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LOL Newbies can be so dumb

3K views 31 replies 17 participants last post by  cookeetree 
#1 ·
Despite all of the great advice on these forums about getting your 1st bike,Newbies still love to buy liter bikes.I sold sportbikes for a year in NC. and I always told these rich newbies to start on a smaller cc bike due to there lack of skill,but they cant resist the ZX10r and gixxer 1000.....more often then not the once beautiful sportbikes come back to the shop, not for there first sevice,but in the back of there daddys pickup truck...These newbies dont even wear leathers......I believe as long as there are newbies on 1000cc bikes will all have or see these stories for many years to come...Oh by the way I remember a newbie on a zx10r,he was killed on impact by an 18 wheeler when he got to brave...Please if your new to our sport respect these machines and when You wreck we all wreck.....so this spring when you buy a new bike do your research,it could save your life.:squid:
 
#3 ·
mac020 said:
...I think Australia's cc limit for newbees is a pretty good law.
It's a good law, but there's a way around it. At least, in Queensland there is.

If you've had your cage licence for 3+ years, you can undertake a rider training course.

Theoretically, in three days, you can qualify to ride whatever you like. Sure, you've taken a course, but that still won't prepare you for riding "out there".
 
#4 ·
mac020 said:
I think Australia's cc limit for newbees is a pretty good law. At least for people under 18.
Here in South Australia we have just changed to a power to weight ratio scheme (LAMS Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme) which would have been great if it came out before I got my Ninja 250. The problem with the 250cc law was you could still get an Aprillia RS250 or similar on your learners. Maybe not the best choice for a learner.:2cents:
 
#7 ·
I like the advice someone else here gave a while back: It's better for a new rider to ride a smaller bike at its limits than trying to manage a bike that they can't go full throttle on.

Slaps --> And a lot of people think 600's are great starter bikes. Hell, I've seen 750s advertised as starter bikes and a SV 650s advertised as a "great starter or woman's bike." These guys must have balls bigger than Schwarzenegger's. :rolleyes:
 
#8 ·
I see alot of posts on here about people buying bikes with too much power. Too each his own. NO ONE needs a liter bike, who here can really push one to its limits?

Its like a gun, its the person behind that controls its destiny. Would I recommend a liter bike to a newbie no, but if you have fear and common sense enough not to twist the throttle to the stop. You should be fine. I think the issue hear is maturity and not the bikes. If you dont rev it out everytime you have the opportunity you will be alot safer, and that all depends on the driver.

I had a friend whose first bike was the ninja 500 and it felt like a bicycle to me. It didnt stop him from trying to do tricks and break his arm and collar bone. Like a car all these things are dangerous and will kill you. Its about the rider.

My :2cents:
 
#9 ·
drgreenthum said:
I see alot of posts on here about people buying bikes with too much power. Too each his own. NO ONE needs a liter bike, who here can really push one to its limits?

Its like a gun, its the person behind that controls its destiny. Would I recommend a liter bike to a newbie no, but if you have fear and common sense enough not to twist the throttle to the stop. You should be fine. I think the issue hear is maturity and not the bikes. If you dont rev it out everytime you have the opportunity you will be alot safer, and that all depends on the driver.

I had a friend whose first bike was the ninja 500 and it felt like a bicycle to me. It didnt stop him from trying to do tricks and break his arm and collar bone. Like a car all these things are dangerous and will kill you. Its about the rider.

My :2cents:
i agree and disagree...
true, it does depend a lot on maturity, but what about the peaky engines. i dont think anyone can just naturally handle the peaky engine of a m/c without having some expirience. these new 600's, if the R6 really does have a 130 hp, have to have such peaky engines that one very small input error by a sensible rider could through him/her off regardless of how "mature" they are. and i really think someone that mature wouldnt want to start on a 600 because they would have done all of the research to realize one should start small.

lots of people knock the looks of the smaller bikes....but hey, to me, its still a bike.
 
#10 ·
Agreed. a "mature" but inexpirienced rider might spend a few month on a liter bike, not getting it about 5k, and everything goes well. A while after that he might get a touch braver, and the wheel will spin out on him at 10% throttle because it responds much differently in high and low rpm ranges..

The looks of smaller bikes are a real problem. People want sexy looking bikes, and I can completely understand that. However most smaller bikes are ugly as sin, or look space age in that 80s sort of way. I'm glad suzi is doing something about it.
 
#11 ·
You think cherries (newbie) are stupid? My friend went home on leave and had a good bit of money saved up from this deployment. Well he sees a 03 busa for sale with low miles like for 6 G's. He bought it like a dumb ass and had to push it home cause he doesn't know the first thing about a bike. I'v only ridden 600cc so I can't really comment on 1300cc, but I'm pretty sure its a death wish. I'm tryin to talk him out of keeping it and just to get a 600cc. We'll see.
 
