Sweet! Mine's an 06 as well. Still pretty well stock, though, I think I will jet it this year and increase air flow, in and out and leave it at that.

My feet set flat on the ground so I don't have any issues there. In fact I like it; when someone asks if they can ride it I say "if you can get on it and back it up 10 feet, you can ride it."

You're not kidding about buying a bigger bike and dumping it. I picked it up on a long weekend and went directly to our camp site. Two minutes into our first ride I almost high-sided it in a river and would have if my friend had not been shy about getting his feet wet to come rescue me.

 

Is this a comparing a sport bike to a Harley bagger or any bike that isn't a sport bike?
To be running on the ragged edge of almost crashing all the time with a must have safer sport bike for which I see daily with lane splitters weaving and cutting in front of bumpers by inches in heavy traffic flowing at 70 plus mph
these are the idiots that give bikes a bad name! I have helped with traffic control from bike accidents caused by this type of riding, sorry I have no feelings for the bast--ds when they are down hurting.
Yes I ride and own 9 bikes, like bikes, rides and riders so don't get me wrong, hell I move over and give bikers a little more room when they lane split.

 

Id personally go with a 650cc cruiser if it were me. The biggest thing is that you dont want to start out on a crotchrocket. Thats waaaay too much bike for a newbie.

 

I think more than anything to consider is how far you will commute. A thumper even twenty miles each way occasionaly is one thing. But if your gonna ride that far everyday Id at least get a twin with a thick cushy seat to minimize the " monkey butt". Thats a numb but from vibration and a sporty thin seat.
Also dont start huge but not too whimpy either. You will grow into a larger bike but
under 650 cc you will want more. If you like diesels you'll want more umph. 650
minimun. Check out the V Strom. they have forums like this one and lots of support
and after market goodies. Buy one used tricked out for 5-6K. Look out for the other guy. He wont see you. Be safe. God Bless

 

Yes doing stupid things on a sportbike is well stupid. My comment was on the ability of the motorcycle not on the discretion of the rider if you read the post.

 

I would suggest either 650 from the SV line.

The SV650 is a great bike for beginner and advanced alike. The V-twin is easy to use and has abilities far beyond most street riders.

The DL650 is a bit more off-raod oriented and more comfortable for the most part.

Both engines are bullet-proof and have a large aftermakret following so keeping them running for years to come shouldn't be a problem. Plus, they've sold very well so there are many examples out there to choose from.

I had an SV1000 and loved it but sold it to be more comfy on the bike below.

4 things I tell people who are starting out on the street. My son being #1 to hear my speech.

#1 YOU ARE INVISIBLE so ride like you are! When you ride like nobody can see you, you'll find yourself being more aware of your surroundings.

#2 SCAN, SCAN, SCAN! You can never scan enough.

#3 RIDE IN THE PART OF THE LANE THAT WILL MAKE YOU MOST VISIBLE! (Even though you're invisible). This may mean that you ride in the left part of the lane sometimes and other times, like when approaching an intersection and you can see a car that could approach from the right, you have to move to the right. Always move around to give yourself the best vantage point in which to scan as well as be seen by others.

#4 ALWAYS WEAR YOUR GEAR. Don't be a loser, don't think beanies and T-shirts are cool. Gear up. A good helmet, armoured jacket & jants, riding boots & armoured gloves should be put in your "bike purchase" budget.

Oh and one more...save your stunts for an empty parking lot.

Ride safe!

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I used to have a KLR650. Put 60K on it! Great bike!!

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There is no such thing as a Yamaha YZF-650. It is a YZF600R

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Keep in mind, a big challenge with starting on a faired sportbike can the cost of replacement plastics.

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I started with a '77 Honda CB750F. It was probably a touch on the "too large" side, as I could barely pick it up when I dropped it. And I did drop it. But, it was a clunker to begin with, so I also learned how to work on it and fix it. Being a little older, it wasn't terribly powerful, but I could still use acceleration to get out of a bad situation if needed. I learned real quick my butt was on the line, and I was the only one looking out for it--made me a better driver overall.

