Well you read it right. I am 18 and live in Southern california. At the moment i am in the pivetal decision of which bike to purchase. Now dont get me wrong, I have been scouring the net looking for info on the bikes, mainly suzuki. I have riden dirt off and on my entire life as well as tooled around on a couple street/sport bikes. At the moment I am purchasing a GSX-R 750 from a dealership near me (NOT TO RIDE!) that i will be reselling for a BIG profit to fund the new bike. Now i have been reading the sites, checking up safety gear, reading the horror stories and the stories of enjoyment. But here is where my main concern/problem is. Im a big guy, not talking freakishly obese but, well im 6'2" and i weight in at about 220lbs. My buddy that some of you on this site may know of, Mk1inCali, will preach nothing but GS500 to me, which is cool cause i love his bike and the work he has done on it. But my main concern is power.
Now i know the seasoned/experienced riders out there will tell any newbie to start small and work your way up as you become more experienced/comfortable with your riding abilities. And im SURE the GS500 can get me from point a to point b no problem. I just dont want it to be pissed at me afterward. So now my question, What should i get? A GS500 or a GSX-R 600. I know most GS riders are going to be byassed so please be objective. And if you have been in my situation any input would be greatly appreciated. So i guess tahts it. I understand the 600 has enough power to throw me on my ass, but believe me i dont plan on giving it the opportunity too. Anyways, any input would be great as i have reached a dead stop as both have VERY positive feedback. Thanks ahead of time!
-Dan
You never PLAN on giving a bike the opportunity to throw you on your ass. But inexperience will give it the opportunity from time to time. The GS is a great little bike. Plenty of power to have lots of fun and more than enough to get you a few speeding tickets. WIth a little suspension modding, you can hang with bigger faster bikes in the twisties, providing there aren't too many long straights for them to get away from you. Most experienced riders will tell you - from experience - that the best way to quickly improve your riding skills is to learn to ride a slow bike fast. Any jackass can wring a 100hp bike to hyperspeed.
That said, a 600 is a better starter bike than the 750, but is still a lot of power to have on tap when you're learning to use the bike still. If you're worried about outgrowing the GS too quickly, you might want to look at one of the tamer 600's - particularly one that's a few years old and can be had pretty cheap. As far as your concerns about weight, I weigh 220 with my gear on and the bike makes plenty of power to haul my fat ass around. I've been riding mine for almost 9 years now. I've modified the snot out of it, but am still riding the same bike I started on. Another thing to consider, especially at your age, is insurance and maintenance. The GS costs peanuts to insure and maintain. Step up to a 600 and insurance premiums rise fast, especially on a sportbike. Anyhow, that's my 2 cents, for what it's worth.
Appreciate the info so far. As for the insurance. My step dad will be insuring the bike so i can ride it, i will just pay him. And i also dont plan on buying a brand spankin new bike, something early to mid ninety's that i wont get pissed about laying down, because i know its inevitable. Again, thanks for the info, keep it commin. oh yea, as for tamer 600's, any suggestions aside from the GSXR?
How about the SV650? I'd go with either the GS or the SV, and stay away from the I-4 engine configuration. Its the nature of the engine and is way 'peaky' or non-linear when compared to the twins.
Whats the power comparison like between the SV650 and say a GSXR 600 or a CBR 600?
Daniely - good questions and it's cool that you're asking. I've got 22+ years of riding experience (my bike is my only vehicle) and a lot of things have changed (I remember when a 600 would never be considered a "starter" bike) but there have been a few constants. First, get good gear because smacking the road always hurts and even if you're a good rider, you can never trust a cage to be as vigilant. Second, take an MSF course and then keep taking courses and maybe get a track day in...never stop learning. Third, you're going to drop the bike so buy something that you aren't afraid to kick over in the driveway the day you buy it. There's a fourth but I'll stop for now.
