Thinking of getting a Street Bike...(Input)

[GundyTF]

Well been thinking about getting a Street Bike the past few days... But I have a few questions..

I have my mind set on something small like a Honda CBR600 ( dosent weight much ) or something similar.. I havent rode in awhile ( I learned how to ride when I was around 14 - 15 out of town ).. since then ( im 18 ) I havent rode.. im not really worried about learning how to again since my step-dad has had bikes off and on that I have messed around on.

Would getting the CBR600 be ok for a 'beginner' so to speak that atleast has some knowledge? I dont want a bike to go super fast or do crazy ass'd im going to kill myself tricks, but I dont want a piece of ****. Just something to cruise around town that looks nice.. Considering this is a pretty small town, im not to worried about hazards although I have always been smart about my driving.

I checked a honda store around my town and they have a 04 CBR600 for 8,000... But wasnt sure if theres a site or something where I could search for a bike around my town..

Anyways some input would be great, really didnt know where to post this so figured would ask some fellow GT owners..

Considering I am engaged, me and my fiance are juggling one car for jobs, and honestly turning to the point a bike would be the cheapest alternative. Yea its only for nice weather, but still its alot better then juggling a car around different schedules.. And yes my fiance agrees that getting a bike would be fun. :P

Thanks guys.

[UNCTYPE-S]

go to google and search for cbr600 forums. then ask your questions there. you will get a much better response then here. i know a little about bikes, but not that much about the cbr. i know alot of people use those as starter bikes though.

i am interested in a r6 as my starter bike just cause its not reaaaally fast, but its a good speed and it handles like no other as far as beginner bikes.

engaged @ 18? wow. i know its non of my business, but that just grabbed my attention.

[GundyTF]

I searched for some forums, but didnt see any that actually got alot of posts.. I will have to check it out some more I guess.

Yea I read a few posts from here after I searched saying the CBR's are pretty good for starting on.

Anyone else have some input? Like I said I know this is probably the last place to ask about motorcycles but just trying to get a idea..

[RAMAIRGT1]

Chase-
Being that you are 18 sportbike insurance rates are going to rape you
Whoever said CBR's are good for starting on should be shot, ANY sportbike is NOT a good starter bike.
A good starter bike would be a early 90's Suzuki GS500, honda rebel, or similar. They are CHEAP, small, powerful enough to get you into trouble, good on gas, insurance is cheap, and they are cheap to maintain.
90% of all new riders go down, no matter if its the first day or a year down the road. Would you rather go down on a $1200 bike or a $4k+ sportbike? Dont listen to people on this forum about motorcycles. Go to the sportbike forums for the best info.

Jim-R6's arent fast? hahahahah thats the funniest thing i have heard in a while
come over and I'll show you how fast they are
The bike has 123hp weighing only ~350lbs dry and capable of low 11's in the 1/4mile..they can outhandle most Liter (1000cc) bikes in the twisties (depending on rider). Id say thats pretty fast, but if you dont think they are fast then by all means go buy one and rip that throttle just once and see where you land

[UNCTYPE-S]

thanks for the overview. i said its not reeallllly fast but still a good speed. that doesnt mean (in my mind) that its not fast at all. now take the R1 and you have yourself a beast.

you no more then me, im not gonna debate that, but lemme enjoy my riding before i get "shot".

[RAMAIRGT1]

like i said, an R1 is fast, but the R6 can take it and other 1000cc bikes through the twisties with experienced riders. In fact I have taken a few R1's and a Gixxer 1000 through the corners. If you want to go fast in a straight line then buy a car

oh and i wont shoot ya, i will let you find out for yourself

[UNCTYPE-S]

well im in a different boat here, cause i plan on getting a hayabusa for my first bike. i heard those are perfect for 1st timers.

[GundyTF]

Originally Posted by RAMAIRGT1

Chase-
Being that you are 18 sportbike insurance rates are going to rape you
Whoever said CBR's are good for starting on should be shot, ANY sportbike is NOT a good starter bike.
A good starter bike would be a early 90's Suzuki GS500, honda rebel, or similar. They are CHEAP, small, powerful enough to get you into trouble, good on gas, insurance is cheap, and they are cheap to maintain.
90% of all new riders go down, no matter if its the first day or a year down the road. Would you rather go down on a $1200 bike or a $4k+ sportbike? Dont listen to people on this forum about motorcycles. Go to the sportbike forums for the best info.

