Which bike should i choose?
Pennzoil GT-R
06-24-2002, 05:04 PM
I have always been into cars, but recently i have started to take more interest in bikes. I may be considering getting one in the future, I love the noise and the acceleration of them. Which bikes are the best? I like Ducatis but are they any good compared to others? money is no real problem as bikes arent too expensive are they?
speediva
06-25-2002, 12:46 AM
Originally posted by Pennzoil GT-R
I have always been into cars, but recently i have started to take more interest in bikes. I may be considering getting one in the future, I love the noise and the acceleration of them. Which bikes are the best? I like Ducatis but are they any good compared to others? money is no real problem as bikes arent too expensive are they?
EASY there, tiger!!! ;) Let's back this party up a few songs, k?
Do you have ANY riding experience??? Learning factor is major-time #1 part of what bike you get. Even if you have a slight grasp of what is going on, take an MSF safety course. Sure, the movies are lame, but the riding is the part that you really learn with. The knowledge you take away can literally save your life or the life of someone else.
Then I ask if you are more intruiged by sportbikes or traditionals. If you go the sportbike route, which I take to be the way you are going, start on the small side. If you ride right, you'll have the rest of your life to ride, so why aspire to be a pavement crayon now? Get the right gear. Dress to go down and know your limits. Bikes are incredible machines often with the power of a car, and less than 1/2 the protection. I personally recommend nothing larger than a 600cc bike for beginners as that is a LOT of power. And even at that I would only go for one of the more lightly tuned bikes. Start used. You will fall. Your bike will get scratches. After a year or so you are welcome to make your own choices based upon your riding experiences. My bike is one that came highly recommended for a first bike. It's got the power to GO with the agility and lower weight to make it easier to learn on. It's a Suzuki GS500E if you didn't see in my profile. Once you start getting the handle on just what riding is, then go for your Ducatis and Triumphs and Hayabusas... Just please don't be a squid and go straight for the "kill"...
Bikes are not terribly expensive. Most new bikes can be picked up for under $7000. But again, if you are totally new to this arena I still push the idea of a used bike in good condition. You don't even have to get something from the 70's. You can get a bike that is 2 years old for thousands less than new, and you might not even have to worry about putting the inaugural scrape on a new bike then!!!
Whatever route you go, the best of luck to you, and feel free to PM me with any other questions you may have.
I have always been into cars, but recently i have started to take more interest in bikes. I may be considering getting one in the future, I love the noise and the acceleration of them. Which bikes are the best? I like Ducatis but are they any good compared to others? money is no real problem as bikes arent too expensive are they?
EASY there, tiger!!! ;) Let's back this party up a few songs, k?
Do you have ANY riding experience??? Learning factor is major-time #1 part of what bike you get. Even if you have a slight grasp of what is going on, take an MSF safety course. Sure, the movies are lame, but the riding is the part that you really learn with. The knowledge you take away can literally save your life or the life of someone else.
Then I ask if you are more intruiged by sportbikes or traditionals. If you go the sportbike route, which I take to be the way you are going, start on the small side. If you ride right, you'll have the rest of your life to ride, so why aspire to be a pavement crayon now? Get the right gear. Dress to go down and know your limits. Bikes are incredible machines often with the power of a car, and less than 1/2 the protection. I personally recommend nothing larger than a 600cc bike for beginners as that is a LOT of power. And even at that I would only go for one of the more lightly tuned bikes. Start used. You will fall. Your bike will get scratches. After a year or so you are welcome to make your own choices based upon your riding experiences. My bike is one that came highly recommended for a first bike. It's got the power to GO with the agility and lower weight to make it easier to learn on. It's a Suzuki GS500E if you didn't see in my profile. Once you start getting the handle on just what riding is, then go for your Ducatis and Triumphs and Hayabusas... Just please don't be a squid and go straight for the "kill"...
Bikes are not terribly expensive. Most new bikes can be picked up for under $7000. But again, if you are totally new to this arena I still push the idea of a used bike in good condition. You don't even have to get something from the 70's. You can get a bike that is 2 years old for thousands less than new, and you might not even have to worry about putting the inaugural scrape on a new bike then!!!