Based on #3, I'd suggest a naked bike like an SV or the GS500. The market is pretty good considering that they are popular with newbies, racers, and so on, so you'll be able to sell it fairly easily. Also, the point about a twin versus an I-4 is valid. Twins (unless you're talking about high-strung performance bikes) tend to be easy to ride and forgiving, great for learning on, instead of trying to keep a bike in the powerband while not turning yourself into Wiley Coyote being slingshotted out of an apex. The GS and the SV will give you plenty of scoot for the money, with the SV being a more modern and powerful bike that is probably going to be one of the cult bikes of this decade. Both will fare fairly well in a tip-over or low-speed laydown, versus having to replace a lot of plastic on a fully-faired bike. Besides, you may decide that you want a totally different type of bike after you've been through your initial learning phase--some riders will go through 6 or 7 or more bikes over the course of a decade before they settle on "the" bike or bike type. Get started on something inexpensive to learn on, and save your bucks for a logical next step that works for you.
BTW - when you look at power, also look at torque and the overall power delivery. Big difference between something that's akin to an on/off switch versus a linear throttle.
Oh, #4 is peer pressure is a beeyotch and so is anyone that tries to give you crap about riding within your abilities.
Good luck!
Thanks for the info again. The gear isnt a problem, ive already got a Teknic Leather Jacket on the way as of my 19th birthday on the 3rd next month. Saving now for a new Shoei Helm, and gloves. As for the MSF course, i actually signed up for the CHP 15 hour motorcycle safety course as it required by law in california to get my lincense under 21 :) gotta love cali. And also the main reason for getting an older bike like the mentioned above early to mid nineties, is that way i wont care if it goes over if it hasnt already in its past. And i can safetly say as for the cagers, hell today on the way to work i got sideswiped by a BMW that literally got 3 inches from the bumper on my LIFTED silverado, she looked right through me and steered into me, if i hadnt honked she would have been mince meat for the 33" tires. But yea, i think im gonna go wtih either a GS500 or an SV650 now, as im starting to warm up to the bare bones look, though im a fan of the fairing. Is the SV650 classified as sport? Thanks again for any info ahead of time!
-Dan
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"First, get good gear because smacking the road always hurts and even if you're a good rider, you can never trust a cage to be as vigilant. Second, take an MSF course and then keep taking courses and maybe get a track day in...never stop learning. Third, you're going to drop the bike so buy something that you aren't afraid to kick over in the driveway the day you buy it. There's a fourth but I'll stop for now. "
Well I noticed some of you were talking about the 'laid back' I4's. Well how about a Katana 600, and you said a early to mid 90's bike. So have you thought about the old CBRF 2/3?? And btw....welcome to the forum!!
No i hadn't considered the CBRf il take a look at that. and THANKS! ive posted before but under a different name, this will be my main now.
-dan
2 more questions, is this a good helmet?
http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=83-3300
and 2 is the SV650 classified as a sport bike?
the FZR600 is a great milder sportbike. Yamaha made tons and tons of them so you can find em' cheap. and parts are plentiful.
Ooo i like that bike indestructable.
i don't believe the SV650 would be classed as a sportbike.
that helmet looks good. it's DOT and Snell approved, which is what's really important.
the other really important thing is fit. you should really try on a helmet before you buy one. Cali has plenty of shops where you can try stuff on.
cheers,
will
p.s. when i was looking at an FZR600, it cost approximately twice as much to insure as the GS500.
Thanks! I planned on test fitting helms tomorrow or possibly friday, and then ordering offline.
As for insurance, the quote i originally got was for a GSXR 750 for liability and it was like $545 a year. So i am fine with paying around that for a 600. Ill check with my sisters BF, he works for the yamahaa dealership and see if they have any used ones in stock. THANKS AGAIN!
-dan
You mentioned that you like plastic, but with only liability insurance, you won't be able to replace much plastic, even if it just cracks falling over in the driveway.
The SV650 may not be classified as a sportbike; the SV650S (which has some plastic) may be; it depends on the insurance company. Speaking of insurance, when you say that your father-in-law will insure it, I hope that you mean he'll carry it with his agent, but with you as the listed rider; if he insures it in his name (with himself as the registered rider), and you crash, the insurance company may refuse to pay-out.
