Good sport tourer for new rider

[elementalg20]

Haha, I get a slap on the wrist for mentioning the gsx650 as a begginer bike, and from all accounts it's a little more user friendly than the top end heavy FZ6....and then the C10 and better yet Bandit 1200/1250 get brought up.

While the GSX650F is 85hp, it's pretty tractable. It's certainly not the most ideal learners bike I'll give it that for sure, but this go around it's not for a 19 yr old kid either.

GB, as usual is likely spot on suggestioning the new crop of Honda 500's. They are a nice range of bikes with something to offer for most anyone, I wouldn't rule out the nc700x either.

It's all ones opinion, but mine is that I wouldn't suggest a 1000cc or larger sport biased bike to a new rider. Even if it's not a ZX10 or what have you they'll still be powerful, typically heavier, and be deceptively fast.

[Tom-Nor]

Ther is nothing wrong with geting a 600cc or less, i just wanted to point out that just becouse someone is new to motorbikes it dosent mean that they have to stick to smaller bikes.
I see no problem with somone starting with a bike like Bandit1200cc. As long as they have a litel respect for the power, but that goes for every sizes engins

[lambotte]

[QUOTE=LuciferMutt;

NT700? Blech. We want the OP to be interested in motorcycles, not two-wheeled Honda Hatchbacks.[/QUOTE]


Jeez it's not that bad. Bike magazine doesn't give it 4stars because of its name or appearance.

[richarddacat]

Originally Posted by dbk23

Hello Everyone
I will be taking a motorcycle course this spring and getting my bike licence. I want a bike that I can commute back and forth to work with, but I also want a bike I can head out on the weekends for weekend getaways so I am looking for a good beginner bike for sports touring. Yes I have considered the Ninja 250 or Honda CBR 250 but was told will out grow them fast. I am turning 50 years old, stand 5t 10" and weigh 225 lbs. I am looking at the Kawasaki Ninja 650r and the Yamaha FX6R and was wondering what the experienced riders in the forum thought of these bikes to start out? Is there any other bikes I should consider? lso maybe looking at the Kawasaki Versys 650 as a possible option as well. Thanks in advance for taking time to look at my post and hopefully provide some insite. Possibility of getting a used NINJA 500r as well.

Thanks
Darren

So, where you at?

What do you think of our vast recommendations??

[rider33]

don't get me wrong, I loved sport touring bikes but they tend to be bikes you grow into, not start with. Being powerful, heavy, and coated in expensive bodywork, they are not the most forgiving. Since everyone makes mistakes at the start I'd suggest a bike that let's you recover from that a bit more gracefully. A used 250-500 cc dual sport (DR400/650 maybe) would be a good place to look or if you are more street oriented perhaps one of the new Honda 500's. Keep in mind odds are good you'll only have it for a year or two. Buy the bike that makes it easist to learn so when you do get that FJR down the road you're really ready for it.

[Tom-Nor]

Originally Posted by rider33

don't get me wrong, I loved sport touring bikes but they tend to be bikes you grow into, not start with. Being powerful, heavy, and coated in expensive bodywork, they are not the most forgiving. Since everyone makes mistakes at the start I'd suggest a bike that let's you recover from that a bit more gracefully. A used 250-500 cc dual sport (DR400/650 maybe) would be a good place to look or if you are more street oriented perhaps one of the new Honda 500's. Keep in mind odds are good you'll only have it for a year or two. Buy the bike that makes it easist to learn so when you do get that FJR down the road you're really ready for it.

I hade a Triumph Sprint ST955i early in the carer, it was a smooth,easy to control the power and it was forgiving and gave me confidence in sharp turns but not overconfidence.
My mate started with a Honda VFR800 and the same thing goes for that, i think the VFR800 is a good starting bike like the Sprint, has power but are not to powerfull, easy to find confidence and alows errors.
I have droped a bike from the sidestand, but it happend when i was exerienced and had goten a more expensive bike

Ther is nothing wrong with 250 or 600cc bikes, but i think that if a new biker wants biger, then ther nothing wrong with it.
As long as the head is wierd to the right hand, and they have some kind of selfcontrol thers not that big difrence on starting on for example GSX650 or GSX1200
It dosent mean that i recomend RRR1000CC or Hayabusas, but thay are extrem bikes.

[cug]

Originally Posted by Tom-Nor

My mate started with a Honda VFR800 and the same thing goes for that, i think the VFR800 is a good starting bike

From personal experience I disagree. Yes, it totally depends on the rider, but nevertheless, the 600+ cc inline or V4 are very powerful even if people today don't consider 100+ HP as powerful.

I started with Suzuki GS400 for about 5000km, then got on a TransAlp for about 30k km. That bike was pretty much perfect for me. Not too fragile, I dropped it a few times, on and off the road, had a few minor scratches in the plastics and two sets of engine guards, but overall it was just about perfect. Frame was butter soft though which made handling with any kind of luggage above 130km/h more or less impossible and after I got more and more experience the front brakes felt like they lacked a bit - and yes, they actually did.

So, after the TransAlp I got a VFR750F and nearly killed myself on the first ride. I was still used to the TransAlp throttle response, still used to the 50HP, the roads were mostly dry but that one damp corner where I accelerated normally and from my perspective carefully nearly highsided. Now, I had more than 35k km experience by that time, was on the VFR already for about half a day and it still surprised me and scared the shit out of me. I got used to it though and really liked the bike, although I could never get used to the oil tanker wide turning radius. The rest was fine. Put about 50k km on that bike and it was a lot of fun. Would not buy one again. Would buy a TransAlp in a heart beat.

