buying a bike

[g2ic02]

I know a few of you on here have sportbikes and i would like your opinions on some different 600's...I am looking at a 94-00 to keep the cost down. I have heard good things about suzuki gsxr 600's but would like to know which bikes are decent and which to stay away from. Thanks in advance

[ALTRNTV]

Honda CBR600
Yamaha YZF600
Yamaha R6
GSX-R 600 (but everyone has one)

[EEdude]

What's your exact budget? a 97+ 600cc bike will cost you around $4k+

[Angel]

My opinion for 600's in that year range would be Gsxr then R6 and then the rest... but depending on what year exactly you are looking at those two can jockey for position. Also comes down to what you are after, your build, and your tastes. My choice is based on performance first with my slight 5'8" 150 lb frame and comfort a distant last, and for what it's worth I have always purchased Gsxr's because they appeal to me.

[007jpang]

suzuki gsxr 750's

cause you'll always want more power

[wootwoot]

Just make sure to get life insurance that covers motorcycle accidents. Funerals can be expensive.

[Team Rootbeer]

if your not into the whole full fairing, teenager looking, "crotch rocket" cliche, ducati monster 620s are fairly cheap, and are great handling bikes, also the suzuki sv650 and bandit are great choices, all of them outhandling your run of the mill 600

[Yoshi]

GSXR will 0wn... now a better question, do u have a lot of experience riding? cuz seriously, that's WAY too much power for a sport bike newb. It'd be VERY easy to kill yourself w/it.

That'd be akin to a 16 year old given a 800whp supra.
Badass, no doubt, BUT....

[Var]

I would go with the R6 or the Gixxer 600. I would lean more towards the R6 just for the looks. All these bikes are so capable and reliable that it doesnt matter which one you get assuming all were in equal condition. They are more of a bike than most riders will ever be. So just get one with low mileage that looks the nicest to your eye.. (dont get the YZF600 though, they are pigs) Stay away from Kawi unless it's 2002 or newer. Honda is known to be the most reliable but those years dont look so nice. THe gixxer is know to have a somewhat uncomfy seating position, although it's ideal for racing. It's puts your weight over the gas tank, but it can be hard on your back. Yamaha's are known to have clunky transmissions.


Bottom line.

R6!!!!

[sw20>>s14]

i would recommend against getting a gixxer for your first bike...riding postion and power is way too much for a newb to handle on the streets...let alone spirited riding...i was pretty experienced when i rode my first gixxer6 and i still got caught off guard because i was used to the ergonomics of the other brands...
dont get early kawis...and dont get a gixxer just because it has more power...prolly half the ppl on this board have never touched a bike before...get use to everything first...my f4i is rated at 110 and its in the 10s...what else do you want...some of the best and fastest riders are on 250s...i say go with honda or yamaha...its not always about power and cool factor...unless if you plan on becoming a stunter...then boo to you...

[chineseb0i]

i myself am planning on getting a bike..possibly 2nite! and will be a new rider as well (my first bike) and am in the process of getting my bike. A lot of friends recommend getting something of 500cc or smaller and currently i am looking into getting something like a ninja ex500. The ninja ex250 is a good bike from what ppl say as a starter bike but you will get bored easily supposedly so i think the ex500 is a good choice. I will let u know when i get my bike and how that goes.

[fredbblakemore]

I just picked up my first bike a few weeks ago. It's a 96 Ninja EX500 (butt stock in terms of performance mods) and honestly, I'm a little bored with the power already. It's peppy above 7500 rpm but not shockingly so. I'd say it's great to learn on because certain little mistakes that would kill you on a literbike or even a 600 are manageable on the 500.

I'll probably do some performance upgrades later this summer and see how it feels but I'm pretty sure I'll be upgrading in the spring. I'm thinking streetfigher next time around. See www.streetfighters-usa.com/s_f_photos.htm for some examples.

Just my .02

[Var]

I say start with a good bike. If you cant handle a 600 off the bat you shouldnt be riding(IMO if course) It's usually rider error that makes you crash, not horsepower. Remember that.

[zenkiDori]

gixxer. '.'

