I have never ridden a motorcycle before, but I have always wanted one. I earned some money this summer and am wanting to put it towards a bike. I have always liked street bikes, especially the CBRs and the Gixxers. Since I am an amateur, I would like some advice/recommendations from the pros out there. For a beginner bike, and best all-around motorcycle, would you recommend a Honda CBR or a Suzuki GSX-R?

 

Their like .0001 of a second differnce in performance, its preference, which styling do you like better? Which colors do you like betteR?? they are going to be just as fast as each other so don't woryr about that........

They will both blow your mind and I wouldn't recommend either for someone who has never ridden before, Start with an older F3 or something....but if you decide not to take this advice, then go GSX-R I am bias as well....

 

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it! I really like the Gixxers, and I'm glad your biased because they're really nice bikes. Do you think a GSX 600R would be okay to learn on? If I just cruise around on the 600 until I get the hang of it. I've driven a stick shift since I first got my license (even though I know it's a lot different with your hands). Also, what riding gear/brands do you recommend?

 

No probs....Id pick yourself up an old GSX-R (like early 90's) to learn on, chances are very likely that your going to have a little mishap, not saying your goping to crash but sence you have no experience riding you will probably have some sort of little accident (knock over in parking lot or something silly). On a brand new bike it will break your heart, and i garentee you will be more comfortable riding a bike that you know isn't worth $10,000. I just bought my new Gixxer and I am still extremely cautious when riding it because its worth so much money...get a bike that your not going to worry about day and night and learn to ride and get comfortable riding before you jump into a 03+ bike.....

Yeh driving stick is completely differnt but at least you know how a clutch works...its similar to a car in that sense....

Riding gear, I wear Joe rocket GSXR gear, matches my bike, I just purchased a $1100 Arai Helmet (I also own a Icon and a HJC). I also have Teknic waterproof rain gear for riding in the rain (its also insulated for cold weather rides). Id say any gear you get from a bike shop is going to be fairly good, If you don't have the $$ for that stuff just wear a good leather jacket and some jeans and steel toe boots or something... Gear is very important when your first learning to ride though because your odds of havin a mishap like i mentioned before are much higher than someone who has been riding for years....good luck on your decision, let us know what you get

 

i say honda, the suzuki's handle like crap, i ridden on a 03 GSX-R 600 and it handles nowhere near like my 600RR.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by An Jing Ren Jerh &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i say honda, the suzuki's handle like crap, i ridden on a 03 GSX-R 600 and it handles nowhere near like my 600RR. </TD></TR></TABLE>


hahahah wow....thats funny....(obviously another bias comment)

I could say the exact same thing about R6's and 600rr's....

Track proves the bikes are almost identical....simple as that, its preference...

 

actually im not being bias, i use to own an r6 and it handle alot better than the 03 gixxer , maybe the 04 gixxers are better now. A freind of mine have an 03 gixxer and he even said my 600rr handles a lot better. Your right about th etrack part, but i still prefer an R6 or 600RR over the GSX-R

 

I have a good amount of friends that ride R6's, 600RR's, 636's and GSX-R's and they all said the yamaha handles the best. Second would be the 636 or 600RR. Suzuki is last. One my friends owned a few GSX-R's and when he jumped on my friends 05' Raven R6, he is set on buying one.

 

sigh...

My buddy rides an 99 R6 like the one you used to have and to me it felt like crap...
Now i havn't rode an 03 gixxer so i don't know but compaired to my bike I wouldn't even consider an R-sux, i mean 6...not to mention that every second bike on the road is one...

personally ive ridden almost everything out there, 02 F4i, 04 600rr, 99 R6, 02 R6, 99 Zx-7, 03 636, 04 gsxr-6, 04 gsx-r 750 (my bike) and i honestly like the suzuki the best...followed by the 636...but there we go, preference.

anyway, were stealing his thread here soooo...

 

When it comes to 2004+, for the most part, the bikes are equally the same. Like you said, there is a very small percentage of difference.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 04Gixxer7K &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No probs....Id pick yourself up an old GSX-R (like early 90's) to learn on, chances are very likely that your going to have a little mishap, not saying your goping to crash but sence you have no experience riding you will probably have some sort of little accident (knock over in parking lot or something silly). On a brand new bike it will break your heart, and i garentee you will be more comfortable riding a bike that you know isn't worth $10,000. I just bought my new Gixxer and I am still extremely cautious when riding it because its worth so much money...get a bike that your not going to worry about day and night and learn to ride and get comfortable riding before you jump into a 03+ bike.....

