[ToroRosso]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

- What is the exact requirement? a fast bike or a Sports Bike?
- do you intend to do track days or ride in Biking groups which go on rides

Thanks Mod.
Now coming to the requirement part. This is going to sound silly, I have always wanted to buy a SBK and now that I am here I wanted to make maximum out of it (Ticking off my bucket list )

I dont really intend to do track days and plan to use the Bike to travel to office 2 days a week.
I have joined a local biker group and they have a monthly ride and i want to tag along with them. (So its a mix of work riding and occasional group riding). I did try riding an R6 and found the riding posture quite aggressive, My wrists started paining after half an hour so.
The only reason I considered this RR was because the bike seems to be excellently maintained and I kind of liked the riding posture(in relative to R6 i.e). Ideally I want a cruiser, but I couldnt find one in my peanut budget < 6K.
Which other sports tourers would you recommend? The fact that I am in KY doesnt help as well, not a lot of options around here.

Originally Posted by VLOCT

@TorroRosso,

I don't know your skill level however, if you haven't taken a BRIC class, .

Thanks VLOCT. Riding skill would be novice (if there is anything less than that then it would be that). Some folks in my gym have agreed to take me on some rides to show me the ropes, they are very experienced riders (They are part of the HOG though). I would love to get my hands on a Harley but since I am not really a big DIY person was a bit skeptical about it and more importantly couldnt find anything in my budget around here (6K). Thanks for the advice regarding the gear, I intend to invest in some good gear.


The insurance amount - is that normal for a novice rider?

[Technocrat]

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Thanks Mod.
Now coming to the requirement part. This is going to sound silly, I have always wanted to buy a SBK and now that I am here I wanted to make maximum out of it (Ticking off my bucket list )

I dont really intend to do track days and plan to use the Bike to travel to office 2 days a week.
I have joined a local biker group and they have a monthly ride and i want to tag along with them. (So its a mix of work riding and occasional group riding). I did try riding an R6 and found the riding posture quite aggressive, My wrists started paining after half an hour so.
The only reason I considered this RR was because the bike seems to be excellently maintained and I kind of liked the riding posture(in relative to R6 i.e). Ideally I want a cruiser, but I couldnt find one in my peanut budget < 6K.
Which other sports tourers would you recommend? The fact that I am in KY doesnt help as well, not a lot of options around here.

Nothing silly about it

Don't worry about Wrist pain, that will go away after a few days of riding but yes you would have to be in good shape physically to handle these bikes.

Btw the 600RR is no Sports Tourer & if you Are looking for a ST i think you should have good options & should be looking at completely different bikes.

[ToroRosso]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Btw the 600RR is no Sports Tourer & if you Are looking for a ST i think you .

My bad.. Infact I can find a lot of 600RRs, R1s,R6s,ZX-6Rs in my budget (infact less than that) but not a lot of STs.

[VLOCT]

Sport Tourers are heavier although, not as heavy as Cruisers. I think you should forget Harley right now. They're heavy and requires dedication to keep them in top shape.

You're a prime candidate for naked street bikes for the intended use. Plenty of options; I really like the Triumphs but, any make should do. Please don't be offended, with your skill level an SBK, 750 cc or higher, should be out of question. 600 cc should be fine, but, they're not SBKs. Not even close. I don't consider anything less than 100 hp as SBKs.

Once the skill level for all the aspects I mentioned previously, necessary for a rewarding sport riding experience becomes intuitive and reflexive, if you've to think you're too late in a sport riding emergency, you can easily graduate to SBK and I would skip the 750 and go straight to the liter bikes. If you take this route, I see that at least 18 months to 24 months away in your case. And that is with regular exposure to progressively challenging twisties on at least a bi-weekly basis.

I'm glad that you're honest with your skill level, that is absolutely the first step in making the right decision when it comes to motorcycling. It's a dangerous sport that is very unforgiving. The best riders never ride above 80% of their skill level on the street and leave their ego at home. This is especially a difficult thing to do for youngsters.

