SoCal motorcycle?

[GaryRay 0]

im looking to buy a bike right now to learn on, and yes a sport bike, thinking about a CBR 600 or a yamaha R6 or something like that, around the 600cc range, my question is this...

what is a lot of miles for a bike?
what should i be looking for when looking at used bikes?
what bikes are known to be shitty?
how do i not get scammed by some dip shit that dropped his bike off the side of a cliff and repaired it only to sell to someone like me :P

to sum it up, how do i not get taken and how much should i be looking at spending?

JewBag.
www.jewbag.wordpress.com

[Nightingale 0]

If you're looking to learn, take the motorcycle safety course. It'll give you some vital skills, plus probably give you a break in your insurance rates.

Then, you can ask your instructors in the course for recommendations on bikes.

[GaryRay 0]

well thats the catch 22 for me, i have to take it in order to ride on base (4 months left of active duty time) but in order to take it i have to have a bike, they do have some rentals but to get into a class on the "rentals" there is a 6month waiting period right now.

JewBag.
www.jewbag.wordpress.com

[FallloutboyDAoC 0]

Quote

If you're looking to learn, take the motorcycle safety course. It'll give you some vital skills, plus probably give you a break in your insurance rates.

Then, you can ask your instructors in the course for recommendations on bikes.

I second this. Plus you'll get to use theirs to learn on, so if you drop it no big deal.

[Nightingale 0]

Take the class off base then, through MSF. They offer it in a million places, and they have bikes for everyone.

[skyjumpenfool 2]

This response is going to sound like it came right from the SIM>>>

If this is your first sport bike, any 600 class bike is like a newb jumpen a velocoty 98. That's a lot of bike to learn on. What I would reccomend, is to pick up a nice Kawasaki 500. There cheap, docile, and handle well.

If you have a mild crash, one that doesn't hurt you, it'll be cheaper to fix. Spend a season on that, then downsize..... or in this case, upsize. If you're really looking for advice, learn on a dirt bike, then go into a 250 cc sport bike, then the 500, and so on...

If you're ever up north, let's ride!

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[Conundrum 1]

Quote

If this is your first sport bike, any 600 class bike is like a newb jumpen a velocoty 98. That's a lot of bike to learn on.

Eh, not necessarily. An older FZR 600 or CBR F2/F3 is not really a bad first bike.

Of course, Gary, there's always the new Ninja 250's. They're hot little scooters. They've come a long way since I had mine.

[freethefly 6]

Look into H-D's riders edge program
http://www.ridersedge.com/
They teach the course on a Buell Blast. The Blast is a one lung 500.
Upon completion of the course, you'll recieve the MSF card stating that you have met the conditions set foth. The card will get you up to a 35% reduction on your insurance.
So, now you are able to ride a motorcycle and you want a bike! Take a look at the XL 883. Buy it and ride it for one year. Build some skill and then step up to another size. The advantage is that you get to ride for free if you buy before March 31st. What you pay for the little Sporty, H-D will give apply that to a new bike, be it a Dyna, Softail, Touring or a V-Rod.
Good luck.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[skyjumpenfool 2]

Quote

Eh, not necessarily. An older FZR 600 or CBR F2/F3 is not really a bad first bike.

Of course, Gary, there's always the new Ninja 250's. They're hot little scooters. They've come a long way since I had mine.

Absolutely! There's a lot of great smaller bikes out there. Every manufacturer builds one. Just don't start out with 180HP straped between your legs...

I love the new 250 Ninja!!

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[normiss 801]

I second this idea.

[freethefly 6]

Quote

Quote

Eh, not necessarily. An older FZR 600 or CBR F2/F3 is not really a bad first bike.

Of course, Gary, there's always the new Ninja 250's. They're hot little scooters. They've come a long way since I had mine.

Absolutely! There's a lot of great smaller bikes out there. Every manufacturer builds one. Just don't start out with 180HP straped between your legs...

I love the new 250 Ninja!!

Absolutely! Start out on what you feel most comfortable on. The 883 is a great starter bike. If you don't feel 100% comfortable on it, go smaller. Like Skyjumpenfool said, try a dirtbike. Work your way up. I myself started out on a minibike at age 5 and raced motocross in the 60's and 70's going from a Hodaka Super Rat and ending up on a CZ 380 before going street.
Riding a motorcycle is very much like flying a canopy. Never go beyond your ability. New riders who jump on a big bike before they even have any skills are more likely to get killed on that bike than a new rider who starts out on a small bike and waits until he or she has the skills to handle a dresser.
Always remember, like skydiving, you can do everything right and still die on a bike, but the skills you learn over time may save your life someday. Like a PLF, knowing how to lay a bike down can save you.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[normiss 801]

My favorite new bike owner:
Electraglide

and he couldn't even get the saddle bag latched properly!

[GaryRay 0]

lol, after reading your guys (and gals) posts, i think im going to just get a razor scooter to start with, it has 2 wheels, kind of like the same thing right? =D you silly skydivers are all trying to act safe and stuff, im going to buy a used something or other knowing that im gonna drop it at least once. im going to be buying all the safety gear i can get, armor, leathers, helmet, gloves, the whole 9yards. but i dont think you can compare buying a bike to buying a parachute, just my observation. but i do appreciate the opinions. but back to the primary questions...

if i were to buy a ninja 250 or a R1, what do you guys think.

also when do you learn how to do an intentional drop at 65mph so that you can "swoop" the parking lot?

