RE: Urgent info experienced riders
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RE: Urgent info experienced riders - 1/6/2008 9:17:08 PM
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grazi
Posts: 34
Joined: 11/22/2007
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Might as well throw in my 2 cents. 31 years riding with over 150,000 miles on bikes and no accidents...
1. Motorcycles are disposable income (luxury) purchases for over 90% of riders...meaning it's not one's sole means of transportation. That said, you should always buy what you "want." There is no "need" involved, so don't be fooled into the "rationalizing it" mentality. Being excited with your purchase decision will help eliminate any logical worries about "investment" BS. Bikes depreciate and eventually wear out (if you drive them), so they're never an investment. But they're worth every penny in terms of entertainment and as a social/lifetsyle outlet.
2. That said, there is a difference between buying smart and buying "less" smart. Bikes like cars depreciate A LOT the minute they leave the dealership. You can easily save 10, 15, 20 even 25% of the new price on a bike six months old with next to no miles. Just check out completed listing on ebay. They're not all scammers. Many dealer use it over the winter when retail traffic is near zero.
3. So if you have your heart (and mind) set on the new style 600RR, your best financial decision is to look for a clean very slightly used 07. Besides the dollar savings, a tiny scratch or two will make you less obsessed about being the first to screw it up. They get dings and scratches when you ride....a fact of riding life. If you do buy new, it's only money...and if you have it, it's your choice. All the great used bikes out there were bought new by somebody. :)
4. As mentioned earlier, buy good gear, and more importantly wear it...always. It's easy to start to feel confident quickly, so you rationalize just wearing jeans and athletic shoes. Mistake. Dress for the crash is an old adage.
5. Others may disagree, but do a track day or two. Go at your own pace. On a track you will have a singular focus and be able to get to know your bike, so you will learn things there much sooner than you may encounter them on the street. Get instruction/coaching and you will experience things that street riding for years will never present.
6. This one seems obvious, but don't drink and ride. Ever. Easy again to rationalize just a beer or two. Peer pressure is tough. But it's those first couple drinks that make you feel invincible, and attempt things you shouldn't. More than 50 percent of all cycle fatalities involve alcohol. You don't have to be going 100mph to do serious damage to yourself.
7. Last one. Assume every driver out there is out to hit you. In some cases they are. But if you drive defensively enough assuming they all are, you will see things others take for granted. A green light only gives you legal right of way. It's your job to make sure the intersection is clear. Other rules like never pass semi's on the right. etc etc. Follow them all...all the time.
Good luck and have fun. Whatever you decide, it will be the best money you ever spend.
< Message edited by grazi -- 1/7/2008 5:33:41 AM >
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RE: Urgent info experienced riders - 1/7/2008 4:04:38 AM
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baxsom
Posts: 1348
Joined: 6/28/2006
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the only thing to add to that is dont do an open track day first thing. go to a track day where there are instructors there that sits everyone down in a classroom and actually shows you what they are talking about.
doing an open track day without a clue on how to do it is pointless. all you are doing is thinking you are riding fast.
once you get a class on position, lines, braking, etc then do a few open ones to practice
_____________________________
street-2006 1KRR,
track-07 600RR
yes, i guess maybe i can be a jerk, but i am tired of reading the same questions and hearing the same would be experts give out wrong info.
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RE: Urgent info experienced riders - 1/7/2008 5:28:01 AM
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grazi
Posts: 34
Joined: 11/22/2007
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: baxsom
the only thing to add to that is dont do an open track day first thing. go to a track day where there are instructors there that sits everyone down in a classroom and actually shows you what they are talking about.
doing an open track day without a clue on how to do it is pointless. all you are doing is thinking you are riding fast.
once you get a class on position, lines, braking, etc then do a few open ones to practice
+1. Great point and better clarification. Or take a sportbike school where they provide detailed instruction and the bikes. Costs far less than the damage you could do to your bike.
