Newbie - Kawasaki zxr 400 advice

[ali-barba]

First of all ....Thank's for all the advice on buying your first bike in this forum. I'm not interested in buying a 600 or anything too fast. Yep I realise I know nothing about riding on the road and to be honest am even I little scared about doing so ( thanks to my dad).....so what bike to buy?

I am looking hard at a Kawasaki zxr 400

For

1 - looks cool
2 - sounds cool
3 - from what I have read on the net - not powerful - unless thrashed
4 - low to the ground
5 - many owners recommend as a good first bike

Against

1 - I am 6"2 so could be a bit small
2 - Am thinking the riding postion may not be so good for learning
3 - seem to be going against advice of riders - i.e do not buy a sport bike first off.

My questions are

1 - would this be considered a sport bike / unforgiving - 60 horsepower?
2 - am I too big for it?
3 - will the riding position be unsuited for learning?

Thanks

[Aces0vr8s]

i think itd do the trick but a 400 is gonna be HARD TO FIND if your in the states and before you get set on a specific brand ie ninja try sitting on a few of them see whitch one fits you thats how you should decide there all just a lil different

[King Of Crunk]

i think you should just go with an older 600cc bike....they're bigger and would be a great learner bike for you.... but be careful the older ones still have around 95-100hp....

[beef_bourito]

if you go the 600cc route, just take it easy, it's just like a sports car, just because you have one doesn't mean you have to drive it like one all the time.

[nissan1.6]

Try the suzuki gs500f. They look pretty kool and I'm not sure about how comfortable they would be but thats what im looking at.

[chubster2003]

i started out on a cbr 600 1997

i am 6'0 240lbs dark brown hair, bluegreen eyes, like to ride bike's, have fun with friends.

anyone interested?

haha

no really the 600's are very fast bikes.. even with a guy my size they get up and go... if you have the willpower to keep ur hand out of the throttle then a 600 may be the way to go.. they will cost you about the same as the 400 or 500cc bike's .. because they are more common
i picked up mine in april for 3000$. not too bad..

basically its all down to what u want and what fits you.. another thing to consider is how the bike feel's when you sit on it. if its uncomfortable you may not want that bike..

anyway good luck and welcome to AF

[ali-barba]

ok thanks for the advice - I did have my mind set on the zxr 400 - am based in Amsterdam and there are quite a few good examples for sale - but after reading your replies I will look around a bit more. The Suzuki GS500F does seem to fit the bill from what info I found on the net...........

Suzuki GS500F

Notes: Perfect advanced starter bike. Wonderful A+ blend of power, performance, weight and balance. Highly recommended.

MBG Says: (Rating 9/10) The GS500E is an excellent way to gain experience for a minimal amount of money. The engine is practically indestructible; the bike is resistant enough to take minor falls without much damage; the power level is ideal, since it will never surprise the rider, nor will it become boring as soon as the learning period is over; its handling is an excellent preview of serious sportbikes and its comfort level is more than fair.

UMG Says: Reasonable blend of handling, performance and frugality. Power delivery and light front end not to some tastes. Hard ridden DR bikes wore the mill out in 30k, but milder use doubles that. Chassis rot more of a problem than engine reliability, not helped by silly rear disc and monoshock. Jap market 40hp, 400cc version on grey circuit.

IGM Says: Everything I said about this bike goes for the used version, except the price. These bikes have been popular ultra-light racers, so if you buy a used GS500E, make certain that it hasn't been raced.

IGM Says (Best buy, Best first bike): This bike traces its roots back to the mid-1970's and Suzuki's first four-stroke motorcycle. It's a fun, inexpensive bike, similar to Kawasaki's 500 Ninja, but it's a bid underpowered compared to the Ninja. I believe most riders will outgrow the GS500 before they tire of the Ninja.

[speediva]

I am 5'10" and I started on a GS500... EXCELLENT bike!

[Unknown_gsxr_750]

get a SV650 they or a GS500

[aussieidiot]

stick with the ZXR 400 if you love it.

i'm 6'4 and started on a FZR250RR. it was a bit cramped at times but it was cool to ride.

if you get good on it chances are you'll run rings around the bigger bikes on the twisties