I got the opposite response from my friends. I was told that I would pass the limits of anything smaller than a 600cc bike within 6 months or so of riding. I had absolutely no riding experience. I was also told to not buy a new bike since I was very likely to drop it some time within my learning stages.

Since I'm in the military they make it a requirement for us to take a MSF course to ride on base. Just from my own experience I bought my bike before my safety course and thought It would be okay to learn in my neighborhood, I ended up running into a chain linked fence with my family in the car behind me thinking It would be okay to ride the bike 2-3 miles home from the sellers house. I was lucky. I was wearing a helmet and jacket, and I ran into a chain linked fence that is more forgiving than another car or the brick wall that was 4 feet to the right of me. I walked away with the fairing on the bike all scratched up and a deep cut on my right hand. That was stupid on my part. I then promised my wife to not get on the bike till after the MSF course, and the one I took let you spend a whole weekend learning on one of their 125cc or 250cc bikes. I learned so much in that class, that class was like the experienced rider you talked about spending the time to teach me the basics. And the smaller cc bikes were definately more forgiving when you make the rookie mistakes.

To sum the whole thing up, I think learning on a 600cc bike is possible, but you have to remember the risks you put yourself in. I think if you really want to learn the fastest start small, gain the confidence and experience then move up. Or else you initially ride scared. And when you are put in a panic situation is when your training kicks in, you'll have very little time to think about what your doing. If you do start on a bigger cc bike, do not ride in the busier streets until you practice what you'll do in various troubles and can do it with confidence, because the mistakes can be costly. I started on a 600cc and made a mistake that could have cost me my life. But I don't think looking back I would have started on anything smaller, I think I would have just gone about it a little differently. I read a good article in www.totalmotorcycle.com Begginers Guide to motorcycling. Definitley get as much advice from other riders.

 

Thanks bro, for throwing us all into one large stereotype... cause of course, EVERYBODY fits that description if they started on a 600. Theres no way someone can learn progressively faster than anyone else... its just impossible. I usually agree with everything you say, but this one kind of puts me out... I know im not great, and maybe never will be... but im not a scared cautious **** on a 600... I just ride within my limits, not feeling the pressure to be a bonafide racer as you imply everyone else should be. But... whatever. I guess Ill go out and ride like normal, with my knees velcroed to my tank, eyes closed and throttle wide open.

l8er

 

Well first thing this was not a should I get a 600 f4i or RR or 1000 thread.[:@] This was a simple how about help a newbie thread but looks like everyone wants to change the thread to you can or cant get a bike unless its a lower powerd bike....Talk about beating a dead horse seems like everytime some asked a question about anything its.[:@]
A do a search.
B I say get a 200 or 250
C you really get someone that wants to help out and will actullay write's something that is worth reading.
[:@]
Now as just like i said IN MY FIRST POST if you have been riding a long time how bout spend some time with a newbie if they ask and try and teach what you know instead of get a lower powered bike.

I do respect everyone's opinoin and think some of you do have great knowledge and are nice enough to share your experiences with people willing to learn.

 

AWWW HELL NO! There is no way I'm letting one of my boys that doesn't ride"test ride" my bike to see if he likes it so he can go buy one. There's no point cause it's not like they can ride it the way it was meant to be ridden to say "wow that's a really nice bike." Or they throw it away and say it was an accident and nowthe bike is F**ked.

Ain't that the truth.

Always willing to help/show newbies even ones I don't know out with tips or riding expierence that will help learn how to ride their own bike as long as it's not faster than mine.No seriously though people are going to do what they want and all you can do is give them advise, sometimes it's going to be stuff they don't want to hear. And the ones that don't want to listen to reason are the ones that figure it out for themselfs.......... the hard way.

 

No one is riding my bike aside from me.

I'll pass along what I know to anyone... however, only if they are willing to learn. I don't have time to deal with someone who isn't going to treat a gift as a gift.

I kinda like riding with the beginner riders sometimes... they don't want to race on the street as much as the other people I've ridden with.

The biggest secret to going fast is to be smooth first. Don't try to emulate what the bigger riders are doing, try to get smooth and you will find that you're going faster than you ever thought you could. That is all I teach now... that and some stuff about staying alive

Woot.

 

since everyone thinks were beating a dead horse close this thread...theres only a FEW post worth reading in it any way...

 

Pretty safe assumption...

90% of the time, that is. You're not gonna hand me my *** on a smaller bike unless you've been riding for years and/or have track sufficient experience... it's just not gonna happen.

I am the exception to every rule! Haha, seriously, I get what you're saying, and I'm sure most others do to - but there are exceptions.

The odds may be against me, but you're gonna have a tough time convincing me I'm a, "scared, cautious ****" when I can stay in the pack and do so within my limits.

 

The day I passed the MSF (first time on a bike) my buddy let me ride his 2005 1000RR.I kept the revs below about5k and speeds very tame.The next few weeks I rode his bike until I got a 2006 F4i. The downside to learning on a 600cc or 1000cc sportbike (aside from the obvious) is that you will not learn the finer points of riding and you will definitely pick up bad habits. I believe if I rode a ninja 250 or even a dirtbike for a whileI would be a better rider.

The choice is yours, whatever you do you are going to love riding.

 

That's prolly the most sensible thing I've read here. Not because no one else already said it - but because it's just the plain truth.

And while it's the cold-hard truth, it's just gonna be hard to convince Joe-Bob with 4 buddies who have 600's and 1000's to get a 250. I can't blame him, really, but I can at the same time.

Whayddyagonnado, eh? Fagedaboudit.

 

My rant will be short. I started with a Suzuki GS 500Eand took the MC riders cource. Like KidCr3nshaw said if you have never ridden, go small, learn and then move up. If you already know how to ride then start with a 600 and learn. Hook up with other riders and they will also teach you. But there is no way in hell I would let a newbie on my bike, that I have worked my *** off to pay for so they can crash the **** out of it and say "oops". Get your own bike and do it.