Is a 228kg GSX600F too much bike for a 65kg learner?

[furry-ninja]

I have the opportunity to pick up one of these pretty cheaply but I'm wondering if it's going to be too heavy for me to handle?

It will be my first bike and it ticks a few boxes for the money but I'm a 10 1/2 stone-ish skinny bloke who hasn't been to the gym much in the past year and am a bit concerned about dropping it in the driveway or even worse at slow speed in town or parking or something?

What's the wisdom, am I being paranoid?

[C1REX]

It's more about the experience and not strength I believe.
Depends how confident you feel about it.

Lots of riders drop a bike at some point. Just get crash pads. Safer for a bike and for your legs.
Imagine all this weight falling on your ankle.
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[DonDino]

It's a perfectly valid fear.

I dropped my instructor's CBF600 once, and couldn't pick it up on my own, someone else came and gave me a hand.
Then I saw this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPjYweKeiLk

And I keep that in mind for next time (hopefully there isn't going to be one
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First bike: CBF125, Feb. - Oct. 2012
Currently riding: ER-6N since Oct. 2012

[furry-ninja]

I think this kind of thing might be more accurate:

https://youtu.be/OOCTsna2jiI

[Im-a-Ridah]

Not unless you were intending to bench press it

[Supermoto_Fan]

If you can, take it for a short test ride and wheel it about to get a feel for the weight of the bike, sounds like a sweet first bike though, once your moving i doubt you will feel all that weight anyway, its just slower riding and moving the bike around while off it!
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[arry]

I know a girl who is probably 9st ish and about 5ft 6 - she's lumping a Bandit 12 through the lanes.

You'll be fine.

[Rogerborg]

I wouldn't touch one, mostly because I've dropped a Bandit 650SA. Way too much lard and seat width for stumpy Scotch pins. I could live with one, but I wouldn't want to.

You'll have to sit on one and see, but don't make the mistake of rocking it to the side to feel the weight or you'll be picking it up.
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[ukbiker.info]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6HTs9x3xBE
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[mysterious_rider]

I have a bandit, no way is it that heavy? like 180kg?

[Andy_Pagin]

Well one of our couriers who's about 5'5" rides a Pan European - about 300kg or thereabouts? excluding all the postal stuff he's carrying.
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[Bendy]

Strength is largely irrelevant, technique is everything.

If you're carrying the weight of it, you're doing something wrong.

[psychodame]

I dropped my GPZ500 on myself the other week (got off it forgetting to put side stand down)

I bought the bike in the full knowledge that there is no way that I would be able to pick this bike up.... or so I thought, but fear of my husband finding out that I'd been a knobhead and dropped it, gave me superhuman strength and I managed to pick it up.

The moral of this tale is don't worry about it, go out there and get a good sized bike, and if you drop it, just wait for help to come along, which it will eventually, or watch the Utube link and spare your blushes.
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Motorcycling is not, of itself, inherently dangerous. It is, however, extremely unforgiving of inattention, ignorance, incompetence or stupidity.
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[Teflon-Mike]

https://axa2006.com/motor/suzuki/1990_GSX600FL_red_450.jpg
Wouldn't be on my list of top ten newbie freindly bikes, but not because of the weight or balence, but becouse they are a four, they are full faired, and a bit... well?!?!?

Depends what age it is, too, but the early ones, were Suzuki's answer to the CBR600, with fully enclosed bodywork, which was even uglier than the honda's original jelly-mold effort, and they were built down to a price.

Been living in the bargain basement ever since, and few have escaped serious neglect or botchery to keep them running on the skint.

In decent nick, they are quite a nice bike to ride, but couple I rode I found rather err.... annoying. They are a small bike, and the seat 'dip' is pretty tight and doesn't give much room to move around, coupled with fairly low narrow bars, I felt squeezed into the thing, but I am a 6'2" neanderthal!

Tight geometry felt nervous, and slow maneuvering felt like severe lack of lock, motor was willing but rev hungry, urging you to thrash it to find the 'go', and it never felt well 'planted' on the road, but nimble enough in the twisties.

