It never ceases to amaze me. If someone is dead set on a sportbike, they will deny any and all logic to get one.
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285310
Just by being here, you have proven that you have more sense than this guy, along with the other 10-15 topics just like this that pop up every day.
it's impressive how many people are telling him he should start smaller, which is good. when I first started riding, sportbikes were cool but I don't think they had reached the popularity levels they have now. I don't think they were as powerful either. I still got the GS as my first.
Quote from: EndlessProject93 on November 14, 2010, 09:17:01 PM
it's impressive how many people are telling him he should start smaller, which is good.
Doesn't do any good when the noob won't listen. I'm trying my damnedest to save this kid's life but some of them can be pretty frickin' stubborn.
Haha, people are dumb. It's obnoxious when people try to kid around about why they're buying a sportbike. I had an ex250 and rode it for 14k miles before it ran into a deer. It was a great bike, and decently fast. Not sure if I'd want to ride it on the highway for an hour, but there's not way I'd pick a 600 to ride on the highway for an hour either. That's not the position I want to be in for that long of time, not to mention he's kidding himself if he thinks he's gonna have the self control to cruise at a normal speed despite the boredom, uncomfortable riding position, and motor that feels like a rubber band pulled tight and just begging to be snapped loose. Some people.... :cookoo:
I like how he acts like he has absolutely no idea that bikes exist between the 250 and the gsxr. Even an sv650 shows a little bit of self control.
I think some people see learning to ride as having a beginning and end date, as in "once I know how to ride, then I know how to ride" (in his case, getting over the first hump of riding in a parking lot), whereas other people see it as a constant learning/maintenance process. He sounds very uninformed.
I like to compare motorcycle riding to playing racquetball- if I haven't played for a while, I'm off my game, just for the simple fact that not only have I lost muscle memory, but my mental focus has wandered as well. I'll think nothing of drilling myself in the court and standing in one place hitting the same shot 100 times for practice before moving to the next position. Sometimes I wonder how much better I'd be on a bike if I transfered that discipline. The thought of hopping on rocket as a beginner rider with none of this muscle memory/focus is terrifying to me. Then factor in every other variable, ugh.
BaltimoreGS lets me practice on his Nighthawk in a parking lot where we'll do donuts and figure eights. Certainly not hundreds of times, but it sure does make a difference, especially at the start of the season, when I haven't ridden for months. Thank goodness for the 250.
-K
Quote from: Adfalchius on November 14, 2010, 10:19:00 PM
Certainly not hundreds of times, but it sure does make a difference, especially at the start of the season, when I haven't ridden for months.
I can't afford car insurance, so it's always riding season for me. Sure am glad my new leathers are on their way in . . .
I'd like to present four images...
(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1297/5177914732_bc6b2946d9_z.jpg)
The rider of the above bike - it is a New (2011 model) BMW S1000R - is so new to riding he doesn't even have a license! :o He bought this Powerful bike against his girlfriend's wishes - she rides a Triumph Daytona and wanted him to get his license and do some training first on smaller less powerful bikes - and in so doing she left him. A month later he picked up the bike from the dealer. Two weeks later he rode it for the first time on a Track Day. This is the result coming into Turn One - on the first lap! Didn't make the turn. Overshot the safety trap, stayed on the bike and hit a cement wall. He lives - but - we just heard from his ex-girlfriend the doctors say he may Never walk again!
This is a ZX14
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1156.snc4/149829_10150319072275156_831790155_15664956_2541383_n.jpg)
The guy whose bike this was is a Very experienced rider capable of handling this much power - as much as a human can be capable of handling that much power. He does Track Days for his racing, not on the street.
This is how the bike looked a couple of weeks ago...
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs489.ash2/76272_10150320672355156_831790155_15693296_5564324_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs496.ash2/76984_10150320672185156_831790155_15693287_3843065_n.jpg)
The rider in front saw the Fireball behind her as his bike came into contact with the logging truck you see pictured. She pulled up and rode back Expecting to find one very dead friend.
Here's a pic of the rider on the side of the road...
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs498.ash2/77149_10150320784510156_831790155_15695994_3617068_n.jpg)
HE LIVES!
This is the damage he sustained...
-Fractured right ankle.
-Broken right toe.
-Broken right collar bone.
-Shattered right wrist.
-Shattered right humorous.
-Soft tissue damage left & right.
I don't think you need to see the x-ray pics.
An inexperienced rider looks to be confined to a wheelchair for life cause he bought a bike he couldn't handle. Even the track is dangerous. While an experienced rider was able to bail from a life ending crash and live to tell about it.
Make no mistake. An error of judgement on a bike can end you. Bikes are no place for egos.
Michael
Jesus Christ.... there are bits of the bike still on fire if you look closely :icon_eek:
Good for her she got away from him before he crashed. Imagine the guilt of breaking up with someone who can't walk after the crash. Even if she wanted to already, you're always gonna feel bad for breaking up with someone 2 weeks after something like that.
