Hey fellow honda heads...I've been wanting to get a bike for years now and I finally have the money and opportunity to get one...Im looking into getting a new bike instead of a used one because I plan on keeping in for 5 years or so before trading it in or selling it and I like the way the new ones look better.. I am particularly interested in the 2011 cbr 600 rr (all black) but I have some questions...Ive never rode a street bike before but I have experience on dirt bikes....How hard is it to learn on a new bike like this? And am I making a mistake by wanting to buy a new one as my first bike? I dont plan on tracking the bike or anything like that..Its mostly going to be for work and back and cruises on sundays...Tell me what you think about this bike good or bad and any advice that you might have before i make a decision..thanks

 

How much experience do you actually have? If you know how to ride dirt bikes well, then you should have no problem knowing how to ride this. You will have to get used to the way it rides, because the riding positions/styles are way different. Should not take longer than a day, depending on if you are a competent human being. lol. As for buying a brand new street bike as your first bike, I think it is a better idea to buy a used one first. You can get a really nice used bike for ~5k. Check out your local craigslist.

 

^^ I have about a year of dirt bike experience going out to ride about 10 times for hours at a time and messing around on my local streets also...One of my friends learned to ride pretty quick and hes not the smartest kid around so I figure if he can do it then I shouldn't have much difficulty..I want a new bike rather than a used because I know that I will take care of it and I wouldnt be able to know if a bike has problems if I buy a used one..Id rather build my credit with a new one and if/when i get tired of it, it will have been paid off and I can either sell it for a decent amount or trade it in and get something different..

 

Nice looking bike be careful get your endorsment and take a msf course.
This is where recon titles come from. Buy used and if you dont drop it
in the next year then get a new one.

 

i probably wouldnt get a new bike for my first bike, but i dont see myself ever getting a brand new bike period, but thats just me. long as you dont try riding when any women are watching you, you should be alright.

 

Everything is relative concerning experience...A year on a dirt bike is not a lot of experience in relationship to street riding. On a dirt bike the handling is so much different than a street bike (my 35+ years on the street did me little when I bought a YZ250). Your friend is either a natural rider (probably not) or lucky.
Your reasons for getting a new bike are valid...Realize of course, as soon as you ride off the lot, the bike loses so much value, but if you're keeping it, in the long run, it won't make a difference.
Like said numerous times before....take the local MSF course. This will get you a feel for street riding, plus it may lower your insurance premiums. Best of all, remember, no one will see you on the street, remain alert at all times and save the partying for non-riding days.

 

Don't.

 

You can always find someone that's bought one, rode it for a season, and ready to dump it off for thousands less.

There are people that's never dropped a bike, but you'll shed a tear if you dropped your brand new bike.

 

+1 for the year old purchase... I have been practicing that for year myself. save yourself some capital and buy good gear or pad your bank account, the riding experience WILL NOT be any less exciting.

 

all of the above. i bought my first bike about 4 years ago and its a 98. its got a little cosmetic damage, but i get compliments on it every time i ride, i still love riding it and it is still very exciting. take the MSF course. it will help a lot since you've never ridden a street bike. they are a whole different animal. also, buying a new bike is kind of counter productive because it you drop it (which is likely, since everyone will go down at one point) you will be out a whole buttload of money. invest in good riding gear and save the newer bike until you've got some experience.

 

I had no experience when I signed up for the MSF course a few years back. After the course I bought a used GSXR 600 and got seasoned on that. I sold that and bought a 07 CBR600RR. A lot of people will say start on 250 but I'm living testament that as long as you're responsible there's nothing wrong with learning on something bigger. I have been down once when learning on the 600 so if you insist on buying new invest on frame sliders...I can attest that these work too!

 

Thanks for all the input fellas.....Ill look into finding a nice used honda 600 but I plan on keeping this one for a few years so i'll have to think about it....The way i see it is I dont want to spend 5 grand on a bike that im gna have for 1 year and then end up paying 8 more grand (estimate) plus trading it in to get a new one later..Id rather just bite the bullet up front and have a new one to show for it but like i said ill have to think about it...The MSF course seems like a very good idea that I will definatly look into..Yea dirtbikes are very different i'm sure but the concept and the feel of shifting seems to be pretty similar which is why i would feel somewhat confident for my first time riding on a street bike...
I anticipate dropping the bike at some point which wouldnt be that big of a deal to me but the frame sliders will be a must until I get much better and have more confidence riding...My friend that i know was probably just naturally talented...He has since moved up to an R1 but he bought both of his bikes new and never dropped it on his own...He has however dropped the R1 ..Actually he was clipped and thats how it fell...I do have experience riding those old honda bikes that look like harleys..I forgot what its called but i used to ride it around town..Its no street bike but its a bike none the less..keep your thoughts and opinions coming...I want to try to get as much knowledge from people who know what they are talking about as i can..thanks

 

Don't what? That didnt answer any of my questions

 

the subtle differences between the 2009 and the 2010/2011 cbr600 are hardly noticeable man, i think the only differences between them is of course color changes and abs, which is kinda pointless in my opinion, but it does make the bike 20 lbs heavier. id go with the 2009 for the obvious financial reasons and weight difference.

or you could smarten up and get a suzuki

 

Yes you are correct the differences are subtle..The main reason I want this model is the color scheme and the stylistic changes....I am biased to Hondas so Ill give it a try first and then I might go with another company..Suzuki gsxr 600 was my second choice tho

And i just stumbled upon the "To all beginners/newbies asking about getting a new bike" thread and ive been reading what people have to say there...Lots of very very good info..Im trying to take it in all at once but its impossible but im willing to try my best to learn as much as i can...

