Hi - First-time rider, looking into F4i's!
#41
12-19-2008, 03:11 AM
RE: Hi - First-time rider, looking into F4i's!
i low sided my first bike (04 f4i) in some gravel broke my foot and even after that i would have still got the 599cc
the 250 is like a piece of gum the first 4 minutes are tasty but after that it goes all flavorless
the 599cc will never lose its ability to challenge even the best rider, i dont think you can get that from the ninjas
besides why would you but a kawiiii
lots of people ask about f4i's being starter bikes and in short, they can be!!!
glad you rock an f4i one of the best rides out there, and hondas def beats the rest of em
ride or die
the 250 is like a piece of gum the first 4 minutes are tasty but after that it goes all flavorless
the 599cc will never lose its ability to challenge even the best rider, i dont think you can get that from the ninjas
besides why would you but a kawiiii
lots of people ask about f4i's being starter bikes and in short, they can be!!!
glad you rock an f4i one of the best rides out there, and hondas def beats the rest of em
ride or die
#42
12-19-2008, 05:52 AM
RE: Hi - First-time rider, looking into F4i's!
ORIGINAL: markCBR
I had never been on a bike before. I took the MSF one weekend, bought my F4i a couple days later, and rode it home on the highway. What is so scary? When I got it onto the highway I was amazed at how comfortable it felt at high speeds. Two weeks later I was doing group rides through the twistys in Julian and doing just as well as anyone else. The F4i is a great beginner bike with almost zero learning curve. A week is all it takes to get comfortable, max. There's absolutely no reason to go with a Ninja 250 unless you're incredibly short or light and can't handle a moderately sized bike.
All this talk is just an attempt to scare beginners off by making it seem like it's some sort of accomplishment to ride a 600cc bike that you need to graduate up to, but seriously... the Ninja 250 is like a friggin scooter. A 600 is just fine to start with.
I had never been on a bike before. I took the MSF one weekend, bought my F4i a couple days later, and rode it home on the highway. What is so scary? When I got it onto the highway I was amazed at how comfortable it felt at high speeds. Two weeks later I was doing group rides through the twistys in Julian and doing just as well as anyone else. The F4i is a great beginner bike with almost zero learning curve. A week is all it takes to get comfortable, max. There's absolutely no reason to go with a Ninja 250 unless you're incredibly short or light and can't handle a moderately sized bike.
All this talk is just an attempt to scare beginners off by making it seem like it's some sort of accomplishment to ride a 600cc bike that you need to graduate up to, but seriously... the Ninja 250 is like a friggin scooter. A 600 is just fine to start with.
#43
12-19-2008, 06:22 AM
RE: Hi - First-time rider, looking into F4i's!
ORIGINAL: TheX
I'm sure all your high school friends are impressed with your 1337ness. I know for a fact there are good riders on Ninja 250's that will hand you your *** in the twisties.
I'm sure all your high school friends are impressed with your 1337ness. I know for a fact there are good riders on Ninja 250's that will hand you your *** in the twisties.
#44
12-19-2008, 01:23 PM
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RE: Hi - First-time rider, looking into F4i's!
ORIGINAL: Aken
Mark, I was in the same situation as you - took the class, bought the F4i, and went out and rode it a couple hundred miles. Sure, I had the basics down, but I wouldn't go anywhere near saying I was comfortable with the bike in a week.
There's a difference between being comfortable on a bike and knowing how to handle it properly. When it comes down to it, riding abilities take time and experience. With that said, a smaller bike will be less forgiving in certain scenarios, they are easier to maneuver, they have a more natural riding position which is better for beginners, as it takes weight off your hands, and will instill confidence in most people quicker. Nobody wants to be nervous when on their bike.
The fact is most of these things are opinions, from people like us who have been there and done that. 405hp has an AWESOME first-hand experience story that is a perfect example of not knowing the basics, and how much easier it was on a smaller bike. People's experiences are different. Some, like us, were fine with the F4i as our first bikes. But it is still a SPORT bike. It WILL knock you around if you aren't careful, and it will be expensive to fix.
Mark, I was in the same situation as you - took the class, bought the F4i, and went out and rode it a couple hundred miles. Sure, I had the basics down, but I wouldn't go anywhere near saying I was comfortable with the bike in a week.
There's a difference between being comfortable on a bike and knowing how to handle it properly. When it comes down to it, riding abilities take time and experience. With that said, a smaller bike will be less forgiving in certain scenarios, they are easier to maneuver, they have a more natural riding position which is better for beginners, as it takes weight off your hands, and will instill confidence in most people quicker. Nobody wants to be nervous when on their bike.
The fact is most of these things are opinions, from people like us who have been there and done that. 405hp has an AWESOME first-hand experience story that is a perfect example of not knowing the basics, and how much easier it was on a smaller bike. People's experiences are different. Some, like us, were fine with the F4i as our first bikes. But it is still a SPORT bike. It WILL knock you around if you aren't careful, and it will be expensive to fix.
#45
12-19-2008, 04:27 PM
Ironmang
RE: Hi - First-time rider, looking into F4i's!
Awesome dude... I'm glad to hear it ended up working out for you in the end 
You're story is a true testament to what many of us have been saying for the longest time about starting small when learning to ride.
I can't preach too much because I actually did the exact same thing.... bought my F4i brand new as my very first bike. Spent the first day or two in a parking lot practicing starting, stopping, shifting, turning, ect. Got the hang of it real quick, went out on the street and riding to work by day 3. Took the MSF course 2 weeks later and rode a 250 Nighthawk... OMG what a difference!! At that time, there was absolutely no way I could do on my bike what I was able to do on the Nighthawk... total night and day difference. But I just kept at it on my F4i, improving my skills day by day, and now 4 years and 143k miles later, we're both still here [8D]
Again glad it worked out and you had a safe & enjoyable riding season on your F4i. Good luck and keep the rubber side down!! And don't ever get too confident
You're story is a true testament to what many of us have been saying for the longest time about starting small when learning to ride.I can't preach too much because I actually did the exact same thing.... bought my F4i brand new as my very first bike. Spent the first day or two in a parking lot practicing starting, stopping, shifting, turning, ect. Got the hang of it real quick, went out on the street and riding to work by day 3. Took the MSF course 2 weeks later and rode a 250 Nighthawk... OMG what a difference!! At that time, there was absolutely no way I could do on my bike what I was able to do on the Nighthawk... total night and day difference. But I just kept at it on my F4i, improving my skills day by day, and now 4 years and 143k miles later, we're both still here [8D]
Again glad it worked out and you had a safe & enjoyable riding season on your F4i. Good luck and keep the rubber side down!! And don't ever get too confident
#46
12-20-2008, 03:03 AM
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