going to buy a bike this week what should i get. newbie rider

[nomore_mr2]

ok i dont want a bike thats powerful and gonna kill me. i dont wanna spend over 1200. i want something thats easy to learn yet fun and the ladies will dig. i'v only ridden a 125cc dirt bike before. i was suggest a cbr600 like a f2 or f3. what is your opinions. any riders on here? thanks alot

[1991240xs]

buell blast - pretty cheap - not too fast, still look decent, and a company from harley

[RedShred]

I would think an EX500 or other twin would suit you better for a beginning street bike. Your call. But if your skilled then your skilled... I've been riding motorcycles nearly 25 years as I started when I was 7. I bought an RD400 as my street bike as it was fast enough to get me killed, but not so fast that it would constantly get me into trouble. I later went on to road race that bike but that is another story. Now I have a 78 SR500E that is fully built but still doesnt have more than 50HP at the crank. I'm still a believer in not having something that will break the national speed limit in 2nd gear.IF you need to have a striking 600, then I would increase the front sprocket a few teeth to take make it not so quick so the 100HP that these new bikes can develope wont take you by surprise. Nothing worse than being surprised by an abrupt torque delivery when you really dont have alot of skill.

just my 2 cents. Please be responsible. I see kids all teh time getting tore up by their bikes. Fast is Fast and sometimes too fast is just not smart. I'm not trying to lecture, honest... Hell I have a hotrodded Nissan... but just explaining the other side.

laters.

[jEzTeR]

A good first bike for $1200.Id do some looking,a 500cc or smaller would be ideal to learn on.My 1st bike was a brand new 250 Ninja.It was awesome to learn on.Then I steped up to a 600FZR then to a ZX750R all were cool.Just watch out for all those 2000lb + moving dangerious autos!;)

[nomore_mr2]

thanks guys for your advice. i should also mention that this is only gonna be used to go to and from work. my work is 4 miles away. i am not lokoing to go fast on a bike. quite frankly i am scared to death to even ride on one. but i think its a good time to learn and with the gas prices that are gonna go crazy i think this would be a very wise decision on my part to get something to drive to work. if i have the need for speed i'd rather hope into my s13 any day.

[Daunttless]

I"m scared as hell to buy a bike. I think they're awesome, I love them, I'd kill for a turbo busa, well, not really, I'd just build one if I really wanted it. : ) But I'm deathly afraid to drive them because a) I'm a moron when it comes to speed limits, I see 65 and think it says 100 : ), and b) Other drivers are even worse than me. I would own one if I wasn't afraid of what I'd do and that I'd end up maimed, paralyzed, disfigured, mentally retarded, dead, or a mix of the above.

[big jon's 240]

I'd end up ...... disfigured, mentally retarded.....

Ill refrain.....

Everyone is right. Start out with something small (<500cc). You will enjoy it more, much easier to learn on, you wont be pissed when you dump it on its side (which you will, at least once), and it will make you a better rider in the long run. Then in a year or two, you can think about going up to a 600.

[IvanS13]

Sunday I am picking up an early 90's Suzuki Bandit 600cc for $1000. I have never ridden bikes before. I decided getting the bike over a S13 silvia front end... o well

[240_Keyy]

hey Ivan, I have a '96 Bandit 600, I think the early models only came in 400cc size.

Bandits are cool and decently quick. I have a Holeshot stage 1 jet kit, K&N filter, 5* timing advancer, and D&D slip-on pipe on mine, good enough for low 13sec passes.

[jmillheiser]

lemme see good starting bikes that are cheap.

honda CB360 or 500.

the kawasaki LX440s (ive seen ones in decent shape for less than 500)

older yamaha viragos (if you want a v twin)

older honda shadows (even the 700 is manageable for a beginner).

and countless other bikes from the 70s and 80s.

you will probably want to start with a standard or a cruiser as they are easier to ride than a sport bikes and more comfortable than a street legal dirt bike.

pretty much any sub 500cc bike will get exceptional MPG. and even the bigger bikes will get decent MPG (its the big cruisers that tend to use a lot of gas - 35MPG is about what a big harley or shadow gets which is bad for a bike).

the Smaller Suzuki GS bikes.

bikes that can be cheap but generally want to avoid.

