First bike

[scott5]

IMO you get what you pay for and if you are looking for a bike to take you a long way the newer gsxrs have the abc stages where in the certain stages it cuts of certain amount of power and allows you to grow with the bike. I loved my 750 and used this atfirst when i bought it and then found myself on c all the time...

But for that price you will find an older and higher mileage bike

[Troll]

Sportbikes are not comfortable. Unless you're into hardcore corner carving or insane straight-line speeds, get a dual-sport bike as your first streetbike.

The riding position is very comfortable. You can focus on your riding and EVERYONE ELSE. If you do go "off-roading" you'll have enough suspension to probably keep from damaging the bike too bad.

Then, after you get all the idiosyncrasies of "street-riding" worked out in your head, move up/over to a sportbike.

This is just my humble opinion, of course.

[2001GTTT]

Sportbikes are not comfortable. Unless you're into hardcore corner carving or insane straight-line speeds, get a dual-sport bike as your first streetbike.

The riding position is very comfortable. You can focus on your riding and EVERYONE ELSE. If you do go "off-roading" you'll have enough suspension to probably keep from damaging the bike too bad.

Then, after you get all the idiosyncrasies of "street-riding" worked out in your head, move up/over to a sportbike.

This is just my humble opinion, of course.

thats a good point thats often overlooked.

[scott5]

Supermoto bikes are AWESOME bikes but most people dont like them because they cant go 140mph and you cant hang out with the "cool" crowd but i love them and would love to trade my bikes for a wr450 supermoto bike. Another thing to look at are cruisers.. After riding many crotch rockets and having two of them already they are really not for long rides

[scott5]

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/1121920694.html

[Inkdcountryboy]

DRZ400 supermoto is a very nice piece you can do some sprocket swaps. 450 big bore pipe it....very nice i built one up and rode one... also a honda shadow spirit 750 is a nice starter bike. or a Suzuki savage 650 one lunger. i know a few people who have rode those as first bikes for a couple years and they hold value. a nice lightweight cruiser is really the way to go for a starter bike. my first bike was a 1998 VN750 vulcan kawi. but i took my test on a honda rebel lol

[SonofaBish]

I don't think sportbikes are uncomfortable at all - and i'm a pretty tall guy..... however, this is something you need to find out for yourself...

Are you going to have anyone riding with you??? If so, that is the one time a sportbike is uncomfy... i love my R1, but its brutal on me when my g/f rides with me.... my TL1000R was much better for riding 2up...

And i don't agree with the above that a 1000 is too much for a beginner... If you're irresponsible and stupid, any sportbike is too much! If you can control your urges and just get to know the bike, it won't be a big deal .... just don't twist your right wrist.

[stieny]

Ok, here I come to disagree with everyone.

I would have to recommend to NOT start on a 600 let alone on a 1K. Bish is a good guy with a lot of good things to say but this one time I must respectfully disagree with him. (Disclaimer: this is directed towards newer supersports and not all 600's.)

This is coming from someone who started small and moved my way up through the sportbike thing. I read a lot of articles on why to start small and I'm glad I did. Search around and you'll find some. There is just way to much bike in a 600 supersport to actually develop your riding abilities that you need to have before you start ripping around on a low, low 11 or even high 10 second street bike.

I started on a Ninja 250 that I bought brand new. Now, I'm not saying you have to buy a 250 but something that is light and less powerful is so much less forgiving on the street. I could toss it around and if I did screw up or had poor judgement in a situation, which you will at some point, I wouldn't dump it. I learned to ride so much better and so much quicker when I was riding my 250 over my other friends that were riding around on newer supersports.

Bish stated that most of sportbike riders are dumb and try way to much way to soon. This is actually true and I think it starts with the idea that a 600 supersport is a good starting point. People need to get out of the idea that a 600 is slow. They are not slow. I rode my 6R faster at the track then most ride their 1K's. My 600 would power wheelie in first all day long. It would embarrass almost every car on the road and could throw you off the back of it if you weren't careful.