But frankly, there are MUCH better bikes out there for your money, I don't care how cheap the one you are looking at is, they are cheap bikes, and saving a couple of hundred on buy price is quickly made false economy by any of the full-price maladies that can strike the things (or any other old bike TBH!), from siezed brakes to worn out tyres to broken gearboxes.

I'd be steering you towards one of the twins; GPz500s probably being favourite. Much more newbie freindly, AND genuinely cheap to run, even if a tad more expensive to buy.

If you have to have a full-fat 600? Well, lot of other bikes out there that have a lot more merit than cheap buy price, with or without fairings, but not inclined to reccomend many for a newbie, especially on a budget.

Cheap bikes can get very expensive very quickly. 600's and sporty 600's, are quite demanding of maintenance and tyres, chains, sprockets, brake pads, spark plugs, they don't come cheap, £500 bike that needs some remedial maintenance before its next MOT can easily become a £1000 bike in a matter of weeks; especially if you need a new pair of tyres that are likely to set you back £150+ fitting.....

They were a useful sporty 'all-rounder' and good budget bike, but I reckon they are probably a decade past thier sell by date now.
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[arry]

[furry-ninja]

Ah sod it! I'm just going to buy an SV650.
I'm probably worrying too much but might as well get something a bit easier till I get used to things.

[furry-ninja]

It was this later one I was tempted by BTW.
Styling is a bit um... unique, but not as dated looking as the previous one.
I kinda like it's weird looks.

https://www.bikez.com/pictures/suzuki/1998/642_0_1_2_gsx%20600%20f_Image%20by%20Suzuki.%20Published%20with%20permission..jpg

[Sid_The_Sloth]

I wouldn't worry about handling the weight, like others have said. I've been learning on a GS500 and Sv650, both of which are easily manageable for myself at only 5ft6 and 10 stone. I bought a Bandit 600 for my first big bike for when i pass.

Mike, why are 4s bad for noobs?

[PiercedMrsP]

I'm a sub 10 stone 5ft 7" female who doesn't do gyms and is averagely feeble. Now bear that in mind when I tell you that I can can pick up my 280kg 1100 Shadow ACE.

I'm not freakishly strong - there's just a knack to it. Have a hunt on YouTube as there are a few very good vids that show you the technique, one of which featured a fairly small lass successfully picking up a Harley Road King (truly mahoosive cruiser).

As for the weight when actually riding it, it's like anything - you get used to it. Bendy's right in that its technique. The Shadow felt massive to begin with but I'm rapidly getting used to her and personally I feel much safer and more stable on her, but I appreciate that might be different for sports bikes.
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Can sadly no longer be seen tearing up the road on my Honda Shadow 1100 ACE as she was stolen by thieving scum on 3/7/13.
Now the proud owner of a Suzuki VL800 Volusia and a huge Almax security chain

[Rogue_Shadow]

Any bike after a 125 will feel massive.
last week I went to sit on a SV650S, it felt HUGE!
The fairing seemed to add so much bulk to the bike, when in fact it was just likely my perspective .

5 months of this

https://a2.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/84/dfeecbcd9dc54877b033793d7a1d9428/l.jpg

Make this

https://blondesearch.ru/img/79/791/Suzuki_SV650S_brief_review_2005_model.jpg

Look very daunting indeed

[Teflon-Mike]

[Polarbear]

[dextersaurus]

Ooh a GSX600f thread.

I had one, i hated every second of riding it. I didn't like how it handled, i didn't like how it looked, i didn't like the power delivery, in fact, the only thing i did like was the sound it made.

Mine when i got it.

https://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/262143_2005256744809_6060359_n.jpg

Mine when it was returned to me after being stolen

https://sphotos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/263002_2038301570909_1919895_n.jpg

When my mate got it

https://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/522670_376251445770939_2141864211_n.jpg
https://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/431050_452057671501835_1091067412_n.jpg

Then the best thing that happened to that bike...

https://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/282126_461879680519634_134205780_n.jpg

Good Riddance.

Get an early 90's CBR600. Light and chuckable, fast, look good, and reliable.

Dunc