2 questions for begginer

[ATMDC]

dang, good deal on the 500 bucks, i only know car mechanics though, ive never tore down a bike. i guess ill just have to look around and see. what kind of cbr did you start with? and what kind of bike is that in your sig?

[jeffcoslacker]

Starting out I always bought the cheapest bike I could find that was in reasonably good condition. Like Kurt said above, I have always been good with my hands and worked as a mechanic, so problems are a welcome challenge to me, not an obstacle or expense.

BUT, if you are NOT that type, then I strongly advise that you buy from a good dealer and bite the bullet and get the machine serviced there. A small problem that a trained eye will catch on a routine look-over can turn into a life-threatening failure if nobody sees it on a bike.

I drive semis for a living, and as a CDL driver I'm required to do a 115 point inspection of my rig every trip. It comes easy to me, because I was also a State vehicle safety inspector for 12 years. It's impossible for me to look at any vehicle without being critical. I'm sure that has saved me from death or injury many times, too.

If you ride you need to develop that skill, always be taking in everything you see, feel and hear about your bike, and if it seems wrong, get it looked at.

My first was a 1980 Kawasaki 400 LTD that I got for $150 from a woman that lost interest in it and couldn't get it started after it sat for a year, didn't want to mess with having it transported to a shop and a big repair bill.

I brought it home in a friend's pickup and after about thirty minutes of checking discovered the cam for the ignition points had rusted, and the points never closed. A quick sanding and a new set of points, and I was riding! It was a good little bike, perfect for a first-timer.

There's still some really good deals on some great older stuff. If you are stuck on looking like the "in" crowd, I don't know what to tell you. If you wanna experience the thrill on a budget, bikes are like convertibles, doesn't matter what it is or what it looks like, they are all a blast to ride.

My friend wanted to get back into riding after not having a bike since the early eighties, smart guy, wanted to start small and let it all come back to him. There is a growing segment of riders getting killed in large numbers right now, they are ones like him who used to ride, or always wanted to, and now that the kids are gone and they have the money they go out and buy some big 1500cc 700 lb cruiser or a 10 second sportbike or a big freakin' GoldWing and promptly go kill themselves because they can't handle it.

My friend asked me to find him something appropriate for a beginner, and cheap. I found an '83 Yamaha Maxim 650, in perfect condition and optioned with a windshield and bags for $1000. He loves it, been riding it two seasons now, no problems.

Also, I can tell you from experience with many riders and myself, don't get boxed into thinking the first bike will be the one for you. You don't know what you will and won't like about riding 'till you've done some. You don't know what kinda power suits you. Some people are happy to ride the same motor for years, most often people get bored and are looking for more within months of trying something new, starting out anyway.

And most will tell you that they only had their first bike maybe one season, if that, before getting something different/better.

So my advice is to buy something that you can afford out of pocket, whatever it is, and ride it for a while, then sell it, and go shopping for a new one armed with some idea of what you want in a bike. Otherwise, you may end up making payments on something you really aren't happy with very soon.

There's plenty of those in the ads, people trying to just get someone to take their payment over so they can get out from under it. Don't be one of those. Buy some POS bike and get some seat time. It'll save you money eventually...

[Kurtdg19]

The bike on my sig is my cbr that I started out with (its my first bike). Its a 93 F2 and runs great. I couldn't ask anything more from it. I thought I was bitting the bullet when I got it, but the previous owner (which happens to be a good friend of mine) swore it ran good before. It didn't start one bit when I finally got it home in my garage. Hell the electrical didn't even turn on! After a good 12hrs of cleaning it up, finding problems, fixing problems, and drinking a few beers she fired right up. After it was running all I had to do was adjust the choke and idle and it was all said and done.

Funny thing, the first time I jumped on it just to take it for a test drive I popped a wheelie going from first to second! Did it all on accident which needless to say almost made me shit my pants, so I made a B line straight back home . I had forgotten that my throttle was sticky and didn't pull it back when I pulled the clutch in. It reved up to about 9k and then I released the clutch and whamm! Up it goes.

Really though bikes arent that intimidating to work on. I find them easier. Its all right there in front of you. Everything is in eyes view and relatively easy to get to.

