Last chance advice before purchase
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Last chance advice before purchase - 10/28/2006 5:34:35 PM
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molsen81
Posts: 29
Joined: 8/21/2006
Status: offline
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Ok I just wanted to get some last second advice. Ridden dirt bikes, but never a street bike. I took the MSF course and it's time to ride. The weather in Las Vegas is perfect now. I'm trying to decide between a '02 Yamaha R6 and a '03 Honda CBR 600rr. Any suggestions? Both will be good deals. I'm 5'6, 175 lbs so I'm not sure how I will fit either bike. I can be pretty much flat foot an a '06 Gixxer 600, but I believe the seats on the Honda and Yammy are a little bit higher. Thanks for the advice!
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RE: Last chance advice before purchase - 10/28/2006 6:19:37 PM
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doncollins
Posts: 6259
Joined: 7/21/2005
From: OH, KY & WV
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Brand loyalty aside....
Honda makes great dependable engines that can handle abuse. So if I'm buying used, Honda will always look like a better deal to me.
If you can trust the condition of each bike, then I'd say check the bikes over carefully and look for damage and is it possible to test ride? That's a hard one, cause I'd never let anyone test ride a bike I was selling and at the same time, I'd never buy one with out test riding.
Here's a buyers guide.
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RE: Last chance advice before purchase - 10/28/2006 6:20:05 PM
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knightslugger
Posts: 1602
Joined: 6/21/2006
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You'll find me among the most unbiased people on the forum.
My suggestion, pending that the two bikes are in a normal wear and tear condition and have been maintained within a reasonable manor, that as a new street bike rider, that between the two bikes, you'll find the CBR is friendlier and more manageable than the R6. Add to it that the Honda will be more mechanically sound than ANY other bike on the planet (shy of the one that's never ridden).
but, to be honest, and keeping with the true motorcycle code, don't buy either motorcycle. a 100+ HP motorcycle is not what you want to start out with on the road. granted you've ridden dirt-bikes before (for how long i have no idea), but the way you handle a street-bike doesn't compare with that of a dirt bike. dirt-bikes are like massive BMX bikes. Street-bikes are.... well in a class of their own. The steering on these bikes are razor sharp, and if you don't know what to expect when you lean over, you could very well end up in the ditch tangled in some barbed wire fence with a cob of corn up your ass. Believe me, it's far more likely to happen on a super sport bike than it is on a standard sport bike, like the EX series from Kawaksai or GS/SV series from Suzuki. You might be appalled at the notion of buying a 50-70hp machine and then having to trade it in at a lower than purchased price, but that's why your first road bike should be a used bike because let me tell you something, used bikes like the ones i just said retain their value better than silver or gold. dealers LOVE having them. They sell faster than CBRs and R6's! NO SH1T! used beginners bikes sell faster than new super sport bikes! if you're a dealer, that's money well spent! Find a dealer that will cut you a deal, like for instance. you buy a used beginner bike for... 3500 bucks. as long as you bring it back in good condition and purchase a new motorcycle, that dealer will trade the bike back at the same price you bought it for. It's not so uncommon a practice! It's a guarantied sale next year! You only need a year if you're a quick pick up!
So here's what i propose: forget the CBR and the R6. get a ex or sv, ride the piss out of it for a year, and bring it back and buy a kick ass new RR or R6. Just so you know, Las Vegas has a very high motorcycle theft rate, so a CBR for your first purchase isn't so great of an idea, insurance be damned. I mean, get full coverage so that in the case that it does get stolen you can at least get "your bike" back, but be aware that thieves will look harder at a CBR or R6, or GSXR (or any super sport for that matter) than they will an EX500 or GS500... food for thought.
_____________________________
2006 CBR600RR - Red - VStack Mod - .90 kg/mm RaceTech Forks w/ Gold Valves - DIM F/E - Pirelli Diablo Corsa III
Power without Precision is Pointless.
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RE: Last chance advice before purchase - 10/28/2006 6:52:36 PM
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abadfish
Posts: 771
Joined: 6/26/2005
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quote:
ORIGINAL: knightslugger
but the way you handle a street-bike doesn't compare with that of a dirt bike. dirt-bikes are like massive BMX bikes. Street-bikes are.... well in a class of their own. The steering on these bikes are razor sharp, and if you don't know what to expect when you lean over, you could very well end up in the ditch tangled in some barbed wire fence with a cob of corn up your ass.
Have you actually seriously ridden dirt bikes?!?!?!? Putting dirt bikes on a level with BMX bikes is just very naive and ignorant. Much of dirt riding is applicable to street bikes!!!! Its funny when you go to the track. Its very easy to separate those who have dirt experience from those who don't. Just watch the reactions when the bike start sliding.
There is no better way to prepare oneself for the street and sportbikes than to ride dirt. The power delivery of those two-strokes is, by far, more harsher than a comparable street bike. That's just the nature of two-strokes. It forces the rider to develop precision throttle control. Dirt riding also prepares you much better for those situations where you have little or no traction.
BTW, guess where Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden started riding.....dirt bikes!!! Notice how well they handle sliding bikes?? (rhetorical question)
Getting back on topic, I don't know how much dirt experience you have. If you were a serious dirt rider, then a 600 sportbike won't be a big deal for you to start with on the street.
