Pics from Daytona...

[Motohead]

Heres a few pics of the trackday I just did at Daytona.... Man what a blast hauling 170 +mph around the banking...

[H2bill]

:confused: I'm not seeing the pics.

[Motohead]

ok... here's the pics.

[NewHummerGuy]

ok... here's the pics.


Moto, 5th pic is awesome with Daytona in background. Really cool:beerchug:

[DDWH]

Moto, 5th pic is awesome with Daytona in background. Really cool:beerchug:

X2! and sweet pics!:beerchug:

[Motohead]

Thanks. I have some on bike video footage that I need to load on here...

[SMYL_GR8]

Wow, that looks like fun. I sold my 954 last year:crying:

[ipeefreely]

DAng thats looks fun. I've been really considering whether or not to get into bikes, i was wondering but what would you recommend as a starter bike? I was looking into something like the r6 or cbr600

[Motohead]

I would not recomend anything over a 600... especially how much power those bike now produce.

But, the BEST advice I could give any rider, new or experienced, is get the right gear, for on the street. Just as important is also sign yourself up for a trackday at a local track. Being on a closed course, not having to worry about cars, cops, gravel, oir, guardrails... just you, your bike, and some turns... you will learn more about the bike in 1 day than 5 years riding on the road.

[TXSUT]

But, the BEST advice I could give any rider, new or experienced, is get the right gear, for on the street. Just as important is also sign yourself up for a trackday at a local track.

And take an MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) course!

Gone are the days when a 600cc sportbike made a good "starter" bike. With well over 100hp at the rear wheel, race replica 600s can put you on your ass in a hurry. By far, the absolute best starter bike is a used dual sport, like the Suzuki DR400 or Honda XR650. Ride it off-road before advancing to the street. If you just absolutely have to have something sportier to start with, Suzuki's SV650 ranks highly, and can be converted into a hellaciously fun track bike.

One of the best things you can do, too, is hook up with someone with lots of experience. You'll be able to glean lots of good information critical to becoming a safe rider, like properly heating your tires for maximum traction, braking technique (I still can't believe how many newbies don't know that 99% of your braking should be done with the front brake), turn-in, throttle control, counter-steering, etc.

Sorry, I bleed motorcycles. :D

Pete

[TXSUT]

Nice bike and pics, Moto! Makes me miss my RC. :crying:

[frenzy1]

wow ! Looks freakin' fast !!!

[Goalkeeper]

Sweet Pics man!!!

If you're really serious about bikes, I'd maybe reccommend a Buell Blast. It's only 34 HP and is low and light. A very easy bike to learn on. I taught my buddy how to ride (53 yrs old) and he bought the Blast used for like $3995 from a HD dealer.

He rode it for about a year and sold it back to the same dealer for the exact same price.

Again, it's only a 500, but is low to the ground, easy to handle, and just powerful enough.

I also agree that today's 600's are mostly too much bike for a beginner. I started on a Yamaha Sec II, but they don't make those anymore.

If you do go 600, look for decent Yamaha FZR 600...but buy from a dealer.

I now have an '01 Ducati 748, with the single sided swing arm! I live in the country (relative) and have a lot of curvy back roads and man was my bike made for the corners.

I wish I could keep mine in the house it's so sweet but the wifey won't let me!!!

-Matt

[ipeefreely]

dang all this advice is really helpful. I was actually looking to buy a bike off from craigslist or something to save myself some cash. My parents would kill me if they found out i'm going to ride. But i'm going to check out the bikes you guys mentioned and i'll let you gusy know how it turns out. and i'm definately going to take that motorcycle safety course, lol.

[timgco]

DAng thats looks fun. I've been really considering whether or not to get into bikes, i was wondering but what would you recommend as a starter bike? I was looking into something like the r6 or cbr600

If you are going to spen the money on a bike, here's what I would...in fact this is what my other half did this past Summer.


go to you local motorcycle dealer and sign up for a rider's course. They will teach you the basics, safety, and steer you towards the proper gear and all that good stuff. You will get your license through them as well. You'll get a signed card and than you just take that over to the DMV. Some insurance companies will give discounts for riders that have taken the courses.

Than go to a demo days event and drive a few different style bikes. If you want a sport bike, buy something you can grow into. Start off with a 600 or smaller. A 600 or a 250 will put you on the ground just the same if you don't respect the bike. But buying a 600 will allow you to learn casutiously and than as your riding progresses, the bike will perform with you. If you buy a 250 now, you'll have to spend morer money down the road for another bike.

