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ORIGINAL: doncollins

That's not a bad idea. If I find the time, I may do a write up. Really busy right now.

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Welcome to the passion of riding!

Now to answer your question ... note that the following is not written by me (it is written by a fellow rider) ... I've just condensed it a bit (believe it or not); I happen to agree with most of the following but you will get varying responses of all types from fellow riders and will have to make your own decision. Good Luck! Smile

One of the most common questions new sport bike riders have is, “What kind of sport bike should I get?”

Getting ANY modern 600cc sport bike for a first ride is not a good idea for new riders (far, far, far worse is a 750cc or 1000cc).
Here are a few reasons why:

1. Knowledge of Subject Matter ...
When anyone starts something new they find themselves at the most basic starting level of the learning curve. Like riding a bicycle, you would not start this learning curve on a ten speed. This is to say that it takes knowledge OF something in order to understand how that something works, functions, performs, etc. Now let's return to the world of motorcycles. A beginner has NO motorcycle experience. They are not even aware of the power, mistakes, handling, shifting, turning dynamics etc. of any bike, let alone a high performance sport bike. Not only do they lack the SKILL of how to ride a motorcycle, they also lack the knowledge of what skills are even used when riding a motorcycle. Acquiring those skills comes only with experience and learning from your mistakes. As one moves through the learning curve they begin to amass new information…they also make mistakes. A ton of them.

2. The Learning Curve ...
While learning to do something, you make mistakes. Without mistakes the learning process is impossible. A mistake on a sport bike can be fatal. The thing new riders need to learn above anything else is smooth throttle control, proper speed, and how to lean properly going into turns. A 600cc bike can hit over 60mph in about 4 to 6 seconds. A simple beginners mishap with that much power and torque can cost you your life (or a few limbs) before you even knew what happened. Grab a handful of throttle going into a turn and you may end up crossing that little yellow line on the road into on-coming traffic…**shudder**. Bikes that are more forgiving of mistakes are far safer (not to mention, more fun) to learn on.

Unfortunately safety concerns with a first motorcycle aren’t as apparent as they are with other motorized vehicle purchases. However, the wrong choice of what equipment to learn on can be just as deadly, regardless of how safe, careful, and level-headed you intend to be.

3. “But I will be safe, responsible, and level-headed while learning" ...
Sorry, but this line of reasoning only works for some, do you want to gamble & guess if your are in that group or live to figure it out? Keep in mind that very few people buy a bike thinking they are not one of the above, unfortunately however, riders are routinely injured or worse, many while making "newbie" mistakes. To be safe you also need SKILL (throttle control, speed, leaning, etc). Skill comes ONLY with experience. To gain experience you must ride in real traffic, with real cars, and real dangers. Before that experience is developed, you are best suited with a bike that won’t severely punish you for minor mistakes. A cutting edge race bike is not one of these bikes.

Start with a solid foundation in the basics, and then move up. Many people say "just respect it and you'll be fine" or that “maturity” will help you be safe with motorcycles. They are c

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Important video, please watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G1uEPtumI0

(in reply to doncollins)