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Sportbike owners? (1 Viewer)

Van Patton

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 27, 2001
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456
Hey all I was just wondering who here owns any sportbikes? I have seen a couple threads on this and need some info. I will have about $2200.00 to spend on one. I am 18 and this is my first bike. A buddy of mine (who's 18, first bike), recently bought a Suzuki SV650 for around 3K. It's pretty nice.
 

Garrett Lundy

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Mar 5, 2002
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Ninja 500 at most. First bike oi!

I actually suggest:

MSF beginner course. You get to use a school bike when your there. After that, buy a ten year USED bike in great shape. And buy a high quality helmet and riding gear...natch. Happy Riding:)

And the suzuki sv650 is a "standard" style bike, not a sport bike (even if it is fun & fast, just dont tell the insurance company).
 

Van Patton

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 27, 2001
Messages
456
Style bike? I'm not quite sure what that means. I did notice the exhaust didn't have the same note that other bikes have...it was more lower and mellow.
 

Jesse Clift

Agent
Joined
Jul 30, 2000
Messages
44
Hello Van

Garrett made some good points. Take the MSF course and get your motorcylce endorsement. Definitely budget for some gear, at the very least you will need a DOT/SNELL approved helmet. An armored jacket, gloves, and sturdy boots are all highly recommended. In your price range, something like a used Suzuki GS500 would make a great first bike. They are a little more common than the Ninja 500, are very cheap to insure and maintain, and if you drop it there is no expensive faring to replace. Here are some good forums to check out if you are interested.
http://www.sportbikes.net
http://www.sportbikes.ws
http://www.cycleforums.com
 

Terry Hansen

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Sep 15, 1999
Messages
102
The SV650 has upright handlebars and no fairing (ie plastic) therefore is thought of as a standard. The SV650S has a half-fairing and clipon type forward controls like a sportbike. Regardless the SV650 is a great bike with beginners and experienced riders alike, you could even race it if you wanted to eventually. Because it has a small vtwin motor the power delivery is very civilized and linear, which is less likely to get you into trouble compared to most sportbikes. I won't debate the merits of a SV as a first bike, but it would be the upper echelon of beginner bikes as it still makes around 80 rwHP. I wouldn't recommend a 600 Supersport to learn on.

If you like the full fairing style the new Suzuki GS500 has plastic this year. Just remember that if and when you drop the bike plastic breaks easily, and is very expensive to replace.

The Ninja 250 and 500 is a great learner bike and quite popular. Make sure you check out insurance before you buy anything.

Like the above advise, take the MSF, always wear full gear and do lots of research.
 

Van Patton

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 27, 2001
Messages
456
Thanks guys for all the info. I'm on my work break now, but when I get home, I'm gonna check those forums out.
 

Jared Brock

Auditioning
Joined
Feb 11, 2003
Messages
13
I definitely agree on the Ninja 500. I purchased one for my first bike about a year ago and still have fun on it. I'm a big guy and it's still enough bike for beginning.
I took the MSF course before really getting into riding and I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in riding motorcycles. The training really could save you one day.
 

Mike Ilano

Grip
Joined
Mar 22, 2000
Messages
22
OH no,no,no,rode a Ninja 600r in '85 then a Katana 1100 till 1990.1990--------------2003 was my waiting period,Kids,HT,etc.Worth the wait!:)
 

Garrett Lundy

Senior HTF Member
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Mar 5, 2002
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Considering they all have two wheels and a engine its suprising there can be so many styles/classes/types of motorcycle:

Standard: The most stylistically simple design, with an upright, bicycle-like riding position. These are excellant all-round bikes with typically good handling. Examples include the Kawasaki WS650, Triumph Bonneville, Harley-Davidson sportster, and Honda Nighthawk.

Muscle Bike/Power Standard/ UJM: Bikes that go FAST by way of big motors instead of aerodynamic fairings. May or may not be the best handling machines, heavy and poor choices for first bikes. Examples include the Yamaha V-Max, Kawasaki ZRX1200R, and the Confederate Hellcat.

