600cc Sportbike for an 18 year old?
- Thread starter s_x_i
- Start date
Im 19 (almost 20) and a sophomore in college. I just started on a 2006 Honda CBR 600rr. I feel it is plenty manageable as long as you respect its power. Granted Ive just started riding it. But as long as your brother in law is responsible, i see no problem. Its really all about the person.
i had a 600rr at 18 and i dont know how i didn't kill myself or get in alot of trouble on that thing. i would get off work at 9pm and top it out coming across the lake at least 3 times out of a a regular 5day school week. thats 162mph. i did wheelies all the time in traffic, would pass people in the emergency lane, pass between cars on the white line. just being stright up STUPID. now as long as he doesn't ride the 250 that way, he will be fine. but if he rides the crap out of a 250 you can bet he will ride the crap out of the 600
You obviously do not know what you are talking about. And who are you to give advice when you can't even follow advice that is given to you?
Its funny that when a thread like this is started, almost no one comes in and says "hey I started on a 600, I dicked around on it, and almost killed myself... dont let him get it."
Its always, "I started on a busa 8 years ago and I am alive"
Or "I just got a 600 as my first bike 3 weeks ago and so far I am doing fine, just gotta respect the bike"
There is a reason for this, alot of the 18-24 year olds who had a mishap on their SS or SB arent with us anymore to type their response... cuz their dead! Alot of people die riding motorcycles each year, and there is a reason that most of them are between the ages of 18-26 and on SS/SB. Dont kid yourself, the thread topic might as well read "kid wants first bike to be a SS", because 1,500 miles aint shit! I put more than that on my bike this season just on the track alone.
Tell him to forget spending money on a shiny new SS that he will drop (guaranted, especially since he already dropped his bike twice in 1,500 miles). Instead, keep his 250, buy full gear, and spend the rest of the money on trackdays... and learn to ride that 250 for all its worth! One day at the track with that 250 and he will realize how slow he is, and how fast the 250 really is. He will be 100x as happy spending his money that way, believe me... hell, I give it a 50/50 chance he wont even want to ride the street anymore.
Its always, "I started on a busa 8 years ago and I am alive"
Or "I just got a 600 as my first bike 3 weeks ago and so far I am doing fine, just gotta respect the bike"
There is a reason for this, alot of the 18-24 year olds who had a mishap on their SS or SB arent with us anymore to type their response... cuz their dead! Alot of people die riding motorcycles each year, and there is a reason that most of them are between the ages of 18-26 and on SS/SB. Dont kid yourself, the thread topic might as well read "kid wants first bike to be a SS", because 1,500 miles aint shit! I put more than that on my bike this season just on the track alone.
Tell him to forget spending money on a shiny new SS that he will drop (guaranted, especially since he already dropped his bike twice in 1,500 miles). Instead, keep his 250, buy full gear, and spend the rest of the money on trackdays... and learn to ride that 250 for all its worth! One day at the track with that 250 and he will realize how slow he is, and how fast the 250 really is. He will be 100x as happy spending his money that way, believe me... hell, I give it a 50/50 chance he wont even want to ride the street anymore.
Last edited:
you can get hurt just as fast on a 250 as you can a 600. 600s have no low end power so its pretty forgiving. you really have to be in the rpms to feel the power kick in
Why are you never happy about people learning on bikes? First you say learn how to ride a 250. Now that kid has learned on one and wants to step it up you're still against it. He dropped the bike twice in the first month!
Good job for you that you spent a lot of time on a track. When are you going to learn not everyone wants to track their damn bike?
But to the OP, if his parents are cool with shelling out 10k for a brand new bike that is more than likely going to be dropped again, then that is on them. Most people will say get an older used bike, because they don't have the money. Like the guy I quoted though, PEOPLE not just kids will always be a little stupid on their bikes.
OMG I mistaken it for having 800cc I meant to say 750 etc, just because I said one thing wrong about the gixxer, and who the hell are you to be telling people who and who not to give advice to? There's no reason to be a dick. And don't you dare tell me insurance isn't high on a 600cc bike for an 18 year old.
Last edited:
Not only did you screw up the kind of bike, but your "expeirence" with SB is sitting at your highschool and seeing some guy do a wheelie infront of it
You are the best person here to give adviceoke: So you're also saying you don't know how much insurance is for a person with a bike:dw: LOL note: computer is being funky and spell check is off.....
if it were my kid, i would not let him get a brand new '10 bike because it is going to be dropped most likely on the very first trip. i would get something like an 02 gsxr 600, given he has not had that much time on the street and he already dropped it twice.
i got my motorcycle license when i was 18, rode a friends 03 r1 for a couple weeks around the town, and his dad let me on his 'busa once (scary). i currently own a 1995 gsx 600 and i cant find myself being any more happier than if i had a '10 1098r ducati. sure, it be cool to have one, but i find plenty of pleasure in my old beat up, carb'd 600 suzuki. i have yet to drop it but the previous owner has low sided it on both sides.
all bikes are manageable. the level of maturity is what would concern me the most. i know that i can handle a 1000cc bike. i know that they are fast. but give me my lil 600 and im just merry lol.
i got my motorcycle license when i was 18, rode a friends 03 r1 for a couple weeks around the town, and his dad let me on his 'busa once (scary). i currently own a 1995 gsx 600 and i cant find myself being any more happier than if i had a '10 1098r ducati. sure, it be cool to have one, but i find plenty of pleasure in my old beat up, carb'd 600 suzuki. i have yet to drop it but the previous owner has low sided it on both sides.
all bikes are manageable. the level of maturity is what would concern me the most. i know that i can handle a 1000cc bike. i know that they are fast. but give me my lil 600 and im just merry lol.