I am on the same policy as my dad, im insured under all of our vehicles regardless of whos driving :). Same goes for a bike under our policy, the bike just has to be insured with litsed riders. As for the fairing, i understand the consequences of riding with Liability. A cracked fairing isnt much to me considering the year ill be looking at. And i can always find an abundance of parts or people willing to trade. Thanks again for the info!
-Dan
i have owned my share of bikes over the last 30+ years and have left some of them doa :lol: I had a tlr 1000 and took out this years GSXR 600 and 750 both are EXTEMeLY light and fast and take a very experienced and constrained rider. The SV 650 is a great bike, you can't beat the twin torque but in the wrong hands it is also trouble...we had a local who had, i say had, one and loved to do wheelies. problem was he was new and had more balls than brains...long story short if you cant figure out your balance point your are going for a ride sans motorcycle.
as for helmet most a good, i just got a HJC Crevrer FG-12 which is a great lid. you don't have to spend 500 bones or you can buy used.
anyhoo my advise it to remember your skill level and realistically select a bike based on that. your only 18 and there will be many bikes to come.
i would not buy a helmet used.
a three foot drop could functionally damage a helmet. there's no way to be sure of a helmet's condition short of x-ray.
Was that helmet i posted used? Wow i wont be buying that, i wasnt aware that it was used. That was never my intention. And again, thanks for the info, keep it commin!
-dan
The GS is a great first bike, but if you already have riding experience, it may become boring rather quick. The SV is a great bike, but still could be a bit much for a beginner, but a great second bike for sure. I've owned both, and the SV is more motorcycle to be sure. The I4's may feel a little wimpy (Katana6 and FZR6) down low vs. a twin. You may need to ask yourself "how and where do I plan on riding?" If you do a lot of 'round town riding, you'll appreciate the twin a bit more because you won't have to wring it out to get some power. If you ride the twisties a lot, you may not mind the revving nature of the I4 (7or 8K RPM to get any power) quite as much. ;)
IMHO, don't buy a helmet online. I went through three before I found one that was just the right fit for me. We all have differently shaped heads; go to a brick-and-mortar store that prices competitively, and get one from there. Make sure it's Snell M2000 rated (a higher rating than DOT), full-faced, and fits you well.
That being said, the Daytona Vega Snell M2000 that fit me best was $80, on sale from $120, cheaper than the HJC and Bieffe helmets that it replaced; a helmet doesn't have to be expensive to work.
Save up for some pants and boots, too. :)
Just saw your post. I too grew up riding dirt bikes and a few years ago bought my 1st road bike (I was 29 years old). I wanted something I could do some long tours on with a pillian plus the weekend visit to the mountains for a strap. I ended up picking up a '96VFR750 which i found easy to ride given the bike's power delivery having plenty of low rev torque. If you are commited to taking plenty professional rider training and more importantly can keep your head and righthand under control then a more powerful bike shouldn't be a problem (takes a lot of self control when you do have a bike under you that can fly).
Also a year ago both my wife and her friend decided to take up riding, my wife bought a GS500 and her friend a SV650S. A few months later is was my wife who had progressed her riding the most, the GS was powerful enough to have fun and push her limits, whilst her friend was a bit scared of the SV's power. And as people here had stated, in the twisties the GS can easily keep up with the larger bikes if ridden well (we ride with friends on 1lt sportbikes on the weekends). When the VFR has been down I have taken the GS on some weekends and a few friends have admitted that when I close up on them in the tighter areas their egos are a bit hurt :) Given my time again I would do the same as my wife and get a bike like the GS 1st and then upgrade. With the VFR I did have a few scary moments in the 1st few months when I started to push it a little.
For gear, I will sing the same song as others, chose base on fit fit fit fit fit and if you are lucky fashion.
Come on Danny, just find a friggin' GS500 already, we can start a So. Cal GS club!!
:mrgreen:
Tony
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ told ya...hehe...im really thinkin about it Tony, ill hit you up tonight if you dont have class.
