So, Im in a postion right now where I am taking driving courses, getting licensed etc, to own a motorcycle. I've been interested in bikes for a long time but am just now financially capable of owning one. I have 2 options (as I see it) right now, 1. buy or finance a new bike Q. buying a new bike, what is a good displacement/model to start on considering it would be my first bike? 2. buy a used bike Q. having never owned a bike I have no idea what is a 'low km' bike. Is it overly different from buying a used car, maybe not? at what benchmark of km's can the first major repair costs be expected? At this point I'm leaning towards a 2001-2003 ~600 cc sport bike of no particular make yet. I plan on using the bike mostly for recreation and have another vechile for transportation. any input would be GREATLY appreaciated as I have no other interactive resources like the collective knowledge of the F-chat community, thank you in advance and please ask if any other info is needed.
I would say get a used Suzuki SV650 for a couple of reasons. First, they can be found for around $3k U.S. Also, a v-twin is fun to ride around town, good torque down low so you don't have to ring its neck to have a good time. Put a pipe on it and it sounds awesome. Next, is the fact that there is no plastic to break or scratch if and when you drop it. It is small enough to keep you of of the trouble that a litre bike can get you in but capable enough to be the only bike you ever own. Track capable and commuter friendly. Win-Win. Finally, please wear the right equipement, as some one who has crashed a few times I can tell you that good safety equipement is the best money you will spend. Good luck and keep the rubber side down.
Well you asked................. My advice is don't get one. Everyone I know who has had a bike has layed it down. It's not if you'll have an accident but when. You could be the best rider, it wont make a difference. It will just be luck determining how bad it will be. AND before you ask, yes I've ridin and have my license. There are just too many people on the roads today that consider driving secondary to whatever else they are doing. Good luck what ever you decide.
agreed. wear your gear, have fun. be careful. continuously hone your skills at increasing your level of safety. welcome to the brotherhood.
If you're going to buy a first bike, buy USED. Trust me you will feel more comfortable on a used bike than you would on a brand new bike. Why? Because once you bring that nice and shiny bike home, you will be scared to RIDE it. Nobody wants to screw up a nice bike. Buy USED and get some seat time in. And older SV650 is a good idea. Those are nice bikes and are pretty strong. Or maybe even a Honda F4i, its fuel injected which is a plus. Wear your helmet, wear your jacket, wear your gloves, etc. Those are the things that are going to save your life. Because believe it or not, you will go down. I've went down plenty of times and half the time it was because I thought I knew the bike and was trying to do something stupid. If you don't like the streets...I welcome you to doing track days. Those will be the best times of your life dude. Seriously! Street riding is good but you have to worry about other factors a bit much. Once you do a track day (school) you'll understand what your bike is capable of and what you can and cannot do. Anyway, enough rambling. Good luck with your bike and I'm glad you're taking the course(s). We have those here in the states, they are called MSF Courses. They have a beginner and an advanced class. Take both, you'll learn a lot. Kristin
thanks for the advice guys and gal, I definitly consider good gear a must and would be too afraid to ride without it. letsjet: I understand entirely what your talking about and am hearing the same from everybody around me. I really do hope that I can get to some driving courses around here but with only 1 track in 100 miles it might be tuff. thanks again, keep the advice comin'
I will make another vote for the Suzuki SV650, that is really an awesome bike. Just enough power not to get bored, however plenty to make you pay attention and is a bike that you can really grow with. Handles well, is a V-twin so less likely to spin it up too fast in corners, and with the right tweaks, is an awesome track tool. I can't understand at all why people insist that 600's are good starter bikes, I started with one and can tell you that it only hurt my progress. Modern 600's are making as much power as litre machines from 10 years ago, remember when the origional Fireblade was considered too much for streets? 600's are faster now. And NEVER go out without full gear, I don't care how hot it is, or whether someone tells you its not cool. Unless you are the kind that is going to park the bike in front of starbucks all day trying to impress women, you really need to have all the gear you can. If you take all the precautions, and remember to ride under the assumption that nobody knows you are on the road, you wont have any problems. I'm assuming you are outside of the states due to the KM's comment. If so, jump on a 400!!!! I would absolutely love to have those here in the states, the CBR400 looks like a baby RC45, has honda quality and from what i hear is an absolute blast to ride.
shakazulu12 - I dont think that model exists here in Canada, the Honda 599 was the 'smallest' honda I've seen. Also, can anyone suggest anticipated maitenance costs at km/mile benchmarks?
