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which of these bikes for a newb?

  • Honda CBR600f4i or any cbr fseries

    Votes: 9 33.3%
  • Kawasaki 250

    Votes: 4 14.8%
  • Buell Blast

    Votes: 2 7.4%
  • Aprilia rs250

    Votes: 1 3.7%
  • Suzuki gs500f

    Votes: 11 40.7%

Which bike to get:reloaded

4K views 40 replies 13 participants last post by  AaronWilliams 
#1 ·
I am 17 years old and I have no riding experience. I have been doing immense research on what to get for my first bike and i just cant decide so Ill rest my final descision on this poll. I am 5'11 and 145lbs. I want a bike for recreational purposes and worthy of a short commute. I am also a teenager and ego is greatly involved in everything i do so the bike has to look good so i wont be too embarresed to be even take it out of the garage. It also cant be so slow that im too embarrased to be seen riding it, or too fast to kill me. Ive also realized while driving cars that im a speed addict and ill need a quick fix of throttle every now and then, but Im pretty careful not to overdose.
 
#4 ·
"immense research" on THIS site will reveal the top few most recommended bikes are: Kawi 250 and 500, the Suzuki GS500 and SV650. My preference...the SV650 (used, of course)
 
#7 ·
supersquid said:
yea i read that thread, its what gave me the idea hence the same subject name:reloaded. I know im being a poser so keep flaming me all u want z fanatic
how was I flaming you?

if you already knew what bikes to look for, then what's the point of posting the same topic? the next logical step would be for you to go and see those bikes for yourself, sit on it, test it, find out which appeals to you, etc. all those bikes are good bikes regardless.
 
#8 ·
At 17 with no experience I would say don't even look at the 600's, unless it's an old one (10 or so years?).

I would also advise against the Blast, but that is just my opinion. I think Harley lets you take test rides so what I would do in your shoes is sign up for and take the MSF to get some experience, go get your license, and then possibly test ride a Blast to see how you feel about it. Same with the other bikes if possible.

I could be wrong, but isn't the RS250 a two stroke, and not street legal? I could be wrong, but worth looking in to. :dunno:

From your list I'd add the Kawasaki Ninja 500 as a possible option too. :thumb:
 
#9 ·
The Suzy GS500 & not the '04 NEW model with the fairing. To much plastic to break when learning or servicing PLUS the fact it will be at the highest & besides your budget is very low for protective riding gear & definately a 'used' bike.

If not good enouigh then save up more money for '05 like so many others have done & are doing.
 
#10 ·
zfanatic, i consider ur sarcasm to be flaming to certain degree and the reason i posted this was because as u sed theyre all good bikes like u sed so thats y i made the poll because there all good so thats y im havin difficulty choosin

spicrsh ur right about the rs250 being a two stroke street illegal track bike but i think its the nicest lookin bike in any class and it is probly the hardest to find used out of all the ones i listed.
 
#11 ·
rs250 is street legal, but hardly anyone uses it in street, nor specifically to learn on it. but rs250 is rare in the states, so rs50 is a bit more common.

as for others choosing the bikes for you is dumb. you have to go see what fits you. you can discuss about the bike here for hours, but it still will not give you the definitive impression you need when you'd sit on it.

The key here is to sit on these bikes, determine how well it fits your body and posture, and take it for a test-drive.

So generally it's been adviced to try any one of these to start on:

1. Kawasaki Ninja 250/500
2. Suzuki SV650/SV650S
3. Honda VTR 250
4. Suzuki Katana 600
5. Suzuki GS500F
6. Early 90s F2/F3
7. Others...


Number 1 being the safest to learn on, but people have reservations against it. Since it looks it came straight out of the 80s, and it might not be comfortable for people of certain stature.

Number 2 is probably a lot more popular, generally appeals to the wider crowd. Good looks, naked (means if you drop it, you won't have any fairings to replace). And with the given power, it satisfies the rider for quite some time before moving onto inline 4s. Still have to be careful of the low-end power when you roll the throttle. The '03 of this bike is the best bet out of all the bikes listed IMO, since it comes with fuel injection (no carbs cleaning, hehe), and a neat looking digital speedo.

3. This is also a decent bike, after all, it's Honda. But much rarer to find one for sale, most are usually '89 or prior to 90s.

4. It's an inline 4, comfortable ride like a tourer. But a bit on the heavy side.

5. More or less the same as number 1. But people find number 1 bikes a bit more flickable, less heavy, more power, and more popular.

6. This is for all the people who want inline 4 600 power straight out of the box. The earlier 600s don't have nearly as much powers as today's do, but you can still mess up on it faster compared to the ones above. Basically, gently roll the throttle everytime during first several months of learning stage.

7. Is all the rest... '03-04 R6, Gixxer 600, ZX-6R, CBR-6RR, people who are bit impatient and fixated with looks, go straight for the race replicas. Also bigger balls and sometimes less brain matter is required.

The middle-ground between 6 and 7 are bikes such as '03-04 F4i and YZF600R. Power of today's inline 4, but much lenient on the rider in case he/she screws up.

So you have to see what's compatible to your criteria: price, how well the bike suits you, availability depending on your location, condition of the bike, deals you get, etc, etc.
 
#12 ·
Z_Fanatic said:
rs250 is street legal, but hardly anyone uses it in street, nor specifically to learn on it. but rs250 is rare in the states, so rs50 is a bit more common.




The RS250 is not street legal in the states, without putting some work into it, its a 2 stroke over 50cc.And its not rare if you go to a race track, its just rare on the streets because most people don`t want to put the time/effort into making it legal... aside from the fact day trips on it would suck, seeing as it is a 2 stroke and you can`t put straight gas into it.



