Any riders on this board?

[Darkbyte 0]

Krev.... Some of what our Australian friend darkbyte said doesn't pertain to us in the US. Here any new rider can go out and buy the fastest bike on the market. There are no restrictions.

Correct (and our biking cultures are quite different also), hence recommending a 600. I couldnt imagine many people buying a 250 in a country where they can buy a busa as a first bike.

The R6 is awesome. I nearly brought one in 03. Its a very easy bike to ride and has all the required hoolaganistic capabilities should that be one's cup of tea. I dont know anyone (of equal ability) who gets left behind by the bigger bikes whilst partaking in a quick blat through the twisties.

I agree, training, training, training.

Its worth checking out local race tracks to see if they do advanced ride days. They are an absolute hoot, and you learn a lot. They sure do hammer home "look there, go there", it takes ages to clean all the kitty litter out your bike and leathers :/

[Krev 86]

Thanks for all the helpful info guys! I'll be taking a more in-depth look into everything very shortly here. :)

[starsfan71 9]

I am really tempted to start I am a very safe car driver but am tentative to start because I am only 16 and my dad got side swiped when he was about 17 and has never gone on a bike since. Were any bikers here like this before they started?

[Darkbyte 0]

Car drivers still pull out on you irrespective of whether you are an old bloke, young bloke, grandmother, etc etc.

The only difference is your road experiance. It is fair to assume that the more time you spend on the road, the more experiance you have in percieving obsticals, driving to the conditions, anticipating other vehicle's movements etc etc.

I found I noticed even more about the world around me when I learned to ride, compared to all those years I drove. Im a safer rider than I am a driver. The road hurts, alot, even at slow speeds.

Riding requires confidence. You have to be confident in your knowledge of the road, its conditions, the laws, before you even worry about confidence in your ability to ride and "own your lane" (riding attitude, so that cars dont try to barge you out the way, etc).

Im glad I waited, I took the knowledge I had from driving and built upon it when I learned to ride. I was nervous enough driving a car for the first time on my own, let alone being white knuckled nearly 5 years later when riding my bike for the first time on my own. That being said, I know quite a few people who got their bike license before their car license (minimum age 17) and have been perfectly ok.

(NOTE: Im not touching the whole personal/world maturity debate with a barge pole)

My rule of thumb, when someone asks me about riding is: If you are unsure/hesitant/borderline, dont.

You can end up in a world of life altering hurt at any moment, if you are not ok with that, dont ride. If you are ok with that, and riding is something you really want to do, then go for it.

Most riders I know, fear the wheelchair, more than they fear death.

[starsfan71 9]

That's kind of what i was thinking until I am 100 percent sure I will just be a interested bystander.

[Master P 0]

Figgifumi.... I sat on a Ducati Streetfighter yesterday. It's a beast. Mean and tough looking. Crazy expensive though.

Darkbyte...I'm sure it is a quite different biking culture here in the states. I actually knew a guy who bought a Busa as his first bike. He had to ask the salesperson "ok..how do I drive this". I dont know how he didnt die on that.

Just to clarify I was talking about the R6R version as a first bike. It difference from the straight R6. It is detuned. Don't think a 600 sportbike is slow. They may not be as fast as a Busa, or a 750, but they will fly.

If you want to get into biking do it the right way. Training, Training. Don't think your going to get a bike and be cool or get the chicks. Pavement and car drivers will change that. It's just like hockey. Its ok if people admire or like the fact you play hockey, but you dont do it thinking you will be cool.

Whats the exchange rate for US dollars to Aussie currency?? Road trip every one????? hehe

[Master P 0]

one more thing Figg... Have you considered an SV650? Thats what I have. It's a great bike. It is very close to the Ducati Monster 696. Plus they are $3-4K cheaper

[figgifumi_11 3]

Master P: SV's are great bikes and I have had a chance to look at/ride one. The general issue I am running into is the rear (passenger) seat height and size. The wife likes to ride along on scenic rides and road trips, so a cruiser tends to work better for that in terms of comfort. I think the game plan will be to go with a V-Star 650 now, and then in a couple of years pick up something that is a little sportier (Duc, Triumph, Suzuki, etc.). I should be out of Pharmacy school by then, so hopefully I can slurge a bit.

Is your SV the ABS model? Looks like the new Suzuki Gladius is using the same 645cc motor from the SV with more of a "street fighter" look to it. That seems to be a trend most manufacturers are leaning towards with the Ducati Monster, the new Kawasaki ER6n, and the like.

[Darkbyte 0]

Just to clarify I was talking about the R6R version as a first bike. It difference from the straight R6. It is detuned.

