Thinking About Buying a Bike

AllBizNiz

AllBizNiz

Living The Dream
Oct 27, 2009
1,690
21
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Ohio
My buddy just bought a Honda CBR 600 F4i. I'm going to have to admit, after walking around the damn place for an hour and looking at all the different bikes I developed a little itch.

I'm thinking about grabbing one for some summer fun and a few nights out at the tracks. Is there any recommendations for a good starter bike? I have seen a lot of people that say the CBR is pretty good for cruising and will also give a little bite if needed.

I thought the Yamaha R6 looked pretty good but when looking on the internetz I noticed there were a few people who aren't too fond of it. If you are familiar with bikes please chime in. I'm looking for something that looks bad ass but at the same time will be a comfortable ride. I also want this bike to be able to have a shit ton of power when I'm feeling the need for speed.
 


It's easy to get going very fast on these things, a 600 is still extremely powerful... so watch out. I just sold this exact same one a few months ago.. fun n all, but when it rains 70% of the time its just not worth it. Plus, you should see all the laws and hoops you have to jump through to get your bike licence here in BC, its like hitler is running the place.

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Go with a GSXR 600 or R6 if you want a 600. Trust me, a 600 will be plenty fast enough. F4i's are very nice as well and its a very "clean", polished ride. I like Suzuki myself so I always tell people to go with the GSXRs. I personally don't like Ninjas but I can see how some people would.

Basically, unless you're really experienced you probably won't be able to tell the subtle differences between a 600 from one of the "big 4" from another. Go grab a used 600 from 2002+ for $3 or $4k and get acclimated to it before dropping ~$10k on a new one.
 
Dare Devil said:
Go with a GSXR 600 or R6 if you want a 600. Trust me, a 600 will be plenty fast enough. F4i's are very nice as well and its a very "clean", polished ride. I like Suzuki myself so I always tell people to go with the GSXRs. I personally don't like Ninjas but I can see how some people would.

Basically, unless you're really experienced you probably won't be able to tell the subtle differences between a 600 from one of the "big 4" from another. Go grab a used 600 from 2002+ for $3 or $4k and get acclimated to it before dropping ~$10k on a new one.
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^ This is some of the best advice you will get. Like DD says, I'd go with the GSX-R or R6, even the CBR 600 is a good beginners bike.
 
stick with a cbr600 or r6 for your first one, plenty of power there. im a honda fan myself, i personally think they handle better and also have a higher resale value when it comes to sell.

with all the mods they have you can tweak a 600 to generate power similar to a 1000, minus about 150 pounds or so and the lack of maneuverability a 1000 has.
 
Check out the newer GSXR 750's. They have 3 modes of power output to the rear wheel, so you can make it as powerful as a 600 if you want or just use the 140ish hp the bike has in full mode. Not only are the Gsxr's amazing bikes, they're comfortable and handle very well.

consider it an option in case you might want more power later on.
 
If you've never ridden, stick to 600. Chances are you won't really be able to notice the differences between them. The R6 is fun, great top end, but I *think* the 600rr is a little better for around town just because it has a little more low end tq.

If you have some experience, get the GSXR 750. Has great all around power and handles great.
 
Groomez said:
Check out the newer GSXR 750's. They have 3 modes of power output to the rear wheel, so you can make it as powerful as a 600 if you want or just use the 140ish hp the bike has in full mode. Not only are the Gsxr's amazing bikes, they're comfortable and handle very well.

consider it an option in case you might want more power later on.
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^ Don't listen to this guy. Why buy a brand new $10,000+ bike for your first bike? Even "allowing" the extra HP is just a bad idea - you'll feel comfortable too soon and up the speed and uh oh..
 
tacoX said:
I don't want to die, so I don't buy motorcycles.
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Loads of friends have gone 200km/h+, crashed, and walked away without a scratch. Just last month I crashed pretty good, no helmet, and walked away with just a fractured jaw.

Whatever OP gets make sure you take some form of motorcycle safety course. It's the difference between living and dying.

...Also practice, on an old bike if you have one, laying it down at decent speeds. One friend of mine, going around a turn at 150+, was about to crash into a bridge pillar. If he didn't know how to lay down the bike he'd be dead.