-Dan
Yes, the helmet listed in the motorcyclecloseouts link is fine, and no, it's not used. Both newenough and motorcyclecloseouts sell new items. Newenough used to sell used clothing but they no longer do. The only big used apparel place that I know of is motorcycleleatherexchange.com and like most outlets they don't sell used lids (liability issues up the wazoo).
Both KBC and HJC make nice lids. Just get a Snell lid that fits you properly. The replacement shields for KBC and HJC are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at darn near any m/c shop in the country. Also, it's nice to have a removeble liner especially if you ride a lot in the summertime or have oily skin or hair...they can get stanky and it's easier to wash 'em if you can remove 'em.
I do anywhere between 25K and 40K miles a year so I'm hard on helmets, using them for commuting during the week and play on the weekend. It's nice to have a lid that I can replace every 18 mos or so for $125 instead of wearing out the innards of a $400 lid and having to fart around with the replacement liner, etc. You do give up some features but both brands I've mentioned are quite decent.
Well dan, you've gotten lots of good info so far so let me reiterate some and maybe add some.
If you've got some experience on bikes, particularly a bit on the street (how much exactly?) then the gs500 might seem small/slow to you and something like a sv650 or better yet a cbr600f2 or f3 would be better suited to your level. You couldnt go wrong with the gs500 as long as you keep in mind you're on it to [re]learn the streets and get better at riding technique. And that you'll be moving up in a year or less. If thats okay then the gs500 is an exceptionally good stepping stone to the bike you want...whatever that may be, instead of buying an intermediary that you dont want to keep long term.
the older gsxr's are actually [in my opinion] worse bikes than the newest ones because the throttle is more touchy and the powerband more explosive above 7k rpm. And even under 7k some might say they're tame but only in relation to the upper rpm range, not to a gs500. I was just pondering this today as I rode my 600rr how even under 8k rpm, where it really takes off, its still leaps faster than the gs500 I had. I would suggest that an older fzr might be similar. if you want an older sportbike definitely look at the cbr600f2/f3 as they're really good first/second bikes. They have about as much or a bit more power than a current sv650.
Helmets-DEFINITELY try them on. I felt bad after the salesman helped me so much to not buy at the store. at the very least show them what you can pay for it online and see if they are willing to match or nearly match the price. I've done this with mixed results. If it fits right you shouldnt be wearing out the inner lining of the helmet. I was surprised how snug it fit new but within a month it had loosened up a bit and fit perfectly. Spend what you have to spend to get the right fit. Also keep in mind that the more expensive helmets usually use more than one size outer shell. Inexpensive helmets use one size outer and make it up with the inner cushioning to make up the different sizes. this difference means lots of things but it also means the helmet might be heavier and that the inner foam might break down more making it looser. the various helmet makers also all have slightly different shapes to them so one size Med might fit and another Med might hurt in spots.
Get the GS500 and ride it hard. I used to have a blast on it in the twisties and it was a great around town bike.
Thanks again for all the info. Let me answer a few questions:
My experience on bikes at the moment ranges from dirt bikes and three wheelers that we have had our entire life. Ive ridden our Three wheelers, and my families dirtbikes on my uncles ranch ALOT as a kid. As for street riding, well that is basically, hey dad can i move your goldwing for you, or riding up and down the street on his bike.
I think i have decided to get a GS. Even if i do get bored quick, so be it, i need to learn. Ive decided on my off time with the bike to go to parking lots and practice maneuvers such as cornering and braking and everything i can. I have also signed up for the CHP motorcycle safety course, however its required by Cali law anyways.
Again i thank everyone for their help and support. Now all i have to do is find a bike. I will be posting on the wanted forums the day i get my license. As for a list of mods, ive already got one goin :) ie:
"Fender-ectomy" (as per Tony's bike)
New signals
New fairing /w undertail system if i can find one
and a number of other things, like new bars they just look so good.
Anyways, again i thank you all for your info, and i will be around the forums now for a while. Especially since i have alot of time to post at work during the day :), (dont worry i wont be a post whore, lol). Anyways thats all, and thanks again!!
-Dan