Anybody got R6 as their first bike?
Stuart
bike are willing to share your thoughts on the bike's suitability for
a beginner. Would you have gotten some other bike in retrospect? Was
it not so bad? Have you crashed it?
Please include your age in your responses!
After having read through all the discussion of the Yamaha
YZF-R6-described as being unforgiving, twitchy, flighty-I gotta say
that I'm still lusting to get the R6 after a MSF course, as my first
bike. Maybe I'm deluding myself into thinking that a
safety-conscious, conservative 29 year-old newbie can handle it.
PLEASE, I ASK THAT ONLY NEWBIE R6 OWNERS REPLY TO THIS THREAD.
Thanks in advance.
Stuart
f3rider
F3Rider
'97 F3
Stuart <stua...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dc2f2854.01061...@posting.google.com...
Wolf2600
thinking about a used CBR600F3. Any comments about this?
I'm 20.
Testosterone level seems to have leveled out.
-Wolf
"f3rider" <f3r...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:4WBX6.1060$Lt1.8...@news.uswest.net...
jenner
Translation: I really prefer data that supports what I want to do anyway.
You can ignore this but, looking for advice from just new riders
who bought the bike you want right now is kind of silly.
--
-- jenner
Michael Petrone
model.
jenner <j5n...@home.com> wrote in message
news:cNCX6.201438$p33.4...@news1.sttls1.wa.home.com...
Nicholas Weaver
Stuart <stua...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>After having read through all the discussion of the Yamaha
>YZF-R6-described as being unforgiving, twitchy, flighty-I gotta say
>that I'm still lusting to get the R6 after a MSF course, as my first
>bike. Maybe I'm deluding myself into thinking that a
>safety-conscious, conservative 29 year-old newbie can handle it.
>
>PLEASE, I ASK THAT ONLY NEWBIE R6 OWNERS REPLY TO THIS THREAD.
You mean you only want people who will justify a bad decision to
respond?
Let's be honest here. The R6 is an >95 hp, tight stearing,
ergonomically uncompromised racebike. There ARE worse choices in a
first bike (EG, a GSXR-1000, or arguably a Buell Cyclone), but an R6
is a pretty bad choice as a first bike.
If you want a sportbike, get an EX500/Ninja 500. It is cheaper, less
powerful, but still a lot of power/weight. It is an excellent first
sportbike, and much more forgiving than an R6.
--
Nicholas C. Weaver nwe...@cs.berkeley.edu
Wade
buy an R6. I bought an XR6. World of difference, and I couldn't be
happier! Anyway, here's a great story about a newbie (post MSF course
equivalent) on his brand new R6. It's for sale, incidentally.... :)
Google.com rocks - I found this story with "r6 accident whistler", first
try!
http://www.adriancrook.com/accident/index.html
I suspect you won't find many newbie r6 owners around here.
Wade
"Stuart" <stua...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dc2f2854.01061...@posting.google.com...
Andrew
Yeah, this guy should be able to help you. He might even have an R6 for
sale still.
--
Andrew
00 Sprint RS
http://ultrasupercool.com
Cam Penner
wbo...@nospam.thanks.telusplanet.net says...
> Stuart, I'm a newbie, been riding on the street only a year, but I didn't
> buy an R6. I bought an XR6. World of difference, and I couldn't be
> happier! Anyway, here's a great story about a newbie (post MSF course
> equivalent) on his brand new R6. It's for sale, incidentally.... :)
> Google.com rocks - I found this story with "r6 accident whistler", first
> try!
>
> http://www.adriancrook.com/accident/index.html
I had sent that link to my brother-in-law while he was bike shopping for
his first bike. He's level headed, so he was looking Seca/Katana/EX
anyhow. Turns out he works with people who knew the guy. Small world.
I've ridden/driven the road that happened on dozens of times. It's not
the sort of road that MAKES you crash. A moment of inattentiveness,
however, can be pretty deadly. Make a small, unintentional twitch on an
R6 on one of the tighter corners and yeah, I can see how it happened.
On a less intense bike that same twitch will simply screw up your line
in the corner, but be recoverable.
Buy the R6 if you must - you seem to have your mind made up. Just don't
delude yourself into thinking its a smart thing to do.
---
Cam
'89 RZ 350
Mark S. Jennings
crash. This guy just got in way over his head with respect to the riding
challenges that day and had a panic reflex. It is entirely possible that he
is one of those people who is not suited to riding a motorcycle. I think
he'd have crashed on an 250 Nighthawk.
