If you couldnt spank a zx12 in the corners with a 100+ less pound 600 you need to go to Freddie Spencers school in Vegas and learn how to ride.I ride the 12express cause it has BIG NUTS.I like horepower and a 6 just wont pull a wheelie at 55mph.Learning on a six is the ABSOLUTE best if you are learning to ride cause they are light and nimble and will recover from a lot of mistakes that a large bike will not.
If you want to race on the street get an R6 if you want a bike that is 90% as good but twice as comfortable to ride all day get the Honda.The Kawi is 36cc's bigger and with some ins. co.s might put you in the 750 price range anyway........

 

AZ Fun>> I wouldn't say you can't pull a wheelie on a 600 at 55 MPH. If you come up to Madison, WI, I'll show you how.

I'm a Honda guy. I have F4i and a Honda wing tattooed on my back. I'll be honest, though, it doesn't really matter what you buy. They're all really fast and handle really well. The Honda might be a little more reliable. I'd go with a F4i. The 600RR is a little faster and stuff, but it's a track bike. It's not comfortable at all. I haven't ridden the new R6, but I'd imagine it's a hell of a bike. Yamaha builds some good stuff. I've never really liked Kawi's, and the GSX-R600 is not very comfortable. Sit on all of them. Try to figure out which is best for you. It might come down to which one looks best to you. Another thing is to pay attention to the dealer. You want to go to a place that's nice because you'll be back to buy accessories and service stuff. It's very important. If I remember correctly, you are in IN. I'm in WI, and I'll be starting as a Honda salesman on May 21. If you need any info, let me know.

 

My mistake I meant pull effortless wheelies at 55 at will...And yes the end is to get the one you like and fits your butt.

 

snownyet said it best-

Stay alive and keep modding the L! My battle with my ZX7R: A compound femur, broken wrist, thumb, flight for life, 8 days in LA county/USC med center, and learning not to race in the canyons on public highways...later,

I'm still bikeless because I couldn't afford insurance on a liter bike with a wreck on the record. I still needed speed and starting modding the L. Bikes are faster, but not much like launching a 4700 pound truck, blowing away most things next to you, and that damn drug called blower whine

Word.

BD

 

Oh, I forgot, I head on'd a noisemaker (big cruiser) diving on the apex of a blind curve. He won.

 

Yeah don't worry, you will drop it. I dumped my 2002 R1 about a month ago. I thought I was gonna cry like a little girl or something, lol. RTKILLA has one, the R1 is no joke, puts the fear of god into me everytime I get on it.

 

When you take on a "cager"(biker term for car pilot) with a bike you LOSE same as L vs semi.With todays gang bangers and such my big mouth is more likely to get me killed than my bike.If adrenaline becomes illegal were all doomed..............

 

No more mods, we've all said/heard that one before

 

cyntaxx, you'r going to hear stuff like that all the time I'm not even going to get started on that. (i've talked to so many people, and pry for more hours than miles I've putten on the bike)
I got my 600 about a month or so ago and I love it. I was in a similar boat you're in. I love modding my L. When I got it I said I'd keep it stock, but honestly I think I yanked the stock air filter and box out after less than 100 miles. As far as you saving your money for a bike, I think that's awsome. That's something that took me a while to do... Looking back on it, I should have gotten the bike months ago! I have had more fun on my bike in the last month than I've had in years. And I've only put 500 miles on the bike. It's really nice to have. Mine's a 98 so it's not brand new. Not sure what you wanna spend, or what year your looking at, but mines perfect for me.
Charles, you and I have talked a little recently about getting a bike. Again, Good luck with that. Shane


more pics of the 98 gsx-R600

 

Thanks for the advice guys. First thing's first, I'll take that Abate class and maybe some other courses to get my feel of the whole thing.
The only I don't understand is everyone keeps telling me I'll drop it. Yet a lot of people I've met with bikes have NEVER laid them down. So what's the story here? Just being pessimistic or is this some initiation process?

 

Theres the saying..."those that have fallen, those that will fall." Those guys who've never fallen eventually will or don't push their bikes.

 

Is this for bikes only?

 

Im talkin from experience!! Myself and a buddy both went over the bars on different occasions and BOTH times it was from cars pulling out in front of us without seeing the bike coming . Both cars were broadsided by bikes with the riders doing a swan dives over ther hoods!! Not fun, I split my snell approved HJC helmet down the middle and broke my right arm, along with various stitches here and there. My buddy wasnt so lucky, he broke both femurs and had many surgeries and skin grafts and still isnt right. Niether of us were doing over 30 mph at the time!!! It isnt the bike thats dangerous its the lack of protection from the rest of the a$$holes on the road thats dangerous.. Ill stick to dirt bikes, at least IM in control of my destiny off the streets. Remember LOUD PIPES DO SAVE LIVES!!!!!!

 

it's not a question of pushing the bike, it's a question of knowing your limits,

i'm not a big corner carver as i have retarded eyes that can't see distances so i don't try doing corners as they come up too quick on me, eventually when i get insurance, now that i know there is a surgery that can fix my problem, it will probably be different

for now though, i'm knocking on wood, i've been riding for 12 years and have never dumped a bike, the fastest bike i had b4 the busa was a katana 750, the biggest being a valkyrie,

i have yet do go down, i've almost dropped it a couple times, stand coming out and such, but was strong enough to hold it up

if you ride intelligently and defensively you greatly reduce the risk of an accident, i find it hard to believe that everyone that has ever ridden has wrecked their bike, i'm not buying it, that's like saying if you wrecked at a young age, your going to wreck again, how often do you "have" to dump a bike,

i don't by any means baby the busa either, i did when i first got it and learned how to handle all the power, even geared for drag racing, i can still hit almost 180 on the highway and have done so, and can hit over 140 in the 1/4

just be smart, but don't think you "have" to dump the bike

of course i started smart, a small 250 suzuki cruiser, and worked my way up, never had a class either

 

The majority of people do drop a bike.. Weither it be at 0MPH,5MPH, 30 MPH, 180MPH.. The fairings generally do hit the ground..

dlaine, I'll come up to Madison and watch ya pop one up... Everyone still hang out at the Amoco right before the Capitol on East Wash?

BTW: You've probably seen my truck at one point or another, it's a Red 93L with a white reflective LIGHTNING decal in the back window.

First mod to do... Frame Sliders.....So when you do go down it'll help to keep the plastics off the ground.