the other day at work..

[97gs500e]

About two weeks ago at work I met a kid about 18 or 19 years old who had just got his first motorcycle.  (I wait tables)  We got to talking about riding and he told me that his bike was just in front of the restaraunt.  Then he asked me some stuff about his bike (he didn't already know this stuff?).  He was asking if his bike had a radiator and how many cylinders it was - no kidding.  

I went to the front and saw his 2003 CBR 600RR.  I told him a few things about his bike, and to always wear his gear and be careful, b/c he is starting on a big bike.  


He came back into the restaraunt last night.  His hands and arms were covered in bandages and he had little skin on his shoulders (wearing a tank top).  He wrecked his bike, and doesn't want to ride anymore.  Who honestly thinks they can start on a sportbike and not hurt themselves the bike or their riders-learning-curve?

[Roadstergal]

Good thing he took your advice.    And it sounds like he didn't take MSF, either.

Now he's going to be one of the folk who sing doom and gloom about how 'dangerous' motorcycles are, I bet.

[TarzanBoy]

I think the real problem in this case was that he was an absolute rank amateur who didn't bother to:

1. Educate himself (google is your friend... i've learned a fair bit about bikes and riding from searches on google groups)

2. Find an experienced rider to take him out his first few times.

As powerful as a 600cc bike is, I think that joe-blow can manage it as a starter bike if he has a good teacher there with him to go over controlling the bike and some rudimentary guidlines on how to ride and how not to ride when as a beginner.

It didnt' sound like your waiter friend had anyone like that to keep him from learning via trial-and-error.  So, where are you located, and is the bike in good condition/for sale?

(his loss is my gain!)

[ukchickenlover]

I still think its the rider not the type of bike that causes the problems. If someone wants a sports bike as there first bike then they proberbly want to ride fast.

[TarzanBoy]

I still think its the rider not the type of bike that causes the problems. If someone wants a sports bike as there first bike then they proberbly want to ride fast.

That being said... if you are the type of rider at an "elevated risk of injury or death", then a sport bike is a lot more willing to oblige you in that regard

Someone on the board has a sig that says 'Power means nothing compared to skill'... i'd probably swap in 'control' for 'skill' in that statement.

[Slavik]

I still think its the rider not the type of bike that causes the problems. If someone wants a sports bike as there first bike then they proberbly want to ride fast.

Sure, but i think the lack of "forgiveness" of the 600cc and up is what makes the bikes dangerous...GS will always let you shift down to third instead of 4th, grab front brake to hard, bliping the throtle as you hit a bump/pothole...do that on a race bike, and you'll be thrown off

[rritterson]

Sure, but i think the lack of "forgiveness" of the 600cc and up is what makes the bikes dangerous...GS will always let you shift down to third instead of 4th, grab front brake to hard, bliping the throtle as you hit a bump/pothole...do that on a race bike, and you'll be thrown off

I hear that a lot. My question is, then (as the devil's advocate), won't the forgiveness only let us solidfy our bad habits and make us worse 600cc riders?

[JamesG]

No not really. Because the GS will still "misbehave" when you treat it badly, but it won't bite you like a race replica will.

[fallout]

Sure, but i think the lack of "forgiveness" of the 600cc and up is what makes the bikes dangerous...GS will always let you shift down to third instead of 4th, grab front brake to hard, bliping the throtle as you hit a bump/pothole...do that on a race bike, and you'll be thrown off

I hear that a lot. My question is, then (as the devil's advocate), won't the forgiveness only let us solidfy our bad habits and make us worse 600cc riders?

I've had a few of those instances where I've blipped the throttle or what not and its made me take a mental note to self: don't do that.  So IMO the forgiveness is there to not punish you (well you can still be punished depending what you did) until you've commiteded enough of all the does and donts of riding to memory.  When I step up to a bigger bike I would think that instead of the GS making me a "worse" rider becuase of its forgiveness, I would just be much less likely to make unforgiving mistakes by then.

[TarzanBoy]

...GS will always let you shift down to third instead of 4th, grab front brake to hard, bliping the throtle as you hit a bump/pothole...do that on a race bike, and you'll be thrown off

No doubt about it...   motorcycles are the new stallions for a new era... and sport bikes are like hard-to-tame wild horses.

Makes you wonder why helmets aren't required when riding horses around (or are they and I just didn't know).

[RedShift]

I've had a few of those instances where I've blipped the throttle or what not and its made me take a mental note to self: don't do that.  So IMO the forgiveness is there to not punish you (well you can still be punished depending what you did) until you've commiteded enough of all the does and donts of riding to memory.  When I step up to a bigger bike I would think that instead of the GS making me a "worse" rider becuase of its forgiveness, I would just be much less likely to make unforgiving mistakes by then.

Exactly!! It's the recognition that you did something wrong, that you can correct it, and that you have the habit formed not to do it again is what give someone the "skill" of controlling a motorcycle.

I think it's called Learn from your mistakes!!

97gs500e's friend experienced a learning event from one drastic mistake.  Most aren't the same afterwards.  Sad that this happens as it hurts the rest of us riders in reputation and insurance rates.

[Mickey_D100]

I've had a few of those instances where I've blipped the throttle or what not and its made me take a mental note to self: don't do that.  So IMO the forgiveness is there to not punish you (well you can still be punished depending what you did) until you've commiteded enough of all the does and donts of riding to memory.  When I step up to a bigger bike I would think that instead of the GS making me a "worse" rider becuase of its forgiveness, I would just be much less likely to make unforgiving mistakes by then.

+1  I've noticed that even in a week of riding . . . like "Oh man, that shift was garbage, I popped the hell out of the clutch, don't do that again", or "oh man, way too much front brake, need to squeeze eeeeveeeenly" but the GS is somewhat forgiving of mistakes like that.  It'll bark at you and say "hey stupid, you're doing something wrong!" but it won't lift the front if you downshift and pop the clutch by accident or throw an endo if you grab way too much front.  I've definitely had several instances where I said to myself, first of all, don't do that again, and second of all, thank goodness you're not on a brand new 600 sportbike, jackass.   :lol: