Wrong decision?

Message

Morph · #1 Unread post by **Morph** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 8:37 pm

Well after I finished my MSF course I was pretty excited and went out looking for a bike.. I didnt want anything too powerful but I didnt want anything that ran slower than a turtle.. I was looking at things like 250 ninjas/500's

Anyway after looking through various places (before I discovered this site) I saw a low priced '94 CBR600 f2 on sale and I couldnt find a ninja in decent condition for the life of me.. so I went and bought this bike

After reading the 600cc thread im wondering if I made the wrong decision buying this bike?

Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:22 pm

If you are riding and having fun how could it be a bad decision?

intotherain · Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:38 pm

A lot of people would say so...

600ccs are stupid fast and can get you into trouble fast if you don't know what you're doing.

Scott58 · #4 Unread post by **Scott58** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 4:56 am

Since the deed is already done. Keep your brakes and tires in top condition and take it easy. The bike is only going to be as insane as you are. When i use to ride my ex-step sons 600 it was actually a pretty nice and mellow ride until you grabbed alot of throttle then it was like jeckle & hyde.

ceemes · #5 Unread post by **ceemes** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:31 am

Personally I would like to see some sort of graduated licensing tied to both displacement and HP for new riders, something along the lines like they have or had in Japan.

All to often you read in your local rag about some kid who has just gotten his class 6 and a new 600 crotch rocket only to end up wrapping himself around a tree or light standard. Then you hear from his dad about how deadly bikes are and how they should be banned, even though the odds are daddy was the one who got him that fast bike in the first place.

It all too easy to get yourself in a hell of a lot of trouble when you match up limited experience or saddle time with next to unlimited HP. Novice riders IMHO should be limited to something like the old Honda CM 400's and not allowed to carry passengers, at least for their first season.

But since you already have gotten your 600, my advice is to take it slow and easy, polish up your basic skills and try to keep the bike well within you own performance envelope, coz the odds are right now, you bikes envelope is a lot greater then yours are. Better to be safe then sorry.

kryten · #6 Unread post by **kryten** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:56 am

I recently got my first bike. Its a Kawasaki ZZR600. I'm happy with my decision. I recognize the fact that if I twist the throttle as far as it will go I probably wont live much longer. I never left my small neighborhood on it for the first 3 weeks and just spent time getting a feel for the clutch and the throttle. There were a few times that I blipped it and it took off a little fast but I learned not to do that.

As long as you take it slow and easy and get a feel for the bike you should be fine. Ride around in an area where you wont have to deal with traffic much. Try to find a nice big parking lot with as few obstructions as possible and practice starting and stopping. Be careful and don't let other people influence you to go faster than you feel comfortable and you should be just fine.

Shorts · #7 Unread post by **Shorts** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:36 pm

Well, all the 'take it slow/easy' and whatnotjabber is only going to be relevant as long as you aren't surprised on the bike and you're still making concious inputs. Be aware that part of the learning and riding after the MSF still mean making unintentional input mistakes. It is those mistakes that can bite you in the butt with the bike you're on.

Good luck - there are better and worse bikes you could have picked.

andrwhock · #8 Unread post by **andrwhock** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:04 am

You seem like you have a good, respectable attitude about your bike. You know its a fast bike and were originally looking for something usually thought of as a beginner bike. The 600+ thread is more for people who have no clue what they're talking about when looking for their first bike. It's a common attitude that because a 600cc bike is one of the smaller racing type bikes, that it isn't a fast bike. This is what gets people into trouble. The 600cc type R bikes are EXTREMELY fast and when a squid is riding one of them, it only means trouble.

You should be fine on the 600 having taken the msf course and as long as you respect the bike for what it is: a racing bike. Realize that a little bit more on the throttle means a lot more on the power and just take it easy, focus, and be careful. With time and experience you'll learn the ins and outs on the bike and become a better rider, just be careful doing so.

As I've heard before, you start with an empty bag of experience and a full bag of luck, its your goal to fill the experience bag before the luck bag runs out.

Congrats on your new bike purchase, welcome to the world of motorcycling, and I wish you the best experience that you can get from motorcycling.

Aamalthea · #9 Unread post by **Aamalthea** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:57 pm

Not sure about how long your state says you have to wait, but why don't you take an extended MSF? You have to bring your own bike, at least in OH you do, that way you can get to learning even more about your bike under the watchful eye of an instructor.

ghostofdavid · Fri Jun 29, 2007 2:54 am

The state of Ohio provides motorcycles. They are usually Honda Rebel 250s You can request, only in Columbus, Ohio to my knowledge, to bring your own.