Anyways - from my perspective, I would have either killed or insured myself seriously if I had started out on that VFR.

In my personal opinion 500 to 700cc twin cylinder bikes are great if you can handle the size. If you're a smaller guy or a woman, it might be good to start with something below 170 to 180kg weight, if you're taller and stronger the 200 to 220kg class isn't too bad, you'll drop it anyways though. I'd still stay in the below 70HP category, that is more than enough to ride too fast everywhere you like, but these bikes are normally much less aggressive, much easier to control, and very likely much cheaper to fix when dropped.

One more thing: drop insensibility is a major factor in my opinion. The heavier the first bike the more likely it is to be dropped within a new rider's first 1000km.

When my wife started riding we came up with the requirements for a bike:

- sensible power (less or around 50HP)
- lightweight, easier to hold up and learn proper technique
- wide handle bars, better control, more leverage
- upright seating position

The last two are often underestimated, but a bit more leverage can save a lot of plastic. And when you are leaned forward, that leverage is reduced significantly, same as with clip-on style handle bars.

Also when you buy a good beginner bike used, it's virtually guaranteed that you can sell it for the nearly the same price a year later.

As a side note, there is a reason why a lot of old and experienced bikers go back to light weight and small displacement bikes: they are a hell of a lot of fun. I think the Yamaha WR250X I had was the most fun bike I ever owned.

[Tom-Nor]

We just have to agree to disagree
I went from 100hp to 200hp and had no sceary experience. I dont advise a 200hp bike for a beginer. But as i say, if the right hand is conected to the head and you have som kind of selfcontrol i do not see any problem with starting with a 995i VFR800 or a Bandit 1200.

[cug]

Sure. It worked for you. It might not have worked for me. And not for the lack of self control but for lack of throttle control and luck.

[jsalman93]

Just my 2 cents here, but I would not recommend getting an Fz6. I've had my fazer for the past year and a half and I would definitely not recommend it for a beginner. The clutch engagement is very touchy and the first and second gear are pretty wide apart, which wouldn't make for a fun time in learning your bike. The power starts at about 7k revs (low end power isn't that great). It has great brakes and it's very agile, but I think if you were just getting into riding you will find yourself getting in over your head without some experience. The fazer isn't a monster or anything, but it's not beginner-friendly.

I second the idea of looking into the nc700x. Never ridden one, but they seem very tame and versatile. Also a ninja 500 seems to be a good option, (have you considered the new ninja 300?). It really depends on what you're looking for a bike specifically. Everyone has dreams of getting their first bike and having it do everything so they can travel the world, ride off mountains, impress girls, break the sound barrier. I would say maybe get a kind of in-between bike that does everything moderately decently, and then evaluate your riding needs after a few thousand miles and go for something more specific

PS: Congrats on getting into riding, especially in the later years and welcome to the forum.....stay away from jo momma .

[Tom-Nor]

Maybe thers som difrence on geting a licens in Norway and USA that i am not aware of?
Her in Norway you are required to get a minimum of driving lessons before you can try to get the licens. you have to prove that you can manage a motorbike on the road.
If its difrent in the USA, then erase my coments

[Grainbelt]

Originally Posted by Tom-Nor

If its difrent in the USA, then erase my coments

Much different. Full M endorsement is available by completing:

Written test covering rules of the road.
Road test riding in front of an instructor making turns and stopping based on directions given via intercom.
Zero training required unless you are under 18 or in the military.

Varies by state, somewhat. Many people choose to take a training course with 4 hours of classroom and 10 hours of range time as the bikes used for the test are small and belong to the school, making the maneuvres much easier.

[cug]

I got my license in Germany, moved to the US in 2009. So, many hours in riding school with teacher - but that doesn't matter. What matters is that at least I learned clutch and throttle coordination and control while coordinating myself and the different traffic situation on on a bike over quite a long time (and I'm still learning after ~ 200k miles). The easier the bike makes makes that, the safer you are while learning.

[rider33]

Originally Posted by Tom-Nor

Maybe thers som difrence on geting a licens in Norway and USA that i am not aware of?
Her in Norway you are required to get a minimum of driving lessons before you can try to get the licens. you have to prove that you can manage a motorbike on the road.
If its difrent in the USA, then erase my coments

In the States you can pass your driving test on a 125cc scooter giving you a permit that makes it perfectly legal for you to then take your newly purchased 1199 Duc into heavy traffic. If you check insurance stats, the most dangerous peroid is in the first few years of operation. That would be why a lighter bike with less of a hair-pin trigger is a good idea. Early on you are much more likely to misjudge a curve, miss that there is sand on the road, or fail to notice that the car about to turn in the intersection coming up has not seen you. In situations such as that, less weight and a more gental power evevelop
improves your odds of recovery.

[Tom-Nor]

Ok, il take it back. Her you have to know about how to chose your line throug a curve, posistion your self to be most viseble for traffik,emergance braking,throtllecontrol at slow speed and corner with normal speed and etc etc. If you dont master that you wil not get a licens. So ther is a difrence from Norway(probebly most of the EU contrys) and USA. Then i don not recomend a GSX1200 for a rooki

But i do recomend a rooki to take som kinde of instruction lessons with a licensed instructor, mainly becouse of safty issues, but alos riding becomes so much more fun when you learn how to make use of a motorbike and still ride safeish. Well your never safe in anything, but i hope you get my point