[Driv3r]

My brother and I are selling our jetskii and deciding we want to get a bike....while i have alot of experience on a bike (used to have small dirtbike, and Mountain Bike on black trails, and goped if that counts ) I feel that a 600cc bike might be too strong for someones first bike, I remember eating it on my dirtbike so i understand speed and the dangers of having twice that power on two wheels...

What do you recommend i tell my brother? we both want to share an R6 as a weekend rider..but i want to maybe buy a dirt bike for maybe a few months just so he can get the hang of things, what do you guys think i should do...Do you think maybe a bunch of driving schools would help??

[ward]

SV650 is a good starter bike, that's also fun for more experienced riders

plus it's a twin so it sounds cool

[Driv3r]

Originally Posted by ward

SV650 is a good starter bike, that's also fun for more experienced riders

plus it's a twin so it sounds cool

another Q,

what constitutes an advanced bike from a begginer bike....weight?power??
if so then the SV is still 650CC, i would just go all the way to an R6..

[RGRAY]

Originally Posted by Driv3r

...Do you think maybe a bunch of driving schools would help??

I never road a motorcycle until I took the motorcycle safety course.

A dirt bike is not like riding on the road.

Please take the safety course.

IMO, there is no such thing as a beginner bike.

My first bike was a 1991 Harley Davidson 1200 Sporster that I put 22,000 miles on.

[ward]

Originally Posted by Driv3r

another Q,

what constitutes an advanced bike from a begginer bike....weight?power??
if so then the SV is still 650CC, i would just go all the way to an R6..

it's power delivery and HP

the 600 has 120ish hp and redlines at 14-16 thousand rpm
little power down low and when you get up into the revs you get a big rush of power, it's not a linear power curve.


the 650 twin is only about 65-70 hp, and redlines at 10,500

the power is linear and smoothly builds
more torque is available from down lower in the RPM band


there's a pretty big difference in power and the way it's delivered between the two bikes. As a beginner, (even as a more advanced rider) throttle contol is key, and the V-twin is more forgiving of a beginner's ham fist on the throttle (not an insult, we all have it at times, hit a bump or have a rock hit your helmet or.....)

a bike with 65 hp is still damn fast too, I've seen 3.2 0-60 on the SV


both are light weight, which I think makes them good bikes, but the general consensus is too much HP makes a bad bike to learn on

best of luck to you either way!

[Gripster]

Kawasaki Ninja 250 or 500 are great learners. There's a wealth of info at www.ninja250.net, including one of the best learn to ride FAQs you will find. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Main_Page

As for what constitutes the best beginner bike? It's one that you will OUTGROW. Learner bike's hold their value (unlike cars) and you can spend 12-24 months on a Ninja 250 and flip with next to no loss.

There is so much that is not intuitive about riding that you really have to have a forgiving machine to avoid getting hurt. Take the MSF, get some protective gear (no, jeans won't do) and ride like no-one can see you.

[ski360]

I've been riding for a number of year's. When it come's to sport bikes, to me its all about witch one is most comfortable. They all have there perks but the feel of my Suzuki's was always the best. I loved my suzuki GSX-R's I have had a 600, 750, 1000. Like said before all sport bike have a lot of power and pull very hard. Think about what kind of riding you want to do. Sport bikes are ment for one thing, and that's to go fast. I have been on a few long rides on my previous bikes and they just aren't made to sit on all day and be confortable. If your just going to tool around town then you're set. I would deffentaly take the motor cycle safty class or head to a motor cycle driving school. Riding a Dirt bike isn't anything like street riding. and last but not least...Keep the dirty side down and the clean side up.

[nyyankee]

Originally Posted by RGRAY

I never road a motorcycle until I took the motorcycle safety course.
take the safety course.

What he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^

[whippersnapper]

+1 on the SV650. Still a lot of bike for a beginner (I don't recommend 600 sportsbikes) but interesting enough for more experienced folks. A good rider on an SV could stick with almost anything down a twisty road.

Another possibility is a Honda hornet 600 (esp. if you'd prefer a 4 cylinfer) or a Kawasaki ER6 (another twin). But on balance the SV650 rocks.

[Dani]

if you are a BMW enthusiast why not get a BMW motorcycle? A friend of mine has one and I think it's really nice.

[Gripster]

Originally Posted by Dani

if you are a BMW enthusiast why not get a BMW motorcycle? A friend of mine has one and I think it's really nice.

They're not great learner bikes. Too powerful and too heavy.

[Dani]

Originally Posted by Gripster

They're not great learner bikes. Too powerful and too heavy.

really? it obviously has power but doesn't seem too heavy to me. It was what my friend learned on and he didn't seem to have any trouble.

[shimshimhada]

Don't put your foot down like you're on a dirtbike. Someone I know did that at 50MPH.

[diesel007]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

Don't put your foot down like you're on a dirtbike. Someone I know did that at 50MPH.

They do it in Supermoto way faster then that.

But yeah not a good idea on a sport bike.

[whippersnapper]

Originally Posted by Dani

if you are a BMW enthusiast why not get a BMW motorcycle? A friend of mine has one and I think it's really nice.

if you like the BMWs then okay, but in the motorcycle arena BMW is more of a Saab than a BMW (semi premium, lots of unusual distinctive features that don't offer any real benefits). I wouldn't recommend a BMW to a beginner except for perhaps the F650 assuming it is sold in the US

[ward]

F650 is sold here, but it's pretty pricy for what you get

(wait, that sounds like their cars too!)

[enwhykiid]

NINJA +1