Question and Advice Needed About first bike

[SetoJai]

I have recently been pondering the question of should I get a bike or not, since I only live once might as well try it out and see how it goes.

Couple of questions I wanted to be cleared up. In order to obtain your full class 6 can you have a class 5 GDL-Driver or it has to be class 5 Non-GDL (I am still GDL-Driver)?

I do intend to take a motorcycle safety course to learn all that I can about safe riding. After that I plan to buy a 600cc sport bike. Yes, some might think it is better to start off on a 250cc because I might kill myself with the extra power, but with common sense and adequate training involved I will be okay.

I recently went to a couple of shops to sit on a couple of bikes and found the Gixxer 600 to be the lowest one (I am short 5'5) and the Yamaha R6 to be a bit higher but the handle bars are a lot closer compared to the Gixxer 600. I haven't had the chance to sit on a CBR600r(r?) so I would like some opinions on the CBR height and handle bar closeness.

Sorry for the long post. Please share some of your experiences with me and give me some advice about the topic, all comments will be taken into account!

[atgilchrist]

Get a lightly used bike. If you're learning, you WILL drop your bike, and dropping a brand new one will make you cry.

The gixxer's are normally the closest to the ground, but the CBR tends to have a more balanced riding position.

I'm not sure about the newer licencing rules.

And take the course, it will make you a better rider and a better driver in your car too!

[GQBalla]

i got my class 6 while still having a GDL license, than i took the advanced course to get rid of GDL.

this was last year.

Now if i were you i would go to a bike shop and just sit on bikes and see which one fits you.

can you have both feet on the ground flat?

although ive seen a 5"2 girl riding a gsxr 750.

it was pretty funny to see her stop at a light.

[turbotrip]

If I remember correctly, the cbr may be a tiny bit smaller than the gixxer

[SetoJai]

Glad to hear I can obtain class 6 while having class 5 GDL-Driver. I do plan on getting a pre-owned bike as already stated by atgilchrist that I will drop my bike still being a new rider.

Thanks for the comments! Keep em' coming

[Supa Dexta]

I got my bike licence before I ever had a car licence. All I had to do was write my beginners the day I turned 16, but thats been quite a few yrs ago now.

[Khalil.e]

If your looking at CBR's, I'd look at the 06-07's, as they are a fair bit smaller than the 03-05's (Think thats the correct year)

[fluid]

yup you can get a class 6 with a class 7 prior.

sit on bikes, and see which one feels the best to you..most importent thing. and since its your first bike, you'll get used to the bikes design quick, then other bikes will feel weird lol

the thing is if you take the safety class you get experince with a 250cc, the main thing with bikes is dont power trip.. thats why people say start with a 250cc....so you can learn how to drive a bike without the capability of going 280km/h+...
its like if you learn to drive in a civic...you learn how to drive around the city, drive in traffic...now if you had a viper(i know not realistic but for the sake of argument), to learn on, chances are you would f*** something up right?

unless you were logical about it, and drove it with control, and when you had a safe chance, then you let the car actually drive.
i guess thats how you could compare it with a bike....

but in the end nothing can take place of experience

face it a bike with 250cc wont allow you to power trip...so if you buy a 600, if you feel the need to open it up, make sure ur not in traffic, actually that was bad advice....take it to the track thats what we all do

long post.... no more caffiene for me today...
hope tht helps...

[revelations]

Get a YZF600 - great for short ppl and its not a COMPLETE wimp of a bike either.

[SetoJai]

I will be heading around town this weekend to find a CBR600RR and sit on it, by then I will have sat on the Gixxer 600, R6, and CBR600RR then will be able to make my choice on which 600cc class bike I would like to purchase in the next couple of months.

From your own personal experience out of the 3 600cc bikes which did you all think was lower? Handling wise I don't think I would be able to test it out in the city limits anyways (Only at track).

Thanks for all the comments, keep them coming in!

[HHURICANE1]

I really don't find there is a lot of difference in height myself but fit is such a personal thing that it is hard to say which bike is going to fit you the best. I personally like the fit of the R6 and the GSXR. I didn't like the seat on the CBR and the whole seating position sucked for me on the Kawi. I got the R6 because it fit ME the best but if I had seen the 08 GSXR first I probably would have ended up with it. I love that white/silver colour scheme but I don't regret the R6. You will have to sit on all the ones you are looking at and decide yourself, you're the only one who can tell which one you can live with every day.

[TC06]

I've owned a '03 CBR600RR, a '07 GSXR-600, and I currently have a '07 R6...since I'm a pretty short guy 5'4", I found the GSXR the most comfortable cause when you sit on it, it's lower to the ground and the seat isn't as of aggressive than the R6. The R6 is the highest off the ground when I sit on it.

[GreyFox]

You can still get your class 6 with a class 5 GDL but it just means all the same rules apply to your class 6 such as zero alcohol tolerance, fewer demerits allowed etc etc...

[3g4u]

Could you not lower any bike to fit your height?

[GQBalla]

lowering affects the way the bike was built, sure you could lower it though.

[turbotrip]

Originally posted by 3g4u
Could you not lower any bike to fit your height?

you could, but not a good idea; it messes with the handling and suspension

[SetoJai]

No matter what bike i buy I'll have to lower the bike 1-2 inches in order to flat foot properly.... I know when lowering a bike it affects the handling but on the street will you even notice the difference? Been on a couple of forums and some say yes and some say no

[Eleanor]

When I bought the CBR last year the Gixxer had the lowest seat, then the CBR, then the R6. I found the R6 quite high (I've got a 31" inseam). Bow cycle & GW sell CBRs that you could jump on. 07/08's are lighter & more powerful than previous years.

You don't need a non-GDL license.

[3g4u]

Originally posted by turbotrip


you could, but not a good idea; it messes with the handling and suspension

Weird. I really know nothing about sport bikes but i know on my harley i lowered the rear 2" at first (before i lowered the front too) and it didnt mess with the trail at all. Actually rode better then stock but im sure it was because I upgraded to progressive suspensions shocks.

[Eleanor]

Originally posted by 3g4u
Weird. I really know nothing about sport bikes but i know on my harley i lowered the rear 2" at first (before i lowered the front too) and it didnt mess with the trail at all. Actually rode better then stock but im sure it was because I upgraded to progressive suspensions shocks.

Doing anything to a Harley is an improvement