Just make surer to do your homewwork firtst and take the rider's course.

[ipeefreely]

lol tim, i like that advice. HOw are you enjoying riding so far? Do you ride often? =P

[OrangeCrush]

Wow, that looks like fun. I sold my 954 last year:crying:

I sold mine about 4 months ago....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/Savagemania/img_4197.jpg

Tis okay, I got this... not as fast but I ride even more now...
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/orangecrush03/Nightrain/Picture016.jpg

Motohead,

I'll bet your bike looked tiny on the track when it was on the banks by itself. The track is so huge, it makes the bike look like it's running 50 mph.

Looks like you had a great time, always wanted to do it but never have.

As far as the other posts about riding, I agree, start off with something simple and small (my first bike was a 185, Ninja 250, 600, etc, etc...)
and take the MSF class.

I've been riding for over 20 years and about 5 years ago I took 3 levels of Keith Codes California Superbike racing school and 1 level of Kevin Schwantz's advanced class.

Point is, I had been riding for almost 20 years and I thought I could ride pretty well... man, did I find out the truth once I took those classes.

Here's a pic of one of the instructors riding on my bike with me. :D Well, looks that way anyways...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/Savagemania/img2371_808.jpg

[ipeefreely]

Uhh, so should i start off with something small (250cc) or save money and go with something moderate (600cc)? I'm planning to take all the classes up to the most advanced levels, just to be safe. =P

[timgco]

Uhh, so should i start off with something small (250cc) or save money and go with something moderate (600cc)? I'm planning to take all the classes up to the most advanced levels, just to be safe. =P

think used 600.

[Goalkeeper]

Another thought mna, if you buy used, try to buy from someone you know / trust / a referral / etc.

I had a buddy who bought a used bike, and the handle bars would continously vibrate loose. The dealer tried everything but could not resolve the issue...alas, he just sold...so I'm sure the next guy had the same issue.

Once you ID a bike you're interested in, maybe find a web board for that type of bike (like this H2 Board) or a motorcycle board in general. You may be able to chat with nice folks like us and feel more comfortable about your purchase...

Just a thought...

-Matt

By the way, Those Pics kick ass!

[timgco]

Should I just send a CBR 600RR with the brush guard?

[ipeefreely]

hahaha, yes please. 400 shipped? =P

[Motohead]

come over to a motorcycle site I'm on, a good friend owns it and a lot of smart riders, not a squid forum. Tons of help over there. It's a site dedicated to motorcyclists in general, not a bike specific forum. http://www.wristtwisters.com

[Goalkeeper]

Thanks for the link Moto...I just signed up, same screenname.

-Matt

[ipeefreely]

Hey moto, i just signed up too at the forum! I Also have the same screen name. Was wondering but would you happen to know a good place to get a bike? (price is of the utmost importance! =P )

[Motohead]

considering that I almost couldn't live any farther from you... I really couldn't help you there. Cruise around to some of the local shops... see what used bikes they have. Buying from a dealer they can at least give you some kind of gaurantee...

[ipeefreely]

lol, good point. Welllet me ask you, what kinda bike do you drive? and how much did you get it for?

[Motohead]

I don't drive one. I ride one. I have an RC-51... $12k... have about another $3500 into it.

[ipeefreely]

First of all...... BUMP^

[ipeefreely]

Second.... I think i've rounded it down to two bikes that i'm pretty sure i will get. It's come down to the 2006 Honda cbr 600rr or the 2006 GSX 600R. The MSRP for both lays around 8900. I was wondering but if i were to go to a dealership, how much will i usually be able to talk down the price? The retail price according to KBB is only about 7k. Will i be able to talk them down to that or do most dealers stick with their MSRP? Secondly, of the two bikes, which bike would you guys go for? YOur advice will help, thanks!

[OrangeCrush]

IMO, I don't think you should pick either for a first bike. There's a saying among bikers.... "It's not if you go down, it's WHEN you go down"... Everyone drops their bike, whether from going into a corner too hot or just sitting at a light and your bike falls over.

Point is, it's the rider, not the bike and if I were starting today and insisted on a 600, I'd pick up a 2001-2003 CBR F4i for instance. They are excellent bikes, can be had cheaply and are fast as hell.

When I used to race, I used a F4i and when my buddies and I would go to Deal's Gap or out in the country, none of them could keep up. Though they had faster bikes on top end, I was already down 2 gears coming out of the apex of a turn and by the time they caught up, another turn was coming.