 

honestly i think people put too much thought into learning how to ride motorcycles and thats where i differ from most people in this forum. but im a self taught rider and have been since i was 13. that probably makes me the most stubborn ******* here but it works for me.

take the msf, they can teach you more than any thread on the internet

 

i was a self taught rider as well, and i still consider myself a noob after riding dirt bikes for years with friends (as a kid), and then switching to a 600cc sport bike. luckily i have never dropped my bike or gone down, but every time i pull out of the driveway, i have the mentality that today is the day im going to go down. it sounds pessimistic, but it helps me to stay conscious of the fact that accidents happen and cars are out to kill me! after i took the MSF course, i didnt feel like that much of a better rider, but hey, every little bit helps. although i have never dropped my bike, and it has been knocked over by the previous owner, im just glad its got a little damage so that i wont hate myself if i do end up dropping it one of these days. i always contemplate buying a newer bike, but i just love how reliable and easy to ride my f3 is. and also cheap for parts! and i think its reasonably fast as well.

 

^^^good posts guys.....I think i will definatly take the msf course since it seems like it is very helpful and i can get my liscense easier by completeing it....I cant wait to get it already..Im just waiting on 3000 that i loaned my pops a couple months ago..Ill be getting it back this month...I am a very careful driver with my car and i think that will transfer to how i will ride my bike...I will always assume that no one sees me especially if im riding alone...I am also a believer in being self taught but it doesnt hurt to have help along the way..I have taught myself to do alot of things and i think i can teach myself more or less how to get the "hang" of it...But like i just said, the msf class seems like must do for me

 

just another quick note that needs to be addressed when riding a street bike is respect your bike. it has a huge amount of power and you can easily hurt yourself very quickly. that is all :]

 

I most definatly will....I had a couple friends/people i knew from high school who have died riding their bike...They were doing wheelies and crashed and suffered massive head trauma....I dont care for "showing off" or doing tricks I just want to enjoy the riding experience...

 

Don't forget to invest in quality gear, don't be cheap about it. Maybe put about 700ish to the side for gear. Sounds like alot but what would you trust more when you fall at 45mph? A $75 helmet or a $300 helmet?

But i wouldn't start out on a brand new cbr600, these bikes are almost race bikes.
Throttle is really sensitive and so are the brakes. Todays 600cc supersports motorcycles have a real big punch to them.

But if you really want to then go for it, just remember to respect the bike its faster than many sportscars out there, even the tuned cars.

Here's a 2011 Gsxr 600 going flat out with a top speed of about 175mph
http://youtu.be/8FslaVtOPM4

I know its not the Cbr but its pretty close.

 

^^^ I will definatly invest in quality gear...When my life is on the line I will not sacrifice quality one bit...I think I am going to go for the new one but I will be as careful as I can until I feel more and more comfortable....Im not really looking to test the top speed or try to race any cars that want to try ..Its mostly just for the riding experience..Thanks for all of the input/advice from everyone

 

 

Gear gear gear, buy leather.... textile lasts for **** in a crash. I'm an aggressive rider tho and take more chances than most but a crash is a crash.

I spent about $500 on a full textile suit +helmet and after my first crash it barely lasted with a 55mph lowside.... the suit was done, could never use it again. It tore out the knee armor and opened up on my left arm. I was lucky it lasted till I launched over a curb lol.

When I got my next set of gear I bought a full 2 piece leather suit......
3 crashes later I can still wear it lol, other than a few scuff marks (hidden easy with a sharpie ) and a dented shoulder cap, it’s in great shape.

I bought new when I started riding.... if I could go back and do it again...... I would have got a used bike and spent the savings on top notch gear! 3 years later I have a bike payment still and I have "out grown" my bike.... trust me when I say at some point you will want a bigger bike.

There is an old saying “there are two types of riders... those who have been down and those who WILL go down". It will happen, there is no way around it, you can minimize your risk but at the end of the day it’s still a risk no matter how good you are.

I've had 4 "offs" in my 3 years, all were single vehicle, because I choose when to push my limits and where I can accept the consequences if I eff up. That and I live 4 miles from “The Rock Store”…. Doesn’t help at all hahahahaha

FWIW I ride like everyone CAN see me, they have just chosen to try to kill me… Works out great for me, I can spot a jack *** “cage’er” from pretty far off.

Key notes to staying safe:

1) Everyone hates you and wants you dead: ride accordingly

2) When splitting traffic on the freeway: have at least 2 exit routes on your mind at all times (jack ***’s will attack)

3) small rocks and sand can make you crash very easy: scout a road before you push it.
4) Black Ice does happen in SoCal (yeah…. I found some….) beware of cold mornings

5) Don’t tunnel vision: Keep those eyes a scanning.

6)When in doubt : go slower.

7) No matter how good you think you are, you cannot drag your knee on cold tires HAHAHA

8) When pushing it on the street hang further off the bike than you need: Lowside crashes hurt less than a highside.

9) ALLWAYS SPLIT LANES AT STOP LIGHTS: ever seen a biker rear-ended? I have, not pretty. (Check your local laws, 100% legal in California)

10) Now this only applies to me, at least I think it does: If you start to daydream…. You are going too slow to keep your attention where it needs to be. I think I suffer from ADHD lol.

 

Good post.