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so I'm looking to possibly buy my first crotch rocket. I have had about 2 years of dirt bike riding under my belt. Also I have fooled around on my step dads ZX-6R but never got above 20mph in the neighbor hood. I really want to purchase it , but my dad is a little hesitant. I told him i would not ride it on the high way untill i put a good 200-300 miles on it , and that i would get a good 8 hours of parking lot prac. do you think it would be a good bike ? for a first time street bike rider?

NO

look at it this way... ive rode dirtbikes since i was 4 and when i was 20 got myself a CBR600F2 for $2400.  and like anyone and everyone that ever gets on a streetbike, i binned it within the first 6months of riding.  2years later w/ same bike.. i get my arm broken by a cager making an illegal u-turn, totalling the bike after i jus installed an entirely new suspension. 

so, if u feel like paying $200/mon for insurance to cover a $6500(min) motorcycle that you WILL damage in some way... by all means purchase said bike.  however, if ud like to save THOUSANDS of $$s over the course of the next few years, get yourself a used Ninja250 for $1400 and ride that.  then, save all the $$ u would be spending on insurance (prob 150$ a month) and buy the 06' 600RR when u have cash for it and some more experience. 

im sorry that came off harsh.  hasnt been a good day.

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Naked 93' F2...... RIP -- 04/12/07
04' 600RR Black - currently stuck between track and street usage
- Brembo Master, Sato's, & Ohlins out back

I would get an F4i or F4 if you are set on a 600. maybe check out the new ninja 250r or an old 250 interceptor. You can always move up and 250's are cheaper. 8 hours of practice?? you should always be practicing. Highways aren't as dangerous as people make them out to be eveyone is going the same direction at a decent speed. You just have to watch everyone. Worry about getting a nice looking bike after you drop your first one.

First: Welcome.

Your 2 years dirt bike experience will serve you well but I still say a "race replica" superbike of ANY kind is not ideal for a first street bike even if you "take it easy and respect it" because you will never use it to its potential, have fun, and learn from it. There's a reason why Ninja 250 and such bikes are the best selling bikes as learner bikes; because you can learn properly on them without as much of the fear factor. You can ride it a year or so and resell it for almost what you paid for it because they are in high demand.

A good read if you're so inclined:
Which Bike?

Have fun with your first street bike ... although much of what you learned on dirt will apply to street, 8 hours or 200-300 miles is still like an infant in correlation towards learning street bike riding; it takes a good 1 to 2 years and/or 1000+ miles of every type of terrain to even begin understanding street bikes .. the first year / 1000 miles of twisties (or thereabouts) you're still learning fundamentals of how it works and not so much why it does what it does and what you can to do to apply those learned skills and improve ... much like when you learned dirt bikes.

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Mawfaki # .5

02 CBR954rr 2 Bro's; PC3; Zero Grav; Corbin Seat; Throttlemeister; etc...

A little background on me first, before you consider my advice:  Completed MSF BRC in December, six months riding experience, 900+ miles on 2007 Ninja 250, 2000 miles on '06 CBR600RR.

With that said, I would strongly recommend you do NOT get a 250 if you are of normal size and you have two-wheel experience.  I am new to two wheels (not even dirt bikes when I was younger) and was very done with my 250 in less than two months.  What made it worse was that I was stubborn and bought it new, what a mistake!  Anyway, get something like a 650.  It still has plenty of power but it is more forgiving than a race replica like the RR or ZX-6R.  If you start bigger without going overboard, you will probably keep your first bike longer with no regrets.  Everyone is different on how much practice they need, but once you know the basics of riding you need to get out there and ride!  Practicing in a parking lot will only teach you how to ride in a parking lot.  Keep in mind that some stunt schools require a MINIMUM of 10,000 miles riding experience before you can take their bottom level course.  So you are going to be new for a long time.  Good luck and ride safe.

