600 at 17?

[JonS]

Hey guys well im coming up for 17, and after ridin a moped for almost a year and loving it, I have decided not to go for a car but get a bike instead, i was thinking about gettin somethin along the lines of a R6, Gsxr, Zx6r and restricting to 33bhp? is this possible to be done at 17 after doing my bike test? and would this be worth it? thanks

[DidierD]

Yes you can do it.

Opinion is split amongst those who think ye, go for it, it's your life, enjoy it and get what you want and those who think it's a daft idea at such a young age to get something so big and powerful. And those machines ARE powerful. Also you will probably be tempted to take the restrictors out after a few months and risking landing yourself in a LOT of trouble.

Have a search through this forum, loads of people have asked this question. Also some bikes take the restriction better than others
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Bike - '98 Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat Pics

31st March 2008 - Fully converted from four wheels to 2 sets of two wheels

[JonS]

Well ive always wanted a bigger bike so i recon thats what ill do yeah ill have a look around lookin for the best bike to get, thanks for the help

[Keir]

possible but i would reccomend getting a car first. far more practical in everyday life and will probably make you a safer rider when you do take your test.
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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

[reggae]

Boo! No cars!
I see your point though
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Love thy bike.

[Frost]

If youve got the money and think you can handle it, go for it!

I would however recommend getting alot of insurance quotes first, 17 on a 600 will be pretty expensive. Also test ride a few other bikes first, whatever it is when restricted to 33bhp it will be about as quick. Limiting a 100+bhp bike to 33 can make it ride a bit crappy as the gearing etc is designed for somehting with alot more power.

[Kal]

[jack_zxr400]

[Ste]

Yes it's entirely possible. But you'll pay lots for insurance on a 600cc at 17, therefore if you're going to restrict it to 33bhp it's not really worth.

If you're going to stay restricted then get something that is 33bhp and doesn't need restricting or something that's only slightly over 33bhp. If you're not going to stay restricted then go for whatever you want.

[Spit-Fire]

im guessing you or your mum and dad are minted to afford 1. any of the above mentioned bikes (even second hand) and 2. the insurance on a 600 sports bike at 17! add to the fact your going to add a restrictor! ow! its going to cost an arm and 3 legs bro, why not get something in between? a 125,250,400?? i can see where you coming from and i wanted a big bike way before in was sensible to own one, but at 17 i could just afford to keep an 125rs on the road let alone an r6, if you have the doh then why not i guess, but like the guys have pointed out you might be over looking just how much power a 600 has
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they say the good die young... i say we just live faster

[Coxyzxr]

Question is. Why? Sure you get bragging rights at having a 600 at 17. But that's about it.

I don't think you realise the costs involved with running a bike like that.

They eat back tyres. About 120 quid a go.
Insurance? It would be sky high. Like really !
Minor service £150 Intervals are frequent
Major £300+
Petrol, prices lately and it's not stopping there.
Again begs the question. Why?

Now the other stuff, if you've ridden a 125 for x amount of years then getting on a bigger bike isn't that much different. There's just a whole lot more of everything. Weight, size, power, torque.

Having said that. Anything 250 to about 400 is going to be big thrills so why mess around with anything else for the time being.

Check jap import 400cc bandits most are restricted to 33bhp as japanese bike law isn't too much unlike our own and you'd have great fun on that and it's the logical step from 125>400>600.
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**WAS FITTED "WRONG WAY ROUND" !** CANT ACCOUNT FOR THE STUPID !

[Spit-Fire]

[Deus]

Just to give you some perspective, I'm 19 and it's costing me £1100 to insure a new R6 with TPFT. And as Coxyzxr mentioned, there are a lot of "extra" costs. It also depends what you plan on using the bike for. Commuting? Showing off? Etc...

I'll be honest with you, the first time I got on a 600 I felt extremes of happiness and fear. You need to make sure you really understand the power involved (even if it's restricted).

However, if you really believe that you can be a safe driver when need be, then go for it. As people have said, it's your life. Just make sure you don't endanger others.

[chris-red]

[quote="sPiTfYa"]

[iooi]

[Im-a-Ridah]

[NexusDragon]

Why not just try out a 125cc motorcycle for now, see how you feel with gearing. You'd still be able to ride on a CBT and its good enough to get you around. Obviously you cannot use motorways but I'd say you should probably get some more road experience under your belt first.

I've been driving for three years and in the last twelve months I've gone from no-experience, to a Ybr125 for six months, then up to a 96bhp Fazer. At first I thought a 125cc was plenty of power and its certainly a great way to give you that important experience you need before deciding to jump on to a higher class.

I took a new R6 out for a test ride the other week, I'm not judging your capabilities but I certainly would not want to give an R6 to a young and inexperienced newly-passed rider. Not saying you'd buy an R6 but they do seem to be a teenager's wet dream, superbike n' all. If your going to get a 600cc, Perhaps try looking at getting something like a Honda CBF500, or CBF600. Basic controls and pretty user-friendly, still plenty of power there too.

