Article: Sportbikes are Not Beginner Bikes

[dgyver]

Here is a link to an interesting article on bike selection:

http://www.beginnerbikes.com/editorials/formequalsfunction.htm

[notoriouskeef]

And that my friends is why I have a gs500. To learn, I don't care about a fast bike.  I agree with everything that article says.  

One of my best friends just purchased a 600 katana and hes been riding for two weeks and already going over 110 mph, I tell him I think hes stupid and hope he doesn't hurt himself, to many people are concerned about their "image" and it's going to get people killed.

Very good article, I look forward to the continue..........
Matt

*edit, don't get me wrong I will get a new bike in a season or two.

[Ed_in_Az]

Good article. The GS is a great bike to start on, but it still has enough zip to hit triple digit speeds, and do some fine cornering. Once someone has mastered it and wants more, then a 600cc 4cyl bike would be appropriate.

[Rema1000]

There's another related editorial at the same site, that I like even better:
http://www.beginnerbikes.com/editorials/eternalquestion.htm

It deals with some of the questions that the first article didn't get to yet, like "I'll be a careful rider and not get into trouble." or "Other people have started on a 600cc sportbike and didn't get hurt. So why can't I?"

[chuey]

I actually felt safer riding on my R6 at highway speeds than I do now on my GS particularly with passing cars and such. Less need to tweak the throttle and gears. I think people will argue this but its just my opinion.

[Dragonfly]

A 600 might feel much better in a straight line, but then so will a Busa.
Nearly anyone can grab a wrist full of throttle in a straight line, but the first 20 mph switchback you come into, its going to take a more experienced right wrist to keep yourself from laying the bike down.

I may get by butt handed to me in the straights, there are very few of the people I ride with that can keep in the twisties.
The bigger the bike and the more power, the more delicate you have to be with the throttle, and that delicatness only comes with experience.


Micah

[Rema1000]

I keep thinking that I'll look at a VStrom when I'm able to go for a whole month witout ever thinking "!@#$ that was a stupid move!"  For example, making a right turn from a stop last week, as I rolled the throttle and let out the clutch, my left hand slipped clean off the clutch lever, and Yahoo! I shot forward.  It was not a real problem; I don't think I was in danger of dumping.  The front wheel stayed on the ground, but I could tell that it was thinking mutinous thoughts.  Hint: don't wheelie while leaned-over!

So really, I think I need a forgiving bike because I screw up now and then.

[Turkina]

I agree with that month without the 'stupid' move.  I think it'll be time for a new bike when I can get my corners down.  My throttle control for the most part is not terrible.  I hesitate in corners and that's where I'm going to go down (again).  When I can see the curve coming up, judge my entrance speed correctly, and think to lean over harder rather than have thoughts of letting off the throttle (bad bad!), then I can get a new bike.  Maybe a track day or two will help

[mp183]

[Dragonfly]

The thing about feeling safer on the highway because you can get out of trouble is all myth.  When I go out on my GS hardly anyone passes me.  ]



I disagree with this statement. There have been MANY times where I have seen something happen in front of me, or a car try and pull into my lane or any of the other million reasons where I wish I had more roll on power.
Sure there is plenty of power potential if you drop it down 2 or 3 gears, but in an emergency you rarely have the time to react let alone downshift.

If I can gas it and get around the trouble before it happens, rather than hit the brakes, and hope I dont get involved I absolutly will. At that moment is when I wish  I had a good 600 with some balls.

Sure you can cruse at 80 or 90mph on the gs, but it takes forever to get there when it really matters.

But as I stated before, a beginer has absolutly no business haveing any more power than the Gs can provide.


Micah

[chuey]

I agree with Dragon' on this one. I took the GS for economic reasons but also because I am primarily in the city. However rising 4 hours on the highway on Friday, there were ample situations where in order to accelerate I needed to either adjust my throttle hand and roll the throttle all the way or have to drop down a gear or even two to get me the power that I needed.  Also a GS at 8K RPM and above produces a huge amount of vibration and strain on my wrists compared to a bike with a 15K rev line. On a more powerful bike its simply having to turn my throttle wrist just a tad more to get that power that I'm looking for.  On the contrary to this I have to agree also though that this only relavant for highway speeds 80-90MPH at times.  The GS under these speeds suits me fine and better I might add for riding and I find it very pleasing especially in the city which to be honest does tests my limits more than on the highway.  To be truthful I dropped the bike on Friday. I kicked my shifter by accident out of neutral even though my hand wasn't on the clutch (is this normal by the way?) and I dropped my bike after it lurched from standing, lol.  Minor scratches, but lessoned learn keep both feet on the ground when stopped. That probbie would costed me 400 bucks for a scratched panel if I was on the R6. Unless I ride more and more in the burbs I doubt that I will even pick up a faster bike in the future, I will never be able to outride an R6 as was stated and mostly likely not the GS either.  In the twisties though an R6 into a turn is some serious business I don't have the stats but the '03 that I had felt just as light as a GS!!!

