Choosing your first bike

[EWS]

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[95katrider]

very nice

[Doc]

I'm one of those that wouldn't settle for anything less then a liter bike for my first one. It's made a fast learner out of me.

same here.....at 6'5" and 265lbs I just couldn't be comfortable on a smaller bike.

Great read, though!

[Ride Red]

im still on my first street bike cbr600f4i and i gota say if it wasnt for the fact that i was scared to death of it and didnt leave 2nd gear or my court for the first few days i might not be riding i have over 1200 miles on it now it still scares the hell out me sometimes but im finally not geting passed by the 250ccs off 42 but id say i was luck those first few weeks and someone musta been whatching over me because there not called crotch rockets for nuthin

[xcellent1]

Its good information, unfortunately "learning to ride" can have different meanings to different people.

I learned how to ride on a scooter, then I jumped up to a big cruiser Honda 550 when I was in high school (it was quite a stretch). Luckily for me I dam not much of a daredevil. After that I didn't get a bike till about 7 years ago and it was a dirt bike. Then I got on my current bike. While I knew how to ride a motorcycle. The finesse of riding a street bike had not been learned. I think the key is a 600/1000 cc sportbike is built for quickness, either going fast or stopping fast or cornering fast. I think that is where most people get into trouble.

[j954]

I have seen awful things from guys getting on these new bikes with little or no experience you can talk until you are blue in the face nobody listens I started on a yard bike with a briggs & strat at 5 moved all the way up, allways had a bike, dont remember all the 600s I had before I tried a 1000, have had a handful of them and they are ridiculous I have got bit by them 3 bad times and countless almosts . Their are very few in my opinion that have the skill to even be on a 1000 I am not one of them BUT I know it

[shakenbake]

My first bike was a Honda 360–enough to scare me, especially because it was back when you didn't even need a motorcycle license to ride a new bike off the lot. I came back to the sport about 5 years ago and bought an old Honda 750 Nighthawk. It was just about perfect for me. Easy to ride, quick but predictable. I took a MSF course and the Stayin' Safe course which improved my riding ability and enjoyment tremendously. I've since moved up to a VFR which has the potential to be scary but I try to stay within my limits, I don't feel the need to explore the limits of the bike. I enjoy riding too much to risk being sidelined by an overenthusiastic moment.