TraviS2000

I've been thinking about buying a bike lately...I've never ridden one. I want to stick with a Honda and want it to be a sport bike. I was thinking about getting a CBR 600. Now, I don't have any delusions of grandeur, I realize I'm going to need to start slow and that 600 is probably too much for a beginner. So I plan on taking it very slow, taking riding courses, and my roommate works for and rides a Harley so I have resources to help me play it safe. I also realize I'll probably set it down a time or two in the learning process...that being said I'm really looking for a beater 600. I will also not skip out on all the protective gear.

I would like to spend less than 3k. Is it possible to find a decent running CBR for that much? I don't care about cosmetics as long as it's in good mechanical condition and will provide me with a couple years worth of riding before I start looking for a nice bike. This one is a little older than what I would like but it does have low miles:

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/mcy/705739685.html

What do you think about that bike? What do you think it's worth? Assuming it runs good...I'll have my roommate take it out for a test drive and check it out (he builds Harleys so not sure how much he'll be able to spot if things are bad...)


So, what do you think of my plans? Is 600 too much for a beginner? Would an older CBR 600 be something good to learn on?

Thanks!

wanabe

my thoughts:

1. you are right on that the first step is a motorcycle safety course, and taking it easy for a while

2. rather than a 600 for $3k for a beginner (remember that you are likely to want a bigger bike in less than a year), i would suggest a smaller newer bike- a cruiser style (and i know this isnt what you had in mind... but i also know that i had to be talked out of my idea of a first bike- a large harley!!- and glad i was)
i will get flamed for this, but my wife decided to learn to ride recently. she got a honda rebel (250) for $2,200 with less than 500 miles on the bike. so, its a new bike that someone else broke in for her, that she doesnt mind dropping (she already has- i put on a crash bar and her damage was minor), and she will be able to sell for very close to what she has in it when she is ready. btw, 70 mpg isnt bad either!!
the bike is a blast to ride- handles very easily and its hard to get in trouble (never hard to get in trouble by doing stupid things, but not so hard to get in trouble by over throttling a big bike).



(or way more pics than you want to see are at:
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=601072 )

my guess is that the bike you are looking at could end up needing more money in repairs....

aeonracer

Get yourself one of the new Ninja 250's. You'll learn move about riding (and pushing) a motorcycle on that thing than you would on a 600 in a much shorter time span.

Additionally, even a brand new 250 will be $4000 OTD. You can surely find a really really nice used one for $2000-2500. Considering what you'd get in a 600 for $3000 (i.e. a falling apart beater that will be unreliable as hell and probably look like crap), you'd be better off spending $2500 on a used 250 and then spending the rest on track days.

And no, I didn't start on a 250, I started on a CBR600. Its way too much bike for a beginner, more so for someone that has never sat on or ridden a sport bike.

Once you learn to ride the 250 and keep up with the 600's (you will be able to), then you can think about upgrading to a 600. I personally think anything more than a 600 for the street (and track) is overkill...

TraviS2000

Yeah, I don't want to skip on safety. One of my buddies in high school got in a really bad wreck and lost one of his legs and almost his life. That was 10 years ago...and I didn't really think about a bike until now...and I think I'm now ready for the responsibility of owning one. I really want to have completed a safety course before I even buy one. I ask the question now because that's the first bike I've seen in my area below 5k...

I didn't realize you could get newer bikes for so cheap (250's). I definitely don't want to be dumping money in to repair the bike...just want something to get me through the learning process safely and without a lot of money. I knew I asked you guys for a reason I'll start looking into the 250's more, Rebel and Ninja etc...

Thanks!

Pointblank

250 would be good. I bought an 08 R6 a little over two weeks ago and i have a fractured hand now. That may be because I'm stupid, newbish, and whatnot...but it's a much steeper learning curve on a 600.

Saki GT

Imo, if you start with a 600, you probably won't outgrow it for a long time if ever. If you start with a 250, you'll outgrow it quickly imo (there are lawnmowers with as much or more hp as 250s, for reference). The power in the bike doesn't count for much compared to experience and being smart, so def spend the time on courses and being respectful of the bike, road, traffic, & gear. Get used to the weight of the bike, its center of gravity, and your ability to handle it.

Taking the MSF class will likely give you exp on a 250, so once you complete the course, then you can think about really getting a 250, or going for a mid-size engine bike like a 500-600. My first bike was a 500 V4 - I knew after the course that a 250 wouldn't cut it even for cruising, but that's just me - I'm not an aggressive rider. Either way, don't get the bike of your dreams your first time out - get someting you won't cry about in the event you drop it.

Since you're better off buying used no matter what you get, read up on how to examine a bike, and always inspect one in person. They are pretty simple machines, haven't changed much over the years, and can last forever if maintained right, but many sport bikes are bought by squids, trashed or dumped, and then sold when the riders can't handle the insurance, medical bills, or become scared to ride. You need to be able to spot serious issues, because pretty much every seller will tell you their bike has never been dropped...

aeonracer

http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/Detail.aspx?id=263

Take a serious look at that bike, you can probably get it brand new OTD for 3500 or less if you're a good talker. It only tops out around 110-120mph, but that's plenty fast to kill yourself, and its a blast throwing around a light bike. I wish they had these when I got my bike, I'd jump on it in a heartbeat.

You may "outgrow" the 250 faster, but trust me the longer you keep it the better a rider you will become. You will learn to squeak out every bit of performance from that thing. Getting a bigger bike makes you lazier because you have more power. Best part is, you'll be getting 70mpg from it. In 3-4 years, when you've mastered everything you can about the 250, get yourself a 600 and you'll be a better rider than 90% of the people out there. If you want to sell the 250, you should still be able to easily get 2000+ for it.

txs2knoah

lol. ouch.

Saki GT

How did you break your hand?

Diablo99V

Ouch!!! Sorry to hear. I learned on a GSX-R 750 but most of my noob riding was on an 06 R6. It is a hard but as long as you control yourself and take it easy it shouldn't be a problem. I did drop it once when I was parking but nothing happened to me. Now my new 08 R6 is just perfect with only 3 years of riding. I'm not planning on getting anything bigger for a while although after riding long miles on a ZX-14 I was very tempted to get something with more balls, well I decided to keep my balls.