A modern 600cc sport bike is NOT a good 1st bike. Please refer to the "Newbie Motorcyclist FAQ" thread for more info on this. the 250 Ninja is a GREAT first bike. When you can out ride this bike, please report to your local club racing organization cuz they have a class where you can race it and... if you REALLY are that good, you will just clean up. here is a tip... you arent that good, nor can you out ride the 250. There is PLENTY to be learned by riding this bike for a couple or years.
I know quite a few people who rode 250's as their first bikes. If you ask any of them if they would do it differently, none of them would. If you purchase a used 250 and ride it a year or so, there is a pretty good chance you will lose little or no money when it's time to sell. Infact, when we sold my wifes Ninja 250 2 years after we purchased it, we broke even. BTW, I am selling my wifes 89 NSR 250. She no longer rides it. and I am about to loose garage space. $4500 obo. Darrell.
The CBR150's would make an even better "Starter" bike IMO. If sourceable, the Cagiva Mito Evo is an excellent platform to get used to the "Racer" ergos. More aggressive than both the CBR150 and the 250 Ninja and very dedicated machines too! Man, I love the NSR's! I had a few PGM3's and a couple PGM4's with the keycard ignition back in the days. Better bike than an RGV or the KR1S.
Dont forget the Ducati Monster 400 (which is Japanese and Dubai market only) and the VTR400 NC45's. They can be sourced though. I was able to purchase a (grey market) road version RGV250 Gamma in Cali.
Not 100% accurate. A Duc M600 (granted is not 100hp's) is a perfect learner/ladies bike! The "L2" Desmo engine is very forgiving.
Sport Rider published a letter I wrote them a few years ago regarding their 600 shootout that year. They went on about how great a bike like an R6 or 636 Ninja would be for a first bike. Hello? These things make 100+ horsepower and are covered in expensive bodywork. They offer performance that an open bike had (or more) from 1990 or so. If a GSXR1100 or FZR1000 was a bad idea for a first bike in 1990, then why would an R6 be such a good idea today? Lots of people buy 600's for a first bike and do fine, while some are wadded up before their first oil change.
I've been riding for 29years and I've had my share of spills ranging from my son's YSR50 (which was pretty funny) to the last major crash I had experienced on my Duc 996R in '98 (that shattered my Tibula and broke my Fibula in 13 places, OUCH!!!). I guess my point here is simple, just because "its only a 600" doesn't mean that its small enough to be classified as a "starter" bike. A well experienced rider cannot be classified as a racer as well. A bike (regardless of displacement) is only as good and/or as safe as its rider.
I agree with this...I started riding when I was six (trail riding mostly) then got my Hurricane 600 when I was 22, so I had been riding for what??? 16 years! Even back in '88 it would not have been a good starter bike for someone with NO riding experience. If you have ridden A LOT of dirt bikes but never any street bikes those old 600's made for good starters, but probably not todays crop of 600's. Today's 600's will SMOKE early to mid '90's liter bikes! YMMV! James Image Unavailable, Please Login
Like I said, a 100hp 600. A 600 Monster makes about 50hp. I agree, the Monster would make a great first bike. Good riding position and a lot of leverage on on the bars. Monsters are just a blast to ride. Darrell.
If one has enough self-control and knows how to twist and untwist the throttle, I'd say there's nothing wrong with a newer 600 as a starter. The power doesn't really come on until you climb the revs a good bit, and the new bikes are so light and nimble and easy to handle that riding them is a breeze. You just have to take it a step at a time. I started on an old heavy early '90s 600. It was a good first bike, but I would have much preferred something light and easier to ride like I have now.
there is plenty wrong with your typical I4 600 as a starter. Usually, when one talks about a 600, one is referring to the current crop of 600 race replica's... GSXR, R6, CBRR600.... These bikes are essentially race bikes with turn signals. Yes, you can roll off the throttle, but the handling, braking, power deliver... are all so sharp that a new rider shouldnt be on one. To recommend one is akin to saying... well, an Enzo wouldnt make a good first car (too fast, too much engine), but a 430 would, it has a smaller engine and if you keep out of the throttle would be no problem to drive for someone that has never been behind the wheel.
It takes more than a simple throttle on/off to control a bike whether a 250, a 400, a 600 or even a litre bike. One should master the art of slow speed riding (almost at a walking pace) before even contemplating buying any race rep bike. Ever tried sneezing while keeping one eye open!? Its just one example that needs to be pondered! Or one could even consider a Motard. Good riding position, awesome handling (on most bikes), low displacement (400cc), great fun factor and a ton of pose value!!!
Just twisting and untwisting the throttle can get you in plenty of trouble all by it self. Try chopping the throttle closed while you are leaned over and go find your bike in the weeds. Small bike, low HP and lots of instruction and practice.
Got a bunch of laughs reading this thread. A bunch of people suggesting that a 600 is a good learners bike. NOT! If you want to learn, get the 250, LEARN how to brake, corner, and ride it. I suspect it will take you quite a while to really master the bike. Those suggesting the 600, or bigger don't know what they are talking about. Horsepower hides flaws. Period. Get the smaller bike, learn to ride it well, learn about braking, trail braking, accelerating off the corner, and when you've learned those skills, then move up. If you do that, you'll have a lot of fun with people that never learned the foundation of riding, and you'll smoke them each and every time you ride with them. Art
I wouldn't *recommend* one, but I surely wouldn't talk someone out of one unless I knew the guy was reckless or apt to getting himself in over his head. Of course you can't make a blanket statement about whether or not any number of people can handle a certain kind of motorcycle. One new rider is not the equivalent of another new rider. I can understand not wanting a beginner to be riding a bike with tons of power, but why would you want a newbie on a bike with "dull" braking and handling? Compared to the bike I started on, my R6 is a breeze to handle. To me, it felt like I was doing all the same things but not carrying around an extra hundred or so pounds of crap on the bike. And as far as the power delivery goes, you've got about eight grand worth of RPM's on the tach before the power really kicks in, and even more on bikes like the latest model R6. And the main reason I'd say a 600 is better than a literbike would be because of the weight and size, with the amount of power being third on the list. I wouldn't recommend anyone going out and buying a Goldwing as his first bike, either. Really if I didn't feel someone could safely handle one of today's 600s, I don't think he'd be safe on a bike at all. Perhaps starting on a Vespa would be a good idea. But just getting on a motorcycle and driving off down the street could be considered a recipe for disaster by many folks, no matter what you're on.
Thats probably why the R6 is so easy to ride! Try riding a Duc 999R, its light (feels like a small 600), very easy on the wrist and back (reach adjustable) and the engine is very forgiving at low speeds but extremely fast when needed. Power is smooth unlike the R1's but packs just as much punch!
Get a dirt bike and REALLY learn all those things...plus when you fall it won't hurt as much. They are easier to learn to ride wheelies on too! LOL!!! James
I wonder why they are stuck on 250cc. If they made, say a 300cc or 350cc version it would cost the same and be more usable on the highway. It would still have unintimidating power though for beginners.