Anyway, I think buying a new bike is not a good move for a beginner rider. I suggested the SAME thing to a friend of mine (who is responsible but has no experience) He just got out of the hospital from totalling his bike.

My .02 worth, good luck and be safe.

Make sure you take an MSF class or riding classes.

Mark

[ipeefreely]

Dang that sucks to hear about your friend, hope he's ok. HOw'd he go down though?
And Yeah i'm going to try to find out if theres a used one, if there is, of course i'll buy that, it'd be cheaper anyways. But what i really wanna do is buy from a dealer so i get warranty and better financing options. But how much can you usually knock off the MSRP price tag?

[OrangeCrush]

Dang that sucks to hear about your friend, hope he's ok. HOw'd he go down though?
And Yeah i'm going to try to find out if theres a used one, if there is, of course i'll buy that, it'd be cheaper anyways. But what i really wanna do is buy from a dealer so i get warranty and better financing options. But how much can you usually knock off the MSRP price tag?

My friend lowsided in a turn cause according to him "he hit some gravel".... :yawn:

That's what everyone that is embarassed that lays a bike down says... it's never their fault.

I wouldn't worry too much about a warranty. I'll use Honda as an example. About the only thing that ever goes wrong on a Honda is the timing chain tensioner. It's nature of the beast... buying a later model (01+) Japanese sportbike is VERY DEPENDABLE. They all their quirks.

Every brand has their features.

Hondas tend to be the most ergonomically comfortable bike. They don't do any one thing best but probably do everything great.

Yamahas tend to be more powerful, more agile light in the front end. Certain models have had trans shifting problems but for the most part, the best description I can come up with is a street bike that can be directly taken to the track.

Kawasakis have never really been the powerbike until the last few years. It started with the new 600's and when the ZX10 came out, it was all over. The styles were updated, the power was great and the handling immensely improved. Now with the new ZX14, they're just getting bigger and badder. I personally wouldn't think twice about a new Kawasaki.

Suzukis are powerful, always have been, always will be. They are the most unergonomically comfortable bikes for street riding, the relationship between pegs, handlebars and tank is more prone for the race track. The chances of a Suzuki coming with upper race set (pegs) from the factory are much larger than the other brands. These bikes tend to be more for the track and though they are fully capable of street riding, they are more comfortable on the track.

Typically, you'll find that the squids that ride on the street will be on Suzukis... not sure why, just is.

I've ridden all of them and they are all great on the street, however I hate the way Suzukis CLUNK into gear... nowhere near as smooth shifting as a Honda.

I chose my Honda because I put 20K miles on the bike in one year and knew my legs, arms and knees would take a beating riding that many miles.... there is no way I could have done that on a Suzuki or Yamaha.

If I were to buy a bike for the first time, I'd definitely buy a used 600 Honda or Yamaha. If you insist on buying a brand new bike, I'd still start off with a 600 and would find one that fits me physically. There is no better feeling to have the balls of your feet on the pegs and your knees tucked sweetly under the indentation of tank making the bike feel like it's part of you.



HTH's,

Mark

[OrangeCrush]

But how much can you usually knock off the MSRP price tag?

Typically, you can figure you can get about a grand off MSRP without too much dickering. Obviously the newer the model and depending on demand, the ability to negotiate fluctuates accordingly.

[ipeefreely]

:perfect10s: :perfect10s: :perfect10s:


Wow... ALL HAIL orangecrush.

That is some damn good advice. I think i will go with the cbr. I went to the dealership the other day and i did notice what you were talking about. More specifically the Honda's and how they're more comfortable than all the other bikes. I think for me, speed is not going to be a factor in my decision for a bike. I'm going to take it slow....REALLY SLOW and make sure i take all the classes cause i REALLY dont plan to fall any time soon. And i'm going to do everything i can to lower my chances of falling, lol. Anyways, with that said, the honda seems like a good choice for me because to me right now, comfort = most important. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks :beerchug:

[OrangeCrush]

That is some damn good advice. I think i will go with the cbr. :beerchug:

Obviously I tend to like Honda more than the others but it's not because I'm brand specific, I could care less who makes it, if sunbeam quit making toasters and started making bikes, if the bike was good, I'd buy it.

Honda does everything very well. There's always some brand faster, quicker, handles better, brakes better, etc, etc... but Honda is always consistently at the top of that list in each dept.