Whatever route you go, the best of luck to you, and feel free to PM me with any other questions you may have.
R1-rider
06-27-2002, 06:36 PM
Go Saturn Go!
Everything that Saturn just said is EXACTLY right, do not be fooled by how small a motorcycle engine may be compared to cars. Even a 250cc bike can get out of hand if you do not have the riding experience to handle it. I started out on a 1980 suzuki GS550L. It was the best decision I ever made about riding. While it defintely wasn't as fast as most bikes, and even some cars, it gave me the riding experience that I needed.
You may promise yourself to be the best rider possible, which could be very true. However there are so many HORRIBLE drivers out there, that sometimes you may not even be able to dodge a accident. I have been merged into or cars pull out infront of me SOOOOO many times you cannot ever let down your gaurd while you are riding. After awhile your responses to dangerous sitautions will just become reactions and you will be able to dodge accidents before you can even process that it was going to happen.
Only when each and every action between you and your bike is so automatic that you seem like one, are you ready to go upgrade to a bigger of faster bike.
After my first bike, I went out and bought a 99 R6, which was such an incredible jump in perfomance I was in utter awe of how much more power this 50ccs and 20 years had made a difference. Even though all my rider intuitions and reactions were perfectly in time with my last bike, and I knew exactly what it could do, I was on a new motorcycle and even though I could ride it fine, It was totally different. It took me about a year to become totally comfortable with the new bike. Last year I bought a R1, and even though it is almost the same exact design of the R6, the power it had was so incredible, it was hard not to raise the front tire even after I was used to a superfast lightweight bike already.
Please do not think you are ready for a bigger bike then you really are ready for. Its how people end up dead. take the Motorcycle Safter Courses, and ALWAYS wear gear.
Everything that Saturn just said is EXACTLY right, do not be fooled by how small a motorcycle engine may be compared to cars. Even a 250cc bike can get out of hand if you do not have the riding experience to handle it. I started out on a 1980 suzuki GS550L. It was the best decision I ever made about riding. While it defintely wasn't as fast as most bikes, and even some cars, it gave me the riding experience that I needed.
You may promise yourself to be the best rider possible, which could be very true. However there are so many HORRIBLE drivers out there, that sometimes you may not even be able to dodge a accident. I have been merged into or cars pull out infront of me SOOOOO many times you cannot ever let down your gaurd while you are riding. After awhile your responses to dangerous sitautions will just become reactions and you will be able to dodge accidents before you can even process that it was going to happen.
Only when each and every action between you and your bike is so automatic that you seem like one, are you ready to go upgrade to a bigger of faster bike.
After my first bike, I went out and bought a 99 R6, which was such an incredible jump in perfomance I was in utter awe of how much more power this 50ccs and 20 years had made a difference. Even though all my rider intuitions and reactions were perfectly in time with my last bike, and I knew exactly what it could do, I was on a new motorcycle and even though I could ride it fine, It was totally different. It took me about a year to become totally comfortable with the new bike. Last year I bought a R1, and even though it is almost the same exact design of the R6, the power it had was so incredible, it was hard not to raise the front tire even after I was used to a superfast lightweight bike already.
Please do not think you are ready for a bigger bike then you really are ready for. Its how people end up dead. take the Motorcycle Safter Courses, and ALWAYS wear gear.
R1-rider
06-27-2002, 06:41 PM
BTW Saturn I never congradulated you on your new bike! It looks great and I bet fits you perfect hon, keep riding safe!