I've ridden over 40k miles on all kinds of bikes, consider myself fairly competant when it comes to riding, but I'm still afraid to get a 1000cc inline 4. I always forget how fast 100hp feels when you're leaned over 45 degrees, can't imagine what 170hp feels like. I would feel 100% comfortable if I got on a 1000cc bike and had to ride it somewhere. I know I could handle the bike, but when I got to the roads I really like I wouldn't be enjoying myself. There would just be too much to concentrate on aside from just riding the road, and all I'd be doing is taking away from some of the fun of riding. I would over brake on every turn, coast through, and wait until I was starting to straighten up before I could really give it more gas. It's much more fun to fly into a turn and hammer the throttle have way through and come slingshotting out the other side. A liter bike would be great fun just cruising around, and shooting from one exit to the other on the highway, but for serious riding you're just taking away from the experience if you don't actually know what you're getting into.
I'd however make the argument that the first fool would have bust his ass even on a GS. He's too dumb to get on a tricycle. Anyway a GS would ahve crashed better and been cheaper to fix though.
Cool.
Buddha.
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Quote from: JB848 on November 16, 2010, 01:59:15 PM
It's a one way respect you must have for the machine.
You can have all the respect in the world for the bike, but if you accidentally tell it to do something and it responds in a way you don't expect, you had better have the experience to know how to handle the situation. Sport bikes respond to very small inputs in a big way, unlike the GS which is incredibly user-friendly.
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Big bikes ain't for everyone. Too bad about the S1000R, I really like that bike did a dealer demo ride on one bad ass machine but the damn electronics were almost too nanny state for me. They do a hell of a job keeping the rear wheel from spinning up and keeping the front wheel on the ground but occasionally I like a little rear wheel spin to power slide and definitely missed the grin factor of lofting the front wheel powering out of the turns.
Those are my indicators I am pushing a little too hard and as nice as the handling of the bike was it allowed me too push an envelope boundary while feeling vague about where the limits of traction and suspension were at.
Think I will keep the 954 for a while longer.
Quote from: JB848 on November 16, 2010, 01:59:15 PM
I was visiting out in Idaho and road Hwy 93 from Challis to Salmon ID about 40 times. The first time I rode it I probably averaged 35MPH. Why? Because I knew it was curvy, didn't know the corners,
There's only 1 road I seriously am willing to push things on. I have to ride almost an hour to get to it, but it's the one of the best roads in southwest PA, and it happens to be right between my parents house and my wife's parent's house, so I had to ride down it every single day to get to and from her house when I was younger. I've been on the road a million times and I know every single turn like the back of my hand. I shouldn't even say it's the only road I push things on, because I really don't. I can ride it at a pretty good pace but still not really have to push things, I can just lean it over pretty far in turns and still be very comfortable.
Bettingpython, sounds like an 04 zx10r is the bike for you! that bike was so mean that Kawasaki had to tone it down for the next generation just because too many people kept killing themselves. It was like the bmw only without all the electronics.
If it's other roads that I'm riding on, I'll usually go a little faster than I technically should, but I definitely don't push things anymore. I'm always reminded that there's no point anyway, because I can go out out a 3-4 hour ride, enjoy my self the whole time, but still don't really feel like I'm at home until I hit that one road. There's nothing like riding on a road that you know perfectly. As much as it may be an adrenaline sport, and something people do for the rush/danger, the best part of riding is when you feel 99% in control.
I lol'd at the whole saving money cost reason for getting the 600.
I ran the numbers a few years ago, with the cost of oil changes which I do religiously every 1500 to 2000 miles a new rear tire every 3000 miles and a new front every 6000 Fuel has to hit $4 a gallon before riding my bike is more economical than driving my 07 F150
Well technically he's saving money compared to buying a gsxr1000 or a hayabusa, considering those are really the ideal beginner commuters.
It's sad when people's self esteem is so easily damaged that they can't handle the thought of anyone thinking they're not the coolest guy around if they were seen on anything but a race replica around town.
I mean, I seriously just do not get it. I fuckin loved my GS, and mom's 250 is a blast, yet this guy is pretending they don't exist. If I was going to get something exclusively for a 140 mile a day commute, I would get a Shadow 600. That was technically my first bike, and would make a good first for anybody.
There's a lot of bikes I would consider for that kind of commute, but none of them would be any of the bikes mentioned in that thread. Love 250s but wouldn't want spend that long on the highway going that fast(althought I will say I liked the highway more on my ex250 than I do on my XB9. The 250 does surprisingly well on the highway, I just wouldn't want to do it daily. I'd look for something like an SV650S, or some other bike around that size with a decent windshield, bandit 600 maybe. I'd consider some 1000cc bikes, but no Rs, just something like an FZ1 or a Z1000 with a clamp on windscreen that I could pull off on the weekends. 170 miles a day is definitely sport-touring territory. I could see myself cruising on a 2000 katana 750 in that situation.
