I agree, most definately. Being that this is going to be his first bike thenhe shouldn't consider an SV650.

 

I sat on the CBR, R6, Gixxer & Kawi when I started looking at bikes. At only 5'6" & 150lbs comfort was gonna
be a high priority for me. The CBR600RR was the winner hands down, this was even before I read all the reviews & tests for the
07 model, which sealed the deal for me. Don't be afraid to get a 600 if it's what you want to ride. Just take some time getting
use to the throttle & power. My only advice is don't ever ever shift in a turn & let speed get you out of trouble.




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i think a ex500 is an excellant choice for a learner/first bike. i bought one and put 7k miles on it in 3 months , i rode rain or shine everyday, and at 45+ mpg it only cost me $7 a week. the 500 is a lite and nimble bike w/ a descent enough acceleration that u can hang w/ the bigger bikes and u can definitely out manuever the bigger bikes b/c the bike is so lite and it wont drop u on ur @ss if u open her all the way up like the 600rr will. just my 2 cents worth as a rider in ur position 4 months ago

 

Slugger makes valid points. This shouldn't be your last bike. It's your first and you will make mistakes with it. Why rash up something pretty? Get something older/smaller, take an MSF course, get your techniques down, and then upgrade when the time is right.

Something you should also consider is what gear you will be wearing while you ride. I've had two instances in the past six months where the jacket I was wearing saved me from arm damage even in a driveway fall. Invest in your gear.

 

I am going to say I agree mostly with knightslugger.

If your looking for a new 'cool' bike to ride I'd suggest the new Kawi Ninja 250R. The bike has some nice farings that make look like its a 600 super sport.

I rode an old sv650 for a few months before I got my 07 rr. Now i am starting all over again to learning how to ride 8 miles so far and its all been with in .5 miles of my house.

Also go to your MSF there are skills that you will learn in this course that are vital to safe operation on the street.

 

KnightSlugger, your thoughts are SPOT ON! I could not have said it better myself.

To the OP, buy a used 250 or 500 for <$1000, ride it every damn day, rack up 10,000 miles of all different types of riding, THEN go grab yourself a shiny new SS.

I started on a sv650 myself, put 20,000 miles on it, then it got stolen, which was a blessing in disguise, as I had been looking at new bikes anyway. Picked up the honda.

Let me tell you, had I not started on an sv, I would have KILLED myself on the honda, no joking around. And I rode the wheels off the sv- tracked it, dragged knee all over the place, probably ridden thousands of wheelies on it, never ever laid the thing down- thought I was a great rider. Then I got on the 600rr and was absolutely humbled.... I was actually "afraid" of the bike for the first couple of weeks until I got used to it. It had so much power compared to the sv it was rediculous, and the sv is no slouch! Even the sv can be quite a handful for a new rider.

Anyway, bottom line, if you respect yourself and care about doing things the right way, not out of impulse..... DON'T start on the 600rr. Start smarter.(I don't want to start this argument again where 5 people come in here saying "I STARTED ON THE 600RR AND I DID FINE, ONLY DROPPED IT 4 TIMES AND MY SKILLZ MAKE ME A SWEET RIDER YO."

I'm seriously saying, buy something that you'll get more riding enjoyment out of while you hone your skills. If you drop your shiny new 600 a couple of times or highside yourself into a guardrail, you won't be enjoying riding. If you are able to observe yourself getting better and better, learning lines while turning, getting your emergency braking top notch, getting comfortable approaching higher lean angles, feeling the front/rear feedback, maybe even getting the front or rear off the ground on purpose THEN you will be enjoying riding. THEN you buy a supersport. THEN you learn all over again

 

I luv when these threads....................................... ..........So much valuable info can be found in these posts.

 

I am 42 years old and have well over 100,000 miles on bikes. Shoot, over 80K on just the bikes in my garage. I bought my CBR this year after many, MANY years of riding sport touring bikes and only bought it since I was finally to the point where I was over riding some of the other bikes I had.

Thank God I waited. I would have killed myself on a SS bike when I was younger. I did not have the skills then and probably would not have had a chance to learn.

Buy something less capable to learn on. You can get something cheaper, already abused, and it will not hurt your feelings IF something happens to it. Yes, many get SS bikes as a 1st bike and do fine, but the reality is that there are many MORE that wreck them because they just don't have the skill and experience to ride them efficiently.

Remember, just because a bike feels comfortable sitting on the side stand on the showroom floor, does not equate to the real world of riding. I have many bikes, and the CBR is ridden less than any of them (Except the track bike) because it sucks as a commuter bike. It is uncomfortable for every day riding and lacks the room for decent cargo capacity.

It is alsosuprisingly fast as hell and handleslike you can't possibly imagine. THINK about turning and it is doing it for you. That also means that it is going to amplify anything you do WRONG, and things hapen in a hurry when things do go wrong.

You want to learn? Take the MSF to start. Then read everything you can about technique until you understand it. Then go and practice it.

The worst thing you can do is try to ride with a bunch of guys until you are ready for it.

 

honestly, thank you all for your feedback. Seems like the used 500 would be a good choice. The ex500, for that matter. But Honestly, I want to thank all of you ahead of time, for saving my life.. It seems like the 600rr would be way too much for me. Im going to listen because im going to be on the freeway... ALOT... so i need to start slow. thanks again.

 

my first bike was 5 months ago and i settled on a 2003 zzr600... it had great power.. and decent looks.. i rode it for 3 months everyday and i took a safety course.. i learned a lot from that bike.. i grew up racing dirt bikes and 4 wheeler.. but thats a whole different game.. I know my cbr would be all rashed up if i had started with it.. listen to these guys.. they can and will teach you a lot.. there is nothing comparable to wisdom... good luck!