looking for a new bike

[FALCONSEYE]

+1 on the riding course.

Since you're a noob I'd suggest NOT buying a new bike. Chances are you're going to drop it at low speed and it won't hurt as much if it's a slightly used bike rather than a new one you brought home from the dealership.

The performance of all of the japanese 600's are going to be quite comperable, especially for a noob that's not going to ride it anywhere near it's max. Unless you're partial to a particular brand or color scheme/style I'd suggest sitting on them all and finding the one that's most comfortable for you and that you can ride all day.

Wow, a ton of responses. Thanks to all of you! I would like to add couple things to what have been said already. I am not liking the naked bikes as much.
I am sure that I will drop the bike several times. I started by looking around for a used bike but I found out that something that is not abused is as much as a new one. i.e. $7500 for a used 07 gsx-r 600, where I can buy a new 08 for the same money.

If I could find a used but not abused bike for $6k - $7k, I will be happy. All is talk is making me get all excited. yeee...

Also, how good are the frame sliders?

By the way, 09 honda cbr 600 looks very sexy...

[rybo]

You know, I'd say go with a $3500-$4000 bike for starters. Get an older bike, get comfortable riding and enjoy. Lower taxes, lower registration, lower insurance...etc. When you decide that you want something newer, it WILL hold more of it's value that the newer bikes will, so you can either sell it, or trade it in.

Frame sliders are a good thing. I recommend Woodcraft ones as they seem to be extremely well built compared to some others I've seen. They are not the be all end all of bike protection, but they help.

You know I've seen in this thread a lot of people suggesting that you're going to drop the bike or fall down, and lord knows I'm not someone to have much of a comment on this matter, but I don't think you should "plan" for it per say. It's a very real consequence of what we do, but frame sliders or not the best way to keep your bike looking nice is to NOT fall down or drop it. Practice really good habits, keep learning, take an advanced rider course in the spring to keep your skills sharp.

First time pilots don't "plan" to crash. As new riders we shouldn't "plan" to drop the bike or "crash". Pilots train to have extremely good habits that greatly reduce the chances that they will crash and we can do the same thing.

s

[FALCONSEYE]

You know, I'd say go with a $3500-$4000 bike for starters. Get an older bike, get comfortable riding and enjoy. Lower taxes, lower registration, lower insurance...etc. When you decide that you want something newer, it WILL hold more of it's value that the newer bikes will, so you can either sell it, or trade it in.

Frame sliders are a good thing. I recommend Woodcraft ones as they seem to be extremely well built compared to some others I've seen. They are the be all end all of bike protection, but they help.

You know I've seen in this thread a lot of people suggesting that you're going to drop the bike or fall down, and lord knows I'm not someone to have much of a comment on this matter, but I don't think you should "plan" for it per say. It's a very real consequence of what we do, but frame sliders or not the best way to keep your bike looking nice is to NOT fall down or drop it. Practice really good habits, keep learning, take an advanced rider course in the spring to keep your skills sharp.

First time pilots don't "plan" to crash. As new riders we shouldn't "plan" to drop the bike or "crash". Pilots train to have extremely good habits that greatly reduce the chances that they will crash and we can do the same thing.

s

good points.

[Sortarican]

good points.

You wouldn't say that if you've seen RYBO on the track.
(He may not "plan" to crash, but it sure looks like it sometimes.)
J/K, Scott knows his shit.

Though it's more of a sport/tour riding position, there's this gsf600 which is a nice entry level bike:
http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/forum...ad.php?t=27547

OR

Try out a couple bikes before you buyshameless plug fro DK)
http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/forum...ghlight=rental

[FALCONSEYE]

I just found this deal: http://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/933567501.html
Since I don't know much about a bike, another thing i am afraid of is being cheated. If it's not too much to ask, could somebody help me out picking a bike (perhaps test drive it for me)? Promise, i will buy you a beer....

[Sortarican]

That's not a bad deal if it's in the condition stated.

