[earthspirit60]

Honestly, the CBR_RR as a first bike?!?! Yikes!



The Duck is a better choice and cooler because you won't "see yourself" every 20 minutes. The only downside is the desmo maintenance costs. I would also look at the Buell City bike with the neat translucent tank.



The CBR-RR...too much bike and too narowly focused, IMHO

 

[sconley]

Get a used Monster 750... I for one could be about 90-percent as happy on a left-over 750 Dark Monster for not much more than what you'd have to give for an SV650... Is it still plagiarizm if you give it back to the source you stole it from? If so, my apologies Mr. Burns.

 

[ingenthr]

Hey, that's what I just did!





I took the MSF last year, dinked around for a bit looking at different bikes, considered the SV, the Honda 599 (before they killed it in the US) but ulitmately kept looking back at the S2R.





I don't have enough experience to tell you for sure that it's a great bike, but I'm having fun on it. It's beautiful to look at, got it OTD for not much more than the Honda 599 listed for, and I bet within 2 years it'll have depreciated less than an SV-650 would have.





L.A. Cyclesport in Los Angeles is sitting on a 599 I'm sure they'd let go really cheap if you're looking for a 600cc Honda. It's been sitting there since December of last year.

 

[jjasper]

Re: Whenever I hear a question phrased like this...

I love every second I am on my ugly overpriced F650!

With the gas tank below the seat and being a big thumper it is the most fun I have had on 2 wheels. To put it into perspective my last bike was an SV-650 (another Really fun bike). The F650 is much more utilitarian and even handles better for me than the SV because of the LOW COG. If you take off the windscreen and rear rack it looks like a funky motard, replace the can too to show off the sexy single sided swin-garm.

 

[jcx]

I am 35 too and I have started two years ago wiht CBR600RR. Nothing wrong with it. Super. This season I've changed for Buell xb9sx, but my girlfriend is missing CBR, for her it was more scary (for me too). CBR has a minus - nobody wants to compete with it from green light.

 

[33129]

I thought the Honda was a Timex

 

[33129]

Re: Important off topic point

Are you suggesting he ride a horse? Go Ago!

 

[52136]

It's amazing so many readers are so egotistical they have to blab on and on about THEIR idea of the ideal first bike when you have clearly stated the obvious. That is, you have already narrowed it down to the 2 bikes you lust after--and I might add both are reasonable compared to the idiotic choices a lot of newbies are making these days. That said I'd have to recommend the Duc. You will find it more comfortable, enjoyable, versatile bike than any razor-edged sportbike. You don't need all those ponies yet. In fact you won't ever need them for the purposes you described. And then there's that intangible factor the MOrons mentioned. Couldn't agree with them more re the little Monster. OTOH, the GB500 was the last streetbike Honda ever made with a personality.



Above all remember there are 10 rules for buying a motorcycle. The first 5 are "Get the one YOU like!" and the rest nobody remembers cuz they don't matter.

 

[Stonedog]

You guys are joking, right?



Why would anyone *start* on a 120+ HP bike?



Go for the S2R, that's what I'm going to do (but I'm only 32).

 

[62526]

Go with the Ducati! I have a 06 Multistrada 620 and it is great! Cettainly not as fast as a Honda 599 in the 1/4 mile but once we get to the twisties he will be looking at my underseat exhaust.
The Monster 620 or 695 is going to a little faster than mine because of weight and HP(Monster 695). When you ride a Ducati you finally realize what all the fuss is about.
Believe it or not they are very high quality and super eficient. Mine gets over 50 mpg and even though I am 55 years old I don't ride it like I am. It just begs to faster. It is agile quick, great suspension and the Desmo motor can't be beat as far as smooth power for a L twin.

Jan Sullins

 

[acecycleins]

620

Go Duc! Those 5k services you hear about on most pre '06 Ducs- bunk. When they changed the service intervals to 7500, you know what they did? NOTHING- to the motor. Just typed up new service intervals for the manuals. Ask ANY Duc tech. The motor never changed. Ducati was just playing it safe. I've got a Duc Tech friend that says the L-twin air-cooled motor is actually "over-built" for todays rider. I'm not saying go 10k between services but ever other oil change is not out of the question on valve checks.