Yeh driving stick is completely differnt but at least you know how a clutch works...its similar to a car in that sense....

Riding gear, I wear Joe rocket GSXR gear, matches my bike, I just purchased a $1100 Arai Helmet (I also own a Icon and a HJC). I also have Teknic waterproof rain gear for riding in the rain (its also insulated for cold weather rides). Id say any gear you get from a bike shop is going to be fairly good, If you don't have the $$ for that stuff just wear a good leather jacket and some jeans and steel toe boots or something... Gear is very important when your first learning to ride though because your odds of havin a mishap like i mentioned before are much higher than someone who has been riding for years....good luck on your decision, let us know what you get </TD></TR></TABLE> and which one would that be? i NEVER seen one cost more than $700

 

$700 US converts to about $1100 canadian....

Sorry I didn't convert it to US$ ....wasn't really thinking about it...

Arai Quantum II = $899.99
Tinted Visor = $79.99
Total with taxes= $1170

 

I personally love the gixxer's. My first bike (which i have had for about a month now 98 gixxer 750) I love it. I had ridden both and as many said both are so close in performance...Its down to style... But i dont agree with those people that say dont start on a 600/750 for your first bike. I started on the 750, picked it up quick...its just the matter of can you handle yourself and appreciate the bike. Goodluck and be safe

 

Its not a matter of not being able to handle the bigger bikes...I started on a 750 too, but i wish i had started smaller and gotten comfortable with riding a street bike, its just like starting with a ferrari as your first car, you should be comfortable with your ability before you jump on a world class racing machine...

 

I didnt read all the bickering, but seriously, keep in mind you WILL drop the bike. It may not be moving, but it will tip over, and you will snap a lever, or bend a mirror, or scratch an engine cover or two, so keep that in mind. Just remember you have your whole life ahead of you, you dont need to go jumping on a super sport bike as a first just because its shinier and newer than a mid 90's 500/600cc sport bike, you can always sell it later on when you get some experience and buy another bike.

I personally just started riding and bought myself a 1995 Yamaha FZR 600 with scratched engine covers and a new paintjob, its been down before, and I know it. Have I dropped it? Yes, twice actually, scratched up the back of the right side mirror and and gnarled up the end of the bar end slider. I felt I could handle a 600, and so far I'm doing ok. Just have respect for what your right wrist can do and you should be ok. Be smart and be safe!

 

^^^agreed. you could swear up and down to yourself that you won't, but you or someone you know WILL drop your bike (especially if you're a new rider). you're not gonna be as heart broken if you drop like a $3000 vs. a $10,000 bike. like me for instance, i bought my first bike and within 5 minutes of owning it dropped it on the sidewalk trying to move it out of my yard.


but you're gonna do what you're gonna do and none of us could persuade you either way. go to a motorcycle shop and sit on a few bikes, and see which ones you like best.

 

As far as comparing the newer CBRs to the new Gixers... they are all able to out-handle most anything we can throw at them on public roads... so it should be a moot point for the most part - especially to a new rider. The Gixxers do come with dampners (if we're talking new here) which is a big plus in my book... And as I think it was stated above, they are all plenty fast... probably too fast anymore. But you really need to sit on the bikes (ride them if applicable) and see what fits you best. Personally, I don't care for the way the gixxer feels between my legs... it's a lot wider (or so if feels) then my CBR... The R6 feels a lot like my CBR... If you're not comfortable on your bike, you're going to be more prone to wrecking and just won't have as much fun.

Just my $.02

 

thre is a build quality difference

 

In who's favor?

I know what the end result was when my friends 04 Gixxer 600 t-boned a Honda F3 at 50+ mph...

 

and i know the end difference of an 03 CBR 600rr that t-bond a Toyota Tacoma at 40ish mph..

bike looks way better then you'd think.

 

Definitely pick up and start with a 750. I start on m 04 gixx 600 for 4 months now. I kind of regret it, that I should have started off with 750. Now planning on selling my bike end of season to get an 04 or 05 750. Just do what you can handle and you'll be alright.

 

just starting out? you should get a busa, those little 600s are for girls!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by smokee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just starting out? you should get a busa, those little 600s are for girls! </TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL, is that what you did?

 

in my opinion for a beginner rider I think you should go to a shop and sit on each bike. See which one you feel more comfortable on. I have ridden all three bikes before i bought my bike and I felt the r6 was most comfortable for me so I stuck with the bike.

 

you can't go wrong with the big four...kawi, yamaha, honda and suzuki