Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 2:13 am
Storysunfolding hit the nail on the head. The author has no perspective. Its like telling someone the dangers of flying an F16 while his only experience has been flying coach on a 2 hour Southwest flight.
There are plenty of real experts to listen to.
A great beginner bike is the SV-650, but if you are mature and have patience and go to a school, a 600 will work too.
Just to throw a little background in here, I was an instructor at the Keith Code Calif Superbike School for 3 years. We used Kawi 600's. We taught anyone from beginner to advanced racer. We also did classes for the LA PD and Calif Highway Patrol... all on 600s.
I've had brand new people with less than 6 months riding experience who did just fine... on a 600.
I was also one of the lead instructors at both of the local track organizations in Phoenix, where again I worked with brand new riders to advanced racers. The skills are the same and what works on the track, works on the street. Its just a safer environment to learn in.
I'm the guy that the MSF instructors came to to learn to go faster, safer, and I have worked with almost every one thats come to the track in Phoenix. I was also one of the only guys to know how to run the lean bike/slide bike (the same tool that the superbike school uses) with Team Arizona (the Phoenix MSF school track org). This is a tool that will teach you 1) good body position, 2) good throttle control and its effects on the bike, 3) how far you can lean the bike over, 4) where you should be looking in a turn, 5) how to relax and be loose on the bars, 6) how much it takes to get the back tire to break loose, and 7) what to do when it does break loose.
I also have had an expert level race license for 10 years and have multiple class championships in the southwest, the latest was the middleweight supersport... the 600 class.
All that being said, I wasn't just spouting crap, I do have a little background, and I do know that 600's are just fine, as long as there is patience and maturity. At the track, I can regulate the maturity of the newer rider with my own patience.
There are plenty of real experts to listen to.
A great beginner bike is the SV-650, but if you are mature and have patience and go to a school, a 600 will work too.
Just to throw a little background in here, I was an instructor at the Keith Code Calif Superbike School for 3 years. We used Kawi 600's. We taught anyone from beginner to advanced racer. We also did classes for the LA PD and Calif Highway Patrol... all on 600s.
I've had brand new people with less than 6 months riding experience who did just fine... on a 600.
I was also one of the lead instructors at both of the local track organizations in Phoenix, where again I worked with brand new riders to advanced racers. The skills are the same and what works on the track, works on the street. Its just a safer environment to learn in.
I'm the guy that the MSF instructors came to to learn to go faster, safer, and I have worked with almost every one thats come to the track in Phoenix. I was also one of the only guys to know how to run the lean bike/slide bike (the same tool that the superbike school uses) with Team Arizona (the Phoenix MSF school track org). This is a tool that will teach you 1) good body position, 2) good throttle control and its effects on the bike, 3) how far you can lean the bike over, 4) where you should be looking in a turn, 5) how to relax and be loose on the bars, 6) how much it takes to get the back tire to break loose, and 7) what to do when it does break loose.
I also have had an expert level race license for 10 years and have multiple class championships in the southwest, the latest was the middleweight supersport... the 600 class.
All that being said, I wasn't just spouting crap, I do have a little background, and I do know that 600's are just fine, as long as there is patience and maturity. At the track, I can regulate the maturity of the newer rider with my own patience.
Everyone is different, but I have found that I greatly benefit by reading about techniques first, and then practicing them. When I first got into riding, I read everything I could (from proficient motorcycling to just about the entire internet), and I never had an issue on a motorcycle caused by technique. (first "drop" was 2 years into riding, and it was caused by me going too fast into a corner that wasn't sandy the last time I was on it!!)