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I think that's a fair amount of time to cut your teeth. Move on up.

P.S. with respect to the above post. 7k in itself is meaningless. Some people achieve a high level of skill with much less than this, others with ten times that number of miles remain a danger to themselves and to others.

Still, if you are yearning after a sportsbike then the last post will sound more reasonable to you.

So the thing to do, if you do buy one, is to ride it carefully and attentively.

Enjoy

There is still going to be some learning curve moving up to a 600. You wont really be learning any new skills, you just adjust your existing skillset to the much faster and more responsive 600. The main difference between the 500 and 600 is on the 600 everything happens a LOT faster.

[quote="sv-wolf"]P.S. with respect to the above post. 7k in itself is meaningless. Some people achieve a high level of skill with much less than this, others with ten times that number of miles remain a danger to themselves and to others.

quote]

Some people will remain a danger all their lives. If he's at all an aware rider who looks to better himself, he's progressed. I don't think it's that bad to move up at that point if he's likely bored with his bike. And I assume that he's intelligent to treat a new ride with respect.

If he's a moving hazard, no matter what time he's on a bike, or in a car, he'll always be one.

Thanks for the replies.

I'm a very conservative and careful rider and don't think the 600 will present much of a problem if I take it slowly and carefully. I've spent a lot of time learning throttle control on the 500, so I don't expect the 600 to get away from me.

The only concern I have is getting home from the dealer. It's about 10 miles on the back roads, but I'd prefer to practice in a parking lot first, but the dealer doesn't have a lot--they're right on a main street.

XM23 wrote:
The only concern I have is getting home from the dealer. It's about 10 miles on the back roads, but I'd prefer to practice in a parking lot first, but the dealer doesn't have a lot--they're right on a main street.

That's one we all have to go through XM23. The first five hundred yards are the worst! Most of the problems you will encounter will have more to do with the anxieties in your head than any real issue between you and the bike. Take it easy and you will be fine.

Sometimes just getting on the bike and riding it home is the best thing you can do. It's less nerveracking than playing round in a car park first. On the road you just have to ride the damn thing. There's no time to wind yourself up with all the things that could go wrong, or the minor errors you might make while tentatively riding round the park.

Enjoy the new bike.

XM23 wrote:...The only concern I have is getting home from the dealer. It's about 10 miles on the back roads, but I'd prefer to practice in a parking lot first, but the dealer doesn't have a lot--they're right on a main street.

...god, I don't understand you people! and one of my friends is just like you... how can you even consider plunking down 7-12 grand on something you've never ridden!?!? ... and never compared to anything else? That friend of mine was ready to buy an R1 when all he had ever ridden before was a honda shadow... the only thing that stopped him was how long he would have had to wait for it to be delivered, so he went and bought a Harley without ever riding it.

I put about 30 miles on my Ducati (and a Triumph) before I even knew I was seriously interested in it.

I was nervous as hell getting on that 900 triumph (the first one I rode that day), but all that fear faded away after the first 5 miles... and that was the slow one.

have you ever ridden a sport bike are you comfortable can you appreciate the difference between 40 and 120 hp a redline that is almost one and a half times what you have now. I am for everyone having as much fun as possible but hey I ride out there to and I wanna go home to my kids i have seen so many noobs get a machine and go krazy and get themselves or someone else all banged up do NOT TAKE ANYONES word you are ready go and sit on one dry drive it till you are making the salesman crazy then test ride one and then and only then will you have an idea if you are ready I do not want to sound like a Dad but you know what, I am one and I wouldn't let my kid take my word for it either

I agree with everyone who says that only you know when you're ready. I just bought my bike (05 SV 650) last weekend and rode it home from the dealership. My only riding experince before this was the MSF BRC and riding my friends 02 SV around a giant parking lot. While I was super nervous when I picked it up (and still thinking in the back of my head "I hope this 650 isn't too much bike for me), after about a minute of being on the road (and stalling the engine once at a stop sign on a side street) I was completely comforatble. Granted an SV isn't exactly a super sport, but it has the capability to really go if you want it to. I think if you're comfortable on the EX500, then moving up to a 600cc won't be a big deal if you just take it slow for the first few miles finding your friction point, fiding out how twitchy the throttle is and how touchy the brakes are. The only way to get over the fear or nervousness is to just have faith in yourself and do it, in my opinion. I mean, you'd be riding the Ninja forever if you didn't just do it one day, right?

Find someone selling one used, and ask to test drive it. If you like it, go ahead and buy a new one if you want to... or a used one...whichever.

I agree with the trying before buying thing. I bought my first bike without trying it, but based upon reviews I read, I took a chance. Also, it was a 250 that I knew would be a good learning bike, and it wouldn't be forever. It turned out for the best.

The other two bikes I have purchased, I bought used, and definitely rode them around for a while. After all, these are the bikes I know I'll be hanging on to for a while! Better make sure they are right for me.