Less low end power and more forgiving than a liter bike...yes. But no low end power and pretty forgiving....hell no. In that same mind frame, you can get hurt just as easily as a 600 as you can on a 1000, or a 1400....so screw all this 600cc bs lets just get the kid a ZX-14 for his first bike!
Not only did you screw up the kind of bike, but your "expeirence" with SB is sitting at your highschool and seeing some guy do a wheelie infront of it
note: computer is being funky and spell check is off.....
Oh come on dude, your basing my opinion on what I saw in front of my school, it was an example for christ sake, get over yourself. Are you like a pro of some sort that me or anyone else on this forum knows about? And why are you saying I have no idea how much insurance is for on a bike especially a 600cc.
+1 to this. A coworker of mine did the same thing, but she started on an older 500cc. Now that she's upgraded to a newer 600 (don't recall the type, I haven't seen it yet), she swears she won't ride on the street anymore, and will stick to the track. Understandable, there are just too many stupid people on the street.
He hasent learned yet! 1,500 miles isnt enough.
Also, I always mention riding on the track because alot of people dont think about it, and if they do they might be intimidated to get started with it. I dont think I have ever met a person that has ridden there bike on a road course and has not been hooked! It is an amazing place to learn, very safe, and FULL of knowledge and people who actually know how to ride SS/SB, not just blastem down the highway at 150mph.
And of course all ages can be stupid, but you are in the dark if you think younger kids arent generally capable of being more stupider =)
Last edited:
I say let em. If he wants to be a moron, then that is his priority. My friend learned on a GSXR 1000 I am still waiting to get a phone call. He rides wheelies with another person on the back. I just lol. Basically that is all it is when you put inexperience and horsepower together and add a little youth on the side, a phone call with a funeral notice. You couldnt pay me enough to ride one of those things. I value my life and the ability to function on my own that to have some idiot motorist not pay attention and slam into you.
go on any 600cc bike forum and they will all tell you 600cc bikes aren't for people starting out no matter what the age. they will all say what the other guy is saying "get a 250 and buy track gear"
here is my take on those people. you DONT know the person who you are telling "you cant start out on a 600" i had people talk so much shit to me on 600rr.com because i was going to start out on a 600 even tho i had been on dirtbikes, etc my whole life. guess what, i got a 600 anyway and NEVER dropped it. my insurance at 18 years old and no points was $31/mo for full coverage with $500 deductable. that was on a 04 cbr600rr.
its hard to say if he can handle a 600 or not because none of us know the kid. anyone who says he cant handle a 600 more then likely OWNS a 600 and it gets them off and boost their ego when they tell people a 600 is too big to start on.
the kid has 1500miles experience, if hes smart and doesn't do stupid stuff he will be fine on anything he wants.
here is my take on those people. you DONT know the person who you are telling "you cant start out on a 600" i had people talk so much shit to me on 600rr.com because i was going to start out on a 600 even tho i had been on dirtbikes, etc my whole life. guess what, i got a 600 anyway and NEVER dropped it. my insurance at 18 years old and no points was $31/mo for full coverage with $500 deductable. that was on a 04 cbr600rr.
its hard to say if he can handle a 600 or not because none of us know the kid. anyone who says he cant handle a 600 more then likely OWNS a 600 and it gets them off and boost their ego when they tell people a 600 is too big to start on.
the kid has 1500miles experience, if hes smart and doesn't do stupid stuff he will be fine on anything he wants.
Last edited:
+1
We have the same intake on this. I took the motorcycle safety class to get my license and rode around my subdivision to get more comfortble with the bike before I started to go out onto the road. I started with a 600cc as you did and I am fine and still here. What happens is people in general sometimes get way to confident in their riding and do stupid things which causes them to fall or get hurt. Every rider and person are different. People understand concepts differently. The kid fell in his first month of riding...ok? that was his first month and it was good that he learned that then than later. I think if he stays responsible and really gets to know the bike slowly and not just jump onto it cranking on the throttle he will be just fine.
Here's an idea. And I know, it's 'just' a 250....but....
Tell your Brother-in-law that if he wants to be The Man, to take that 250 to the track, and race it around a track. Soon, he will learn what it really means to handle a bike, to learn the skills regardless of motor size, and how to corner with confidence.
Now, after a track day, when he's on the back roads with his friends, smoking them in the corners on 'his little 250', at that point will they all realize that he's The Man.
THEN, he can step up to a 600...
In the motorcycling world, if you really want to go fast, you first have to learn how to go 'slow' first. Meaning, you'll learn MUCH faster how to go fast on a 250 as opposed to a 1000.
Tell your Brother-in-law that if he wants to be The Man, to take that 250 to the track, and race it around a track. Soon, he will learn what it really means to handle a bike, to learn the skills regardless of motor size, and how to corner with confidence.
Now, after a track day, when he's on the back roads with his friends, smoking them in the corners on 'his little 250', at that point will they all realize that he's The Man.
THEN, he can step up to a 600...
In the motorcycling world, if you really want to go fast, you first have to learn how to go 'slow' first. Meaning, you'll learn MUCH faster how to go fast on a 250 as opposed to a 1000.
Users who are viewing this thread
