Bikes?

**foshizl** · 03-14-2006, 12:34 PM

What would be a good first bike.. Like crotch rocket style... ive ridden dirt bikes before so i know how to ride a bike, oh and im not a big guy, im like 5'5" prolly bout 140lbs, so i know i prolly cant ride like a 1000cc bike. Also what does insurance look like on a bike for someone who is 21...

Reason I ask is i ship for basic training soon, and I have a fairly long techschool afterwards. i can drive when im in phase 3 i beleive and i think it would be a pain to get the camaro to where i am and what not... (i might do that when i get to my first duty station) but i was thinking a bike might be a better idea...

01LS1 · 03-14-2006, 04:59 PM

You'll want to keep the engine size around 600 to 750cc. Cruiser style or sport bike style. Personally I have a Honda VFR 750. Its a great all around bike...the seating position is not as aggresive as a crotch rocket and you won't get tired riding it. Here are a couple of links to get you started.

Hond VFR

Cycle Trader

Cycle Forum

**shadegray** · 03-14-2006, 08:16 PM

Sub 600cc for a new I4 sportbike, you can go bigger for a v-twin, or bigger still for a cruiser. You want something fast, and you have self control, check out any of the big 4's 600's. r6, zx-6r, gsxr600, cbr600. Also take a look at kawasaki's zzr600. It's basically a rebadged '02 zx-6r. Still very fast, easier ergos than the new 6r, and lower insurance rates/initial purchase costs to boot. Please keep the rpms low at first, be responsible and don't kill yourself. Dirtbikes are great at teaching fundamentals, but sportbikes are very different beasts.

badass67 · 03-14-2006, 08:28 PM

Becareful, you will be getting paid poorly the first year or so, and do not want to spend all your $$ on insurance and payments.
Also, do not foget the Helmet and bright orange vest required for Base riding.

Get something medium sized used and sporty.

Big$ · 03-14-2006, 09:33 PM

Just go at suzuki.And put a down payment on a 'busa' ...

**pecha** · 03-16-2006, 01:01 PM

sv650 is your best bet!

**bobwhite** · 03-18-2006, 10:06 PM

I know you want to start with a smaller bike, but size doesn't matter when it comes to bikes. I'm 5' 6'' and 160 lbs and ride a 2005 GSXR 1000. I had a 2003 GSXR 750 before it, and the 1000 is much easier to ride and has a lower seat height. The engine displacement doesn't dictate the physical size of the bike.

**nitrox28** · 03-18-2006, 10:31 PM

Do a freaking search. This topic has been done to death. On second thought, just get a GSX-1300R turbo. You'll be fine.

**pecha** · 03-19-2006, 12:59 PM

if you like crotch rockets style ninja 650R would be a good starter bike for you
http://www.ninja650.com/
insurance will be over $100 a month for sure
anyway for $200-$300 a month you can have a bike

**Sprfstz28** · 03-20-2006, 06:02 AM

A great starter bike, if you are looking for a crotch rocket, and have enough self control for something fast would be a mid ninety's cbr 600. like an f3 or f4. They are still fast, look great, and are EXTREMELY reliable. And take this for what it's worth. Buy a bike you can afford to pay off. Expect to drop it, and be prepared to fix the damage out of your pocket. With that said, I wouldn't recommend full coverage on a bike, unless you get a killer deal. Liability only, I'd say you can get away with 200-300 a year. You goto full coverage, which is required on a bike with a loan, and you skyrocket the price. so much that with two years of insurance, you have paid enough to completely replace the bike. I currently ride an 04 1000rr, and full coverage insurance costs me 166 a month. I'm 23, have ridden for 6-7 years on the street, have a clean record, and have completed the safety course, twice. So basically, that's the cheapest possible insurance I can get for that bike. throw a ticket or accident in there, and it would go up by 50 percent..

I guess my point is... buy a bike you can pay off, then go liability only, and be prepared to buy some new plastics..

Oh yeah, and be careful!

**Wulfe13** · 03-20-2006, 08:49 AM

Buell

**shadegray** · 03-20-2006, 03:41 PM

Are you kidding? Buell uses Harley engines- some of the crappiest, weakest designs ever penned by man. There's great american cars, muscular and powerful, the cobras, vettes, f bods, gto's and so on. Relatively low initial purchase cost for it's great power and high potential for more. But american bikes are a national embarassment. It disgusts and appalls me that America would actually let it's motorcycle industry fall like this. A 900cc harley makes less power than a 250cc import. A equal displacement sportbike makes literally 3-5 times more power than the harley/buell engine, without exaggerating in the least, and at half the price. It's like if GM created a camaro with a 115 horsepower engine, questionable reliabilty, that gets 15mpg highway and costs $50,000. The bikes are completely inferior in every measureable way, and cost considerablly more than it's competition. That's not even a hyperbole. It's actually, literally inferior in every measureable way. Pathetic power, low skidpad numbers, purchase price, reliability ratings, literally every damn thing. How the fuck could this happen? I wish like hell GM or Ford would go and build us a muscle bike. A 200hp, 400lb american would sell like crazy, since right now, anybody interested in performance bikes has no choice but to go import. Hell, I'd be happy with a 6xxcc 150 hp 350lb bike like in the Japanese format.

**pecha** · 03-20-2006, 04:32 PM

he was asking for a starter bike and buell blast is a good starter bike
first bike you buy to learn how to ride and then sell it for almost same money after a year. then you buy a better bike
a lot of knowledgeble paople say that even ninja 250 is good starter bike
you don't learn a bike, you learn how to cope with asian drivers in suvs talking on the phone
As much as I want a fast bike I will go with 650R or SV650 for a start

**shadegray** · 03-20-2006, 06:28 PM

There's also EX500's, sv650s, zzr's, etc. Buell/Harley were notoriously unreliable machines for a long time... people still make jokes about them breaking down. If this guy's been riding dirtbikes and isn't irresponsible, he should also be able to handle a new zzr600 very well, and will keep him happy and from feeling underpowered for many years. I started on a 6r when I was 17, survived and never regretted it. Used bikes are a better option as well. The SV650 resells very well. Buell or Harley tends to be a poor choice if you're looking for anything but American rice.