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I'm semi-decent friends with this guy, run into him at most larger social gatherings and get along pretty well. During the last year he'd expressed an interest in riding, and I gave him all the standard MSF advice along with decent beginer bikes.

So he calls me a few minutes ago to say he just bought a 99 GSXR 600...I don't get it. 3 years ago I had another semi-decent friend who almost killed himself and spent 3 months and several surgeries after monkeying around on a Ninja 500. This guy was even better friends with that guy, you'd think the lesson would kinda rub of!?

Anyway, I'm angry and frustrated at the whole situation just figured I'd share. For you new bikers, it's just daft to buy a supersport. I'm hoping nothing happens to this guy, and he becomes in that 1% that succesfully learn to ride on a supersport.

Don't beat yourself up. He obviously thinks he can handle the bike. Best thing you can do is lead by your own example and keep talking up safety.
Did he at least take the MSF?

You can lead a horse to water...

P

The fact that you are as you are shows that you are a decent guy but you can not live his life for him. Keep giving the good advice to anyone who will listen, if you get through to any one at all you will have done better than most of us.

What kills me is even to pros that ride the supersports...didn't start out on the supersports...they start on something else and move up in class...What makes Joe Blow think he can start on one?

it's not whether you can start on an RR bike or not.

it's just that you'll have an easier time learning on a smaller bike. at least at that's how i see it.

anyway, i did fine learning the basics of riding on a literbike.

my crash was bec of trying more advanced stuff. but hey, as long as i can still ride and learn from an accident, it's not so bad.

You can never completely learn the basics.... You can always get better at them and improve. Any schmuck can do the basics at an average level. The good and "advanced" riders have "mastered" the basics.

Chris8187 wrote:You can never completely learn the basics.... You can always get better at them and improve. Any schmuck can do the basics at an average level. The good and "advanced" riders have "mastered" the basics.

yeah, i agree, i haven't mastered the basics but i did learn the basics on a literbike.

Offer to him the use of your bike for the summer so he get's some experiance while you ride his

I am thinking the number is probably a lot larger than 1% I know at least 5 guys that I can think of off the top of my head that started on 600cc+ sport bikes and none of them have wiped out yet in hrmmmm around 4 years or riding. Everyone is different... if your friend can learn to be super easy on the throttle at first it doesn't matter how much horsepower the bike has if you don't use it all until you know what you are doing.

zarakand wrote:I'm hoping nothing happens to this guy, and he becomes in that 1% that succesfully learn to ride on a supersport.

VermilionX wrote: my crash was bec of trying more advanced stuff.

Your crash happened because you rode beyong your skill level on the street. The bike covered up your lack of skill with it's phenomenal performance. You got suckered into thinking you had more experience and skills than you thought, and got bit. I've seen it happen time and time again with riders around my area. It's depressing to see it happene, even more depressing when I realize I'm helping pay insurance for those people.