Beginner on a 954RR.... (Full Version)

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Beginner on a 954RR....

  

SmithCBR21 -> Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/1/2006 12:13:52 AM)

I was just curious seeing how I'm going to buy a brand new 954 RR and pay monthly payments do you think this bike would work for me? I am a beginner to riding but I would also like a good bike so when I get the hang of it riding I will have a faster bike than a 600cc. Is 954 still ok or anything below that still ok? I really love the look of the 954 RR Red/Black so I really want to buy that bike if I can handle it. Please let me know what you think! Thanks. ~Mike

  
cbr04 -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/1/2006 12:32:47 AM)

954's aren't the first bikes that come to mind when you're talking about a beginner's bike. those things have some POWER. not saying you couldn't handle it but definitely take your time to learn the bike and RESPECT it. also, have you taken the MSF course? if not, do it asap.

"just a 600cc"... hmm, today's 600cc bikes aren't anything to sneeze at. i've been riding for 10 years and my 600RR is plenty for me [;)]

SmithCBR21 -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/1/2006 12:48:12 AM)

Thanks for the comment back. The only thing is the 600CC doesn't have the same look as the 954RR and I think that look is awesome. How long is that course and where can I find out about it or sign up for it? Would I be able to handle a 954 if I really wanted one? Because i'm paying monthly on it so I want a bike i really like you know? Once again I don't know much about bikes so I didn't know if 600CC were any good, I didn't mean to say they suck or anything. Please let me know this info, preciate it! ~Mike

RaiderCBR -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/1/2006 12:18:05 PM)

I have been riding all types of motorsports vehicles since the age of 3. I am now almost 33, in 30 years of enjoying the sport, I am just now moving back up to a 954 (liter) bike. In High School I had a Hurricane. And that was way too much of a bike for me. I also now ride with a large group of riders that have our own forum www.cycleforums.com and we have all seen noobs get bikes too large for their brains to be able to cope with. By saying that I am not saying that you are by no means dumb, I'm just saying that it takes some time for the brain to adapt to riding a motorcycle, especially at the speeds attainable by this bike. So, don't worry about what you think people may think, and do yourself a favor and start small. Today's 600's eat 1000 cc bikes of 10 years ago. Does that make the 600s sound like something you will out grow quickly?? I would bet not. If you can handle a 600cc at revs over 11000 then you are ready to step up to a liter bike. But, I would suggest that you ride a 600 for a couple of years and really learn the basic skills of sportbike riding.

Just my .02

matt365 -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/1/2006 2:50:43 PM)

Not meaning to be a sh!t, but you are an organ donor. Any litre bike is excessive on the street... and not meant for newbies. You WILL drop your first bike... it is not a case of "if", but "When"...

Do yourself a favour and buy something ugly and cheap for your first bike. Financing a bike & making monthly payments on something you will wreck is a real bad idea.

Not flaming you man, but you are on a path to disaster.

Toss your phone # up. When you wreck your new bike, I'm sure someone will pick it up off of you for parts.


I'm not Sh!tting you man, you're F-d. Someone has to say it... and sometimes the truth needs to be delivered a little hard.

Many people believe that if they can handle a high HP car, then a high HP bike will be fine... not so. A bike is a 2 wheel single track vehicle, & therefore when you get a little hot on the throttle, it will ball up the rear and spit you off... A car might spin the rear a little and then kick back straight, thereby traching you a simple lesson of how to respect the car... a bike is not so forgiving.

That is why ALL OF US WHO ARE RESPECTABLE RIDERS!!!! start small... learn throttle control, and the basics of proper street riding, AND THEN MOVE UP!!!

You can't start on a litre bike and learn the fundimentals... You will spend too much time trying to stay alive...[:@]

Any BS> about "I'm a big guy, and I need a big bike" or "I don't want to lose money selling this bike for another in 6 months, that is why I am getting what I want for my first bike" --- this is all BULL>>> We all have to start somewhere, we ride for the enjoyment of it, not for poser street cred of having the newest and baddest bike...

