I DID IT!!!

After one month of deciding between the CBR 600 and CBR 1000 for my 1st bike. I ordered the CBR1000 today with Heli Bars and I am getting a Corbin seat. I am 34 and took the Safety class last year. I plan to ride it in a parking lot for about 2 weeks before I take it on the streets.

I heard about 50 reasons why I should go with the CBR1000 and 50 reasons why I should with the CBR600. My main concern is how sensitive is the throttle? I plan to respect it but I don't know if the thing to jump at the slightest touch. I plan to casually ride on back roads, I mainly bought the CBR1000 because of its looks...don't plan to race etc. Anyway, not having had a bike before, I have nothing to base my judgement other than the 250cc I learned on. Any advice, word of caution...definitely welcomed.

congradulations man. i also just bought a 1000rr today i pick mine up next saturday

The 1000rr is so much fun, I'm suprised they aren't banned yet!!
You'll smile ear to ear everytime you walk by it in the garage, everytime you start it, everytime you ride it....nothing like it in the world and its all yours

congrats on the 1000rr,
like siad before their is no better feeling in the world.my 2 cents worth. i have been riding most of my life form 80 to my goldwing to my 600rr i had to my 1000rr. sence 96 i have owned 8 different bikes . i reason for thee 600rr in 2003 was that i never had riden a crotch rocket before and believe me that is just what they are. you will not have any problems the 1000rr in quick and powerful. just a reminder in parking lots you tend to gather more speed then the parking lot is designed for, what i mean this bike wont even feel strong until about 40 mph and man that comes quick and after that top in first is about 86 mph so please be careful. this 1000rr will whillie at nothing in first and second gear so if you plan on pinning the throtle please cover the back brake. have lots of fun i no i do and be careful.

Congrats ! You will love your new bike. Take it easy until you get used to her. Other than that....make sure you have a good helmet and wear leathers when you ride. Enjoy !

A liter bike for your first ride? Good luck with that. You'll need it.

Be nice!

Good luck with your New ride man, be sure to post pics when you get it.

quote:

ORIGINAL: HighRevver

Be nice!

Why? So that his feelings don't get hurt? Don't be ridiculous. This has nothing to do with feelings, and everything to do with safety.

No one's trying to be mean here, just realistic. And any negative comments made are not for self-entertainment, but made out of concern.

Getting a 600cc bike as your very first ride is a bad idea, let alone a litre bike (especially if the purchase was made purely on looks :( ). He made a very poor decision, and he needs to know exactly why in order to survive.

To the OP : yes, the throttle is very sensitive, along with EVERY other input to the bike (breaks, steering, throttle, weight). "Planning" on respecting it is not the problem. All people plan on respecting the throttle, or staying safe and within their limits. The problem is error (i.e. "unplanned" input). As a new rider, you will make errors. A super sport bike will magnifiy your errors a thousand fold, which is why they are not recommended as first bikes. There are tons and tons of literature on the web describing all of the bad reasons for starting this way. I would suggest you read up on them.

Any advice? As harsh as it may sound, mine would be to sell it and get something else. I know that won't happen, so good luck, and stay as safe as you can.

Z.

quote:

ORIGINAL: zzz11

quote:

ORIGINAL: HighRevver

Be nice!

Why? So that his feelings don't get hurt? Don't be ridiculous. This has nothing to do with feelings, and everything to do with safety.

No one's trying to be mean here, just realistic. And any negative comments made are not for self-entertainment, but made out of concern.

Getting a 600cc bike as your very first ride is a bad idea, let alone a litre bike (especially if the purchase was made purely on looks :( ). He made a very poor decision, and he needs to know exactly why in order to survive.

To the OP : yes, the throttle is very sensitive, along with EVERY other input to the bike (breaks, steering, throttle, weight). "Planning" on respecting it is not the problem. All people plan on respecting the throttle, or staying safe and within their limits. The problem is error (i.e. "unplanned" input). As a new rider, you will make errors. A super sport bike will magnifiy your errors a thousand fold, which is why they are not recommended as first bikes. There are tons and tons of literature on the web describing all of the bad reasons for starting this way. I would suggest you read up on them.

Any advice? As harsh as it may sound, mine would be to sell it and get something else. I know that won't happen, so good luck, and stay as safe as you can.

