Getting into motorcycling

Waldo.

Waldo.

New member
So i have never even touched a bike in my life. I wanted to get into biking but im waffling between between 3 bikes, the Kawasaki ninja 400 , ninja 650 , and Yamaha r3. I like the asthetics of r3 and think would feel more comfy on it, but im worried about wind and “out growing it ” I think the 400 is a good bike but the désigne looks tacky to me, the 650 is the nice in between for me in terms of aesthetics, but I’m not sure if it would be too much for a beginner
 
I’ve been riding since I was 10 , ive owned sport bikes of some sort since I was 18. I started on a Yamaha r6. I rode that for a year until I got an r1 since then I’ve always had liter bikes. I started tracking the r6 when I turned 21.

if I could do it all over I would have started on a 300/400 and got myself to track days sooner. A 300/400 is going to be MUCH easier to ride than anything higher. That doesn’t mean slower. A good rider on a 300/400 will smoke an ok rider on a 600/1000. That’s just a proven fact. You will be able to progress as a rider not only faster but much better on a 300/400 then moving up to a 600 then a 1000.

A 300/400 is also going to be much forgiving with mistakes. You likely won’t spin up the tire on a 300/400 cracking the throttle open too fast, far less likely hood of a high side.

since you ski a good analogy would be if I threw you on some 200+ length skis that are say 120+ waist for your first time you aren’t going to do really well. And it’s going to be a harder time for you to progress.

where as if I’m throwing you on far shorter and more narrow skis that are easier to handle overall you’re going to progress at a much faster rate. So when you get to those big ass skis/ liter bikes you can perform really well.

As far as your choices you really can’t go wrong with either. I am at heart a Yamaha guy. So I’m going to naturally lean towards the r3. It also looks the best of the entry bikes as well. The Kawasaki is also a great bike. You wouldn’t have a problem with either.

i would say first go and sit on both bikes. See how you feel on them. Are your knees touching the fairings at all? Are your wrist over pressured from too much forward lean angle? How’s the seat? Etc etc. secondly shop around for price. Who’s offering better deals.

lastly I would HIGHLY recommend you go take a local MSF course. They’re usually a couple hundred bucks and you get to take a legit riding course on the schools bikes. So not a big deal if they get dropped etc. but you’ll learn a lot. You’ll get to try real world riding techniques etc. at the end you’ll have your motorcycle endorsement on your DL. This is NOT a track day. It’s usually held in a large parking lot or sometimes at local deals. Harley dealers host them a lot in Florida.

Anyways hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions. Always fun to get someone into riding.
 
[tag=288934]@PartyBullshiit[/tag] has some really good advice. Find the one that fits you right, find the deal, take a class.

Im a cruiser type of rider myself but mad respect for the sport bike riders. Best of luck in your search OP and Let us know if you have any questions, always happy to help out.
 
Have fun! I've only ever owned older bikes - but the 1st comment here is perfect advice. Make sure to take at least 1 class, it is extremely informative & will help you stay safe! Here's my current stable - getting ready to rebuild the BMW front end this winter
 
Definitely take the class, in some states it's required, there are some counterintuitive things about riding that are good to learn, and it will bring your insurance costs down.

The class really changed my mind about small displacement bikes. Most of my experience prior was on dirt bikes and I had very little time on the street.

I was blown away by how much fun you can have ripping around on little 200-300cc bikes. You can rail on them and feel very comfy.

And the ninja 400 is no joke. 0-60 in 4.3 and a top speed north of 110 puts you in the same territory as most average 50k sports cars.

Personally I'm saving to buy a mt07 in cash, I can ride my brother's bike in the meantime.

That being said, worry about taking a class first and doing some riding before you start worrying about buying a brand new bike.
 
14555903:Lonely said:
Definitely take the class, in some states it's required, there are some counterintuitive things about riding that are good to learn, and it will bring your insurance costs down.

The class really changed my mind about small displacement bikes. Most of my experience prior was on dirt bikes and I had very little time on the street.

I was blown away by how much fun you can have ripping around on little 200-300cc bikes. You can rail on them and feel very comfy.

And the ninja 400 is no joke. 0-60 in 4.3 and a top speed north of 110 puts you in the same territory as most average 50k sports cars.

Personally I'm saving to buy a mt07 in cash, I can ride my brother's bike in the meantime.

That being said, worry about taking a class first and doing some riding before you start worrying about buying a brand new bike.
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Imagine writing a wall of text about riding motorcycles and not even owning a bike. God you’re a kook.
 
14555929:Granby_killdozer said:
Imagine writing a wall of text about riding motorcycles and not even owning a bike. God you’re a kook.
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You need to go outside more man this isn't good for your health
 
You will grow out of anything smaller you get. But no bike is your forever bike. They are always replaceable, and there's always a better one you'll want.

Get what you can afford and ride the shit out of it.
 
The smaller bikes are going to make you a better rider, you can always move up later. I agree with most everything that has been said here.
 
I'd say the best way to learn is on a dirtbike, but 300-400cc sport bikes are a decent place to start. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for starting on a 600 if that's what you're set on, but know it'll be a little harder to learn fundamentals on. I don't recommend learning on a Supersport (cbr, r6, gsxr, etc...).

Don't forget to budget for quality gear.

Last thing, in my personal (unpopular) opinion, 300cc sport bikes are useless for anything but a starter track bike.
 
Make sure you let your family know that its only a matter of time until you're a dark brown stain on the highway that they will always get to see when they drive by the site of your wreck
 
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