Looking at getting my first bike

[delco21]

Hey all

I wanna learn to ride this year and get out and enjoy the weather. Im looking at getting my first bike and want to know opinions on what I should be looking at.

Here is what I have considered

Yamaha R6
Aprilia Shiver 750
Honda CBR
Suzuki GSXR

Thanks

[My_name_is_Rob]

My first bike was an R6. Still have it actually. As long as you know how to limit yourself on them it shouldn't be an issue. Enough power that you don't get bored of it right away.

I have never ridden a gsxr, but a couple of buddies have them and they seem all right. Decent newb bikes as well, since they have the adjustable power switch on them.

[turbotrip]

CBR600RR

:closed:

[thepurpleandgold]

You could also try going with something a little smaller - like the new gorgeous ninja 300 or even an old 250.

I think as long as you're levelheaded, a supersport should bring fine - you just have to be careful.

[reese]

Have you looked into a ZX6R, these bikes have gear indicators that comes in very handy if this is going to be your first bike.

Power is a tad more IMO vs a CBR, but dont get me wrong I think CBR is an overall better bike.

[Jsen-DC2]

Dont worry about starting off on a 600, you will get use to it fast. i never rode a bike until i took the class and as soon as i got my license i jumped on a cbr600rr with no problem.

and since we are on this topic, i have a 06 cbr600rr thats all black with under 6k that im looking to get rid of, pm me if your interested :bigpimp:

[reese]

lol... and here I was trying to casually lobby my 07 ZX6R to OP

pm me if your interested too :bigpimp:

[skandalouz_08]

Start on a 600, as long as you are responsible and know your limits you'll be fine. I started on an R6 before moving to another R6 before my current Kawi. All great bikes and never needed more.

I've got a 2003 Kawi 636 that will be for sale in the spring if you're interested. Great starter bike

[Jsen-DC2]

Originally posted by reese
lol... and here I was trying to casually lobby my 07 ZX6R to OP

pm me if your interested too :bigpimp:


LOL your too late!, OP has to check mine first! :guns:

[shakalaka]

My first bike was a Ducati 748. Not the wisest choice I could have made but I am still alive. It all depends on the kind of a rider you are.

[GQBalla]

CBR600RR

mines for sale, just don't offer 2 k

[SkiBum5.0]

I would take a training course like 2 Cool Motorcycle School then make your choice. In the class you will ride dual-sports (Shiver), sport-ish bikes (Ninja 250) and cruisers.
Then pick the bike you want and get the one that has the least amount of stories (mods, "new" pieces of plastic etc).
In addition to the other guys posting here I also have a bike for sale. 2009 R6. PM for details as I have taken down the Kijiji ad.

[Mibz]

Taking the class was huge for me, not just for skills but for figuring out what kind of bike I wanted. I was going to buy a cruiser until I rode the Ninja 250 at Too Cool. Totally changed my opinion and I ended up with a Ninja 650.

[Nav13]

If you're under 5'10" I would avoid the R6. It's a shame because I think it's the best looking one, but it's also the tallest. Technically you should only be putting 1 foot down when you stop, but when you're starting out, there will be times when you will lose your balance coming to a stop. Having the comfort of being able to plant both feet on the ground will be huge., not to mention it will be easier to back the bike out of parking stalls too.

If you are 5'10" or above, then just get the one that looks the best to you. They are all so close in performance you will not notice the difference. I've got an 07 CBR600 and my buddy has an 07 R6, again I think his bike looks better and is easier to flick in the turns, but I like the build quality of mine better and it's a lot more comfortable to ride on the street. His suspension is hard as a rock, really takes a toll on your nuts :eek:

edit: I know you asked for bike opinions but Take the TooCool course, its a bit more than the others, but worth every penny just on the fact that they have the best selection of bikes, the instructors are awesome too.

[revelations]

OP take a course if youve never ridden before. There is no substitute.

I didnt know where the clutch was on a bike before my course and now I'm glad I took the time to learn PROPER bike handling.

After that, you can get almost any bike you wish as all of them can kill you just as fast. :nut: (ok maybe not 250s).

[Graham_A_M]

I know of an '05 CBR600 for $3k. Decent shape, runs like a top. PM me if you're interested. The bike isn't stupidly powerful, and with a narrow (& low) seat it would make a dandy starter bike for you. Its a very predictable bike.

