First bike - Honda CBR600RR

[jamess051]

Hi,

I'm doing my DAS course soon and was keen on getting a GSX-R600 as my first bike. I've now come away from that idea due to comments from experienced bikers about how I'd become a kidney donor, but was reading on MCN that a Honda CBR600RR is more forgiving and would work as a first bike. So I'm now torn between a SV-650 and the Honda.

Please could people let me know their thoughts on this? I want a bike that I can use for commuting to work and enjoy at the weekends, but I'm very keen on not becoming a kidney donor!

Thanks in advance!

[Alpineandy]

You can become an organ donor on any bike.
IMO you'd be wise to appreciate that no matter what bike you get, you'll look longingly at other bikes within a year.
So I'd go for whatever good used bike comes up cheaply in your area, and then spend a year deciding what qualities you really want from a bike.
You can only understand what qualities you really want after you've been riding for a while.

Are you just interested in riding like a maniac, or is the bike going to be a commuter tool, or are you hoping to go touring etc etc.
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The above comment isn't necessarily the truth and anyone that says it is, is only correct if it's the truth or they're bigger than me.

[owl]

there are also organs other than kidneys believe it or not
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Observation is the greatest source of wisdom.

[jamess051]

[Nexus Icon]

[Alpineandy]

[Rogerborg]

[Alpineandy]

[jamess051]

[jamess051]

[Alpineandy]

[jamess051]

[Rogerborg]

The GSX650F / FA has sports-bike looks with with a more upright, roomy riding position. Might be worth considering.

The other thing to ponder is (quite seriously) putting a pad on the seat to increase the seat-to-peg distance.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[SuperMike]

As has already been mentioned, there is nothing inherently wrong with getting a 600RR as a first bike. I did two years on a scooter and then got the Honda 650F. Little less power than the 600RR and a bit more upright which suits me as like you I do most of my riding time commuting 10 miles each way through London traffic. Still plenty of power for fun at the weekends, although it does run out of steam above 130mph (allegedly...), whereas the 600RR will just keep powering.

Ask yourself honestly how big of a dick you are. I think this is what it boils down to. We all have dick moments willy wangling with the BMW 330 off the lights, but will you say when the time isn't right off you go mate? If you can't help yourself a sports bike might not be for you.

I would also backup the sports bike will kill you on long rides school of thought. Brighton and back on my 650 kills me. Neck hit by the wind above 80mph, wrists take a bashing with the leaned over position. I'm 6"2 and hamstrings are in pieces - I was walking like John Wayne along the seafront. I would absolutely not want to do any touring on it, well nothing that involved more than a couple of hundred miles a day.

[P.]

There's a video somewhere of me passing someone at 140. He was doing around 65/70. He looked like 10mph... It's a plenty quick bike. You can easily die on it. Same with any bike.

Just buy what you like.

[B0ndy]

Anyone who asks me about first bikes usually gets, "buy a shitter and keep it for a year or two". My first big bike was dropped a few times and ended up sliding down the road, fortunately I wasn't too bothered at the time because it wasn't £5k bike, more like a £500 bike - without any fairings to replace! But I would of been gutted to bin a pristine gixxer.

Two mates of mine are doing their DAS soon and planning to go out and get sports bike, they say I'm not helpful when I suggest getting a cheap old bike for starting out on. Hopefully they prove me wrong and their hard earned doesn't end up sliding down the road.

Sensible aside, the 600RR > SV650 imo - I don't like twins, much prefer IL4 engines.
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CBF 125 -> CB400SF -> GSX600F -> ZX6R (G1) -> GSXR1000 K4 -> ZX6R (B1H Stunt bike) -> VFR800 -> R1 5PW -> Sprint 1050 -> Fireblade 929 -> ZX10R C2H

[Alpineandy]

[pinkyfloyd]

I just want to say for a commute I would probably not go for the CBR. I had a play on one of those and I felt cramped on it. I thought it was tiny, very uncomfortable to ride. I felt like my knees were around my ears and I was on a mini moto.

I'm a short arse at 5 foot 6.

I would not want to spend any longer than a short bit of fun on one.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[skatefreak]

Can you behave?

'Overtake Everything' mentality is a big problem on these kinds of bikes.

With "bullet out a gun" kind of acceleration I find myself performing overtakes in gaps of only a few cars on NSL roads...

I'm an idiot for having one and it will get me killed. I need to sell this blasted R1 and leave the thrills for my track bike .

[Keir]

don't limit yourself to a 600 on the basis that 'anything bigger and you'll die' - you can die very quickly on a 600 too.

don't think you can only be fast and have fun on a sports bike either. supermotos are superb fun.
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Current : '08 Yamaha FZ1s
Previous: '99 Honda CBR 600FX, 03 ZX636 B1H, 99 Fazer 600 (red), 02 GSX-R 600 K2, 00 SV650s (red), 2008 ZX10R, 97 Bandit 1200N, 04 ZX6RR K1H, 04 GSX-R 1000, 98 Fazer 600 (gold), 05 Madness 110 Pit bike, 04 CR125R, 00 SV650s (black), 06 KTM 625 SMC, 99 SRAD 600 track bike, 03 SV650, 98 Bandit 1200N, Bandit 600SY, 03 GSX-R 600 K3, 01 GSX-R 600, 01 Fazer 600 (black), VFR 400 NC30 x3, 78 Honda Dream, 00 Speedfight 50

[AshWebster]

I wouldn't use my RR for commuting .

if I was to get a bike to go to work and back everyday id defo go back for a naked/faired CB650 or similar. much easier in traffic (rr gets VERY hot stood still in traffic)

however if you want a weekend toy then boy is it fun round the lanes.

Edit: ok you haven't even passed your DAS yet. imo i'd go see how you are on the trainer 600's before you even think about a race rep. personally I wasn't that great and if youdve sat me on a rr straight after my test idve probably fallen off it at the first corner.

just because MCN say the bike is user friendly and easy to ride Im pretty sure they mean for people who are competent not newbies!
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Honda cg125 J reg peice of shit ---> CB650F ---> 2016 CBR600RR
Ford KA ---> 93' MR2 ---> 94'MR2 ---> 98' Subaru WRX STI Ver 3 (track car)

[ThatDippyTwat]

[Wonko The Sane]

[P.]