Z.

don't take this the wrong way zzz's but you are but you are not entirely correct...the 1krr is not a hard bike to ride at all; and while I agree with you that no one's first bike should be any RR, it is possible and is not any more dangerous that any other sport bike, in fact it may be easier to ride than most; the 1krr is a very stable mount, hesd helps cover your mistakes, and the bike has enough torque to be ridden in any gear safely....as for his plan of riding in a parking lot....not so sure that i do that for two weeks, if he has his license, take some time to ride around before getting into traffic, i talking a day or two tops....keep in mind, most new riders drop their bikes doing low speed stuff....the throttle isn't that bad, just watch it in 1 & 2....above all, respect is one thing, being afraid is entirely another...you cannot be afraid of this bike, if you are, you should not buy it....neverousness is to be expected but fear is a good way to hurt or killed....

Yeah, didn't Sport Rider call it the a Liter bike for beginners?? Now a days, everyone wants the fastest most powerfull as a first ride. I can't comprehend my CBR1000RR being my first bike. If one insists on having any modern sport bike a la CBR600 or 1000 as a first bike, they just need to be very weary of the power.
Being that Hayden, Zemke, and Duhamel, are not on this forum, I'm confident in saying that these bikes limitations are far beyond most of us. RESPECT THE POWER!!!!

quote:

ORIGINAL: mininsx A liter bike for your first ride? Good luck with that. You'll need it.

I wasn't trying to be mean. I went from a Nighthawk 750 with a jetkit and exhaust to an RC51 as my first sportbike, and that first ride on the 51 freaked me out! Let me re-iterate my point: a liter bike is a handful for any newbie. It's bad enough that you've got to deal with all the idiots on the road that won't "see" you, gravel or sand in the middle of a curve, and all the other stuff any motorcyclist deals with daily, but you've also got to deal with learning the basics of braking, accelerating and turning on a bike that can get you into trouble real fast if you're not careful. Just be as smooth as possible with your inputs, whether it's gas, brakes or turning, and be careful!
.

Congrats, picked mine up 3 months ago, was on a 12 year break. It's true....the technology has changed a bit, but you dont forget how to ride. It one of the fastest grocery getters out there!

First, My first sport bike was the 2000 Blackbird. I had always ridden bikes but was on a break for about 8 yrs. I came off a Honda 500 Ascot.

Like the man says, he plans to respect it. I did with mine. Did most of the riding by myself for about the first 8,000 miles, then I moved to Central Florida and that all came to an end quickly. I now have over 51,000 miles on the XX and can ride it like most of the liter bikes handle in the curves. I have the holes in my fairings to prove it.

Congrats on the new ride, Just take your time in the parking lot. That's what I always recomend to new riders to get use to the gas and the brakes. But the best place to go is to a track school and learn how to really handle the bike.

I would advise that you get some frame sliders as soon as you get the bike. Being your first bike, you will drop in very soon as most people do, and if you do you will be glad that the frame sliders saved you alot of damage.

Enjoy your bike but don't go beyond what you feel comfortable with. I have seen more accidents happen because people get scared and lock up their brakes, don’t let yourself panic. These bikes and tires are very good and can pretty much go where ever you aim them. Always look where you want to go, NOT where you don’t want to go. You’ll naturally steer where you are looking so in tough spot look at the way out, not the objects you want to avoid

Thanks for feedback, both positive and negative. All is good because my end all goal is to be safe and enjoy my bike. It won't get here until next week (waiting for Helis to get here and be installed), so any other advice (comments) before I get on is surely appreciated.

quote:

ORIGINAL: mininsx

quote:

ORIGINAL: mininsx A liter bike for your first ride? Good luck with that. You'll need it.

I wasn't trying to be mean. I went from a Nighthawk 750 with a jetkit and exhaust to an RC51 as my first sportbike, and that first ride on the 51 freaked me out! Let me re-iterate my point: a liter bike is a handful for any newbie. It's bad enough that you've got to deal with all the idiots on the road that won't "see" you, gravel or sand in the middle of a curve, and all the other stuff any motorcyclist deals with daily, but you've also got to deal with learning the basics of braking, accelerating and turning on a bike that can get you into trouble real fast if you're not careful. Just be as smooth as possible with your inputs, whether it's gas, brakes or turning, and be careful!
.

