New Member Area New to CBRForum? Stop in and introduce yourself.

Picking that first bike...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 03-23-2005, 11:05 PM
QuikSilver's Avatar
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location:
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Picking that first bike...

Individuals looking for a new bike....I pulled this information from an article off another motorcycle website. I DID NOT WRITE THIS ARTICLE so don't rag on me for information you might disagree with. The article has some really good pointers:

Form Equals Function: Sportbikes are Not Beginner Bikes

Introduction

Well, another riding season is upon us and as it always happens, we get lots of inquiries from potential new riders on how to get into the sport, what's a good first ride, where to take safety classes and so on. One particular type of inquiry that pops up with almost clockwork frequency is from a small number of new riders who wish to buy 600cc and up sportbikes as their first ride.

For the past year and a half, I, along with lots of other BB forum members, have entertained this question of 600cc sportbikes for a first ride with patience and lots and lots of repetition. It seems this small group of newbies keep coming back with the same arguments and questions over and over again. As a result, I am going to take the time in this column to try and put into words, answers that get repeated over and over on the BB forums.

Allow me to state first and foremost that I am a sport rider. My first bike was a Ninja 250R and I put nearly 7000 miles on it in two seasons before selling it. I am presently shopping for my next ride and it will almost certainly be a sportbike or sport tourer in the 600-1000cc range. I am also building a track bike in my garage which I hope to complete this season (a Yamaha FZR600). Although I am not an expert rider by any stretch, I have tinkered enough and done enough research along with talking with other riders to be able to speak with some degree of knowledge on the subject.

This column is split into two parts. First, I would like to address the common arguments we see here as to why a 600cc sportbike simply must be a first ride along with rebuttals. Second, I want to cover the rationale behind why the BB community-at-large steers new riders away from these machines.

False Logic

On about a three month interval, a whole slew of questions pop up on the BB forum from potential riders trying to convince the community that a 600cc sportbike is a suitable first ride and then proceed to explain to us why they are the exception. I can almost set my clock to this pattern of behavior since it is almost swarm-like. I guess the newbies figure by swamping the forum with the same questions in lots of places we might trip up and endorse such a machine. Hasn't happened yet but they keep on trying.

For those of you that come to Beginner Bikes trying to convince us to endorse a 600cc sportbike, I offer you the following responses to your arguments.
I can only afford to get one bike so it might as be the one that I want.

I don't want to go through the hassle of buying and selling a used bike to learn on.

These two lines of reasoning pop up as one of the more common arguments. I am going to offer first a piece of wisdom which is stated with great regularity on the forums:

This is your first bike, not your last.

Motorcycle riders are reputed to change bikes, on average, once every two to three years. If this is the case (and it appears to be based on my observations), the bike you learn to ride on will not be in your garage in a few years time anyway whether you buy it new or used. You're going to sell it regardless to get something different, newer, more powerful, more comfortable, etc.

Yes, buying a bike involves effort and a financial outlay. Most of us simply cannot afford to drop thousands of dollars on a whim every time we want to try something new. Getting into riding is a serious commitment in time and money and we want the best value out it as much as possible.

However, if you can afford to buy outright or finance a 600cc or up sportbike that costs $7000 on average, you can probably afford to spend $2000 or so on a use
 
  #2  
Old 03-24-2005, 01:56 AM
L8X's Avatar
L8X
L8X is offline
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,909
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: Picking that first bike...

great info thanks!
 
  #3  
Old 03-25-2005, 10:00 PM
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location:
Posts: 941
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default RE: Picking that first bike...

Good to see someone got on top of that and shared it. Good looking out!
 
  #4  
Old 11-27-2005, 08:56 PM
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Spring , Tx
Posts: 2,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: Picking that first bike...

Howdy , welcome to the forums



Better late than never
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Twenty1
New Member Area
11
04-30-2014 02:48 PM
georgeb
CBR 1000RR
12
08-14-2010 05:43 PM
np392
Other Bike Chat
3
07-12-2010 06:54 PM
Karmahkid
New Member Area
4
03-22-2009 10:42 PM
killians31
F4i - Main Forum
17
02-16-2008 04:54 PM



Quick Reply: Picking that first bike...



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:12 AM.