Ask yourself, do you want a larger bike becuase you enjoy riding? Think about a commuter bike, you wont have the looks but its probably the sensible choice. If you want to look like a power-ranger on a superbike.. You may need to wait a few more years.
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DAS Passed 19th April 08. 07' YBR125 > Yamaha FZ6 S2 '08 > 1998 YZF600R ThunderCat

[Bigell88]

if its just a big bike your after, that looks the business, go for a kawasaki ninja 250. 33bhp standard, its a lovely size for a 17 year old and it looks the part
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CBT Passed Sat 28th June

[Deus]

[Catalyst]

I went from riding a 50cc geared bike for a year straight onto a 650cc no problems, sure it was different but not enough to make it a stupid choice. The only difference is the weight really, obviously theres the power but providing you know how to use a clutch properly you can't go too wrong.

Insurance is only about £600 TPFT so it's miles cheaper than a car and 400's were more to insure for me because A) their usually imports, B) their old and parts are rare.

If i had the choice again i'd do exactly what i've done, a 650cc twin isn't anywhere near as powerful as a sport IL4 so it's a more sensible option. Takes restriction well if you bother to put any in or leave them in. Don't listen to people moaning about it being a stupid choice and being too powerful, because after a week you will be used to the power.
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|--Previous--|:2007 Aprilia SX50...--Current--|: 2007 Kawasaki ER-6N
SlimRick - I can cook really well - but it's a useless skill, as I'm not a woman and it's their fucking job!

[Spit-Fire]

[tristan]

Im 17 and have a SRAD (gsxr 1999) 600 and get on just find. My insurance was third party fire and theft and cost £484 through MCE.

I had people telling me its obsurd getting a 600 at 17 - you won't handle it, you will die etc, and 2 months in I'm at one with it. If you treat it with respect you'll be just fine, but be warned you WILL take the restrictors out before you know it, I said I wouldn't but it can't be helped - which is why maybe a 125 bwould be a better choice.

But boys will be boys , if you can afford it, and have the right attitude then there is no reason why getting a 600 is asking too much. To be fair it soon feels slow - even full power - but thats the frightening thing, not the power; but the fact high speeds are reached so easily, and the mph goes up and up without you noticing it

Don't know what else to say really, it's all attitude and approach. They are costly to run but very rewarding machines.

The advantage of having a 6 is in fact the brakes are much stronger than any small capacity bike, theframe is designed for 100bhp not 20 - so its capabilities will be more than enough for 33bhp and the additional weight means it is very planted in the twisties. Just my 3 pence

[chris-red]

[Im-a-Ridah]

[Mac_Black]

Join the brotherhood, get a 400, be a winnah!
Seriously (I'm 18) I had the NSR125 on the road for the first 11 months of my riding life...
Never rode a motorbike before that and at first could'nt get more than 80mph out of it becuase I was still learning.
At the end of my time on that bike (before I crashed it and rode it naked (The fairings not me ))
I was getting 95mph out of it and learnt to ride very fast, even in the corners.

Now obviously I have an RVF400, a dream bike of sorts...
I got it on loan and I was choosing between that and an R6, a Triump StreetTriple and the viffers.
Now the bigger bikes I knew I'd be able to handle,
yet I chose the RVF as for one thing the bike came along
at the perfect price just as I was getting serious about the idea...

But apart from that costs for the 2 go like this;
W=MadeOfWin, cheaper etc - $$$=expensive


Fuel economy 400 W - 600 $$$
Tyre Life 400 W - 600 $$$
Replacement Part 400 $$$ - 600 W
Maintanence 400 W - 600 $$$
Services 400 W - 600 $$$ - RVF ($$$$$-apparantly My interim service was actually a steal

Weight 400 W - 600 Heavier
Power 400 Good - 600 Well... obviously
Insurance 400 W - 600 $$$ (Marginal)

So obviously the 400's are cheaper to run, repair, maintain and service, and the insurance is slightly less, with longer tyre life.
But don't think 400's don't have power, mine tops out at an indicated 120mph or there abouts...
I can keep up with many bigger bikes especially around the twisties, and should I somehow sort of the restriction It could I believe do upto 140mph

A month back on saturday I actually outrode a guy on a Gixxer 600 S-RAD from Hereford- Worcester via frommes hill etc,
after I got bored of following him
(This guy was overtaking around blind corners at 1 point
so when I overtook him on a long straight I think I did rather well to loose sight of him in my mirrors
...going 110mph down a long hill then straight up a steep 50-70ft incline and around a sweeping right hander probably had allot to do with it.

...That brings me onto my last point, get a 400 and you will learn how to RIDE a bike, not just be lazy with all that power... I don't have so much top range power so I've learnt how to use the bikes strengths (agile, light, flickable, can change lines through a corner just like that) to become a faster and more skilled rider...
Sorry for the essay