< Message edited by grazi -- 1/7/2008 5:32:14 AM >
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RE: Urgent info experienced riders - 1/7/2008 9:51:41 AM
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crashkhanman
Posts: 1985
Joined: 8/18/2007
From: Radford/Fredericksburg
Status: offline
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Grazi and Baxsom ... Great advice!! +1 ..lol
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RE: Urgent info experienced riders - 1/15/2008 7:29:31 PM
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be vertical
Posts: 659
Joined: 8/21/2007
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Its all about the wrist, specifically the right one. End of story. You can get hurt or killed in both a Kia and a Ferrari, 250 or 1098, doesnt matter. Grazi said it all. Get what you want, ride it safe, and invest in gear. Two of my favorite people to ride with are a cop and an ER nurse. They ride faster and harder then I do, and dont even warm the tires at 5mph without full gear. If you hate jackets, get an armor vest. You see someone go down ONCE, or go down yourself, you will never regret it. Another excellent piece of advice was somewhat already mentioned but im restating it for point of fact. Ride like no one can see you. There are billion grandmothers, soccer moms, and cellphone loving teenie-boppers who are just itching to overlook your shiny, obnoxiously loud, pretty little bi-wheeler... sending you teeth first into any number of painfully hard structures. Some may disagree with this, but to me is does not matter what traffic law you violate in executing this task. Ride like no one can see you, because they cant, they wont, and they have no intention of keeping you alive!!!
To answer your original question I ride an 07 CBR and its incredible. Very light, nimble, fast, dependable, etc... the list goes on but its a great bike. I highly reccomend it, just make sure you can handle it. Its like 75% track bike, keep that it mind.
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On the black wind forever we ride on together destroying your evil with freedom our guide.
07 600RR .......O^o''
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RE: Urgent info experienced riders - 1/16/2008 1:12:12 PM
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longhorns0942
Posts: 98
Joined: 6/24/2007
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i didnt ride a bike, sport or cruiser, before i bought mine last year and i got a 07 600rr. do what you feel is best for you. im happy going the speed limit on my bike. i love knowing that i have all that power there. its all on how you turn your wrist. these bikes do go slow if you want them too. good luck on your choice.
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Section 8 Riders
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RE: Urgent info experienced riders - 1/17/2008 11:12:10 PM
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altima88
Posts: 31
Joined: 9/30/2007
Status: offline
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If you live in a place where it gets cold dealerships give pretty good deals on bikes in the winter. I picked up a new 06 RR for 10k Canadian with 5 year warranty. (I probably could have talked them into getting it a bit cheaper but I had to finance, if you have the cash you can talk the dealers down by a huge amount.)
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RE: Urgent info experienced riders - 1/19/2008 2:23:32 PM
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live4speed
Posts: 5
Joined: 1/18/2008
Status: offline
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BUY IT!!! dont waste your time on a bike that you are going to want to upgrade out of in a month! a 600 superport is a perfect bike to start on as long as you know your limits and have some established riding skills. the only thing that is really going to make those "starter bikes" easier to ride is the fact that they wont scare you as much allowing you to feel more comfortable riding the bike hense you wont have the intimidation factor to deal with...DO NOT GET ANYTHING BIGGER THAN A 600!!!! a 750 and 1000 both have the uncanny ability to send the front end skyward or jut the rear out, a new rider will likely not have the skills to keep such an event in check. so get the 600, ride it for a year or more, and go from there...
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RE: Urgent info experienced riders - 1/19/2008 10:47:54 PM
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Wild_Child_79
Posts: 5
Joined: 1/19/2008
Status: offline
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I started out with a Honda 599 it's a 600cc but more of a street bike than a crotch rocket. I took a MSF course as well but aside from learning the basics it shouldn't be a cause to think you'd be ok on the streets especially if you haven't ridden before. I mean the bikes we rode on during MSF course were like 250cc's and we never went above 2nd or 3rd gear all the time so go figure. Grazi and Baxsom offer some excellent advice take it. I started riding only during nights when there wasn't much traffic and went on freeways, residential areas I mean just familiarizing myself with all kinds of roads and then kept going on from there. Gear is important I always wear protective gear when I ride forget all the macho posturing the other day I saw someone wearing shorts and a t-shirt and flip flops no helmet on a GSXR now that's just plain stupid not to mention dorky but I digress it takes all sorts. Take a track day it does help and yes ride like every car is out to get you. The only time I laid my bike is when this old lady just swerved in my way, my right of way and I always scan ahead for carbon based specimens who get their driver's license out of a cracker jack box. I braked and would've been fine if it weren't for gravel on the road. As far as getting the bike or not if that's what you want then go for it just take your time getting used to it and be safe. Remember you will go down it's not a question of if but when.....enjoy the ride. Good Luck. 
_____________________________
"melius frangi quam flecti" - It is better to break than to bend.
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