is one time where it is probably a more important factor than any other. As much as we are all entitled to our opinions, we also don't want someone to fear their bike, as that is a recipe for disaster. Respecting the power of any bike...and I mean any bike is the most important thing you can do. You can crash on a Honda Rebel, and while there's a serious power difference between that and a 1krr, both bikes can be dangerous if not ridden safely. Is a 1krr the right bike for a beginner, probably not the best choice, but that doesn't make it a wrong choice. Hell, it had been more than 12 years since in owned a bike, and I absolutely love mine, and it was a really easy bike to get comfortable on, but then again I have wrist restraint. I think the real question for an new rider is can you ride your new bike without being a squid? If you can, then any bike you like can be the right bike for you, just know what you are buying and respect it.

 

Good choice on the corbin seat - you're goning to like it.

Have been on several +500 mile trips and would not trade my corbin for anything else out there. By the way, if you are going to carry a passanger, you may wish to check out the corbin rider pillion seat also.

Best regards.

 

Thanks geepaks

I think with the Corbin seat and Heli Bars, I should be pretty comfortable. I ride my mountain bike all of the time on trails and I am actually bent over more on the Mtn Bike than on the CBR. I figure the Corbin seat and the Heli Bars should be more comfortable than what I am used to.

 

If the 1000RR is going to be the only bike you've ever ridden besides the 250 in the safety class, then be very, very careful when you first start off.

My wife took the MSF on a 250 and she thinks her Shadow has lots of power. When I ride the Shadow, it feels like a moped. Not knocking the Shadow -- it is what it is. But it ain't no litre bike and neither are the bikes they give you to learn on. There's a reason they use 250's for the classes.

Now, do I think you can make the transition? Maybe. Like was stated above, you have to have restraint and know this bike is a monster compared to what you took the class with.

Good luck!