I used to ride, but want to emphasize that having gear does not necessarilly mean you're safe. In the past 2 months there have been 4 deaths around my area of bikers wearing helmets.

 

I don't know of anybody who has purchased a 600 as their first bike and regretted it. I'd recommend either the Honda 600 CBR or a Kawa Ninja.

 

One thing I've learned over the years is that it does no good to try to talk a teen age guy out of anything. With that in mind I won't try.

1. Buy used. If you insist on buying a street missle as your very first bike, buy used. That way if you do wreck, the damage is that much more palatable. If you just have to buy new, the CBR600RR stomped the crap out of the rest of the 600 class at the last MasterBike Challenge in Spain.

2. TAKE THE MSF BEGINNER'S RIDER COURSE!!! I 1000% guarantee it will be the best money you ever spend if you intend to make riding a part of your life. Who knows, it might save your life.

3. Buy quality gear & wear it 100% of the time.

4. Take your time & let you skills grow before your ego does.

5. Don't be stupid. Stupid hurts & sometimes kills. With all the "friends" you've described on this site Josiah, I see you trying to drag race & do stand up wheelies 3 days after you get what ever you get. Don't let you friends try to talk you into doing stupid crap. There is a time & place for acting like a retard on a bike. It's on the track of off-street closed course events.

KC-10 FE out...

 

I really want the buell 1125r. after the trucks paid off i'll buy one used and then S/C the truck, until then I'm kinda stuck with the blast

 

A lot of pepole have given you good advice, I hope you listen! Buy used, take a motorcycle training course, and don't get stupid.
I have been to two funerals this year from bike accidents, one of them I rode with back in the early 60's. Good luck and have fun, let us know what you get.

 

this thread is great with a lot of good information but how many miles is too much for a used bike? I see on ebay that some bikes have 15,000 miles and others up to 30,000. Thanks in advance

 

Outstanding advice....listen to it.

 

Here's my advice on purchasing USED bikes.

1. Never buy a used bike unless you actually know the owner or a close trusted individual knows the owner. Or unless you can kick the seller's as$. Be prepared to be lied to. EVERY person on this board that's ever sold a used vehicle has lied to sell it. We all have & will again.

2. Be wary of aftermarket do-dads. The ad says: "New Muffler, New Brake & Clutch Levers, New Bar Ends, New Paint" Now, does this mean that this guy likes the stuff he put on the bike? Or does it mean he laid it down on the right side & is covering it up. ANY paint job on a plastic covered bike should set off alarms in your head. Obviously things like a new tinted windscreen is OK but if you see things like ignition advancers & hotter coils & cams, proceed at your own risk. My 1989 Hawk had a ton of mods on it. I purchased that partical bike because it was the cleanest one I could find after looking for almost 6 months. I got lucky, it's turned out to be a trouble free ride. Slip on mufflers are generally OK since they do add personality to a bike. My VFR sounds 10X better with the pipe on it than compared to the stock Honda muffler.

3. When you find a bike you want to purchase, bring a friend, in fact never buy any used vehicle alone. Bring tools & perform a mini iso-chronal inspection right in the guys driveway. If the seller refuses, walk away. Bring your own riding gear & insist on a test ride & take notice of anything abnormal. If the guy won't let you ride it, walk away. If you don't have a license or don't know how to ride yet, get a trusted friend to ride it for you. I must have ridden 15 bikes for other people in the last 2 years. Check the condition of oil, tires, chain, cables, etc. Remember that things that go wrong while driving a car are no big deal. Things that can wrong on a bike can put you 6 feet deep.

4. Automatically pass if the owner can't verify the maintenance history. There should be receipts or service department invoices. Take a look in the guy's garage. Bike maintenance manuals, extra tires, motorcycle specific oil, OEM parts, etc are are good signs this person takes care of his bike.

5. When you find the bike you're going to buy, show up with a trailer & Benjamins. NEVER show up with the intention of riding home. When you show up with $$$ in hand & a trailer, the seller will automatically know you're serious. Always lo-ball the first offer.

6. Mileage is not a reliable indicator of whether or not a bike is in great shape. I looked at a bike (BMW) in NC that I thought had 11000 miles on it. Turns out it was actually 110000 miles. The bike looked new. Honda V-4's are quite well know for being able to turn 100K with no problem.

7. Pass on any bike that's seen track time unless that's what you're going to use it for.

8. Casually take notice of where the bike is parked daily. I will NEVER buy a bike that isn't stored in a garage or indoors.

9. When buying used from a dealer, realize that they are in the business to make $$$. Whatever the tag on the used bike is, know that you could probably buy it from a person for up to 25% less.

10. Try to avoid EBAY. While I used EBAY all the time for other stuff, both times I did a vehicle transaction things went south. One turned out OK & I got my 1989 Honda Hawk for $400 less than I originally bid. The other I got burned to the tune of $900.

KC-10 FE out...

 

15k isnt nothing.
30k is getting up there but if the price is right go for it.
50K there are plenty of bikes still going strong with this many miles.
For a first time bike, getting one with higher miles will get you a lower price and keep more money in your pocket. alot of first time rider will want to get a new bike a season or two later so don't worry about the mileage.

 

If you want a bike that is somewhere around a 600 and will completely blow any of the competition in its class, go with the Kawi Ninja 636. I have a friend who works at a dealership so I have ridden all the Hondas and Suzukis. In all honesty, the 636 is a much better bike than those and it is quite a bit faster. I know how everyone always stands behind the bike they own and all that BS, but the Kawasaki will outperform the others. Suzukis just arent up to par (in my opinion) on performance and the 636 will outrun the 600RR. You most likely won't be able to test ride any of the bikes before you buy them so it's kind of a gamble. We can all give our opinions, but most people probably have not ridden all the bikes in one class. Some may have (please don't start a pissing match cause I'm not saying all of your opinions are worse than mine or vice-versa) but it is usually unlikely that you get such a chance to ride so many different bikes. Like I said, since my buddy runs a dealership, I get to ride a vast variety of bikes on the market. I would definitely say the 636 would be the top choice for something around the 600 cc class. Either way, good luck with your decision and remember to stay safe.

 

Actually all the 600's sportbikes are excellent bikes and the performance of them is almost equal. what it comes down to is, personal preference, fit and what is available.

 

I 100% agree with you that it IS all personal preference as I said the same thing in my previous post. All of us will have different opinions on the bikes, I was just giving mine seeing as though I have ridden the 600RR, the GSX-R, R6, and both the 600 and 636 Ninjas. Simply put, IMO, the 636 outperforms the others. To each his own and all of us will like a different bike and have different opinions. That's what makes it hard when someone asks what type of _____ should I get. All of us have our own styles and all of us have our own dirty opinions. Josiah, it's a difficult decision but in the end just try to find what you think will better fit YOUR needs and abilities. Good luck.

 

According to the review by Sport Rider Magazine of the '07s, the redesigned CBR600RR is the new king of 600s. They look awesome too

You can't go wrong with any of the big 4, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, or Kawasaki they're all awesome.

 

when you buy any sportbike over 600cc's its performance is going to be limited by the riders experience/skill level

 

I would not recommend a Kawi 636 to a new rider. It is a fantastic bike in the right hands but it has some traits that could send a newb to the ditch quick, fast and in a hurry. Most notably is the head shake. The steering geometry on those bikes can cause the front end to get squirly with the right combination of bumps, power and lean. I have had mine go into a full on tank slapper on a washboard surface under hard power. I am in no way trying to talk bad about Kawasaki I own one. I just feel that that bike is too high strung for someone that is new to bikes.