Which bike is better for a newbie a yamaha r6 or the honda cbr600rr?

Question

this is probably gonna sound really stupid but here it goes, I'm eighteen and I've recently become fascinated with every thing that has to do with sport motorcycles and what it takes to ride them and become a good rider and i am more than willing to spend the time, and do whatever it takes to develop the skills needed to become a good rider. I plan on taking every safety and training course i can go to. I don't want a motorcycle to dick around on or impress my friends, I want one because I think they're beautiful machines, I'm fascinated and intrigued by the and I have so much respect for the people who ride them well. And i just wanted some opinions from people who actually ride, on which bike would be better for someone who is ready to be completely dedicated to learning to ride well, the yamaha r6 or the honda cbr600rr. im talking everything about them, handling, acceleration, braking, comfort, etc...Anything at all would be greatly greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Find a 250 of some description (because you can have them height adjusted to suit), yes they are light but give you just enough power so you don't kill yourself on the 1st ride.
but it depends on where you live... VISIT your local licensing/registration office because they will be able to tell you what you can & cannot ride, what needs to be done to obtain the license, when & where you can ride, how fast etc.
(or you could call them or try the online area for your licnesing/registration)
Also go to the local bike shop & try the bikes in question (you will soon find what feels right & what doesn't) and ASK the salespeople all the questions your are asking here, because they will be able to show you & give the added info (then you can decide if a brand spankin new one is what you want or something 2nd hand that you can find online etc. Finally go for a drive to the local bike hangout on a Saturday or Sunday, and talk to all the motorcyclists about their rides; they will proudly show off their wares & tell you the pro's & con's as well as give you tips on do's & don'ts
Buy the right Gear to Keep you safe (your local bike shopshould have helmets, Jackets, boots, gloves, bags, jrider jeans(/riders pants) plus all the little stickers & add ons you could imagine not to mention all the differnet runs that will be happening)
Do all the course that are available for riding safe depending on where you live will depend on the name of those course
but most importantly "Stay Upright,Stay Safe & Have Fun"

Answer 2

Definately take the MSF course first, they have an awesome beginner's program, and depending on what state you live in you may be exempt from taking the licensing exam, which can be difficult. You will also receive insurance discounts if you took the MSF.

They certainly are beautiful machines :) And it is good you respect them. You will definately need to respect them. People get in serious accidents all the time because they get cocky.

However, I am going to disagree about people saying 600cc's is too big for beginners. If you go the Ninja 250 route, you will be bored fast and want more power, and go thru the hassle of selling it and then buying a new one.

I took the MSF and started on a GSXR600. If you start with a 600 you will need to take things slowly until you are 100% comfortable. You will need serious respect for the power of the machine (since the bike will not respect you!). Cocky guys with no experience will hop on a 600, jack the throttle, and flip a wheelie over backwards. Never get cocky and always have respect.

I never ride over my limit or comfort level. It doesn't matter if all your buddies are going 140 down a curvy road. I haven't gone much over 100 and I never take sharp curves at the same speed experienced riders do. It's better to start out slow than crash a new bike that isn't paid off yet :)

A few more words of advice: Don't try wheelies or other stunting. For a very long time, if ever. I've seen so many bikes totaled from stunts gone wrong. At 18 you probably won't be able to afford insurance- sportbikes have very high insurance. I am 20 and they wanted $6000 a year for insurance on my '07! Insurance is not required in my state, and I'm not paying $6k insurance on a $9k bike :)

And do not go on crazy group rides until you are very experienced. Here, large groups of riders go down these very curvy roads at 140+ speeds. There is almost always an accident, sometimes two. BAD accidents. Often fatal. If you do end up doing group rides, ride your own pace. They will wait up for you at the stops.

And finally: ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET AND GEAR! Helmets are not required in my state. It doesn't matter how skilled of a rider you are, there will always be close calls with idiots in cars. Helmet can be the difference between a bad concussion or your skull being cracked, and death. And wear your gear. Always.

Sorry this is so long, it is good you are going about it the right way though. :) Good luck with whatever you choose!

Answer 3

I was once in your shoes. For a long time, I wanted a Yamaha R6. I searched around a little bit and ended up noticing the Yamaha fz6. The advantages: Very similar motor, upright riding stance (more comfortable), and no fairings (cheaper to fix if you drop it). Now, for your first bike, purchase an older 500 cc honda shadow. It is a great bike for a beginner, honestly. I am not particularly attracted to cruisers, but I have come to realize that this is the best way to become a good rider. Start small. Don't jump right into the 600cc range. My friend that I bought my shadow from purchased a fz6 after two years on the shadow and he even said that the fz6 has managed to get away from him at times. That's after two years of riding. So, put the rocket on the back burner for a year or two, take your MSF class, and then purchase a smaller cruiser. They are a much better bike to learn on rather than a sport bike.