J

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J

2006 Honda CBR 600RR, Yoshi carbon fiber RS-5 undertail exhaust, PCIII, Zero Gravity dark smoke DB windscreen, Hotbodies smoke flush mount front turn signals, fender eliminator w/ LED signals, Pro Grip CF tank protector, Galfer blue SS brake lines F/R, Diablo Stradas F/R, Pazzo levers, Driven grips
*********This b*tch is fast!!!**********

i like the 250R suggestion. there's nothing like a fun little bike. i started on a 600 (F4) myself, but today, i'd get that 250R in a heartbeat if i had cash laying around.

can you get away with a larger bike, with better brakes, better suspension, ladidadida... yeah. it's possible. but can you really utilize it? probably not. i say that becuase people whine about the 250R and it's "old technology" under the covers. but when i rode one (years later after experience on a 600), i'd keep up with the 600s on the street though it's not knee dragging speed or anything.

my 1st year on a 600:
crash 1 = 6 months into it at my 2nd trackday, but first on my own bike
crash 2 = made a last minute decision to turn right, trailed brake it a little but lost the front due to gravel and i didn't want to cross the center line making the turn (though there was no cars on opposite lane, but just a habit to not cross over blowing it wide)
crash 3 = high sided. cold tires... dampa nd wide sidewalk paint lines. bike just washed about 1.5 hours before. this was less than 50 ft from my garage, coming from a full stop turning right.

all these in under 9 months. and i have zero riding experience previously but i did take msf, and a follow-up private tutorial after i got my F4 (about 2 weeks after MSF).

just food for thought for you. if anything, riding it the street/parking lot practice is probably where you'll bin it. hardly anyone bins it on the freeway, by the way, unless you were doing something very dumb or a car messed you up.

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"Leaders are like tea; put them in hot water to find out how strong they are." Anonymous

I had a few friends who purchased 600rr's as their first bikes.  Most, if not all of those guys rode dirt bikes before.  My brother who is stationed down in texas bought a 05 600rr for his first bike.  He rode a few friends bikes around but was no means a good rider at the time he purchased the honda.  He rode that bike for a year and put about 11,500 on it, no accidents, he learned to stunt some as well.  The only thing that caught up to him was his speeding habits and he got arrested and sold the bike, i dont think that is relevant for your purchase but i figured i'd mention it.  You may be ready for the rr, but i guess the question remains is it worth the extra money and potential negative effects that could occur.

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Current: 98 cbr 600

cars: 96 M3, integra ls

As some of the other posters mentioned, I'd start with a beater. You'll be dollars ahead. Then when you're ready you can buy a new bike of your choice. This has the advantages of having a second bike around when your new one needs service.

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Mawfaki #24/8

My first bike EVER was my 06 RR.  I'd sat on a few at friends houses, and never ridden a dirt bike.  I still have it.  I still love the f*ck out of it.  I went down 3 days later.  Not because of the "Race Replica" bike.  Because I, and a mini van, decided to change lanes at the same time.  My first reaction-brake and swerve.  It wouldn't have mattered what I was riding.  Crash 2- My fault.  Not the bikes.  Hard braking at an intersection...hit an oil spot...lost my rear end out from under me.  Crash 3-  Some douche jock kicked it over at a party.  Partly the bikes fault for being so sexy...mostly mine for my bad habit of talkin sh*t. 

-I'd say you'd even be okay on a Busa.  "A motorcycle is like a woman.  If you respect it and treat with care, it will in turn take care of you for the rest of your life.  If you don't...you're f*cked, my friend."

