Hi , I am new to motorcycles and have a few questions. I have never riden a motorcycle before but I was told that a 600 would be a good bike to get. However I was also told the complete opposite by just as many people and riders. I am taking a course next week to get my motorccle licence.The only problem is that thebikes at the course are not sport bikes.How different is riding a sport bike from a regualr motorcycle?When I buy my bike I won't get a chance to test it first. I would appreciate any adice I can get.I really want a 600 but I don't want to get myself killed on the way home after buying it.


Edit: I'm not sure how much this matters but I 'm not a very big person. Just 5' 8" 120 lbs.

 

Hello! Welcome to the forum.
First off, good question. I started riding on a 1981 Yamaha 650 cruiser. I thought it was fast. Then i got my license on it, and bought a 1998 f3 a few months later. The difference in power is just amazing. Rip it up through 3rd gear and your already doing over 100mph in less than 5 or 6 seconds i would say.
I say, do not get a newer bike as your first because you WILL go down, most new sport bike riders go down within the first year of riding, i did and im lucky to live through it, have a few nice scars to remember. But i did not respect the bike and its power. (im 5'10, 135lbs, so it doesnt take much to get me moving) I rebuilt it and was back riding before the stitches were even out. I havent stopped riding since.

If you get a 600 cbr. i recommend an f2,f3,f4, or an early f4i. Theres plenty of parts if you wreck. I wouldnt spend over 4k on your first either. Before you even think about riding, get gear! at least a leather jacket, good gloves, and a helmet. Never even think about getting on your bike without any of the forementioned equipment. It would have saved me from lots of pain and injury.

When you get your bike, take it easy there killer. Dont rip on it, not even once. Shift at a low rpm(7kish) And just keep in mind what you are doing and what everyone around you is doing. Drive like everyone is out to get you. NEVER assume they will stop for you, or see you. Pretend you are invisible to everyone else.

If you need any more advice, feel free to PM me.
Good Luck, and stay safe out there.

 

I wasn't planning on buying a new bike.I have assumed that I will drop the bike at some point( I have been told this by many riders). I'm not looking forward to droping the bike or seeing the damage but I guess its something that will probably happen. There are two main reasons fopr me getting the bike.The first is so I can save money(gas).The second is I live in Daytona Beach and I love bike week. I have always wanted to be a part of it.I'm not planning on stunting or going very fast. I see your about my size which is good because I thought I might be to small to ride.Under 4k sounds about right because my father is cosigning for me and I doubt he would sign for anything above 4. Thanks for the info.

 

That's a great post Justin :-) ... also as to whether to go for a 600 or something smaller?? .. I think it depends on your self control ..yes a 600 can move at a very respectable pace especially up near the top end it's comparable with a lot of bigger bikes ...but down below at sensible revs say under 6-7K they are a ***** cat and totally user friendly ...
Oh and don't look at the blackside .. coming off a sports bike is not alwasy inevitable ... I have never come off mine in ten years .. I have had it fall on me twice though *ouch* ..lol

Jules

 

Just dropping you a line, because I live in Daytona and am looking for people to ride with.

 

An older, steel frame 600 sportbike like an F2 or F3 isn't the worst choice for a starter bike, because it will be cheap to buy and they're not nearly as high-strung as newer models. But honestly they're not the best choice either. This has been discussed a lot on the forum so do a search, but my feeling is that you'll make better progress in your riding ability, as well as stay safer, on a bike that lets you push your skill envelope without biting back so hard when (not if) you make mistakes. Also if you get an unfaired bike or one whose plastics are already beat to hell, you won't feel so bad when you drop it.

 

I'll toss in my experience here.

I started on an 89 Yamaha Virago 750 - I had never ridden and had the bike delivered to my friends house where I learned to ride. I got my license on the cruiser and kept it for years. It was a great first ride - powerful, but the v-twin keeps it in the low end and low torque for more manageable horsepower.

Then I moved up to a 750 katana which got stolen (grrr) after one month. I didn't ride for years, then got back on a 500 Ninja - a bit more sporty, but in no way overly powerful.

Then I traded up to a Ninja ZX-7R - a crazy powerful bike, and even after 13 years of riding I became drunk with the power and had my first crash, low-sided at about 25-30 mph in a nasty turn.

The difference between the bikes you'll ride in the training and a sportbike is the nimbleness of the sportbike and the power delivery of an inline-4 versus a v-twin. After my crash, I rocked a 250 last year to kinda get back on the horse. Now I am running a CBR 600 F4 and it makes me grin from ear to ear. But I have a new respect for the power of the inline-4 so I have become mature enough to know when to back off.

You probably won't have that in the beginning - I'd recommend starting with a 750cc or lower cruiser as your first bike, or a 500cc or lower sportbike. The problem with the smaller sportbikes is that in the wind you're going to get blown around which is disconcerting even for the experience rider. With a 750 cruiser, you won't have that problem and as long as you stay away from the intruder (extremely agressive rake) and get a Vulcan or a Shadow you will have a GREAT first bike and won't have to worry about upgrading for a long time.

Good luck in making your decision - I hope that this insight helps. In the end its your choice, make a good one!

 

it really depends on how well you, yourself, adapt to the bike. i have never riden a motorcycle till 2 weeks ago and i completely started out on a 600. i learned and will continue to learn everything on my CBR 600. you just have to get used to everything involved with riding and practice in a safe, controlled environment a lot.

the main thing you will have to adapt to, going from the motorcycles at the course to a sportsbike, is the weight. you have to be a lot more conscience of the wieght being significantly more in the sports bike and adjust your handling accordingly. there are a good number of people who hop on a 600 sportsbike for their first motorcycle ride and learn it from there.
get used to controlling the throttle and moving it just how much you want it to go. you'll see how delicate it is. with the heavier 600 sports bikes you will have to throttle it nicely and smoothly through a turn. you'll see.

oh an don't buy a bike that someone you trust hasn't riden. go underneath the plastics as well to make sure everything looks good. take someone with you to help you out with all that.

 

Welcome to the board! I think you are doing the very best thing by taking a course before getting a bike. Here's the next best thing you can do ... haul the bike you get back to your house.

I say this because the MSF course (or similar course designed to get your license) will get you 6-10 hrs of seat time. Not near enough to be on the main roads with cages.

So get the bike you like and can afford (remember to get the gear to go with it ... ATGATT ) , trailer it home and practice everything they teach you at the course on low traffic roads near home. Gradually hit the busier streets. But get the throttle/clutch control down pat before venturing into traffic.

And just so you know, you will never save money with a bike. I know, I know ... on paper the cheaper gas and insurance looks really good. But bikes have a way of becoming money vampires. I used the same excuse when I bought my first bike ... the honest truth is I just wanted to ride and would've coughed up a lung if it got me a bike. Never looked back and still love the sport.