Open Letter To New Riders

[Autobahn]

This is a repost of an open letter from one of our members here, QuantumDuck.



So you want a sportbike huh? Before you go asking what bike is right for you, you should ask yourself a few questions first. Questions like,'Why?'. Why do you want a sportbike? Because they are powerful? Because every single one of them out there on the market is beautiful as hell? Because all your buddies are getting them? If you have no or limited motorcycle experience and are considering a sportbike, consider a few other things first. First of all, it is my opinion that any modern 600cc sportbike is NOT an entry level vehicle. I base my opinion on everything I have read about them for the past 15 years. A few years ago a motojournalist took a stock Honda CBR600, used RTV silicone and a piece of plexiglass to make a bellypan, and raced it the Daytona 200. We are talking about a stock motorcycle in what is arguably the most prestiguous race in the United States. He placed 26th. Not the best finish in the race,but certainly not last place. Yes there was 25 riders ahead of him, but there was also a good number of riders BEHIND him, and keep in mind his was a completly stock motorcycles against fully preped race bikes. That should show you the performance potential of 'just' a 600cc sportbike.


You can look at almost any manufacturer specific forum on the website and read about someone who has just recently downed their bike. Thankfully the vast majority of them are about how they walked away. A few however are done posthumously. When someone comes in asks about wanting to get a bike, a first bike, and talks about all the different makes and models of the latest sportbikes, the overwhelming response in always the same. Don't get a modern 600cc sportbike for you first bike. We are not telling you not to get what you want. We are not trying to be your parents. We are not trying to tell you how to live you life. We are simply giving advice. Advice that some of us have learned the hard way, some of us have unfortunatly learned it through the loss of people we care about.

The majority of men and women that frequent this website like to see new riders. It means that the sport we love is growing. But sportbike riding is still just that, a sport. And like all other sports there is a certain level of skills and knowledge that need to be attained before a person can truely enjoy the sport and themselves while doing it. If you have never surfed before, you wouldn't dream of going out and buying a surfboard and paddling out into the 50ft waves of a storm in Hawaii would you? If you have never been on a skateboard you go and buy one at the local skate shop and head over to the skate park and drop in on the 12ft halfpipe with 2 feet of vert? The same can be said about inline skates, mountainbikes, even running shoes and so many other pieces of sports equipment. Just because the equipment is readily available does not mean that you are ready to use it.


There is basicaly one main reason for the majority of us to tell you start with an older, smaller bike. We all love our sport. For me,it has been a lifelong passion. We all want to see our sport grow. The key word is grow. Start small, lay a good foundation and grow. So what if you spend a year or so on a bike that isn't as flashy or shiny as that brand new sportbike in the window. This isn't about what you ride, it's about the RIDE. It's about being around in this sport long enough to get skills required to handle that sportbike. I am fully aware that this website is called esportbike.com, but you want to know something? I don't beleive that there is a single member of this community that will tell you to get out if you say your new and just got an LTD 440 or Honda Rebel 450 or any 250cc streetbike that has ever been manufactured.

Take a good look around these forums, there are a lot of very good people here. I could not begin to figure out how many hundreds of years of accumulated knowledge, skills, experience, and yes even humor that there is here. Please, I implore you, use the wealth of information and advice that is available to you here. We all want you to help us in making our sport grow stronger.

Thanks for listening.

Quantumduck

[racer69]

Very well put, makes me just wanna say "Amen"..ive been riding for 2 years this summer(when i turn 16..i started at 14) so a little over a year and a half. anyways i ride a 250Ninja witch compared to any 600cc bike doesnt have much power..but when you learning how to up shift,Down shift,Turn..etc while learning how to do all that it is easy to mess up and a 250 and even maybe a ninja 500..its a hell lot more forgiving than a Gixxer600,F4i,ZX-6..etc. so I agree when getting a learners bike 6's arnt a way to go.

there is a guy i know who, is one of those Civic racer guys who make there engines scream every where they go..and the other day he asked me if i would race him when he got a bike..i asked him if he had ever ridden b-4 he said no..then i asked him what he was wanting he said a Ducati 996 or something that would do over 200mph...he has no idea what hes getting into...

[Curtdog]

I liked your letter.And i do agree with some points that you mentioned,but don't get me wrong here. I am a new rider, in fact i have only the experience of the miles on my bike, witch is 1,200. This is my first bike and its a 2003 YZF R6. Now again I say I have only the experience of 1,200 miles, but i have gone about it the right way. (i think)

I took a course at a college that offered a Beginer rider the experience that the College thinks every new rider needs. I completed the 3 day course, of 24 hours on a 125cc enduro. And got perfect on the final exam. Now this bike has nothing on any 600cc, but the basic skills are the same. I bought the R6 becouse, just like you said it was the shiniest bike i seen in the showroom that cought my eye. Now i believe that people should go and by that 1000cc or the 500cc bike of there dreams, as long as they are fully prepared for that particular bike. Meaning doing what ever it is that makes that rider comfortable on that bike.

If the new rider is fully confedent to take that bike out on the everyday road then i am confedent to be out there with them. I disagree with you when you say buy that 3 year old
LTD 440 or Honda Rebel 450, because the "sport", is not all about the ride, its all about however you enter it. If you enter the "sport" becouse your father is a racing star, your not going to go buy a Harley Cruiser, your going to get the fastest thing you can afford becouse thats what you know about bikes. If you are raised beside the Hells Angels I can guarentee that your not riding a Ducoti 998. So what I am saying , only becouse I am a new rider and I got into the "sport" becouse my friends have R1's and GSXR 1000"s and all I could afford thats close to them is the R6.