70s harleys (these can be cheap but you will be fixing them all the time)

Yamaha RZ250s (2 stroke street bike - very peaky engine and very maintainance intensive).

[Tino]

I"m scared as hell to buy a bike. I think they're awesome, I love them, I'd kill for a turbo busa, well, not really, I'd just build one if I really wanted it. : ) But I'm deathly afraid to drive them because a) I'm a moron when it comes to speed limits, I see 65 and think it says 100 : ), and b) Other drivers are even worse than me. I would own one if I wasn't afraid of what I'd do and that I'd end up maimed, paralyzed, disfigured, mentally retarded, dead, or a mix of the above.

wuss

[nomore_mr2]

ok i wasl ooking around and it seems like a early 90's 250 ninja fits the bill. how are these bikes? i found a few i may check out this week.

[stretch240sx]

if youve got the money to buy a bike now and then in 3 months get another than by all means do that but if you dont want to have to go through buying 2 bikes then buy a 600-750.

id say a CBR or GSXR 600 or 750 for a first bike is good because you can learn on it and when you get good its not to slow like a smaler bike would be.

i plan on buying a ducati 750 or 900 SS for my first bike:)

[stepchow]

What most people from the sportbike community suggest is a Suzuki SV650. The position is more upright and is a very forgiving bike to ride. A lot of newbies get this as a first bike and it comes highly recommended. Personally, I started on a CBR600 F4i just because I "had to have the sportbike look". But honestly, whether you're getting a Ninja 250 or a 1300cc Hayabusa, it all comes down to your mentality. U can get just as dead on a 250cc as a 1300cc. If you think you're mature enough and able to hold back the testosterone, a 600cc will be fine. Just always remember to ride within your limits and don't try and "keep up to the other guy". And ALWAYS look for cagers! People are just blind sometimes!

Stephen Chow, MD1998 240sx LE (CAI, ZEX nitrous, UR pulley, Eibach Prokits, OBX shortshifter)2001 Pathfinder SE2001 Honda CBR600 F4i

[240_Keyy]

those Ninja 250's are slow as moleasses... I think my DR125 was faster

[SmithSR]

Is it really considered saving money to plop down a grand (or much, much more) for a streetbike and then fueling it, instead of continuing to pay for gas in your car and cutting down on the senseless constant cruisin and street racin?? Somebody must be trying to fool the wife...

[yellow_jacket]

If you are just looking for good fuel economy and do not want blinding speed then you just need to get a standard bike probably under 600cc. Someone suggested a mid 80's Yamaha Virago and I would have to agree. Especially as the smaller motor versions should be right in your price range and will be fairly easy to handle.

[Zebrahead]

2003 Yamaha YZFR-6. Definitely a beginner's bike.

:P

Nick.

[89sxRCR]

hope thats a joke...Quote »if youve got the money to buy a bike now and then in 3 months get another than by all means do that but if you dont want to have to go through buying 2 bikes then buy a 600-750. say a CBR or GSXR 600 or 750 for a first bike is good because you can learn on it and when you get good its not to slow like a smaler bike would be.

i plan on buying a ducati 750 or 900 SS for my first bike [/quote] this is why people end up dead. Iv been riding for about 6 years now and grow greatly annoyed at newb riders trying to start with sport bikes...just for the "image." Start with something small, 500cc or under. iv been racing bikes in the amateur league around here for a while, so i know what im talking about. trust me, a 500cc bike is still wayyyyyyyy faster than most cars.

[Pennyfreak]

my brother has a 83 i think yamaha virago 750. it is a good bike. i have ridden it several times and it is the bike that i learned on. he is selling it for $1000. it's not the fastest bike ever but it is a really good beginner bike.

