Re: Sport Bike
 

If I was you, I would go on crashedtoys.com look at the eastbethel location. You may find something alot cheaper. They have theft recoveries, lowsided bikes, high sided bikes, and front end collision etc. I would look for a nice bike that has been lowsided and has little to no stator damage. Take fairings off or leave them on and learn how to ride.

Sad truth is there are only two type of riders, those that have gone down, and thoses who are going down.It happeneds to us all one time or another.

I would get a bike thats 750cc or above. 250cc will be cool for the first 15min or until you try to punch it on a on or off ramp. You want to learn with a decent size bike, because you build habits when you ride. I know to many people that started out with a 600cc then bumped up to a 1000cc while maintaining the habits they formed with the 600cc. Long story short they went down. Or worse. You will long for the power of a larger motor as time goes by anyway, so why buy twice ?

A perfect scenario would be to shop crashedtoys.com find yourself nice theft recovery or lowsided bike (you would be amazed with a bike what a insurance company labels totaled) spend a little under your budget because you may need to do a few easy repairs

Perfect example. Back in 08 a buddy of mine bought a 04 f4i off crashed toys for 2500 well below msrp and blue book of that year. Just had to replace ignition that was punched out of the bike(theft recovery) sold the fairings that were mint on it, and turned it into a stunt bike.

No sense in buying something nice and new. Although you can get really nice bikes from there. Sorry for the rant. Just my .02 cents. And please wear a helmet. Dont be a re re


Also things to look for in a bike

Chain, is it rusted ? Loose (stretched) does it touch rear tire ?

Sprockets, theres two sets, front and back. Are the teeth missing or rounded ?

Front forks. Is the front seals leaking ? Means someone was hitting wheelies and coming down hard.

Could also mean worn clutch depending how they were popping it up.

Always check stator covers and handle corners (people go down and replace everything but sometimes miss the handle corners or edge of the top windsheild fairing and try to sell and never gone down)

Listen to how it idles , does it smell very rich? Could need jets adjusted or tune.

Does it have full exhaust or just a slip on ? (Flapper mod done)

Does the clutch engage strongly ?

Is the battery good ? Does it start strong right away ?(batteries are not cheap)

Tires tread( does the rear middle of the tire look flat ? Or is it still rounded)

Flat means long straight rides and worn tires. Round still means tread.

Check chicken scratch on side of tires. Look an see the length. If it goes half way up the wall of the tire, good guys its.been tracked or rode hard. You get that from wear on the tires taking nice sharp low turns at a good speed. Another indicator on how the clutch may be.

Im missing alot of hints and tips. But if you want someone to come check it out with you, or have anymore questions just shoot me a text or pm. The test isnt hard to pass. Just dont PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN!!!!!!

952-356-6385.

Re: Sport Bike
 

I dont agree on the size of bike your saying to buy. 600 is perfect starter bike. Anything bigger is just dumb to ride as your first bike. You really dont need anything bigger than a 600 on the streets. anything bigger than a 600 shit can go wrong really fucking fast.

Re: Sport Bike
 

Wow, Miles that is the worst information I have ever seen. Go check out all the pro riders, where did they start? Small bikes. You learn to carry speed and more art of riding. If you start out on too big of a bike then you are scared of it and never really learn how to ride. You pussy foot through the corners and hammer it on the straights.

Even a newer 600 rocket is a very potent machine for a new rider, shit just happens too fast. The SV650 is really the best learner bike out there. Torquey V-twin, forgiving chassis but still enough grunt to keep you entertained for a couple of years. Most insurance companies don't classify them as a rocket either, so that can be a big difference.

I have a 1k and I agree that it is bigger than you need for the streets. I had more fun on my 750. The limits are just so high that you rarely get to explore them.

Re: Sport Bike
 

Jet is right. I started out on a ZX14. I traded my drag car for it. I had tons of fun on it but never went past half throttle and never above 6k rpm. Even worse, I barely leaned taking turns.

I bumped down to an R6 and actually learned how to do ride decently.