[harv91]

Hey Bud,

I just got my bike last summer and i went with the gsxr-600.
Its hard to pick what bike you want without actually riding them and seeing which one you feel the most comfortable on.

The all are very similar on paper (specs wise) however the angle you lean and the way bikes corner have a different feel to it.

I know its tough, however if you wanna make sure your getting the right bike for you i would recommend going out and taking each of the ones you named out for a spin to see which one is best suited for you...

I would also like to throw this link up for anyone else who is interested in getting their bike license.

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/264508/obtaining-your-class-6-in-alberta-insurance-gear-and-more/

Palmiros did an awesome job with that thread. Theres tons of awesome information that i wish was available to me before i got my bike / license.

Goodluck and ride safe :thumbsup:

[aypi]

Like everyone suggested, take the course. I've been riding a motorcyce/moped since I was 12-13 yrs old but still decided to take the course.

My first sportsbike was a cbr600 and It was a great starter bike. Now I have an 09 zx6r and I'm loving it. Looked into an R6 but I'm only 5'7" and I didn't feel comfortable riding it because of the seat height.

Good luck OP :thumbsup:

[ddduke]

Originally posted by turbotrip
CBR600RR

:closed:

Worst bike I have EVER owned. Don't waste your time or money. I can count how many times I rode it on one hand cause it was such a cheaply made snooze fest.

Out of your choices I's go R6 or Shiver. Don't know a thing about gsxrs but I personally hate the styling, but that's just my opinion

[RC-Cola]

I've owned a Shiver and they are a great bike, but I wouldn't own it as a first bike.

Because of the nature of a parallel twin engine it makes the bike very torquey. Although it's very fun to ride, if you're not used to rolling on the throttle is a controlled manner it can throw you pretty quickly.

For this I would look at a inline four engine. They tend to be very linear in the delivery of the RPM's and torque so you avoid "surprises" in corners or during acceleration.

I would agree with all the other comments, take the Too Cool School course before buying a bike. It's a great way to jump on a bunch of different bikes without making the huge investment. Then look in the spring at all the demo days at the dealers, hop on as many different bikes as you can, then pull the trigger.

[03ozwhip]

like many on here, ive ridden all of he above bikes and by far the best bike is the R6. its the reason i owned 2 of them and none of the others. someone said its a tall bike and theyre right, im 5'11 and it was tall for me.

however, it is still the best bike out of all of them for multiple reasons by a fair margin IMHO. TAKE THE FUCKING MOTO CLASSES.

the end.

[delco21]

Ok so ive signed up for motorcycle classes at Too cool so that will be were I start. As for Bikes I think ill try a few and see what works best for me

[japan_us]

^ Good approach. Also, make sure you don't cheap out on the gear ... and get all of it! Statistically, your legs and feet are most prone to getting mangled in a wreck, so think about that if ever you're debating whether or not you need boots and proper riding pants.

As for bikes, find the one that offers the best ergos/comfort for you, and if you like the aesthetics, then have at it.

[GS430]

I started out with an R6, great overall bike and it taught me a lot. I never abused it or let the potential outweigh my skill.

[don't get a gixxer, I see too many squids in flip flops and wife beaters riding them]

[japan_us]

^ I'll agree that the Gixxer seems to be the squid's weapon of choice, but I wouldn't rule it out based on that alone. It has a lot of things going for it and if it’s the best “fit” for the OP, then as long as he doesn’t follow the ways of the squid, it doesn’t matter what he rides.

[SkiBum5.0]

+1 on boots! Probably after the helmet, the most important piece of gear. Google "motorcycle accident and skate shoes" and it will be a list of amputations due to people sliding at low speeds into curbs and turning their lower legs into mulch.
Not sure your size OP, but I'm 6"2 and the R6 can be a bit small (peg to handlebar). I found it is one of the taller bikes though which made up for it. The GSX-R was middle ground but I thought I saw too many of them around. The ZX6-R (post 2009 update) was the biggest and most comfortable but were difficult to find in the used market. I didn't even test ride the Triumph 675 because it was very small. It was beautiful, I loved the engine but just couldn't get comfortable on it.
Many people selling their bikes on the used market won't let you test ride (myself included) because of the risks associated. Someone mentioned demo days in the spring which would be great for you (and me since I want to buy a Triumph Speed Triple to replace the R6).
Good luck with the search and have fun at the course. It was 5 degrees and raining when I did mine in May so hopefully it won't be like that for you.