I'll buy YOU a beer if you let me test ride it.

[Sully]

well....... it is a Honda.... do not want

[rybo]

^

don't listen to her, the 600RR is a great bike

[MetaLord 9]

start at kelly blue book (www.kbb.com) or another similar site to get a good idea of what the trade-in value of a bike you're looking at is. The owner can really only count on getting that if they trade it into a dealer so that's a good start price. If the bike is not in perfect condition then that price needs to be lower. Again, I urge you to buy an older and/or lower cc bike.

The insurance on the bike you're looking at is gonna be a little high too, so I'd take that into consideration.

If a bike's been dropped or "abused" and still runs just fine then it's probably a perfect starter bike because you don't have to worry about dropping it yourself. Something about the old adage "there are 2 kinds of riders: those who have been down and those who are going to go down" comes into play here...

As far as test riding, you're gonna need to ride it yourself. Sure one of us might be able to spot something wrong with the bike if we ride it, but you need to be comfortable on the bike first. If you're dead set on getting an '07 model, head to a dealership & see what they've got. Sit on a couple and find out what you like. You may find out that the bike you love looking at doesn't fit you b/c it's too tall or too fat, or cramps your legs, or whatever. Don't rush into something just because you're drooling about being on a bike. A lot of the good roads are sandy, closed, or lousy this time of year, so it's not like you're wasting the season away.

[Sean]

You know, I'd say go with a $3500-$4000 bike for starters. Get an older bike, get comfortable riding and enjoy. Lower taxes, lower registration, lower insurance...etc. When you decide that you want something newer, it WILL hold more of it's value that the newer bikes will, so you can either sell it, or trade it in.

my .02
I agree with Rybo. As a brand new rider, I bought a Yamaha R6 (same basic difference as a CBR/Ninja/GSXR) that was 5 years old. While still a supersport I feel it is a little more forgiving than a newer one. Great to learn on and plenty of speed (trust me!). Now, it's been 2 years and I feel my capabilities getting closer to riding the bike towards it's potential. Plus, if it's a few years old and not as shiny as a new one, you won't cry if you scratch it up (yes, which I have done). Good Luck and welcome to the beginning of a great addiction!

[FALCONSEYE]

start at kelly blue book (www.kbb.com) or another similar site to get a good idea of what the trade-in value of a bike you're looking at is. The owner can really only count on getting that if they trade it into a dealer so that's a good start price. If the bike is not in perfect condition then that price needs to be lower. Again, I urge you to buy an older and/or lower cc bike.

The insurance on the bike you're looking at is gonna be a little high too, so I'd take that into consideration.

If a bike's been dropped or "abused" and still runs just fine then it's probably a perfect starter bike because you don't have to worry about dropping it yourself. Something about the old adage "there are 2 kinds of riders: those who have been down and those who are going to go down" comes into play here...

As far as test riding, you're gonna need to ride it yourself. Sure one of us might be able to spot something wrong with the bike if we ride it, but you need to be comfortable on the bike first. If you're dead set on getting an '07 model, head to a dealership & see what they've got. Sit on a couple and find out what you like. You may find out that the bike you love looking at doesn't fit you b/c it's too tall or too fat, or cramps your legs, or whatever. Don't rush into something just because you're drooling about being on a bike. A lot of the good roads are sandy, closed, or lousy this time of year, so it's not like you're wasting the season away.

Thanks again. A seasoned rider might notice something that I wouldn't otherwise. So, Sortarican I will touch base with you later.
I am 6'2 and 195lbs. I sit on couple bikes. The cbr seemed to be a little lower than gsx-r. It seemed like I would lean forward a bit more on cbr and putting more weight on my wrists and forearms. By the way, how much do you think the insurance will cost?

[sky_blue]

I just found this deal: http://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/933567501.html
Since I don't know much about a bike, another thing i am afraid of is being cheated. If it's not too much to ask, could somebody help me out picking a bike (perhaps test drive it for me)? Promise, i will buy you a beer....