Now I'm on an F4i and have learned how to take turns the way I want (good enough for the street, probably still really crappy on the track), how to brake, how to 2 up, etc.

Re: Sport Bike
 

Thank you miles. Definitely not the worst info in regards to the inspection part. As far as power level goes from all the input im gathering that a 250 might be just a little to small. Yet 600 seems to be the perfect balance between handling ....open path for exploration...and looks. Crashed toys . com huh? Hmmm ill spend some time checking that website out during brake.

I most likely will take you up on the inspection part ....im not quite sure what the low sided or high sided means assuming it relates to crashing ha. Only two types of riders that have gone down and the ones that will go down....As long as i get back up ill be alright. Im sure with plenty caution i can postpone that situation for a while.

Im really liking the look of the honda cbr and up...the ninja looks nice but unfortunately the ones i can afford are only 250's which im suppose to steer clear of. Can you test ride the bikes on Crashedtoys?

Re: Sport Bike
 

Similiar to this bike? http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hn...626665699.html It appears to be a really good deal....few things need to be done and ill have to do some negotiating slash talking and investigating on that bike it self but i most like will contact him and go check it out.

What do you guys think about that one? The plastics i guess are in rough shape but im sure you can take them of and paint them? As long as they are not cracked....Again i dont mind doing minor repairs....but if i already have to replace fork seals ...chain and sprockets...tires, brakes and the likes id rather get a functional bike....Im sure one can perform most repairs with standard house hold garage tools.

Miles inspection list was really nice, learned some vocabulary and im sure with just a little bit more research i should be able to differentiate good from bad. I dont want to impulse buy, yet i dont want to miss the boat on good deals either.

I started looking into bike stands and all that...but i DONT WANT ANOTHER DSM...that only has 2 wheels lol!

Re: Sport Bike
 

About what the insurance considers a bike (Rocket) brings up another one of my thoughts i had.... How do tickets affect Insurance rates...and what not? What sort of insurance would i even have to get as a starter? Does motor cycle insurance work under the same principle as a car ....(Full coverage/ Liability ect)...

I have a total of 5 tickets....

-2 equipment, which I guess dont add any points,
-One speeding ticket 2 years old....
-One car pool lane ticket 2 years old...
-Right turn on a red light 3 years old, should be dropping this may with progressive?

What would an average rate be? Given age and Record. Do you get discounts for purchasing certain safety equipment, I imagine taking a safety course might be of some sort of benefit? To my understanding its a voluntary choice....which i think is sort of backwards....seat belts are mandatory...yet helmets are not? I know ill be wearing a helmet no matter what!

Re: Sport Bike
 

I think you had better call insurance companies and get a few quotes, you might be shocked if you want full coverage. If you don't take a loan on it, then you can get by with liability and it will be much cheaper. I pay $140/yr for full coverage, but I am old and have a good driving record finally :P When I was looking State Farm was the only way to go for a rocket, but I am not sure you can get in with them with your driving record. No discounts for safety gear.

My vote for your starter bike:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/da...534521101.html

Here is the 2003-2008 SV650s and you can buy lowers for it to make it look like a rocket.
http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/S...e_side_450.jpg

Re: Sport Bike
 

I would recommend to stay away from this bike. He rode the bike to Fargo and yet will not take the bike to a shop that is less than 15 miles from Elk River for a 15 dollar repair. His reason is no motorcycle endorsement. If the bike does not sell by March he is going to repair it and keep it. Yet he has not motorcycle endorsement. Might be more work than it is worth.

Takes Jet's advice on the SV650. The SV is a great canyon carver. It is not a fast bike and it is not a slow bike either. Spend 300 dollars on suspension and the bike handles very well. It is going to take you two years of riding to out grow the SV. Yet the bike will retain it value for your next upgrade. The SV get a lot of respect from most riders too.

Re: Sport Bike
 

To each his own in respect of motor size. I guess it all depends on your learning curve. Anything over a 1000cc i believe is too big for any fun.

