So need some advice

[rezarxt]

Response from the guy about the R6

"Curtis,



The bike was backed into by the previous ownerÔÇÖs girlfriend in her driveway which scratched up the fairings and engine case. I replaced the mid and lower fairings (with OEM and not repainted). The right peg is bent slightly, I found them for about $25 bucks on ebay but I havenÔÇÖt gotten around to it because I donÔÇÖt notice it.



The bike wasnÔÇÖt laid down (the mechanic at Velocity agreed seeing it before the fairings were replaced) but if you are uncomfortable with that assertion I understand. I actually have the fairings I replaced if you want to see them, you can tell by the scratches that it wasnÔÇÖt moving when it happened.



Attached are a few picÔÇÖs taken weekend before last.



Carey
"

[Apoc]

Take this with a grain of salt since I'm not a rider, but why not buy something slow and old as a starter bike? If you lay it down/crash it/hate bikes/whatever, you'll be out less money and since it's slower there is a smaller chance of it getting out of control while you're still learning the ropes...

....cause it doesn't look awesome!

[.RJ]

Take this with a grain of salt since I'm not a rider, but why not buy something slow and old as a starter bike? If you lay it down/crash it/hate bikes/whatever, you'll be out less money and since it's slower there is a smaller chance of it getting out of control while you're still learning the ropes...

....cause it doesn't look awesome!

... and its hard to talk someone out of doing something they're dead set on.

Sounds like you're all over the place. kawi, honda, r6, etc... its the "doesnt matter as long as its shiny and looks fast" sportbike buyer syndrome. Learn how to ride on something more forgiving for a little while

[CaptainHenreh]

... and its hard to talk someone out of doing something they're dead set on.

This.

[G.Irish]

I'd be a little skeptical that pegs got bent from a tip-over. They fold so I'd think they'd fold up if the bike got knocked over rather than bending. I guess look for other signs of abrasion on the bike (screws and the like) to get an idea. $5k doesn't seem like too bad a price but you can probably negotiate him down a little, even if he is saying $5k only.

As far as starting on a 600 I'd say that it's not that crazy. I did so (600RR) and never really had a problem on the street. On the other hand plenty of other people we know have. Here are some of the common problem areas I can think of.

1. Improperly negotiating a turn (entered turn too fast for skill level, opened throttle too soon or too much, chopped throttle, etc.)
2. Errors on the brakes
3. Cold tire crashes
4. Showboating

With the turning problem I'd recommend doing a pro-riding school like Cali Superbike School fairly soon in your riding career. That helped me tremendously and gave me a lot more confidence with the bike. Also, you might want to pick up Twist of the Throttle by Keith Code.

I'd actually like to start a whole thread on riding tips and dangerous situations sometime soon here.

[G.Irish]

Take this with a grain of salt since I'm not a rider, but why not buy something slow and old as a starter bike? If you lay it down/crash it/hate bikes/whatever, you'll be out less money and since it's slower there is a smaller chance of it getting out of control while you're still learning the ropes...

....cause it doesn't look awesome!

... and its hard to talk someone out of doing something they're dead set on.

Sounds like you're all over the place. kawi, honda, r6, etc... its the "doesnt matter as long as its shiny and looks fast" sportbike buyer syndrome. Learn how to ride on something more forgiving for a little while

Eh, I figure all of the japanese 600's are plenty fast, handle plenty good, and are plenty reliable. The only differentiators for most people would be ergonomics and brand loyalty really. Can't go wrong with any of them.

There is something to be said though for getting something that doesn't make the world turn plaid at first but like I said, a 600 isn't too crazy. I will say though that it will be a huge adjustment getting used to the speed. You'll have to fundamentally change the way you look down the road.

[.RJ]

There is something to be said though for getting something that doesn't make the world turn plaid at first but like I said, a 600 isn't too crazy. I will say though that it will be a huge adjustment getting used to the speed. You'll have to fundamentally change the way you look down the road.