There's a huge difference between an RC-51 and a CBR1000. I don't know that you can draw the same comparison. SOOOOO much torque on an RC51 at low RPMs would make it a major challenge to for a novice to ride safely. But he didn't get an RC51, he got a CBR1000.

Congrats on the bike dude. I'm sure you will love it. I road an F4i as my first sport bike for a year and then decided to get a new 1000RR this year. I had a lot of reservations but in all honesty the 1000RR is a lot easier to ride. The power is great, but you still have to twist the throttle to get to it. So if you're afraid of too much power in your early days, don't twist the throttle that much. As far as handling, the 1000RR handles SOOO much better than the F4i, and is way easier to ride.

I've since had the 1000 on the track and have done things that I never could have done on the F4i. But yet, I still feel as safe as I ever did.

Utlimately it comes down to the individual. Sensibility, some mechanical knowledge, and an appreciation for safety are key ingredients for being safe and enjoying your bike, regardless of its size. If you have these things you're golden. Just make sure that you invest in proper gear.

Welcome, and enjoy!

This topic always gets the emotions flowing.....bottom line, you buy the scoot you want, take your time learning to ride it safely, and don't stress so much about whether or not the bike is 'too much' bike. Any bike can be ridden safely. As much as we always throw rider skill into threads as being key, this is one time where it is probably a more important factor than any other. As much as we are all entitled to our opinions, we also don't want someone to fear their bike, as that is a recipe for disaster. Respecting the power of any bike...and I mean any bike is the most important thing you can do. You can crash on a Honda Rebel, and while there's a serious power difference between that and a 1krr, both bikes can be dangerous if not ridden safely. Is a 1krr the right bike for a beginner, probably not the best choice, but that doesn't make it a wrong choice. Hell, it had been more than 12 years since in owned a bike, and I absolutely love mine, and it was a really easy bike to get comfortable on, but then again I have wrist restraint. I think the real question for an new rider is can you ride your new bike without being a squid? If you can, then any bike you like can be the right bike for you, just know what you are buying and respect it.

Good choice on the corbin seat - you're goning to like it.

Have been on several +500 mile trips and would not trade my corbin for anything else out there. By the way, if you are going to carry a passanger, you may wish to check out the corbin rider pillion seat also.

Best regards.

Thanks geepaks

I think with the Corbin seat and Heli Bars, I should be pretty comfortable. I ride my mountain bike all of the time on trails and I am actually bent over more on the Mtn Bike than on the CBR. I figure the Corbin seat and the Heli Bars should be more comfortable than what I am used to.

If the 1000RR is going to be the only bike you've ever ridden besides the 250 in the safety class, then be very, very careful when you first start off.

My wife took the MSF on a 250 and she thinks her Shadow has lots of power. When I ride the Shadow, it feels like a moped. Not knocking the Shadow -- it is what it is. But it ain't no litre bike and neither are the bikes they give you to learn on. There's a reason they use 250's for the classes.

Now, do I think you can make the transition? Maybe. Like was stated above, you have to have restraint and know this bike is a monster compared to what you took the class with.

Good luck!

What's going on people? My turn to add 2 cents.....

My first bike was my 06 CBR 1000RR and I'm doing fine. I think it's all about the rider and his state of mind. I'm 37, not going through a mid-life crisis or trying show my man hood or anything like that I just wanted a bike and after much research I decided the CBR was the one. A younger me may have done something stupid but the older wiser me says continue to respect the bike at all times.

All this chat is like what's going on in the military right now. We have Soldiers dieing on bikes almost daily. Only because they deploy come back with lots of money and feel they need the biggest, fastest bike available but have no experience. They don’t realize that any fool can get on and go fast but it takes practiced skill to actually handle the bike, which is why the military now requires anyone that rides to go to the Safety Course.

Bottom line is be safe respect the bike and remember that in many cases with most riders the bike has more power and get-e-up than you could ever handle.