Some people enjoy cc's differently. If your just street cruising for the ladies and to say you have a bike with occasional fun runs then a 600 is perfect.

But if you like to ride, and willing to explore what riding truly has to offer , as in track time and even dragging. 1000cc is already able to perform . Its a street legal track bike. Obviously people who know bikes will argue that with a 600 you can break later and turn sharper, but thats a whole othier debate.

We are on a performance forum. Im sure you like speed , hp, and torque. So why limit yourself out of the gate ? But at the same time do your research. What i love you may hate and vice versa. Ride a few bikes. It will feel akward at first no matter what you ride.

Just remember to keep your feet up! Have you taken your permit test yet ? And to those who commented on my post. What i meant by taking fairings off and riding i mean in a large empty parking lot. Get the feel for it. Counter steering , you basically ride with your hips and counter steer

Re: Sport Bike
 

my co workers selling his 2009 ninja 500. would be a great learning bike

Re: Sport Bike
 

Why do you want a bike anyways? Chicks? Save money? Try to look cool? Whats the real reason? bikes are not cheap to ride. A bike will cost you lots of money if you ride it alot.

Re: Sport Bike
 

If he ever really does get into racing, the real racing orginizations will not let a new person in their orginization race a 1000cc bike. I'm sure I'd rock a new guy on a 1000 bike on a track if I had a 600. Hammer fisting on the straights is fun but does not teach a new guy how to ride.

I rode my r6 for several years before I got rid of it, never really got bored of it.

Re: Sport Bike
 

Pm some details please!

Re: Sport Bike
 

Well ive never been the do anything with the intention of showing of especially for girls so ..hmm not for girls ..no homo....as far as the cool factor... I really really think bikes are sweet..the looks the sound just everything about them...plus I'd like to explore and face my fears....I think bikes are super reckless kind of ha but at the same time if your no over confident and learn the basics well you can postpone being one if the two types of riders...not to mention the girl or any second passenger I can only imagine will take quite some time to master ha...I'm worried about my own health ..then another funny

Re: Sport Bike
 

Sorry man, but this is totally a squid mentality. Go find any truely good rider (expert level with the CRA) and ask them about starting out on a liter bike. If you started on a liter bike you will probably never be a really good rider or you are going to crash a lot. I raced in the CRA for 3 years and made expert level. There is a reason you see race series' always have a "feeder series", whether open wheel, NASCAR or GP racing. They always start with lower powered cars/bikes and work their way up.

While you may have no intentions of becoming a racer the logic still applies to the street. You are going to avoid a collision easier if you have better bike control, which you learn with a smaller bike.

That 500 ninja is a decent bike, mediocre power and handles well. The biggest knock on it is the steel frame, but it doesn't seem to hurt the handling. They are very reliable too.

Re: Sport Bike
 

Open track days anyone with a suit and helmet and a few misc. Can hit the track. And just because you have the power of a 1000cc dosent mean you have to use it. When i got my first bike it was 1/2 throttle to 3/4 throttle for the longest time. Aside from the size and weight.(which truly isnt much difference anymore)

Basically the whole point im trying to make here is that a 1000cc has more power and torquelower and sooner then a 600cc up top things slowly align with the too depending on modifications.(dont flame lol try to keep it simple)

A 1000cc is easier to scare yourself on, but at the same time you will respect it faster and when your ready to ride and have fun. All the power is there. Plus all the guys and groups you meet will most likely be sporting 750cc+. Its all about riding at your own level.

Hypothetically you can fuck yourself up on both bikes. An 600cc is easier to pick up then 1000cc lol.

Oh, and lowside is case best case scenario in a crash, thats bike sliding out from under and you sliding with it. Happends when tire loses traction mainly in a tight turn

Highside, not worst case but pretty bad. This is when tire.loses traction then regains it while its kicked side ways, causeing you to virtually slingshot off your bike up and over.

Depending on your gear and riding style this could be death or just changed underwear :) always wear gear!