Answer 4

A used ninja 250 is whats best for you my man. In my experience it is better to learn on a pony than a bucking bronco. You will become more confidant on a smaller bike and that will translate when you get a bigger bike. There is a reason why most people learn on smaller bikes, it is a much more enjoyable experience. Riding is about having responsible fun. Safely. You may get to the point where you can pop wheelies and race but until then keep it small and simple. It is not so much about you as it is about all of the bad drivers on the road. If everyone rode a bike the road would be much safer. They simply cannot see you in the mirror.Check out www.ninja250.com really fast 250's Ride Safe

Answer 5

Here in PA they offer free motorcycle safety course and provide motorcycles for the course, They are 250's and most of them are Honda Shadows. These are good training cycles and are not very expensive. They start out teaching you the trip precheck through to avoiding hazzards on the road. We had 5 people in our class who have never driven a motorcycle, one of which never even been on a motorcycle before. Everybody passed the four day class and received their license. Try a smaller bike and work your way up until you become more experienced. However, if this will be your first bike buy used and pay cash, get the experience of riding before moving up to bigger and more expensive bikes. I have had friends who bought big bikes like Goldwings and rode only a few times then selling them at a loss because they weren't ready for a big bike. Nothing wrong with starting small and working up to bigger later on. In fact the smaller bike will normally sell quicker when you are ready to move up, then use the money for your next bike. Which ever bike you choose, stay away from sportbikes unless you don't mind paying 10-20 times more for insurance. Insurance companies consider these high risk and will charge you alot for coverage. Call your insurance company first and get a quote before you buy.

Answer 6

Hmmmm, excellent question!

Neither, I mean both of them.

Let me explain....

Neither bike is a good beginner bike. It is really easy to get going faster than you can react. That said though both of them are about the same in every other respect.

The are so close in fact, that if ridden by 2 riders with nearly identical skill levels the rider that is a 1% better rider will win the race on either bike!

I pick sportbikes by styling. I like the way the Yammies look better than the other sportbikes, second place of the Jap bikes is probably the GSXR.

The Ducati 999r of course trumps all of the popular spotbikes, in my opinion.

Sound like you have a really good plan though, so do it and don't take any short cuts many people do and they pay for it in a very, very harsh way. I have been there and I have seen it up close.

I suggest complete leathers, good riding boots and the best helmet that you can find (not afford)! Save up if you have too!

[;-)

Good Luck!


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Answer 7

BUY A 250 & LEARN TO RIDE.....

new 600 sports bikes have enough go to scare the bejeezus out of you in the first 60 seconds of riding them....

this is not a problem....the problem is that these bikes are so good that you will very quickly think you know what your doing..& when you suddenly realize that you dont (as your about to be splattered all over the road by the tin top) it will be to late..

So I advise you buy a 250 & learn to ride ...the 600 bike will still be there in a years time & you will have more of an idea about riding bikes.....

Answer 8

I started riding cruisers for my first season, and I'm really glad that I did. When you jump on a sport bike its got ridiculous amounts of power and you should learn the basics on something thats very forgiving. You probably don't want to hear this, just like I didn't want to hear it when I started riding but it really is the best thing. Those safety classes don't teach you much of anything when it comes to real world situations. Trust me, take your first year easy and ride a cruiser to get all the basics down and then jump up to that cbr next season when you're ready for it.

Answer 9

Most riders I know and myself started on smaller ,cheaper bikes 175 250 some 500cc You must learn total control of a bike that won't get you way over your head. Besides do you want to look like a Dufus with a bunch of broken plastic and fiberglass, when you wreck a bike you don"t know well enough to ride?. Get something that is easy to ride first. We bikers would like to have you join us when you are skilled enough. We all had to learn on something easy enough to master and cheap enough that if we dumped it we weren't fixing thousands of dollars of body work.

Answer 10

My advise to you my friend is to start out with a dirt bike. My father started me out when I was ten on a Ducati 50cc(I still have it). Find a field (or desert, I grew up in AZ-great riding). A dirt bike will allow you to require the instincts that will help you survive on the streets! Riding dirt is constantly learning to keep a motorcycle that is out of control, in control. You will have sore muscles that you didn't even know you had! I would start with at least a 250cc, so you won't out grow it so fast. An enduro bike you can ride street legal to your practice destination , you will get the STARTING BEST of both worlds. Please be safe and WELCOME TO FREEDOM! LIVE 2 RIDE!