His discussion of his riding buddies "waving him up" and pressuring him to
keep up is the most distrubing part of this story. They bear some
responsibility for the accident. When I'm riding with novice riders there
is a discussion early on that they should go at whatever pace they feel
comfortable with and that we'll all take a break every hour or so to
regroup. At turns, each person makes sure the guy behind him makes the
turn. And we all know where we're staying that night and everybody has a
map. There is really no excuse for drawing this guy into something he
didn't feel comfortable with. Perhaps if he had been on a 250 Nighthawk, it
would have been more obvious to everyone that he was going to have to
proceed at a much slower pace.
Having said all this, an R6 IS a very poor choice for a first bike. It is
not that its' level of performance is that outrageous, it is simply that it
is the sort of bike that really only makes sense to someone who has
considerable riding experience - its capabilities are so far out there, that
even experienced riders can only nibble at them. To the novice, all that
capability just sits there. If they're Ok with it sitting there, then it
really isn't an issue, but most riders eventually succumb to that temptation
to see what she'll do.
- Mark
Demetrios Hung
(Nicholas Weaver) wrote:
>Let's be honest here. The R6 is an >95 hp, tight stearing,
>ergonomically uncompromised racebike.
Jeez, somebody got a bulk-discount on the hyperbole at Sam's Club eh?
I find the R6 is pretty darn comfy for a trackbike wannabe. Certainly
a lot better than the Gixxer series of torture devices. That 95 hp you
speak of doesn't come on unless you're in the 12k rpm range, which is
pretty easy for a newbie to stay out of provided they have some sense
of self-control.
If you can kill yourself on an R6, I'd imagine you could do the same
on lesser bikes with the right amount of determination. The problem
then isn't so much the bike as it is the KIND of rider that's
attracted to it. Those who are novices and covet sportbikes tend to be
on the not so cranially endowed side.
> There ARE worse choices in a
>first bike (EG, a GSXR-1000, or arguably a Buell Cyclone), but an R6
>is a pretty bad choice as a first bike.
Actually the only thing that makes an R6 a poor choice as a first bike
is:
A. The unneccesarily ridiculous insurance you're going to be paying
for the first couple of years.
B. All of the expensive plastic it's covered in (although Yamaha
panels are pretty darn cheap when compared to other brands) which mean
spending $$$ or living with a crappy looking bike when you drop it.
C. The fact that you'll be too busy riding high powered sportbike
responsibly due to your newbie status to actually learn how to ride in
earnest. Sometimes doing stupid stuff that risks dropping a bike is
the only way to learn. Stupid stuff hurts less on 30hp dirtbikes off
road.
>If you want a sportbike, get an EX500/Ninja 500. It is cheaper, less
>powerful, but still a lot of power/weight. It is an excellent first
>sportbike, and much more forgiving than an R6.
Actually what you really want for a first bike is a nice DP thumper.
Something that has enough pull to run around on the street and that
you can putz around with in the dirt to develop some REAL riding
skills. All without having to drop a $1k every time you drop the bike.
When you're ready to move on you can keep the thumper as your dirtbike
hooliganmobile.
I kinda get enticed to buy a KTM Duke every so often. Then I see the
scads of used KLRs on the market for less than $3k and I ask myself
why?
Sean Aron
My first bike was an F3, now I ride an F4 (F3 got stolen). Some thoughts:
1.) You'll never use anywhere close to the full potential of the bike.
It's a bit of a waste.
2.) You'll be more confident (read: faster) on a bit of a lesser bike.
3.) You *will* drop your first bike (hopefully you won't be moving at the
time). If you get something with lots of expensive plastic, you'll be
paying for lots of expensive plastic when you drop it.
4.) If you're sane (I was) you won't crash any faster than you would on a
slower bike. But you'll develop riding skills, confidence, and hone your
reactions faster on a less intense bike.
If you want soemthing that looks dope and is easy to ride, check out the
Ducati Monster 600. If you want something cheap that you can learn for a
year or so on, check out a 2nd hand Katana or EX. EXs are fun and chicks
don't know the difference between them and the ZXes.
Stuart
dude who wiped out. Your comments cemented my reservations on getting the R6.
Even if I am careful, it seems that it'll be a matter of time until I drop it
and have to deal with mega bucks plastic replacement.
I think that I'll try to get a used bike for now (many people say that you
will drop it sooner or later ...I guess it's like saying that when you ride a
mtn bike, you'll eat it sooner or later).
Perhaps after 6 months, I can go for a R6.
Stuart
PS Being a avid cyclist, I see how the guy (Adrian) didn't pick the right line.
I've ridden my road bike and mtn bike down twisting roads and trails, and
know that you gotta turn outside to in to outside so that you'll make
wider turns(though less so for mtn bikes).
Believe me, I've been scared sh_tless in almost falling off trails
at the Marin Headlands (luckily went off the trail on the upslope side) and
ridden my bike slow on windy roads on hills around Palo Alto
(didn't give a damn how peeved the car behind me was).
