First time motorcycle
- Thread starter hoamskilet
- Start date
I Rode dirt bikes most of my life, up until just a few years ago. But the switch to road going bike was a whole different thing.
A dirt bike will have you going from bar to bar often, making inputs in large movements. The gyroscopic effect of the road bike is what I noticed first. Small inputs with more lean. Last fun bike I Rode was 04 Buell XB9R, V-twin reliability with sport looks. With gas as is, might have to adjust the points on the 1974 Yamaha RD200. Oil injected 2 stroke.
A dirt bike will have you going from bar to bar often, making inputs in large movements. The gyroscopic effect of the road bike is what I noticed first. Small inputs with more lean. Last fun bike I Rode was 04 Buell XB9R, V-twin reliability with sport looks. With gas as is, might have to adjust the points on the 1974 Yamaha RD200. Oil injected 2 stroke.
Not going to read through all the comments, I'm sure there are some good and bad recs.
End of the day, do NOT get any supersport (no GSXR, R6/1, CBR-RR, etc)...they are the absolute worst bikes for a beginner and not just because of the power.
If I were you I'd consider something like a Honda CB300, Ninja 300, SV650, FZ6, Z650, etc...any of the small displacement 'sport bike looking' bikes or 650 sport touring bikes are great to learn on.
Another great option would be a DRZ400 (S or SM, SM would be most fun if you can find one in budget).
Get a good helmet and good gloves at a minimum to not be miserable after you go for a slide.
Being new, definitely take the MSF course and practice braking drills a lot in a big open area. The brakes are one of the most powerful system on modern bikes that so many people fail to learn how to properly use...best to figure out the limits of their use before you potentially get yourself into an emergency situation.
End of the day, do NOT get any supersport (no GSXR, R6/1, CBR-RR, etc)...they are the absolute worst bikes for a beginner and not just because of the power.
If I were you I'd consider something like a Honda CB300, Ninja 300, SV650, FZ6, Z650, etc...any of the small displacement 'sport bike looking' bikes or 650 sport touring bikes are great to learn on.
Another great option would be a DRZ400 (S or SM, SM would be most fun if you can find one in budget).
Get a good helmet and good gloves at a minimum to not be miserable after you go for a slide.
Being new, definitely take the MSF course and practice braking drills a lot in a big open area. The brakes are one of the most powerful system on modern bikes that so many people fail to learn how to properly use...best to figure out the limits of their use before you potentially get yourself into an emergency situation.
A lot of this depends on your size. A used metric cruiser is hard to beat. If you’re taller a bike like a V strom, as someone previously mentioned, is a good bike. I would look for something in the 600cc to 1100cc range. My wife had a 250cc she was learning on that I could only get to go 60mph. The gas mileage was incredible though. Larger engine bikes will use more fuel. Let us know how it goes.
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I'd get something like this yamaha xrs. They are pretty affordable. When your drop it, you wont do much damage, especially if you use frame sliders. It has enough power you wont be bored on it and want to sell in a year. It is comfortable enough for all day rides. Problem with buying a small displacement bike is that you mine as well be ridding a scooter. It will not be something that you ever want to take on the highway because it will be slow and have poor harmonics due to reving the shit out of it at highway speeds.
One of the biggest mistakes new riders make is buying a bike that is too small. A 300cc bike is a great bike to learn to ride on and you'll love it, for a week. After that you will be wishing for a real motorcycle. I'd get something in the 600cc to 900cc range, that way when the newness of riding wears off you have a bike that you can still enjoy. Just take it easy until you have some experience.
**** it get a Busa or a ZX14.
Hell yeah!! go big or go home.
I got a chance to ride a friends turbo Busa. You couldn't have beaten the smile off my face with a bat. When I got back with it I told him not to ever let me ride it again. I'm to dumb for something like that.
Stop perpetuating that 'scooter' BS, only people with no talent at riding that just want to cruise highways say that crap lol.
