i am looking at purchasing my first bike in the next couple weeks, i am very skinny 5'10" and only weigh about 130ish...im thinking that the 600cc engine size would be all that i could handle due to my light weight and complete inexperience in riding; so that leaves me with the f4i vs. rr 600 honda; ive been looking at the two for several weeks and cant seem to figure out what the major difference will be, could someone please clarify if my line of thought on bike selection is correct and briefly explain the major differences between the 600 f41 and rr or at least post a link to which i can read a compare/contrast on the two bikes

Thanks for any help

 

The f4i is more of a touring bike, as where the RR is more of a race inspired model. Both bikes pack quite a punch, the RR is going to give you a little more power. If you plan on doing a lot of travel... the F4i will be more comfortable. The RR's ergonomics are extremely aggressive, you lean forward quite a bit and the seat is quite rigid (which is great for performance, but not so great for touring). Personally, I love my RR. I love the performance... and after a little while I grew comfortable with the bike... I just had to figure out the best positioning if I'm traveling a good distance. The choice is yours... either way you'll be happy with both bikes, just depends on which style you are leaning more toward. Don't be turned off by the F4i as far as power goes... there's still PLENTY of power.

 

It sounds like you have little to no riding experience. If so, IMHO, a 600 sportbike (regardless of year) is NOT a beginner bike. I suggest getting something smaller (e.g. Ninja 250, Ninja 500, FZR 400, CBR 400, etc). Learn to ride and build up your skills. Then get the more powerful and less forgiving bike.

 

I am about the same size as you i am 5'11 and 150 lb. For my first bike i bought a f4i. i love it i think it is a nice bike to learn on because it is light weight bike. like me i have laid it down at like 2 mph and i was able to pick the bike up by myself. I think a 600 is a good starting bike because you will have more respect for the power. what you need to do with the bike is just take your time and dont rush it learn control first. i kinda wish i bought a rr but from listening to the guys on this forum an rr is not a beginer bike. Also if you think your f4i starts to seem slow you can change the spocket, chain, exhaust, headers and intake filter. Also take the Bike class it is very helpful plus you can ride a 250 to see what you think. Some might disagree with what i am saying. But i bought my bike so i can learn to ride and keep it for a while get the experience i need to move up to an rr.i think if you put money into it and you get what you want you will take better care off it and respect it and understand what it can do to you. thats how i feel. i have never rode or been around bikes until a few months ago and the guys on this forum have help me out with a lot of good info. Just remember you have the power and it can get away from you so ride safe and take you time learning. hope this helps

 

If this is your first bike and your not track racing it, pick up i nice used f4i. you can get one with decently low miles (5k) for about $4500 just wait for it. Then when/if you lay it down it wont hurt the heart as much

 

I went through this same thing before I bought my 2005 CBR600RR. I wanted something small. I looked at some bikes smaller than 600cc but I ended up with my bike. My main thinking behind it was that I plan on keeping this bike for 5 or 6 years. I didn't want to get the smaller bike and then in a year want to trade it off for something else. The 600 is a great all around bike. I think the 1000 is more than I would need but under 600 was just not enough. I had NEVER riden a bike before. I just took it slow, took a driver class and I am doing just fine on my 600RR. I will say that it isn't the best for long rides. It hurts my back and *** after a while. I like the under tail exhaust though so that also pushed me to the RR. My wife is going to ride with me and not having the exhaust on the side seems like it will be good for that. I would say atleast go with a 600. Just take your time and you will get it.

 

Supersports are not beginner machines. Sure, you can get one, but you won't learn as much as you would as quickly w/ a smaller machine. I forget the statistic but there was something on the % of R1s that are purchased every year that enter salvage status w/i that year. It's a big number though, something like 50 or even 60%. Get a 250 or 500 Ninja. I sort of wish I did.

 

I saw a good stat. 80% of all motorcycle accidents and deaths from accidents involve riders that did NOT attend a motorcycle riders class. I think that anyone that learns the right way, takes thier time and is smart about it can get anything. If you learn on a 250 and then get a 600RR what is the difference??? You will be use to a 250 and think that you can handle everything. Then you will crank on the 600 and have all kinds of problems. There are two ways of looking at it. I learned on a 250 in the drivers class I took, then went to my 600. There was a HUGH difference.

It is a like a car. Do you think that every 16 year old should go out and by a four cylinder Festiva or something till they get us to driving a car??? Just something to think about. There are drivers ed Hummers now. Talk about far from what most people will drive.

 

There is a HUGE difference!!

Firstly, you didn't learn on a 250. You rode a 250 for a weekend to pass an MSF class. Its even arguable that you "learned to ride" during that MSF class. IMHO, the MSF class gives beginner riders like you just enough knowledge to be dangerous.

Secondly, a 250 would teach many things that would take you much longer to learn on a 600. Things like precision throttle control, precision braking, late braking, being smooth, etc are not easy to learn. A 600 is not forgiving to learn those finer points.

Start pushing your bike to its limits (or even better take it to the track), you'll learn in a hurry just how much of a non-beginner your bike your 600RR really is. Especially when a 250 comes around and smokes you.

 

This conversation is timeless.... It seems to come up all the time...

It goes like this, it is your safety that is at hand. A small motorcycle like a 250 or 500cc bike is an excellent beginnerbike. It will teach you the usage of the clutch/brakes very well because the bikes are "FORGIVING" as a 600 is less forgiving and can punish you harshly. This is on a personal level what you feel would be best for you. It is a known fact that 90% of the racers (Motogp) started on 250's and worked their way up. 250/500 are highly underrated. They are EXTREMELY fun!! There is nothing like flogging the throttle on a 250 and feel as if your flying at only 80mph. The difference is, if u flog the throttle on a 600, you will be looking at 140mph and if rattled (And you WILL get rattled) can cause you to incorrectly input the wrong amount of brake/throttle and can cause you to do a highside/lowside which can result in bad injuries that a 500/250 would have been more forgiving. The way I look at it, you have to walk before you run. Some people can start on a 600 and do ok, but their learning curve is much much slower and they will never realize it until they ride with someone who is more proficient than they are. Its not because they are stupid, just unexperienced and this will cause their learning curve to take longer.

The truth be known, it is your personal choice. I had 13yrs of dirtbike/road riding before I bought my Katana 600, and YES I could have bought a 1K bike and done fine. But I wanted to make sure that I was capable of handling such a bike before I took the risk of getting on a bike with that much HP. The way all bikes feel will be different than the one you ride, so that is no big suprise. The difference is do you know how to control the bike when it does something unexpected, and that's where experience shines and unexperienced is punished. If going through a corner a little hot and the back end kicks out sideways, how do you handle it??? Stomp the brake and you highside, slam the gas and you lowside... How do you handle it?? Sounds good on paper, its 1 sec decision when it happens in real life and that can cause big mistakes. Just because you start on a 600 and everything has gone fine to date doesn't mean that your a proficient rider, it means you haven't been put in a compromising position yet, and your experience will be tested sooner or later. This is not to scare anyone, this is to make you think about what u want to start with. A 500/250 is very less likely to pull the wheel off the ground in a turn. Heck I have done that with my Katana!! Feels kinda strange half through a turn and the handlebar is dangling, that can cause a beginner to panic and thus something bad can happen. It only takes 1 sec. Throttle control and respect is no replacement for experience.

You make the decision. It doesn't have to be your bike for life, just to begin. But my question still stands, what is the rush???? You will always have a bigger and better bike that you will want, that will never change. So why in such a hurry to walk into a supersport bike??? I'm just giving you some food for thought.. The current crop of some of the 500 series bikes look really really cool,, soooo... Happy riding everyone.