I want to get a bike this spring, need help.

[LS1Formulation]

I am absolutely clueless on motorcycles. I've never ridden one, but I really want to get one. I'm not going to start out on a beater bike - I want to go right into something around a 600 or so. I'm not insane and I won't kill myself on it, I just want to learn and get used to one bike. Someone told me to get a Suzuki GSX-R600, but I'd like some other opinions. Also, I'd like it to be right around $3K, as I don't need to be spending any more than that. Either that or buy one that needs work for a lot less and fix it up this winter. Opinions?

[Becca_007]

I think your next decision is what you want the bike to do. Is it more of a toy to take around town? Do you want to make longer trips? Is two-up riding a concern? Does a sprint track or dragstrip hold any interest for you?

In the 600 supersports you have the Suzuki GSX, Yamaha R6, Honda CBR, and Kawasaki Ninja. I'm partial to Kawasaki (have a very good dealer) but I really like the Yamahas too. The newer the bike, the more power it will typically have (even in the same model). You aren't a stranger to power so I'm sure you'd do fine to start on a 600. The thing to keep in mind isn't just the amount of power that the bike can deliver, but the proper riding techniques to make use of that power. That's where a beginner and even the experienced can get into trouble. There are options out there that probably fit into the 600 supers, but those are the most popular.

Something else to consider might be a naked/streetfighter bike. They are more of a hybrid so have plenty of power but a more comfortable riding posture and less plastic. They are also cheaper to insure. Some bikes might even be classified as sport tourers when you get away from the supersports. They aren't as popular, are cheaper to insure, cheaper to buy new and I enjoy mine a lot :).

On the other hand, you can probably find a pretty cheap supersport to fix up because they are so popular and tend to get crashed/laid down a lot...

... lunch is almost over but those are a few of my thoughts.

[turbo2liter]

2 types of bikes... those that have gone down and those that will go down... buy a kan-tuna 600 or a 250 ninja for 1.5k or so and use it for a year... they take abuse pretty well... then you can get a honda, or yamaha for a dependable 900cc+ bike for your next year bike...

not sure if the sos makes you take a driving test for a cy endorsement anymore but if they do make sure you find a non-sport bike with as few cc's as possible to do it with...

[krtismo]

My 650 Nighthawk is for sale! I only want $1300 obo for it.
Also, its nicer now then in the pics in my sig. I have black 4-1 exhaust now and no leaks or problems. I would keep it, but I'm almost finished restoring the 750.

[Dave89IROC]

My 650 Nighthawk is for sale! I only want $1300 obo for it.
Also, its nicer now then in the pics in my sig. I have black 4-1 exhaust now and no leaks or problems. I would keep it, but I'm almost finished restoring the 750.
really.........

hows it run?

start easy?

[krtismo]

Actually one of the problems it had when it was sold to me was it started hard or not at all. I just took the starter out and cleaned all the rust off of the armature. now it starts much better. Takes a few minutes to warm up, but so do all the honda fours.:dunno:

The only main problems it has are:

-Petcock leaks in the ON position, so it is left in the Reserve position and its fine.

-Its got a few scars from the former owner laying it down at about 15mph.

-It has a creased front fender from the laydown, but I have a nicer one I bought off of eBay that I haven't put on yet.

Its a great bike, I put 1k miles on it this summer.

[ws6transam]

I'm going to be selling my CB750F Supersport, probably in the spring, if you are interested. It's plenty reliable now, and easy to work on.

[LS1Formulation]

I'm really looking for a crotch rocket, lol... Just love the way they look and I want something that's really light and manueverable.

[Becca_007]

If you haven't already, check out wmriders (http://wmriders.com). The most active folks seem to be in Holland but there are some in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek too. There are usually a few bikes in the for sale section and it's primarily sportbikes but we are trying to get cruisers involved too.

[Timberwolf]

http://wmriders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2788