But then again, I'm sure that when I'm on a motorcycle,
I may instinctively lean toward the outside of the turn one day...
Cam Penner
stua...@hotmail.com says...
> PS Being a avid cyclist, I see how the guy (Adrian) didn't pick the right line.
> I've ridden my road bike and mtn bike down twisting roads and trails, and
> know that you gotta turn outside to in to outside so that you'll make
> wider turns(though less so for mtn bikes).
Nothing on that road requires anything wider than the inside radius at
or even above the posted limits. It's got some pot holes and some
occasional loose rock on the road, but nothing that would toss an alert,
competent rider. He was pushing himself too hard on a bike that was not
forgiving of small errors.
jenner
Demetrios Hung <pres...@whitehouse.gov> wrote in message
news:3b304372...@news.prodigy.net...
> Actually what you really want for a first bike is a nice DP thumper.
Wise words, those.
--
-- jenner
Reed Kennedy
> I kinda get enticed to buy a KTM Duke every so often. Then I see the
> scads of used KLRs on the market for less than $3k and I ask myself
> why?
From what I've read (which is a reasonable ammount over the last month or
so) it's helaciously uncomprimising in ways only a supermotard can be and
not terribly reliable, especially if treated poorly.
I -greatly- look forward to owning one as a second bike, and fear the
concept of having one as my only bike. This was the biggest secondary
factor in my not buying one yet (first being: I'm not ready for it.)
It's also an overgrown dirtbike that costs $8,000 and you can't ride on
dirt. I have a feeling people who trade bikes like baseball cards are
attracted to them (what gives you that feeling, Reed?) while others buy
them and then decide that maybe they'd like to ride on the freeway once in
a while after all.
If I may be so bold, it's definately the R6 of the Trailie world, though.
Also quite modifiable if you're willing to toss reliability to the wind.
Reed.
--
'78 SR500 Custom "Critta Isshy, AKA Wicked Little Critta" (For Sale)
'89 Honda NX650 "Sprout" || DOD #: 10^3
If you're here for the spelling, you've come to the wrong place.
"I'm not insane! I've actually got a peice of paper that says so, you
know. Not many people have one of those!"
-- Terry Pratchett.
Ron Loewy
"Reed Kennedy" <corn...@Mmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns90C7ACA892A...@209.155.56.81...
> Demetrios Hung confessed to rec.motorcycles:
>
>
> so) it's helaciously uncomprimising in ways only a supermotard can be and
> not terribly reliable, especially if treated poorly.
Where did you get the reliability information from, if I may ask?
BTW - If talking about the ultimate cool bike - if not a Duke - a Black
Panther MuZ seems like a candidate as well, or a supermotarded VOR.
Ron.
Reed Kennedy
>
>"Reed Kennedy" <corn...@Mmail.com> wrote in message
>news:Xns90C7ACA892A...@209.155.56.81...
>> Demetrios Hung confessed to rec.motorcycles:
>>
>>
>> From what I've read (which is a reasonable ammount over the last month
>> or so) it's helaciously uncomprimising in ways only a supermotard can
>> be and not terribly reliable, especially if treated poorly.
>
>Where did you get the reliability information from, if I may ask?
I must admit, my reliability info is somewhat unreliable. It's garnered
from several Duke reviews, message boards, talking to owners, and the fact
that a couple of the ones I'd looked at used had had major work done on
them.
>BTW - If talking about the ultimate cool bike - if not a Duke - a Black
>Panther MuZ seems like a candidate as well, or a supermotarded VOR.
The Panther looks nice, but it seems to be everything the Duke is but a
little bit... less. I haven't seen one area where the MuZ bests the Duke
on paper, anyway.
A VOR, CCM, or Husky may give it a run for it's money, though.
To bad none of those are terribly avalible around here.
Ron Loewy
"Reed Kennedy" <corn...@Mmail.com> wrote in message
> Ron Loewy confessed to rec.motorcycles:
>
>
> >Panther MuZ seems like a candidate as well, or a supermotarded VOR.
>
> The Panther looks nice, but it seems to be everything the Duke is but a
> little bit... less. I haven't seen one area where the MuZ bests the Duke
> on paper, anyway.
Price and to my eye, it also looks better.
The local Ducati/Aprilia/MV dealer has a used VOR for sale, unfortunately it
does not have an electric starter, I am not too impressed with the
workmanship on the bike and this used one costs as much as a new Panther.
Ron.
Sean Aron
stua...@hotmail.com (Stuart) wrote:
> Thanks to all for your insightful comments, especially the link to the
> dude who wiped out. Your comments cemented my reservations on getting the R6.
> Even if I am careful, it seems that it'll be a matter of time until I drop it
> and have to deal with mega bucks plastic replacement.