[aslam]

Depends on the rider.  My first bike 2002 Honda CBR F4i.  Never been down yet...  Just depends on the rider.  And his luck.  But that goes for sportbike or not.

ASLAM.

[VanDawg38]

I'd love some more roll-on performance, and some higher top-end so I could reel Dragonfly in on the straights after he pulls away in the turns.  (Maybe I should just practice more.)

When the road gets twisty, it's all the rider and not the bike.  Heck, even I've been able to pull away from the odd, poorly ridden, R6, CBR, VFR, .... in the tight stuff.  Getting by them on the straights is a completely different matter, especially if they don't want to be passed.

[Ed_in_Az]

On my 100 mile ride Saturday I pulled up a winding canyon doing 80-90 in a 55 zone. Only cages on the road with me and they all disappeared in my rearview mirror. Once I caught up with slower traffic a Mustang GT came roaring up behind me. Apparently he'd been chasing me and couldn't even get close enough for me to see him following. hahahahaha! Not bad at all for a little GS500. My brake test involved almost missing a turn. I saw it just yards ahead and grabbed a bunch of brakes. I made sure no one was behind me of course. The bike stopped just a few feet past and I still made the turn off the highway. The bike pulled down from speed incredibly well. These things can putt along at scooter speed and still wind out to keep up with most anything if you've aquired the skill to use their potential. My limitation is a desire to avoid speeding tickets and accidents, not that the bike is holding me back.

I've ridden dirt bikes, quads and street bikes for a combined total of 33 years. Most aspects of riding come as natural to me as walking. Still, I've hit two cars. The first was my fault, 25 years ago. The second was unavoidable 2 months ago. I can definately outride my GS500, but it is still great fun. As for more horsepower getting me out of trouble, I've never seen such a situation. If experience, technique, skill, or brakes! don't help, then horsepower is like throwing a grenade into the mix. If kicking down two gears is too difficult then twisting the wrist to generate 40-50 more horsepower is not going to be a good option.

[stephan]

Could people start out on a 600cc sportbike?  Yes, BUT that doesn't make it a good idea.  I know I probably could have started out on a Kawa 6R or a YZF 600R, but I think I would've dumped it by now.  I've made too many small mistakes on my GS that would've been compounded by more responsiveness, and more horsepower.  Small things such as too much throttle, too much brake, too much speed into a turn, typical noob mistakes.  With a super sport I may have wheelied, skidded, or not been able to pull it back into the turn.

Personally I don't mind getting my feet wet with the GS.  Perhaps I'll move to something different later on . . . . . or maybe not, the GS is a blast!  Hey, as long as your safe, ride smart, and don't endanger others I don't care what you ride!

Just my thoughts!  

[Jace009]

I agree with alot of what is being said. EXCEPT for the add more power to avoid and accident...ya this like pulling the pin on a gernade and throwing the pin in stead of the gernade

I took the beginner's MSF beginner's course and IMHO it is not good enough. Their "emergency stops" are at 15mph or less [some people are terrified of shifting into second gear] On the rebeel 250 test bikes they let you ride for the course  with drum brakes you can stop decently. I took my GS up to the course the week after I completed it and MY GOD you can lock up both wheels if you do the same reaction and same amount of grip as you do on the rebel 250's. Trust me the skid mark is still probably out there in that parking. My second issue is all of the sharp turning and figure 8's on the course are   ...How many times in the real driving environment do you go around a corner at 5mph? I mean come on in the real world if you go to make a right hand turn on a green light and slow down to 5mh G-randma behind you will be beeping her horn to speed u up :lol:  In my 2 years of riding experience  10-15mph in a turn is good because the bike will balance it's self untill the speed decreases and all that weight on top makes the bike want to hit the dirt. This is why you need to use the throttle...Since the MSF course I have "fiddled" around in a parking lot doing quick stops from 35ish mph. I'm confident that it will some day save my life/avoid an accident again. Also try doing a figure 8 where you get enough skill to wear down/ grind the foot rest. I agree that most people never realize/develope their potential as motorcycle drivers.

Sorry to make this a novel but one other point.
My dad has an older Honda 750 Nighthawk. he rides it once in a while and I've riden it enough to learn respect. When you get on a 750 and make a little boo-boo like your foot hits a little oil on the road and slips as you come to a stop the BIKE IS hitting the ground. Noobs wouldn't have spotten the oil. I've seen ol' pops try to hold the bike up but it's just to heavy for one person. Needless to say I had to get off my comfy GS and help him out.