So i say go and buy that dream bike, fill it with the highest Octaine available,
cruise down the nearst hot spot, and enjoy the "sport" while everyone is staring at your dream bike and wishing it was them when you throw it into 2nd and smoke pores out the rear tire just before the front wheel comes 4 feet of the ground and the bike BEGS for more......

But again I am a new rider and can only tell you what i know.... :

[RoadpizzaRyan]

Your opinion will change after you wreck your ride :

Trust me, I know from experience :

I hope you never have a crash, but I did everything I could to avoid crashing, but it happened anyway :. Good luck and your spelling "durst" suck :

[rocksmoker]

...and take an MSF course!

JEEZ.

All you kids think you know friggin' everything. Well, you don't. And the penalty here is your life. Don't take that lightly.

Now, go to your room without supper and think about what you've done....

[carb0n]

Well,

I am definately new to the "sport" myself. Haven't ridden a bike since I was probably 12 and that wasn't anything at all really. But, I have to agree and disagree with some of the points as well, even though I am new. I do agree with not going out and buying the newest Hayabusa you can find and then throwing jet kits on it and taking it out your first day and trying to take it to 220mph. But I don't agree with going out and buying a Honda Rebel either. Although I'm sure riding is riding when you get down to the *very* basics, I don't think the nitty gritty is the same on both. You have a sport bike for speed and power, then you have a road bike for pure pleasure and comfort. You have to weigh the two out really. I personally am looking at the Gixxer's, particularly the 750, because they are very nice bikes and I've heard just about nothing but great reviews of them, but, I'm also going to take a course at the DMV and if the colleges around here offer them, maybe on there. I also have friends who are very experienced riders who are willing to help me out at any turn, even if it were to say "Ryan, you don't need that big of a bike" (Which is what was said when I personally said I wanted a Hayabusa or the GXS-R1000, because my friend rides the CBR1100). As I said, I agree with some aspects, but disagree with others. Even though he couldn't spell, the one guy had a good point, buy what you want and what you feel you'll be comfortable with, but be safe about the situation. Don't go out and try to race every Tom Dick and Harry that comes along on your first week of riding. But personally, for me, although I absolutely love the idea of the adrenaline (sp?) of doing 165mph on the highway, it's also about going slow down those downtown roads and hot spots where everyone is looking and saying "Damn" and the women are all over you (typical male stuff, sorry). I want it for speed and power when I'm ready, but for eye appeal right now. [img]/wwwthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[corners]

That entire post has not merit and if full of newbie ignorant comments. Whether or not you agree or disagree is irreverent because you have absolutely no experience on this topic. You don't know what you're talking about. Your comments make as much since as this...

I want to get my pilot’s license and learn to fly. I don't want to fly one of those stupid looking Cessna. I insist on flying an F-16. I disagree with you guys who say to start out on a single engine plane. Now, I don’t want to fly the newest F-22, I’ll just stick with the F-16. I'll just take it easy at first and fly slow. That will keep me safe and I won't have wasted the time flying that stupid Cessna.

Are you starting to catch on yet???[img]/wwwthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[carb0n]

Not even going to argue with you. There is a *major* dif. in flying a damn jet and riding a bike. For you to even remotely associate the two. Well, oh well. Anyhow, I'm not particularly concerned with whether you agree with me or not. If I feel as though I'd like to buy a nice 750, well, who are you to tell me not to? Are you me? Do you know if I catch on quick, do you know whether I've ridden *anything* before? No, therefor, it's irrelevant as to what you think is best and what isn't best.

[GSRider]

This may be true, carb0n, but we are trying to look after your best interests, as well as ours.

Refer to my post in Daily Rant when you were asking about a Suzuki or Ducati Suzuki Or Ducati :

[corners]

You can "think" all you want, but the truth is, a 750 is too much for a beginner. YOU cannot argue with that because YOU have NO knowledge with motorcycles. Your opinions are near worthless. You telling me you opinions about how to learn to ride a motorcycle are like me giving flying tips to an F-15 pilot. Same thing.

No, the fighter jet comparison is not too far off in this situation. You'll see that when you have more experience with motorcycles.

But, hey, this is America and you are allowed to buy what ever you want. Just promise us that if you do get the 750, please do NOT buy full coverage insurance for it. You’ll raise all our premiums when you go down and make a claim.

BTW, the GSXR600, while still not recommended for a beginner but much better than the 750, looks exactly the same as the 750. Why do you want to start out on the 750 when the 600 looks exactly the same, weighs the same, and is less expensive. If you’re wanting the 750 for the “cool” poser effect, you can always buy 750 stickers for you 600. Hell, you can buy 1000 stickers and be the ultimate poser.

Look around. There will be thousands upon thousands of experienced riders NOT recommending the 750 for a newbie. Do you think we're just making this up out of thin air? What makes you, with no motorcycle experience what-so-ever, think you know better than all of us? You're like the little kid who you tell over and over, "don't stick metal objects in the electrical outlet". But what does he do not matter how many times you tell him? He puts a screw driver in the outlet and shocks himself silly and burns the house down.

Well, I’m off to give some business tips to Bill Gates and Donald Trump. Peace. :