Real riders will respect someone moving up slowly, and building their skills... anyone that tells you otherwise is full of it.

Good luck man... You mind if I take out life insurance on you so I can get paid when you crash? No joke man...[>:]

mazdajoe -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/1/2006 4:15:38 PM)

I just bought an '03 R1 (basically the same as a 954RR but with a tiny amount of more power). I really dont think that it is a good starter bike. My first bike was a 2001 Suzuki Bandit 600S. Within a month I was making full throttle trips to redline in both first and second gear and did one top speed run on the interstate with it... but only a couple weeks earlier I dropped the bike THREE times. Granted I had absolutely no clue how to ride a bike before I bought it because I didnt take the MSF course, and I still havnt. But having a bike makes people do stupid things and if you have a 954 that can accelerate to 60 in a little bit over 3 seconds you are just asking for trouble. I sold the bandit 2 months after I bought it because I didnt think it had enough performance and bought a F4i 8 months later. The F4i was perfect for me--a very inexperienced rider. After several months on it I could spin the rear tire exiting corners. To be honest, I hated the bike when I had it but looking back on it now I realize that it was a damn good bike, especially with a -1 front sprocket installed. I never thought I would be the one to say this, because I feel that it is POSSIBLE that you could safely handle a 954, but I really dont think you should get it because I dont think you will enjoy it as much and ride it as safely as someone who has had some prior experience. That bike will put you on your ass in no time. The 954 has excellent midrange and is just as fast as a new 1000 up to a certain point. Grab slightly too much throttle in first or maybe even second gear and the front end will either shoot up or youll experience a bad amount of headshake, which can scare the shit out of and severely injure a new rider. If you do decide to buy it, just remember that the bike is extremely fast and that you should keep track of what your right wrist is doing at all times. I am certain that a 600 will make you a better rider, but some newbs can ride a 954 safely on the street. Street riding doesnt take much skill and so if you know what you are doing, you should be fine. But that first time you decide to get on it, which will happen, there is a greater possibility of injury compared to a lesser bike. I was just told a story on a local forum about a guy who bought a brand new 1000 from the dealer. First, he could not get the bike started because he didnt know about the kill switch. Then, when making a turn no more than 2 miles from the dealership, he spun up the rear tire and dumped the bike. Finally, upon trying to get it restarted for the ride home, he killed it 3 times and couldnt figure out why...turns out the kickstand was down. Yes this same series of events could have happened on any bike, but a 1000 compounds the difficulty of learning how to ride a bike.

SmithCBR21 -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/1/2006 8:04:59 PM)

I appreciate all the comments even the hard hitting ones which your right, you do need them! Some of you took me the wrong way though. I'm not trying to be all big and bad with a new bike or alot of HP. I know nothing about bikes so I'm not one to talk. I was just asking as a question before I bought the bike. I wanted a siick lookin Red/Black bike and I saw the CBR 954 and the look is awesome! I saw the 600RR and I didn't like the look as much as the 954 no offence to anyone. So yea i'm going to take the drivers class and learn more about bikes and how to ride seeing no matter what I get I want it new so there are no scratches even though i've been told I will end up droppin mine which I hope the class teaches me so I wont. I just want something that has no problems that I have responsibility towards and if anything happens to it, it's my fault and not the owner before me.

That's why I want a new bike. As far as 600cc I had a 98 Trans am going back to the car thing and it got up to 140 and that felt like nothing to me, granted i'm not realizing its 4 wheels and not 2. So i figured 600cc wasn't that fast getting up to 150mph but ive never riddin a bike so i wouldn't know to begin with. Just always wanted one because I love stuff like that! So i was thinking i would have the bike for a yr or two however long it takes to get the hang of it then want something faster but can't because i'm doing monthly payments on it. So I wanted something that I would get the hang of but also still be fast and be happy with it.