And as far as speed... don't kid yourself about a 600. I ran low 12's in the qtr mile and was clocked at 154 by a officer running radar.

In the twisties, the bike is agile and quick. With a redline of 14K rpms, any 600 running at 10-12K rpms will pull hard and quick.

I know personally at the track, I was MUCH faster on my 600 than my 954 simply because too much torque out of a corner can be detrimental to corner speed and you have to back off whereas the 600 is waiting to be cracked open.... VERY MANAGEABLE.

Good luck, let us know how it works out.

Mark

[timgco]

:perfect10s: :perfect10s: :perfect10s:


Wow... ALL HAIL orangecrush.

That is some damn good advice. I think i will go with the cbr. I went to the dealership the other day and i did notice what you were talking about. More specifically the Honda's and how they're more comfortable than all the other bikes. I think for me, speed is not going to be a factor in my decision for a bike. I'm going to take it slow....REALLY SLOW and make sure i take all the classes cause i REALLY dont plan to fall any time soon. And i'm going to do everything i can to lower my chances of falling, lol. Anyways, with that said, the honda seems like a good choice for me because to me right now, comfort = most important. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks :beerchug:

NO WAY IN HELL ARE MY BOXING THAT UP~!:D :D

[ipeefreely]

NO WAY IN HELL ARE MY BOXING THAT UP~!:D :D


>=D

[Motohead]

I agree that you cannot beat the workmanship and detail that Honda puts into their bikes. Look for a CBR from 01 up.

Best advice I can give is wear the proper gear (helmet, boots, bloves, leather jacket) and take it easy. A lot will depend on the crowd you ride with, becasue if you ride with a bunch of squids its only a matter of time before you are tempted into doing something stupid.

[OrangeCrush]

A lot will depend on the crowd you ride with, becasue if you ride with a bunch of squids its only a matter of time before you are tempted into doing something stupid.

Sound advice from someone who obviously rides. Never be goaded into something you're not ready for. 99.9% of all accidents are rider input and I'd say that the vast majority of those are people who are riding over their head.

It's very easy to get pushed into riding over your head because you're buddies are with you and you're "just trying to keep up".

A true riding buddy will ride at his own pace and if you're smart, so will you.

You'll also find that more than 50% of the people you meet that ride have no business being on a bike. Popping wheelies, endos may look cool but half of those guys got chicken strips (the "unused" portion of the edge of the tires on either side) on their tires wider than the width of the tire they ride on.

Half of them are posers.

Mark

[ipeefreely]

Dont wry about it. I'm not gonna ride with stupid people. I dont even know anyone who i can ride with, unless you guys want to come down to cali and show me a few things here and there. ;)
And i still dont know what chicken strips on tires is... but i do know that when it comes to falling, that im a chicken, lol. So no matter what, im going to go slow. Screw keeping up, the only thing im going to try keeping up with is the bike im riding on.
And thanks for all the advice guys, it's always appreciated. :beerchug: :dancingbanana:

[HMR22]

What's up guys, great pics. I'm a bike and track rider myself. There nothing like the track. Where are you guys from. Anyone from Cali? If I could add my two cents on bike choice, An 600 will do.....there all fast and kick ass , but, I'm a Yamaha fan.

[ipeefreely]

Hey, im from cali too. Where in cali you from?

[HMR22]

Yeah, I'm from Socal....Los Angeles:cool:

[ipeefreely]

so far =(

[Wilstruck]

I started out on sport bikes and lost a lot of friends had this built to slow down but didn't. I have to admit sold this bike to buy my hummer( no regrets) but building a new one soon!!!!!!!!! :OWNED:

Wil

[OrangeCrush]

I started out on sport bikes and lost a lot of friends had this built to slow down but didn't. I have to admit sold this bike to buy my hummer( no regrets) but building a new one soon!!!!!!!!! :OWNED:

Wil

Wil,

That's a beautiful bike. I recently sold my sportbikes to buy an HD also.

I'll buy another sportbike to go to the track or Deal's Gap but other than that... cruising is the way to go.

Mark

[ipeefreely]

I started out on sport bikes and lost a lot of friends had this built to slow down but didn't. I have to admit sold this bike to buy my hummer( no regrets) but building a new one soon!!!!!!!!! :OWNED:

Wil


Nice Bike. What sport bike did you used to ride on?

[Wilstruck]

I still ride a zx-11 i could never come around to parting with:D