[C-Kwik]

My opinion is whatever you do, start with a good used bike. It would be sad to lay down a brand new one. I watched in horror once as a friend of mine let his cousin take his brand new GSXR 1000+cc(I can't remember the exact size) down the street. His cousin rode bikes before, but never one with that big of a motor. Well, he gunned it out of the driveway and not more than 30 feet and he was up the curb on the other side and layed it down on the sidewalk. The damage was cosmetic, but such a shame to dirty up such a nice bike.

On that note, I've ridden once. A GSXR 600. Took it out and got to 10 in first shifted to second. Then I gunned it to see what it would do. I hit about 7000-8000 RPM when I decided it was accelerating way too fast for me. The point being that a 600 at less than full potential is quite fast. Take your time building up to faster speeds. Even if you start out with a bigger bike. I'll probably start with a 600 myself just to keep from having to buy another later.

[stretch240sx]

hope thats a joke... this is why people end up dead. Iv been riding for about 6 years now and grow greatly annoyed at newb riders trying to start with sport bikes...just for the "image." Start with something small, 500cc or under. iv been racing bikes in the amateur league around here for a while, so i know what im talking about. trust me, a 500cc bike is still wayyyyyyyy faster than most cars.

the first part was a joke the last was true....

[Tino]

89 is that you in your avatar?

[89sxRCR]

Quote »89 is that you in your avatar?[/quote] hahaha lol ouch....nice burn tino. no thats jessica alba (goh:cuddle ) posing next to a bike.

[blackbeltclub99]

I have been riding since I was 6. I got my lic. when I was 14. Last year I bought a 2001 CBR600F4I It was way to fast for a newb. I know the 250 ninja's may be a little on the slow side, but not a bad starter bike. I had my bike up to 145 on the interstate and a newb does not need a bike that fast. Everyone know's that when you get anything with that much power you want to test your limits, we all do. I just sold my bike to a 18 year old kid (Three days ago)and when he came to pick it up I tried to talk him into getting another bike(it was his first bike and I had another guy with money waiting too who knew how to ride), but he was ****y and "he knew what he was doing". He popped the clutch at about 8000 rpm's and flipped it on his back before he got out of my site(totaled the bike and he is still in the hospital). When you first start riding you don't need something that can do that. I started riding on the street with a 125 street and trail(in my opinion to slow, but I learned how to ride on the streets). Good luck in which ever one you choose, but for a first bike don't get a 600cc sports bike.

[Tino]

huffy + lawnmower = first "motorcycle"

[SRJesse]

Bikes are alot of fun. I have only been riden on them though. My brother has a suzuki es500 and its a great bike to start with. I am going to start fixing it up (new tires, battery...etc) this summer and learn to ride. I have only ridden dirt bikes/4 wheelers so I am sure it is a little different. I can't really suggest what is a good starter bike. If you have the funds, any bike is fine....you just have to know your limits as a beginner and realize to take it easy until you get used to it. Just like if you want to save gas driving your car, your not going to redline each gear. Well if you dont want to kill yourself, just dont pull the throttle all the way back. But since you only want to spend $1200 or so, definately a suzuki or anything 600cc or less would be sufficient. All the luck to you, I know I can't wait to ride!

[nomore_mr2]

well the bike might have to wait until next week. i just bought another ca18det engine this one however is a full build from tomei with a 2l stroker kit and 280 cams and all teh fixin's. i couldnt pass it up. plus i cant find a bike i really want. i know i dont wanna go fast to scared. i'll prolly just go buy used r6 from the dealer here and grow into it.

[Kaioshin1982]

get the new tomahawk with v10 500hp viper engine. prob best for new learners

J/K

[stutt944]

to the guy who posted a while back saying his first bike would be a ducati 900+...nice knowing you. can i have the scraps once you're done with it? it'll be worth a good 2~3 grand as-is, and then i'll have enough to buy a monster 600. for now, i'm looking into a new buell blast.

for the riders out there: after you lay your bike down once, does it ever happen again? i sure hope not, cuz the first time sucked AZZ!