So you got me all wrong thinking im a bad ass or not responsible rider by starting small. It's only because Its a siick lookin bike and i'm all about looks and making sure everything is new and clean. So with this said i wouldnt ride it like an ass because im new to riding but i would like to have a siick bike that i'll be happy with. So i was just wondering if I took classes would it be possible for me to handle a 954? I am about 6'1, 170lbs, Athletic Build, etc.. Not sure if that matters but it will give you an idea. Please let me know honestly if you were buying a new bike yourself. Also if not then let me know of some really good bikes like would a suzuki 750 work? or Yamaha R6 would work but what else? Thanks for your interest and comments, I appreciate it alot! ~Mike

matt365 -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/1/2006 11:57:24 PM)

you do realize that everything you posted in your second paragraph is nearly EXACTLY what I had outlined as newbie preconceptions and excuses about starting with a big bike... the car thing, the payment thing, etc.

You are gonna wad your sh!t up... no doubt in my mind. If I would have started off on my 929 I would have done the same thing. I am not trying to attack you personally on your abilities, or your common sense... but a 954 will get you in tons of trouble for a first machine.

Look at every professional motorcycle rider... they all started at a young age on very small machines, and developed their skills before moving up to the next class. Thinking you are different is only kidding yourself.

There is 2 possible outcomes to your purchase.

1- you get the 954. You drop your new machine & have to pay out the a$$ for it. You hurt yourself real good, and once again, pay out the a$$ for medical bills. You don't develop your riding skills because with the 954 all you have to do to go fast is twist your throttle, you don't learn about throttle control entering and exiting corners, & your technique will never develop because you don't need to build skill because the bikes horsepower makes up for poor technique and ability...

Or you get killed and wind up being a statistic.???[:(]
2- you get a GS500, EX500, SV650(still much too fast for a newbie...), EX250, 600 Katana, 600 Bandit, etc.
You build your skills, you drop it (but it is better than dropping a big $$$ bike. Getting used is a BIG +), you learn the technique of maintaining proper corner entry speeds, throttle control is signifigantly developed over time, you become a better rider.

Once you gain these essential skills that must MUST be developed on a smaller capacity machine, you are ready to move up and better utilise the potential of a higher horsepower bike.

The honest truth is that a very small % of people can unlock the potential of a 600ss bike. You don't need anything more than a 600 on the street, and even that is a little excessive.

I have been riding for 6 years, I am an MSF instructor, I have worked my way up through many levels of machine before getting my 929... I know a thing or two.

Talk to some local riders in your area. Not those 'tards' that hang out in coffee shop parking lots talking about how their bike is the biggest and baddest, when they barely ride their machines and got them for nothing but sex appeal because they can't get girls on their own...[:D]
Talk with some real riders. Someone with old beat up leathers, that does some serious mileage and has been around long enough to have an informed opinion... they can steer you in the right direction.

I think I am just getting sick and tired of dealing with newbie threads... its always the same thing, I swear... no matter what board, location, etc... its always the same.[:@] I tell you this because all of us as the riding community care about what happens to new people entering the sport we all love.

SmithCBR21 -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/2/2006 12:45:05 AM)

lol matt buddy chill haha. I said I don't know shit about bikes and was looking for advice BEFORE i purchased my bike. I'm not like other noobs, I'm not looking to get a bike to get girls lol I don't need that. I'm an aspiring actor/model on the side that's beside the point. Not even big model, just starting actually. I was just curious if I was able to handle a 954 all you had to say was no and why lol. I already changed my mind after reading the comments you guys sent and I'm going to buy a 600cc FOR SURE. I don't want to drop my bike and I deffinetly dont want to get a bike i cant handle or have fun with. So sorry bro but you got me all wrong, it's all good though you misunderstood I guess. So yea now that i'm looking to get a 600cc what bike would you recommend? R6, GSX-R or F4i honestly not just because this is a Honda website. I'm not acting like a bad ass by saying i'm doing payments on my bike and i'm not even getting an 06 i want an 03 or 02 so i wont have long payments. I'm just doing payments because that way i can keep my car instead of selling it to get a bike. Also the whole car thing I said i was wrong because my trans am got 150mph or whatever i said and i thought that was slow in a car because i love speed but i didnt think of it like a sport bike on TWO wheels. I've never riddin a bike in my life only a quad which is totally different so i had no idea. So problem solved now and thanks for the comments because now I wont make that mistake thanks to you guys.