I have that bike and it is FAN-TASTIC. AND HAWT. Glad it was my *second* bike and not my first bike. Could I have learned to ride on it? Sure. But I made some dumb mistakes on the GS500 I started on, and I got away with them because that bike had less power, and a less responsive throttle/engine.

Did I get bored on a smaller bike? Yeah, after a year I got a little bored, so I made some performance modifications and learned to ride at the track. After another year I was a little bored again so I bought my 600. I kept the 500, but I could have sold it for only about $500 less than I bought it for, and I had ridden it for two years.

Many here would be happy to check mechanical condition of your future purchase, but be aware that private sellers may not let anyone test ride the bike they're selling. Some people are cool with it, some not. Lots of liability in letting a stranger take off on your machine, even if they are an experienced rider.

[t_jolt]

Falcon your close to my build, I would also try sitting on a 03-05 R6. It was one of the best fitting bikes ive sat on for my body type

[sky_blue]

Thanks again. A seasoned rider might notice something that I wouldn't otherwise. So, Sortarican I will touch base with you later.
I am 6'2 and 195lbs. I sit on couple bikes. The cbr seemed to be a little lower than gsx-r. It seemed like I would lean forward a bit more on cbr and putting more weight on my wrists and forearms. By the way, how much do you think the insurance will cost?

Your body weight should be supported by your core/stomach muscles. You should not be leaning onto the handlebars...

[asp_125]

Thanks again. A seasoned rider might notice something that I wouldn't otherwise. So, Sortarican I will touch base with you later.
I am 6'2 and 195lbs. I sit on couple bikes. The cbr seemed to be a little lower than gsx-r. It seemed like I would lean forward a bit more on cbr and putting more weight on my wrists and forearms. By the way, how much do you think the insurance will cost?

Something a new rider may not be aware of.. supersports are small bikes. I'm 5'-10" and even I find the CBR 600 to be small, compared to my gixxer. If it feels small in the driveway, imagine how cramped it will be on a ride of any distance. Then again I'm not as flexible with an old knee injury so YMMV. Also pick it for the kind of riding you want to do. Me, I am just getting warmed up at 50mi, easy to do around here. There are a bunch of us who like to go on all day rides. You really want to find a bike that's comfortable for those.

Weight on the wrists and forearms have to do with fit as well. I had a Ducati 750 that hurt on long rides. My advice starting out? Don't pin your hopes on any one specific bike. It's your first bike and not your last. Tastes change all the time so go test sit on as many bikes in that category that you can.

Oh.. also consider the Yammi FZ-6 and Kawi ZR7-S as perfectly good alternatives, especially if roominess is a factor.

[Sully]

Depending on your driving record and what insurance company you have will determine your cost of insurance. You're 35 yrs old, so that should help a bit. My insurance is cheeeeeeeeep for my bike $30ish a month..

[salsashark]

Depending on your driving record and what insurance company you have will determine your cost of insurance. You're 35 yrs old, so that should help a bit. My insurance is cheeeeeeeeep for my bike $30ish a month..

+1 I pay $20/month on an 07 Speed Triple through State Farm.

[MetaLord 9]

Depending on your driving record and what insurance company you have will determine your cost of insurance. You're 35 yrs old, so that should help a bit. My insurance is cheeeeeeeeep for my bike $30ish a month..

The flip side of that is my insurance, even though I've got a great driving record, my bike by itself on a policy is more than my monthly payment on the thing. I'm in the 25-30 age bracket & saw a price cut at 25 too.

[Sully]

+1 I pay $20/month on an 07 Speed Triple through State Farm.

show off !!! lol

[salsashark]

[Sully]

... even your bike is sexier...

[salsashark]

[MetaLord 9]

...

[Sortarican]

+1 I pay $20/month on an 07 Speed Triple through State Farm.

I pay $150 a year for two bikes.
(It's good to be the King!)