If you youtube it youll see some pretty nasty ones(moto gp). Lowsides they almost always get up , high sides is 50/50

Re: Sport Bike
 

Im scared as is!!! & I havent even got on a bike yet! Looks like there are quite a few people that would like to learn to ride this season though...ill check out that place in edina one of these days and keep an eye out on crashed toys .com...maybe ill even sell the dsm for some dirt cheap price...Cost of Gas just keeps on GOING WAY UP!

As far as high siding goes i assume its a 50 percent chance of surviving or dying...thats good to know....i dont see low siding being to common unless your over confident or just slip on gravel or something? People keep your eyes and ears open for killer deals on bikes please!

Thank you,

Re: Sport Bike
 

As blunt as it is, you have a 50 percent chance of dying everyday lol. You ethier die or you dont. Why not live life to the fullest :)

I was rushing in my last post. High sides and low sides can happen at any time. Your driving on a bike that has no more grip on the rode then a size 11 shoe. (Depending on tire size)

Just dont ride outside your limits, and always be aware of your surroundings and wear gear. You'll be fine :)

Re: Sport Bike
 

Ha, I did this on a 200cc enduro. Just make sure to pay attention to what you're doing. Anticipate the actions of those that might enter your driving path. I was going around a bend and had a car pull out in front of me. I didn't have a chance, But be safe. Helmet is a must, gloves and elbow pads i'd highly advise. The hot nurse that pulled gravel out of my elbow wasn't very gentle.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ps02a789de.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...psed5e23ec.jpg

Re: Sport Bike
 

I rode my r6 for several years before I got rid of it, never really got bored of it.[/QUOTE]


Agree I've had my 600 for 2 years and it's still plenty of fun and I still think i have more to learn

Re: Sport Bike
 

Same as my bike, hceap as fook. it's actually an 04 is if it's that scheme. Probably gone by the end of today.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ra...635551269.html

as well as another one

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hn...635566708.html

could be fake though.

Re: Sport Bike
 

Well shit I might have to call on those at lunch time. Thats pretty cheap.

Re: Sport Bike
 

The phone numbers are the same.

Re: Sport Bike
 

One way to put the 600 vs 1000 debate to rest is...

Any recent model (2000+) 600 should be around 3 seconds 0-60 and around 6 seconds 0-100.

As a beginner and even amateur rider, do you really think you need more than that?

If I did it again, I'd start with a Kawi 500.


And in case you're wondering, just like the guy on the 3rd page. You are about 99% guaranteed to have a very expensive cleaning of any injuries with a stainless steel wire brush - should you go down without gear.

Re: Sport Bike
 

To be honest, my Honda CB450 cafe bike was more fun than my GSXR-750. Just depends on what kind of bike you want. Ive been riding minibikes and cycles since i was a kid though.

Re: Sport Bike
 

Get a supermoto. I had a suzuki drz400sm this summer for a while and that bike was a blast. Wish I could afford to get another one as a second bike.

It's not a sport bike but handles better than them in the tight stuff, gets better mileage (60mpg on mine bouncing off the limiter and wheeling every where I went) and if you crash not a whole heck of a lot happens. Might not be a horrible idea for something to cruise around with and see if you like it. Plus I doubt you'd ever get sick of it. You can be such a hooligan on one once you get your skill level up

Re: Sport Bike
 

^^ sumos are teh shizz!

Re: Sport Bike
 

KTM Duke is a strong contender for my next bike!

http://www.motodisiac.com/blog/wp-co...-superduke.jpg

Re: Sport Bike
 

I enjoy my Buell lightning, things not super fast but the Harley 900ish cc engine provides nice torque and is really a nice small nimble bike to ride. Would like something like that KTM or Triumph Triple R as a next bike.

Re: Sport Bike
 

You know, with that new ohm certificate form being released, building some 250's or even 125's would be fun to rip around town in! I really want to build one.

Anybody know a lot about sumos? Really want one along side my street bike some day. Feel free to school me but the wr250's look to fit the bill.