please help a new biker!

C

ComeClarity

New member
Hi, i decided to try riding as soon as i can so i registered in Basic rider course in july. Now, i'm hesitant to which bike i should get as i want something that's not too powerful and in the same time i don't want to buy a faster bike in a couple of months. so i thought the GSXR 600 would be okay assuming i do pretty well in the course and feel comfortable. so please give me your opinion as i know many went through the same process. thnx in advance!
 
The bike that LOOKS the best will often KILL you the quickest!
Harsh, sure it is, but not as harsh as a trip to the hospital, or worse.

The best thing for a brand new rider to do is get something small, similar to what they use in the school. Used is best but even new, if you trade it in after a year or so, (in good condition) you won't take a beating.

Whatever you get, even if you have your license, practice a LOT off of the road, like an empty parking lot or an open field until you get REAL comfortable with the bike. Only then should you take it out on the road.

Last, but not least, don't buy anything without taking a test ride, even if it is just around the parking lot. A brand new rider will be amazed at how different bikes feel and handle differently. You should find this out BEFORE you plunk down the $$$, not after.

Good luck. Ride safe.
 
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As a new rider myself I would strongly suggest the used option. Buy a smaller lighter used bike learn on it and then find the right fit for you. I went new first off and I went big because at 6'6" I thought I needed big. It has been very difficult and stressful to learn on. The weight has been a problem during slow speed manuvers and I am always in the back of my mind what if I drop it. I am feeling pretty comfortable now but I know that means I just have to be that much more aware so I don't get too brave and go beyond my skills. My .02 cents is get a light weight used to learn on for a few thousand miles and it will be much easier on you than it has been for me.
 
so what bike do you guys recommend if the gsxr 600 is too much which is what i'm afraid of. Also i'm 25 and i consider myself pretty mature so i won't go and put a beating on a bike not knowing wth i'm doing.
 
Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki all make nice 250 cc bikes. You will probably see one (or more) of these in your class. Look at, sit on and ride each after your class and then get back to us. :bluethum:
 
just curious, how lighter are the 250 or 500 ones? my guess is you guys don't recommend gsxr 600 because of the power difference, is there any way to offset that?
 
The 250's generally come in about 300 lbs. Don't know about the others.

It's not really just about the power; that's the easy part, just don't be agressive with the throtle. It's more about size, weight, handling characteristics and power.

There are exceptions but in general a bigger, heavier bike is harder to turn, stop and hold up when not moving. If you can't make the bike go backwards up a modest incline without breaking a sweat, then it's probably too big for you.

Using the extra HP to go faster just makes matters worse (and the resulting fall more painful).
 
One problem with sportbikes that are 600cc and over is handling around parking lots etc, the low speed stuff that requires really good clutch/throttle control. The heavier the bike the harder these maneuvers are to learn.

The other problem is power. Power magnifies any mistake, slip the clutch too quickly, get nervous in traffic and grab a little too much throttle, etc. On a smaller less powerful bike these mistakes are learning experiences, on a larger more powerful bike these mistakes are dangerous to you and the bike. There really isn't a way to tone-down the power of a big sport bike, it's always there, you just have to learn to control it. The problem is that learning to ride and survive in street traffic is enough of a challenge without bike that is strong enough to bolt out from under you if you make a mistake.

just my $0.02
 
Ok.. here is my thoughts for whatever its worth..which isn't much..lol

I started out on a Katana 600 '05 model. This had "some" power to it but its also considered more of a "sport-touring" bike. Anyways it was a good bike for me to learn on and I would highly recommend it as a starter bike though I am sure others would not agree, just saying it worked for me..

(now to check the dates of these posts to make sure this wasn't posted a millennium ago..lol... well its a month old but who cares!!)
 
If you made a mistake, yes. :mrgreen:

I had about 6 months of riding in a riding school ONLY with rented bikes, then went on to buy a used standard bike, Zephyr 750RS (Kawasaki). Only after I got pretty much used to riding bikes, I went on to sports bikes.

Also those sports bikes are hard to maneuver cuz the handle bars don't turn as much and you can't rely on "turning" it with the handle bar and rely more on controling the bike using the throttle, weight shift, clutch control and sometimes rear brake to make the bike turn, like in U-turns.

So it's not just the power aspect that these bikes don't make good beginner bikes.

With my weight, I can almost FLY!! :lol4:
 
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