I'm one of the guys who got a new 600RR and totalled it before reaching 1000 miles. I concur with others that the best first sportbike would be a used 600. Something you can afford to crash. But you are an adult (just barely), so if you want a new bike as a reward to yourself for making it through your training (probably your first real job as well as first real challenge and first real commitment to duty) I say more power to you. Just have some money stashed on the side for when you wreck it. More that just the deductible on your insurance.

Definitely do not go for a 1000cc bike as your first street legal motorcycle, please. It really can get you killed. The 600s are safer than some of the more cautious adivsors will admit. Still quite dangerous because they tempt you to ride them hard and beyond your ability, but overall it's fairly hard to lose traction or inadvertantly bring up the wheel. You can have fun cracking the throttle wide open and not worry about dying.

I would not lower it unless you really need to. The 600RR is the best handling sportbike in the world, and lowering it will mess with the design. But ultimately do what you want. If it makes you feel better to have your feet planted, then lower it. The loss of handling will not be so bad.

 

Is this sarcasim?

 

Ok .. here's my input from what I've gather in the little time i've been riding (and by NOOO means do I know everything, FAR from it). I'm am new to the whole riding seen aswell. I picked up a 2007 CBR600RR a month ago. My first bike ever. I didn't really grow up with dirtbikes but I have had my fair share of experiences on them, good and bad. The 07 RR is a GREAT bike. Just know what people are telling you, its Not a beginner bike. It is crazy powerful ... 1st gear 72mph, 2nd 102mph. and so - on but thats not important. Even tho you grew up on the dirt ...street is a completely different beast. Knowing that you don't know anything about the bike is the first start... congrats... turning for help was another good idea.. props.... anywho, Take the MSF course first thing ... its helps alot. With your bonus make safety gear the initial investment aswell ... like the good ol' saying goes ... "its not if your going to lay it down ... but when and how bad" PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE, I can't stress that enough. Things like emergency braking, braking in corners, obstacle avoidance. Watch out for the new tires ... they areveryslick for the first 300 miles...take itREALLY Easy.Get to know the bike and how it response to gravel, rain, hard accelerate ...etc. When turning the bike ... go threw these steps in yourhead... it helps ..Slow, Look, Lean, Roll. ... Slow down going into the turn ... Look through the turn... lean into the turn, while Rollinggently on the throttle. Don't follow too closely for a while, get to know your brakes. Ride with-in your limits. Let your riding buddies know that you are new to street, there's nothing wrong with that. Don't try to impress people, they aren't the one's paying for the damages if/when something goes wrong. As for wheeling you shouldn't be doing that for a while and definately not on the streets. I am 5' 8' 170pounds and the bike is fine where its at, even with riding a passenger. You might have to lean the bike a little to one side and use a little muscle but nothing dramtic. Lowering the bike can be done but I would not recommend it. There is a lot more to it then just tightening down a spring. More headache then what its worth. As for your dealer asking 9499.... thats high. .. with the '08 coming out you would be safe making an offer around 8600 - 8700. Sorry to preach but little advice like that was given to me by these very knowledge people on this forum and I go out everyday to a scratch free baby. Hope this helped and goodluck with your purchase!! you'll love every minute with it!!

 

When your bitch is on the back, it brings the bike down lower because of the extra weight on the tail. You should be able to get both feet down without a problem at the stop light.
But do what you want, champ. It's your money--you obviously don't really care what any one else has to say anyway. You'll figure it out on your own.

 

Please don't go with the Liter bike as your first bike. You will love the 600rr. Being that its your first bike, you will never be able to ride the liter bike to its full potential on the streets and that would just be a waste. From one of my riding buddies that has owned a 954, 600, and then the 1000 .. he told me that when it comes to corners he'd much rather have the 600 back ... but in the straights he does like the 1000. He said with the 600 he didn't have to worry to much about spinning the back tire coming outta a corner as much as he does withhis 1000.

 

Also, why shouldn't I lower it? I mean, if I have my girl on the back, and all I am doing is tippy toeing it, I wouldn't think that I could balance the wieght since I am tilting to one side. I think it would be a weight distribution problem. I mean, my girl is 5'7" and weighs about 110 and I would think that her on the back would effect the balance factor. I am just saying that I think tippy toeing it is kind of un-safe, right? If I was flat foot on the ground then it would seem a bit more safe, right? What exactly does lowering it effect and is it a bad effect or good effect?

If you plan to carry lots of pretty chics with your bike you best have 2 foot planted on the ground at stops. You can't be jumping from 1 side to the other trying to balance your bike...especially on uneven, unleveled grounds.

I lowered my bike 3"1/2...works fine for me. If solo, no lower is ok...if chic 2 then lower it I say.

