New Biker and First Bike

[Edicap]

Hey everybody, this is my first post on the forum.

I know you probably get asked all the time but I'm after a bit advice. I've never ridden a motorbike before and I'm desperate to start. What’s the best way to learn? I've found a few "rush" or "crammer" courses on the net and wondered if anyone had any experience of them?

Next is the bike. When I do pass what should I go for as a first bike? I've trawled the net for ages and I've kinda got my heart set on the R6. All the reviews say its a great bike and I don’t really want to rush into anything bigger at the moment. I can pick up a 2001 model for around the £3000 mark and this is roughly what I want to spend.

Kit! What do I need and what should I pay. I'd like a decent set of leathers, not sure whether to go for a suit or trousers and jacket. Obviously I need boots and a lid but how much should I pay?

Any help is gratefully received and I look forward to chatting to you all!

Martin

P.S. I was inspired by all the bikers I see almost every day at the Foxes Diner on the road to Reading. So if your one of them, cheers guys!

[Itchy]

R6? , for a guy whos never ridden a bike , is not good ,

I'm not saying you can't handle it or anything but everybody drops their bike now and again , even highly experienced folks , R6 = expensive to drop , even with bungs this can crack the screen and damage clip ons and maybe the exhaust , my naked NTV650s have cost £5 to fix dropping them ,


fairings cost £100s.

if your heart is properly set on one get some big bungs or maybe bars , they look ugly but ugly is better than forking £100s each time you drop

the grp 15 insurance is harsh also.

leathers and kit get some HG stuff £400 will get you some nice kit that will protect you, if you are pish poor like me textiles are ok.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Edicap]

Cheers for that, I like the look of the R6 and to be honest anything smaller than a 600cc would be a bit of a let down lol

I got a quote for the R6 and it was coming in at around £450 TPFT. Is there any other bikes you guys could reccomend that are in the same league as the R6?

[Phil_G]

Greetings!

The main manufacturers all have their competitors to the R6, so the best bet is to wander around the local bike show rooms and get yourself sat on some and see what you do and what you dont find comfortable..

Good luck and welcome to the forums

Phil
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1997 Kawasaki ER 500 A1:- Once again, Its merely crap

[Itchy]

you must live in a cheap area then , 450TF&F isn't too bad for 0 NCB,

other than other super sports 600s ie CBR600 , GSX600 , 636 Ninja no not really,

but remember its a case of man vs machine with man being most important.



remember to add in running costs as Stink says , buying costs are cheap running is another thing , my shit rat bikes cost <£500 (one actually cost £700 but I sold some bits that came with it which pushes the final price down) cost me £1800 (all in) this year , but then I do as many ride outs as humanly possible (at the start of the year doing 4 a week) , and I skimp on maintenance, this figure is skewed by the fact that in the middle of the year I didn't do many ride outs.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[fraseb01]

Hi Mate,
Regarding insurance for the R6 I passed my DAS in July bought my R6 and the cheapest quote i found was £268.00 fully comp from A Quote Insurance,give them a ring ,good price for a group 15 bike.Regarding leathers ,Lid and boots buy the best you can afford. Good luck mate.
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Bike - GSXR 600 K3

[Torque05]

I wanted an R6! Was dead set on it but when you listen to the guys on here they bring you round. Ive now got a restricted Z750 (because im 17) and i had a years riding experience. Its plenty fast enough and my chicken strips are already wearing away so dont think its just a sports bike you can go fast on.

Good luck with whatever you choose, if you really want a sports 600, the CBR600RR is probably the best one for everyday use. The R6 is a very very good bike, its just usually magazines and review sites have professional riders that dont mind the arse up head down position, its a little hard to get used to!

Joe
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~Sahf East Winnah~

~Yamaha Vmax 1996~

[Stiffler]

[sunbear]

Deffo get some experience on a slightly less full on bike first
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Bikes had : BMW F650, suzuki tr50, gt125, SV400, GSXR600 SRAD. Honda CBR900RRP, CBR600FX, CBR1000F, VT600, Transalp 600, mtx125, nsr125r, CB500T, Yamaha fy50, tzr125, tdr125, XV535, Diversion 600, Fazer 600, TDM850 MK1 & MK2, Majesty 400, XV 1100. Cagiva mito evolution, Aprilia rs125, Piaggio x9 125. DNA 125 . Suzuki Bandit 600, GZ125 Marauder, RF600 , RF900RS2, Kawasaki ZZR400, ZX6R Ninja, ZZR600 . Ducati 750 Sport . Triumph Tiger 955i. CURRENT : 2004 Kawasaki Z750 and LOVIN IT !