This was exactly my point I made in a letter published in Sport Rider last year. The editors were going on about how easy 600's were to ride. They offer performance that will humble the best bikes made a decade ago, so either it was acceptable to start on a CBR900 back then, and if not the new riders of today must be so much better than a decade ago. Of course both of these are false, and the truth is the magazine guys have to print what the factories want or => not test bikes => no articles => no magazine. 600's and literbikes are the sportbike bread & butter. For a first bike any small displacement twin such as a SV650 or small Ducati Monster would do. Bandit 400 and Triumph Speed Four are others to think about if you want revs.
There is a reason the people around you are telling you this and it's not because they don't want to see you happy. Seriously, good luck and have fun........
Let us take a Ducati for example, widely considered to be the most maintenance intensive bike brand. If you bought a two-valver (620 or 750 Monster for example), valve adjustment is 6000 miles. Tires would be shot by that time as well. Brake pads and oil change at the same time. Chain would be about half gone. Assuming the dealer does everything, 12,000 miles of maintenance costs: Valve adjustments (2 x $300)=$600 Belts (1 x $120) = $120 Oil Changes (4 x $50)=$200 Brake pads (2 x $60)=$120 Chain and Sprockets (1 x $200)=$200 Tires (2 sets x $350)=$700 Total = $1940/12000 miles = $.16/mile ($.10/km USD) BTW, do some of this yourself, such as valve adjustment, and you'll spend probably only about half that amount. These bikes are not complicated. Buy a used one and you won't even have that much depreciation. Also, don't assume that the Japanese brands will be any cheaper for parts or shop work. Some Japanese consumambles (oil filters for example) can be more than Ducati parts.
OK, then enough. It has been said. This person is an adult and it sounds like he's got his mind made up. He doesn't need one to "look after him that knows better". I find it odd that most of the advice I get about riding is from people who DON'T RIDE. Is there a chance of injury on a bike? Of course. All activities have a certain amount of risk. It is up to each of us to assess this risk, limit it, then make the decision weather to proceed. I can asssume from his previous posts, he has done this. I think he requires no further preaching. As you say, let's let him "have fun". Looks to me like he's going in with his eyes OPEN. I beleive the quality of life is a measure to be determined by the individual. If he feels the increase in the quality of life is worth the risk he has weighed, we should leave him alone and let him RIDE. For me it has been well worth it. Yes, I've been down, more than once in fact. I'm a better rider for it, (I learned from each of my mistakes and have placed a larger emphasis on continuing rider education as a result), and I ride now, (at age 42) more than ever.
LOL A little defensive? He asked for any advise and I gave him my honest opinion. Which he seemed to value. Then I wished him well, which I sincerely do. I wasn't planning on adding any more to the thread, as I didn't feel it would help him or contribute. But, I didn't expect someone else to get so defensive either. You make assumptions in your post that he is an adult, I have no idea.... but, my advise would be the same. You make reference in your post that people who don't ride are giving you advise. I want to point out two things...... One, I ride, and two, I didn't offer you any advise. If this person is an adult, as you state, I doubt he needs someone coming to his defense. Lighten up and understand I only stated what I honestly felt I should write to him. Like I said before, he seemed to appreciate it..... I'll just add you to the list of guys that have laid their bikes down. I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt. Dave, Sorry I had to respond again in your thread. Like I said before.... seriously, good luck. I don't know why someone takes offense to that?
I'll suggest the SV650 also. Less plastic to get damaged when you drop it. Fun bike with enough power to keep from getting bored as you progress, but not enough to be a menace. Broad torque band. Another good one if you can find it for a decent price is the Honda HawkGT, but it tends to be kind of a cult bike that has retained its value.
Personally, I just started on a CBR600RR. GET THAT!!!. Great bike, good suspension, sporty... A hornet 599 is not really any slower then a cbr so power wise you'll be OK with a 600 IF you have a cool head on your shouldes. Don't let anyone discourage you from getting a sports bike. Yeah you will eventually lay one down. People still get exotic bike, you know. You lay it down, you pick it up and fix it. It's just a bike. Good gear is essential though, wear as much as you can.