Warning: This motorcycle is exclusively for use on sanctioned motorcycle race tracks only. It does not meet EPA or DOT specifications for street use vehicles, and can, therefore, seriously endanger your safety if used for street riding.

http://www.mototek.com/motorcycles3.htm


Aside from it not being street legal, you`re not going to find one thats rideable for $3-4k.
 
#13 ·
if it has headlights and indicators and what not, it is street legal per se, at least in here in Florida. if you go test it for emissions, that's a different story. and it is rare in the States, you can go to aprilia website and see it for yourself that they stopped importing here. I never seen one in the track here either. There are few that pop up once in a while in the classifieds, but they're street legal. I don't what sort of preparations the owner had it done, but it's quite legal.
 
#14 ·
Z_Fanatic said:
if it has headlights and indicators and what not, it is street legal per se, at least in here in Florida. if you go test it for emissions, that's a different story. and it is rare in the States, you can go to aprilia website and see it for yourself that they stopped importing here. I never seen one in the track here either. There are few that pop up once in a while in the classifieds, but they're street legal. I don't what sort of preparations the owner had it done, but it's quite legal.
If it has headlights and what not, its legal until you roll passed a cop that has half a brain and knows what a 2-stroke sounds like. You notice even 2-stroke dirt bikes are a rare bread lately? 2-strokes havn`t been legal on the streets since 85, unless you really want it legal, theres a way for everything with enough time and money, like anything, but its not really in a newbies budget to buy an $8k bike and go through making it legal.
 
#15 · (Edited)
well if it's just the bike being 2 stroke, the RS50 is definitely street legal and more abundant in the tracks. It's just that no one uses it in the street. I know a person who used the RS50 to learn and ride around his town. I've also seen dirtbikes around here, very few though in the past 5 years, but had indicators. Most people obviously prefer mopeds/motorcycles for street.
 
#16 ·
I was under the impression that all two strokes were not street legal. Perhaps this was just California. I haven't looked into it in Indiana. Also in Cali, no bike under 250cc's could use the freeways.
 
#19 ·
Slip-On Rapist said:
I learned on a 99 F4. I did just fine.


LOL, sorry I had to be a dick and throw that in there.
Silence!! It is absolutely impossible for a new rider to learn to ride on a 600cc bike. Your experience, and the experiences of many others who claim to have done it, are all a figment of your imagination and hold no value when compared to others.

[/sarcasm]

I learned on an F4 too, as did my wife. Oh, and just about everybody I've ever met in person who rides sportbikes. :thumb:
 
#20 ·
are there big performance differences between the f2 f3 and f4? and do u think the learning curve for riding and older 600 is a lot worse then starting out on something a lot smaller? I heard the people who start out on the fastest repilcas 600cc and higher never learn to ride the right way, especially if u learn on a literbike. These ppl can basically only ride ok if theyre going in a straight line and theyre disasters in parking lots and low speed.
 
#21 ·
My above advice steering you towards a smaller bike was based more on your age than anything. At 17 you haven't been driving very long so are still familiarizing yourself with the rules of the road. Also, and let's be honest here, most 17 year olds aren't exactly very good at keeping themselves under control. I started riding at age 22 and looking back on it I am glad I waited until I was a lot more mature. I know nothing of your level of maturity, and don't think I could accurately gauge it on here anyway, so that is why I would err on the side of caution in my recommendation to you.
 
#22 ·
supersquid said:
are there big performance differences between the f2 f3 and f4? and do u think the learning curve for riding and older 600 is a lot worse then starting out on something a lot smaller? I heard the people who start out on the fastest repilcas 600cc and higher never learn to ride the right way, especially if u learn on a literbike. These ppl can basically only ride ok if theyre going in a straight line and theyre disasters in parking lots and low speed.
To answer your questions, the performance differences between the bikes listed are probably summed up by a bit less weight from one year to the next and a bit more horsepower from one year to the next. Overall I don't know how noticable the differences are as I've not ridden the F3 and F2 to compare.

Personally I don't think the learning curve is that different, but that has been a topic of debate here in the past, and one which I care little to get into yet again. Look around and you can find threads dealing with first bikes for new riders.

I would agree that nothing above a 600cc would be good to learn on, and as far as the 600's, only the older ones. The new models are 1.) more expensive and 2.) becoming lighter and faster to the point that I think they are getting away from being good learners. I'd have to ride some to say for certain though. :dunno:
 
#23 ·
supersquid said:
are there big performance differences between the f2 f3 and f4? and do u think the learning curve for riding and older 600 is a lot worse then starting out on something a lot smaller? I heard the people who start out on the fastest repilcas 600cc and higher never learn to ride the right way, especially if u learn on a literbike. These ppl can basically only ride ok if theyre going in a straight line and theyre disasters in parking lots and low speed.
I can't even tie my shoelaces right the first time and was riding just fine. After all, I am a dumb jarhead. :)
 
#24 ·
spicersh said:
Silence!! It is absolutely impossible for a new rider to learn to ride on a 600cc bike. Your experience, and the experiences of many others who claim to have done it, are all a figment of your imagination and hold no value when compared to others.

[/sarcasm]

I learned on an F4 too, as did my wife. Oh, and just about everybody I've ever met in person who rides sportbikes. :thumb:
LMFAO, you know it's only a matter of time before someone reads our posts and flames us, right? HA HA HA!
 
#25 ·
Slip-On Rapist said:
LMFAO, you know it's only a matter of time before someone reads our posts and flames us, right? HA HA HA!
Why I’m positively giddy with excitement just waiting for it.
 
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