600cc Sportbike for an 18 year old?

[s_x_i]

Guys,

my brother in law is 18 and a highschool senior. He rides a 250 Ninja, has less than 1,500 miles and 1 year of riding experience. He's put the bike down twice, but both times were in his first month.

He's wanting a 2010 R6 or CBR600 and I'm afraid for him to have a bike with that much power his senior year. I'm not sure his dad understands just how fast 600's are.

I'm not a rider, but I was 18 once and I know how kids, friends, peer pressure, a little showing off and not paying attention can end up. If I had a 10 second bike at 18, I would have been twisting the throttle to see how fast it would go. I feel that maybe if he was out of school, or had more miles or seat time under his belt that getting him a 600 would be ok, but I'm trying to be a voice of reason to the parents of a kid who has pretty much everything given to him.

Please post your personal experiences - positive or negative as to whether or not him getting this bike given to him would be a good idea. I plan on showing his parents this thread and maybe it will help them to make an informed decision. I'm not trying to piss on his parade, but I have had two buddies get killed in the last 3 months on bikes and I happen to kinda like this kid. I really don't want to see him go the same way.

So 600 CC bike for an inexperienced kid... Yes or No?

 

[Steve03SVT]

I would have to say NO. Even though its a 600, it's still silly fast. I high-sided my 600 trying to keep up with more experienced riders. The ass smoked, started coming out from under and then BANG, off I went. This happened when I was probably 21-22. If I had a 600 in high school, I probably wouldn't be sitting here typing this right now. I know people are gonna say the bike will only go as fast as the rider makes it, but we all know how peer pressure and showing off goes. More seat time and possibly a riders course would be a must. Best of luck man.

 

[x NOODLES x]

If he's been riding the 250 for a year solid. Why not? different animals for sure, but its a logical step. :shrug:

 

[65fastback2+2]

i say go for it.

 

[bmxer89]

He will be fine he has had a year of experience, but then again you said he has only rode for 1500 miles. I say yea after he gets more miles on the 250.

 

[s_x_i]

Yeah that sentence came out wrong. It should have read Less than 1,500 miles and Less than 1 year.

Sorry.

My argument is get some more miles on the 250 and mature a bit more as a rider and a young adult before making the jump.

 

[65fastback2+2]

ive seen people start on 600's and 1000's and be fine...and ive seen people that cant handle a 250 or ride a bike

cant really blanket a rider

 

[HandoZiZle]

It's all up to the rider but 600s are no joke. I would make him wait at least one more season before stepping up.

I started on a 600 at 20 years old and I had some dirtbike experience, but, it's really nothing compared to a sport-bikes.

 

[ModularFan]

Hell no, a 600 is a no go maybe another year or 2, 1500 miles and a year of an experience is nothing. Although I am fairly impressed he had a Ninja 250 as a first bike, most people would recommend that anyways. There's no need for him to get that kind of bike right now, plus insurance will be through the roof with a 600cc its like buying a sports car.

I knew a Kid with a Gixxer 600 or 800 is was one or the other in high school, me and this other guy were outside and saw him do a wheelie out in the street in front of the school. we both looked at each other and said that aint a bike for a beginner. Nothing happened to him I just think that's to much bike for an 18 year old.

 

[thomas91169]

depends on how responsible he is.

id say a 600 would be fine if he isnt an idiot, in which if he is, hell probably become a red skid just as quick on a 250 as opposed to a 1000+.

 

[PonyFever]

It really depends on his maturity level. Some people are never ready for anything more than a beach bicycle. Make the right decision and he'll be fine.

 

[albino96]

I rode a 250 for almost that long and stepped up to an '07 GSXR 600. I totaled it hte day I made the first payment. Went wide on an akward onramp and slammed into the side of a car at about 45 on the freeway.

This was a few weeks later:

I'm a responsible 21 year old. The main problem is that he's so young. a 600 is an ok step in my mind (a 650 would be better), but he's still in high school.

I don't ride anymore. I absolutely loved it and not riding makes me want to cry, but it's not worth dying for.

 

[04SVT_COBRA]

Completely depends on the person. He may be responsible 99% of the time while riding, but he only has to be irresponsible or stupid once to ruin his life.

As long as he fully understands that, he is the best judge of whether or not he can handle it.

