[ejis]

You'll outgrow a 600 in 6 months. You really should just get a 1000cc bike now and save the money. You sound like you can manage to control yourself until you're ready.



Yes. I'm kidding. Here's a smiley



I've only ridden older sportbikes (like the CBR F4) but even those are VERY fast, not just acceleration wise but also with respect to handling and brakes. They can all spit you off before you know what hit you. The new ones are just incredible, performance wise, and even worse to learn on.



I would strongly suggest you start out on a "beginner bike" - something relatively small like a GS500, Ninja EX500, or similar. They are cheap to get, last forever, and easy to sell later. Get one used, get a feel for riding, then when you have a better idea what suits your particular style, sell it and buy what you really love. If you really can't live with anything except a sportbike, look at an older 600 like an F3 or FZR600. I started on a Yamaha Seca II, which was great.



No matter what you get, look into an MSF or similar course to get some basic introductory instruction. Good luck!

 

[The_AirHawk]

If you ride one like an ass, you should consider what one would look like worn as a hat.

 

[32324]

MSF will teach you how to ride around parking lots. Buy or borrow a dirt bike and learn to ride it well. Then get a cheap used bike like an EX500. Get good, complete riding gear. Go to a track day or two. THEN you'll be ready (sorta) for the street. If you survive a year or so - then go for a 600. Repeat the track day part with 600.

 

[seruzawa]

For 600cc class beginner bikes I recommend the Suzuki DR650. You may decide that you don't really want a limited purpose bike after spending some time learning to ride a DP.

 

[44890]

Think slightly larger and get a Suziki SV650. I had one and think they're pretty friendly but not something you'll outgrow right away.

 

[schizuki]

Sounds like you're set on a 600cc sportbike. Stupendously bad idea, but if you're going to do it, look at an older-generation bike, like a YZF600. Cheaper, better for the street, and still fast enough to get you killed and make your survivors wish you had started on something more rational.



If I was starting out, I'd get a Ninja 250, get a bigger bike in a couple of years, and keep the Ninjette as a freaky-cool 70-mpg commuter bike. But that's just me - 20 years riding, the first twelve on a 400, and never been down (or bored).

 

[The_AirHawk]

Liar! You know that anything less than 1000cc's puts you right to sleep!

 

[52885]

Get the 2007 Gsxr1000, startoff with setting "C"

 

[37372]

It's impossible to predict the future, and you may be a real "natural," but I'd bet I'm not the only member of this forum that would expect you to kill or seriously injure yourself if you buy a 600cc sportbike as a first ride.



When you say you "love" sportbikes, what do you base that emotion on? What they look like? How they sound? The speeds in the road test articles? They're all relatively "easy" to ride if you have enough experience, but if you don't, you're really asking for trouble.

 

[35519]

Sportbikes are dead, long live the supermoto

 

[56599]

Take the MSF class, buy a used Suzuki SV650S, get good gear, practice the MSF braking drill and others, ride for 2 years, gets some track time if you can and then think about a 600. 600 in line 4 sport bikes are high strung bred to race even the old ones. Yes I started on a 01 2001 ZX-6R but I was an old man in my late 30s. Even so I practiced a lot in large parking lots of vacant manufacturing plants whose jobs have been shipped overseas.. You can't help it but your testosterone levels are high at your age so I am afraid that the temptation to ride a 600 fast will be overwhelming..The Suzuki SV650 is a user friendly V-Twin with low end torque that will be easy to learn on. In addition, you won't outgrow so quickly as a Ninja 250.. Ninja 500 is good but I would go with the Suzuki. Lots of after market stuff for the SV650s lower fairings, etc.

 

[56599]

Well said.. The dirt stuff is a great point. The guys that I ride with occasionally all have dirt experience they seem to be able to handle the of frack situations well.

 

[pdad13]

None of them.



Unless, of course, you're a real natural (hard to predict, rare and a very risky proposition) or you've got some real experience (which you don't).



The newer ones are thinly-veiled race bikes. Incredible machines but not for noobs. Sure, you might be able to get the thing moving, but odds are you'll not become a very good rider. And this ain't golf; there are no mulligans; it's a matter of life and death.