I had not idea they made those. De tuning is an interesting concept.

[Master P 0]

Mine is a non ABS SV model. I have the naked version. Passenger comfort is not good on the SV. I am happy with my bike. It's a good bike. I would be interested to hear what you thought of the SV vs the Ducati. Hopefully I will ride the Duc soon

[IniNew 53]

Started out on a '08 Ninja 650r, year later I'm on a Buell 1125r. American muscle baby. Taking it to the track in 2 weeks.

[figgifumi_11 3]

I felt as though the Monster was a bit more aggressive in terms of riding position and throttle response. Both are great bikes, just geared towards slightly different markets.

Got my birthday present from my wife yesterday.... 2009 Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic in Cerulean Silver/Liquid Silver 2-tone. Now I am going to have to come up with something really good for her birthday

[Master P 0]

Nice bike! Congratulations.

[Darkbyte 0]

Grats indeed!

[greech 4]

Okay, beginner question. I've never really rode before and I want to get into it. I'm pretty small and weigh less that 130 lbs. Is a 250 Ninja a good choice to start with? I really only wanna putt around to start and obviously don't want too much bike.

[RecLeagueHero 0]

You might want to start with something designed to be a less aggressive than a crotch rocket.

[Darkbyte 0]

Okay, beginner question. I've never really rode before and I want to get into it. I'm pretty small and weigh less that 130 lbs. Is a 250 Ninja a good choice to start with? I really only wanna putt around to start and obviously don't want too much bike.

Ninja 250 is a good little bike. They are quite popular amongst new riders here.

The old boxy model (EX250 ninja) is still very popular and is known to be pretty much bullet proof (The aussie model is called the GPX 250R). I rode my gpx hard, slid it down the road, dropped it a few times, rode it into the kitty litter at the track. It was great, pick it up, dust it off, start it and ride off. Then sold it to a guy who did the same.

The old ones would need a new cam chain tightener around 60k kms, but after that were good till they needed a rebuild around 80-100k kms.

You'd probably keep it about 6 months before looking for something with a bit more weight and some better brakes.

Nothing beats the stability and braking ability of bigger bikes, but you are also paying a lot more for them (and they are heavier).

I always tell people to ride everything they can get their hands on, and buy what feels good. Each make and model feels different.

Edit: This is the old boxy one

PS If your curious, Im 5'6" and 136lb. When you dont weigh a great deal a big heavy bike can be off putting. However, if your tall (i.e. taller than me), its a lot easier. touring/sports bikes pretty much balance themselves.

[nspeen 0]

I have a 2005 r6 but I have only been out a few times this summer. It is a crime that it sits so much but I have been busy lately. I took a MSF class and found some things pretty useful that they teach. I also feel it helps if you start out on a dirt bike at a younger age.

[Master P 0]

Greech..... A ninja 250 would be a great first bike. A ninja 500 or a ninja 650R (Make sure it is the R version) would also be a good first bike. Typically you can find those used easily. Check out the Motorcycle Safety Foundations website. See if there is a class in your area. That is the best way to start.

Nspeen....Yes that is a crime. Get ridding and be safe!

[figgifumi_11 3]

Thanks for the kind words fellas, I plan to rack up quite a few miles on it this weekend :)

[Master P 0]

So whats the review of the V Star?

[Spreedizzle 1]

Nothing currently.......but these are my past 2 wheeled toys:

2007 Yamaha Roadliner S

Kawasaki ZRX1100

Suzuki SV650

[figgifumi_11 3]

So whats the review of the V Star?

Phenomenal! :P I really am loving it thus far. Coming from a predominantly sportbike-oriented riding background, I wasn't sure if switching to a cruiser would work for me or not. However, I am happy to say that I love riding the cruiser. It's great to be able to ride 50-75 miles in complete comfort and not feel beat up when you step off the bike. The 650cc V-twin sounds really nice and has good useable power; the shaft drive works well; chassis is solid; just the right amount of chrome/paint detail.

The only downfall is that my Organic Chemistry grade is suffering right now due to the nice weather we have had here lately <_<

[Master P 0]

Great to hear. That is a nice bike. Shaft drive is really nice. So smooth.

I finally rode a Ducati 696 monster. It was nice. I still like the Triumph Street Triple better.

.

[dsjunior1388 81]

thinking about getting a bike instead of a car. considerring im a college student, i probably wont be going more than a mile or so a day during school, and side trips shouldn't be a problem as long as I have good sized saddle bags. Anyway, has anyone ever tried a hockey bag on the back of a bike? Or can one of those warrior bacpack bags be worn comfortably? what about sticks?