I've had a blue 2004 SV650S for 8 months, just put on 8K miles. ride it everyday to and from work, every other night with the boys on litre bikes, and tote my girlfriend around on all types of journeys. The SV gets up and goes, and with a pipe my friends say it sounds "manly." They always send me first through the tunnels so they can listen to my exhaust notes. I to was told to get the SV as a first bike among other things by different dealers. In popular opinion the SV is a great bike for the inexperienced and seasoned riders. Everytime I look at new bikes and suggest a trade to dealers, they always talk me out of it. Complimenting the bike, telling me not to watse my money on a depriciating track replica. Used SVs keep a strong dollar, retail on mine was $6299, I've seen 03's with 7k for $5300. Good luck, ride safe, protect yourself and your investment. i.e: frame sliders.
The SV is a great first bike. Esp. used. My first bike was a Kawasaki Ninja 500R (basically the same think as a 500E). Simple, fun, easy to own and ride and had enough power and handling to entertain. Best part, it is dirt cheap. The SV is worlds better but I think you're going to pay more for it. I'd also mirror others above by saying attend the MSF and buy the absolute best gear you can. CHeap out by buying a used bike and spend the cash on good safety equipment. Buy the absolute best and most comfortable helmet you can afford.
With the overwhelming favorite being what it is, I offer another collective resource - http://www.sv650.org/ Great site!
what type of riding are you plannig on? do you plan on getting a faster bike in a year or two? for instance: 600cc inline four "starter" to a 1000cc inline four. or a suzuki sv650 starter to a ducati or aprillia. also supermotard bikes are fun like the ktm duke or a honda xr650 with stree tires and suspension. I myself started on a yamaha fzr1000 for the first 7 years and then got an old beat up ducati 916 with 28,000 miles and counting daily. I went to the FAST racing school in shannonville ontario canada and loved it, they use 600cc bikes.
Get the best you can afford (insurance, repairs if dropped etc) You only live once and you can get just as dead on a Ninja 500 as you would on a R6 or other. 1Liter is too much though. When buying a Ferrari, you don't start with a mondial and then 328, Boxer, 348, 355, 550 etc You go for the best you can afford.
Mostly I plan on doing rides with a friend on back country roads, low traffic areas. Id get a faster bike if it became neccessary and once I could afford it.
Get a nice 600cc used bike. 600 fzr, even 600 katanas are dirt cheap...I paid less than $3500 6 years ago - figure 2500$ or less now. 900+ cc bikes are a handful and heavy, especially if you spend time in traffic... On an aside, after a sport bike, all cars seem slow. Even Ferrari's. To a certain extent my previous sport bikes have ruined the speed sensation for me. A 1000c bike feels like its going to rip your arms off as it accelerates...AWESOME! Also, plan on wiping out. Sorry, its a fact. I wiped out twice in 8 years, and figured GOD was telling me something. Annual fatality rate for sportbikes is 1% (Or so I was told at the motorcycle safety course). YOU WILL WIPE OUT. Just realize that, and if you can live with it, go for it! Life is all about risk tolerance...motorcycles are RISKY.
I just started riding about 4 years ago, at the age of 46. I won't weigh in with my views of the best starter bike, since i think you've gotten a lot of good input on equipment, and gear, generally. I guess i'd like to introduce you to my mindset, as a mature person who is a neophyte rider. First, unless you are buying a moped or scooter, virtually any bike is probably going to be more than you can handle at the outset. Granted, you will be able to accelerate, and brake, and turn- tentatively at first, perhaps, until you get the feel of leaning, and learn how countersteering works in practice. But, you will be torn between reasonable speeds that make sense for a rider with no experience, and the thrill of soaring, unbridled, which so far, only bikes (and drugs, and religious experiences allegedly) can bring. And, you'll need to find a reasonable medium- what's called judgement- in deciding whether to inject yourself into traffic at a given flow, or whether you can smoothly navigate around that truck that may or may not being pulling out, and probably does not see you. I guess my point is, assuming the machinery works, has decent brakes, etc., it's much less about the bike than about you. If you want a cheap, beater bike cause you are worried about the consequences of smashing up the fairing on a nice bike, buy the beater. If the image thing has gotten you (hey, you are talking to people that are interested in Ferraris, sorry), buy something cool. But, as i quickly learned, there is no way you'll outgrow even a modest bike, given that more and more skill can be applied as you learn. You may eventually want more power and speed, or want a different style of ride- touring, more hardcore sport, whatever- but ultimately the key to enjoyment is your riding skill, focus, ability to learn and get pleasure from the experience. For what it's worth, i just took my wife's brand new Vespa out for a 'scoot' and had a total blast!