(Check out the insurance rates for a 23 year-old novice on a late model 600cc supersport. You'll crap yourself.)



All of us here have seen more than our share of a$$hats wobbling around on supersports in t-shirts, sneakers and a full-face helmet. Don't be one of them. We laugh at them. And they have a troubling tendency to kill or maim themselves, in the process making things harder for the rest of us.



See, this thing called motorcycling is serious business. Fun, but serious. It demands respect and, unfortunately, there are lots of people out there who don't have enough.



It sounds like you have at least a bit of respect or you wouldn't even be thinking about ease of use for a beginner. Start with a bike that's more forgiving. There are lots of good choices. Get some education (MSF is only a start; you never stop learning to rider better). Read some good books on riding as a start.



Have fun, be smart, and welcome.

 

[56599]

Well said and great point about the insurance. The money I would have saved in insurance could have paid for Freddie Spencer's track school.

 

[ejis]

Start off in C? What are you, a wimp? There's barely enough power to merge onto the highway. Don't you know how dangerous that is? You'd be much safer with the full power setting, and just not use all of it until you're good enough to handle it. You'll also want to get rid of those stock exhausts and put on some safer loud ones. Do all that and you don't really need to wear a helmet or any gear.





Do I really need a smiley here too?

 

[52885]

damn, i too forgot a smiley

 

[907]

The folks who recommend a 250 Ninja are on the right track, I think. I rode one for a while - it was actually tons of fun, extraordinarily cheap to operate, all the while being relatively unintimidating. As I recall, my comprehensive State Farm insurance was around $105/yr!

The second bike I had was a 1983 Kawasaki GPz-550. It might still rank as the bike with the biggest grin factor I've ridden. It was nearly as light as the EX-250, but with 54 rwhp. It's air-cooled, triple-disk brakes, semi-sporting riding position, and as reliable as the day is long. The previous owner had done a nice job with the jetting, and had fitted a full Yoshimura system. It was a strong runner! Decent used units are under $1500.

My third bike was a 2000 Kawasaki ZX-6R, new. To be honest, I was very happy I had some experience before I got the bike. I enjoyed it much more as a result, and had respect, rather than fear for its capabilities.

Start small. It might seem like the baby steps will take a while - but, everyone who rides works on their skills throughout their lives. Riding within your capabilities will extend your life on two wheels. Good luck.

 

[44066]

Suzuki DRZ400SM. I've been riding for 20+ years. Just bought one as a 2ND Bike and love it.This would be a great beginner bike.Get an older used 600cc bike if you must have a 600cc inline 4. SV650 would be much better than the 600 supersports. My Triumph speed 4 was a great bike, but might still bite a newbie.

 

[hutch312]

There are so many great choices of "easy" to ride 600cc sport bikes bikes. Get anyone of them, preferably a race replica and be sure to leave it too me in your will... paid off of course, and don't trash it too much when you make your grand exit to motorcycling, scratches and dents i can deal with!

I am sure you will do just fine! But when I was around your age and I first started riding it was a CB350, then a DR350. Real easy to learn on and a piece of cake for taking Safety Classes and passing the riding test. Then after 2 years on the street with my trusty 350's I moved up to 750cc and have found a comfortable place there. If I had to do it all again I would have not wasted money on the CB350 and would of gone straight to a Dual Purpose bike or as SV650 ( if I was dead set on a plastic sport bike maybe the Ninja 650R). Go Naked or DP... save on the insurance. Full coverage on a DR350 is less than $100 a year. Do the right thing and take the Safety Class it is worth it... and always remember never allow a passenger on your race rocket unless she is wearing a thong... that's one things those jokers got right!!! http://www.killsometime.com/Pictures/images/Pic1040.jpg

 

[The_AirHawk]

I'll agree with your choice of bike, if a man HAS to have a 600cc+ bike as a "Starter".

Stay Away from HawkGT's - really crappy starter bikes.

Well, actually they're really, REALLY Terrific starter bikes; but they're no-longer being produced, and it seriously pains me every time I see one wadded-up............. (and parts are getting hard to come by to rebuild one of these things!)