#12 ·
ok last two post are both good points. But the one about the looks of the bikes is the biggest factor in bike selection. I think a ton of guys get into the sport because of the looks of the bikes. Not the idea of flying arond at 180mph. (Of course, with the ability comes the urge) Having girls sitting on the back, riding with the crew, etc. is what the intial urge is about not a track. And we are guys after all (most at least) and to have a 250 or a 500, the mockery would be too much to bear. I know you guys will say no its cool they are learning but not everyone is so enlightened, not in the areas I lived (Louiville, KY - Dallas, TX - Sarasota, FL) Its like wanting a RX-8 and getting a Chevy Aveo. The RX-8 could kill you but i wouldnt want to be caught in an Aveo. I know we shouldnt be so shallow but in a way we all are.

The other thing about the ninja 500 I rode is it scared the poop out of me on the high way. Cars would go buy and the turbulance would seem to want to throw the bike off the rode. I cant imagine a 250.

In the end I am not saying a FNG should go by a liter bike but give the guys a break who buy or are looking for 600's as their first bike. Tis all
 
#13 ·
drgreenthum said:
ok last two post are both good points. But the one about the looks of the bikes is the biggest factor in bike selection. I think a ton of guys get into the sport because of the looks of the bikes. Not the idea of flying arond at 180mph. (Of course, with the ability comes the urge) Having girls sitting on the back, riding with the crew, etc. is what the intial urge is about not a track. And we are guys after all (most at least) and to have a 250 or a 500, the mockery would be too much to bear. I know you guys will say no its cool they are learning but not everyone is so enlightened, not in the areas I lived (Louiville, KY - Dallas, TX - Sarasota, FL) Its like wanting a RX-8 and getting a Chevy Aveo. The RX-8 could kill you but i wouldnt want to be caught in an Aveo. I know we shouldnt be so shallow but in a way we all are.

The other thing about the ninja 500 I rode is it scared the poop out of me on the high way. Cars would go buy and the turbulance would seem to want to throw the bike off the rode. I cant imagine a 250.

In the end I am not saying a FNG should go by a liter bike but give the guys a break who buy or are looking for 600's as their first bike. Tis all
Dont know about all that. I ride a liter. Not once have I made fun of someone for having a 600 (unless it was a joke between friends) or heard any other liter rider do that. In fact if I ever do I'm going to think "SQUID" (like the guy on zx-11 wondering how come an r6 can keep up with him in the corners, yes that actually happened) If they made 500/250 that looked modern, I dont think there would be any issues
 
#15 ·
So if a 600 could smoke a liter, why couldnt a 500?
Think about it if you had a YZFGSXRZX8000RR tubro and the other guy had a ninja 250 but his last named happened to be mladin, who would win the race?
 
#16 ·
I ride an '97 Yamaha YZF600r which lacks power & good suspension to the modern 600s, but does have a comfortable riding position, more fairing coverage for the rider, better mid-range power & is quite a forgiving bike compared to modern 600s AND I ride '00 Honda 929 & '03 Honda 954.

Each bike is take out for a good tough 5 to 7 hr run in the mtn roads. I know the pros & cons of the 600r but then like the others as well. At 75 yrs of age I am not a poser on a bike nor am I carrying some young chick on the bikes.LOL
 
#17 ·
well
Beyond just bike choice, i think "newbies can be so dumb" in their choice of gear...as in the lack of it. Here at FSU, i see tons of kids...tons...without any gear at all. I saw a guy on a new gsxr1000 wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and basketball shoes. No helmet of course. To me that screams newbie because look at the liter riders on here...most of them wear full gear. I saw another guy wearing FLIP-FLOPS on a new 600 also wearing t-shirt, basketball shorts, and a baseball hat. i dont get it....and it kind of bugs me more than just newbies on a hot trotting 750... :2cents:
 
#18 · (Edited)
Desert-Lad said:
I like the advice someone else here gave a while back: It's better for a new rider to ride a smaller bike at its limits than trying to manage a bike that they can't go full throttle on.

Slaps --> And a lot of people think 600's are great starter bikes. Hell, I've seen 750s advertised as starter bikes and a SV 650s advertised as a "great starter or woman's bike." These guys must have balls bigger than Schwarzenegger's. :rolleyes:
I was more refering to this post then anything else, Vash. My orginal post was under it. No knock to you Desert-lad, again to each his own. And I am not talking about track racing I thought we were talking about Newbies

What I was getting at was that I know of several threads on this site that step on newbies because they want a 600 and "its too much for them" I was stating that for the reason alot of guys get into bikes a 250/500 wont fulfill, and to give cut those guys some slack.

As for a 500 beating a 600 or a liter through some twisties, I'd like to see that bike (race bikes excluded) The only one I have ridden couldnt drive off the corners hard enough to keep up. I thought that was the whole point of starting off a guy with something small was so he couldnt get a drive off the corner hard enough to spin his tires or lift the front tire or otherwise get him in trouble.