My next bike was a '94 Suzuki Katana 750 (GSX750F), with a few mods. More than enough power to get me in all kinds of trouble, which I thankfully never did. I'll agree that a crotch rocket is far more maneuverable than other bikes--a flick of the hips is all it took to change lanes on the interstate. Long-distance comfort wasn't great, but my arms are long enough that I could sit back a bit, so I could ride for about 2-3 hours solid. Mostly I just rode in town after work, 20-30 minutes most rides. Even with probably half the miles at 100+, I got 35 MPG out of it on premium. Had I driven it like a grandpa, I probably could have gotten 45 MPG. I got to the point where 110 on the highway was like driving a car at 60. That's not a good habit, I'm just lucky I didn't get pulled over, but that's how well sportbikes handle.

Now I have kids and bills, so I haven't owned a bike in about 5-6 years. I miss it, but maybe I'll get one again sometime. If I did, it would be something like a Goldwiing that I could go long distance with my wife on back.

Jason

 

I ride a V Star 650 now and this bike was bought a year ago after 30 years of not riding! I also own a 75 Honda CB 500 twin that runs like a scalded cat but the V Star is a cruiser type bike and I can sit on the V with my feet flat on the ground and legs slightly bent. The seat height is right at 25 inches.

I would love to have a bigger bike for a long trip but that's out of the question for now.

Great advice given so far and good luck on your purchase.

Ride safe..

 

I meant no disrespect brothers. I have just made the mistake of too small of bike
and when I look at my dual sport now, Im not kidding, I can feel the tingle. And I
have one of those ample cushy butts too. Good Luck

 

Now that makes a lot of sense, tell the officer that the basic speed limit laws are not to be obeyed by you as you have a sport bike.

 

I think he meant that it FEELS like 60. I have noticed that too, the thing goes 70 in first gear (6 speed) so it's (bike) wondering what the heck is wrong with ME for going so slow.

 

So far, I have ridden 40+ accident free years on many different bikes. I've had everything from a 49cc moped to 1200cc, including sportbikes, cruisers, standards and touring bikes. I currently have two BMW touring bikes, a R80RT and a R1200CLC. I got old, have a bad back and like the quiet and comfort.

If I were you:

I would sign up for a motorcycle safety course immediately as they book up quickly and you should not consider riding without one. In most states, it will also exempt you from taking the riding test when you get your license.

I would buy a Japanese "beater" bike to learn on. You will drop it despite your best efforts when you are stopped or going very slowly until you learn to properly balance it. You won't feel nearly as bad when you scratch a previously scratched bike as opposed to scratching a pretty one. Once you learn to ride, you can buy yourself a permanent bike. Also, you might decide that motorcycles are not for you.

I would look for a midsized cruiser (600-750cc) such as a Honda Shadow or Yamaha Virago. They are easy to ride, dependable, easy to find and easy to resell. They have adequate power to go as fast as you need to go and will get 45-50MPG. A dependable one should go for between $1,000 and $2,000 and you can get all or most of it back when you sell it.

RIDE PARANOID! Assume everybody is out to get you. Assume every car you meet is going to turn left in front of you and that every car at a stop sign is going to pull out in front of you. You plan an escape route in case they do. After you ride a while, this will become automatic but this has to be an conscious effort when you are a new rider.

 

Wow man 40+ years! That is a great record. And I could not agree more about having a plan B at all times. After a while it will be second nature. Even when driving a cage you will still do it automatically. 40+ accident free years makes you the leader in this discussion.

 

That's exactly what I meant. I was so comfortable at 100-110MPH, that I rode that fast on the highway almost all the time. I'm not saying that's a good place to be. But I am saying that you still have more maneuverability at that speed on a sportbike than you do in most cars at 60. For one, you can fit through a smaller space...

Jason

 

Started riding in '71, biggest bike I had was a GL 500 Honda. (Unless you count my thumper XR650L). 500s & 600s are plenty of scoot.

I prefer standard, not the high-bar cruiser or low-bar sport bike.

But really, I prefer a car. Riding is a hassle, cops are looking for every reason to cite you, but will do NOTHING when someone is following too close or cutting you off. They darn near will do nothing if someone kills you, as it's "your fault" for riding a bike. The public cares nothing for the life of a motorcyclist.

There are 60 million more cars on the road now than when I did most of my riding. I stay off road or minimal road now. As for saving money, well, the knick-nacks, clothes, helmets, oil changes, valve adjustments and other nickle and dime costs of a bike plus so-so mileage from bigger bikes, plus rain and dirt etc make it less attractive now than it was when I was 18.

Think about this: Fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles for cars/light trucks: 1.46. Fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles for motorcycles: 33.96 in 2002. (go to NHTSA.gov for stats)

Buy a Focus or a Civic.