Edit: One more thing. Don't get a fast bike to begin with. 250cc's go plenty fast for beginners. I made the mistake of getting a 2010 Kawasaki 650cc as my first bike this year. It's so fucking fast and so tempting to ride hard. Problem is I don't have the experience or skill to really control it. Thus why I crashed last month.

Be careful.
 
HiGhPeR said:
^ Don't listen to this guy. Why buy a brand new $10,000+ bike for your first bike? Even "allowing" the extra HP is just a bad idea - you'll feel comfortable too soon and up the speed and uh oh..
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Really? You can grab a "newer" Gsxr 750 for under 10K. Have you had a bad experience on a bike or something?
 
tacoX said:
I don't want to die, so I don't buy motorcycles.
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Yeah I've wanted one for a long time, but I've avoided getting one because literally HALF of everyone I know that rode motorcycles has had a near fatal accident. A couple of them are still in wheelchairs.

I almost got one a few years back and my Dad had a shit fit because he's had a few friends that have died over the years from them.

Bad odds...But probably worth it anyway.
 
HiGhPeR said:
^ Don't listen to this guy. Why buy a brand new $10,000+ bike for your first bike? Even "allowing" the extra HP is just a bad idea - you'll feel comfortable too soon and up the speed and uh oh..
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While I agree (and still have the crushed Shoei helmet to prove it because it saved my life when I had to ditch at ~65 mph on I-95), buying a new bike as your first bike isn't smart just because there will be a time - probably while in your own driveway or more embarrassingly, in a public parking lot - that you WILL lay it down.

It happens to the best of us.

Case in point, I'd been riding for YEARS when I first dropped a street bike. Did it right in front of my girlfriend's house in her driveway. Was lifting it off the stand and shifted my weight just so while strapping my helmet on...bike's weight shifted...tried to grab it before it reached the tipping point...BANG! That's plastic is expensive as fuck to replace, let alone the goddamn graphics.

My old roommate had been riding longer than me and he laid it down in OUR driveway. Turned into the driveway one night like he'd done a thousand times before, hit some loose gravel while he was going ~5 mph - bike just started falling to the side. We both had a good laugh about it because its just one of those things. Everyone does it once and odds are, you'll do it in your first few months of riding but like I said, it can still be done when you're not paying full attention/get a bit too comfortable.
 
Groomez said:
however I personally wouldn't recommend a "sportbike" for a first bike. Something naked and upright like a supermoto or Triumph Street Triple are TONS of fun!!

Suggestions:
Suzuki Drz400sm
Aprilia SXV 550
Triumph Street Triple
Suzuki SV650
Ducat Hypermotard 796
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I hear this argument a lot and while I can see the logic, it just doesn't add up.

Why get a bike he'll get bored with? A 250cc bike will still go plenty fast enough to kill any one of us. If he wants to eventually ride a 600cc, then IMO he should shit or get off the pot and go get a used 600.

But I agree wholeheartedly with FTC-Hater that he should take a safety course. You learn a whole lot and will make you MUCH more confident (read: you'll probably know how to handle split-second decisions better) which will make you safer AND me safer if I happen to be on the road with you.
 
Absolutely, I would never recommend buying a new bike as a first one. I've been riding and reviewing motorcycles for YEARS. It's all about what you feel comfortable with. Honestly 40HP is all anyone really needs. A KLR 650 is one of the cheapest, most reliable bikes I have ever owned. It's no sportbike and doesn't look "cool" but put the biggest grin on my face.

As for the GSXR 750 suggestion, I would consider it as an option. Meaning: check it out. The newer bikes have a 3 electronic modes. One that even cuts power less than a 600. So, if you're a disciplined person, you might want to throw that into the mix. Bikes aren't inherently dangerous, it's lack of knowledge and experience that will get a rider in trouble.

Definitely take the MSF (motorcycle safety foundation) course. You'll learn more about how a bike works and how to safely ride it rather than figuring it out on your own or having a friend show you.
 
go with a cbr or gixxer

here's my bikes, just picked up this gsx for 4k. Picking up a 3rd next week for the woman.
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cbr is much easier to ride

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