I truly believe in the saying "there are only two kinds of motorcycle riders, ones who have crashed and the ones who are going to crash".

Your insurance will be expensive if, you don't own a home, are young and with no record. It goes with the territory. Try an independent insurance agent, instead of dealing directly with the insurance companies.

[ToroRosso]

Originally Posted by VLOCT

You're a prime candidate for naked street bikes for the intended use. Plenty of options; I really like the Triumphs but, any make should do.

Thanks VLOCT. I never really did consder the Naked bikes, though i had scanned around for Triumphs (Bonnie/Street triple)/Daytonna 675) couldnt find one in a decent nick in a 100 mile radius.

I need to start sounding my age .I will be hitting 29 later this year , so definitely not Young.
Regarding the no record, would it make sense to buy a bike 4-5 months after getting a license?
Right now I am only looking at 600cc and as you have rightly pointed out, once i have the required skills only will I progress towards the litre class.

Are there any track driving schools that I can enroll in? I did attend a couple of Nascar Track driving sessions though.

Hey ! 600RR and R6s are both>100 hps

[VLOCT]

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Thanks VLOCT. I never really did consder the Naked bikes, though i had scanned around for Triumphs (Bonnie/Street triple)/Daytonna 675) couldnt find one in a decent nick in a 100 mile radius.

I need to start sounding my age .I will be hitting 29 later this year , so definitely not Young.
Regarding the no record, would it make sense to buy a bike 4-5 months after getting a license?
Right now I am only looking at 600cc and as you have rightly pointed out, once i have the required skills only will I progress towards the litre class.

Are there any track driving schools that I can enroll in? I did attend a couple of Nascar Track driving sessions though.

Hey ! 600RR and R6s are both>100 hps

Have you considered giving a naked bike a try out? You should. There is a good chance that you'll love it. They really are awesome bikes.

Buying a bike later would probably not make much of a difference since, the insurance companies will be looking at your insurance history.

If these are above 100 hp, you can consider them as sub SBKs for sure. But they're a far, far cry from true SBKs. I must however, preface that statement with the fact that an expert on a 600 will run circles around an average/poor SBK rider, which unfortunately is what you find that majortiy of SBK riders are.

I remember Nick Ienatsch reminiscing an experience from his racing days. He was practicing on his race prepped liter bike on the track putting in some fast laps, when someone blew by him as if he was standing still. This kept happening lap after lap after lap. He later realised that the other rider was Kevin Schwantz, who at that time was at his peak, riding his 600. Kevin went on to become the 1992 MotoGP 500 champion. That's what skill does. All this fixation on bike capacity is meaningless without the skill to match, except maybe for bragging rights.

Nascar - you mean the one where they go in circles and only has left turns, if you can call them turns, that is.

[kraft.wagen]

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Thanks VLOCT. I never really did consder the Naked bikes, though i had scanned around for Triumphs (Bonnie/Street triple)/Daytonna 675) couldnt find one in a decent nick in a 100 mile radius.

I need to start sounding my age .I will be hitting 29 later this year , so definitely not Young.
Regarding the no record, would it make sense to buy a bike 4-5 months after getting a license?
Right now I am only looking at 600cc and as you have rightly pointed out, once i have the required skills only will I progress towards the litre class.

Are there any track driving schools that I can enroll in? I did attend a couple of Nascar Track driving sessions though.

Hey ! 600RR and R6s are both>100 hps

I think you are right on track, starting with a 600 is the best. I was in the same boat(still am) to buy a CBR last summer, but didn't strike a deal. Hoping to this year.
I'm not sure why insurance is quoting 200-300, I had a quote for 2009 CBR with comprehensive for around 100. Even though there are lot of factors into it, so much of difference is weird.

I had the exact trouble, though I'm a huge fan of R6, the posture was not that comfortable, hence I decided on the CBR.
Like VLOCT suggests do make sure you attend a training from MSF. Insurance companies give some discount if you have the certificate too.