 

Not at all. It's my God's honest opinion. If you get a sweet handling bike on like a CBR 600RR, and you talk about lowering it, I promise you you will get tons of replies screaming "SACRELIDGE!" and telling you you will be ruining the bike. They do have a point. The handling will decrease somewhat. But as your first bike, you being comfortable and confident is the most important thing. If you think you want to lower it, then lower it.

 

At least I am not the only one that feels this way too.........

Check it out there Army Dog......... You came on here and asked a bunch of quetions. Most of these guys, including myself, have been trying to answer those questions, but you just keep coming back with excuses that make sense to you to do what you want to do. If you are going to get all this $$ in bonuses, good for you, but it WILL get taxed at a higher rate. How do you figure that you will be getting E3 pay right off the bat too? You getting an automatic promotion deal with your enlistment? Like I said, I just retired from the Marine Corps, so I know a little bit about the military.

Anyways, great. You will have some money to go blow on a nice shiny new sport bike, and you have lots or dirt riding experience too. (BTW........ I own two dirt bikes and a quad as well. I know a little somethin bout riding dirt too. Southeastern Amature Champion, thank you....)

So..... Now you want to go and ride street on the bike that is rated as the best SS class 600 on the market. BTW....... Or is it the 1000 you want. Stupid choice BTW. That is a statistic waiting to happen. You cannot possibly fathom just how fast a 1000cc sport bike really is.Really. I mean, these bikes are INSANE fast!

1st.... Lowering a bike changes the suspension geometry and will make the handling change significantly for the worst. It also reduces ground clearance, so the fairings and pegs will be more succeptible to dragging. Now, you are not use to dragging hard parts in the dirt, but on that street, we call that a "bad thing" to do.

2nd.... WTF are you talking about with some plan that replacec everything even if you wreck it? They must have some kick *** salemen in your local stearship! A plan like that does NOT exist, and if you believe different, I REALLY would love to know what dealer you are talking to, because I want to call them. Have you even priced insurance yet? Sport bikes are not cheap to insure when you are young. (No big deal though since you are gonna be loaded down with bonus $$)

3rd.... Street riding differs significatly from dirt. Go through the MSF course first if you have no already done so, and start practicing watching EVERYTHING around you. Look at cross roads, watch people on cell phones. Start looking for blind spots where people can't see you in mirrors. Etc..... Other people are out to kill you. They just don't know it. The more aware you are of your surroundings, the better the chances of coming back home in one piece.

4th.... Buy some riding gear. Get a good jacket, helmet, gloves, and riding boots at the very least and WEAR IT! Cow hide will protect your ***!

5th...... Go do an advanced riding school and a track day! It's the BEST way to become a better rider. Period. Listening to the crowd at the Sonic drive in or bike night will not teach you a damnedthing except how to brag about doing wheelies. If you want to learn how to ride better, ask someone that has experience to work with you. Ask questions. Learn technique. Practice. Experience is priceless and there is only one way to get it.....


Listen kid, (I can say that, I have two kids older than you and my 17 year old son knows more about riding than you can possibly hope to learn......) you sound like you want to learn something here, but you come across as the typical jackass that just wants a sport bike to be cool. The 1st one usually ends up ok. The 2nd one usually ends up healing from road rash.

Which one are you?

Last thing....... There are two times when a rider is at most risk to themselves and others....
1. The newby rider don't know jack and is likely to drop the bike or blow

 

^ Good post.

 

OMFG! WOW! What a post man, you must really care! Thank you! I really mean this! Thank you! I mean, I was kind of speachless at first when I started to look at this, but then I started having questions.

1st.) I am not trying to show boat at all, I have just always wanted to learn street and so has my buddy, so we are giving it a go. I like the best, and I heard and have read up, and this bike (the 600) seems to be just that, so I will go with it. I don't mean to seem like a jack ***, I am just stating what is happening in my my life.

2nd.) How I am getting E-3 pay is by my years of JROTC giving me extra rank. (1-2 years of JROTC gives you E-2 and 3-4 years gives you E-3) I'm getting E-3.

3rd.) OK, now that someone (KiKn) has said something positive about lowering the bike... OK, so, if I am having someone on the back, which I semi-plan on having, do not lower it? and If it's just me, lower it? Is that about right? Also, I hear all of you say that the handling is affected by it? Well, if I have it lowered right off the bat (before I start to actually ride it) then I won't feel any difference, right? (I planned on having it lowered at the dealership, they can do that) They said they could do it, but someone in here also said that it wasn't a simple tightening of the spring? What more is there? What I am getting myself into? Should I lower it or not?

4th.) Crashkhanman, thank you very much. You were very polite through out all of this and I think you deserve big props, so here they are, BIG PROPS TO CHRASHKHANMAN! lol.

5th.) I am going with the 600, I have made up my mind, now, with that said, is there anything I should know?

6th.) The reason it took me so long to get back to posting all this was because this past week end, I took some people's (including people on this site) advice and took the MSF course (wow was I missing out on alot!) Thank you all for the help.