Oh so true!

[mazer]

Thanks so much for sharing such valuable information, I will pass it on to anyone new to motorcycling and is taunted by those pretty sportbikes.

[KILLBILL]

Great sticky - glad to be a part of a site that believes that
a 600 inline 4 is WAY too much for a new rider.

[Lion_Lady]

...Personally, I believe that in the US we should have a graduated system of motorcycle licensing. This is how it would work. First, you would have to pass a motorcycle safety course, no ands ifs or buts. Then, you could get licensed on something 125cc and under, and that would be good for one year. After one year, you would be required to take another driving test, and upon passing, you would be granted a license for a 250cc bike. The logic here is that a 250cc bike can actually be ridden on the highway, whereas most 125cc bikes cannot. After one year on a 250cc bike (by the way, you would be required to keep a mileage log, and ride at least 1000 miles in the second year to go to the next step), you could graduate to a bike as large as 600cc. After riding a 600cc for another year, then you could graduate to a high powered sport bike if you meet the following criteria; you have logged at least 10,000 miles of riding in the last three years, you have taken a motorcycle course specifically designed toward teaching people how to ride such bikes, and you have had no moving violations on your bike in the past two years. If you want to graduate to a big cruiser, then you would have to have logged the pre-requisite 10,000 miles, and take a refresher safety course.

And while we're at it, let's go ahead and require formal driver's training for getting a regular driver's license, too.

Graduated licensing is one thing, but your scheme is just nuts.
Limiting everyone to 125cc for a year??
Seriously, 125cc?
And mileage logs? Four different "levels" of licensing?
Give me a break.

Actually in Europe, graduated licensing is the standard for riding a motorcycle on the streets. The system works much like what CaptPete describes. They've been doing it that way for a looooong time. And folks take riding safely very seriously. You'll almost NEVER see a rider on the road without full gear.

Professional driver training is required before being licensed to drive a car, in many european countries, as well.

P

[ceemes]

While I completely agree with Captain Pete re: Graduated Licensing, I think he is off the mark when it comes to limiting the amount of CC's each licensing level is permitted to run.

CC's should not be the qualifier, rather it should be HP. Consider the amount of HP a 600RR engine puts out compared to a 600 CC v-twin cruiser engine.

By limiting the amount of HP allowed to each license class, even a completely green newbie can own a 600 sport bike as their first bike, if its power is restricted through fuel flow restriction plates and monkeying around with various throttle controls. I am not sure, but I believe they already do this in the UK.

[BlackCowboy]

I bought a Qlink 250 for my first bike and I love it. I am glad that I bought a 250 to train on any other size I would have been kind of scared to ride. Now I think it's time to upgrade to a 500 or 650.

[RC DAVE]

OUTSTANDING INFO. I DIDNT BUY A LITRE BIKE TILL I WAS 40 THOSE LITTLE 600S GOT TO BE TO MUCH TO REV ALLTHE TIME AND EVEN THEN I BOUGHT A TWIN STILL QUICK BUT JUST NOT SO DAM BLISTERING FAST THE RC IS FAR FROM A SLUG BUT JUST GOOD USABLE POWER

[jasonn1970]

Hi all, great forum and importantly the words of wisdom form experience riders.
I live in Birmingham in the UK and passed my test last month at the ripe old age of 39. I have just bought a 1994 Kawasaki GPZ500S as my first bike and now im really learning how to ride a bike. Im not one for speed, so im happy to gain experience on my bike before even considering a bigger machine. I want to enjoy my riding experience and not have it whizz by so fast…..
I believe in learning to walk, before you run and that’s exactly what im doing.

Ride Safe, Be Safe….

[Wrider]

As for you saying 600s are too small and 1000s are more your size... Dude I'm bigger than you. I'm 6'2 300 lbs. I'm a bouncer and a certified bike mechanic to put my size/physicality into perspective for you.

As for starting off on a 250 or a 500 or whatever, yeah, I agree us big guys look kinda crazy on smaller bikes. But we do look better alive, I promise you that. Having ridden everything from a Rebel 250 to a Hayabusa I know the differences in handling, power, etc.

Honestly I know no-one that can/has used any bike othe than a cruiser to it's potential on the street.

As far as 1Ks vs 600s for long travel, you're looking at the wrong kind of bike for that. Plain and simple. Again coming from a guy who wants to make a Hayabusa into a hyper-sport touring bike.

The owner wouldn't let you sit on the bikes because he sees "squid" stamped on your forehead. For him he sees a kid trying to look cool. I can walk into any bike shop in my area and sit on any bike in there because the owners know I'm not just another kid trying to be a bad-oring.

As far as good beginner bikes... If you're insistent on getting a sportbike then I'd say go look at a Suzuki SV-650. Gray area beginner's bike, plenty of speed and torque, and has the plastics to make it look like you're a bad-oring on a repli-racer...

And before you discount me on the fact that I'm old and trying to discourage you based on my discrimination against kids, I'll let you know I'm 22, a certified bike mechanic, and a speed demon myself.

[Kal]

agree us big guys look kinda crazy on smaller bikes.

Never get bored of posting CG125 pictures. Seat height 30.7 inches, weight: 251lbs. I am 6'4 and last time I checked 196lbs.

My GB250 is ever so slightly smaller and lighter physically, which is nice from a performance point of view.

Thing is I saw a picture from the side of a friend on his 92 'Blade last night. The friend is 6 foot and although not slim is not horrifically overweight. He made the bike look like a toy, and so will you unless you are riding the silly sized cruisers.

I am inclinded to fall into line with wrider on the SV650 recomendation or even a Hyosung GT650R. It is a lot more forgiving than a full blooded supersports 600.

Insurance statistics state the MOST common serious incident (KSI) is a single vehicle collision, rider under 25 with only a couple of years experience, riding a Supersports bike.

We are looking at this to be your first motorcycle, not your last.

[Kal]

I feel like i need to "look thru" the turn, but i was fixated on the road a few bike lengths ahead of me looking for loose gravel.

You just said two of the most critical things about cornering which are opposite ends of the same thing.

Target fiaxation tends to leads to 'incidents' - the way to beat target fixation is to look as far through the corner as possible - changing the bikes position in the road to increase your view.

Certainly early in your career the rule of thumb is that the bike goes where you look.