looking for guidance...

[Scobo_24]

ok i have just recently become interested in the motorcycle scene and am now interested in getting one. i have a friend who has an 06 yamaha r6 and is looking to getting the new cbr1000. i am wanting to buy the r6 but the only issue is the ride height. i am only 5 '9 and i am worried that the bike will be too tall for me. he is coming down from georgia with it in a week or so to see if i will buy it... will my height be a factor with this bike or not?

this will be my first bike but i will not be riding it all the time but gradually learning on open roads... thanks for any feedback

[ngsalvo]

Yamaha's are not designed for giants. Most riders would be of average height, so therefore most bikes cater for average height riders. There is no 'giant scale' bike market.

The most important thing is that you can flat foot the bike. That is, you ought to be able to sit on it with both feet flat on the ground. This simply means that you're more capable of keeping the bike upright in a stationary position (nothing more embarrasing than falling over at the traffic lights 'coz you were on your tip-toes and couldn't sustain the weight of the bike).

The only thing that I would be suggesting about this bike is that IT IS NOT A BEGINNER'S BIKE. A Yamaha R6 is a serious sports bike. It wins races, and makes Yamaha a lot of money on the circuit because of its advanced design, engine, brakes, etc... It is a serious bike, and it will bite you if you're not careful.

[Scobo_24]

ok..that has been what i have been reading upon =/....my second choice is the cbr600, i guess i will see how it pulls through; i am basically looking for a sportsbike that i can just cruise around on and be able to "feel" the acceleration (if you know what i mean) when i want to... thanks for the feedback

[Ian522]

Those are some pretty serious sport bikes...as a beginner you should look for something more user friendly like a Kawasaki ninja 500 or suzuki gs500. They have sportbike styling but are beginner friendly and there are plenty of used ones on the market.

500cc's is plenty of power for a beginner. Put a few thousand miles on one of those and then start to think about moving up to a inline-4 sport bike.

[Shorts]

will my height be a factor with this bike or not?

No - your riding experience will be.

[Scobo_24]

ok thanks for the comments...although what you are saying is true..i am a little more advanced because i have rode my cousins CBR1000 dozens of times, but i just dont want a bike with that much power, so i am familiar with bikes to an extent i just have never owned one...

i guess what i may do is get the ninja 650r for a year or so just so i get comfortable...=/

[-Holiday]

ok thanks for the comments...although what you are saying is true..i am a little more advanced because i have rode my cousins CBR1000 dozens of times, but i just dont want a bike with that much power, so i am familiar with bikes to an extent i just have never owned one...

i guess what i may do is get the ninja 650r for a year or so just so i get comfortable...=/

no offense, but just because you "rode your cousins CBR1000 dozens of times" doesnt mean you're more advanced or a better rider. There have been people who have logged 1,000 of miles over numerous years and are still an accident waiting to happen.

I'd really suggest taking the MSF course as a good base of learning, and then getting a non Super Sport bike. There are plenty of good bikes that leave you room to grow into that you can still "feel the pull" on. Even if you decide to stick with an RR bike (and that's obviously your right), i'd get some training and take it very easy. The minute you think you're an experienced rider is when you're going to crash into a deer , a swerving car who doesnt see you, or whatever. Getting slapped back into reality on a motorcycle is no fun.

[Fast Eddy B]

It's tough to say if an r6 is going to work for you. If you say you are new to biking then everyone will say 'no'. If you've put thousands of miles on a 500cc type bike most will say maybe...

But if your experience is on a 1000cc bike a dozen times, then ????

Get a license, get some training, and you'll probably see that a mid-size sport-tourer is about all most people ever need.

[strohS]

I'm riding a r6 and i'm 5' 4'', I love it and you just need to know techniques. I'm on my tippy toes but at stop lights I'm use to leaning left and flat footing one foot on the ground. I'm getting by.

Good luck

[intotherain]

I'm riding a r6 and i'm 5' 4'', I love it and you just need to know techniques. I'm on my tippy toes but at stop lights I'm use to leaning left and flat footing one foot on the ground. I'm getting by.

Good luck

Not really. The power isn't everything that makes a big bike a poor beginner bike. You have to get familiar with traffic and think things like, "I wonder if that car waiting at that intersection is going to pull out on me, Am I in someones blind spot?, how are the road conditions on that turn?" And as a beginning rider all your attention should be focused on that, not on how many millimeters you should twist the throttle to make your bike move smoothly.

Getting a small bike to learn on is always the right choice.