Its all about the wrist, specifically the right one. End of story. You can get hurt or killed in both a Kia and a Ferrari, 250 or 1098, doesnt matter. Grazi said it all. Get what you want, ride it safe, and invest in gear. Two of my favorite people to ride with are a cop and an ER nurse. They ride faster and harder then I do, and dont even warm the tires at 5mph without full gear. If you hate jackets, get an armor vest. You see someone go down ONCE, or go down yourself, you will never regret it. Another excellent piece of advice was somewhat already mentioned but im restating it for point of fact. Ride like no one can see you. There are billion grandmothers, soccer moms, and cellphone loving teenie-boppers who are just itching to overlook your shiny, obnoxiously loud, pretty little bi-wheeler... sending you teeth first into any number of painfully hard structures. Some may disagree with this, but to me is does not matter what traffic law you violate in executing this task. Ride like no one can see you, because they cant, they wont, and they have no intention of keeping you alive!!!

To answer your original question I ride an 07 CBR and its incredible. Very light, nimble, fast, dependable, etc... the list goes on but its a great bike. I highly reccomend it, just make sure you can handle it. Its like 75% track bike, keep that it mind.

 

i didnt ride a bike, sport or cruiser, before i bought mine last year and i got a 07 600rr. do what you feel is best for you. im happy going the speed limit on my bike. i love knowing that i have all that power there. its all on how you turn your wrist. these bikes do go slow if you want them too. good luck on your choice.

 

Question what's wrong with the newer F4i (aside from the ugly seat)?

 

its not an 07 RR

 

Haha! Them's fightin' words![:@]

 

If you live in a place where it gets cold dealerships give pretty good deals on bikes in the winter. I picked up a new 06 RR for 10k Canadian with 5 year warranty. (I probably could havetalked them into gettingit a bit cheaper but I had to finance, if you have the cash you can talk the dealers down by a huge amount.)

 

Go get a used Ninja 250 or a SV650.
The Ninja will cost you $2,500-$3,000 in many markets.

Ride the bike for the summer. Lay it down, do all the stuff that a beginner will do.
Sell it at the end of the summer to some other smart beginner, for what you paid for it.

Take the money, go buy a nice 600RR that a dealer is desperate to sell as fall arrives.

 

BUY IT!!! dont waste your time on a bike that you are going to want to upgrade out of in a month! a 600 superport is a perfect bike to start on as long as you know your limits and have some established riding skills. the only thing that is really going to make those "starter bikes" easier to ride is the fact that they wont scare you as much allowing you to feel more comfortable riding the bike hense you wont have the intimidation factor to deal with...DO NOT GET ANYTHING BIGGER THAN A 600!!!! a 750 and 1000 both have the uncanny ability to send the front end skyward or jut the rear out, a new rider will likely not have the skills to keep such an event in check. so get the 600, ride it for a year or more, and go from there...

 

Sorry, a 600CC motorcycle with over 100 horse power is not a good bike to start on.

 

I started out with a Honda 599 it's a 600cc but more of a street bike than a crotch rocket. I took a MSF course as well but aside from learning the basics it shouldn't be a cause to think you'd be ok on the streets especially if you haven't ridden before. I mean the bikes we rode on during MSF course were like 250cc's and we never went above 2nd or 3rd gear all the time so go figure. Grazi and Baxsom offer some excellent advice take it. I started riding only during nights when there wasn't much traffic and went on freeways, residential areas I mean just familiarizing myself with all kinds of roads and then kept going on from there. Gear is important I always wear protective gear when I ride forget all the macho posturing the other day I saw someone wearing shorts and a t-shirt and flip flops no helmet on a GSXR now that's just plain stupid not to mention dorky but I digress it takes all sorts. Take a track day it does help and yes ride like everycar is out to get you. The only time I laid my bike is when this old lady just swerved in my way, my right of way and I always scan ahead for carbon based specimens who get their driver's license out of a cracker jack box. I braked and would've been fine if it weren't for gravel on the road. As far as getting the bike or not if that's what you want then go for it just take your time getting used to it andbe safe. Remember you will go down it's not a question of if but when.....enjoy the ride. Good Luck.