So I've read a topic not too long ago about how beginner, first time riders should start with something small, i.e.-600. Right, yes, I suppose, that would be sufficient if that first time driver were incapable of controlling him/herself.

I've only been riding for approximately a lil over 2 years now ((and I'm not claiming to be a professional, Ride-Or-Die DMX Ruff Rider, cause I know I'm not)) and I'm still riding the very first crotch rocket that I've ever purchased, ever ridden, and ever been near and ever learned how to ride. And take a guess what size it is...900. Before I even purchased my CBR (('99 by the way)), I was told numerous times, "Dood...don't get no 900 for your first bike...it's too much bike for you...get a 600...it'll be safe for your first time" etc etc etc.

But then I thought to myself, "Okay..Why not just snag this 900cc and TREAT it and DRIVE it like a 600??" You know...with RESPECT. That's what most people, in my opinion, never realize from the get go of hopping onto a bike for the first time is that as long as you treat the bike with respect..the bike will return the favor..know what I mean? Now, I'm not saying I'm perfect cause I have dumped my bike a few times. Maybe 3 that I can remember but it was never going any faster, maybe, not even, 30 mph.

Granted there are some knuckleheads who think they can handle something as big from the get go and think they can be a Ruff Rider...but there are a good select few who can actually survive their first few rides with a bigger engine.

Well..anyways..it's 6am, I was bored and I don't believe I'm making all too much sense anymore due to the lack of sleep. Just wanted to go on a light rant before hittin the sack.

Supposed to be beautiful weather today in good 'ol sunny florida :]

Safe riding.

 

Honestly, I started on a 250r and I'm moving up to a 600cc now. I know that there were probably 1, maybe 2 occasions where if I had been on a 900, I would have been sitting on my *** in the middle of the road dodging cars. I'm not sure that you should be encouraging 900cc, or any cc, when its only been 2 years, and you might just have gotten lucky to have not made a fatal mistake.

 

/sigh

FLAME ON!

It worked for you- but I really don't think you should go around recommending it. I'm personally a casualty of having bumped up to a larger bike too soon because I got cocky. I broke my leg my first week on a 600 after only riding for three months not even doing anything stupid- just ****ed up a low speed turn and didn't have the experience to pull out of it right. You won't find me recommending anybody start on something that big for damn sure.

That said, a 99 900 isn't the same as an 09 liter bike, so whatever. Certainly glad you haven't had any problems, but you're the exception, not the rule

 

+1 3344

 

2nd post and starting a trolling thread...Flame on folks.

 

There are sooo many variables here , where to begin?

It all depends on the mentality of the rider , where you ride , how you ride , when you ride , type of bike , conditions you ride in........ect ect.

O.K. I,m still on my first bike , a CBR1000f , so no Fireblade , but fast enough to get you into some serious trouble , double quick time.

As a learner/first bike it's far too powerful , waaayyy too heavy so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone . But I knew this when I bought it and treated it with the respect it deserves . Hell , the first couple of months all I did on it was pootle around suburban streets and car parks in the middle of the night , which gets us to 'where and when you ride'.

If you were refering to Florida 'cos you live there , then from what I've seen there ain't much in the way of challenging roads , riding in a straight line/ highway riding isn't that difficult and so your not going to get into too much trouble . Not trying to criticise you in any way , but it's true . Maybe you've found some awesome twisties down there , I hope you have , it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on , just trying to point out conditions can make a hell of a differance to the risk level in a ride.

Besides getting wiped out by car drivers , the most common accident for a novice rider is entering a curve too fast freezing , tensing up , slamming on the brakes , which stands the bike up , making you run wide into on-coming traffic . This is 100% inexperience and all too easy on a big powerful heavy bike , I know 'cos it happened to me . Luckily it was 5:00am so there was no traffic , if it had been 10:00am I'd probably be dead , that's why it makes a difference when you ride.

I'm glad your enjoying your bike and I'm glad your sensible enough to handle it carefully and ride within your limits . Other people can have less self restraint , or ride in areas where an inexperienced rider can get into trouble too quick and realise too late with tragic results . This is why it is not normally recommended to jump straight onto a 'big' bike , not saying it can't be done , just that it needs a lot of care!

Enjoy the fun

 

Bah. My apologies if my post seemed to be encouraging fresh green riders to start out with a big daddy bike. I wasn't intending that at all. I posted the thread just to state the fact that I was one of the select few who hasn't had anything fatal happen just because I had a 900 as my first ride. Because I treated my ride with respect and didn't get all arrogant and full of myself at an early stage (and as rider, I'm still not)

Aside from any of that I also wanted to point out that a lot of people get extremely cocky once they believe they've learned how to ride their bike. They might of learned HOW to ride it but I highly doubt anyone can MASTER riding a bike within such a short period of time...which is why I don't even claim to be any kind of professional rider even after 2 yrs.

HAWKWIND - Actually, when I first purchased my bike I was living up in NJ. I would say in comparison...NJ has worse road and weather conditions and FL has completely the worse traffic conditions. People in FL have absolutely no idea what they're doing behind a wheel, it's insane.

But I went through exactly what you did the first time I bought my bike...I pooted around my apt complex and vicinity, not going to any major roads, always taking back roads and never doing insane speeds. Shi...I even remember the very first time I hit my first highway. I was nervous as a ****. This was maybe a half a year after getting my bike. And the only reason why I went for the highway was because a buddy of mine from work, who rides a Hayabusa, invited me to go for a stroll with him and his other buddy, who rode an R1. All I did was mainly cruise along with traffic while I watched the other two bobbing and weaving thru traffic like mad-men.

So my apologies if you guys interpreted that I was recommending newbie riders to go straight for an R1 or Hayabusa. By no means am I ENCOURAGING a green rider to go straight for something so big. It was all only my thoughts and my own experience of how I went about buying my first bike.

I mean, just as you all said so far...

Elfling - "...because I got cocky"

and

Hawkwind - "Other people can have less restraints..."

...which is why I say to people who even decide to buy a big bike to treat it with respect. Cause all in the end, all you can really do is point that fresh new rider in a certain direction and it's honestly up to them if and/or how they walk that path.

 

God, never mind. Can't say anything ****ing nice today.

 

Relax!!! Wooooo sahhhhh. Why so serious?

 

Actually had a member here (former now) quoting stats that more riders are hurt/killed on 600's or smaller than on bigger bores. I didn't argue with him, just banned him because he was blatantly advising newbs to get the biggest thing they could. To me that is unwise advice and if only 1 person gets hurt or killed by that awful advice then it is too many.

I don't believe you are trolling or advocating anything in particular. Seems more like you are proud that you made it and "beat the odds". Truth is the numbers actually back the argument that <600's have more injuries/fatalities.

Funny thing about numbers. More people are killed by .22 caliber than any other. However, if I'm facing down a barrel I really like my chances with a .22 than a .44 mag. By the same token, given two new riders with equal noob skills it's easy to imagine a little extra speed being the difference between crashing or navigating a corner.

As stated eloquently by my peeps here, it isn't really your maturity or rock solid will that any one questions. It is all about rider skill. Sure, when it's sunny and 85F outside it's really easy to handle the cc's pouring out. But do you have the experience to change your line in the middle of the next blind curve if you see trash on the road. What about Mr. Cage coming in your lane and you goose it and the front wheel comes up -- all of a sudden you have no control. The one I hear about most is target fixation. Peeps not looking where they're going ... well, actually they DO look where they're going and it's usually a ditch, guard rail or tree.

I wish you extended good luck on your beast and advise you to take a MSF course when you get a chance.