If it were me with $4500, I'd drop roughly $1000 in gear (for a good helmet, jacket, gloves and boots - pants if you want to finish the set at the same time, or a suit in lieu of the jacket and pants if you're only riding for pleasure.)

Take ~$100 and take the MSF. Even if you know how to ride, the class will be a nice refresher, will get you your M certification without having to take the DMV test, and might make your insurance cheaper.

I got my '01 for $1800, put about $500 into it and have been wasting money (lol) on mods since then. CCTL was a problem with my bike (and took about 6 hours to fix cause I'm a mechanical noob) but otherwise with a tune-up my bike runs like a champ. If my guesstimates are right, you should have around $3400 to play with after gear and the MSF, so you can either get a cleaner bike straight up or a bike that could use a little work and then get right to modding it.

These are powerful bikes, and my bike will give me whatever I'm brave / reckless enough to take, but I think they start slowly enough that you're unlikely to have a problem with the bike shooting out from under you even if you're starting quickly. It's about an ideal first bike, imo.

 

Yeah man i've thought of all that. I really just want a clean, ready to go, problem-less bike which i'll probably drop 400-500 into on a slip on and fender elim. kit. But I plan on making 2 grand this summer, 2 grand next on top of my current grand i'm building on. So 5 grand will be sufficient i think. Thanks again!

 

best advice... Buy between September and February. If you buy after feb or before sept. You won't find much and it will be super expensive.

Read below too... I started as a dirt biker and trail rider.

And being someone that started with dirt bikes as well... and doing trail riding... So I was used to avoiding crap all over... None of it helped. Not one bit of that helped me with riding on the street. The clutch is different, throttle different. handling different. brakes different. power different. Suspension a HELL of a lot different. And feel different. I handled my dirt bike.... On my street bike, I ask it to do what I want with gentle input and it does what I ask. If I demand it like my dirt bikes... It will literally kill me.

 

gotcha. THanks for the input. Yeah I turn 18 in the month of january so thats probably when i'll be looking

 

Fortunately, you have lots of time to do your homework. It helps. One thing to remember, if you're looking online (like craig'slist) it is very easy to tell what kind of condition the bike is really in just by the person's ad. If the ad is all slang and tons of spelling errors and they are "itemizing" their mods, odds are they are just repeating something they read about that bike and their pics could be from anywhere on the internet. Also, if the ad looks like that, then you know that is how the seller themselves are, therefore, that is how the bike really is.

I have an '01 F4i and i got it for 2800 with 20k miles on it. Bike was in good condition, and only had a few normal scratches on the fairings. Just a quick tune up and cleaning of electrical connections and it was perfect. IMO, it's a great first bike because it can be mild on the street if you need it to be, but can also be a beast and tear up the track like I take it. It's just an all around great bike.

As for insurance, at your age, you might not get it at all. The easiest thing to do would be to get it under one of your parents names, or maybe an older sibling. That way, it is still your bike, but you pay much much cheaper rates through them, even full coverage.

 

I started riding dirtbikes when I was 13 (2003). I rode motocross primarily. In 2010 I got myself a supermoto. There was nothing much to adjust to, because the bike felt pretty similar to what I was used to, and I had already been driving a car for a couple years (not saying that makes me a pro by any means) so I knew how to act on the road.

I don't know what kind of rider you are, but I'm an extremely cautious person. I've never been injured on my dirtbike to the point of needing to go to the hospital (stupid falls here and there). But you'll see it said on the forum more than once, you have to ride on the street like everyone is out to run you over.

The switch between supermoto and cbr is a more of a change. Compared to a MX bike, the bike feels "dead" (not light, springy and upright). You'll get used to it eventually, try to avoid super busy roads and don't rip around the streets (even if you are familiar with them, **** happens...you'll see stories on here).

I'm sure I had more to say, but oh well. Its pretty much all self explanitory, I never had anyone to hold my hand the whole way saying "do this" or "do that". You'll figure it all out, especially being able to ask members on the forum.

 

sounds like you were in a similar situation to what i'm in. I have ridden for years and have done a mix or trail and mx riding. I too have never been to the hospital or even been badly bruised off road and have been very cautious. Thanks for the advice.

P.s: (post above yours): I have definitely noticed a wide range of cl ads, you can definitely tell the goons' bikes when compared to the good ones.

 

My first bike was a brand new 2001 F4i. I got it after taking the MSF course and getting my license and took my time to get used to the bike. I found riding with experienced riders improved my skills alot. I'm now about to get another F4i after making the mistake of buying a Harley last year and selling it after 1 month!!!

I found the F4i to be a great all around bike, dont get a liter bike at your age, too much power for beginners if your not at least in your 20's.

 

Absolutely man, if you have any other questions about switching from mx to street let me know

 

I'll probably do that a little down the road. I have a friend that's really into bikes and owns a new cbr600 that i'll probably end up riding with. I'm pretty set on focusing on the f4i as of now because of all of the good things I've heard. Thanks