Quote from: redhenracing2 on November 17, 2010, 07:19:01 AM
I mean, I seriously just do not get it. I f%$kin loved my GS, and mom's 250 is a blast, yet this guy is pretending they don't exist. If I was going to get something exclusively for a 140 mile a day commute, I would get a Shadow 600. That was technically my first bike, and would make a good first for anybody.
Actually a shadow 600 is an unqualified POS. Its far too heavy, far too slow steering and oddly underpowered. Changing spark plugs, checking valves are all unqualified nightmares, cleaning carbs is so hard I decided to not do it, and well, they even screwed up oil changes ... weird and near impossible to get to the filter ... I'd take a savage 650, virago 535 or a vulcan 500 anyday over the shadow. May work for a begineer, but only till they tried to work on it ... it is slow ... just as well, cos it handles like a 900 lb pig.
I like the nighthawk 250 though, a genuine 75 mpg too.
Cool.
Buddha.
Quote from: The Buddha on November 17, 2010, 01:53:20 PM
May work for a begineer, but only till they tried to work on it ... it is slow ... just as well, cos it handles like a 900 lb pig.
I only had it a couple of weeks, never had a chance to do any kind of maintenance so I wouldn't know how stubborn they are. Also, with a 4-speed gearbox, I think I topped mine out at about 95mph lol. They are pretty comfortable though.
People are free to look for info and do what they want, but I stand by my formula after more than 30 years. Learn to ride on dirt. Take the safety course. When you take to the street, get something naked around 400 lbs and 50 HP that's easy to work on. (sound familiar?) You'll love it forever, even if you get a bigger bike later. To this day the only reason I have another bike that's bigger than my GS500 is for two-up touring. When I'm riding alone I still looove that little GS. Another poster said a couple years ago that his first bike was a GS and "it was a joy to ride". Can't put it any better than that. The only thing that blows-up my formula is if you're a really big guy with long legs. Then you NEED something bigger.
Quote from: bill14224 on November 17, 2010, 08:08:04 PM
The only thing that blows-up my formula is if you're a really big guy with long legs. Then you NEED something bigger.
Even this is not necessarily true. I am 6'2" and about 260-270 pounds, still nowhere near the weight capacity of the bike. Yeah, I look like an ape humping a football on it, but not a single f%$k do I give. Even an ex250 has a weight capacity of ~360.
It seems like the only consensus on getting a first bike is that liter bikes are too much. Some people start on 600 SS and do okay.
If I had to do it all over again, I probably would have started smaller. Maybe a DR-Z400SM. Those things look like loads of fun! :cheers:
My first bike was an 83 xt550, it looked like this only without the blue fork protectors....
(http://www.fezone.com/xt550/XT-1.jpg)
It was kinda intimidating to start on. Tall seat, and seemed heavy. Now that I've ridden more and checked out the power/weight, it seems pretty on-par with other dual sports and I doubt it was as bad as I made it out to be, but when you're new it seems big. Either way I think an SM would definitely make a cool first bike if you've got the inseam to be able to get your feet on the ground. Low HP numbers to keep you from doing anything too stupid, but still completeld reliable and super durable. You wouldn't have to worry about dumping it a few times, and once your skill level increases you can keep up with anything else on the road, except on the highway. Definitely a good recommendation. I'm sure someday I'll own one, even if it's only for a year or two, but it definitely opens you up to some experiences that you'll never get on a bike that's just made for the street.
Quote from: redhawkdancing on November 18, 2010, 08:46:56 AM
Some people start on 600 SS and do okay.
This is true. Although it is completely possible to do so, it is still inherently dangerous. I would know, I tried it and almost killed myself. My personal opinion completely coincides with this article:
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8956
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I had a Honda CM450. that thing ran forever on 1 tank of gas. topped out at about 75mph tho.
Quote from: EndlessProject93 on November 19, 2010, 05:59:47 AM
I had a Honda CM450. that thing ran forever on 1 tank of gas. topped out at about 75mph tho.
Yup it was one of those oil shock bikes as I call it. KZ400/440 also was around 70+ mpg.
Cool.
Buddha.
I highly recommend the Vulcan 500. I really rode the miles on mine and it was responsive to the controls ,looked like a big bike, handled great, and was a blast to ride. I had her up to 80 and it was screaming. It rode best around 65 to 70 and was terrific on fuel. Essentially it's a ninja 500 in a cruiser.
Big bikes are big bucks and big problems for the new rider. I've been at it for 14 years and I have no desire to go over 900cc, and that's in a cruiser. I wouldn't even be comfortable on a 750 sport. But, I've walked away from a GS wreck and never desired the 140+ MPH speeds.
You can fool your self that the throttle stops way before the brains. It doesn't even our meager GS500's will respond if you give it the order.
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