[Bon]

Most seem to be huge bikes here. Did you guys have any intermediate bikes or was it straight onto the big boys? Obviously you guys didn't learn on them, did you all ever have say a 250cc or 400cc?

 

[MrJoshua]

My Yamaha FZ6 S2:

 

[Yikes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Most seem to be huge bikes here. Did you guys have any intermediate bikes or was it straight onto the big boys? Obviously you guys didn't learn on them, did you all ever have say a 250cc or 400cc?

If my first bike had been a GSX1300R I'm sure that I wouldn't be counted among the living now. when I purchased my first street bike I had already been riding in the dirt on my Maico 440 for a few years. At that time most people considered my first street bike too large to learn on. My 1980 Yamaha XS850G only had about 70 HP and weighed in at close to 600 lbs. Todays bikes are worlds faster than when I started. As far as Sport Bikes go there are few models that I would recommend for a beginner. The current crop of 600 class sport bikes are faster than the fastest bikes were 28 years ago.

The riding position of most sport bikes makes slow speed maneuvering more difficult than that of most Standard or Cruiser styled models. I like the Suzuki SV650 ABS for a beginner bike, Quick and great handling. If I wasn't a freaking giant I'd be riding one of them right now.

Since I am a freaking giant I quickly moved up to the most powerful motorcycles available (usually Suzuki's), not because I'm a speed demon but because I'm a large guy and it takes a lot of power and torque to give me the spirited ride that I desire.

I'd be all in favor of a tiered licensing structure in the US. Not displacement based, Horsepower based makes more sense. I think that it would be wise to limit inexperienced riders (under 1 year) to <50 HP. It would save many lives.

Time for breakfast

Later

Now a picture of the bike I'd recommend for inexperienced riders.

 

[afphreak]

i've got a 1974 Honda cb350f thats been sitting my my backyard, used to be my Father's than, my Uncle's bike back in the day... i'm planning on working on over spring and early summer, and ride it a little toward the end of summer, and into the fall... it'll be my first bike, so i hope a little 350cc wouldnt been hard to mount the training wheels on to

i'll basicly have to rebuild it from the ground up, its been sitting for close to 15 years now, gas tank is all gummed up, exhaust is rusted, chain is missing, seat is shreaded, the paint is pealing, and i'm sure theres other gremlins hiding in it somewhere.

 

[mark.s]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luvan01 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Understandable, with the extra taxes You got on bikes (and cars) in Denmark

Tell me about it. My '97 GS500E with 30000 km on the clock (and a few accessories) was $6200 - and a gallon of gasoline is $8,3! But then again, everything is expensive here

And a Speed Triple is hot, love the sound of 3 cyl.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Most seem to be huge bikes here. Did you guys have any intermediate bikes or was it straight onto the big boys? Obviously you guys didn't learn on them, did you all ever have say a 250cc or 400cc?

I did ride a 100cc Yamaha 20 years ago (1988-1990).
Got my motorcycle license in 1997, and this current VFR are my first bike since the above mentioned 100cc Yamaha one. I am well aware of the danger out there though, and will be alert and not pushing the limits.

 

[Luvan01]

Quote:

and a gallon of gasoline is $8,3!

I have no sympathy for You

!! I pay about the same (live in Sweden, 30km from Copenhagen

).


My bike at the moment:

But I am thinking about buying a used -05, like this:

As You said, the sound is wonderful and every time I start it up the horns start to grow on my forehead! I think I sound like Al Bundy inside my helmet: Lets Rock

Quote:

"I'm more concerned about my tendency to let my mind wander!"

Dont You EVER buy a bike, for Your own saftey. You have to be alert at all times!

 

[segiterrus]

Dont nix me for bringing up and old thread...
ride an '05 Yamaha R6 with Westone 3 earphones w/ Custom UM-56

 

[krmathis]

My '08 Honda VFR800 continue to give me memorable rides.

Put down 15,000km (close to 10,000 miles) since March last year.

Few more:
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/1484/img1432w.jpg
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/3218/img1448.jpg
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1531/img1476.jpg
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4431/img1507n.jpg

 

[Bon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif My '08 Honda VFR800 continue to give me memorable rides. Put down 15,000km (close to 10,000 miles) since March last year.

WOW! what a beauty. never been such a fan of the big vfr's but that looks amazing
i recently had a new addition to the family. 1997 cbr900. its winter here at th moment so i painfully see her in the garage every rainy morning and wait for summer

 

[immtbiker]

Here's my animal. It's a beast. 189 hp at the rear wheel (supposedly 202 hp total). 0-60 in 2.31 seconds. Top speed of 220 mph with TRE or PCIII, 189 mph without:

 

[Solid Snake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmax7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is the Busa. Cmon springtime!

^

Same bike as me.

This bike is a monster. Made only for the big boys.

 

[dhaninugraha]

my daily ride, a '07 Honda CBR 150R:

clocked +/- 40,000 kilometres within a couple years.

i'm planning to sell the bike though; gonna switch to a car soon...
probably a mitsu lancer or galant.

although deep in my heart, i've been considering to scrap the switch-to-car plan and get a shiny new Ninja 250.
it's kinda difficult to let go of riding (and tinkering with the bike) when you've already got it in your blood, isn't it?

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Most seem to be huge bikes here. Did you guys have any intermediate bikes or was it straight onto the big boys? Obviously you guys didn't learn on them, did you all ever have say a 250cc or 400cc?

I know it's an old quote, but I learned on a 4 hp Tecumseh Rupp Roadster mini bike, then went to a KZ 125 dirt bike, then to a Honda CB350t Road, then 10 years on a Yamaha Seca 650. My last 16 years have been on a Katana 1100 (which gave me loyal, uninterrupted service), and this year I bought the ZX-14.
I figure I'll take my Ninja into my mid-50's and then it will be time for a more comfortable sports cruiser like a Concurs or something similar.

When you are learning to ride sport, a 400-600 CC class would be more appropriate due to lower bike weight and experience factored in, then when you are seasoned, you can ease into a big boy.

 

[AudioPhewl]

I started learning on a CG125. After 10 minutes the instructor put me on an ER-5. Passed my test, and was out on my VFR750 the same day(bought it a few weeks earlier). Used it every day for over 3 years(in all weathers) until an old lady wrote it off. Replaced with a Triumph Daytona 955i.

I guess it's safe to say I just jumped in at the deep end. Whilst I was looking at 400s and 500s, they were a bit small - I'm 6'2. An RVF400 felt like one of those little mini-moto things...

~Phewl.