[Zimbo]

The main reason people advise against the R6 as a first bike is because of the chassis dynamics and handling characteristics, the R6 is a brilliant track bike, light and quick steering. Quick steering is good on track and fast roads, but can also be described as less stable in terms of handling, and this means should something go wrong, it'll go wrong a lot more quickly than on a more stable, slower steering bike. Inexperienced riders will react more slowly to an unstable situation, and therefore the chances of a new rider binning an R6 are higher than the chances of binning a slower steering, more neutral bike such as the CBR6. Of course, it's this racy attitude that makes the R6 so irresistible to new riders as well!

My advice : do the intensive DAS course and get your licence before you buy a bike. Once you've got your licence, then consider what bike to get. A couple of months on a 500cc naked or semi faired bike will give you invaluable experience, with the added benefit of being cheap to fix should you crash it whilst learning your way. There is no way a new rider will be able to use even a fraction of the R6's potential, and you'll learn a lot faster on a more forgiving bike.

[Edicap]

Thanks to everyone whos taken the time to reply, I appreciate your time and expertise! Taking on board what you all say, I'm considering the CBR600 now too, do you guys thinks this is probably a better choice for a first time bike?

[Zimbo]

If you really must have a faired sport 600 as a first bike, the CBR is probably the most suitable. Having said that, if you're really set on the R6 you'll probably be just as OK on that as long as you respect it! I'd still advise getting something like a Honda CB500 for a few months first, buy it (£1500 buys a good one) ride it for a bit to get some experience, and sell it on for pretty much the same money you bought it for. I promise you it'll still be fast enough to scare you! You'll have a better idea of what you want in a bike after that, and would be able to try a few out and chose the one that feels best for you!

[Dalemac]

Hey martin,

I havnt been riding for a long time now but i really think you need to slow down and think, i mean, whats better, getting a smaller bike, which has less power, to get some experience on, or jumping in at the deep end and getting onto a bike that is far too powerful for you to handle? and have a good chance of killing yourself?


if i were you mate i would seriously think about what to get, even if you do get a 125 just to practice on for a few months, then you have a less chance of killing yourself within the first 2 weeks of getting the r6.

You may want an r6, but progress your way up to it, you will appreciate the r6 alot more too this way. i hope to have a cbr600 in a few years and own a hayabusa at some stage in my life, but if i was to jump on one of these now i probably WOULD end up killing myself.

Im sure most other riders will back me up on this. Just slow down a bit and think about what your getting yourself into - biking isnt as easy as it first appears.


Dale
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YBR125 -> GPZ500S -> SL1000

[tomkapsalis]

I am going to go with the flow and say get a 500cc commuter like a gs 500 or cb 500 or maybe a Yammy xj600. As so many people say on this site YOU WILL DROP IT. I wouldn't fancy paying for fairing repairs on an r6.
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Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...

[Dazbo666]

I did my DAS last year (summer '05) and had my heart set on a sports 600.
However I had the opprtunity for a demo ride on a CBR600RR (which was the 1st ride I'd had since my DAS) and even though I have 18+ years of road experience I still managed to get quite a shock at the power to weight ratio that these bikes have.

I've since bought a cheap GPZ500S, and enjoy every minute on it. I've realised it's still more than capable enough for my ability at the moment, but I also know that I'll learn more safely than if I was to jump straight on an RR.

...and..erm, just for the record I actually did drop the GPZ just last weekend, smashing the right indicator, bending the rear brake lever, and snapping the end off the front brake lever. Thankfully because it's an older bike and not a newer RR, it's cost less than a tenner to fix

The CBR is still one of my goals, but I'm making sure I'll be staying alive long enough to enjoy it.

HTH
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[bunglehaze]

M8, All I can do is reinforce others opinion on here about taking it slow and getting something a little more hadleable and more to the point droppable to start with, this is exactly the reason why I got a zzr600 (slightly heavier and comfortable version of the ninja) for less than a grand as my first bike (been passed 4 weeks) as firstly you have no experience so the handling of the bike will feel wierder and wierder as you learn to push it, secondly you have winter coming up which coupled with inexperience is sure to bite us new riders on the ass.

I have already dropped my ZZR on a slow corner due to mud and leaves, I was not pushing any limits and the bike is a comfortable sports tourer to boot, put me on a flighty bike and im sure it would have been much worse.

I understand this urge for bigger/faster/better but think of it this way, if you drop a hack bike and it costs you a hundred to fix to keep you going you can still get your R6 come spring, on the otherhand you get the R6 and bin it, possibly a few times costing £1000's at which point you either call riding a day or have serious cash to find - add to that any injuries you 'could' pick up, surely taking it steady is preferable to looking cool?

cheers

leigh
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[froggeh]

Take your DAS, then think about the bike. You'll then have ridden a 125 and a 500... in winter... Be interesting to see if you still want one of the fastest 600's you can buy.
I was in the same mindset as you at first (Wanted a GSXR600 or a CBR600) but the thought of dropping it and the subsequent expense brought me around to my un-faired hornet. It's faster than anything I've ever experienced before, and I am no where near half way to the limit, 6 weeks after passing my test.

