2 questions for begginer

[ATMDC]

1.How do I go about getting a licence and what is required.

2. Is a honda cbr600 a bad bike to start on? because pretty much my first bike will be my last for a while because i am in college and i wont have the money to get a new bike when i get better.

[knox 000]

first you need to know what the laws are for how old you must be and if you need to take a course which i would recommend. i have an 04 honda
600rr its an awesome bike. get a good helmet snell approved if possible and good gear try not to buy cheap gear.

[ATMDC]

Originally Posted by knox 000

first you need to know what the laws are for how old you must be and if you need to take a course which i would recommend. i have an 04 honda
600rr its an awesome bike. get a good helmet snell approved if possible and good gear try not to buy cheap gear.

oh yes most deffinately on good gear, i would never ride without it, i have seen some accidents. at my college parking lot is where they have the cycle classes. ok i'll find out about the laws, im 18. whats the difference between the f4 or f4i and the rr?

[clawhammer]

I'll try to answer your question, but I'm not very knowledge-able on the subject, so someone will probably have to either confirm it or correct it.

F4 is up to 2000, and it's carbed
F4i is 2001+ and it's fuel injected
RR race replica, 2003+, and you'll want to stay away from it, if it's your first bike.

[Vtec95Civic]

Actually F4 is from 98-00 (01?), before that was the F3, the F2, and the F.

RR is a much faster bike than the F4/i.

[BP2K2Max]

go to the DMV and take the written permit test. then you can take the MSF course, which is the best route IMO, espeically because you'll get to learn on their little 250's for a couple days, so when you get on your CBR it won't be so overwhelming. or you could just get the bike, ride with friends who are licensed and when you feel comfortable go take the road test. i'd recommend looking into other bikes though, don't have your mind set on a honda just because you're partial to that brand, go sit on a bunch of bikes and see how they fit you and what makes you feel the most comfortable.

[ATMDC]

Originally Posted by BP2K2Max

go to the DMV and take the written permit test. then you can take the MSF course, which is the best route IMO, espeically because you'll get to learn on their little 250's for a couple days, so when you get on your CBR it won't be so overwhelming. or you could just get the bike, ride with friends who are licensed and when you feel comfortable go take the road test. i'd recommend looking into other bikes though, don't have your mind set on a honda just because you're partial to that brand, go sit on a bunch of bikes and see how they fit you and what makes you feel the most comfortable.

sounds good, I think I will try a couple bikes before I get my mind set, thanks. one more question, I wanted to know, what is a good year of bike to get? i want to go to a used bike dealership, but I dont know what year and prices go together? is there some kind of blue book for motorcycles?

[clawhammer]

There's KBB, the same website that you can get car prices on.

I'd look in your local newspaper, cycletrader, ebay, and craigslist for a bike. As for what year, it really depends on your budget. Newer bikes will be significantly faster than older ones.

[Z_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Vtec95Civic

Actually F4 is from 98-00 (01?), before that was the F3, the F2, and the F.

RR is a much faster bike than the F4/i.

There's no 98 F4, you're thinking of F3. F4 came in 99-00, then the same bike was fuel injected in 01-03 with little body redesigns and engine tweaks. On 04, they went back to F4's 1 piece banana seat to atract the touring crowd and make it more street-friendly.

[jeffcoslacker]

What do you plan on doing with it (daily transportation, weekend trips, burn up curves, etc)?

There are so many good bikes and different styles and sizes to fit different abilities and uses, it's hard to say without knowing a little of what you want out of it.

In general, my advice is to go with an older Jap standard like a Yamaha Maxim, Kawasaki LTD, 550cc-750cc to start learning on, they are cheap, reliable and very compliant and easy to learn on. After riding it for three months or so, sell it and get what you really want.

You should have some idea by then what you like and don't like about bikes.

A sportbike is not a good choice for a beginner. I know, nobody wants to hear it. The problem is your learning curve has to be very quick to gain experience before you run outta luck.

There is some real benefit in learning on something that is a bit underpowered and slow-reacting initially.

My brother's best friend from school killed himself at 19 years old with a 600F2 he'd only had for three days. His folks didn't even know he had it, he was leaving it at a friend's house.

He got going way too fast and missed a curve, ended up airborne into some trees at 60+ mph. Damn waste, in my opinion.

Anyway, an older Bandit, Nighthawk, etc is a blast to ride, quick handling but a reasonable riding position for longer trips, great mileage, reliable, and cheap and plentiful. These are fantastic starter bikes. Light and compliant enough not to intimidate a new rider, quick and nimble enough to put a smile on an experienced rider's face.

Think about what kind of riding you plan on doing, and what features are important to you, and I'll see what else I can think of.

[Kurtdg19]

If you have never riden any bikes and you want to start on a 600cbr it will be fast. Reguardless of any year cbr you get it will definately scare you. My first bike was and is still actually a F2 CBR 600 and i'll tell you it took me quite a while to even realize how fast it was. Granted I had a little experience on an older 750 Nighthawk which was a great bike for all its worth (especially for a new rider), but there was still that intimidation factor that doesn't go away for a while. I put over 4k mi. on the F2 this summer and I still have a long way to go before I can push the bike even closer to its limits (if ever).

However if you do go about getting a cbr the MSF coarse is an absolute must because you need all the seat time you can get. An older cbr (although just as potent) willy be a smarter economical choice considering that if you do drop it there is less invested in it.

