Have you ever been on a literbike?

OP, highly recommend considering a 650 or a 500 to start with.


Most sportbikes make crappy beginner bikes...partially because they make a lot of power, but they are also not terribly comfortable, and all their power comes on strong up top...with little grunt down low.


The 650s and 500s tend to be torquier and have a more sane powerband, not to me mention a more comfortable arrangement.

I'm going to have to go with suggesting a 250 if you zero experience. I own my 250 still in addition to my ZX6, and I still love riding it. I hate the term "outgrowing" the bike because until you can ride that bike to its absolute limit, you haven't outgrown anything. That little 250 is capable of far more then people give it credit for, and the learning curve to become a skilled rider is much easier.

EDIT: the 500 was mentioned as well, that's also a very good first bike, especially if you'll be on faster roads a lot. The 650 is pushing it, but it's definitely doable.

My beef with the 250s (and certain 500s), is the way you can get yourself in trouble by not having enough power....a lot of this comes down to location, but I constantly found myself unable to accelerate away from situations on the highway with my gs500. With a 650, I felt like the bike had enough grunt that it could move, but you still didn't have the risk of sneeze-throttling yourself to death.


Of course, a 250 is probably more than enough if you don't have high speed highways to deal with.

The Yamaha R1 (998cc) Can do the 1/4 mile in less then 10 and a half seconds. On two wheels. If you're not careful... well you do the math...

I have been to the drag strip when a few guys on a much smaller bike get in trouble, not cool

There are different terminologies when it comes to selecting your first bike. Some say get the smallest cc you can find and older the better cuz you will drop it. While others will say get the happy medium and go for a 600cc as you will quickly outgrow the 250,500, etc. If you are dead set on getting a bike and you feel comfortable get the one you want. I would stay away from a liter bike if you have never ridden before in your life...dirt/street. But if you have then learning on a liter bike can be done just know that a twist of the wrist is a lot different on a big bike vs a 250cc. A 250cc will be a lot more forgiving than a 600cc..1000cc etc if you make a mistake. A mistake on a liter bike will either have you sitting on your *** in a turn or send you flying from a high side or some other nasty scenario. With that said ride smart not stupid and invest in the proper gear...helmet,jacket,gloves,pants,boots. Sweat is easier to wipe away than blood. Once you go down once you will be sure to wear you gear next time.

No, never been on anything but a mountain bike, which i assume is a little slower than a liter bike.

I really want a Ducati 1098, however don't want to have to purchase learner bikes. Cheap and Lazy i suppose. I assumed I could just be responsible with it.

It's hard man because the smallest movement with your wrist and it just GOES

It wind up being a huge risk as a noob. Having a solid understanding of how to modulate the throttle, how to behave mid turn, etc is crucial before getting on something like that.

It can be done (and has been done) with perfectly fine results...but unless you have that understanding beforehand, you usually wind up never becoming a very good rider because you can't push a bike like that anywhere near it's limits.

There's also no reason to add the extra stress of knowing that a small flick of the wrist will literally plant you on your back at most speeds below 60:icon17:

A 1000cc as a beginners bike is about like letting your kid take your ZR1 Corvette out to learn to drive. I can't think of how a Z would compare to any supersport bike I guess it's comparable to a slightly older 600cc. A ZR1 is actually more forgiving and easier to learn to control than a liter bike, imo.

In addition, EVERYTHING on a supersport (CBR600RR, ZX6R, R6, etc) is WAY more touchy than other bikes. Brakes, steering, suspension, throttle, everything. They are not forgiving to new riders. On something like that, it's very easy to get in trouble. On a more forgiving bike, you'll be able to control it a lot better.

Depends on the engine config and age of the bike, too. For example: My chopper has an XS650 engine in it. Plenty of power to be safe and get out of harms way, but not not dangerous for a noob at all. Your advice about not outgrowing it the rest of the 1st paragraph is exactly what I was going to say, though. Good advice.

What you'll really need to determine is how good are you when it comes to self control. If you have a strong will in terms of safety and a willingness to accept that you're just a beginner and don't know much then a 600cc sportbike is not that crazy. Now on the other hand if you think you'll be tempted to push the bikes limits immediately and/or have a hard time being humble then just get a 250 and be done.

When I first started riding a few years ago I went right to a 600cc sportbike. I however never went out without my gear on. And most importantly, I spent the first week of ownership learning the bike by riding around slowly on back roads in town and spent the next week riding around cautiously on country roads at speed.

A cruiser 1000cc is far more forgiving than a sportbike of similar displacement. The latter is extremely responsive, turns on a dime, while a cruiser doesn't.

A 250 ninja is a great starter bike, but unless your live in hilly/curvy terrain, you'll out grow it quickly. The new ninja 650 is a somewhat bigger bike, but still very novice friendly.

Or if interested, I have an '09 fz1 for sale..

Anybody know whats a good helmet to buy? Arai? Or any recommendations? I just got my permit today! :)

Buy one that fits. Arai and shoei are distinct in their shapes. Aria being more oval. If you have pressure points with a helmet, it's not the right shape for you.

A great point that often gets overlooked.