Total Motorcycle Community Forums

started on a cbr600f (108hp) no probs. good training in england tho, and it is the most popular starter bike for big bike riders

don't believe me?

lcurtis19 wrote:so i got really lucky and got scheduled for the Safety Course for next Wednesday Saturday and Sunday. so ill be getting my endorcement! things are rolling my way smooothly !

+1 on your MUCH increased selection when you reach your assignment - you can definitely check in here as well - since there are more than a few TMW members in different countries and continents!

Also, congrats on getting into the class - that was when my fun began!

and btw fast eddy - just b/c it's written in one article does NOT make it true or smart - a few of those choices are VERY powerful bikes - people here with the most experience guide people as best they can BASED on that experience.

just my nickel.

zeligman wrote:
and btw fast eddy - just b/c it's written in one article does NOT make it true or smart - a few of those choices are VERY powerful bikes - people here with the most experience guide people as best they can BASED on that experience.

just my nickel.

nope. it's just not true. most new bikers here, after doing DAS, pick up a 600 IL4. and quite a few of those pick up a faired sportbike 600. and most people think that's normal.

so there's something different happening here. you should ask yourself why. it's the training.

HTH

Just to clarify, the MCN article noted that UK riders tend to pick a 600cc I4 for their first big bike. IIRC, you guys have got a tiered licensing system with a minimum rider experience of one year and a maximum engine size and horsepower output (125cc and about 15hp I think) before a rider can purchase a big bike? I guess that system is what makes the choice of a 600cc I4 somewhat understandable.

I think the OP is looking for his first bike - period - not just his first big bike.

The SV650 (older models) are nice to start out on. They make pretty linear power and torque and are pretty much n00b friendly. There's also the Suzuki Gladius and GSX650F and are seen as easy bikes for new riders as well but hard to find used. The Ninja 500 would be a great way to start out since it's extremely forgiving but won't be a bore as you gain more riding experience.

I remember reading in RoadBike magazine about the Honda CBR 600F4i being pretty gentle and forgiving as well, but the bike she rode was a stock bike with no aftermarket engine enhancements.

Grey Thumper wrote:Just to clarify, the MCN article noted that UK riders tend to pick a 600cc I4 for their first big bike. IIRC, you guys have got a tiered licensing system with a minimum rider experience of one year and a maximum engine size and horsepower output (125cc and about 15hp I think) before a rider can purchase a big bike? I guess that system is what makes the choice of a 600cc I4 somewhat understandable.

I think the OP is looking for his first bike - period - not just his first big bike.

nope. if you are over 21, take a test on a bike of 46.6 bhp, you get a license to ride any bike. it's called a big-bike license but for a large number of riders, it's their first bike.

so there you go. anything else?

i thought the new regulations upped the age to 25 and made it harder to get a motorcycle license by requiring a change in curriculum (TWO/ Visor Down and BIKE). Plus it must suck now that they're proposing a lower speed limit for some roads even though it was proven that the posted speed wasn't a problem (something about no more 60 roads, I didn't buy the issue).

Besides, it is our right in the US to buy ZX-10Rs before we learn how to ride 'em...

I have friends who are starting out on an R6, CBR 600 RR, GSX-R 600 and still have problems doing figure 8s, u-turns and plain old cornering and I out rode them on a little Vulcan and they tell me how they're afraid of idiot cagers but they still haven't mastered the art of looking while riding (how to tell potential problems, avoidance etc.). Someone with 7 1/2 years of riding experience and 1 year of track experience doesn't know what he's talking about I guess...

JC Viper wrote:i thought the new regulations upped the age to 25 and made it harder to get a motorcycle license by requiring a change in curriculum (TWO/ Visor Down and BIKE). Plus it must suck now that they're proposing a lower speed limit for some roads even though it was proven that the posted speed wasn't a problem (something about no more 60 roads, I didn't buy the issue).

Besides, it is our right in the US to buy ZX-10Rs before we learn how to ride 'em...

I have friends who are starting out on an R6, CBR 600 RR, GSX-R 600 and still have problems doing figure 8s, u-turns and plain old cornering and I out rode them on a little Vulcan and they tell me how they're afraid of idiot cagers but they still haven't mastered the art of looking while riding (how to tell potential problems, avoidance etc.). Someone with 7 1/2 years of riding experience and 1 year of track experience doesn't know what he's talking about I guess...

The DAS (direct access to larger bikes) age is still 21. Euro regulations from brussels caused a change in bike training curriculum, making some maneuvers part of the test that weren't in before (a swerve, 50kph emergency stop, funny story about the emergency stop part...below*) and two parts to the test, one part off road in a government riding park).

But we can still get any bike we want, and most start on 600's+.


*there was an old emergency stop done at 30mph, but the gov in Brussels decided that all european riders needed to perform an emergency stop at 50kph. That's 31.07pmh, and you can't legally nor safely do that stop on our 30mph or 40mph roads. So you get what we have here: government parking lots used for part of the test!

Funny, in a sad kinda way. A newbie doing an emergency stop from 50kph in a parking lot sounds ludicrously unsafe. But that's the Belgians for you

Anyway, back to topic: There will always be examples of people who started off on a 600cc supersport and didn't have any problems. Fair enough. It's anecdotal evidence versus common sense, and I'd rather rely on the latter. I don't disagree with "lots of people learn on supersports" or "the training is better in the UK". Both statements might be completely true, but they still don't answer the question of what is the best kind of bike to start on. I'd still recommend a bike that's less powerful, light and easier to manage. The reasons why have been stated ad nauseam in loads of different threads all over this forum.

I wouldn't advise anyone to start off on a Super Sport but a regular sports bike is a different story. Many of them are tuned differently for a more practical application of power which most of the time translates into something a newbie can ride and can still enjoy once they have more experience.

Considering people (especially younger riders) are gonna lean toward a sporty bike we should at least encourage them to go for the more sensible options.

Instead of an R6 why not get a Yamaha FZR600R (very practical from what I've read about it).
Honda CB600F/ Hornet or CBR600F4i instead of the CBR600RR
Kawasaki Ninja 250, 500, 650, Versys instead of a Ninja 636 or ZX-6R
Suzuki GS500F, GSX600F, SV650, Gladius, older Katana 600 instead of a GSX-R 600
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