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Please help me decide on a bike!!!!

3K views 38 replies 13 participants last post by  185EZ 
#1 ·
So I'm a 21 year old college guy just looking to get a new motorcycle. I've been around them and had friends that had them. I talk a lot of bullshit about getting one but finally made the step in the right direction in getting a bike at a dealership. This is my first bike so I was looking at something more along the 600cc bikes. I'm not more or less picky if it's a kawi, suzuki, or honda. I just want a great bike for the money and with low miles. So here are my options that I've been thinking about.

-First is a 2006 CBR600rr with 4500 miles asking $3,800 out the door (This is a track bike with no turn signals,lights ect..)

-Second is a 2006 kawasaki ninja600r with 12k miles asking 3k and out the door around $3,300


-Third one is a 2008 honda cbr600rr with 9k miles asking $6,800 out the door.


In all honesty I don't have ANY money to put down. So I'm using my 755 credit score to help me out. I also already put in paper work for the 2008 cbr and the 2006 cbr. I will get a call from the bank Monday to see how much a month they want over a 48-60 month period. Personally I really like the 2006 cbr track bike but I obviously have a lot of worries since all 4500 miles were ridden so damn hard, not to mention it doesn't have headlights or turn signals. The guy said I would be looking at another grand or so to make it street legal. The sales man for the 2008 cbr was a sneaky little fuck, I asked him to show me bikes under 4k and now I'm looking at locking up with a 2008 cbr which I really doubt I would go through with. SO HERE'S MY MAIN QUESTION..... would it actually be worth it buying the track bike to make it street worthy or cut my losses and get the 2006 ninja 600r....CALL ME AN IDIOT OR WHATEVER just give me good feedback because I dont want to get screwed out of 3-4k lol. THANK YOU FOR READING!!!
 
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#3 ·
Here is my two cents.

Don't get the track bike. If you don't even have money for a down payment I doubt you have the money to make it street legal. You are going to want to ride it right away.

The 2008 is my dream bike so as much as I hate to say it don't get that one either. You wanted to look at bikes under 4k and that one is well over that. Don't be a dumb 21 year old and put things on your credit that you can't afford.

So if we use some simple logic looks like the best choice is the 2006 Ninja
 
#4 ·
If you don't have the money to pay the money up front, you might want to just get something smaller. I've been riding a Ninja 250 for since September and it's more than enough bike for most people. At least for beginners. Just today, I got the thing going 90mph on the freeway. But, I was able to buy a 2009 with 8k miles for only $2300.

Also, keep in mind that taxes and licensing and all that can add up to quite a bit. Around here that was nearly an extra thousand on top of the bike between the sales tax and the title paperwork.
 
#5 ·
Not wise to start your riding career with any of the bikes you mentioned.

They need to be revved in order to perform, they are hard to ride at lower speeds, they are less comfortable, less forgiving, less practical and less economical than other choices.

Yes, they look great, sound cool and go faster than the other choices but you should really start with something smaller and more rider friendly.
 
#8 ·
My next bike will probably be something more like that. I love my 250r, but it's not really very well suited to touring. Even with the supracor seat mod I had done, it's still kind of tough to ride too far with it. And the luggage options are fairly limited.

But, it is an affordable bike and one that's pretty forgiving. As with any motorcycle, you can get yourself in trouble with it, but it does seem to be more forgiving.

But, as I said, a 250 or 300cc bike is almost certainly going to be enough for the OP. I'm about 190# and the bike doesn't have much trouble getting me up to 90 even with a head wind.
 
#9 ·
....CALL ME AN IDIOT OR WHATEVER
OK, I won't call you an idiot.:laugh:
If you don't have ANY money to put down, how are you going to maintain this bike?
They aren't exactly a cheap ride especially if you want to be safe and be replacing tires and doing it right.
Have you checked into insurance?
If you finance they'll most likely make you get full coverage.
And these bikes you're looking at have ZX or R and even an RR which will shoot the price up for anyone's premium.
Get something that ends in PED. :)
 
#11 ·
It is much safer to go from the 650 to the 600 (maybe 50 more horsepower) to the ZX-10R (another maybe 50 horsepower). It will also save you money, especially if you buy a used bike and sell it later for about what you paid for it.

The ZX-10R will probably be very high for insurance until you are about 26 years old.
 
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#16 ·
now that the op's head is spinning
This is what I would do in your situation since you have no money and you won't have to worry about selling or trading up.
Buy a brand new zx14r. It has the various power modes so you'll be safer.
You'll get a 1 year warranty.
Then put your insurance premium on your credit card.
spell check, check!:wink2:
 
#21 ·
That's great advice to not buy the bike on credit but that's not what the op was asking.
Not sure how a college student is going to save enough cash for a decent used bike and then buy all the gear and insurance etc.
I'm not here to guide this guy through life. If he makes a bad decision then he'll learn the hard way.
What I've seen in forums is guys like this asking a question and 100% of the replies say don't do it.
Then they don't listen and do it anyway.
If I was to give advice on this matter, don't buy the bike until you graduate college and get a decent full time job
 
#24 ·
More horsepower is more dangerous- panicking and grabbing too much throttle is less likely to cause a crash on a bike with less total horsepower.