Sport Bike: The Bread & Butter of the motorcycle industry. 600 to 1300cc's, exotic bodywork, and more technology than most airplanes. They cost as much as a small car, go faster than a Lamborghini, and will go from 'zero to liscence suspension' faster than anything else your VISA card can buy. Definetly not for novices. Examples inclue the Kawasaki Ninja, Yamaha R1, Honda CBR series, and Buells.

Race Replicas: The X-treme version of sport bikes. Mostly costlier and more exotic. Some are not road-legal, and some get uncomfortable unless your going 150mph. Your insurance (If you can get it) will cost you more than a new Vulcan800 every year.

Cruisers: Big, heavy, underpowered. They tend to have lots of chrome, spend most of their time in front of bars. Can be outfited with windshieds and saddlebags and make excellant cross-country bikes. Have a layed-bake riding position. Examples range from the small & inexpensive Hyosung 250 (about $2500) to custom Harley-Davidson 1450's (In excess of $40,000).

Power Cruisers: All the fun of cruisers with more power! Good for 1/4 mile jaunts but cruiser design tends to limit handling/cornering. Examples include the Harley-Davidson V-Rod and Kawasaki Vulcan meanstreak.

Choppers: If you've never seen a chopper you should try watching American Chopper sometimes. Once they were bikes with stuff "chopped off" to make them go faster, now they are typically cruisers with stretched front ends, no rear suspension, and very loud exhausts. With no rear suspension the only shock-absorbing equipment you have is your spine & tires. There are no factory-produced choppers, but they're typically modified harley-Davidson's. Thus the average cost is 15 to 20 thousand, and the super-cool ones you see on TV can sell for $150,000 or more!

Touring: Bikes designed to go the distance. They are available sportier (Ducati multistrada), or bigger (Honda Goldwing). Tend to be a little heavy for beginners. Cost more than a car.

Weird: Everything from the two-wheeled drive sidecar russian Ural, to the 1950's indian Royal-Enfield Bullet 500, to some crazy guys one-wheeled thingy (still in testing). Theres no telling what kinds of stuff you can buy and ride with a drivers liscence and a bank loan.
 

Jeff Gatie

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2002
Messages
6,531
Garrett,

Not to nitpick, but all the OCC bikes made on "American Chopper" have rear swingarm air suspensions.
 

Jeff Gatie

Senior HTF Member
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Aug 19, 2002
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6,531
Terry,

I know they make rigids, but every one I've seen on the show (except maybe the "Old School", I forget) have had suspensions. I was just bringing up the point that all "choppers" are not sans rear suspension, which is what Garrett implied. No harm, no foul.
 

Shawn C

Screenwriter
Joined
May 15, 2001
Messages
1,429
I don't understand how anyone could ride around on a bike that has no rear suspsension. Talk about a kidney buster.
 

Garrett Lundy

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2002
Messages
3,763
A chopper isn't a chopper without a hard-tail. A "chopper" with a functional rear suspension is called a softtail. And that makes it a cruiser. I have nothing against cruisers, and own one myself, but If you're going to call a cruiser a chopper I suppose I could also suggest stick-on tattoos ya poseur.

If you're really oldschool and have an indian scout with no fenders or headlight it could be a chopper, But most people will call it a salt-flats chopper.


Its an image thing. And having no rear suspension shaves pounds of your bike and makes it faster. But your kidneys should be fine, since the vibration will prevent kidney stones from forming. However, the cartiledge disks in your spine might not last ten years......
 

Matt Butler

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 23, 2001
Messages
1,915
Real Name
Matt Butler
Van,

I do motorcycle insurance for Progressive. I HIGHLY advise you check insurance rates for yourself before buying. Sportbikes can be very expenive; especially for someone your age. PM me or post here with any questions. Ill be happy to help with any questions.
 

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