Jim-R6's arent fast? hahahahah thats the funniest thing i have heard in a while
come over and I'll show you how fast they are
The bike has 123hp weighing only ~350lbs dry and capable of low 11's in the 1/4mile..they can outhandle most Liter (1000cc) bikes in the twisties (depending on rider). Id say thats pretty fast, but if you dont think they are fast then by all means go buy one and rip that throttle just once and see where you land

Ahh thanks!

I do have one more question though - I was searching some forums and saw the Ninja 500r.. Someone on some past forums said this might be a good starter bike also as I could get a used one for 2-2,500.. Would this be a ok decision?

Only reason I like getting a new one is because of easy payments and not having to come up with the money right away.. Also there arent any used in my town :\.

[RAMAIRGT1]

yes the nija 500 is a good starter, but you will still get raped on insurance since its still a "sportbike"
getting a used bike as a starter is a wise decision, post some pics if you have any..


one more thing..if/when you buy a bike, take someone who knows what to ask and what to look for when it comes to bikes. goodluck!

[RAMAIRGT1]

Originally Posted by UNCTYPE-S

well im in a different boat here, cause i plan on getting a hayabusa for my first bike. i heard those are perfect for 1st timers.

busa owners crack me up, most of them dont even know how to ride, one guy wanted to race me with a 1300R and i said ok as long as we take some twisties, needless to say he didnt want any part of it. Busa's are a classic example of straight line rockets, too boring IMO

[GundyTF]

Originally Posted by RAMAIRGT1

yes the nija 500 is a good starter, but you will still get raped on insurance since its still a "sportbike"
getting a used bike as a starter is a wise decision, post some pics if you have any..


one more thing..if/when you buy a bike, take someone who knows what to ask and what to look for when it comes to bikes. goodluck!

Yea my step-dad and I are going to take the MSF courses. I am not to worried about learning over again im sure theres more to learn, but shouldnt be to hard. Its just getting ahold of a bike. Hes going with me if I decide to actually get one, but I will get some pics up with whatever I decide to do..

Still looking at some replies on some other boards, so far really havent made up my mind, only deciding factor is theres no damn used bikes in my town. And im not about to travel out of distance to get a bike I cant ride back :P.

[RAMAIRGT1]

try cycletrader.com

[UNCTYPE-S]

i just saw in the paper today. a red/white 2002 r6 with less then 1000 miles for 4200. i have the number, but i got a feeling its too good to be true. thats really cheap for less then 1000 miles.

[RAMAIRGT1]

for an '02 thats not bad at all especially with 1k miles, but like you said it might be too good to be true, then again most used '02 R6's with low mileage are in that range.

[Kdawg207]

Every Spring/Summer there is a thread identical to this one

[atc3434]

Ninja 500R is a fun little bike... super easy to ride, and pretty quick for its size. Insurance isn't fun to pay, any bike will get you for quite a bit. And bikes are not as practical as you'd hope, once you own one you'll find you don't use it as much for "practical stuff" as you would have thought you would.

[RAMAIRGT1]

not all bikes are expensive when it comes to insurance. I pay less than $300/yr with full coverage on a sportbike.
It all depends on insurance company, age, experience, location, type/size of bike, and your driving record.

[dhdz]

Well you could consider a ninja 250. Well i have a 2004 and got it for 3,000 brand new. It is my starter bike, but not as fast and it is cheap in insurance. I passed the bike to my gf and she pays 220 a year liablity insurance only. I am going to get a 2005 ninja 6R tomorrow. Seriously, it is a pretty good bike and looks sporty too. You might want to look at it.

[EddieGT28]

I know you guys said a Honda CBR600 is not a good beginner bike, but would you guys be thinking the same for a CBR that would be maybe 9-10 years old? I too like everyone else is looking at getting a bike this summer, and this is the type of bike I was looking at after taking the MSF course in the spring. Most 95-96 CBR600 F3's around here can be had for about $3500.

[RAMAIRGT1]

*ALL SPORTBIKES ARE NOT GOOD BEGINNER BIKES*


is that more clear?