J-

To put it in simple terms, the sales guy at Criswell Honda in Gaithersburg MD put it....the 1000RR it's a $2,200 bump in sticker price from the 600 to the 1000 and if you got the 600, you will certainly want to trade/sell/upgrade to the 1000 in a short amount of time. I know that for some, $$$ is certainly a factor, but if you go on many of the used motorcycle websites, not to many 1000's for sale!!!!!!

Just SHO up!

Congrats on your new bike...it is a nice one. I have been riding for almost 20 years off and on, and I still can't see myself on a 1000 supersport. Maybe a big bore cruiser, but a 600 SS is enough to keep my underwear bunched real nice between the cheeks.

My 2 cents on this issue: just don't forget that most people on motorcycles die from other's mistakes, not usually their own. Of course the you have the occasional squid wrap himself and his bike around a telephone pole at the apex of a decreasing radius down hiller, but for the most part, it is the other drivers eating their lunch while on the phone, taking a left turn in front of you. In that panic situation it is unwise to think that a newbie on a 1000RR superbike is going to be able to make the right decision to save their life. I posted this same opinion in another thread, but a person new to Motorcycling should spend most of their money on riding gear, and just a little money on a crappy bike. Crash the crappy bike a few times, scuff up the helmet a little, go through a few pairs of gloves. After a few close calls with the old lady in the 74 Mustang and the grumpy guy in the semi, then decide if motorcycling is for you. By that time you will instictively know which cars will change lanes without signaling, which cars run red lights, and what time of day the rain always seems to come. So when you finally get that 1000RR you can actually enjoy it , instead of leaving it in the garage hooked up to a battery tender, flattening the tires and growing mildew inside your helmet and gloves.

After I my son was born I suddenly realized that every ride could be my last, and my bike sat idle for almost 2 years. I have since come to terms with this, and have begun to ride again- after I figure out what is wrong with my bike after being hooked up to a battery tender for 2 years, flattening my tires and growing mold in my helmet.

In the end, just be safe dude, and remember your MSF course training, you are going to need it.

I read this thread because I'm considering buying a CBR and I'm curious to find out what people are talking about when they first acquire one.

I don't know what kinda skillset this newbie learned in MSF that makes him think he can survive on a liter bike but I got only one thing to say about that. ---- Is there a bookie in Vegas that is offering odds on his surviving the first 2000 miles on it, cuz I wanna place a bet that he won't.

I first turned a key on a bike in MY MSF class in September of last year, after that I waited a month for the arrival of a used BMW F650CS (only 50hp and about 4 times the horses of the Honda Nighthawk I rode in class).

Since then, I've put 12,000 miles on my bike, commuting in heavy rushhour traffic in Dallas from my home in the suburbs, without so much as a tip-over in a parking lot. And I'm telling you the testride I took last week on a 2005 CBR liter, left me covered with sweat after just 10 minutes of riding. Yeh, it was fun, but I was stressed out by it. I was just as scared when I went from my MSF to my BMW and there's a reason: Honda Nighthawk -> BMW F650CS is a four fold HP increase. BMW -> CBR liter is another four fold HP increase...
...even though I'm thoroughly skilled on the street, it still got to me.

This guy is going from basically a nothing bike to a dragster, with NO street skills, and a six month hiatus after his MSF class.

Doesn't anyone else here hear alarm bells? He'd do better to have it towed to a race track and get some one-on-one coaching for about 16 hours.

P.S. I'm 47, have a 6 year old son that I don't want to orphan, and I bought my first bike after Katrina pushed the gas prices to $3/gallon. I'm now in love with motorcycles (was after the first 5 minutes of the MSF parking lot riding) and I plan to do Track Days and a novice amateur race to see if I want to do that as a hobby. Even if I decide I don't like racing, my enjoyment of riding a liter bike will be in knowing I have self control.

"The first step in Mastery is knowing thy self."

OK TexasArmadillo,

Instead of placing odds in Vegas, why not take your 2 cents and invest heavily in a mutual fund so that you can send your 6 year old to "manners" school to have more class than you. Orphan or no orhan, your "sense of sarcasm" as a role model is lame. Obviously, a 1000cc is a huge jump, but to be a wise arse about it is something totally different. I will be as careful as possible,... if it is too much for me, then I'll trade down. I will loose money, but I guess I have won $$$ enough times in Vegas to be able to take a chance like this.

Get to know thyself a "little more" and try again...