Not to mention that a lot of the smaller bikes are looking better and better. I would say look for something smaller or start on something less powerful. For example: SV650, GS500 and the 650R are all bigger bikes but are far less forgiving then a 600 supersport. Bikes hold their value well and you can always learn, sell it and move up. You'll be a much better rider in the end and you'll end up enjoying your 600, 750 or 1K supersport that much more.

I would be happy to lend any other info or discuss this topic further if anyone would like. I am very passionate about riding.

I will add this to Troll's comment about the comfort of sporkbikes: I rode them for years and I was fine UNTIL I went on a very long ride. Supersports ride rough and you aren't sitting in the best "cruising" position so longer rides will probably play havoc on your lower back. They did on mine. But I would give up the comfort of other bikes for another sportbike every time. I'm actually thinking of picking up a 1k when I graduate in the next few weeks.

Either way, good luck and be safe.

[How Much?]

Ok, here I come to disagree with everyone.

I would have to recommend to NOT start on a 600 let alone on a 1K. Bish is a good guy with a lot of good things to say but this one time I must respectfully disagree with him. (Disclaimer: this is directed towards newer supersports and not all 600's.)

This is coming from someone who started small and moved my way up through the sportbike thing. I read a lot of articles on why to start small and I'm glad I did. Search around and you'll find some. There is just way to much bike in a 600 supersport to actually develop your riding abilities that you need to have before you start ripping around on a low, low 11 or even high 10 second street bike.

I started on a Ninja 250 that I bought brand new. Now, I'm not saying you have to buy a 250 but something that is light and less powerful is so much less forgiving on the street. I could toss it around and if I did screw up or had poor judgement in a situation, which you will at some point, I wouldn't dump it. I learned to ride so much better and so much quicker when I was riding my 250 over my other friends that were riding around on newer supersports.

Bish stated that most of sportbike riders are dumb and try way to much way to soon. This is actually true and I think it starts with the idea that a 600 supersport is a good starting point. People need to get out of the idea that a 600 is slow. They are not slow. I rode my 6R faster at the track then most ride their 1K's.

Not to mention that a lot of the smaller bikes are looking better and better. I would say look for something smaller or start on something less powerful. For example: SV650, GS500 and the 650R are both bigger bikes but are far less forgiving then a 600 supersport. Bikes hold their value well and you can always learn, sell it and move up. You'll be a much better rider in the end and you'll end up enjoying your 600, 750 or 1K supersport that much more.

I would be happy to lend any other info or discuss this topic further if anyone would like. I am very passionate about riding.

I will add this to Troll's comment about the comfort of sporkbikes. I rode them for years and I was fine UNTIL I went on a very long ride. Supersports ride rough and you aren't sitting in the best "cruising" position so longer rides will probably play havoc on your back. They did on mine. But I would give up the comfort of other bikes for another sportbikes every time. I'm actually thinking of biking up a 1k when I graduate in the next few weeks.

Either way, good luck and be safe.

HELL YEA,,,,NINJA !!!

[Troll]

I don't think sportbikes are uncomfortable at all

I'm never going to dispute the performance, handling, weight or power of a sportbike. They are grand machines when it comes to a set of tight twisties, but you're kidding yourself to say "comfortable". They are tolerable at best.

Take one to Penn State Harrisburg on the turnpike and come back the same day, then report back to me.

[SonofaBish]

I'm never going to dispute the performance, handling, weight or power of a sportbike. They are grand machines when it comes to a set of tight twisties, but you're kidding yourself to say "comfortable". They are tolerable at best.

Take one to Penn State Harrisburg on the turnpike and come back the same day, then report back to me.

I've been on several trips to potter county, pa and back... total of 4 hours each direction.... with a 2 hour break in between to cut grass at my parent's camp.... No problems at all for me.... The R1 is noticeably more comfy than the TL-R was, but I never had any issues with either one of them...

