Mike1982

I found out that my tax return is going to be bigger then I thought and I REALLY want to get a sport bike this spring/summer. I went to a local dealer, State 8, to just look around and see what I like. After looking around last summer some I found the R-6 Yamaha to be the best for me, not brand new. I am looking at around $4,000 or so at most. Well, when I went there he showed it to me but also showed me the Yamaha YZF600. I can feel a HUGE difference when sitting on the two and I can say that that YZF feels better for me. I don't plan on racing and all that, just a ride. Any commets on this?

Aleks951

Is this your first bike or have you been riding long? What purpose do you want the bike for? The R6 is definitely more sporty but the YZF is a decent mount as well. The R6 is more like a 951 while the YZF600 is akin to an older 944S. Both are sporty and fun, but the R6/951 has more performance out of the box.

YZF should make a nice commuter or sporty bike while not being too aggressive. Hope that makes sense.

v944god

My first bike was a R6, and god damn it was scary learning how to drive this baby. If your not familiar with bikes these are pretty light and agile compared to other bikes meaning it doesn't take much to make this bike go down. The bike has great power, just rip the throttle, and it screams through the rpms. I say go for the R6, either go big or go home.

924Superwagen

Whichever makes you most comfortable, go for that one. As far as the YZF is concerned, it is plenty fast if we can pull 4.0 sec 0-60 times in a 500-lb car using the engine from a 97 YZF 600, while having the intake severely restricted.

Ken

As a first bike, I would lean towards the YZF. It's got plenty of power for a beginning motorcyclist. Plus, being more comfortable will lead to having more fun while riding and you'll be able to take longer trips. Don't get caught up by salesmen trying to push a specific bike because it's a race replica. Buy the bike that fits your body, your expirience level, and your intended purpose.

Shameless plug: My friend is selling his 1997 Suzuki Bandit 600. It's the bike we both learned to ride on. I bought it in 2000, sold it to him in 02 and last summer he bought another bike. It was dropped once at a low speed, ~30mph. The damage was all cosmetic and had been 95% repaired. There's one dent left in the tank where the handlebar hit. A replacement tank will be included, it's just not installed yet. The color is black and the asking price is $2700. We can deliver within a weekends drive.

Matt H

Shameless plug - I have a 96 FZR600R, a great learners bike and still plenty fast (even had their own race series). First 2500 dollars takes it.
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

v944god

Jump on the R6 and don't look back. Just make sure you have all your protective gear, from gloves, jacket, and helmet. I spent around $1k just on the equipment to ride the bike. The jacket cost me $600 for one of the best available, matched the bike perfectly, plus it was an armor suit.

Matt H

Not that it is significant but most accidents occur with riders with no training (go take the motorcycle safety course), within a few miles of the starting point, and because people buy too much bike. At least you are not thinking of getting a liter bike for a first, I know plenty of people who have.
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

Brian McCoy

Well... the R6 fits the classification of 'hyper sportsbike' (along with the R1, GSXRs, CBRs, ZX-R's, etc..) ~ they have a lot of high-strung power, beg to be abused (they actually work better the harder you ride them) and are great bikes for almost everything (minus long distance interstate cruising). They also comand the highest inital purchase price, they are the most often stollen (no matter what precautions you take, if someone wants it, they'll get it) AND they have the highest insurance. You get a lot of bike, but have to pay a lot too....

The YZF, OTOH, is based on an older high-end sportsbike and is tweaked a little more to the comfort side. Similar bikes would be Suzuki RF600/900s, the VFRs (my favorite), and to a small degree the Katanas (along with older CBR600s). They have 90% of the performance of the current crop, but cost less to buy and insure and aren't as high on the 'theft' chain (though anything with fairings is pretty highly sought after on the black market).

Then you'll get into the 'super standards', the FZ1, FZ6, ZRX1100, Bandit 6/12, Seca II, etc... they're typically a litle mroe 'upright' in seating and comfortable than the YZF types, normally have half fairings (to keep the wind off your upper body, not for aerodynamics). These are even cheaper to buy/insure (my ZRX1100 w/ 132rwhp, insured for a year w/ full coverage at $86), but they typically give up a lot in the suspension area to get the lower prices.

Personally, I don't think a beginning rider should jump on anything with fairings at the first bike, it's just to expensive to fix When you drop it (yes when, not if). Similarly, I've seen a LOT (and I do mean a *!LOT!*) of newer riders on higher powered sportbikes ruin their lives because it's SO easy to go fast, or to overwhelm the available traction while on the brakes. There's a reason that the insurance is higher, and the bikes are stolen for plastic/front ends. I'm firmly of the school that you want a low powered, but Very capable bike to learn on... that way you learn all the good habits/skills of not having a whole lot of power and will more likely survive the experience unscathed. This is the way I started, and on the street I could leave behind all but a few of the truely fast riders (and hang with them) on my 90hp, 1987 Honda VFR. R1, GSXR1000, CBR929/949 ~ it didn't make a difference. As with going fast in a car, going fast on a bike is all about the rider and the bike doesn't make much difference.

