Hey there bud,
I get where you are coming from but I think there are a few things to keep in mind.


ALL bikes can be dangerous or even deadly. Period. I started riding a MTD mini bike when I was about 6 years old and have ridden just about every kind bike and style of riding there is. You can get hurt on a small bike just as fast as a big boy.


You said that being around cars going 65 mph scares you. I get that. It's a 2 ton missile going by you and now you don't have a metal cage for protection. You will have that no matter the size of the bike. Matter of fact, the smaller the bike, the more intimidating that can be.


You said that somebody suggested you ride at night to get used to it. IMHO, that is about the worst idea I've heard. Riding at night takes on a whole new dynamic. I wouldn't recommend it until you are very comfortable.


Also, as much as you can, just stay off the highways until you get some time under your belt. One of the best things to do is go to a very large, empty parking lot and just drive. Start, stop, go through the gears, (moderately). If there's a small incline, practice going from a dead stop on it. That kind of thing.


I think that is the best place for you to figure out if bike riding is for you. I kind of think of it like rollercoasters. Sure everybody looks cool riding them. But basically there are 2 types of people; those who love rollercoasters because of the way they make you feel and those who hate them for the very same reason.


You just have to figure out which one you are when it comes to bikes. There isn't a right or wrong answer there. That's just the way it is.

 

Hey guys, thanks again for the replies and honest answers.
I did ask the original owner and he tells me only a handful of mods have been made to the bike. I asked, and the sprockets have been changed to a 15 front and 43 rear? I honestly have no idea what this means(i'm actually googling this as I'm typing this up) but that's what I'm working with. The only other mods on the bike are: power commander, two brothers full system, slipper clutch, air filter, gp shifting, and then small personal stuff like the fender eliminater, mirrors, levers, but thats it. Im told nothing has been changed to the throttle.

I mean, I guess everyday I ride I'm getting more comfortable with the bike. I'm much better at everything now as compared to day one with the bike. Something I still have occasional trouble with is keeping a steady throttle while making a turn. For the most part I'm doing everything I learned at the MSF course(slow down and then accelerate through while looking through the turn) but I find myself a bit choppy with the throttle sometimes.

I think I'm making good progress.. My biggest fear is having to make a stop by the petrol station now.. only 2 bars of gas left on my fuel gauge

Thank you all for helping me out on my first bike!!

 

This can change the gearing of the bike considerably. IDK what stock gearing is for your bike, but on my bike it would turn it into a wheelie machine.

 

Yea, your bike runs a 42t back 16t front. Well I think anyway, you didnt say the year yours was. Either way 03-06 is 16/43 I think and 07-`13 is 16/42. Chime in if im wrong guys. I would honestly try to look around and see if you can find those. You will notice some difference. Who knows if he has a custom map on that power commander with the full 2 bros. That in itself is probably adding another 10 ponies or so. I must say its def a bold move jumping on a 600 after never have ridden, but to jump on one that was specifically tuned from the factory (Being the RR Model) then taking it a step or 2 further by adding 10 more ponies and changing the gearing/sprockets (this is changing how fast you get the power from the motor in case you were wondering) Its not adding power, just changing how that power is delivered.

I would see if you can get some of those parts cheap. Possibly even disable that power commander as well and leave your old parts laying around for when you are able to feel more comfortable, then you could always throw them back on. Because lets be honest, dropping 50 or 100 bucks to tone it down a bit is far better than any bill or even worse.

 

I dont regret starting on a 600, but I do regret starting on a 1200. This beast-



6 months after buying it, I bit it hard. A lowside shattered both bones in my left leg from the knee down(almost lost the leg entirely due to infection).

Physical cost- 2 operations to save the leg, 2yrs downtime, bye bye running, or physical sports and a horrible throbbing whenever its humid out.

$$/Misc cost- Being out of work for more than a year plus mounting medical co-pay hurt bad. I voluntarily allowed my 2 brand-new cars and the bike to be repoed(ironically insurance had it good as new within a week of wrecking it)to try to save the house we just bought before the accident. We ended up losing it to a short-sale soon after anyway. Next up, bankruptcy. I was in a VERY bad place. Stress and drinking came close to costing us our marriage.

Very easily the worse mistake I ever made. That said, I wish to this day that I still had it now that I actually know how to ride. Once the leg finally healed(apparently my bones dont heal like normal peoples), I bought a used EX500 and let it set in the garage till I took the MSF. Getting back on that horse was one of the best decisions of my life.

OP, I dont mean to terrify you or anything. I'm sure my story is pretty Atypical. Alot of badluck that just seemed to snowball. You seem to have an honest assessment of yourself and a good head on your shoulders. I second keeping the bike and looking into some sort of formal training(MSF or the likes)

Jeez, I cant imagine what your insurance payments are at age 19 on that RR.

 

Wow thanks for sharing your story with us! I'm really glad to hear you're doing muh better now. I am working on making my bike a bit more beginner friendly, and am getting more comfortable with it after every ride. I think my uneasy feeling of riding is still in me all the time though. I really don't know if this feeling will ever go away. I love just riding around when hardly any cars are around me but the moment a car starts approaching me I get really nervous

Oh and my bike is a 2003. From what I read online, you're right about my years front and rear. Insurance rates aren't too bad for me, but I don't have a full coverage and what not, I debating whether I'll have to switch to it though.

Quick favor, can anyone link me some good aricles or threads about leaning and overcoming the fear, I already read up quite a few good ones I'm just trying to see if there are even better reads. Thanks so much guys

 

Check the skills section, How To: Riding Skills - CBR Forum - Enthusiast forums for Honda CBR Owners. Particulary the street section, Street Skills - CBR Forum - Enthusiast forums for Honda CBR Owners.

You will find lots of helpful info there.

 

I'm surprised no one has recommended these yet. these books are a bit hard to find, you can get them at barnes and noble though. Look for "twist of the wrist" vol. 1-2; they are written by Keith Code. They are a bit technical but read each book cover to cover than re read them as much as you can because he gives you insight on how we react to motorcycles and how they react to us. I have a copy of each and they are worn out after a year of reading.

 

Like everyone else, the uneasy feeling will pass with time. Though now that I think about it, I'm not sure if it would have ever passed for me had I not eaten **** on the Buell and would have kept it. Interesting thought. All I know is that I damn near had to talk myself into every ride, and once on it I was in near panic survival mode. Looking back, in spite of my accident I was actually pretty lucky.

It was the polar opposite once I got my little Ninja 500. It wasn't much to look at, but God I miss that bike

Directly after the MSF, I jumped on it and rode it like I ****in stole it EVERY RIDE

I'm not saying one shouldn't start on that 600. Hell, every summer I see tons of 90lb girls and 17yr old guys rockin 600s, GSXR750s, even liters. But I do wonder if they even scratch the surface of the absolute joy of riding while they're puttering along on those rockets so ridiculously under the power band they might as well be scooters, babying the hell out of those awesome breaks and literally walking it around corners.

Not to go off on a rant, but I honestly think this is why sportbike riding is more a short-term fad than a life-long hobby. Most people either A- spend their short uneventful riding career puttering around town posing, eventually get bored, sell the bike and move on to the next latest and greatest, or B- find themselves in a situation(blind left-turner, emergency stop, tire lock-up, etc) where they have to reach alittle further into that bag then they're used to without a damn clue what they're about to pull out.

 

Honestly it sounds like a mental issue. One which you will or won't overcome on your own terms.

Reading your comments so far I'm not sure a smaller bike would truly help to overcome your mental blocks. A bike's engine size has little to do with feeling nervous about sharing the road with cages imo.

What are you afraid of specifically?