[dew]

my post in another thread. might be helpful to ya as well:

take into a/c all the factors as below and assign your importance to it. Then people would be able to advice better and inline with what you might listen to as well:
Criterias :-

1. Main purpose for buying bike
2. Any preference faired/unfaired/twin headlight/ etc.
3. What cc you are looking for.
4. Your age.
5. How many miles you looking for in a week.
6. Preference of looks/mileage.

if u still have the two shortlisted, then pass the test.. test ride both, and if you are mature(???) enough, can get insurance, then any of the two would be fine for you!
Just acknowledge the fact that sports bike are lot more responsive to throttle and brake, so dont take any chances.
I passed my test last monday and bought a ninja, purely based on looks and that i dint felt uncomfy driving for 40 mins (my usual work trip). Rode to work thrice and already decided would need a track day or more next summer to get the aggression out.
am a 30 yr old with family, so don't really take un-necessary risks..i do filter , over take etc...

More often then not, new bikers (like myself) , see a sexy bike, get spurred into biking action, have pre-conceive notion about what we like and still seek advice Worst part is that we still go and buy what we liked at first place.. (few sensible guys do change there opinion, but they are few and far between).
Result is that you get varied advice (from buying a 125cc) to 500 to 600 commuter and someone coming and recommending supersports.. not much helpful!
So please provide more information on what you are after.

Phew, that's a long message!

Cheers,
Dew

PS: Sorry very long message, not tweaking to make it applicable directly to you!
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Theory: 34/35, 64/75 Test: 23-Oct-06 PASSED (No minors)
Current: Ninja ZX- 6R Future: ???

[krebsy]

I learned on a Gs500 and that felt quick enough at the time . Then got the Divvy and that was fine for a year or so whilst I got used to riding and testing my limits. Just flogged it and got the ZZR which is more than adequate. I don't think I would've been able to jump straight onto it just after passing my test..

The best bet is to get yourself down to a few dealerships and try a few bikes for size. I ent to the bike show last year and a lot of the bikes I sat on (including the R6) were the wrong kind of seating position for me or did not feel that comfortable. The zzr-1200 was a nice fit though . Maybe in a year or two I'll look at getting the 1400 .

Get some experience on something nice, cheap and friendly like a Divvy, Hornet, CB600f or bandit, ride it for 6 months and then sell it for what you paid for it. Then upgrade to something a bit more spicey if you are confident enough. An R6 immediately after doing a DAS course will most likely scare the pants off you and you won't be able to push the bike or appreciate it without the experience.

K.
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What's my New Year's resolution?

1280 x 1024.

[Zen Dog]

The only thing i've got to add to what the other guys have said is that the R6 (and all the other race rep 600's) are intensely uncomfortable at anything less than a flat out pace. So much so that i personally wouldnt buy one for just that reason, especially if it was a bike that i wanted to ride everyday, or for an extended period.

The only other thing to say is that the CBR has been mentioned as a possible alternative. What wasnt said is that there are 2 versions of the CBR600. The CBR600RR (race replica, very uncomfortable, extremely fast in the right hands), and the CBR600F (much comfier, everyday useful, and almost as fast in skilled hands).

If you really want a sports 600 as your first bike, i'd recommend the CBR600F, it'll do everything you want from a bike, and will still have abilities that are far, far in advance of your own for quite some time.

Zen Dog

P.S. If you check out the alternatives, and you cant think of anything but R6's, you should follow your heart. We all ride out of love.
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Current - '94 VFR750FR (Dead), '00 VFR800FI, '11 600 Hornet - Previous - '11 CBF125, '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[tpsutton]

Hi

I have just done my whole test right from scratch in 4 days !!! i have ridden off road before and I just signed up for CBT which i did in a day and then did a three day course with theory on the second day and the other two days were roads rides with a teacher, i did a test two weeks later, past with three minors.
So if u ask me those crash courses are pointless and very expensive when you can do it normally for a lot less money.

[Edicap]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. I appreciate all the good advice and have taken it all on board. I'll try and give a little more info that you guys wanted to know.

[Zimbo]

Sounds like the CBR600F2 is the way to go for you I'd say! Enjoy it, it's a great all round bike.

[froggeh]

Or maybe a pre Vtec VFR800? (just thinking of the Oxford to Edinburgh trip)