_____________________________
'05 600RR Purple/Black
 
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RE: Last chance advice before purchase - 10/28/2006 7:03:24 PM
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unomystilo
Posts: 29
Joined: 8/14/2006
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since you're new to streetbikes(and i'm not saying you suck at riding), i would get something more tame...like an SV650...they are great begginer bikes, they look nice(IMO) and are friggin' awesome to ride. plus, they arent as desireable to steal than the r6 or rr
good luck on your choice.
but given the choice..rr vs r6...i'd pick the rr
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RE: Last chance advice before purchase - 10/28/2006 7:12:07 PM
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knightslugger
Posts: 1602
Joined: 6/21/2006
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quote:
ORIGINAL: abadfish
quote:
ORIGINAL: knightslugger
but the way you handle a street-bike doesn't compare with that of a dirt bike. dirt-bikes are like massive BMX bikes. Street-bikes are.... well in a class of their own. The steering on these bikes are razor sharp, and if you don't know what to expect when you lean over, you could very well end up in the ditch tangled in some barbed wire fence with a cob of corn up your ass.
Have you actually seriously ridden dirt bikes?!?!?!? Putting dirt bikes on a level with BMX bikes is just very naive and ignorant. Much of dirt riding is applicable to street bikes!!!! Its funny when you go to the track. Its very easy to separate those who have dirt experience from those who don't. Just watch the reactions when the bike start sliding.
There is no better way to prepare oneself for the street and sportbikes than to ride dirt. The power delivery of those two-strokes is, by far, more harsher than a comparable street bike. That's just the nature of two-strokes. It forces the rider to develop precision throttle control. Dirt riding also prepares you much better for those situations where you have little or no traction.
BTW, guess where Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden started riding.....dirt bikes!!! Notice how well they handle sliding bikes?? (rhetorical question)
Getting back on topic, I don't know how much dirt experience you have. If you were a serious dirt rider, then a 600 sportbike won't be a big deal for you to start with on the street.
yes, seriously, i have, so i'm not as naive you you pin me to be. not with any vigor mind you, but that wasn't the point, was it?
Regarding the style of riding from a dirt bike to a street bike... I'm very sure that both VR and NH went directly from riding dirt bikes to GP bikes. oh yes, definitely. there was no learning curve to be had there now was there? get real. those two riders are in a league that isn't found for normal riders like you, me, and he. don't compare world class racers to everyday riders.
True that riding dirt has it's benefits of throttle control and traction minding, but anyway you slice it, it's different than pavement. the slips you speak of are much more pronounced on the street than the track, where grip can be found by punching the crap out of the throttle and digging into the dirt... whereas all your grip on the street is all you've got. there's no more to be found. doing so on the street what you on dirt can land you a lowside. CAN, not will. maybe not so much on the dry, but more so in the semi wet.
there's also the issue of learning bad street riding habits when starting on an all-around overly aggressive bike such as supersports...
just so we are clear, i never said that dirt riding was detrimental, only that dirt and street were different.
< Message edited by knightslugger -- 10/28/2006 7:14:11 PM >
_____________________________
2006 CBR600RR - Red - VStack Mod - .90 kg/mm RaceTech Forks w/ Gold Valves - DIM F/E - Pirelli Diablo Corsa III
Power without Precision is Pointless.
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RE: Last chance advice before purchase - 10/28/2006 9:34:57 PM
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abadfish
Posts: 771
Joined: 6/26/2005
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: knightslugger
quote:
Regarding the style of riding from a dirt bike to a street bike... I'm very sure that both VR and NH went directly from riding dirt bikes to GP bikes. oh yes, definitely. there was no learning curve to be had there now was there? get real. those two riders are in a league that isn't found for normal riders like you, me, and he. don't compare world class racers to everyday riders. I never claimed they went straight from dirt to GP. Nor did I claim there was no learning curve in going from one to the other (when there obviously will be one). The fact that they are MotoGP class racers is irrelevant here. The whole point was that the dirt experience has been invaluable to what they do now. That same experience is just as valuable to a street rider.
quote:
True that riding dirt has it's benefits of throttle control and traction minding, but anyway you slice it, it's different than pavement. the slips you speak of are much more pronounced on the street than the track, where grip can be found by punching the crap out of the throttle and digging into the dirt... whereas all your grip on the street is all you've got. there's no more to be found. doing so on the street what you on dirt can land you a lowside. CAN, not will. maybe not so much on the dry, but more so in the semi wet. You missed the point. The situation of the lack traction is the same, street or dirt. What saves you is the way you handle the throttle. Traction in dirt doesn't just magically appear because you gun the throttle. You have to lay off the right amount and then roll accordingly. The same is true when you're in the street. Dirt is much better teacher at teaching that precision throttle control
quote:
there's also the issue of learning bad street riding habits when starting on an all-around overly aggressive bike such as supersports... Agreed but that wasn't part of this street vs dirt discussioni. And just to be clear. I'm in agreement with you that a 600cc bike is not a beginner's bike. Just because someone starts on dirt does not necessarily mean his a beginner in the sense that he won't be able to handle himself in the street properly.
_____________________________
'05 600RR Purple/Black
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