SmithCBR21 -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/2/2006 3:14:43 AM)

I'm going to buy a Honda CBR F4i, that's what I have decided on and it's the closest to my red/black sick lookin bike like the RR. I have a question about the class, if you pass and get a card do they waive the written and driving course in NC to get your license? Please send me websites you know about for equipment for my bike and facts,maintenance,etc... Preciate it guys. Later

bomaze -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/2/2006 6:24:47 AM)

All I have to say is be careful and ride smart. Listen to the advice people are trying to give you. 99% of the time the statement is true, It is not a matter of if you will wreck, but when!! So just be safe. A litre bike is not the best bike for a beginner. Just keep that in mind and get a bike that you can practice on and improve your skills on, then when you are ready get a 954.

mazdajoe -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/2/2006 6:39:45 AM)

I wouldnt buy a F4i new...you can get a used bike that is just as good as new for thousands less. If I were to buy a new 600 "starter bike" I would get either the Kawasaki zzr600 or the Yamaha R6s...a sv650 would be a good bike too. I disagree with getting a 500 or a 250 for a first bike, those things just plain suck at every aspect of sport riding. Shitty brakes, shitty handling, and they will barely break 100 mph for top speed...not to mention the fact that they were styled in 1985. They do get 60mpg though so you'll save on gas!!!!! You could ride forever on one of those and never learn how to ride a more powerful bike because the amount of throttle you can use on one of those exiting a corner is a lot differnet than the amount of throttle you can use on a more powerful bike. Yeah they can teach you how to ride and to learn the rules of the road, but so can a faster bike if you don't twist the throttle as much. I feal like I could have learned on my f4i as I thought it was WAY easier to ride than my bandit. I think a more capable bike is also safer in that everything is more immediate and it does what you tell it to when you tell it to, not a half second later like lesser bikes. I would recommend a 600 to any level headed new rider. And about the 140mph thing...it really isnt that big of a deal on a bike either. I had the f4i to 150 indicated and the only thrill was from me wondering if there was a cop parked ahead alongside the road. It is definately not worth getting in trouble for.... 200mph might be worth it but there still isnt a bike manufactured that will go that fast stock.

city worker -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/2/2006 11:15:45 AM)

These guys are right, understandable your lookin for advice, be careful what you ask for, because here you will get it wether you want it or not,[:@] alot of safty concience people,[:D] here they totaly respect their bikes and what the bikes can do[sm=exactly.gif]

matt365 -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/2/2006 11:40:45 AM)

I teach the MSF in Ontario Canada, and that is the way it works for us, I assume it is the same in NC?

http://nm.msf-usa.org/msf/ridercourses.aspx?state=NC

"Most locations issue an MSF RiderCourse Completion Card. Upon successful completion of the RiderCourse, some states, not all, will waive the on-bike riding skills test and/or the written test required to obtain your motorcycle operator's license or endorsement."
Cut from the site, I guess you'll have to call & make sure.[:)]



A 600 is still pushing 100+ hp in a bike that weighs 375 lbs, so if you get an F4i be careful. It is nearly as fast in every way as a 954, but it won't wad you up as quick as a litre bike will. You figure the F4 & F4i were honda race machines a few years back. I still would reccommend something a little smaller, but a 600 is a much better choice for sure. F4i will still smoke every car on the road except for a $$$ high end supercar (even then the bike still has it beat 0-60mph[&:])

bajaroots -> RE: Beginner on a 954RR.... (4/2/2006 11:04:15 PM)

yo dude your driving habits mirror your riding habits if your a decent driver you will make a good rider. Honda has a knack for making good handling bikes and they are also very user friendly. I started out on a 600 F4I but up graded to a 954 rr within 4 months i say get the bike you wont regret it jus keep in mind to respect that power . The rest is jus a twist of the throttle .

  

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