Pennzoil GT-R
06-27-2002, 06:48 PM
yeh, i know 2 people who have been told they wont make it throught the night because of biking accidents, and both have years of experience and one is a pro racing driver. i will definitely start out smaller and learn the trade before i get anything big, i was just wondering what the best bikes are once i have learnt to handle a bike
speediva
06-27-2002, 10:25 PM
Originally posted by Pennzoil GT-R
yeh, i know 2 people who have been told they wont make it throught the night because of biking accidents, and both have years of experience and one is a pro racing driver. i will definitely start out smaller and learn the trade before i get anything big, i was just wondering what the best bikes are once i have learnt to handle a bike
I absolutely LOVE my GS500E. It's got the general equivalent of 100hp, which as you know is plenty to keep a Civic DX going.... and it weighs fairly little. A few times already (in under a week) I've ripped open on the throttle and found myself holding on very tightly to the handlebars to stay in control. This bike is a dual-cylinder and has a ton of go... definately more than my dad's single cylinder 652cc bike. I'm a fairly decently sized rider at 5'9"and 140lbs. It's a very comfortable ride. Still sitting mostly upright, so you aren't always leaning on your gas tank. Foot pegs are directly below you... so no forward controls (which I personally hate). If you are still hesitant to go for the full 500cc's then it is not uncommon at all for a newbie rider to stick to a 250cc bike for a year or two to get some riding time in with less power. But I can't stress enough for you to register NOW for a safety course, as they fill up quickly. Hopefully you'll be able to get into one before the end of this summer. If not, there's always next year. The course will give you a solid idea of what you are capable of, and what kind of bike you may want. The instructors will hopefully be really cool like mine and help you figure out what kinds of things are good for you personally.
I hope I've been able to help. Oh, and if you like, you can contact me on "my" motorcycle forum. My name is still "saturntangerine" and I'm over at SportBikeWorld.com (http://www.sportbikeworld.com). The members are really great, and are always willing to help out a newbie with questions, so don't be afraid to join and ask around.
yeh, i know 2 people who have been told they wont make it throught the night because of biking accidents, and both have years of experience and one is a pro racing driver. i will definitely start out smaller and learn the trade before i get anything big, i was just wondering what the best bikes are once i have learnt to handle a bike
I absolutely LOVE my GS500E. It's got the general equivalent of 100hp, which as you know is plenty to keep a Civic DX going.... and it weighs fairly little. A few times already (in under a week) I've ripped open on the throttle and found myself holding on very tightly to the handlebars to stay in control. This bike is a dual-cylinder and has a ton of go... definately more than my dad's single cylinder 652cc bike. I'm a fairly decently sized rider at 5'9"and 140lbs. It's a very comfortable ride. Still sitting mostly upright, so you aren't always leaning on your gas tank. Foot pegs are directly below you... so no forward controls (which I personally hate). If you are still hesitant to go for the full 500cc's then it is not uncommon at all for a newbie rider to stick to a 250cc bike for a year or two to get some riding time in with less power. But I can't stress enough for you to register NOW for a safety course, as they fill up quickly. Hopefully you'll be able to get into one before the end of this summer. If not, there's always next year. The course will give you a solid idea of what you are capable of, and what kind of bike you may want. The instructors will hopefully be really cool like mine and help you figure out what kinds of things are good for you personally.
I hope I've been able to help. Oh, and if you like, you can contact me on "my" motorcycle forum. My name is still "saturntangerine" and I'm over at SportBikeWorld.com (http://www.sportbikeworld.com). The members are really great, and are always willing to help out a newbie with questions, so don't be afraid to join and ask around.
Pennzoil GT-R
06-28-2002, 11:16 AM
yeh thanx alot 4 ur help. ill look into the safety courses cheers
Kennedy200
06-28-2002, 03:52 PM
A bike's price tag isn't usualy a reflection of its performance or reliability.
For example. My GSXR 1000 was about 10,000. It is hella fast, and relatively maintence free. A Ducati 996 runs aruond $15k or so. The Duc requires a lot more attention. The valves need adjusted every 5000 miles or so. Of course, you have to take the bike to a shop for the adjustments. That can get costly after a while. Not to mention that you will be bikeless for a week or two during riding season while it sits in the shop. The Duc has decent power and excellent handeling. All in all, I think the Duc is just an overpriced 'pay attention to me' toy.
For example. My GSXR 1000 was about 10,000. It is hella fast, and relatively maintence free. A Ducati 996 runs aruond $15k or so. The Duc requires a lot more attention. The valves need adjusted every 5000 miles or so. Of course, you have to take the bike to a shop for the adjustments. That can get costly after a while. Not to mention that you will be bikeless for a week or two during riding season while it sits in the shop. The Duc has decent power and excellent handeling. All in all, I think the Duc is just an overpriced 'pay attention to me' toy.
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2025