[97luder]

as others have said the r6 was not built for short people like me im 5'8 130lb so its pretty big, what i find is its not really the hight but the width of the seat ( in turn gives you less leg length) I shaved my seat last week so gonna try to get out today and see how it feels.

If you are shorter and looking for a full size bike (not a 250-300) then check out the newer gixxers, there the only bike i can 100% flat foot (that i have sat on). Even my girlfriend who is 5'2 feels really good on one even more then the 250 ninja

[RedlineMS]

If you are looking at a 600 class bike, any of them will do fine. All will have enough get up and go that you will not be bored - ever. Unless you never learn how to ride and just want to use the power in a straight line.

Suzuki GSXR600 - lowest seat in the class, gear indicator, feels like you sit in it rather than on top of it, lots of used parts available lol. Any year is good.

Honda CBR600rr - medium high seat, under-tail exhaust instead of side mount, feels like you are sitting more on the front wheel. 07+ are the best years.

Kawi ZX6r - Good bike, a bit goofy looking in some years. 2005-06 636 feels bigger than other 600's but it's a great bike. Avoid 2006-07 models. 2008+ good

Yami R6 - tallest seat height, can be a bit twitchy if you ride it very hard, otherwise it 's the same as the others. Feels like you are sitting on top of it, way up there on top.

Triumph 675v -tall and skinny, a little more midrange than the others but not faster. Reliability is good for a Triumph, parts harder to find.

Don't let anyone tell you that one bike is way better than another, it's not true.

A particular bike may fit you better, you may like the ergonomics more. Definitely sit on all of them, put both feet up on the pegs, see how you like the reach to the bars, do you like the dash, how the seat feels, where your knees make contact with the tank etc. You can't go wrong with any of the 600 class bikes. The Ducati's have also come a long way, the 848 is a really good bike. Maint costs are a little higher than the others but they are way better than they used to be. Avoid the 748's, they were dogs.

Proper suspension setup, tires and tire pressure has as much to do with handling as the bike model does. You can take a CBR600 and soften everything up and compare it with a properly setup R6 and the R6 feels better and faster, reverse the settings and now the CBR600 feels faster. Tire choice and pressure also make a big difference. Get the pressure too low, and the bike feels heavy and slow. Too high and it feels twitchy, choppy and out of control. The bike has Dunlop Q2's? - it will feel faster in transitions, if it has Michelin 2CT's, it may feel slower but more planted on the road. There are so many factors that affect how a bike feels that it's impossible to get on someone else’s bike and say it's better or worse than yours. All the 600's make about the same power, between 98 and 102 hp out of the box at the rear wheel. Some have better mid range and some have better top end but the difference is not really that big. They all feel weak until you get that engine spinning! They are all very, very good and the real difference in bikes is the rider, and that's really it.

[delco21]

Well all I pulled the trigger on a bike today.

Picked up a 2012 CBR 250R that was customized by a shop here in Calgary

Look forward to picking it up and riding it

[My_name_is_Rob]

Congrats man! Just be a conscious rider and you'll have plenty of fun. :thumbsup:

[RedlineMS]

Good choice! You'll love it

[delco21]

Well 250 deal fell through bike has some issues and I didnt want to deal with it.

SOOOOOOOOO I went to bow cycle today and bought this instead and got a great deal

2013 Ninja 300 special edition with ABS

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/delco21/090512-2013-kawasaki-ninja-300-3_zpsf32e88fe.jpg

[RC-Cola]

Nice action! I saw one at the bike show awhile and thought it looked great for a "starter bike".

No one will tell you to get a big kid bike looking at that! :thumbsup:

Although, you will really need to put a fender eliminator on it to tidy it up.

[delco21]

Originally posted by RC-Cola
Nice action! I saw one at the bike show awhile and thought it looked great for a "starter bike".

No one will tell you to get a big kid bike looking at that! :thumbsup:

Although, you will really need to put a fender eliminator on it to tidy it up.

Just ordering goodies on the yoshimura site now

[RedlineMS]

You will like the extra 50cc. Good styling on the bike, Kawi did a great job on it.

[thepurpleandgold]

For a first bike? Damn that's a pricey one - the new 300 with ABS.

Well congratulations man! Out of curiosity, how much did it run you?