Are you 17 or 18 year old kid? Just barely out of high school and wants a sports bike as graduation gift? Or are you a parent who is worried because your son is begging you to buy him a super sports bike as his first?
Conventional wisdom has it that for a starter bike you should get a smaller bike, a used one at that. Here are reasons why you should keep your rookie’s hands off that shiny, new, powerful beast of a machine called a super sports bike as a beginner’s bike:
1. Super sports bikes are expensive. Plus you factor in additional cash outlay in insurance, (comprehensive, liability, medical) gears (leather jacket, motorcycle boots, full-fingered gloves and full-face helmet) lock and chain, gas money and rising mechanic’s bill for the upkeep.
2. They are insanely fast with over 100+ horsepower. It is going to propel you straight to a concrete wall in a few seconds if you lose control.
3. The brakes are razor-sharp. When you need to panic stop and uncontrollably snatch the lever hard, it will likely flip you over the handlebars.
4. The machine is unforgiving for a novice. It will not leave you any room for slight error. One unintentional blip on the throttle will pull you up in a wheelie (imagine you are in that position in the midst of downtown traffic).
5. The riding position on a sports bike is an aggressive stance. Like you are hunched -over the gas tank. While it is awesome to look at, it won’t be comfortable in the long haul especially on multiple-hour trips.
6. Slow speed maneuvers are difficult on this particular bike, most likely the newbie rider will drop it and fairings don’t come cheap.
You have to have your riding skills established well before thinking of hopping on a super sports bike. No matter how much you justify riding it. It doesn’t matter how quickly you think, you pick up riding abilities. Super sports bike like the R6 can get you to 165 mph top speed zero to sixty in three seconds. You can do 70mph in the first gear. It is like riding a wingless fighter plane.
It is better to slam a slower bike through some corner than to baby a powerful machine through it. You are not going to be experience the full potential of riding an R6 or Zx6R without breaking the law or exposing yourself, pedestrians and other commuters to danger.
Develop good habits. Acquire good riding skills, Build your confidence. Stay off liter bikes, inline fours 600cc like CBR series, Yamaha R6, Zx6r, Ducati, Aprilia or Bmw for the mean time. Don’t be impatient. Don’t be impulsive. Wait until you are ready to have fun when it’s the right time.
What is across the board is that your first bike must be comfortable, lower cc (250 cc preferably), pre-owned, not more than 75hp and not overwhelmed you. Pay it cash. Avoid financing.
While an ideal first bike like a 250 cc lacks the wow factor and can’t really get you all that excited, just think that you are honing your riding skills on a learner bike. Next step will be getting the bike of your liking once you have gained more experience.