As was mentioned, gear and training should be higher on your list than the bike. With the single exception of my ZRX, my gear cost more/is worth more than any other motorcycle I've owned ~ streetbikes (5 of them), racebikes (3 of those), the gear is more important (I have about $2k into mine). And MSF training will pay for itself time and again in the real world. You'll get an insurance discount and have a good idea of where your skill development will Start. Hooking up with local riders that wear gear and enjoy riding corners will be a next good step, as would getting yourself on a racetrack. Here's some reading that should be required for all motorcyclists too:

http://www.ridehsta.com/html/safety.htm

Damn, and there's yet another of my motorcycle rants... lol. Every single time, eh?

Matt H

Brian - you should type that in Word, save it and post it every time it comes up. I couldnt agree with you more. People jumping on R1s, Hyabusas, GSXR1000, etc. with no experience are just dangerous. You made every point I was trying to make only you made it a hundred times better than I did.
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

josephsc

Definitely go and take a motorcycle safety course: go here now -> http://www.msf-usa.org/.

It's more than just a safety thing. I'm not sure how Ohio is like, but in California, it's easier to take the course than to get a license at the DMV. I've even talked to motorcycle cops who couldn't pass the DMV test. Also, these classes tend to fill up very quickly. If you're serious and excited now, sign up now -- it's usually a weekend course (just like any other other traffic school).

As for a first bike, definitely get a beater bike -- something that you can drop a couple of times and not shed a tear. The size of the bike depends a little on your own size. Unless you're a lightweight, 500cc - 600cc should be fine. Think smaller than you think -- you can always sell your learner bike to the next person learning to ride.

Definitely do not skimp on safety gear -- regardless of fault, accidents do happen and you'll take the blunt of it. I've gone bodysurfing on the Santa Monica freeway and it hurts even with gear... Thank god we were going slow at the time!

IMO, you'll find very little distinction among Japanese bikes as far as performance goes, so it's a matter of styling and comfort. Comfort is determined mostly by how straightup the riding position is (so most sports bike you're leaning forward, while with cruisers you're leaning back). And you trade this off against cornering ability -- not too different from springs on a car. R6 is least comfortable for this reason -- but probably good enough weekend rides. I went with my Kawi 6R because I was looking for something that was more of an all-rounder with a slightly more upright riding position. I used it for daily commute, road trips (500 mile days), and even a camping trip (w/ a backpack and saddle bags) -- no problems as long as you take a break every two hours.

BTW, motorcyclists wave to each other -- just like p-car drivers. On a rare occasion I'll get a wave from a Harley -- as rare as getting a wave from a Boxster.

v944god

Plenty of people learn off bikes like R6's, if you stay calm and know what task is at hand, than you'll be fine. Go into a empty parking lot, practice how to use the clutch, and how to let it out so you dont stall. Take it from first gear, and move up as you feel comfortable. Never push the limits. When I first started it took me about a week's time to get the clutch down perfectly. The one thing your always learning how to do is taking turns and riding better. It's all about practice. I never fell off my bike because I tried to stay as calm as possible. The reason people drop bikes is because they freak out and crank the throttle, lose control, and drop the bike. First thing I did in bad situation was to catch the clutch, and the ride it out, until I had a chance to brake. I've had close calls, but it's all about how you react to the situation.

Matt H

That may be the case for you but you got lucky. Improper positioning of the hands leads to WOT which on an R-6 will lift the front wheel and throw you off the back or the front when it comes down and you have a fist full of brake. Taking the rider's safety course should be a requirement to ride a bike. At the end of the day, none of this matters because it is not what he asked, however, in the interest of keeping as many listers alive as possible the information was good.

I am a Yamaha guy but only because I like the position and seating best of the bunch (aside from the Aprillia). I dont think I would ever buy a Kawasaki as I didnt think the performance or fit and finish were that great. The GSX-Rs are darn good bikes and would be my next choice.
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

Sach951

If you've never ridden before I would echo the above advice whole heartedly. Buy a beater bike in the 200-400CC range, perhaps even a little larger if you're crazy, and learn to ride before taking on a full-out sportbike. I began riding on a 50CC two stroke, then started riding 250s and a few higher end bikes. The extensive time I spent on the 50 ( my daily at the time ) was invaluable. I can't imagine starting on a 600 and being able to handle the power nearly as well as I can now, having learned how to make the most of what power you have on a 50. If you can't pull out of the corner hard, you learn to take the corner fast I've even seen people on 50s learning to ride freak out and bail. Think of what would happen with a 123HP high strung beast under you?

Take the MSF course!

Best Wishes,
Sach

But the R6 is my favorite bike..

oi-punx

I'd highly recommend listening to all the above advice. Get yourself a relatively sedate bike, some good gear and above all ride within your limits.

Isn't that the truth! When I took my DMV test many years ago there was a guy on a brand new HD fatboy right before me who failed miserably. I thought he was going to dump his bike. I passed on my first try but I was also on my first bike (Vespa P200E). With their short wheelbase they are quite agile. Had I been on a different bike i surely would have failed.

Best of luck with your new bike.