[jeffcoslacker]

I have a friend with a drag bike for sale, fabbed frame, Orient Express Z-1 motor, 9.5:1 compression, full race cams, 21 psi turbo, wheelie bars, great starter bike.

$5500

It'd be the coolest (and last) 9 seconds of your life

[Kurtdg19]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

I have a friend with a drag bike for sale, fabbed frame, Orient Express Z-1 motor, 9.5:1 compression, full race cams, 21 psi turbo, wheelie bars, great starter bike.

$5500

It'd be the coolest (and last) 9 seconds of your life

[DealsGap]

I'd like to throw in a few comments...

Check out a few used SV650's. Good beginner bike, you'll never outgrow it, good power, V twin, and its whats most club racers use to get their careers started, so you could literally go from learning in the driveway to winning WERA championships on the same machine, and its perfectly suitable for both.

Another thing to keep in mind is... if you pay 4 grand for a used SV650 and decide you don't want to ride anymore in 3 months, you can sell it and break even. You buy an R6 brand new off of the showroom floor and decide to sell it (if you haven't wadded it up by then, which is extremely common), you'll lose several thousand dollars on the deal.

[ATMDC]

i just really like the style of the street bikes, are there any old bikes that have that look to them thats good to start on? is that 93 F2 you have a good one to start with? or should i just shoot for something older?

[DealsGap]

What do you mean by "style of street bikes"? Are you talking about sportbikes?

An F2 would be a good platform to learn on. it's going to be much more docile, less peaky, more forgiving, and more comfortable than modern sportbikes, but at the same time its got plenty of power to have fun.

[Z_Fanatic]

Wouldn't get a F4, not until a few months of experience on something else.

[ATMDC]

oh ok thats perfect then, when i said street bikes i meant sport bikes sorry, i didnt want an f4 because of the power, i really just liked the look of it, but i think that f2 kurt has looks really nice, thats why i was wondering if its a good bike to start on because i think thats what i might get, after checking one out of course

[jeffcoslacker]

Uh oh, it's about sport bikes and beginners. I'm outta here

[jeffcoslacker]

PS, the SV650 is an excellent suggestion. I know a few people who bought them, and these are people that have owned touring bikes, cruisers and sport bikes, and they all say they are amazed at how well it can do it all and haven't gotten bored with it yet.

One of our Canadian members rode his to the rally in Kentucky this summer, said it was comfortable and handled the highway well, even with all his gear strapped on it.

I hear the "all the bike you'll ever need" comment a lot about that one. I should probably check it out, but if I get anything even resembling a naked sport or streetfighter, I'm gettin' a Buell XB12R Firebolt

[Kurtdg19]

The F2 is a good bike and now that I have it, I wouldn't of had it any other way. Its still kinda up there in the yellowish red area as what I would consider a good recommendation for a starter bike, but its not out of the question.

As with sportbikes, you want to check them out more carefully than you would a cruiser or standard (not that you shouldn't carelessly check any bike). Its all probability really. A higher percentage of sportbikes IMO will have had a rougher life which directly reflects what kind of condition its in. Try to take a more realist approach rather being optimistic when looking at them. This is mainly for your own benefit. Being too optimistic could be the begining of a potentially bad decision.

The F2 is a moderate machine when your out of the powerband, but once you hit it, your in the yellowish red area (as I mentioned above) pretty much instantly. This is because the powerband is very distinct. There isn't anything gradual about it.

As everybody mentioned, the SV650 would be a great bike to begin on. It has a wide and gradual powerband that v-twins are known for, and its handling is very communicative. This can allow you to explore its abilities more freely with a higher level of confidence than a on a sportsbike where it requires more skill.

But you know, its your money, and you are fully entitled to get what you want. We (the bike community) just like to look out for each other by sharing our suggestions and experiences. But in the end, its all up to you.

[sv650s]

yeah you should get the sv650s, geat performance, handling and looks and it's great for a beginner

[ATMDC]

2 questions, what year is that? and 2 i noticed alot of them dont have that side body panel, but the one in your picture there does, where do i get that? and is all agreed this is a good one to start with?