from sport car to sport bike, need sugestions

[g520t]

I'm ready to add a new member to my family. my friend sugested I get a small bike to start such as an R6 or CBR F4i. I drive a 240 HP car but I want something more fun and faster. any sugestions?

[JNasty]

My suggestion would be to not even buy a bike if all youre looking to do is go fast. With that attitude you'll probably end up in a body cast, but thats just my .02

[g520t]

sorry had to reword that

[Mr.6]

My suggestion would be to not even buy a bike if all youre looking to do is go fast. With that attitude you'll probably end up in a body cast, but thats just my .02

:stupid:

But if your gonna do it, make sure you start with a 600cc and nothing higher. R6 and F4i are fine, but they are still strong bikes. And you still need to take the riding course, so if you havent, sign up before even getting a bike, because im sure the classes are full by now.

[g520t]

where can I go for such a course? I dont plan on getting the bike till july or so. I have never been on anything other than my 21 speed mountain bike, so i have to learn to ride

[Mr.6]

TNCC (Thomas Nelson Community College) offers a course, but they are probably full. Matter of fact, all the courses are probably full. But that doesnt mean you shouldnt try. TCC (Tidewater Community College) offers one i think. There is another up by Richmond, but the seats for these classes are limited and people sign up for them well in advance.

Well, i just went to the DMV website and got all the places that offer the course, feel free to call them all. :D

Virginia Rider Training Program Course Locations:


Alberta
Southside Virginia Community College
Christanna Campus
(434) 949-1026


Abingdon
Virginia Highlands Community College
(276) 739-2468

Alexandria
Northern Virginia Community College
(703) 845-6110

Charlottesville
Albemarle County Community Education
(434) 975-9451

Chesapeake
Tidewater Community College
Chesapeake Campus
(757) 822-5247

Danville
Danville Community College
(434) 797-2222

Fredericksburg
Germanna Community College
(540) 727-3008

Hampton
Thomas Nelson Community College
(757) 825-2758

Keysville
Southside Virginia Community College
John H. Daniel Campus
(434) 736-2011

Loudoun
Northern Virginia Community College
Loudoun Campus
(703) 450-2551

Lynchburg
Central Virginia Community College
(434) 832-7622

Richlands
Southwest VA Community College
(276) 964-7241

Richmond/Petersburg
Motorcycle Safety Center, Ashland
P. O. Box 6162
(804) 368-0989

Roanoke
Virginia Western Community College
(540) 966-3984

Weyers Cave
Blue Ridge Community College
(540) 453-2284 or (888) 750-2722 ext. 2284

Winchester
Lord Fairfax Community College
(540) 868-7121

Wytheville
Wytheville Community College
(276) 223-4700

[g520t]

thanks

[GaRn]

i know you wanna just jump on the biggest baddest coolest lookin bike out there, but with no experience at all, not even dirt bikes, your just askin for it.. i would never start out on a super sport bike as your first bike.. i mean, it can be/and has been done, but it just depends on your willpower, if you think that you'll try to be a hotshot or twist your wrist constantly, do yourself a favor and dont start on a SS..

doing that kind of stuff on ANY bike will get you into trouble fast, but on an SS your chances of hurting yourself/someone else are greatly increased!

[Del La Sol 1320]

a f4i or r6 would be pretty good to start on, just still be careful, its a whole world of difference from a 240hp car... but yea take the course and get some protective gear and start out right, pretty soon you'll be kicking yourself for ever wasting a penny on cars

[g520t]

do bike makers make jackets and stuff to match the bike? I decided on the R6

[Del La Sol 1320]

yea check out my Gear 101 thread above, theres all kinds of stuff that will go with a R6 nicely

[GaRn]

good to start on? the gap between 600cc and liter bikes are so minute these days.. I find it hard to believe anyone woul recommend an R6 for a first bike..

just get full gear(jacket,pants,gloves,boots,helmet) and be careful!

[g520t]

what bike would you recomend?

[vmspionage]

A friend of mine who has never rode brfore bought an old honda cruiser and took it down to Florida. He was telling me by the time he got back he could ride like a champ, but he didn't figure out how to downshift until somewhere in NC :D

[GaRn]

you could get the r6, and get a cheap dirtbike as well, and really practice up on your manuevering and skills on the dirt, that would be great imo..

[_____]

i honestly think that 600 katanas make good starter bikes.

[GaRn]

yea that and kawi ninja 500's, and the suzuki gs500 or whatever it is..

[g520t]

can I mod a bike later on or just get a faster one?

[_____]

they make a few things for katanas. i dont know too much about the ninja 500's or suzuki gs500, but dont put to many mods on your first bike cause you probally wont have it too lang and once you sell it, wont get your money back out of it. just my .02

[GaRn]

if you have enough money though, I would really consider getting a dirtbike a month or a few before and ride it all the time until your pretty confident on it.. then get a ss bike that you want.. just take it slooooow

[Del La Sol 1320]

the dirt bike idea is good, but most don't have the funds to get both, but then again you could buy a dirt bike, learn, then sell it once your ready for a street bike, but i think getting a older street bike would be better so that you can ride it on the street and parking lots legally... i wouldn't suggest a R6 if someone asked me, but if someone has their mind set on one it wouldn't say hell no either... you just need to respect it and take your time... i personally bought a old 80's honda 450 street bike with a friend that wanted to get into riding for a couple hundred bucks, we got the very basics down on that as we had never ridden dirt or anything in our lives and then picked up sub-$3,000 mid 90's street bikes to get our 1st season experience in on something that if we wrecked it we wouldn't be still paying for 3 years down the road

[g520t]

I was thinking aout that too! afterall my first car was a beater then I step up to a faster car. that should be the way to go.

[CBR600F4]

My humble advice is sort of along the same lines as others.............but Del La Sol is the closest!!!!

Buy something old, cheap, easy to fix, and won't look bad if you add some scratches to it!!!! Then after a good year of riding sell it for what you bought it for and buy the sportbike of your dreams!!!!!

An R6 is by no means a "starter" bike. If you just have to have newer, and it just has to be a sportbike I would highly reccomend the Katana 600. If you can go the standard route jump on the GS500.

I started with a 1977 CB750. That was back in 92. I've since owned four "standard" style Hondas in between that CB750 and my current F4. So I basically had about ten years of riding experience before I stepped up to a sportbike.

The MSF course is a MUST!

Good luck with whatever decision you go with!!!!

[GaRn]

My humble advice is sort of along the same lines as others.............but Del La Sol is the closest!!!!

Buy something old, cheap, easy to fix, and won't look bad if you add some scratches to it!!!! Then after a good year of riding sell it for what you bought it for and buy the sportbike of your dreams!!!!!

An R6 is by no means a "starter" bike. If you just have to have newer, and it just has to be a sportbike I would highly reccomend the Katana 600. If you can go the standard route jump on the GS500.

I started with a 1977 CB750. That was back in 92. I've since owned four "standard" style Hondas in between that CB750 and my current F4. So I basically had about ten years of riding experience before I stepped up to a sportbike.

The MSF course is a MUST!

Good luck with whatever decision you go with!!!!

the new GS500's are fully faired, so that might be another option..

GS500 is lighter than the katana, and the katana has quite a long wheelbase..

if you go that route my advice would be to get a Kawasaki Ninja 500r, same idea, but its water cooled, and lighter than both mentioned above.. The others havent been updated in years..