Second, the 600cc supersports and 1000cc+ superbikes have much more powerful front brakes, needed to stop the bike at 150 mph plus- panicking and grabbing too much front brake is less of a problem with a lower horsepower bike, since it usually has weaker front brakes that are less likely to raise the back tire off the pavement.


Third, the supersports and superbikes usually have wider, stickier back tires to keep their higher horsepower from spinning the back tire on clean pavement- panicking and using too much throttle or too much back brake is more likely to cause the back tire to slide then stick again, more likely to cause the dreaded high-side crash.


Fourth, a lighter bike can usually take corners faster without crashing- they usually have narrower tires because less turning forces are needed from the tires. Going too hot into a corner on a lighter bike is less likely to result in a crash- the heavier the bike, the more inertia wants to make the bike go straight instead of turn, and more friction is needed from the tires to make the bike turn, compared to a lighter bike.


Fifth, a bike with 4 cylinders is more likely to have a steeper powerband, with more power coming on all at once at higher rpm, compared to a single, twin, or triple cylinder bike. Beginners are much safer starting with 1 or 2 cylinders- 3 cylinder Triumph 675s and the Yamaha FZ-09 are probably too high powered for a beginner to be safe with. There are some tamer 4-cylinder bikes not considered a supersport now, such as the old Honda CB-750 air cooled motor with a top speed similar to the modern 650 twin cylinder.


England makes young beginners start with a 125cc and gradually allows more power, and Japan makes anything over 400cc a lot more expensive. The US lawmakers think it is wise to allow a ZX-14 as a first street bike for a 16 year old rider, and Kentucky only requires a helmet the first year of street riding- this ridiculous lack of laws does reduce the number of motorcycle riders in the US from the Darwin Effect (thinning the herd).
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#26 ·
1. If you can't pay cash, wait until you can.

2. A 600 supersport as a first bike is a bad idea. Some have done it. Some have even started on literbikes and survived. That doesn't make it a good idea.

3. Save your money until you can pay cash for a used Ninja 250/300 or similar (R3 or CBR250/300), Ninja 650 at most. Be sure to budget for gear, insurance, and maintenance.
 
#28 ·
I started with an $1,800 car in college (in 1979), after working 60 hours a week in a factory for a year and living in my parent's house to save money for college.

I sold this car (1972 Plymouth Barracuda) and bought a $1,200 650cc motorcycle (1978 Yamaha XS-650) and a $200 car (rusty big Buick) in 1980, and only rode the motorcycle for 6 months for much lower insurance and fuel costs, to help pay for college.
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#31 ·
This video linked below is good- he explains that his girlfriend's 125cc is not a good beginner bike, and the 300cc Ninja is better for beginners, because of how smooth and forgiving it is. The higher price compared to a used 2008 250cc Ninja is not so good, but you get a slipper clutch and the option for ABS braking with the newer 300.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDzi21ON8D4
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#32 ·
This video linked below is good- he explains that his girlfriend's 125cc is not a good beginner bike, and the 300cc Ninja is better for beginners, because of how smooth and forgiving it is. The higher price compared to a used 2008 250cc Ninja is not so good, but you get a slipper clutch and the option for ABS braking with the newer 300.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDzi21ON8D4
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so you say the higher hp bike is more safer bike better for beginners?
sev?:laugh:
 
#33 ·
So many good bikes to begin with without spending/losing $$$...

And still free of electronic intervention I should add, I think it is important to learn how to ride a bike properly without endangering yours and other people's lives.

Nothing beats riding the wheels off of a purely analog bike :)
 
#35 ·
A few questions for the OP.

Do you have a car or will the bike be your main source for transportation?

Have you factored in the costs for maintenance, tools & good riding gear?

Have you looked into where in your state you can take the MSF course?

Good luck with your search but remember the cost of the bike and insurance is only the beginning. IMHO it’s a good idea to learn how to do at least the basics yourself so dealerships or other repair shops don’t rape you. Things such as fluids & filter changes, brakes (both pads and fluids), removing your wheels from the bike when the tires need replaced…things like that. To do this you’ll need tools. Tools cost money. I bought mine gradually over time. When I needed something, I got it.

Anyway, just some things to think about. Cheers.
 
#36 ·
In the video above, his girlfriend's 125cc was a race replica- uncomfortable and with a front brake that was more of an on-off switch compared to a 300cc Ninja front brake.


A 125cc 4-stroke is probably just fast enough for a 55 mph speed limit, but at a high rpm that will wear the engine out pretty quickly for hours at a time, and such a light bike will likely get tossed around more by wind gusts.


Some countries have a 125cc 2-stroke engine available for street use with about the same power as a 250cc 4-stroke engine.


A 125cc 4-stroke scooter might be very comfortable, but it is only for a 45 mph speed limit or less, and you will not learn how to shift gears while using a clutch lever. A beginner is helped by starting with an automatic transmission, then later learning to manually shift for their second motorcycle.


Soon you will not be able to buy a new non-ABS street bike in England, and BMW will soon only sell new bikes with ABS- their on and off-road models will likely have a switch to turn off the back wheel ABS when desired.
 
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