[tew photy]

I say start with a good bike. If you cant handle a 600 off the bat you shouldnt be riding(IMO if course) It's usually rider error that makes you crash, not horsepower. Remember that.

wow thats a dumbass comment. anything can be learned, and on top of that, 600s are FUCKING FAST, especially for a first timer. IMO, you should start with a <600 beater. do not pay more than 2k for your first bike, as it will probably be dropped a few times. the great thing about bikes is that it costs almost nothing to upgrade. after 6 months to a year, move up to a nicer bike, but still don't go balls out. after being totally comfortable on that bike, if you still want more power, then move up to the liter bikes

[wootwoot]

600's arent that fast...Like if I was to get a bike, which I wont because I live in Florida and I still dont trust the safety issues, I would get at minimum a 600. If you get less than 600, even though I dont advocate motorcycles that much, I'll call you a pussy.

[dasalnt]

i was also looking into getting a bike recently... anyone know of some good bikes in the 3k-4k range? It looks like the gxr should be crossed off the list for a first time rider so what model/year would you guys suggest? Also, what is a reasonable amount of mileage for a bike? I'm looking for something around 600cc

[sw20>>s14]

600's arent that fast...
not really...


i was also looking into getting a bike recently... anyone know of some good bikes in the 3k-4k range? It looks like the gxr should be crossed off the list for a first time rider so what model/year would you guys suggest? Also, what is a reasonable amount of mileage for a bike? I'm looking for something around 600cc
i would get a honda cbr600 f2/f3...i started on an f2 and i loved it...at that time (F2='91-'94 F3='95-'98) honda was on top of their game...no other bike could come close to the perfomance, reliability, and comfort put together of their 600...sure gixxers were faster/sportier...im talking about all around...even today, honda is the leading manufactuer in the motogp...they really do their research and know what theyre doing...that bike was a very good first timer...easy to ride, forgiving, power when you felt you needed it, reliable, etc...f2s and f3s are becoming really cheap too cuz newbs just want whats gaudy, new, and fast...they dont believe in starting small or humble so the demand for older second hand bikes has declined...IMO, this is the bike to start with...i would definitely recommend it to anyone...

[poziden]

kawasaki ninja 250r ^_^

[g2ic02]

wow...thanks for all the replies. I am still leaning on the 600. I have driven my friends gsxr 600 and i love the bike. I realize the risk in riding one, but i respect them so i won't drive beyond my capabilities. I would also like to know how many miles is high on a bike. Thanks

[sw20>>s14]

personally, i woulddnt get a bike that has over 15K miles...but thats just me...once a bike hits its 20K 25K mark, its considered "high mileage." but hey, i have a friend that has a little over 40K on his F2...runnning strong except for the CCT...but for my anal ass, nothing over 15K

[zenkiDori]

600's arent that fast...
yeah, 185MPH on two wheels is pretty weak :jerkit:

I would start out with an early 90s CBR or Ninja, those are pretty tame for a crotch rocket, upgradable and cheap to buy. If you have never been on any kind of bike I suggest something smaller than that, a 450 or something, just to get the feel of riding on two wheels. Untill you really learn how to handle yourself on two wheels a straight line is about the only place you'll be going fast, which is OK. Take a riding course if there are any available in your area, and always wear your helmet and leathers.

[WILDACEX187]

gsx 1300 :yum:

[Var]

wow thats a dumbass comment. anything can be learned, and on top of that, 600s are FUCKING FAST, especially for a first timer. IMO, you should start with a <600 beater. do not pay more than 2k for your first bike, as it will probably be dropped a few times. the great thing about bikes is that it costs almost nothing to upgrade. after 6 months to a year, move up to a nicer bike, but still don't go balls out. after being totally comfortable on that bike, if you still want more power, then move up to the liter bikes



My comment wasnt dumb. I think getting anything less than a modern 600 is dumb. Statistically, not that many riders crash because of horsepower. Almost any bike can go fast, so if a rider wants to get on the throttle everywhere, then he will crash sooner or later. I started on a 600, and it was a 96 FZR 600. IMO it didnt have enough power. It's good enough to learn on for 2 weeks, but that's it. You dont want a bike for 2 weeks. You want to keep your first bike for at least a year. So if you dont have enough self control or motor skills to keep your speed, then too bad.

[Var]

yeah, 185MPH on two wheels is pretty weak :jerkit:



Liter bikes hardly pull those kinds of speed. While we're here, who out of those who commented has owned his own street bike?

+1

[Angel]

Liter bikes hardly pull those kinds of speed. While we're here, who out of those who commented has owned his own street bike?

