Total Motorcycle Community Forums

CNF2002 wrote:Dash no more pics of the Nighthawk750! Its just too pretty and to think that Honda no longer makes it causes me to cry

Thanks for the complement! I just can't get enough of that bike...OK, OK, just one more:



If your ever in Georgia I will let you...(umm...hmmm...wait...let me think...Oh yea), I will let you watch me ride it around the parking lot!



All joking aside, I'm very fortunate to have it as my own; thanks.

Its your life and money, so do what you feel is best. I dont think you are really putting yourself in that much more danger on a GSXR600, I would make more of a financial argument to you. The chances of a new rider messing up expensive plastics is pretty high. I wouldnt do it for that reason.

I think a person with the right attitude could learn fine on a 600. Unfortunately, I see way too many kids with a death wish get on these bikes, which in turn gives these bikes a terrible new rider reputation.

At least you have all the right pros and cons flowing around in your head, which puts you miles ahead of the squid with a death wish. If you have a history of speeding tickets, then I would say start with a tamer bike, because the GSXR600 will get you plenty of ticket without a great deal of restraint on the throttle.


Dragonhawk- I am not attempting to slight you in any way, so dont take this as that, but I think your aversion to higher hp bikes is the exception rather than the rule, especially among sportbike riders. A GSX-R600 is not a rip your arms off crotch rocket that is beyond human reflexes to control. If a bike with 100hp frightens you after being in the saddle for two years, I would really like to know what it is exactly that frightens you.

I ride an SV650s(72 bhp) and have for about nine months and I certainly cannot push my SV to its limits in the twisties yet. At the same time, on the freeway I can acutely feel the SVs lack of hp. I have to keep the rpms real high to get any pull whatsoever above 60mph in fifth gear. And I have never once had the SV come even close to getting away from me.

I dont know, I guess I am thinking that we(more conservative members of the forum) are imparting more fear than information when we imply that 600cc bikes are death traps. Of course I am speaking of 600cc bikes, because I DO think 1000cc sportbikes ARE definately newbie unfriendly to put it mildly.

swatter555 wrote:Dragonhawk- I am not attempting to slight you in any way, so dont take this as that, but I think your aversion to higher hp bikes is the exception rather than the rule, especially among sportbike riders. A GSX-R600 is not a rip your arms off crotch rocket that is beyond human reflexes to control. If a bike with 100hp frightens you after being in the saddle for two years, I would really like to know what it is exactly that frightens you.

I dont know, I guess I am thinking that we(more conservative members of the forum) are imparting more fear than information when we imply that 600cc bikes are death traps. Of course I am speaking of 600cc bikes, because I DO think 1000cc sportbikes ARE definately newbie unfriendly to put it mildly.

I'm not insulted or slighted at all. But note that you said, "I DO think 1000cc sportbikes ARE definately newbie unfriendly to put it mildly."

So, you actually feel the same way I do, we simply have different opinions on where the "threshold" of limits might fall.

ALL of the advice people give on forums is a matter of opinion. That is why I always encourgae people to get as many opinions as possible and then make their own decisions.

I think beginners should stay under 60HP.

Other people disagree.

I have no desire or inclination to argue with anyone about it. Because, frankly, I don't care enough about the issue to be interested in arguing.

All I seek to do is share what I know and allow people to make their own choices based upon my own experiences. Some people take it WAY to seriously. If you notice, whenever anyone gets a little argumentative with me, I ignore them. I don't even acknowledge what they say. because, dude, this is just a freakin' website. Who cares? It's not that important.

So, in a nutshell, swatter555, I think you and I are on the same page. We just have different views on what the limits should be for a beginner. And there is nothing wrong with that. Having different views is what helps educate newbies the most.

I just need to find something that i dont want to keep that isnt going to cost me a whole lot of money to learn on, then the gixxer will come next (hopefully). With the gixxer, i like CBR's headlights a lot better.. but its not really about the looks that sold me, cause i think the gs500f looks fine.. it was how it felt when i sat (as in where my body fit and everything). And nope, i havent ridden any of them because, frankly, i've never even ridden a bike before (havent been on a bycicle in years). *waits for "And you wanna get a gixxer!?!"*

oh, and i got an 83 out of 99 on my armed forces test (!!) with absolutely no studying before hand, and I havent been in school (besides some history classes and such at my 1 semester in college) for almost 2 years now. I'm pretty psyched.

buy a $500 beater first, ride that for about 6 months then move up.

you have to take the MSF if you want to ride on a military base.

as for your gear.

the gloves and boots are fine.

get a new helmet that fits you.

get a better jacket, that wilsons leather crap is barely better than denim.

check out www.newenough.com for good prices on gear.

as for pants look into a pair of draggin jeans or joe rocket steel jeans. They look and feel like regular jeans but have some protection built in, not a bad choice for street riding.

jmillheiser wrote:buy a $500 beater first, ride that for about 6 months then move up.

you have to take the MSF if you want to ride on a military base.

as for your gear.

the gloves and boots are fine.

get a new helmet that fits you.

get a better jacket, that wilsons leather "crumb" is barely better than denim.

check out www.newenough.com for good prices on gear.

as for pants look into a pair of draggin jeans or joe rocket steel jeans. They look and feel like regular jeans but have some protection built in, not a bad choice for street riding.

thats good to know about the base riding.. i wont be able to take it (unless the base im at has its own program or something.. highly doubting that one lol) until next spring since i will be shipping out soon and be gone until into oct.

really? i've heard good reviews on wilson's leather motorcycle gear.. the leather is thick as hell, thicker than a lot of the jackets i saw and tried on at the dealerships.. in any case, i just got this jacket (tags are off) so i wont be able to get a new one for awhile.. i'll guess we shall see how it holds up if i get in a sliding wreck..

What are your (anyone) opinions on chest/spine/knee/elbow protectors? overkill? needed? good idea?

hmm maybe they have stared making motorcycle grade jackets then.

if the leather thickness is comparable to other MC jackets than I think you will be fine.

Thanks for the reply Dragonhawk.

Jthmeffy- Ya, pick up something used rather than financing a bike you could quickly outgrow.

swatter555 wrote: A GSX-R600 is not a rip your arms off crotch rocket that is beyond human reflexes to control.

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You hit on the point. It is by no means beyond human reflexes to control. It can easily be beyond a brand new rider's reflexes to control. When you first start out, you don't have many bike related reflexes.

I ride with a lot of different types of riders. A lot noobs in the last few years. Most of the broken bones and plastic have been the result of reflexes (or more specifically, a lack thereof).