I don't think it really matters what bike you get.  It just comes down to cash like a few others have said.  If you ride like a tard, it won't matter if you are on a scooter or 1000rr, you will most likely bin it.  If you ride within your limits and take your time learning the bike, you will be fine.  I bought my first bike when I was eleven.  I had been obsessed with cycles since I was born and saved up my paper route money until I had the $200 that bought me my 1971 Honda SL100 (in Mars orange and cream).  This bike was built for on/off road use and rode the piss out of it.  Every day after school I would hop on and tear around our back yard and take the roads about 5 miles out of town to my grandparents property to tear up some alfalfa fields.  I put 60K miles on that bike in the five years I owned before I got stupid and sold it to buy a car.  Then I was pretty poor and couldn't afford another bike until I was 19.  I bought the F4i I still ride today.  I didn't have to worry about insurance cost since it isn't required in WI.  I rode within my limits and took it easy until I was comfortable.  The only time I laid her down was when a pick up cheated the corner and my options were to either nail the bed of the truck or try to squeeze out a lil more lean angle.  I chose the latter, caught my can and laid her out at 65mph.  No major damage, just plastics.  I even rode it home.  So yeah, I had a decent amount of on/off road riding before I got my F4i, but it was a whole different story riding that versus the SL100.  Was it more bike than I needed...yes.  Could I have had just as much fun on a Ninja 250....yes.  Could I have started on a Busa....yes, but I sure as *** wouldn't want to ride one of those ugly-ass beasts.  If you want the bike and can afford the insurance and repairs for when you drop it, go for it.  Just don't come whining back here when you take it to 130 the first week you have it, wipe out and loose 75% of your skin.  Ride within your limits and more importantly, be aware of your surroundings, road conditions and cagers.

My brother in law (22 years old) just bought his first bike.  He had ridden a little 125 dirtbike a lot as a kid and rode my bike around a couple times, but didn't have much experience.  He picked up an '08 600rr.  We spent the first three months just cruising side by side so he could learn from me.  When he got more comfortable, we started hitting the twisties with me in front so he could see my lines.  He is doing great and has had no problems so far.  He is taking it easy and keeping a nice slow learning curve.

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"I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by six."

2001 F4I: silver/black, M4 titanium exhaust, K&N air filter, -1/+2 Vortex Sprockets, Galfer SS Brake Lines, Power CommanderIII, Speedo Healer, LP short stalks rear, hotbodies flush mounts front, LP chrome bar ends, chrome windscreen, GPR steering damper, Intuitive sliders, Pirellis and blue neon underglow(for when I am feeling squiddy)

it really doesnt matter what you ride for a first bike, mine was a f sport. 2001, never ridden in my life before, and it was ok a bit edgy for first couple of rides, after that i was away, its simply just a case of taking it easy.......ish :-). all i would say is please please please get good kit to go with it, leathers, helmet etc etc, its a must, lady pulled out in front of me not so long ago, only at 50ish and to be honest apparently it saved my life.

only thing that matters is that you take it eassy on the bike. i just got my first street bike as well. riding an RR for your first bike might cause you to miss out on the fundementals of riding that you would learn and may cause you to be a little behind the learning curve. but take it easy. the bike would never kill you its the rider that you have to worry about. get the bike you want and you will keep it for some time or get a 250 and you will want a new one in a year.

came from the same story as you riding dirtbikes and quads and its alot different the only thing you have over any other first time rider is that you already know how to shift and use a twist throttle.

just my opinion no expert here by any means.

iv been on dirt bikes for ever, and now have a 01 f4i i got a month ago. the only thing i felt the same about was the shifting and braking, throttle.  but what a dirt bike does not have is all the blinker stuff, horn, and other junk on the handle bars a street bike has. so that was a new thing for my hands and fingers to learn.  also the way you sit on the bike felt totaly different.  iv been riding my cbr for 600+ miles now over a months time, i hopped back on the dirt bike and everything felt all wrong. but it was just like that because i had finaly gotten use to the new sitting possision of the sports bikes.

another option is to find a dual sport, dirt bike feel thats allowed on the street.

ride carefull, do nothing stupid, scan the road surface infront of you for things that might create a problem, and watch out around you for other operaters on the street.

im glad with my purchas. i admit though i was looking at the new ninja 250.

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