>
> I think that I'll try to get a used bike for now (many people say that you
> will drop it sooner or later ...I guess it's like saying that when you ride a
> mtn bike, you'll eat it sooner or later).
>
> Perhaps after 6 months, I can go for a R6.
>
That's the smart route. Buy a POS for a few months and learn to ride
well, then get a nice bike after you know how to use it.
jenner
> Thanks to all for your insightful comments, especially the link to the
> dude who wiped out. Your comments cemented my reservations on getting the
R6.
> Even if I am careful, it seems that it'll be a matter of time until I drop
it
> and have to deal with mega bucks plastic replacement.
Good on your for listening, even to those of us who
weren't telling you what you wanted to hear. I think
you have pretty good chance of surviving this sport,
unlike some other closed eared/minded new riders.
> I think that I'll try to get a used bike for now (many people say that you
> will drop it sooner or later ...I guess it's like saying that when you
ride a
> mtn bike, you'll eat it sooner or later).
>
> Perhaps after 6 months, I can go for a R6.
Find a decent 250~500 and have a lot of fun.
Good luck, Stuart.
--
-- jenner
Beth
> Good on your for listening, even to those of us who
> weren't telling you what you wanted to hear. I think
> you have pretty good chance of surviving this sport,
> unlike some other closed eared/minded new riders.
haven't been following the thread and i think jenner's generally a
poopy-head BUT, he's dead right here. if you open your ears and your
mind and LISTEN, even IF someone's not telling you what you want to
hear, and you make good choices, you've got a much better chance of
surviving than most. not all of us have Demetrios' ability to survive
anything and everything. ;)
> Find a decent 250~500 and have a lot of fun.
there's something to be said about learning your limits on a bike that
has real world limits, if that makes any sense. the R6 is an amazing
bike. no doubt about it. its limits are totally above yours and most
people's (mine included!). raise your own bar first. learn HOW to ride
_any_ bike well, do some track days, take classes, read the books, etc.
get some mileage under your belt. THEN, treat yourself to an R6 or
whatever is out there that makes your Willy go stiff.
oh yeah, there's NOTHING sexier than a guy who is an expert rider,
regardless of the bike. if i see a dipshit wobbling around on a high
powered sport bike he just bought as his first bike: INSTANT TURN-OFF.
if i see a guy who is obviously an experienced and very good rider,
regardless of the bike: INSTANT TURN-ON. ;) maybe i'm just biased.
oh yeah, leathers and safety gear: TURN-ON. chicks dig it! buff men in
leather = YUMMY!!!
-Beth
'00 SV650Y - "Boo-Boo"
http://lonestar.texas.net/~beffie
DoD#4508, NGG Attack Chihuahua, Mad Scientist
CMRA Team Greezy Kitty (formerly TEAM JESUS CLIP)
jenner
Beth <bef...@texas.net> wrote in message news:3B3654EC...@texas.net...
> jenner wrote:
>
> > Good on your for listening, even to those of us who
> > weren't telling you what you wanted to hear. I think
> > you have pretty good chance of surviving this sport,
> > unlike some other closed eared/minded new riders.
>
> haven't been following the thread and i think jenner's generally a
> poopy-head BUT, he's dead right here
My 14 year old says that all the time. :)
--
-- jenner
Reed Kennedy
So now the Reeky conglomune is Jenner's 14 year old child... But Jenner's
on Reeky...
Isn't that... Dirty?
Can I go now? My brain is full.
jenner
Reed Kennedy <corn...@Mmail.com> wrote in message
> jenner confessed to rec.motorcycles:
>
> >
> > Beth <bef...@texas.net> wrote in message
> > news:3B3654EC...@texas.net...
> >> jenner wrote:
> >>
> >> > Good on your for listening, even to those of us who
> >> > weren't telling you what you wanted to hear. I think
> >> > you have pretty good chance of surviving this sport, unlike some
> >> > other closed eared/minded new riders.
> >>
> >> haven't been following the thread and i think jenner's generally a
> >> poopy-head BUT, he's dead right here
> >
> > My 14 year old says that all the time. :)
>
> So now the Reeky conglomune is Jenner's 14 year old child...
Nope, nothing like my daughter at all. This one has manners. :)
> But Jenner's
> on Reeky...
>
> Isn't that... Dirty?
Not to me. You see, I really have a 14 year old and
she has recently taken to calling me a poopy head when
she isn't getting what she wants.
--
-- jenner
Beffie @ Work
>Not to me. You see, I really have a 14 year old and
>she has recently taken to calling me a poopy head when
>she isn't getting what she wants.
jeeeezus, you must be a shitty father.
-Beffie Hard @ Work
http://lonestar.texas.net/~beffie
'00 SV650 (Boo-Boo the Monster Slayer)
DoD #4508, NGG Crack Sleuth, CMRA Team Greezy Kitty Mad Scientist