Gear, gear, gear. Its a must. My best friend has been saved mutliple times because he was wearing gear. He was still banged up afterwards, but without the gear, it would of a been significantly worse. He missed about 2 months of work from his last wreck. Imagine if he wasn't wearing anything..

One of the most important factors in riding a bike IMO is awareness and a level head. You will soon realize that people simply don't see bikes and thats how you have to ride. Realizing and knowing your limits is extremely important, but you have to train yourself to stick within those limits (kinda like mind over matter). Its those emergency situations where you gotta brake hard or swerve that will test a beginner in a way you don't want to be tested (trust me, I know). I know this sounds like preaching, but you can't ever be to safe. Bikes are a blast to ride and I wouldn't give it up for anything. Just remember to always respect the machine.

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by Kurtdg19

One of the most important factors in riding a bike IMO is awareness and a level head. You will soon realize that people simply don't see bikes and thats how you have to ride. Realizing and knowing your limits is extremely important, but you have to train yourself to stick within those limits (kinda like mind over matter). Its those emergency situations where you gotta brake hard or swerve that will test a beginner in a way you don't want to be tested (trust me, I know). I know this sounds like preaching, but you can't ever be to safe. Bikes are a blast to ride and I wouldn't give it up for anything. Just remember to always respect the machine.

excellent advice here.

Assume everthing on four wheels is out to kill you. Ride accordingly. It's not fair that we have to think for them, but that's the price we pay for the thrill.

And if you ever loose at least some small bit of fear of riding, you are about to get hurt. Overconfidence and complacency are hands down the #1 killer of motorcyclists, not four wheelers.

[ATMDC]

i see what you mean, im not going to go out there trying to do wheelies or go flying down the road at high speeds, i just want a nice looking bike to cruise around on on nice days, granted i know the risk is just as high. i would never ride or be a passenger of a bike without proper gear either. I really wish i had the money to start out on a cheaper bike, but like i said before my first bike will be my last, im going to have to make payments on it cuz its the only way i can afford it. but i guess the bike thing just isnt for poor people lol, maybe i'll stick to my car.

[Z_Fanatic]

im not going to go out there trying to do wheelies or go flying down the road at high speeds

That is a cliche among newbies, very common. And you don't have to do any of that to lay down the bike or get seriously injured, there are hundreds of other ways. Starting out on less CC/hp bike reduces some of those risks.

Originally Posted by ATMDC

my first bike will be my last

hope you don't mean that, for your sake.

im going to have to make payments on it cuz its the only way i can afford it.

if you can't lay down some cold hard cash, whether you buy old or new, then you're not ready for it. expensive hobby.

but i guess the bike thing just isnt for poor people lol, maybe i'll stick to my car.

sorry to say, you should really reconsider, it's not for the faint-hearted. some people learn it the hard way. you don't have to be wealthy, but it takes a toll if you're living on your own, going to school, paying bills, and worse, high maintenance girlfriend. not only it's expensive at times, but very dangerous. riding motorcycles is about risk management, you can never eliminate the danger.

[Kurtdg19]

Originally Posted by ATMDC

i see what you mean, im not going to go out there trying to do wheelies or go flying down the road at high speeds, i just want a nice looking bike to cruise around on on nice days, granted i know the risk is just as high. i would never ride or be a passenger of a bike without proper gear either. I really wish i had the money to start out on a cheaper bike, but like i said before my first bike will be my last, im going to have to make payments on it cuz its the only way i can afford it. but i guess the bike thing just isnt for poor people lol, maybe i'll stick to my car.

After typing this I realized how long it was so bear with me.

Hey you have the right mentality. And I'm sure you will be a responsible rider. My intentions are not to scare you off, but to make you aware of the responsiblities invovled in riding. As bad as I may have made it out to be, it is by far very rewarding. Once your on a bike and riding it you will realize how fun and different it is than driving a car. I like to think of a bike as an ultimate freedom on the road. You can see everything and are so much more aware of your surroundings than you can ever be in a car. There isn't anything to block you (other than your helmet) from what you can see. This isn't a bad thing thou. Its almost a self response to your surroundings. Your simply more aware of whats going on when riding. Somtimes I enjoy myself riding slower than the speed limit at times, and if you feel like pushing it, its is merely a grasp of the throttle away. Its almost an unlimited freedom.

When your ridnig you'll know these things and that they are all possible, but those possiblities are what you have to control. With an experienced rider it isn't nearly as much as problem as it is a thought. They have the time on the seat that allow them to make choices quickly. On beginners, its different. You'll know what I mean if you decide on buying a bike.

And thats okay thou. You will realize this and naturally it will slowly but surely come to you. I was slow on my cbr when I started out, but I just didn't have the experience to actually ride it correctly. Thats is really all that you are missing. In time you will learn all this.

Ok on a last note: Its doesn't take a lot of money to get a good bike. I bought my bike (which is on my sig) for only 500 bucks. Granted my education in mechanics helped me significantly on getting it ready, it still really isn't all about the money. I spent a weekend just to get it started, and now it runs like a damn champ. Nothing, nada, zip is mechanically wrong with it. It just needed a little TLC.

You may not get this lucky, but there are bikes out there within a very resonable cost. You just have to find the right seller. Good luck on your pursue! If you have more questions feel free to respond. There are a lot more experienced riders on this forum than I.