 

[Niks97cobra]

I have had a good friend killed within the last year on his bike. I have at least three friends who have been injured badly on a bike within the last year. My father owns three bikes, a ninja and two harleys and my brother owns two bikes, a harley and a buell. My brother has worked at Augusta Harley Davidson for years, recently leaving to pursue a firefighters job he has always wanted. I have rode several bikes over the last 9 years. No one is safe on a bike. They are great fun, but no driver is safe. You cannot control what the 15 year old kid in the suv is going to do. No one is safe from getting seriously injured on a bike. He should not be riding his bike for any kind of safety reason.

That being said, you aren't safe doing anything. I smoke cigarettes, but don't care to risk my life riding a motorcycle. Do either of these decisions make me a more sensible person?

The realistic fact of life is that none of us know when or how we are going to die. Are you not going to take your car down the track if someone says it is too dangerous?

It is not your place to tell someone that a sport bike is out of their league. You could cause a serious fracture in the family. What if the parents forbid him to get the bike at your behest? The kid is eighteen. He can leave and do whatever he wants. Instead of betraying his trust and showing his parents this thread, trying showing it to him.

You are not his father. You are his sister's husband. This is not your call, or your concern, IMO. If I told on my girlfriend's younger sisters every time I knew they were doing something dangerous or immature, I would have torn that family apart. They do some pretty dumb shit, some of which includes bikes that have way more than a 600 cc engine.

 

[mifordman]

depends on the person imo, i have had dirt bikes since i can remember and got my first rode bike when i was 18, at 19 i had an r1, im not saying that i never screwed off, but i was smart enough to know when/where it was ok to do that sort of thing. if he can control him self even with the peer pressure, i'd say go for it.

 

[96stanggt]

That's too much bike for somebody that young. I'm saying this as somebody who's first bike was a 600 and the bike I learned to ride on was a 600. The newer ones are scary fast right out the box, high 10 second bikes that can trap 130mph. My 600 has your basic bolt-ons and while nothing special on the highway, it's nasty in 1st and 2nd gear.

Yeah it's all about wrist control, but one little slip up thinking he's still on that little 250 and he gives a new 600 too much throttle and it's game over. We were all there at one point, you're very easily influenced at that age. I was a very responsible kid, but I did stupid shit in my 96 GT (dog slow) that I had in HS that parents would have killed me for. Had I been on a 600cc bike things would probably be much different.

 

[JMoraru]

depends on the person imo, i have had dirt bikes since i can remember and got my first rode bike when i was 18, at 19 i had an r1, im not saying that i never screwed off, but i was smart enough to know when/where it was ok to do that sort of thing. if he can control him self even with the peer pressure, i'd say go for it.

this is exactly like me. i have years of motocross experience. i had a 01 cobra at 18 which i never wrecked and now im 20 with a 07 mustang gt with over 450rwhp and a 07 gsxr750. you never know when something can happen, but there are 30 year olds that drive worse than a smart 18 year old will. as someone said though, you cant control the actions of other drivers, but he already has a bike.

 

[97cobra1]

I started on a 600 class bike at 19. It depends on his mentality. If he's a showboat, i'd say no. if he is a little more responsible then by all means let him get the supersport.

 

[03DOHC]

If he's already been down twice with a 250 then I'd say no, he should get more practice before stepping up. My first bike was an 1150cc sportbike at 18yo and still to this day I haven't been down, of course that's only a matter of time with motorcycles. Some people can start off on more powerful bikes and some can't, and some shouldn't be riding at all.

 

[thomas91169]

I have had a good friend killed within the last year on his bike. I have at least three friends who have been injured badly on a bike within the last year. My father owns three bikes, a ninja and two harleys and my brother owns two bikes, a harley and a buell. My brother has worked at Augusta Harley Davidson for years, recently leaving to pursue a firefighters job he has always wanted. I have rode several bikes over the last 9 years. No one is safe on a bike. They are great fun, but no driver is safe. You cannot control what the 15 year old kid in the suv is going to do. No one is safe from getting seriously injured on a bike. He should not be riding his bike for any kind of safety reason.

nobody is safe on a bike. if you get on a bike thinking you wont fall or drop it and wont be a statistic, you will be one quicker than those that know the truth. As the saying goes, there are two types of riders; ones that have fallen, and ones that are going to fall. If you can literally say that to yourself each time you get on that bike, then you are really about riding and a fall wont stop you from getting on. fake asses who have one fall and a little road rash and dont get back on didnt belong on in the first place.