So I've been riding a 70cc scooter for 2 years. Obviously scooters are twist and go so there's no learning how to shift gears. I would like to get a motorcycle but I don't know if any of my scooter skills will transfer over to a motorcycle. I want a sportbike that I can ride for potentially many years without having to "upgrade" to a bigger bike after one year.

I've learned some of the basics to 2-wheeled riding on my scooter: not braking/accelerating in corners, looking into your turns, being more aware of your surroundings, counter-steering, low speed maneuvering. But how hard would it be for me to jump on a motorcycle and go?

Do I have any legitimate experience from my scooter riding that would give me more reason to start on a 600 than a 250? I don't see myself as having no experience, but what about motorcycling do true newbies not have that I might have?

Everyone says "get a Ninja 250!" of course. I'm 6'-1" 200lbs, I'm not sure if a Ninja can even carry me that well. I want a Honda CBR600RR mostly because it's the best looking bike to me but also because I could keep it for many years. I would respect and fear the power of the bike. But again, do I have any more legitimate experience from my scooter riding that would give me more reason to start on a 600 than a 250?

 

Get a 600cc. You'll enjoy the thrill and power. Any bike will do 70mph, it just depends on how fast you want to get there. My first bike is the bike I have now, a 1996 CBR 600 F3. I was considering a 250cc and even a 500cc ninja but I found a sweet deal on the bike I have now and just couldn't pass it up. At 200lbs a 600cc is all you'll ever need really, around town you'll cruise in 6th gear at 4.5k doing 45 and on the freeway around 7.5k doing 70. Do you really need to be going faaster then those speeds? I think not. Search for a good deal on a 600cc and I think you'll be fine, some people say you'll soon "grow" out of it but in reality you will not. I have driven a 2008 CBR 1000cc and my impression is that it's just quicker but being on a bike is like being in the quickest car you've ever been in...ever. For cruising around town a quick jaunts on the freeway a 600cc I think will fit the bill just fine. I honestly can see myself sticking with a 600cc because of the gas milage and I like high revs, but that's just my personal preferance.

 

Yes, SOME of your esperience will still be valid when you step up to a motorcycle.
You sound mature enough to handle the HP (you were smart enough to ask, after all).
The biggest survival skill you'll have learned is how to avoid being run-down because
you're invisible to the average car driver. Bet you figured that out early on with a 70cc
scooter. The rest is just refinement of technique and learning to deal with a higher
center of gravity.

Based on your comments, I think you'll be a fine candidate for starting in the 600cc
class as your first ride.

Good luck, don't prove LilRed and me to be idiots, Ern

 

Thanks for the sound info, guys. I truly have no intention to push this bike to its limits or even get remotely close to realizing its potential. That's the number one comment I get when I tell people I want a 600: "Why get a 600cc bike if you aren't going to use all that power?!" Well, because the power is available once you learn how to use it responsibly. My number one response to them is: "If God chooses to take my life riding a bike, I'm at least going to die riding the bike I want."

What do you guys foresee being my biggest challenge going from a scoot to a 600? I think it will be getting used to feathering the throttle and not grabbing a handful at every straight like on the scoot. I think low speed maneuvering/parking lots will be a little tough at first too (but aren't they for everyone?).

 

MSF course = M1 license

Depending on which state you're in? 70cc scooter Vs 600cc may or may not categorized as same class?

The course will help...Either way you'll need the basic safety info. As for size of bike, 600cc is fine being 6'1"...

 

Low speed is always the biggest challenge. The faster you go the more stable it is.
The higher center of gravity will make it more topple-ready when manuvering. Always
be aware of your footing, to avoid one of those slow-motion lay-downs.

Take-off isn't that hard, modulating the power to the rear-end is about clutch release.
As you let out on the clutch, keep the RPM's about3-4 grand and you should get going
smoothly. Don't forget you're using a clutch-lever, so you don't lug/kill the engine
when coming to a stop. Besides getting used to the greater weight of the bike, clutch
management will probably be your biggest hurdle.

Find a big, empty parking lot, clear of sand and other traction perils. Practise your
clutch start/stops, low-speed manuvering and 30mph to zero braking (using BOTH
front and rear brakes, together).

The MSF course is a really good idea. Hands-on beats on-line as a learning device.

Ern

 

i had honestly never ridden anything motorized on two wheels. the best i had was a 125cc 3 wheeler that i could put up on two wheels lol. other then that, nothing. i went out and bought an f4i after a friend allowed me to almost wreck his lol.

the most difficult part for me was synchronizing shifting with everything else that goes on. id never owned a manual car, but had driven stick a couple times. once you get shifting down and you can fully focus on everything else, its a piece of cake. just dont try to bite off too much at a time. if you've done your parking lot riding and still dont feel more than 100% comfy on the thing, dont take it on the streets. i waited a full month of riding up and down my street and in parking lots until i took it on the road, and even that was really overwhelming (although you've taken your scooter on the streets already so you got a one up on me).

good luck and have fun. no matter what anyone says, a 600 is more than enough bike for a non racer. i can top out my f4i at 162 mph and thats way faster than i need to be going

 

Ern and others,

I really appreciate the suggestions. I will definitely take an MSF course, that was always the plan and always will be my first step before even looking at a bike. I agree that clutch management will be the most difficult thing for me. On a scooter you have your front brake on the right lever (same as on a motorcycle) but the left lever is your rear brake. That will be a little tricky to remember at first. Whenever I slow down on my scooter I always use both brakes anyways and it sounds like you pull in your clutch on stops on a bike too.

My scoot is definitely light and flickable. At around 250lbs and a low CG, it's easy to swing around a parking lot. The difference in weight and CG will be another challenge. However being a tall guy with strong legs (I ride bicycles competitively) I don't think it should be too much of a problem unless I hit an unexpected obstacle. When I was learning to ride my scoot I used the lines in a parking lot to practice sharp, slow turns. I think that will be a good tool to use. Definitely not leaving the parking lot/neighborhood until I'm confident with those abilities. Again, I'm not an idiot who wants to take this thing to my nearest highway and pin the throttle.

I'm already very keen at looking out for sand/low traction areas from my scoot.

 

U got this! Pick one up ASAP just make sure its says "honda" and everything else will be fine.

 

I had no experience when I first started riding. Took a class, got my license, borrowed my step dads k1200rs to gain some more seat time (what a pain to get the go ahead on that was...) went to dealerships and tested out as many bikes as I could over a few months (ninjas, gsxrs, cbrs, r6s) found the 600 class to be the most comfortable for me in terms of maneuverability and power and proceeded to research the things I should look out for when buying a used one off CL. Bought a nice 96 cbr 600 with 22k miles and I'm very happy with it after almost a year of owning it.

In the end, it all depends on how comfortable you are on the road and bike while still being aware of your surroundings and the dangers of not being a cager. You've got some of the basics down, just don't be surprised when you first give the bike a good twist of the throttle and you find yourself at 60+mph in 2nd gear in ~3 seconds or less depending on the engine mods.

All in all, this means you could easily hop on a 600 and be happy there for a long time.

Stay safe and wear full gear as "600's have enough power to take you from 0-stupid in "ohhhh shh"" as said by a fellow forum member.