JewBag.
www.jewbag.wordpress.com

[freethefly 6]

Holy crap!!!!!! That was fucking funny
Kinda reminds me of the time a friend of mine wanted to ride my FLSTF. Now, J.B. has been riding for years, but has never rode a bike with a suicide. I, also, had a kicker on her and told him if he could start it, I'd let him ride it. He tried to get it kick started for about 15 minutes and I was pretty sure that he wouldn't. Well, I was wrong. He did and down the rode he went in first. All was well until he tried to shift into second. His foot slipped off of the clutch pedal lurching the bike forward as he inadvertently twisted the throttle. He barely missed a parked car and stopped the bike just inched from going over a mailbox. His life flash before my eyes as I envisioned killing him if he had wrecked my baby. Lesson learned - never say "If you can start it, I'll let you ride it"

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[normiss 801]

That's funny!

So my best friend Byron's last build - "The Beast", suicide shift, brakes with just the pedal (proportioning valve).
Ever try to start a bike that required BOTH feet on the pegs???? Never start it on an incline - like my driveway.
Then add hours of Crown to the mix.

I fell over laughing at him trying to start that damn thing!

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

How not to get taken? Take along someone who knows bikes.
Although, it's not all that hard to tell. Scrapes, dents, and bent things are hard to really hide. If you have much mechanical knowledge, you will be able to tell.

Price depends on the market. All I can suggest is shop around a good bit.

The mid-size (500-600) aren't all that high performance. That starts at 750 and up.

IMO, the best first bike is a 250/350/400 street/trail.
More comfortable than a crotch rocket, handles better than you'd think (mainly due to light weight), not so powerful as to get you into trouble.
Get a used one, ride it for a while, then sell it and move up. Or keep it for fun, they do ok (not great) off road.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[freethefly 6]

Kinda reminds me of my good bro Motor Adam. Late one night, in 1985, as 20 or so of us were getting ready to head out from Osbournes, (an old Harley shop, not a dealer just a hardcore biker garage, that was in St.Louis from the 40's to the mid 90's), all of us very much drunk fired up our bikes. Motor get on his Pan/Shovel, forgets to pass it through to the compression stroke on the number one, kicks it down. Half way through the kick, it fires. The result was the famous kick back. Motor, not being a very big guy, goes up along with the kicker and up and over the handle bars and out onto St.Charles Rock Rd and directly in front of oncoming traffic. Motor, always the class clown, jumps up and immediately announces that he planed that and starts to direct traffic while pulling a beer out from under his leather jacket. I still give him shit about that to this day. Motor and I go way back.
The bike in the pic is the very same bike after we redid it in a 12 hour period.
Sadly, many parts were stolen from it while he was locked up at Gumbo in St.Louis County for falling behind on child support. Happily, however, the fuck head who stole the parts got hit on the bike he put the part on. An 18 wheeler rolled right over the fucknut and drug his sorry ass to his death

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[Squeak 17]

hey Gayray i'll chat with you more about it in detail on the weekend but the 2 bikes you mentioned are NOT good learner bikes. I have a few good bikes we can chat about over a beer or two

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[hypsin 0]

Get something <600 and stay away from SoCal temptations (Palomar = Bad for newbie) until you are experienced enough. That is coming from someone who started on R6 and trashed it in less than a year.

I went through MSF on Pendleton twice (basic and advanced) - pretty good instructors, will teach you what you need to know and will not hesitate to point out exactly what you are doing wrong.

[squirrel 0]

i have owned several bikes, still ride a VMax, (145 HP) but, learned on a 1965 honda 50 scooter. and i wish i still had that bike. so simple, so nice.

________________________________
Where is Darwin when you need him?

[normiss 801]

Honda 50's

[Remster 30]

The SV650 is a nice option too. No fairing, so less to damage when you'll drop it for the 1st time!

Remster

[squirrel 0]

Quote

http://www.roscoeschilichallenge.com/DSC04800.jpg]Honda 50's[/url]

hehehe

but it was this one, very beat up, with crazy loose front suspension. yeah, i know, a bit gay, but hey, i bought it for 50 dollars.

http://www.adclassix.com/ads/65honda50cc.htm

________________________________
Where is Darwin when you need him?

[normiss 801]

Mo-ped is better than No-ped!

besides, "You meet the nicest people on Honda's"

[skyjumpenfool 2]

Hey, don't go overboard on the safety stuff, you gotta have a little fun....

Here in Minneapolis, we're near Brainerd International Speedway were you can go out on various "Track Days" and get some road course training. Also, there is the Dakota County track where you can pay a small fee and get road course training. This is really good stuff to hone your skills after you get up and running.

I'm sure, if you check around, your area has similar opportunites. Check them out and have some fun. Just don't be in too big a hurry to learn wheelies, stoppies and shit...

http://www.ar-web.de/motorrad/bike/galerie/galvideo.htm

http://www.ar-web.de/motorrad/bike/galerie/galvideo.htm

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."