I'd get something like this yamaha xrs. They are pretty affordable. When your drop it, you wont do much damage, especially if you use frame sliders. It has enough power you wont be bored on it and want to sell in a year. It is comfortable enough for all day rides. Problem with buying a small displacement bike is that you mine as well be ridding a scooter. It will not be something that you ever want to take on the highway because it will be slow and have poor harmonics due to reving the shit out of it at highway speeds.
An R3 (300 small cc PP) for example is just as fast to 60 and the 1/4 mile as a GT Mustang from just over a decade ago, impossible to get bored on if truly learning how to hone talent. Also you can easily cruise the highway at 80 mph on modern 300/400s.
Hell, an early 2000s Ninja 250 does 0-60 in not much slower than SN95 GTs...
I'm sure you and your boyfriend look great cruising on your 300cc sports scooter. I didn't say a small engine wont do 80, it will not be comfortable doing 80. I guess only talented people ride 300 and 400s, that's obviously why all of the motorcycle racing series are on those size bikes. The reality is a 50 horsepower bike is just plain boring as ****. That is why you see so many 1 year old bikes for sale in those sizes.
They absolutely are comfortable cruising at 80, and if you watched motorcycle racing you'd know that even in MotoAmerica there's classes racing those 'scooters' (not to mention those silly guys racing in Moto3).
You're only 30 minutes from RRR, why don't you take your bike over there and see just how much faster you are than a good rider on a 300?
You see so many bikes for sale in that size because of ego riding, plain and simple.
You're only 30 minutes from RRR, why don't you take your bike over there and see just how much faster you are than a good rider on a 300?
You see so many bikes for sale in that size because of ego riding, plain and simple.
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Can you read?They absolutely are comfortable cruising at 80, and if you watched motorcycle racing you'd know that even in MotoAmerica there's classes racing those 'scooters' (not to mention those silly guys racing in Moto3).
You're only 30 minutes from RRR, why don't you take your bike over there and see just how much faster you are than a good rider on a 300?
You see so many bikes for sale in that size because of ego riding, plain and simple.
You are either 90, or need to beef up those triceps and low back… lol
man of good taste… i started on an F4 and about 6 months later switched over to a 954… should have just started on the 954.
As stated OP, there are 2 types of riders…
Those who have been down and those who will go down… but this is irrespective of power… it pertains more to poor skill set, lack of awareness and shitty decision making. Sprinkle a little bit bad luck in there too.
The harder part of learning to ride a bike is maneuvering at low speeds. Make sure to get real nice and acquainted with a big open parking lot before you tackle streets. Also, watch out for target fixation.
Make smart decision, mein! But if you do make the occasional shitty one, make sure your skill set can bail you out…
Good luck, bro
Those who have been down and those who will go down… but this is irrespective of power… it pertains more to poor skill set, lack of awareness and shitty decision making. Sprinkle a little bit bad luck in there too.
The harder part of learning to ride a bike is maneuvering at low speeds. Make sure to get real nice and acquainted with a big open parking lot before you tackle streets. Also, watch out for target fixation.
Make smart decision, mein! But if you do make the occasional shitty one, make sure your skill set can bail you out…
Good luck, bro
That is where the MSF course is nice. For a $25 rental fee, you can use their bike to drop while learning low speed maneuvering.
Definitely agree…
Military made made me take bitch… Failed the course in EPIC proportions (due to premature over confidence which backfired in my face… like rip starting anal beads out of the ol’ lady like a 5 year ol’ lawn mower, after a night of heavy drinking and Tacobell)… lmaoooo.
After that, reconsidered if bike riding was for me…. After reaching lucidity, I decided to send it, go full retard and get a 600cc. Never looked back…. Until the semi got me, that is… lol
It’s not the tris or low back… It’s the seat and ass bone. Maybe my ass isn’t phat enough like yours…
But you do you boo-boo I’ll stick to my
Electra-Glide Classic. I can ride a thousand miles EASY just stopping for fuel. Can you do that on a 600 GSXR?
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