Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hi. I really do appreciate all the information on these forums regarding why newbies shouldn't go out and jump on a 600+cc sportbike. It all seems logical, I agree with it, and after reading it I would never start on a bike like that.

My question, however, is this: How many people here who ardently advocate this information have ridden sportbikes? What kinds and what years? For how long? Etc., etc.

Just curious.

I myself have ridden my gf's Ninja 500 on several occasions. Very tame under 7000rpm, but takes off like a rocket above that. I've had it to over 140kph in third gear, and up to 195kph in 6th with room to spare before redline.

The GF has also had it wheelie right out from under her in first gear by accident when she was just starting out - a little too much throttle and not quite enough clutch control and it was gone - front tire 3 feet in the air and it didn't stop till it hit the chain link fence 15 feet away.

I've ridden a cruiser-style 250, followed by a 400cc naked bike and am now on an '08 Ninja 250R. Probably not your idea of a "sportbike" if I read where you're going with this. I was planning on getting a 600cc Yamaha, but after witnessing a new Gixxer being totally trashed by a squid trying to wheelie in the parking lot of my job, I decided to take a step back. I've always liked smaller displacement bikes and although the R600 and the CBR600RR "feel" like small bikes, I have no need to go 100mph in second gear or get thrown off the back of it by hitting a pothole and inadvertantly blipping the throttle. Or spending 2 to 3 times as much as I did for my 250R for "bragging rights". The advice I found on this forum, weather by sportbike or cruiser riders, has been invaluable. It's all about experience, not the kind of bike you ride.

I also find the information on this forum to be absolutely invaluable and I really respect the advice that people on here give. As I said, I have chosen to start on an old 80s Honda 400cc bike. I just want to see who on these forums have actually ridden 600+cc sportbikes enough to say from personal experience that these bikes are unfit for beginners.

Personally I haven't owned them, but I have ridden friends' bikes. I've ridden a 2007 GS500, a 2005 Yamaha FZ6, a 2006 CBR600RR, a 2004 R6, a 2004 GSXR600, a Triumph Speed Triple 955i, and a 2004 Suzuki Hayabusa.

As for having them as first bikes... No way I'll EVER recommend anything over a 500 for a first bike. Not even the detuned 600s are tame enough for beginner bikes IMO.

I've seen how sensitive the throttle, brakes, clutch, handling are on all of those... And to be honest they're rather insane... lol Even the 600s.

Oh, and just so you know, the best cornering bike out of all of those was that little GS500... that thing turns on a DIME!!!
Wrider

TheRaceMaster wrote:I have chosen to start on an old 80s Honda 400cc bike..

What?? On your other thread called "First Bike" you stated that you quote "Decided you wanted to ride motorcycles" and you went out and bought a Hayabusa..

Yeah, which was clearly a joke.

Anyone else care to shed light on this thread?

You respect the advice that the people on this forum give out, and yet you started that thread about the Hayabusa, and then afterwards started making one word posts like "kawasusaki."

Quite frankly, I don't believe you. What I can wrap my mind around, however, is that you're attempting to dismantle the advice that IS given about newbies and sportbikes and then pointing the finger at those that supposedly have no ridden any of those bikes and telling them "practice what you preach."

This is probably because you are actually a member that has been here before, and whom disagreed with said practice of telling newbies to stay away from such bikes.

And if you are: Hi, Bubba! Nice to see you back! Hope the door doesn't hit you on the way out.

If the advice was really invaluable to you, you wouldn't be making such veiled attacks on members' experience. Sorry to burst your bubble.

You're not the first newb to argue against the advice or try to outwit anyone supplying that a 600+cc sport bike is not the way to get started on a long and skillful riding career. If you want to ride a bike that's 99.5% out of your league, go right ahead. No one needs to argue back or justify why - the stickies above say exactly what they need to say, and tell you exactly what you need to know. Take it or leave it. Whichever you choose, do it quickly, looks like the board's tolerance for you is running thin.

you're going to live for ever,strap it on and go if you want too