+1

I've owned several Gsxr's and have had free access to another 4 bikes that my younger brother owned. I replied with my opinion and the criteria that I used to arrive at that opinion... I too feel that most of the time people don't crash because of hp but instead because of errors in judgement, usually they go too hot into a corner and convinced that they can't make it..... they stand the bike up and run straight off the road. Now that can be done on just about anything on two wheels.

And for reference, the first street bike that I owned was a 96 GSXR 750 brown and gold bought new. Never touched the ground, still running around locally with the guy who purchased it from me.

[wootwoot]

Its not your personal limits that I'm worried about when riding a bike. Its the ridiculous idiocy of other drivers, the ones in cars that run you over and you die. You cant always get away from it to, no matter how good of a driver you say you are. But a 600cc isnt that fast. If you think its fast, good for you, but keep in mind speed CAN be an oppinon. How the f can you call a 600cc fast though when there are bikes much much faster? Most 600cc's bikes run what, mid 12's? Maybe some of the better run low 12's. Fast bikes run high 9.9-10.0 stock. Pretty fast cars run mid 12's, a motorcycle doing so does not impress me at all. Its still scary to ride a bike that fast though =P I havent had much expierence on them.

[Stock-S13]

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/89256632.html

So that isn't a good starter bike? =)

No, seriously Im contemplating the very same thing. Perhaps a 600 Suzuki Gixxxer, i have only ridden a quads and pocket bikes.

[sw20>>s14]

SV arent bad starters; its a sport tourer...like someone above said...its not the power...sometimes it is, but majority of the time, its the rider that fucks up...and dont judge a bikes forgivingness by the CCs...judge it by the geometry of the bike itself...an SV1000 is much more forgiving than a gixxer6...
there will always be ppl who say yeah...fuck that shit! start on a gixxer, i did!...okay, well the first time i rode was the day i picked up my bike in cotati...roughly 120 miles away from my house...the first time i rode, i rode 120 miles back, in the night, through highways, through freeways, through the streets of SF, with just a helmet, and no documentation...and yeah, it was easy as hell to pick up and i didnt drop it or stall...but i would never in my life recommend it to anybody...evar!!!...just cuz its not practical advice...worked for me, prolly wont work for you...same with ppl telling you to get a gixxer750 or literbike off the bat...i like to stick with more practical; realistic advice...plus, i dont want you to sue me when you lowside your brand new 750 and scrap half your side on the road = )

[two240s]

www.sportbikes.net lot's of good advice on there

don't listen to these fools telling you you're a pussy if you start out on anything less than a 600...............



p.s. the yzf600r is not a pig.........it runs low 11's

[Var]

www.sportbikes.net lot's of good advice on there

don't listen to these fools telling you you're a pussy if you start out on anything less than a 600...............



p.s. the yzf600r is not a pig.........it runs low 11's


A Hayabusa is a pig and it run's 9's. Get to the point junior.

[Var]

Most 600cc's bikes run what, mid 12's? Maybe some of the better run low 12's. Fast bikes run high 9.9-10.0 stock.

Any new 600cc sportbike (the relevant ones like R6, Gixxer 600, Kawi 600 OR 636, CBR 600RR) they ALL run 10's in the quarter. They arent that much slower than liter bikes in quarter mile. But the powerband is way different. And the liter bikes lose less power at high speeds.

[sw20>>s14]

Any new 600cc sportbike (the relevant ones like R6, Gixxer 600, Kawi 600 OR 636, CBR 600RR) they ALL run 10's in the quarter. They arent that much slower than liter bikes in quarter mile. But the powerband is way different. And the liter bikes lose less power at high speeds.

hey! hey! hey! :mepoke: how dare you leave my bike outta your list...f4is run 10.7s...at one point it was the fastest straight line 600...the other ones had better suspension and lap times, but its okay; i still love her:mephfawk:

[trsilvias13]

i started with a cbr 600, then quickly went to a r1. a one litter got lots and lots of power. a 600 can get quickly boring too.

[wootwoot]

Any new 600cc sportbike (the relevant ones like R6, Gixxer 600, Kawi 600 OR 636, CBR 600RR) they ALL run 10's in the quarter. They arent that much slower than liter bikes in quarter mile. But the powerband is way different. And the liter bikes lose less power at high speeds.


Thank you for correcting me and NOT being an ass about it =)
Most people are not capable of doing that on here.