Lastly set aside a good budget and invest on some quality gear. Do PM me if you need any help with gear, I have stocked up my wardrobe with gear, but no bike yet

If you like naked bikes, be sure to check Ducati Monster, not sure how easy it is to get a used one where you live.

VLOCT how do you rate KTMs?

[VLOCT]

Duc, KTM all fantastic bikes but, now we're talking serious money with a much shorter regular maintenance schedule, and that can cost quite a penny. I've a serious weakness for them anyway.

But as a first bike, it's difficult to recommend since, any mishap will cost a fortune to fix. Insurance will pay but, may drop you or, jack up the premiums significantly.

[ToroRosso]

Originally Posted by VLOCT

Have you considered giving a naked bike a try out? You should. There is a good chance that you'll love it.

Thanks again VLOCT, but would i realistically be able to find any naked bikes in my budget...

Nascar - you mean the one where they go in circles and only has left turns, if you can call them turns, that is.

Hey!! Thats Mean!!Really Mean!!! The darn car was sliding all around the track.. It hurts when you say that .. It needs real skill you see

Originally Posted by kraft.wagen

Lastly set aside a good budget and invest on some quality gear. Do PM me if you need any help with gear, I have stocked up my wardrobe with gear, but no bike yet

Thanks KW. Much appreciated. I need to get 2 sets , one for me and wifey. Which online stores do you use?

I really liked the R6 but the 600RR is much more "user friendly" (If it can be termed that way)..

I shouldnt be even thinking about the Ducs, thats so beyond my $$$$ at the moment..

[VLOCT]

I cannot see why you won't be able to get a used naked street for a $6k budget.

[J.B]

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Right now I am only looking at 600cc and as you have rightly pointed out, once i have the required skills only will I progress towards the litre class.

Hey buddy, you might consider a ninja 650r to start with, you could even get a naked sports version if you look around. Used ones could be had for ~4k$. This if you are ok with less than 100 bhp. Best.

[VLOCT]

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Thanks KW. Much appreciated. I need to get 2 sets , one for me and wifey. Which online stores do you use?

I always found excellent deals here.

http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/

Originally Posted by J.B

Hey buddy, you might consider a ninja 650r to start with, you could even get a naked sports version if you look around. Used ones could be had for ~4k$. This if you are ok with less than 100 bhp. Best.

That sure is a sweet looking bike. Kawi green skin would be perfect. Kawis are the only japs I have a soft corner for especially, the Kawi green.

[chevelle]

All these motorcycle talks is making me go out and buy one.

Keeping it going guys, i could land up with one soon as i can't resist it.

Even my budget would be $6k or less but just can't find a good bike save for ninja 250 which won't just cut it.

ToroRosso, if you are getting a CBR6000 for just $5.5k i would bite it. too good a deal to resist. Good luck and keep us updated.

[kraft.wagen]

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Thanks KW. Much appreciated. I need to get 2 sets , one for me and wifey. Which online stores do you use?

I really liked the R6 but the 600RR is much more "user friendly" (If it can be termed that way)..

I shouldnt be even thinking about the Ducs, thats so beyond my $$$$ at the moment..

I picked my jacket and gloves from Revzilla. They have good discounts on lot of products but very minimal on Alpinestar
I got my helmet from http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/

Make sure you visit a couple of showrooms and try the helmets and jackets before you order online. There are plenty of sites which talks bout how to select the helmet. Be sure to read them.

BTW What color is the CBR

Does KY register the bike for x months or entire year? If its not entire year, you can pick cheaper insurance for the winter period and comprehensive for summers or the months you will be riding.

[ToroRosso]

Originally Posted by kraft.wagen

BTW What color is the CBR

Thanks KW
The color is Black with Grey graphics :(, i am not too happy with the color as i always wanted a Red or White/Blue combo.

KY Registers it for the year unfortunately.

Infact I am heading for the Motorcycle outfits not to try out the helmets.