Perhaps I am uneducated about the small bikes. Which one did you say beat you through some twisties.:twofinger
 
#19 ·
There is a guy on a 600RR that I will most likely never catch. He pulls away from me like I was riding a bicycle. I'm convinced that he would still beat me on a 500. Its 90% rider 10% bike.
 
#20 ·
Smitty said:
At 75 yrs of age I am not a poser on a bike nor am I carrying some young chick on the bikes.LOL

What's going on here Smitty?? I thought retirement funds where saved so you can get the young ones when your looks fade? Really just seeing a 75 year old on a sportbike and not a goldwing would make my day, but seeing a 75 year old on a sportbike with a 20 year old on the back, well that's a kodak moment.:twofinger

-M-
 
#21 · (Edited)
drgreenthum said:

As for a 500 beating a 600 or a liter through some twisties, I'd like to see that bike (race bikes excluded) The only one I have ridden couldnt drive off the corners hard enough to keep up. I thought that was the whole point of starting off a guy with something small was so he couldnt get a drive off the corner hard enough to spin his tires or lift the front tire or otherwise get him in trouble.

Perhaps I am uneducated about the small bikes. Which one did you say beat you through some twisties.:twofinger
Well, this :twofinger did it for me. Here goes.:) Pay attention newbies.;)

Apparently you ARE uneducated about those smaller bikes. I do it EVERY day I take my daughters EX-500 out on our 500+ mile, twisty, day ride. If it's a ride where the twisties seldom will handle over 110 MPH corner speed and few straights or riders willing to do more than 110 on those straights, as our mountain rides are, the best riders will keep up, the rest will be left in the dust. Ever hear of carrying speed into the corner? Dint' think so. If you've got a 600 or litre, a lot of +110 sweepers and straights, you'll win.... if there's enough of them.;) Otherwise, holding it to 110 and less, hang tight, stay smooth, and if you're pretty good you'll be in the hunt.;) And that's a stock EX-500, stock exhaust, stock rider complete with original gray hair, and weighing in at about 200#.:eek: I wouldn't want less than the 500 for this purpose but it's enough.

I get REALLY tired of the posts that treat those bikes as less than what they are by riders who know less than what they think. How many times I've had riders say at a stop, "Gheez, you're running 130 and I can't keep up!" NO, you're running a hundred thirty trying to catch up... on the straights. That 500 strains its milk to do any more than 110. With enough practice, they'll eventually be able to do it.;)

And that's STOCK. Those stock tires like to slide when ridden that hard.... especially the front.... right up to the apex where you pick up the throttle, bring it in, and GO! I've started to rework the suspension and mounted up some good rubber now. They really respond well to those mods, making them even more fun, and affording a sound bed of basic knowledge and feel that's hard to arrive at if you've never felt one less than optimum. Knowledge and feel that's useable forever, on your eventual latest, greatest.

The few really good riders know what it's about and enjoy the fun in it all. The really good ones could also do the same thing. They also have a LOT of seat time, getting to their level. They also won't make snide remarks about your smaller bike. Neither will the litre beater, throttle twister, jaw jockies.... after you SPANK THEM SILLY!

Why do you suppose AMA races have lap times so similar between the 600's and the 1000's? Many of the same riders, good riders! The small difference is only because of the straights. Why do you suppose Loudon has good riders on EX-500's running damn near the track record? Not many high speed straights on that track is why.

Newbies, get the smaller bike and ride it for a long time. You'll learn more in a shorter amount of time than on the bigger bikes PLUS, when you've really learned how to ride, it's SO much fun to spank them silly if they've given you any cause.:) Also, you only get better the longer you ride. 36 years at it and still improving!;)

Going back and riding that smaller bike is an absolute hoot every now and again, in case you couldn't tell. I could live with it as my only bike.... well, with the reworked suspension and decent rubber, please.:thumb: :D Riding it that hard, into the range where the suspension wallows and the OEM tires are starting to slide demands a lot of attention.:D Thankfully, when you get there, there's things you can do about it and learn about that stuff, too.
 
#22 ·
mstrand_68 said:
Really just seeing a 75 year old on a sportbike and not a goldwing would make my day, but seeing a 75 year old on a sportbike with a 20 year old on the back, well that's a kodak moment.:twofinger

-M-
... no, that's his grandaughter. :D

Got to LOVE Smitty! Lets you know there's plenty to look forward to.:thumb:
 
#24 ·
Dad said:

Why do you suppose AMA races have lap times so similar between the 600's and the 1000's? Many of the same riders, good riders! The small difference is only because of the straights. Why do you suppose Loudon has good riders on EX-500's running damn near the track record? Not many high speed straights on that track is why.
For those of you that follow Pro MX, last year James Stewart was turining lap times on a 125 that was only beaten by Charmichael and Reed riding 250s. It's the rider.
 
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