Recommended First Bike -- With a twist

[captain chaos]

Proper dirt riding will carry over a LOT of bad habits on the street. Dirt riding will teach you a TON about balance, throttle control, friction zone, etc (that's how I learned) but other than that they are 2 COMPLETELY different worlds. A good dirt rider does not a good street rider make.
Just sayin'.

 

[poolguyJ]

^Worst idea ever...

This guy asked for opinions... I if you don't like my input, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.... While giving my advice, I would NEVER down anyone's advice in the process. It's a good thing that this guy has a brain and can make decisions on his OWN about the advice that is given... Its people like you OH9BOLT that make sites like this SUCK, Because all you know how to do is comment negatively.

If you dont have anything nice to say, Dont say nothing at all!!!

-Just sayin

 

[oh9bolt]

LOL

If my comments are negative to you oh well. There isn't one SS bike that a new rider should ever get on, that is a fact.

Some people just don't understand how forums work. There are good opinions and bad, I am not a yes man.

 

[oh9bolt]

LMAO at you taking a rep point away. I am going to lose sleep over this. Sigh...

 

[poolguyJ]

Here's an opinion for ya. You're a MORON!!! Those are not facts. They are just your close minded opinion's...

Everyone learned how to ride on something different! I really hate when people give out advice that they know nothing about...

Why would you tell anyone to learn how to ride on a V-Twin, Yea it can be done, but its not smart!!!

FACTS:

Our bikes have too much torque and they only have two cylinders witch makes a bike choppy in the throttle response = not good for a beginner!

A four cylinder sport bike has a much Smoother throttle response and also has less torque = Better for a beginner with less chance to hurt yourself!

I suggested a Suzuki GSX-R 600 with a "mode switch"(If you haven't heard of it, look it up!) because you can turn down the performance to almost MOPED status... If you cant ride a MOPED, you have no business on any bike at all.

With all that said... I have only been riding, all my life... I am proabably old enough to be your father and have been working on bikes while you were still swimming nut to nut... So what do I know...

 

[Alfatango1]

the xb9 and xb12 are both perfect for beginners both have good controlable power.both have less power than any of the 600r bikes.the first bike my wife rode was my xb12 and she has no problems.

Yep, all about maturity and respect for the machine. They have enough power but are not scary like an inline 4 can be. Remember these things run out of RPM pretty quick so they are manageable.

Oh and the SV's and Ninja 650R are great choices.

 

[oh9bolt]

You're right. I never thought of it that way...

 

[Alfatango1]

These do not make for good first bikes. Stop selling this guy bad advice. Sure it may have worked great for you. I'm sure you started on your 1203 and are the fastest dude ever at track days now. Great.

XB's are not very fast, so I think they are fine first bikes. I get a lot young guys in my shop who just passed MSF and say they want a GSXR1000 or R1, I say to them, "are you mad"? I wouldn't say that about an XB, they are much more forgiving when you crank the throttle.

 

[oh9bolt]

I think you need to read this Dad.

 

[Alfatango1]

I suggested a Suzuki GSX-R 600 with a "mode switch"(If you haven't heard of it, look it up!) because you can turn down the performance to almost MOPED status... If you cant ride a MOPED, you have no business on any bike at all.

The "B" setting cuts power but not that much, enough to feel it but definitely not "Moped" I have a 2011 GSXR600 with 420 miles on it and have used that setting. It's useful, I would use it in wet conditions most likely. I also worry that most new riders would only use the setting for like a week, then switch back to "A".

 

[anrkizm95]

I would use it in wet conditions most likely.

wich is what is was designed for

 

[Zeroflat24]

+1 to a sv650. I had a 2006 sv650s it wasn't a beginner but a lot of fun even though I had years of experience before buying it. It never had a chance of keeping up with my buddies buell though. Now I have ridden an sv1000 a few times. Those are an absolute fricken blast. But not a good starter.

 

[Foxtrot Tango]

Wow. Sorry for all the yelling O__O

Oh well, opinions are like bellybuttons...anyway, I have listened to all your advice.

-The dirt bike idea is not terribly bad. This area has a TON of dirt bikes, and if I got a supermoto I could swap out dirt tires and ride on some of the many trails out here.. Also, a 400cc bike is no slouch. But do the skills translate?

-While I am nervous about the XB's torque and power, and it's twitchiness, I do agree that it's a much better choice than a literbike. I've heard the SV and Ninja 650 suggested before, and I've been told the SV is also sort of "twitchy".

-I've heard the 600cc sportbike suggestion before, and I've seen power/torque curves. I agree, it should be controllable and benign until OH GOD I JUST HIT 10K RPM WHY IS THE FRONT WHEEL IN THE AIR. Mostly kidding. A guy at work, newbie like me, just got a CBR600RR, I'll ask him how it goes.

-The idea I most like are older sub-600 bikes like the GS500/Ninja 500. I think both are out of production now, but they've got more kick than a 250 but aren't in the 600 range. Unfortunately, they're jack of all trades, masters of none, and I hate the plasticky look...

--Or the Blast. Who knows. The Blast doesn't seem particularly sporty though. Even though I think I want a naked streetfighter like an XB12Ss, the Blast just seems like a mini-Sportster.

-And relax. No matter which way I enter this, I'll be here in a few years -- or months? -- bragging about my newly acquired Buell. Rock on.


EDIT: And FYI, I intend to buy gear, and lots of it. At the freeway speeds I'll be going, any hiccup that earns me a hot date with the pavement could get very ugly very fast.

 

[Alfatango1]

-While I am nervous about the XB's torque and power, and it's twitchiness, I do agree that it's a much better choice than a literbike. I've heard the SV and Ninja 650 suggested before, and I've been told the SV is also sort of "twitchy".

I never felt or now feel my 9R was/is twitchy. Don't know what people are talking about. Until Saturday I owned one since May of 2003.

-Or the Blast. Who knows. The Blast doesn't seem particularly sporty though. Even though I think I want a naked streetfighter like an XB12Ss, the Blast just seems like a mini-Sportster.

A blast would be good because of the upright ergo's, if you can get one for $1250 to $1500 you are doing good.

 

[Applepooh]

I learned on my blast, one of the many reasons is, you can WOT and be confident and SAFE-ish!!!! The Blast you can toss around and really learn the ways of a bike.

I mean if you're are new, start out on something you can KNOW you will be safe on, where you KNOW the machine can't really do much. Then once you have mastered that bike, sell it and get a real bike.

Just my .2 cents. But I KNOW if I hopped on a xb12 for the first time... I would be in the hospital, I have yet to WOT on my xb12.. I can only imagine it's amazing though lol.

Main thing is be safe and develop your skills, then get a "real" bike.
PLUS you did mention you're "clumsy" what ever your definition of "clumsy" is... a xb12 OR xb9 is NOT the right choice for a first bike.

Again this is just my opinion, (24 yr old USMC vet / college punk) and I usually like to take things head on and go all out at first, but I like living and I like all my skin on my body etc etc lol.

 

[Applepooh]

** another thing, I only rode the Blast for about 6 weeks, then found an XB

Still, learned the basics on a machine that I knew I could handle no matter what.

 

[fwkapaun]

Hope you take an MSF BRC (Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course) first. The Ninja 650 is a good first bike that you won't outgrow. I am not fond of the Blast as a first bike. It's braking is almost too good and the bike is not a well balanced machine at all. Again, that is just my opinion.