The only time I've ever had any discomfort on either of my sportbikes was doing the exact opposite... sitting in traffic on a 90* day on a V-twin sportbike, with the rear cylinder baking the backs of your thighs, approaches unbearable ....

I learned to ride as a 16 year old on a cruiser style bike that my dad had... it was much more uncomfortable ... yes you are sitting upright, but for me, this caused me to slouch my back, therefore giving me a very sore lower back after a 1 hour ride..... I've never had a sore back on either of my bikes, and the only time i've ever had sore knees is when I ride in REALLY cold weather... then all of my joints hurt :(

[badf250]

The only time I've ever had any discomfort on either of my sportbikes was doing the exact opposite... sitting in traffic on a 90* day on a V-twin sportbike, with the rear cylinder baking the backs of your thighs, approaches unbearable ....

Tell me about it, I have an SV650, cooks you real good.

Back to the origional post, I wouldn't recommend a liter bike as your first bike. some may say otherwise, but it simply is not true. there is way more to riding one than being level headed and responsible. You can inadvertently open the throttle too much, or you can wheely unintentionally , if a sport bike is your thing, I would not start bigger than a 600. Though I don't care for them due to the lack of low RPM performance.

[Chandlergt]

Sorry for whoreing your post but I am too looking for a streetbike but I am pretty short, is there anyway to lower a bike ?

TJ

[How Much?]

250 ninja!!!FTW They are funny girl bikes,but they will get you onto a bike, you can beat the snot outta them with a top speed of maybe 80mph...and you can get them cheap as hell

[Inkdcountryboy]

Sorry for whoreing your post but I am too looking for a streetbike but I am pretty short, is there anyway to lower a bike ?

TJ

yea man, sport bikes you can get lowering links for. and you can get lowering kits for anything else. if you get one and need it lowered throw me a pm

[KBCobra]

I completely agree w/ bish and everything he's said. I've been riding myself for exactly 10 years. I grew up on dirtbikes but my first streetbike was a 93 zx7r. Great starter bike. But compared to my 05 r6, it's a DOG! The r6 is everything i'll ever need, i'll never be able to out-ride this bike. I did all the basic mods to my r6, front and rear sprockets, 420 conversion, pipe, filter, stacks etc etc... it's an animal for only a 600...

Definitly take a course or atleast ride for a while with some guys who know what they're doing. I was always a straight line bike rider, until a few years back I did a charity ride w/ bish. Little did he know, he's the one that taught me to do the corners. You gain a WHOLE NEW respect for your bike when hitting the corners, quite possibly the most amazing thing on 2 wheels I've ever experienced!

In any event, I think a 600 is all you need. If you found a great deal on a 750 or 1000 then go for it, but I'd shop around for 600's. Now is the time to buy. I also recommend yamaha, my r6 has been put through its paces and never given me a single ounce of trouble.

[SonofaBish]

I completely agree w/ bish and everything he's said. I've been riding myself for exactly 10 years. I grew up on dirtbikes but my first streetbike was a 93 zx7r. Great starter bike. But compared to my 05 r6, it's a DOG! The r6 is everything i'll ever need, i'll never be able to out-ride this bike. I did all the basic mods to my r6, front and rear sprockets, 420 conversion, pipe, filter, stacks etc etc... it's an animal for only a 600...

Definitly take a course or atleast ride for a while with some guys who know what they're doing. I was always a straight line bike rider, until a few years back I did a charity ride w/ bish. Little did he know, he's the one that taught me to do the corners. You gain a WHOLE NEW respect for your bike when hitting the corners, quite possibly the most amazing thing on 2 wheels I've ever experienced!

In any event, I think a 600 is all you need. If you found a great deal on a 750 or 1000 then go for it, but I'd shop around for 600's. Now is the time to buy. I also recommend yamaha, my r6 has been put through its paces and never given me a single ounce of trouble.

we gotta get out again man...

[ddmi-twin90gt]

we gotta get out again man...

Well you better include me too damn it!

[SonofaBish]

Well you better include me too damn it!

[ddmi-twin90gt]

PM me and give me a heads up!