Even a 60hp bike is going to be total sensory overload for the first few weeks. Double that is asking for trouble, for most, IMO. Its really easy to get carried away and get yourself into a situation that triggers all the common survival reactions. Not saying you cant end up in a ditch on an SV either....

Big +1 on sbk school or a TPM basic school.

[Kaan]

1. Improperly negotiating a turn (entered turn too fast for skill level, opened throttle too soon or too much, chopped throttle, etc.)
2. Errors on the brakes
3. Cold tire crashes
4. RJ-ing

fixed that for you.

a 600cc starter bike, older than what you are looking at is okay IMO. the generations of the bikes you are looking at were the modern 600cc revolution. "big" power and bad ass toys. A little older would due you much better i think... or one of the honda F bikes... the 4 or the 4i.... they are really rider friendly.

just remember, even an "old" 99-02 R6 (a carbed bike) red lines at 14.5k and will get you well over 80mph when you go to find second gear. :lol:

[.RJ]

Hay wtf :lol:

[rezarxt]

Well to say Im all over the place doesnt really make sense. Ive been looking at like 3-4 different kinds of bikes tops. Just basically looking for the best deal within my price range. Shit when people go car shopping they pick several different kinds of cars they like and compare them and see what deals they can get. I dont see a difference. I went into the kawasaki/suzuki dealer today and they said they would inspect that 636 for me for like $50 to see if it checks out. I figure Ill have him get it inspected there and if it checks out offer $3500. The guy at the dealership said $4,000 is a pretty good deal for it but i want to try my luck. Thats under my price range so Im not going all out on my first bike and spending like 5-6k. It seems like talking to a lot of different people who ride the whole "600cc=good starter bike" question is hotly debated. Too bad Im (as someone mentioned) set on it. Thank you for the good advice everyone i look forward to more tips on how to not injure/kill myself starting out.

[stevegula]

600cc I4 will be fine if you don't ham fist the throttle and go faster than your skills allow. You're already going to look badass on the bike, no point in trying to ride like one and ultimately prove that you aren't.

No one I have ever known has said R1/R6s are easy to work on. My bff4ever got rid of his 2nd or 3rd GSX-R to get a Raven R1 and be billy badass. It got stolen and ragged to hell and now he's having to repair the hell out of it. All he does is bitch about wanting a Suzuki again. He had to drop the radiator just to change the plugs. I assume Yamaha sacrifices a lot of function for form.

Anyway.. if you're not going to ride like a dumbass and don't mind (most likely) dropping your first bike, get whatever the hell you want. If you are worried about that stuff, then get a throwaway bike first because shit happens. Hell, my Buell sat for over a year and got knocked over twice by other people.

PS - if you get that Kawi, get rid of the lowering links. don't fuck with a bike's geometry unless you're an expert.

[rezarxt]

The guy with the 636 refused to take it to get inspected at the kawasaki shop. He said hes too busy with work but the shop is only 15 mins away. So I passed on that. The R6 is still kind of worrying me. The CBR seems to be my best bet.

2006 CBR 600rr
8k miles
Couple mods

$5k

Now the question is should I wait and find something older, or go ahead and get this and take it easy (obviously ill take it easy no matter what I get). Ill have to think about it...Im honestly not sure.

[.RJ]

An older F4i will be cheaper, more comfortable and a lot more user-friendly than the newer stuff. I really miss mine, fantastic motorcycle.

[HAULN-SS]

I like the looks of F4i or even an older F3...lots of those around too, for cheap

[.RJ]

Hard to find F3's that havent been thrown into a ditch though, and with a bike thats 10-15 years old its hard to say how well it was cared for across a bunch of owners. I will admit that FI is probably easier for most people (even though it sucks! :lol: )

[Kaan]

there is a red/white F4i on .net for $4k go get it RJ!

[HAULN-SS]

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3250 with 6600 miles on it

[Kaan]

RJ would have to scuff all the polish out so the UG would stick. plus he loves the White/Red color.

[.RJ]

shit...

[HAULN-SS]

I don't know why =\

Red black is hot pwn when you see it in person. I'd have kept the black rims/frame though. Does RB&G look good? I think we need to find out